Huge thanks to Demtry, red2013, and Nadreth for the reviews and to everyone else who alerted and favorited this. And the smutiness begins...

When Esposito opened his eyes he was alone in the bedroom, a soft yellow glow filtering in through the wooden blinds from the morning light. After stretching out his back he looked around and smiled at what he saw. While the rest of the house was cold this room was entirely Ryan from the vintage movie posters on the wall to the Star Wars figurines on the dresser. The blanket they had slept under was well worn and the nightstand was covered in sci-fi and horror DVDs, the room was painted a pale and calming blue and dirty clothes were thrown into the corner. It was lived in and comfortable and he wondered why the entire apartment wasn't decorated like this. Maybe he entertained people often? He would have to remember to ask him.

He threw off the covers and slipped on his pants before walking out into the living room in search of the owner of the bed he slept in. He glanced around and didn't see anyone but a hand wrapped around a coffee mug appeared over the top of a plush chair pushed up to the large window.

Not wanting to break the quiet serene morning he stayed silent and walked over to Ryan who was sitting in the stuffed chair reading the paper with a cup of coffee in one hand, his bare feet sitting on the open window ledge. He had on a white t-shirt and plaid p.j. pants but his hair was done indicating he had already showered.

"Nice view," Esposito said quietly as he looked out the window at the sight of the rising sun filtering around the tall buildings on the horizon.

Ryan smiled and folded his paper, "Best part of my day. Except the time that bird flew in here but I don't talk about that." He shifted uncomfortably and looked out the window, "Hey last night, did we…"

Esposito shook his head, "Nah, you were wasted. I'm surprised your liver's not pickled."

Happy that something didn't happen that he didn't remember he chuckled and held up his coffee, "Not yet, this Irish coffee might do it though."

"Really bro? I'm not even drinking and you're giving me alcohol poisoning."

Ryan set down his paper after gulping down his coffee and climbed over the side of chair to get up. "We need to talk."

Esposito nodded, "Yes we do."

Ryan crossed his arms and cocked his head, "What are we doing here? Are you looking for something serious, just a friend, what? Whatever you say I'll take just fine but for me, I just want to have fun. I want to drink and play madden and eat takeout and just do whatever I feel like that day. Life's too short Javi, gotta have fun."

"I know Kev but I can't do some alcoholic. I like you, a lot, but I don't want to get too invested if this is just going to end at the bottom of a bottle. Last night was not fun, it was out of control and violent. Not to sound like a public service announcement but whether you realize it or not, you're not you when you're drunk."

Ryan dropped his eyes to the floor in shame and nodded before looking back up but averting his gaze away from Javier. "I apologize for that. I'll pull back from now on."

Esposito nodded and stepped forward to kiss him, a hint of bitterness on Ryan's lips from his coffee making him realize how much he could go for a cup right now. "That's all I can ask for." A smile spread to his lips as he noticed a small tattoo where his neck met his shoulder, only visible because he was in a t-shirt instead of his usual button down. "A tattoo of a shamrock?"

Ryan smiled tightly and he offered a single nod as he pulled his shirt a little trying to cover it. Sensing it wasn't something he wanted to talk about he returned his attention to his face and kissed him again. "So did you want to go do something today or just relax?"

He shrugged, "Both? Lets go get something to eat, I'm starving bro." Both dressed, Esposito choosing not to comment on the balisong Ryan slid into his right front pocket.

A while later the two were seated in a booth at a diner and when the waitress approached she grinned at the smaller of the two, "Kevin where have you been hiding that skinny back side? Look at you just skin and bones, this is what happens when you don't eat."

His twinkling eyes crinkled at the corners when his grin grew and he tilted his head slightly, "What can I say? I get busy Mary."

She shook her head fondly before looking at the other man and looking back, "Brought a handsome stranger with you today huh?"

Esposito laughed under his breath and held out his hand, "Detective Esposito ma'am."

Her eyebrows went up as she shook his hand, "Mary, pleasure to meet one of New York's Finest. I was starting to think Kevin had no friends seeing as it's always just him in here."

Ryan looked at her flatly which she didn't notice and Esposito smothered a laugh with his hand. After ordering he leaned back and looked at Ryan who was very obviously avoiding contact. "You took me to your special spot that you don't take anybody else?"

Ryan dropped his face into his hands, "You caught that? It's like you're a detective or something."

"Don't sweat it Kev, I think you're special too," he said as he fought off laughter.

"Shut up," he groaned.

After breakfast arrived; eggs, ham, hash browns, and pancakes for Esposito and just bacon and eggs for Ryan they started trying to actually get to know each other. "So when did you join the force?"

"Soon as I could after getting back from combat. I was overseas for four years before joining. After traffic I moved to vice and a few years later Beckett requested me for homicide, been there ever since."

Ryan's eyebrows went up, "Military and cop? You're like the terminator bro. What do you like better homicide or vice?"

"Definitely homicide, just a better fit and Beckett's amazing."

He pushed his plate away and leaned back, "Sounds like you have a lot of respect for her."

Esposito nodded, "She deserves it. So you went to Catholic school?"

"Don't remind me, I can still feel their eyes watching me all the time. Catholic school is like combat. If you haven't been there, then you don't know," he said with a smirk.

Esposito laughed, "I'll take your word for it. I never really went to Sunday school or church much growing up."

"Heathen."

Both smiled at the other before Esposito really looked around at the diner they were at. "So you come here pretty often? It's pretty far away from your apartment."

Ryan looked out the window, "I come when I can, sometimes it's nice to go where you know you won't run into anybody. Been so busy lately though that I haven't really had a chance to get away."

"I hear ya. So did you always want to be a bartender?" he asked curiously.

Ryan seemed to be struggling with an answer as he opened and closed his mouth a few times. "College wasn't really an option, my career choice was sort of chosen for me. I like it though, not a bad job."

Esposito could sympathize, "Dad a hard ass?"

"He's not my dad," he snapped before chastising himself at his outburst. Mary dropped off the bill with a wink and Ryan slid it over to himself thankful for any sort of distraction, "I got it."

"I can pay for mine."

He shook his head, "Bro, I got this. You bought dinner last night, then I got drunk, made you stay and passed out." A frown covered his face as he stared off into space. "I am a horrible host, no wonder no one wants to come over."

Esposito chuckled as he shrugged on his jacket and followed Ryan out, "Don't sweat it Kev. So now what?"

Ryan looked around before licking his lips, "My place?"

The door banged off the wall as the two fell through the entryway, hot breath and forceful kisses painting each other's skin. Ryan kicked the door shut as Esposito roughly pulled his shirt over his head, revealing pale smooth skin with a small smattering of freckles across his shoulders. Nimble fingers made quick work of the detective's belt, a groan escaping Javier's lips when his hands slid across the smaller man's sharp hipbones. A flash of black caught his eye and he spun Ryan around to see a large tattoo across his upper back and one down his ribs. "That's hot."

Ryan turned back around and slipped his tongue into his mouth sliding along the inside of his teeth, his hands quickly working to drop his own pants after Javier's fell to the living room floor. Upon the bed and stark naked they continued to kiss and lick at each other's skin until Esposito couldn't wait any longer.

"Top drawer," Ryan offered.

He quickly moved off of him and grabbed what he needed before prepping his bedmate, teasing him for a bit before sliding on the condom and covering him. It took all his self control to not come the moment he slid inside the other man inch by excruciating inch, his patience running thin as he tried to be gentle. "Fuck Kev. God you're tight," he gritted out as he kissed down his neck and across his collarbones. He kept waiting for some sort of response from Ryan but one never came, he was being passive and Esposito wasn't sure if he liked it or not. He knew he could be an aggressor, even though his personality seemed slightly timid it was obvious he could take control if he wanted to. Pushing the thoughts from his mind he figured if Ryan wanted to be taken care of he would take care of him but that didn't mean he couldn't push him to his breaking point.

His hips began to slowly move back and forth in a slow torturous pace as he kept himself elevated to see every expression that passed over Ryan's face. His brow was furrowed lightly in pain and his eyes were closed but soon his forehead smoothed and his lips parted as small breaths escaped him in time with every movement. Finally his blue eyes opened and he met Esposito's before he looked away.

Javier liked eye contact during sex. He liked the connection it provided, the intimacy. When people wouldn't look him in the eye it made him feel like it was just mechanical or that they were somehow ashamed of what was happening. Sometimes though, on rare occurrences, it was insecurity that made people look away and he had a strong suspicion that that was why he kept looking away. Maybe he was feeling like he didn't have the right to look him in the eye.

"Kev, look at me."

He did as told and seemed to be forcing himself to not look away. With a patient smile he leaned down and kissed him ardently, "Is this ok?"

Ryan nodded instantly and blushed, "I just wasn't sure… some people don't like you to look at them…"

"I'm not them," he whispered before reclaiming his mouth. He felt Ryan finally fully relax under him and lifted himself up onto his knees to change the angle. The effect was immediate as Ryan began to squirm, his erection painfully hard between them.

Figuring they had all day to get acquainted over and over again he quickened his pace and grabbed Ryan snugly. His hand moved in sync with his hips and when Ryan met his eyes silently begging for permission he could only offer a quick nod before both came, gasps and moans filling the room. They were sticky and covered in thin layers of sweat but neither moved off the bed, they simply lay next to each other, half covered with the sheet as they fought shivers from the apartments cool air hitting their flushed skin. Esposito glanced at Ryan who grinned and wagged his eyebrows causing the after sex tension to evaporate. "Come here," Esposito said softly and Ryan obeyed, scooting over and lying his head on his hands on the dark skinned man's chest.

Esposito lazily ran a hand through Ryan's hair, "I've wanted to do that since I walked into the bar that first time."

"Yeah, me too," he chuckled.

"Really?" Esposito asked. "Because it seemed like all you wanted was for me to just shut up."

Ryan laughed again, "One of your first questions is if I'm here illegally. Not exactly a good conversation starter."

"I didn't…"

He flashed him a flat disbelieving look, "Cops don't ask if someone's an immigrant unless they think they're illegal."

Esposito shrugged, "Fair enough. Tell me about you."

"Like what?" he asked with an adorable scrunch of his eyebrows.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-seven, you?"

"Thirty-three."

Ryan lifted one hand out from under his chin and idly traced over Javier's features, "Have you always been gay?"

He nodded. "There was never any doubt or big revelation. I've always been gay. Didn't act on it too much in high school, didn't talk about it in the military but I've always liked men. What about you, when did you decide you wanted to bat for both teams?"

"I was sixteen when I got my first boyfriend. We didn't last that long since we went to a Catholic school and if anyone found out they would douse us in holy water but he was who made me realize that guys were just as much fun as girls. I typically go for women though," he said honestly.

He let his eyes slide closed when Ryan traced over his eyebrows and lashes and asked, "How many men have you been with?"

"Four, including you. Last one was a few months ago."

They laid in silence, Esposito taking in every feature on his bed mate's face now that Ryan was done running his fingers over his face. He wasn't tan as much as he was darker than other Irish he had seen. His eyes were the most amazing shade of blue, almost unnatural and housed by long auburn eyelashes. A small nose sat about soft pink lips and perfect white teeth. He was beautiful really, masculine yet soft.

"What? Why are you staring at me? Stop it," he snapped in embarrassment.

Esposito pulled his hand to his lips and kissed it, "How tall are you?"

Ryan glared a little before sighing, "God blessed me with many things but height unfortunately was not one of them. I'm five-seven."

"That's not real short, I'm only five-ten. Sit up."

Surprised at the random request he lifted himself into a seated position and shivered when Esposito's hands glided over his back and sides. Rough fingertips traced over the ink between his shoulders and he waited for the inevitable question of what it was or meant but it never came so he stayed silent thankful to not have to explain something he wasn't comfortable talking about. His lids slid closed as goose bumps appeared in the wake of Javier's hands but flew open when a broad palm skimmed down his ribs.

"Fools rush in where angels fear to tread," he recited from the text down the other man's ribs. "Are you a fool Ryan?" he asked teasingly and was surprised by his bedmate's serious nod.

"More than you know Javi."