A/N: May have forgotten to upload the following two chapters and note then also totally forgot HOW to upload to here.
Present Day
Rosendale, Georgia
Nick pressed his mouth against the hollow of Ellis's neck, hands sliding up along his bare chest and stopping where his thumbs could press along hardened nipples. He chuckled at the immediate reaction, chuckled at the way his young lover bucked underneath his touch. A sound close to that of mewling came from his lips and his calloused hands tugged at the dark locks of Nick's hair. They'd only been together for ten minutes and already the hick was radiating with a submissive desire.
"Nick, stop teasin'," he panted with a tug of the conman's hair. He arched against the wall, bucking his hips against Nick's, "I've been thinking about this all fucking day."
"That so?" He rolled his tongue up along the hick's neck after speaking, blowing against the wet streak thereafter.
Ellis shivered, head tilting further to give him room, "Don't b-be smug."
A chuckle rolled out like a near purr and he ground against him, clothed cocks brushing with wanton, "Can't help it." He bit down on his earlobe giving a short tug only to find himself releasing it with a moan as one of the mechanic's hands slid down between them to cup his groin, "Ah-ha, trying to rush me."
"You're harder than I am," Ellis commented, squeezing gently, "You could fuck me right now with that, y'know?"
Nick hissed out a laugh, humming as he pressed into the hand, "And miss out on all the fun of teasing you?"
Ellis let out a whine then dropped his other hand so both could pull at Nick's belt, "After what you said to me yesterday, you don't get the time to tease me."
Nick slid a hand off of Ellis's chest, pressing it into the wall to brace himself as the other grabbed to his hip, "You mean the part where I said I was going to fuck you on every surface once in our suite or the part where I said I was going to eat you into submission while you overlooked the Vegas Strip?"
Ellis let out a low groan, shutting his eyes and rolling his head to the side while his hands pulled the belt free of its loops. He dropped it to the floor then returned quickly to undo his pants, "Just fucking kiss me, Nick. I need that silver tongue of yours in my mouth."
"As you wish," Nick lifted his hands from the blond's hip, drawing it up to grab his chin so to bring his face back front. He tilted his head and ducked in without hesitation to start a warm kiss. It was heated, messy and so goddamn necessary as well worked hands shimmied trousers to where the conman's cock was free of its confines.
Nick groaned as a hand wrapped firmly around him, eyes squeezing shut further at the raw feeling of skin tugging skin. He came to life at the motions, tongue pressing to enter the warm chasm of his lover's mouth in search of answers to questions he didn't even know he had. He allowed himself that moment to picture just how great this was going to be not having to work around anyone else this weekend, how great it was going to be just to pull him into a stall and fuck him with his mouth whenever he wanted.
The thought was like another fire merging into him and he quickly found his hands pulling at Ellis's pants as he had his. He undid them much quicker, pushing at them as much as he could without disconnecting their lips until Ellis was wiggling out of them. He pulled his hands away and grabbed at his pale hips roughly.
Their kiss broke and Ellis smiled knowing damn well what was about to him. He reattached their lips, nipping now and biting at the bottom one with such a hungry force that made Nick groan louder than he had moments before. Pale hands scaled his chest, scratching short nails along the already scarred skin with intent to leave angry red lines.
He chuckled, speaking against the mechanic's lips, "We going to have the time for this?"
"Ain't been told I wouldn't," Ellis responded, smirking with a nip of Nick's bottom lip again, "So how 'bout you stop wastin' time and get to it already, yeah?"
"You're worse than normal, baby," Nick panted out, bucking into the hand returning to his cock.
Ellis nearly purred with his response as he pressed his erection to Nick's hip, "I already told you why." He tipped his head to roll his tongue up along the conman's neck, forcing grey eyes to fall shot, "So would you stop talking and just fuck me already before I push you to the ground to do it myself."
"Mhm," Nick chuckled, "I kind of like the sound of that, but you'll give yourself a nasty rug burn."
Ellis released his cock, hands suddenly pressing against his shoulders to shove him backward, "Then we'll compromise. Finish taking your pants off and get on the bed. At least then I can get some help with my bouncing."
The thought thrilled Nick and he didn't hesitate to step away from his lover. He toed out of his shoes, pushing eagerly at his trousers to leave them behind as he moved. As he did so, he didn't take his eyes off Ellis. Didn't take his eyes off the way the hick moved across the room to grab the lube they didn't bother to shove into a drawer. It didn't help that every inch of him was bare of clothing and his dick was bobbing with each step, emphasizing more and more just how much the Southerner was ready to be fucked.
Anyone else and Nick would've been taking the lead, pushing and pressing them into the bed until they were nearly eating a pillow as he crashed into them. Anyone else wouldn't have been able to get so much as a few words out of him before they'd be sucking his dick to prep him for what was to come. And anyone else...well none of them were ever going to get the treatment that Ellis got.
Nick dropped onto the bed once he was close, turning to fall onto his back only to find himself covered by Ellis just seconds later with their mouths meeting again. They shared their moans between it, grabbing and grounding against one another until Ellis was starting to bounce with those grinds. He dug his fingers into Nick's shoulders, drawing from the kiss to slowly smirk at him. He shifted himself, ass grounding against the older man's cock, "After this, I want to be fucked into the bed."
Nick couldn't stop the chuckle that left him, head tipping back as he bucked against Ellis, "Demanding more before we even start. Sure about that?"
"Abso-fucking-lutely," the grin could be heard with the words and Nick dropped his hands away from Ellis to instead slip into his own hair. He shut his eyes and bit his tongue, holding himself steady as the hick lifted just enough off of him to give room for skilled hands to do what they needed.
Within moments his cock was pressing against that tight ring of muscles. The push was easier than it had been days ago, easier for him to buck into with the impatience that filtered through them both. A few seconds later his entire cock was buried to the hilt within his lover's ass, settling into the tight grip that didn't seem to ever lose that intensity it always had.
No matter how many times they did this, no matter how many times his cock slide easier into his ass: there was still a grip that confirmed without a doubt that his dick wasn't meant to be anywhere else. Ellis was his and he was Ellis's, that's just how it was meant to be. No stupid virgin god-loving whore was going to ruin that.
"Oh, sweet Mother of fucking God," Ellis let out a breath, head falling back as he arched where he sat. The angle pressed Nick even deeper, forcing him to brush that bundle of nerves which sent a chill through his lover.
Nick watched him with a heavy stare, lifting his arms above his own head and crossing them at the wrists. He balled his hands into fists and gave a quick buck of his hips to get his lover's attention, "Stop praying about my dick and ride it already."
"Don't rush me," Ellis chuckled as he tilted his head forward, looking down at Nick, " I'm the eager one. I'm the one who wanted to do this. I'm calling the shots."
Anyone else would've been shut down faster than they could've even finished the second sentence. Anyone else would've been told they were wrong and to shut up or get out. Anyone eyes would've been turned around and bent over, shown who was calling the shots.
But Ellis…- Fucking Ellis.
Nick smirked, tongue licking his bottom lip right after, "Whatever you say, gorgeous."
Ellis liked the answer and showed that nearly instantly with the way his hips began to roll, slow and methodical. His hands flattened along Nick's abdomen, bracing himself there with the shifting movements that barely removed him from the conman's dick. His mouth fell open, a silent moan escaping as the action still brushed that nerve bundle.
It wasn't long before eagerness shone through, finding itself in an energy that started to bounce Ellis. He threw his head back, a loud cry breaking out as he curled his hands against his skin, "Oh, Nick. Nick. F-fuck, Nick!"
The conman curled his hands into tighter fists, fighting every urge to grab the younger and spin them around to ram him into the bed. He held it back, bit it back as he tensed and boiled with the rising bliss of how easily Ellis moved along his cock. He wanted to go faster, wanted to feel it all the more but he couldn't do that. He'd given up control. He'd given that to Ellis and it wasn't the only thing the hick was ever going to get from him.
"You feel so fucking good," Ellis sank down once more, wiggling and arching to brush that bundle of nerves. It was a pause that drove Nick insane, but the way Ellis's face contorted with pleasure made the wait worth it, "Why the fuck didn't you start fucking me since the day we met?"
Nick let out a short laugh, shaking his head slowly, "Because you pissed me off."
"N-not a good enough excuse," Ellis shivered, smiling with pleasure as he started moving again. He lifted slowly, rocking with the movements until he was riding him at an even pace that threatened him leaving his cock with each motion. He let out a low noise, similar to a growl before speaking again, "Touch me, Nick."
Nick didn't need to be told twice and didn't need to be told where to go with his hands. They were quick to settle with one on a slender hip and the other pumping an eagerly leaking cock. He bit down on his bottom lip while watching with bright eyes, completely forgetting everything he'd been thinking about today. Ignoring the inkling thoughts of how Russell was growing tense with him.
He was angry and annoyed. Bothered with knowing Nick was caught up in something else rather than giving a shit about what was happening back in Boston. Of course, Nick had told him to shove it and that his brother could stick it. He didn't need to be in Boston at the moment. The only reason he was needed there was that Russell wanted to be greedy with him and his brother wanted to use him for profit. Neither sounded nearly as fun and/or interesting as the very hick currently moaning his name.
There'd been mention of Tessa, but Nick didn't give a shit.
What was there to give a shit about when Ellis was begging him to do his worst?
RING!
As if on the cue to the very thought, Ellis's phone gave off a loud shriek. The tone all too recognizable as his fiancee's. They both paused their lewd actions, eyes meeting in a silent conversation that Nick knew he was already going to lose the moment slender hips stopped moving. So he dropped his hands with a sigh and watched the hick climb off of him, slipping away with a groan from each of them.
Ellis crawled across the bed, snatching the phone off the floor where it'd slid in his escape from his pants earlier. He stayed on his knees, resting forward on his elbows with his ass extended in the air in a teasing taunt that made Nick's mouth water. The phone went silent in response to it being answered and Nick had to bite his tongue in saying anything as his lover spoke, "Hey Abby."
He sounded worn, sounded exhausted in a way his fiancee wouldn't be able to pin. That gave the conman an energy of encouragement to move in a fluid motion of rising to his knees. He didn't care. How could he? Abigail was just some obstacle in the way. Everything else was already set, everything else was great and this moment was theirs even if she wanted to interrupt it.
"No, I'm hanging out with Nick."
The older man shifted behind Ellis and grabbed his hips roughly, he yanked them back to where his cock could smack up against curved cheeks. He slid a hand back, wrapping around himself to lift then drop again to wait for a reaction.
He didn't need to wait long as a shiver ran down Ellis's back, body pressing back with his ass extending all the further. Any other time he knew Ellis would be shooting him a look that said more than he could at the moment, but ever since he entered the motel room he'd been surrounded by an air of lust. It wasn't all that surprising to see him reacting as he was.
So, Nick did the most sensible thing he thought at that moment. He lined his cock up with Ellis's worked ass and with one swift movement sheathed himself deep to where a yelp vocalized from the mechanic. A glare was promptly received then.
Nick only chuckled under his breath, hands holding tightly to Ellis's hips to begin moving them with short thrusts of his own. He shut his eyes and groaned, tongue being bitten still to be as quiet as he could. Of course, he didn't account for how much of a struggle it'd be for Ellis, but the apparent tone of his voice and the panting breath said it was evident to say he was having a hard time.
"I don't," a grunt, "knoooow when I'm going to be home." The younger let out a gasp, "Fuck-no sorry, it's nothing. Nick's taking a bumpy road. Pothole surprised me."
Nick started to move a little quicker, cock sinking deep with each thrust and getting a set friction that was just perfect for the conman to roll his head to the side. He moaned, low and hungry as every blissful point bubbled and burned.
"What?" Ellis's tone switched drastically in an instant, "I thought she wasn't goin' t'be here until next week."
Nick frowned. Whatever had been said was taking away from Ellis's focus more than it had been already. He didn't stop though, just kept ramming into him because despite what was happening, the hick continued to rock into the movements he was being pulled into.
"Yeah, sure." Ellis groaned in the back of his throat, "Fine. Be there in an hour."
Nick rolled his eyes at the time restraint but said nothing as the phone was dropped back to the floor. He watched his young lover arch forward more, bending into the thrusting with hands tight on the edge or the bed. He let out a moan and Nick hummed, "Sorry to take over like this, but you're the sex addict that got me all heated up."
"Oh fuck you," Ellis panted out, whining into a long moan. He turned his head into the sheets, biting down to let out an even louder noise than what Nick was used to. He was really worked up, wasn't he?
Who could blame him though? They were both teetering on an edge of eagerness in getting away for the weekend, getting away to something better and more meant for them. They were going to be able to do what they wanted when they wanted and he already knew Ellis hadn't the slightest what that actually entailed.
And honestly? Nick was glad for that.
But that was then and this was now, so he drove it home. Focusing all his energy into the way his hips rolled quicker and harder against his lover. Hands tight on his hips to where he knew it'd leave marks. He shut his eyes, moan slipping out as Ellis released another much louder noise.
"D-don't stop," Ellis let out a whine followed by a hissed breath, "I'm so fucking close."
Nick kept the pace despite knowing he'd be sore from it later, but with nothing to regret there wasn't a point in slowing down or stopping. He just kept going, fucking the hick until he was finally yelling his name out then shouting into the bed as he rattled with pleasure. He tightened around Nick as he did so, vibrating with the pleasure and sending it straight back to Nick who rolled into the thrusts of it as he found his own release.
His own orgasm wasn't nearly as loud, but it was lead by a blissful sigh of the hick's name as he filled him and slicked through his own mess. He rode it until the finish, finally slowing himself to a stop until he was able to slip out and drop back onto the bed breathless. His eyes stayed shut, chest rising and falling heavily as his hands slid into his hair, "Son of a bitch."
He felt Ellis move around until he was able to collapse against him, lying lazily across his chest with a chuckle deep in his throat, "I really hope that was a preview to what it's like being alone with you."
Nick smiled with amusement, lifting an arm to drape it across his lover, "You'll never find pleasure in your own hand again after I'm done with you."
"Is that a promise?" Ellis hummed warmly, thumb stroking over Nick's heart.
"Yeah," Nick answered, "a promise that will keep on going for as long as I can make sure of it."
"What would stop you?"
"Needing my hip replaced because I'm in a relationship with a sex maniac."
Ellis let out a short laugh then pressed into the hand on Nick's chest to prop himself up. He leaned in to connect their lips, holding it there a long moment before whispering against them, "And I've already told you that it's your fault I'm like this. So if your hips give out, well then prepare to be ridden until morning comes. I'm getting fucked by your dick regardless of working hips."
Nick couldn't stifle the laugh that bubbled up his throat and it only lasted longer at the smile on Ellis's face. He couldn't stop the image of it either, the thought of what it'd be like to be bedridden quite literally . It was humorous but even better in knowing that Ellis wasn't about to stop even if Nick was too broken to do it himself. Good to know that if he'd busted something during the outbreak he would have still get some tail. Finally, his laugh toned down and he spoke with a grin, "Have I told you how glad I am to have had you save me at that gas station?"
"Only a few times," a blush seemed to creep up the hick's cheeks and Nick lifted a hand to feel that warmth.
"Well I am," Nick brushed his thumb over the pink of his skin, "I'm alive because of it, but I also got to keep you at the end of it."
"Make me sound like some kind of award for surviving it."
"Aren't you though?" Nick lifted a brow, "I survived a fucking zombie apocalypse and in the end, it was still shit, but yet...there was you. I still had you despite it all. I was able to keep you interested, keep you there and to find you again. Win back the only thing I could've really fucked up."
Ellis was quiet, staring at him with that still ever present blush and eyes wider than before. He let out a shaky breath, trying to laugh around it, "You have no idea what you're doing to my insides when you talk like that, Nick."
"Then tell me, El," Nick responded quickly, mouth working off a part of his brain he normally kept shutdown, "Tell me what it's like to know you're wanted so damn much."
"I don't…" Ellis started softly, almost a near whisper, "I don't really know how to explain it."
"Try."
"Um," he swallowed a breath then turned into the hand on his cheek, kissing Nick's wrist, "Well, it's like this warm feeling that kind of just bubbles up in my stomach."
"Bubbles?" Nick watched him, grey eyes unable to look away from the naive expression on his lover's face. Suddenly the deep structure of what he was asking had hit him and he felt his own stomach bubble with a nervous realization.
Just how many more lines were there to cross with Ellis?
"Yeah. Like it bubbles up from my stomach to my chest and it makes my heart feel like it's gonna explode," he shifted then, slipping a leg over Nick's waist to straddle him. The action forced Nick's hand to fall to his thigh and he smiled gently at him, "Never really felt it before and you keep making it happen."
Nick's breath caught in his throat and he had to force it down with a swallow, finding it harder than he had hoped to find a response, "I fucked up bad with you, Ellis. I'm just doing all I can to prove that it was the biggest mistake I'd ever made."
"Ever?"
"Yeah," Nick answered it quickly despite the nervous feeling residing in his a gut. A feeling he wasn't all that familiar with, or enjoyed mind you, but one that still sat ever so present as he spoke to Ellis, "I need you to know that I want you and that I'm not going to suddenly stop wanting you."
A soft breath left Ellis, one that seemed almost of relief before he was leaning in to press a kiss to the conman's lips. He held it until they needed air, breaking away just enough to speak in a whisper that brushed their lips with each word, "I know we gotta get going, but I want you one more time, Nick. But this time I want you over me."
Nick's lips twitched with a small grin, chest going tight as he wrapped his arms around his lover, "Whatever you want, baby."
{\}
Nick glanced over at Ellis, watching as he looped his belt through his jeans with a smile still plastered on his face. It was damn near contagious as the conman fought back the one growing onto his own mouth, "So you going to keep smiling like that or tell me why we need to cut this all so short?"
Ellis looked up at him, brow lifting as he spoke through his grin, "I feel like I just woke up the morning after prom."
Nick shook his head, snorting, "I don't even know what that means, kid."
"Course you don't," Ellis finished looping the belt, nimble fingers buckling it into place before he stepped over to gently nudge Nick's hands away so he could work at buttoning his shirt, "What I mean is that I feel damn good. I could've spent the rest of the night in that bed with you, just letting you have your way with me."
"I can hear a 'but' in that sentence," Nick quirked his own brow, hands settling onto the hick's hips, "What's wrong outside of the obvious where we're leaving?"
A sigh slid out before Ellis was finally responding, eyes refusing to connect with his, "Rochelle is here."
The three words made Nick tense and his small grin vanish. His brows knitted closer together and his hands tightened on Ellis's hips, "What?"
Another sigh and he forced his gaze to meet his lover's, "Yeah. Last time I spoke to her it wouldn't be until next week, but I guess her plans changed."
"She know about this?"
"Probably knows you're here," Ellis responded, "Probably heard it from Abby and probably a reason to why she's here so early."
"Fucking fantastic," Nick scoffed with a shake of his head, "I can't wait to hear what she has to say."
"Won't matter what it is," Ellis assured, "We're in this for the long haul, Suit."
Something about the words made Nick's breath catch in his throat, but he was quick to swallow it with a shake of his head. He sighed gently then slid a hand around to get a handful of the Southerner's ass, drawing him up against his chest. He leaned in to press a kiss, hungry and slow with every ounce of greed bleeding into it. He held it for as long as possible, enjoying the way Ellis seemed to rock into him with little moans despite knowing they had to leave.
He broke the kiss, panting wantonly against Ellis's lips, "You're coming back with me tonight. I don't care what she or your damned fiancee says."
"You got it, Nick," Ellis cooed the words, hands sliding from the burgundy shirt into the dark locks of hair. He curled into the strands, pulling him back in for a hard kiss before drawing away to smooth the mess out. He slipped from the conman's hold, grabbing for his hat which laid on the ground. He popped it onto his head then turned just in time to watch Nick pull his black jacket on.
"Let's get this over with," Nick sighed heavily then grabbed his keys, leading the younger out of the motel and towards their vehicles. There was a quick exchange of Nick suggesting they take his car so they have a reason to give Abigail beyond just wanting to hang out. It had taken some slight coaxing, but the moment they were in the car he had the hick's hand high up on his leg edging towards a risky situation.
They sat in silence for the trip and Nick was glad for that, glad that he didn't have to try and hide just how annoyed he was at the idea of Rochelle at the house waiting for them. He'd already decided the week had gotten worse with having met the groomsmen, it was amazing that it was just going further downhill. It made him even more eager to fly them out of Georgia in two days.
It couldn't get worse, could it?
Just two more days and they'd get some time away. Maybe after that, it'd even all be over. Maybe it was just what Ellis needed to push him to that final edge. It was something to hope for and even though Nick had little faith in that kind of thing, he was going to need it in the next few hours. He couldn't even begin to imagine what Rochelle had in store for him.
When they finally arrived at the house, they shared a heated kiss behind tinted glass before slipping out of the car to make their way towards the front porch. At the door, they could hear laughter coming from inside the house and a look was exchanged. After a few moments, Ellis led the man inside making his way into the living room where Abigail and Sarah sat on the couch across from Rochelle who sat in a paisley cushioned chair.
"There he is!" Nick stopped in the archway, leaning into it with his hands in his pockets and a neutral expression upon his face. Abigail spoke again, smiling gently, "Was wondering where you'd gone off to."
Ellis stepped into the room, shrugging slightly yet not getting closer to the couch, "I would've been home sooner if we'd known about Ro."
"I thought I'd told you," Abigail said it gently and Nick had to bite back the scowl which crept up his spine.
He could see it in her stare that she'd known damn well she hadn't said anything. It was obvious in the air around them why Rochelle was here early and more so when the woman stood up to hug Ellis. It was brief, briefer than he would've liked as she turned her gaze to him. Her arms folded across her chest and a brow lifted, "I'd say it was good to see you but-"
"-you don't want to tell such an obvious lie?" Nick asked it softly only to receive an eye-roll in response. He sighed and pushed off the frame to start walking down the hall towards the back porch. He could hear Rochelle make a comment but then followed after him on much heavier and quicker feet.
The moment they were outside he heard the back door shut followed by the screen door, an extra measure he didn't blame her for going. Though when he turned to look at her there was a look of absolute anger and disgust that made him frown deeply, "What?"
"Don't you what me," Rochelle hissed it quietly, arms folded tightly across her chest, "You know exactly what ."
"You're making a deal out of nothing," Nick mumbled, stepping back with a look over his shoulder. He leaned himself against the rail and fished out a cigarette, lighting it up once it was balanced between his lips.
"Oh, don't start that," Rochelle scoffed, "This is definitely something to make a deal out of, Nicolas."
"My full name?" Nick's brows rose, smirking as he spoke around his cigarette, "Wow, you must be very angry with me."
"Would you act like an adult for five minutes?" Rochelle was bitter, her tone a different level he'd never heard from her before, "I need answers, explanations and one hell of a good reason to why you're still around."
Nick shook his head, pinching the cigarette between two fingers to pull it away. He chuckled, blowing smoke from his lungs, "One word for all of that: Ellis."
"For fuck sake," Rochelle threw her arms up, dropping them down as she fell into a chair, "Nick, seriously, why are you here? I thought you told him it was nothing and took off."
"We both know that's not exactly what happened, Cupcake," Nick responded quickly, "I told him what he needed to hear and took off. I did what all of you were always hoping I'd do."
"Yeah, good," Rochelle exclaimed, eyes slightly wide, "You could've stayed gone! Why didn't you?"
"Because of Ellis," Nick barked it sharply, glaring at her. She didn't respond so he brought the cigarette back to his lips for a long drag before continuing, "We happened to run into one another in Savannah. He decked me and I deserved it. I decked him because it's what he needed to further cement what I've said. We went our separate ways."
A long pause before she blinked at him in bewilderment, "Okay, and then? Clearly, that's not how it ended or you wouldn't be standing here."
"No, clearly," Nick said it bitterly, frowning then glancing away, "His dumbass friend, Keith, came and found me. Gave me some fucking sob story about Ellis no longer being his best friend and how that was me now. I more or less told him to fuck off, but he still told me where Ellis was staying and gave me the key to his room. The fucking idiot hadn't the damned slightest just how close Ellis and I was."
"So you went to his room?"
Nick shrugged, giving a nod, "Yeah, I did." He paused, debating hard for a long moment on how to proceed. He didn't really want to tell her, didn't really want to explain himself for any of this but he knew if he didn't she'd just get on their case even more, "I apologized."
Rochelle snorted, shaking her head, "Like you know what that even is."
Nick shot a dark glare at her, lip curling in anger, "And like hell, you even have an idea of what's going on."
Rochelle mirrored the glare, "I know you two are set up to basically have an affair. I know you're not helping this engagement by being here. And I know that you're the most confusing part of Ellis's life."
"Piss off, Princess," Nick dropped his cigarette to the porch, stepping it out, "There's not going to be an affair because there's not going to be a wedding."
"Oh?" Rochelle let out a huff, "Really? Says who?"
"Me."
The two froze, both turning their attention to the door that had been opened without their knowledge. The idea of which turned Nick's stomach slightly, but not too much because Ellis was stepping his way out onto the porch and towards Nick. Once the second door clicked shut he faced Rochelle with a wrinkled nose, "You can't be doin' this, Ro."
"I'm not doing anything beyond worrying about you," Rochelle stated quickly, "This isn't healthy, Ellis!" She stood up, working to better stand her ground in a literal sense as she spoke, "Nick isn't healthy. Maybe during the end of the world, it seemed right, but things are going back to normal-or rather, as normal as they're going to get and Nick's life...it's…"
"Different," Ellis filled in, "But not wrong or not healthy for me. I'm a fucking adult who survived the goddamn apocalypse. I can make my own choices."
"Looks, Ellis," Rochelle's tone calmed drastically and she took in a deep breath, "You're right. You can make your own choices, but I need you to understand why Coach and I are concerned?"
"You told Coach?" Ellis frowned.
Rochelle sighed, "Yes, and he's just as worried."
"There's nothing to be worried about though," Ellis stated quickly, "Nick apologized."
Rochelle flicked her gaze to Nick and the conman stepped forward, slipping a hand into Ellis's back pocket out of her sight, "I apologized like I said."
"Hard to believe," Rochelle muttered and Ellis sighed.
The younger leaned into the arm against his back, folding his own across his chest as a frown settled across the entirety of his face. He drew in a slow breath then spoke carefully, "I don't need to share anything about that apology with you, Ro. All you need to know was that it was more than enough for me."
Nick drew in his own breath, slow and almost nervously-but why? What was there to be nervous about? Sure, the whole thing was still fucked and Ellis had a right to still hold some resentment towards him. However, this entire conversation suddenly had him on an edge where he realized he was still waiting on Ellis to further confirm they were fine. To further confirm that this was right for him.
Despite their conversation earlier in the day, there was still that unsettled silence of just how much Ellis forgave him.
"It hurt a lot, okay?" Ellis admitted, hands slipping from the hold on his arms to find his pockets instead. He looked down at the ground, refusing to make eye contact with the woman, "He hurt me worse than I ever thought someone could, but when he came to me and he apologized I could see that he meant it. He meant it more than anything he's probably ever said before, Ro."
Nick swallowed a breath, other hand moving to slip up into his hair. He was fighting the need to run, fighting the need to talk and speak up on his own account. But he couldn't and he didn't. What Ellis was saying was true. Every word. There had been so much in Nick's life that wasn't true, honest and/or even real. But Ellis- Fuck- he was the truest thing to ever come into his life.
Nick had been watching the side of Ellis's face, but finally, he turned his attention back to Rochelle who was staring at them in silence. He couldn't make heads or tails of what she was thinking, but he knew he probably wouldn't like it. Yet he bit his tongue and waited, instead of turning his head to brush his nose against the mechanic's neck. He pressed a gentle kiss to the soft skin, hand sliding up from the pocket to rest against the small of his back.
There was a silence that settled for far too long and when Rochelle finally went to speak the three found themselves being interrupted by the doorknob being forcefully turned. Nick took a large step back from Ellis, resting against the railing once more just as it opened to reveal Sarah. She glanced between the three, confusion striking her features as she cleared her throat, "Sorry to interrupt-but there's someone at the door and I think it's for Nick."
The cardshark's brows drew close and he gave a slight frown, "What?"
Sarah shrugged, "Said they were looking for someone tall, well-dressed and kind of an asshole. Assumed it was you."
"Gee, thanks," Nick squinted his stare at her then pushed off the rail to step around her. He could hear the others on his feet, moving back into the house and down the halls back towards the living room where he could hear Abigail speaking rapidly about something or another.
When he rounded the corner the sight before him could only further confirm just how much worse this week was about to get.
"What the hell are you doing here?"