((Dare I say it? Chapter heading taken from the song The Lights of Our Street by Deine Lakaien. And yeah. There's that rating.
Also while I did proofread, it's midnight here and I don't know how well my brain is still working. So yeah. There goes that.))
Chapter 13
Unknown Borders of Mine
Adam had never spent so much time in a kitchen before, let alone taken part in the preparation of a Christmas dinner. He'd also never been a great fan of Christmas. He wasn't particularly religious, hadn't grown up like that, and not actually having a family might have something to do with it, too. Not that he found he'd had it bad. But it just wasn't a thing for him. Now if anyone had asked him what he expected Francis to make of Christmas, he'd have answered that he would likely shout 'Humbug!' at little boys.
The truth was, Francis had never seemed as relaxed as he did around his sister and his brother-in-law. Whatever anger he might have felt towards the man was gone. With good reason. Fabian, it seemed, had found his way home. He had explained that this year they were supposed to celebrate the holidays in Guatemala, but that he'd mucked that up. And their usual holiday crowd in Scotland simply hadn't known they'd be here and had made other plans. For one, because it was an even numbered year, and for another, because Abigail hadn't believed she'd be in the mood to celebrate anything and had never mentioned to them that she'd be here.
Dragica, Abigail's best friend, had said she'd come. She had only a two-year-old and a middle-aged aunt up in the Highlands for relatives and didn't care to be alone with her daughter. Now her aunt had spontaneously made it down the mountains and was staying for a few days. She might show up later in the evening, but for now, the four residents had the house and the dinner table for themselves. 'There's quite a bit of alcohol in that pudding, Adam, but not enough to zone out like that,' Abigail said abruptly.
He smiled. 'Sorry.'
'He does that,' Francis told her in a carrying whisper. 'Too much social interaction. You know.'
'Yes, I do, having grown up with you for a brother.' She folded her hands behind her neck. 'So. Did you show him the room, Frank?'
'No,' Francis said slowly. 'Not quite yet, Abi.'
Adam looked from one to the other, then to Fabian who was smiling slightly. 'Am I the only one who is completely in the dark here what you're doing in there, Francis? Are you building a secret weapon to conquer the world?' The upstairs den had been locked to Adam for a couple of days. He'd asked the MANES and received nothing but cryptic answers. Francis wasn't being any more precise, but he had spent quite a bit of time in there.
'He's not building anything,' Fabian said. 'But yes, you're the only one in the dark. Because Abigail is an excellent extortionist and Frank needed her help.'
'You remember when I asked you to go to Aberdeen to pick up my replacement for one of the cameras, Adam?' Abigail asked. 'Well … I did need a replacement, but I used the time to pick up something for Frank here.'
'Something a bit too delicate and too heavy to carry on foot,' Fabian added. 'The heavy part was where I came in.'
'I want to see that room. Right now.'
'Nothing threatening in there, dear,' Abi said innocently. 'No monsters in my house.'
'Except the owner,' Francis said softly, earning himself a whack on the arm. 'Q.E.D.'
Abigail offered an exaggerated sigh. 'Frank? Don't be mean to Adam.'
'Okay, okay. Do it.'
'MANES?'
'At your service Abigail.'
'Please unlock all rooms for Adam.'
'As you wish.'
Abigail stood. 'Frank, show him. Don't wait until tomorrow, we're all adults here. Fabian, darling, I think we must.'
'Must what?' Adam asked. Apparently his slight alarm was visible, because both Abigail and Fabian laughed.
'We're going to church. Midnight mass. You can join us, if you want. Frank won't, I know that much.'
'I'll pass,' Adam answered.
Fabian stood and rubbed his hands together. 'Well. We'll be a while. There's always punch outside afterwards, and we're going to see if Dragica's still awake so we can chat a bit. In other words, don't wait up.'
Francis watched them go with a curious expression. When the door had closed behind them, he stood. 'Adam, can that room wait a little?'
Adam shrugged. 'Sure. I … ah … would like to tell you something anyway.'
'That'll have to wait, too.' Francis stood and walked over to the window. There was a slight tremor in his hands. 'I've got a reason why. Call me paranoid, if you must, but this has to be in that order.'
'Should I be worried?'
Francis spun and faced him. 'No,' he said with so much conviction Adam actually believed him. Then Francis grinned. 'Or maybe you should. About … you know. Other things. Depends totally on you.'
'Okay. You've lost me.'
Francis sauntered back towards him. 'Stand up, Jensen. I'd like to show you something I got while you were running errands for Abi. Not the room-thing. Something else. Come on.'
Ϡ
Frank felt his nerves calming down with every step on his way up. By the time they reached their floor, he was calm. It seemed, Adam noticed that, too. 'Feeling better, here in the mountain air?' he asked.
Frank grinned. 'I just managed to remind myself that I'm not an adolescent but someone approaching antiquity.'
'Yes. You could be my father, with the what? Two years you have on me.'
'Exactly what I mean. So, my young friend, please follow me.' He led the way into his bedroom and indicated a chair. 'Have a seat.'
'Now I'm worried.'
'No need. First … I need to apologise. I asked a contact of mine to break into your apartment in Prague.'
Adam raised an eyebrow. 'Why would you do that?'
'You'll see that soon enough. In the room we talked about. I don't think you'll be mad at me.'
'I don't think so, either. I'm just confused.'
'Good!' Frank grinned. 'Question, Adam. Are you cold?'
'What? It must have almost 80 degrees in here.' Frank could practically watch the comprehension dawning on Adam's face. 'Oh. Oh!' He licked his lips. 'I … ah.'
'Look, Adam. To use your words, tell me to back off, and I will.'
'Don't you dare.'
Frank smiled. He stood behind Adam's chair and started to massage his shoulders. 'I ask because this is the third time it's me calling the shots.'
'You have to be, Francis. I'm not the one who's so hesitant.' Adam looked around, eyes settling a foot next to where a MANES panel was hidden. 'Can you tell that thing not to peep?'
Frank snorted. 'It's an AI, Jensen. It has no interest in peeping.' He placed another chair opposite to Adam and sat down. 'But yes. I can. MANES … cameras off for this room until further notice.' He licked his lips and extended both hands. Adam took them. 'Are you telling me you haven't touched yourself since you came here? Because I have. Since that night at the Dee I could hardly sleep without thinking of you, wondering what your hands would feel like.'
'Just my hands?' Adam's voice was husky even by his standards.
'No, Adam, not exactly. So. Did you?'
'You'd like to know that, wouldn't you?' Adam smirked at him. 'The answer is yes. But not so that anyone could see, including your AI or myself.'
Frank's eyes settled on their joint hands. 'You really don't like that body, do you?'
'I … am used to it. I don't feel that ripping out my limbs is a good option, far from it. I'm good, Francis.'
'Okay. Because you're not hiding under the covers from me.' He stood and pulled a very compliant Adam up with him. 'Come on, Adam. Let me see you.'
Silently and with a serious expression, Adam pulled off his shirt. Frank stared. He'd seen him topless before, once, but there had been an entire ocean between them at that time, and he hadn't been able to take such a good look. 'Your turn, Pritchard,' Adam told him.
Frank sucked his bottom lip between his teeth and did as he was asked. 'Next,' he said.
Adam's lips curled and he pulled off his trousers. This time, Frank didn't force himself to keep his gaze on his eyes. Instead, he let it travel. He watched the movement of the polymer muscles, looked at the point where flesh met augment. His eyes settled at his crotch. Adam clicked his tongue, covered the distance between them, and hooked his thumbs into the hem of Frank's jeans. 'You're not playing by the rules, Francis.'
'I didn't realise we had rules here.' He took hold of Adam's hands and moved them from the sides of his hip to his front. 'Go on.' He was already feeling rather uncomfortable in his trousers. Adam kissed him deeply while opening his fly. Instead of pulling the jeans down, he reached inside, drawing a groan from Francis. 'My, aren't we eager,' Frank muttered against Adam's mouth. 'Got any particular plans?'
Adam kissed his way to Frank's ears. 'Yes.' He did tug his jeans down now. 'I want you to … uh.' He pulled away enough to meet Frank's eyes. 'I've always wanted to bottom for someone. But I never trusted anyone quite enough. I trust you.' He lowered his voice. 'I do more than trust you, Francis.'
Frank forced the mental image that had formed away. 'Adam, go on like that and I'll come before anything actually happens.' He swallowed heavily. 'And yeah. I'd love to do that.'
'I've … ah … stimulated myself before. I'm not going to flinch at a finger. Or … you know.'
'Good. Before you ask, you're not going to walk funny unless I do something fundamentally wrong. And I'll do all I can to make this good for you. But still. Just … what girth have you had up there?'
Adam looked down between them and grinned. 'Somewhere along those lines,' he said, massaging Frank's cock.
'Good.' He pulled Adam close to him, pressing their groins together. 'So you're telling me you wanted it so bad you shoved a dildo up your butt. Did you do that here, Jensen? Just one room down from mine?'
'No.' Adam's arms had come around him, one hand at his neck, one in the small of his back. 'Not here.'
'Get on that bed, Jensen.' He didn't wait for him, pulled him with him and down onto the mattress. 'I wanted to show you this.' He leaned over and pulled a tube of lube from the drawer. 'I was going to let you decide how we do this. I was actually quite sure you'd be a resolute top, and that would have been fine by me. But this is interesting.'
Adam plucked the tube out of Frank's hand and squeezed some onto his hand.
Frank grinned. 'I'd have done that, but sure, prepare yourself. I'll watch.'
It was almost too much for Frank to even stroke himself while watching Adam as he lay on his side, his body twisted enough to let him reach his own entrance. He couldn't help it. He had to touch him. After putting some lube on his own hands, Frank returned to massaging Adam's erection in time with his own while he watched Adam's fingers stretching him, teasing him open enough to allow the intrusion that would come. Before either of them could lose what little composure they still had, Frank caught his arm. 'That'll do, trust me. Stay on your side. And communicate with me, Adam. I need to know if you're okay.'
'Will do. Francis, don't keep me waiting.'
'One second. More lube. There can't be too much lube.' He coated himself thoroughly and massaged a bit more into Adam's hole before he positioned himself behind him, spooning him. 'Ready, Adam?'
'More than.'
Frank pressed his face against Adam's shoulder while he slowly pushed inside. 'Are you okay?'
'Yes. Keep going.'
At this point, Frank wasn't certain how he should have stopped himself. He couldn't even formulate an answer. Instead, he put his hand around Adam as he pulled back out a little, slowly, gently. Adam was moving with him, moaning softly every time Frank was buried deep inside. Frank quietly thanked the powers that be that Adam had experimented on himself or this would have taken a lot more time.
'Francis, don't hold back.' Adam all but gasped the words. 'It's not like I can carry on for a long time.' Adam upped the pace for emphasis.
Frank pulled Adam's hand off his sex and replaced it with his own. He heard Adam muttering something, but he was way too far gone to process what he said. All he knew was that Adam smelled like a God and that he couldn't think of anything more perfect. He felt the other man pull away from him, but before he could say anything, Adam had pushed him on his back and straddled him. Frank's eyes locked on Adam's – no longer their natural colour but the yellowish green of the augments, but so beautiful, so caring – while Adam lowered himself onto him.
'You're rather quiet,' Adam told him. 'Seems I've found a way to shut you up.'
Frank reached up to run his hands down Adam's chest. 'Yeah, you think so?' He grinned. 'Think again.' He locked his hands on Adam's hip to stop his motions and thrust up into him. Adam's eyes closed, releasing Frank's and letting him look down between them. He was coated in lube and precum, and Adam's testes were already taut against him. 'Just how close are you?' he managed to ask.
'Close.'
'I noticed that. Can you hold back?'
Adam's eyes opened again. 'I doubt it.'
'Then don't try. I'll be with you.' Adam twitched in answer and put his hand around his own member. 'And look at me,' Frank said.
'Can't. Oh God, Francis.' Adam's eyes closed again, and Frank felt him contract around him. The sensation caught him off guard and pulled him down into the abyss with Adam. Hands digging into hips, he spilled inside him, God-knows-what coming out of his mouth.
Frank's mind reassembled itself slowly. Adam was lying half on top of, half next to him, still panting and sweaty. His fingers were travelling through Frank's hair, and he honestly couldn't say when or how he'd lost his hairband.
'That,' Adam said softly, 'was perfect.' He shifted, taking his weight off Francis, but he kept an arm around him. 'And it means a lot to me that you trust me, Francis. I won't hurt you.'
Frank reached for Adam's head and massaged his scalp with his fingertips. 'Tell me you're not going to go to your own bedroom, Jensen.' He continued quietly, almost in a whisper. 'I for one hope you're never going to leave.'
'Stop being so insecure, Francis. You may not have spelled it out, but every word you said to me made it clear you want a relationship. We are on the same page.'
'God, I'm a mess. I needed to hear that more than you know.'
'I do know.' Adam propped his head up and grinned. 'You know what I'm glad about?'
'Ah … no?'
'That you didn't have the gall to say "Pritchard, out" just now.'
For a moment, Frank simply stared at Adam. Then he broke into a fit of completely undignified laughter. He'd never felt better in his life.
