It had been a hellish few weeks, so John Paul had dragged me out of the flat for a few drinks in town. We'd decided to get dinner in town as well, so we ended up in a Chinese restaurant and both ordered spicy chicken something and a few beers to wash it down.

"So, what do you want to do for your birthday?" He asked, pecking at his spring roll as its heat burned at his fingers.

I sighed as I rested my bottle back on the table, "I don't wanna do anything major, maybe just a few drinks and go see a film."

"Wow, life in the fast lane, eh?" he joked, dipping his fingers in the bowl of lemon-water to wash the sticky juices of his hands.

"I just want to spend time with you," I whispered, smiling shyly at him before leaning across the table and kissing him.

He smiled at me as we separated and took my other hand in his, giving it a squeeze.

We tucked into our dinner and joked and laughed through the evening. At half eleven, we got the final bus home. Not wanting the night to end, I asked if he wanted to go to the Loft.

"Sure, if you want…" he said, smirking at me.

"If you don't want to, you don't have to," I huffed in mocking, resting my head on his shoulder.

"Well, it's just that, for once, my family is out, some promotion in the Loft, so we could go to mine for a bit of fun," he whispered huskily in my ear before kissing my neck.

I languished, resting my hand against his thigh, temptingly rubbing back and forth, moving higher and higher up his body.

"I'll take that as a yes, so?" He laughed, kissing my mouth. He attempted to cease the kiss, but I refused as I rolled my tongue against his, enjoying the heat of his mouth as he became like fluid, loose and care-free.

The joy of this moment drew me back to middle of May and how I'd nearly lost him forever.

After I'd ended things with Sarah, I'd sat in the flat staring into space for hours. Darren had come up, making stupid jokes, asking what was wrong with Sarah. I'd curtly told him that I had broken up with her and she took it badly. He'd attempted to lift my spirits, but I just wasn't in the mood for him so I went to my room.

I collapsed to my bed, curling into the foetal position and I must've dozed off for a few hours because when I woke up, the sun had shifted, and I had a number of missed calls from John Paul.

I quickly called him back and waited tentatively for him to pick up.

"Hi," He said. His voice was low and ragged and I could tell he'd been drinking.

"Hey… are you alright?"

"I'm fine, a bit drunk, but fine." He muttered, and I could hear his mattress groan in the background. I was at a loss for words, but knew I needed to tell him before he thought the worse – or, more accurately, thought more of the worse.

"I broke up with Sarah after you'd gone."

He gasped, and I couldn't help but laugh at his actions.

"I'm coming over," he insisted, and I tried to tell him there was no need, but he'd refused to listen and then he'd hung up.

So I moved to the living room and waited for him to arrive.

Fifteen minutes the door rocked up. I jumped off the sofa and before I could even say, 'hello', he was kissing me.

His hands were in my hair and his tongue in my mouth and I was in heaven. We fell to the couch, my hands fell to his lower back, and I pushed his t-shirt up, pushing my hands beneath his clothes, just wanting to touch his flesh.

And then the door opened once more.

Darren dropped the tray he'd been carrying, shattering the glasses and plates all over the floor, spilling the drinks and the sandwiches in the interim.

"Ooh, hiding the sausage, are we Craig?" He commented, his voice full of mirth and as he camp-ly spoke.

"Sod off, Darren," I said, pulling John Paul closer and kissing his cheek before sitting up and taking his hand in mine.

"So this is why Sarah went of crying?" He asked, serious for the first time in his life.

"I didn't tell her Darren, I'm not heartless!" I said, taking a deep interest in the way mine and John Paul's hands and interlaced without my notice.

Darren started cleaning up after his accident, making the odd comment and joke.

"Spike was here earlier," I told John Paul as he picked at a piece of fluff that had attached itself to the hairs on my arm. "He was playing the heartbroken lover, smarming up to Sarah making all these hints."

"You got all pissed off, I'm guessing?" John Paul replied, rubbing my arm soothingly.

"Well yeah – he's an arsehole! Makes my teeth cry!" I said through gritted teeth as he laughed at my reaction.

"I love a jealous steak!" He said, before leaning in closer, "Really turns me on."

I blushed monumentally as Darren (who had still been making sly comments during our conversation) binned the destroyed kitchenware.

"Listen, Craig, all joking aside, I am pleased for you… and this means that there's more fit birds for me!"

I tossed a cushion at him, which he dodged, as me and John Paul laughed. And then he was back to the pub.

The bus finally arrived at our stop and we only realised when the woman behind his kindly prodded my shoulder and informed us that we were in Hollyoaks. Thanking her as I blushed due to being so distracted by JP's tongue and lips we stumbled from the bus and rushed to Leigh Road.

I couldn't wait to get my hands on him, we hadn't been intimate for a few weeks and even then we hadn't had time to be together, even in the hand-holding sense of the word, so you could understand my wanting.

He giggled as my hands delved beneath his jeans, grabbing his ass as he struggled to unlock the door as I kissed his lips, neck and his sweet spot just behind his ear.

And as the door swung open and we fell to the floor, the loudness of the McQueen's quickly ceased, save for the gasped intake of breaths.

Looking up to the couch, we found Myra, Michaela and Tina sitting around the coffee table, playing a came of Cluedo.

"So that's what's been keeping that content smile on your face!" Myra shouted, rushing from her seat to our side and aiding us back onto our feet.

"Ew, you dumped your muscle man for the geek?" Michaela commented, as Tina smiled sweetly at us.

"Anybody care to explain these shenanigans?" Myra asked, her hands on her hips as she glared at us.

--

After Darren had returned to work, we retired to my room. John Paul went to my computer and quickly selected some easy going Sigur Ros while I lounged on my bed, sitting up against the headboard.

He soon joined me on the bed and took me into his arms. I snuggled into his chest, just enjoying the warmth of being near to him. Resting my head above his heart, the rhythm of his heartbeat lulled me into a sense of security and love that I was overjoyed with.

He kissed the top of my head, then my nose, and finished with my lips. He ended the kiss all too soon and we just enjoyed the moment – being together finally, as Glosoli reverberated around my room.

"How are you doing now?" He asked after a few minutes. I sighed contentedly as I attempted to get even closer.

"Perfect," I said quietly, leaning up to kiss again. Unlike before, this wasn't chaste. We fought for domination of the kiss repeatedly. Having finally won, I pinned John Paul to the bed and pulled at his t-shirt. It finally came over his head and he rested once more on my bed covers.

He leaned up and kissed me soundly before I moved down his body, tasting his porcelain skin. He moved his body to my lips, his sighs and groans becoming music to my ears. He soon sat up and practically ripped my own t-shirt from my flesh. We grinned at each other lavishly before our mouths met in a fierce kiss with teeth crashing and tongues duelling and then, somehow, I was on my back and he was removing my trackie bottoms.

He delved into my boxers, stroking my overexcited hard on, as I thrust my crotch into his hand.

"Hm, someone's needy!"

I groaned as he removed his hand, which only lasted a moment as he removed my boxers, but it was quickly returned to my hardness.

I reclined on my bed, enjoying the sensations as his hand rose and fell.

And then his nimble fingers left my dick. I was about to make a surly comment when my exposed-head was wrapped in a moist warmth that almost made me lose my endeavours.

His tongue made circles and swept into my hood and I gasped at the touch. Barely seconds later was my cock pulled into the vacuum he'd created and I simply moaned.

The sensation of his mouth on my person had me humming with delight and so you can see why I groaned in dismay when the wonderful heat vanished.

"Oi, I was enjoying that!" I complained mockingly, but the smirk on his face dropped my next comment.

"Yeah? Never would've guessed. But my dick is going to burn through my jeans if I'm not careful, so I'm taking the initiative and getting naked," And, as if to emphasis his point, he slid his jeans and boxers down in quick succession.

I made a decision, asking him to top'n'tail with me. A curious look was quickly replaced a dirty look and he quickly moved into his position. Seconds later we were… well, we were doing a thing that had us over-excited. And when we arrived, him shooting off first and me quickly coming (pun intended) second.

Some time later we had gotten under the covers and were cuddling, his body resting atop of mine.

It was at this time I broached a topic that we had avoided thus far.

"How long do you think we should wait before telling people?" I mumbled, feigning a sleepy voice.

"I guess more than a day – we did just become single today! Best to leave it a few weeks at least, maybe even after our exams are finished."

"Good plan," I yawned.

"Tired?" He kissed the corner of my mouth.

"Yeah, someone has me exhausted from all the sex…" I whispered, kissing him back.

"Should we kip for a bit then? I like falling asleep with you…" He mumbled before he was dead to the world in slumber.

I watched him for some time, taking every curve, every feature, every dip and rise… in that moment, I loved him even more. I pulled him closer, kissed his head and then fell asleep as well.

I came out of my daze, somehow remembering our conversation after our first major reveal. We'd been careful, we'd kept quiet, and it all tumbled down like a house of cards because of some drunken, horny actions.

"Anybody care to explain these shenanigans?" Myra asked, her hands on her hips as she glared at us.

Before John Paul could even contemplate an answer, I was spewing forth everything to her.

"Me and John Paul are together, we're in love, and I'm never gonna leave him. We're both single, we're not doing anything wrong and he's made me the happiest man alive."

I was practically panting for breath when Myra chuckled. I glanced at JP who staring at me with adoration as tears formed in his eyes. I smiled at him bashfully and returned my gaze to his mother and his sisters.

Michaela was making gagging noises, Tina was smiling politely and Myra was still laughing.

John Paul's grip on my hand tightened and I could sense a strop as in-coming.

But before he could explode at her laughter, his mum calmed herself and sat on the edge of their ancient couch.

"So, yer together now, eh? It's all very sudden, like?" She asked, as she slapped Michs on her shoulder, who grunted in disbelief.

"Why'm I gettin' slapped when it's our John Paul who's been sleeping with the straight boy?" She shouted incredulously.

"I think we can say that he's not that straight Michaela, since we just saw him snoggin' yer brother!" Myra shouted back at her, before ordering her to go to her room and politely asking Tina if she could have a moment alone with us.

As his younger sister stomped up the stairs, muttering to herself, and Tina quietly followed after her, John Paul guided us to sit beside his mother who had beckoned us to join her.

"I think we had a chat, don't you boys?"