Chapter Four: Morning

Horatio's baby blue eyes fluttered open as he heard the birds call out to each other outside Rick's bedroom window. The sun was rising and bathed the room in a soft, golden glow. Smiling, Horatio rested his hand on Rick's arm that was draped over his waist. He loved the fact that Rick slept holding him; and even though he would never say it, it made him feel safe.

Azure eyes scanned over the half of the room he could see without turning his head. They landed on a small photograph of himself; staring out from behind the glass of an elegant frame. Horatio blushed, wondering how many times Rick had drifted off to sleep after making sure that his was the last face he saw.

His focus shifted as he heard a soft murmur behind him and felt Rick's embrace tighten.

"I hope I didn't wake you," Horatio whispered, craning his neck in attempt to see his lover.

"You didn't," Rick hummed, pressing his lips against the nape of Horatio's neck, "I didn't take things too rough last night, did I?"

"It may hurt to sit for a while," Horatio smirked, spinning around in his lover's arms to look into those light brown eyes, "but I'll be fine".

"There are so many things I want to do with you today," Rick sighed, stroking Horatio's arm before he pulled their bodies together, "Walk along the beach... watch an old movie... all that good stuff, ya know?"

Horatio smiled and nodded, cuddling up with his lover and laying a soft kiss on his shoulder. Before Rick, the redhead had almost forgotten how wonderful it felt to have arms around him early in the morning.

"However," the brown eyed man cooed, "I don't think I could ever want to leave this bed. You just are all too perfect lying here like this".

"I love you, Rick," Horatio purred, nuzzling him, "though I can think of something more than just lying around on this bed".

Rick smirked knowingly. Horatio never struck Rick as someone who would love morning sex; but that wasn't about to stop Rick from granting his lover's desires. They rarely got to have it because of how early Horatio needed to be on call.

"Enlighten me," Rick crooned, pulling the redhead on top of him. Without pause, Horatio leaned down and captured his lover's mouth.

Their tongues slid lovingly across each other, Horatio making Rick dig the back of his head into the full pillows under the attack. The brunette was left panting as he lay there, feeling Horatio's talented lips kiss and suck down his jaw line and neck. The redhead felt hands slip around the small of his back and wander up to tug on his hair.

"Let me take you, Rick" Horatio begged into his lover's ear after nibbling on the lobe.

"Of course," Stetler cooed as he tried to hold back a moan.

It was unusual for Horatio to top. Even though it was about a year since the incidents that stopped the redhead from topping for the sake of Rick's comfort, Horatio was still very cautious.

Horatio reached over into the nightstand and grabbed the lube, stroking Rick's chest as he did. Rick moaned and sighed lustfully as Horatio parted his legs and sat between them. They had discovered that as long as Rick could see the redhead's face, he was at peace. Horatio wasn't sure if he would be able to take Rick on his hands and knees or bent over the side of the bed yet; but this was hardly the time to experiment. Mac's present was already difficult enough for Rick to handle. He didn't need to be reminded of that part of their first two days together any more than he already had been.

Those thoughts that distracted the redhead were brushed away as Rick emitted a soft moan when Horatio's lips touched his stomach.

"Rick," Horatio hummed into warm skin, "You're so sweet and smooth in the morning". Rick's breath caught as his lover pressed wanting lips against his straining cock. "You know, some might think this position as limiting," he continued, nipping around the tip and making Rick gasp, "But I think it's perfect".

Stetler threw back his head and moaned in want as his lover hummed and swallowed him down. The flat of Horatio's tongue rubbed sensually against Rick's pulsating vein as his hands pressed down onto strong thighs.

"You ready?" Horatio cooed, looking up into twinkling brown eyes.

Rick nodded, unable to speak with all the wonderful things his lover was doing to him.

As carefully as he could, Horatio liberally slicked up a finger and slowly slipped it into Rick's tight entrance. He kissed up and down Rick's length to distract him from the mild burn he must be feeling, smiling to himself as he felt fingers lace in his hair.

Several minutes and two more fingers later, Rick finally spoke, "Please Horatio. I'm ready".

The redhead nodded, his tongue lashing out to play with the other man's slit one last time before he sat up. Blue eyes scanned over Rick's body, his skin fresh with the day and already beading with sweat. Rick's chest heaved as he struggled to steady breaths that were far too heavy for him. The redhead lubed up his aching cock and positioned himself, stroking Rick's thighs and hips all the while.

Gently, slowly, Horatio slipped deep into Rick's warm and tight body. Rick let out a soft gasp, adjusting before he bit his lip and let his lover rock into him.

"You feel so wonderful in the morning," Horatio moaned, reaching down and taking Rick's hand, which was clenching the sheets.

The brunette's eyes fluttered open, watching Horatio take his hand and gently kiss it… over and over and over again. Sitting up as much as the position would let him, Rick braced himself with one arm and pulled his lover down with his kissed hand.

Their tongues tangled as Horatio drove in deeper with the shift of angle. He could almost feel the blush cross Rick's cheeks as his core was stroked.

Rick ended the kiss relatively quickly, his arms giving out as he fell back onto the mattress. Only his hand remained connected to Horatio, grasping onto the hair on the back of his head. The redhead smirked, Rick could never last that long in the mornings. That was okay. Neither could he.

Stetler felt like he was literally being unraveled as long fingers wrapped around and pumped his straining cock. He closed his eyes and let his head roll aimlessly on the pillow as he murmured his lover's name, trusting into that rough, pale hand as he came.

Horatio moaned Rick's name deep in his throat as he pumped sweet essence into his spent body. The hairs on his arms stood on end and the tingle of a blush covered his cheeks. Gasping, he slumped down onto Rick's chest as he tried to catch his breath.

There was a long moment before the redhead's eyes drifted open, reacting to the sensation of a hand stroking the back of his head. He smiled as he felt Rick play with his hair.

"You're wonderful," Rick murmured as he continued to pet his lover.

Rick shifted his hips and let Horatio's soft cock slip out of him, giving a soft grunt as he did so. He pulled his lover back up onto the pillows and resumed cuddling him and kissing his neck.

"Wanna sleep some more before breakfast?" Rick smirked as he felt Horatio's arms wrap around him.

The redhead nodded and curled up into Rick's embrace before quietly slipping back out of consciousness.

oOoOo

When Horatio woke up the golden light of morning had brightened into the harsh day. He blinked a few times before he was finally able to open his eyes and find his bearings again.

He was alone in the bed, the bathroom door ajar but with no sign of Rick. Their clothes were picked up from off the floor, folded, and placed into little piles on the dresser. One of the two satin robes put out was gone. Horatio sat up, it wasn't like Rick to let him wake up alone.

He climbed out of bed and pulled the robe against his body, shivering slightly at the sensation of the smooth fabric against his skin. He quickly tied the belt of the same material and grabbed a look at his reflection in the full-length mirror before he turned to the door.

At that moment, a red satin clad Rick shouldered it open, his arms full with a tray of eggs, pancakes, and bacon. Their eyes met, Rick was obviously embarrassed.

"I… I wanted to bring you breakfast in bed," he said timidly.

Going along with it, Horatio pulled off his robe and climbed back between the sheets, turning to look at Rick. The redhead almost looked apologetic for trashing his lover's plans.

Rick managed to stumble into the room without spilling the contents of the tray, bringing it safely to the bed next to his lover.

"I probably should have helped you with that," Horatio admitted shyly as he took it into his hands and set it down.

"It wasn't any burden," Rick smiled, attempting to suavely sit on the edge of the bed and eat with his lover.

The instant Rick sat down he began to see the problem with his plan. Satin on satin is good for little more than sliding around. And slide he did; right onto the floor.

Hardly able to suppress a chuckle, Horatio leaned over the side of the mattress to look at his lover. "Are you alright?"

"My plans have been foiled by my previous plans," Rick observed from his position on the floor.

"Did it hurt you?"

"No… actually it was kinda fun".

oOoOo

"You rattled off a list of things you wanted to do earlier," Horatio said, making conversation as he sat on the bed, eating the last of his breakfast.

"I did".

"What do you want to do after breakfast?"

Rick shrugged, "We can go over to your place and lounge around on the beach". Horatio grunted, not wanting to go home. "Or we can watch an old movie downstairs, if you don't want to move around much".

"What ones do you have?"

"Mostly comedies. Laurel and Hardy; Abbot and Costello; the Marx Brothers; all that good stuff".

"Any Buster Keaton?"

"Of course"

"I'd like that".

"Let me sit and contemplate breakfast first".

"'Contemplate breakfast'?" Horatio chuckled, the phrase struck him strange.

"Yeah," Rick nodded as if he and everyone put those words together in that order all the time, "I don't want to leave my place right after I stuff the last forkful of food in my mouth. I like to sit and digest first".

"... 'contemplate breakfast'?"

"Now you're picking on me," Rick smirked.

Horatio pushed the empty tray aside and pulled his lover into an embrace. "Of course I'm going to pick on you if you use phrases like 'contemplating breakfast'".

"Leave me alone," Rick playfully whimpered as he hid his face in the folds of Horatio's satin robe, "I make you breakfast and what do you do? You wake me up at ungodly hours, you give me a limp, and then you laugh at me".

"You said I didn't wake you up".

"I lied," Rick lied.

Horatio chuckled and tightened his embrace around his lover. He stroked Rick's soft brown hair, leaning down and kissing the top of his head.

"You spoil me," the redhead cooed.

Rick sat up and smiled, "that's because I love you".

"You sap," Horatio laughed, his eyes shining, "I love you too".