1.
"Life can wait one night, Juno. Come here."
He knows he shouldn't. He's been suspicious of Rex from the start; by now he's almost certain that the Dark Matters agent is not what he appears. The flirtation, the kindness, and even that inexplicable trust could easily all be an act put on to seduce him into incompetence. But now Rex is leaning in, one hand pulling at Juno's coat and the other curling around the back of his neck, and Juno can't make himself turn away.
He is surprised at how soft Rex's mouth is on his. Like silk, he thinks, and then he doesn't think anything else for a while. It's the sort of all-consuming kiss that could make you forget your own name- the kind of kiss perfect for stealing a set of keys from an unknowing detective's pocket. But Juno isn't unknowing. As they pull away from each other, a sort of disappointed certainty falls over him. He's right, but it brings him no happiness. He knows what he has to do now.
All that happens next- the arrest, the subsequent escape, the note and the name -Peter Nureyev- can't keep him from reliving that kiss over and over in quiet moments. Juno drinks more that he should, throws himself into his work, and tries to forget.
2.
Juno doesn't want to pretend to be married. Hell, he doesn't want to show Nureyev and emotions besides anger and disdain, but a fake marriage adds insult to injury. The thought of expressing love to him hits a little too close to home. But it's what he has to do.
He casts one last look at himself in the mirror. He's wearing the suit he found hanging in the closet. The colors flatter him, and it fits perfectly. Nureyev must have put some effort into selecting it. With an annoyed sigh, he turns away and allows Engstrom's bodyguard to lead him down the hall to the private room.
The door opens to reveal the two thieves he'll be cavorting with today. He should probably focus first on Engstrom, the unknown, but his attention is drawn to Nureyev, who is bounding towards him.
"Dahlia, there you are!" Nureyev greets him with his fake name. Juno has to admit, his false husband doesn't look half bad like this: groomed, polished, eyes sparkling with the exhilaration of danger. He is all smiles as he takes Juno by the shoulders and kisses him on the cheek. His lips barely brush the corner of Juno's mouth, and Juno can't help the shiver it sends down his spine.
He attempts to compose himself and offers a stilted, "Hi, honey." Nureyev grins at him, sharp teeth visible past his lips, and Juno has a feeling the master thief knows exactly the effect he has on him.
3.
They are thrown into the cell at the end of another grueling day of tests and the door slams shut behind them. Juno's head is throbbing, and there's blood running all down his face. He slumps to the floor, and Nureyev kneels beside him.
"Oh Juno," he murmurs. "You look terrible."
"Yeah, well you should see the other guy."
Juno looks away, but Nureyev reaches out to cup his face in his hand. "Let me help with this, at least."
Maybe if he was in a stronger state of mind he would have closed himself off and refused help. As is, he's hurting so much and the compassionate touch of another human feels so good that he relents, and allows Nureyev to use the corner of one of their threadbare blankets to clean the blood off of his face. His hands are gentle-how long has it been since anyone has touched Juno this kindly?- and there is compassion and sadness in those bright eyes of his.
When the blood is mostly gone, Nureyev sets down the blanket and manages a small smile. He tilts his head to the side in appraisal. "Beautiful as ever."
Juno's pain has given way to exhaustion. He doesn't object when Nureyev puts his arms around him and holds him against his chest. He closes his eyes. There's still a hint of that cologne about him. Stuff must be something fancy. Nureyev presses his lips to Juno's forehead; they're soft, even after weeks of torture and captivity.
It feels… nice. Really nice, in fact. Just for a moment, Juno lets himself relax into the embrace of this man who, finally, he trusts.
4.
He wasn't expecting to survive the blast from the martian bomb. Maybe he should be relieved about actually being alive, but as he stumbles out of the vault door the foremost thing on his mind is worry about the words he thought would be his last.
"You're the greatest thing that's ever happened to me."
They were true, of course, but now he'll have to follow up on them, and he's never been good with that sort of thing. Dying like a martyr would certainly be easier than dealing with the uncertainty of a precarious future.
But would it be better?
"Juno- you're- you're alive!"
There are tears running down Nureyev's cheeks as he lunges forward to grasp Juno by the arms. And Juno explains how it happened- how the martians decided it would be best for them all to die- but Nureyev doesn't seem to care.
"You and I Juno- we're alive, and free to make whatever choices we please." His voice goes soft, and he pulls Juno closer to him. "And I can think of one I'd like to make right now."
If their first kiss made Juno forget who he was, this one makes him remember. Nureyev kisses him softly and sweetly, and everything feels so right. This is who he is. This is who he is meant to be.
But as they make their way out of the tomb- so much living to do- he can't stop thinking of the martians.
5.
Juno's back is pressed against the headboard of the hotel room bed. Nureyev leans over him; his slender fingers pull at the collar of Juno's shirt, and he kisses him until Juno can barely think, until he can barely breathe. Still, he clings to Nureyev. He wishes he could save this moment, make it stretch on forever. It would be the perfect eternity; Peter Nureyev kissing him into oblivion.
But one of the first lessons Juno learned is that nothing lasts forever. Afterwards, as they lie close together in the tangled sheets, Nureyev whispers a confession and Juno reciprocates it. And then, once the other man is asleep, he slips out of the bed, out of the room, and away, into the nighttime rush of Hyperion City.
He wants nothing more than to stay with this man who he trusts- this man who he loves- but he won't let himself keep anything more than the memory of a kiss. He does what he has to do.
+1.
The view from the roof of one of Hyperion City's many skyscrapers is magnificent as the red sun begins to rise, sending brilliant rays to bounce off a thousand glittering buildings below him. It's been a long night of tight spots and narrow escapes; Peter is tired, and he can feel a couple of nasty bruises forming under his clothes. That art collector sure packed a punch. Nevertheless, he feels the familiar glow of happiness that comes from a perfectly executed heist- and from the man beside him.
Juno stands a few feet behind the railing, leaning against a chimney. He never was one for heights. Gazing out at the city, illuminated by the Martian dawn, he looks strong. Powerful. Beautiful.
When he notices Peter watching him, he turns toward him and crosses his arms. "Shouldn't you be enjoying the view?"
"Oh, I am," Peter says, stepping closer and letting his voice creep down towards the purr he knows Juno can't resist. "Very. Much."
"You're ridiculous," Juno says, shaking his head. Peter raises an eyebrow, and Juno sighs. "Oh, c'mere." He takes Peter's face in his hands and pulls him down into a nice, long kiss.
It's been several months since they encountered each other for the third time, since Juno explained what really made him leave that hotel room. In that time Peter has been trying his hardest to show Juno how important he really is; how much he really deserves. And maybe- just maybe- it's working.
Juno pulls away and looks up at Peter. "What are you grinning about?"
"Nothing," he says, and then reconsiders. "I love you, Juno."
"I love you too, Nureyev." Juno smiles, and it's the most beautiful thing in the world.