Morning After the Date

Will opened the bathroom door and tiptoed back to the hotel bed. Will smiled when he saw that Paul had rolled over and starfished himself across the entirety of the bed.

Sitting on the corner of the bed, Will took his time looking over a sleeping Paul. Will already knew that Paul was good looking. That was clear the first time Will met him. Will wasn't sure if it was his lucky day or not when Paul opened that door the first time with his chest wet and exposed.

Will knew that Paul was handsome. It was only recently that Will realized Paul was just as good looking on the inside. Before Will thought Paul was too perfect to be real.

'Well, I guess that wasn't true right away,' Will thought. 'In the beginning Paul was interesting. He was seductive and funny. He didn't try to be perfect. But when the truth blew up in my face that all changed.'

Paul always said he didn't care for Will when he was scheming and blackmailing. Will didn't care for the Paul that acted like he was nice and caring while lying to Will's face over and over again.

'I guess that didn't matter to anyone. I was blackmailing old ladies and he was saving orphans,' Will rolled his eyes.

Will began to see that Paul was both sexy and dangerous while also acting kindhearted. Will appreciated that Paul wasn't trying to be what he thought Will wanted. Paul was just himself.

'And Paul is the type of guy that's done his best to let go of the past. The type of guy to somehow see potential in me when everyone else would have just ignored me.'

'I'm a mess and Paul still tries so hard with me. He could have tossed me aside for someone better at any time,' Will realized. 'But he didn't. He wants to be with me. He's good to me.'

Will knew it was hard on Paul keeping their growing relationship a secret. That now that Paul was out and proud he wanted to have the boyfriend that would be the same. Will wasn't ready for that then. Will was keenly aware that the town would scrutinize their relationship.

Will wasn't confident enough to be Paul's boyfriend at first. He was still working on getting his head on straight and easing into life as a single-parent. Paul, though, was patient. He stuck around even when Will made things rough. He proved that he wanted to be with Will and would wait for Will to be ready for something serious.

'I didn't think an interrogation would be what catapulted me into officially dating Paul. But since when has our relationship been normal?' Will thought.

While watching Paul sleep, Will felt that he needed to let Paul know how much he appreciated him. Will cherished all the effort Paul put into cracking Will open.

Will knew he was going to have to think of something to let Paul know how much he cared.

'But until then,' Will crawled over to Paul's nearly nude form. He began trailing his fingers down Paul's chest.

Will took his time admiring Paul's darker skin and his muscled chest and abdomen. Will had spent plenty of time acquainting himself with Paul's body. He probably knew every scar, every freckle, and every birthmark by now. Something about that thought turned Will on immensely.

Bending over Will flicked out his tongue and circled around one of Paul's nipples. Will knew Paul liked it when he paid special attention to his chest. It made Paul thrash his hips and groan loudly.

Glancing up at Paul's sleeping face, Will nipped at Paul's nipple before sucking gently. Will pressed open mouthed kisses across Paul's pecks to the other nipple. Will dug his teeth into Paul's flesh.

Will smiled when he heard Paul sigh while his body adjusted, still sleeping. Will scooted down the bed, kissing and tonguing along Paul's stomach.

Will ran his fingers along the edge of Paul's underwear. He was proud to note that Paul was already getting hard. Will wondered how far he could push this until Paul woke up.

Pressing his hand against Paul's bulge, Will rubbed firmly as Paul twitched against him. Keeping his eyes on Paul's face, Will leaned down and put his mouth on Paul's cloth covered cock. Will sucked, wetting the fabric.

Paul twisted in his sleep, grunting slightly.

Will scratched his fingernails up and down Paul's thighs. His fingers dragged through Paul's sparse hair. Once Paul's underwear were soaking wet, Will started pulling them off his hips.

Paul scratched his stomach, slowly waking up.

Will wanted the first thing for Paul to see and feel to be Will's warm, wet mouth around his cock. Will pressed a kiss to the tip of Paul's cock. Swirling his tongue along the bit of pre-come, Will swallowed and licked his lips.

Paul's eyes twitched, mouth opening.

Will wrapped his lips around Paul and sunk down.

Paul's eyes popped open. At first he felt confused, certain he was still dreaming. Paul rubbed his eyes before looking down.

"What are you doing?" Paul groaned voice dry and laced with sleep.

Instead of answering Will continued to work, glancing up at Paul through his lashes.

"Fuck," Paul balled his hands into fists before moving them to Will's head.

Will pulled off of Paul long enough to say, "Do it."

"You are so, so, so-," Paul cut himself off when Will sank as far down as he could. Following Will's directions, Paul held Will down.

Will didn't know why but he loved it when Paul was a bit rough with him. He loved it when Paul forced his way into Will's throat. He loved it when Paul would leave finger shaped bruises on his hips. He loved it when Paul bit his neck, shoulders, chest, and thighs, anywhere.

Paul was almost certain that he loved what they did together even more than Will did. After holding Will down for a long time, Paul eased the pressure and let Will up for air.

"God, I love it when you do that," Paul praised as his fingers massaged Will's scalp, running across a scar.

"I know," Will croaked with a smug smile.

Paul grabbed Will's neck to stop him from moving his mouth back on him. "Come here," Paul requested.

Will crawled up so he was level with Paul, "What?"

"Nothing," Paul said as he moved one hand to cradle Will's face.

Will felt bashful under Paul's stare. It was ridiculous that Will could eagerly swallow down Paul's cock but blushed when he looked at him.

"That was the best wakeup call I've ever had," Paul confessed. "You're kind of…" Paul trailed off.

"Kind of what?" Will held Paul's gaze as long as he could.

"I don't know," Paul whispered. "I just know that you make me happy, make me feel things."

"Paul," Will held his breath, heart pounding against his chest.

"What?" Paul smiled moving his head closer to Will's.

"I, um," Will stopped himself, losing his nerve. "I want to go back to sucking you off."

Paul nodded in understanding. He knew big declarations spooked Will.

"I'm not gonna stop you," Paul told Will with an easy grin.

Will went back to work on Paul's cock. However, both couldn't stop from feeling a certain type of disappointment washing over them.

"What time do you need to pick up Ari?" Paul asked as the two sat across from each other at a nearby diner.

"I told my dad I was gonna be a little late," Will shrugged as he finished his coffee. "He said as long as I was there before noon."

"That gives us a little bit of time," Paul nodded before scratching at a mark Will left near his shoulder.

"And you had to give away the hotel," Will said with a loud click of his tongue.

Paul laughed, "Think we'd both fit in the backseat of the car?"

"Only one way to find out," Will lifted his eyebrows up and down several times.

Paul went to pay the bill as Will went outside to send his dad a message.

"You ready to go?" Paul asked once he caught up to Will.

"Yeah," Will confirmed. "Let's go."

Halfway back to Salem Paul's phone rang. Paul, having synced the car to his Bluetooth, pressed a button on the steering wheel to answer it.

"Hello?" Paul said out loud.

Will turned to look at Paul, admiring him.

"Why is the first thing I saw on the news this morning a story about my son sleeping with Will Horton? Again?" Tori Narita's voice asked over the phone's speakers.

"Uh," Paul turned to look at Will.

Will sucked in his cheeks and faced the window. Will and Paul discussed Will and his behavior towards Tori a few times before. For Will and Paul the past was in the past.

'As for Tori though?' Will thought. 'I'm sure that's a different story.'

'This is going to be like Adrienne all over again, isn't it?' Will closed his eyes.

Paul felt tempted to switch to Japanese, certain this conversation was going to get ugly. But he wanted Will to hear everything he said.

'I don't have anything to hide from him or my mother,' Paul vowed.

"Well?" Tori, impatient, asked.

"Well," Paul took a deep breath, "It's true. I've been seeing Will, properly this time."

"Why?" Tori sighed deeply.

"Because I like him," Paul answered. "I know that it's odd and I'm sure you have plenty of questions. I just want you to know that any question you have Will and I have already talked over."

"Are you sure about this?" Tori wondered. "After everything?"

"I am completely sure," Paul decisively stated.

Will did his best not to look at Paul. He didn't want to interfere and he didn't want Paul to say anything just because Will was there.

Tori sighed again and closed her eyes. She should have suspected this. After the last time she had talked to Paul about Will Horton a few weeks ago she should have known.

Tori shook her head before finally asking, "Does he make you happy?"

"Yes," Paul confirmed. "I am happy mom."

Paul looked over at Will and saw he was playing with the buttons on his jacket.

"I'm happier than I've been in such a long time," Paul promised. He took one hand off the steering Will to grab Will's.

"Just make sure it stays that way," Tori said. "I still don't particularly like this."

"You don't have to," Paul told her. "Just as long as you know I am exactly where I want to be."

Will stared at Paul, a smile painting his face.

For some reason Will now knew exactly what he was going to do to prove to Paul how much he meant to him.

As soon as Will unlocked the door to the apartment Ari shoved it open and ran to the couch.

"Watch me," Ari ordered as she climbed on top of the armrest, spread her arms and said, "I can fly!"

Will watched in amusement as Ari flopped belly down on the couch and bounced a few times.

"I can fly, Daddy," Ari giggled.

"I saw," Will smiled as he lifted her legs and sat next to her. "I used to do that when I was your age too."

"Grandpa told me," Ari sat up and crawled onto Will's lap. "He tried to spin me around but I told him you didn't like that."

"That's right I don't," Will replied. 'I'm not letting him drop her on her head like he did me.'

"I have something I want to tell you, baby girl," Will said.

Ari looked into her daddy's eyes. He told her when she talks to people she has to look at them.

"I want to talk to you about Daddy's friend, Paul," Will informed her.

A Few Weeks Ago

"I can't believe you made me give you a blowjob while you talked to Adrienne," Will laughed. He rested in Paul's strong arms early in the morning.

"I had to prove that I was serious," Paul grinned. "Besides I can be bad when I want to be."

"Oh, right," Will rolled his eyes. "Uh huh, sure."

"I can," Paul insisted getting a bit offended.

"Paul," Will rolled onto his stomach. "You tried to blackmail me into doing something I was already going to do."

"I still got you to do it," Paul argued. "I'd say that makes me better at it than you."

"Oh sure," Will snorted, "Throw that in my face."

"I'm just saying," Paul kissed the pout off of Will's lips.

"So tell me," Paul pulled Will back against him.

"Tell you what?" Will asked as he got comfortable.

"More about you," Paul said. "I want to hear more."

"Why?" Will hid his face in Paul's chest.

"Your life is so different than mine," Paul rubbed his hand up and down Will's bare arm. "It's interesting. Maybe I'll understand you more if I know everything."

"OK," Will tried to think of anything he could tell Paul that wouldn't be completely horrific. "Oh," Will grabbed Paul's hand and put it on his head. "Feel that?"

Paul sat up straight and pushed Will's hair out of the way to get a look at the uneven skin. "What is that?" Paul wondered, following the scar.

"When I was little," Will explained, "My dad kind of kidnapped me when he was drunk and crashed us into a tree. They had to cut my head open to operate."

"Really?" Paul stared at Will strangely.

"Yeah," Will nodded. "Then my mom got arrested for murdering her fiancé and almost got lethally injected. Did I mention the accident was on my mother's wedding day?"

"…No, no you did not," Paul stated, eyes-wide.

"Well it was," Will continued. "She didn't die, my mom, duh. My dad ended up killing her fiancé too by the way. OK, what else?"

Will kind of enjoyed Paul's reactions. He wondered how much he could tell Paul before he started looking at him differently.

'How much can Paul hear before he realizes how screwed up I am?'

"Got it," Will snapped his fingers. "My mom and my uncle, the one that thought he was my dad, kidnapped me once and we had to live in a cave."

"How many times were you kidnapped?" Paul couldn't stop himself from asking.

"I think one more time, the neighbor," Will vaguely recalled hearing that story. "Although I ran away once and everyone thought I had been kidnapped but I just wanted attention."

"Right," Paul nodded. "Any other brushes with death?"

"I almost drowned at the pier," Will replied. "My dad dropped me on my head as a kid too. Oh and I got shot the night Ari was born."

"How are you alive?" Paul asked flat out. "Seriously, Will, how?"

"Beats me," Will shook his head.

"Will," Paul sighed. "Your childhood was crap."

Will smiled, "I know. I'll save the super scary stuff for another day."

"How could it get worse?" Paul asked in a mystical voice as they both got out of bed.

Will laughed loudly, "You'll find out."

"You have to come?" Kate said pleadingly over the phone later in the afternoon. "You know I don't want to be stuck with those people."

"Oh and I do?" Will complained. "I don't even have anyone to watch Ari."

"I already have that taken care of," Kate told Will. "Your old baby sister is coming over at 7. You're picking me up at 7:30. I'll send over some clothes for you to wear."

"Grandma," Will groaned. "I don't want to go to some fancy party."

"We're celebrating the success of the Narita line," Kate explained once again, getting impatient. "You named it. You're going. 7:30 sharp, don't keep me waiting."

Will walked into a loud, crowded party at the Edge a little after 7:45 with his grandma Kate on his arm.

"You owe me for this," Will hissed in her ear.

"Oh don't act like you aren't going to have any fun," Kate lifted her hand and waved at someone. "I'm sure Jake's somewhere here."

"Oh, great, that fixes everything," Will sarcastically replied.

"Go get a drink and stop sulking," Kate laughed breezily as she walked away.

'Right,' Will stalked towards the bar. 'What was the point in taking me here if she's going to ditch me?'

"Hey," a familiar voice said in Will's ear making him jump.

"God," Will put his hand on his chest before hitting Jake. "Don't do that!"

"Sorry, couldn't resist," Jake laughed. "You come here with your grandma or with…?"

"My grandma," Will said a little too quickly. He knew Jake already suspected something to do with him and Paul. He didn't need to make it any worse.

"Right," Jake lifted his eyebrows up. "Well you look nice."

"Thanks," Will uncomfortably pulled the blazer across his chest. "My grandma sent it over."

"It looks good on you," Jake confirmed. "I brought a date but I think I lost him somewhere."

"I'm heading to the bar if you want to bring him over," Will offered.

"Sure thing," Jake nodded.

"You should probably leave out the part where you said I looked good though," Will joked.

"Oh don't worry," Jake dismissed with a smile before heading off into the crowd. "He'll agree with me."

With a shake of his head Will walked over to the bar.

Will leaned against the bar and ordered a drink. He didn't want to be at this party for a lot of reasons.

'And there's one of them now,' Will thought when he saw Paul standing around with John and Marlena.

Will knew he couldn't exactly go over to Paul at the party. That was too risky. 'Not to mention most people still assume Paul and I don't get along. It would be suspicious if we were suddenly buddy-buddy. I just hope that Paul can remember that.'

Will nodded his head at the bartender when he finally got his drink. Just as Will went to pay for it someone slapped a bill on the bar.

"I've got it," a stranger said before flashing Will a wide grin.

"Uh, thanks," Will said uncomfortable with the man staring at him.

"Sure," the stranger said as he moved closer. "Anything for a pretty face," the man continued.

Will frowned, "Do lines like that ever actually work?"

The man chuckled, "Sometimes."

"You sure about that?" Will double-checked.

Just as the man was about to move in even closer someone came up on Will's other side.

"There you are," Paul said in a loud voice. "I've been looking for you, baby."

Will startled when Paul put his hand low on Will's hip and pulled him close.

"Uh," Will tried to pry Paul's hands off of him.

"Pretty and popular," the man said as he looked Will up and down before slinking to another part of the bar.

"Idiot," Paul groaned as he saw the man walk away.

"What are you doing?" Will stepped away from Paul.

"I," Paul looked at Will, surprised at the anger on his face. "I was getting him to go away. You looked uncomfortable."

"I can take care of myself," Will informed Paul. "And you need to stay away from me."

"What?" Paul frowned.

"Your father," Will hissed through his teeth, "Thinks we can't behave in public. My grandma thinks I hate you. My other grandma hates you herself. Oh and she wants me to hook up with Jake."

"What the hell?" Paul took a step towards Will and growled. "I already saw him with you earlier. You are not going near him."

"I know that," Will pushed Paul back. "I am just saying that you are not keeping us a secret by herding me around and glowering at anyone that talks to me."

"I'm not the one worried about keeping us a secret," Paul reminded Will.

"That's because the only thing that would happen to you is a lecture about how awful I am," Will complained. "You aren't going to face what I'm going to face."

Will shook his head, "If you can't respect the fact that I want this to be a secret then maybe we shouldn't be together at all."

Will turned on his heel and headed for the exit.

"Where is he going?" Jake asked as he came up to the bar with a man on his arm.

Paul took one look at Jake and said, "Would you just stay the hell away from him?"

Jake's date mused, "They aren't subtle, are they?"

Will walked down the street with his hands in the pockets of his blazer and his head down.

'Stupid Paul for being so dumb and irresistible. Stupid me for always giving in.' Will thought to himself. 'You know he isn't good for you. If anyone found out they would blame me. Everyone would blame me. It would be like February all over again and I'd be completely alone.'

'Alone and stupid and slutty and alone and-,' Will's thoughts cut off with a shriek.

Paul looked both ways once he got outside of the club. He saw Will sneaking off down the street completely alone. Paul chased him down and grabbed his arm, pulling him into an alley way.

Will screamed when someone grabbed him and yanked him away.

Paul moved out of the way when Will almost punched him.

"Hey," Paul held up his hands, ducking out of the way, "It's just me."

"What the hell?" Will complained. "Why would you do that? I thought you were trying to kill me."

"Me? You're the idiot wandering around at night by yourself," Paul shot back, angry.

"Why are you even following me? Did anyone see you?" Will demanded.

"Oh my god," Paul complained. "What is your problem?"

"My problem?" Will spat out. "My problem is you can't keep us a secret!"

"We were just fine until you started freaking out," Paul argued. "If you would have relaxed in there no one would have suspected anything. But no, you had to flounce out dramatically and cause a scene."

Will opened his mouth to retort before realizing Paul was right. He hated when that happened.

Paul shoved Will against the brick wall in the alley. "I'm not the only one that can't control themselves in public."

Will looked left and right, nervously.

"Excuse me if I have a problem with anyone hitting on my man." Paul pressed the entirety of his body against Will's. "No one gets to touch you but me," Paul moaned in Will's ear.

"I don't want anyone but you," Will started breathing heavily.

"I know you don't," Paul smirked as he pressed his nose to the back of Will's ear and breath. "You just want me."

Will nodded in confirmation, "Just you."

"Just me," Paul rubbed himself against Will, groins pressed together.

"Uh huh," Will bit his lip.

"Then why won't you be with me?" Paul demanded, stopping his movements.

"I am with you," Will answered, eyebrows furrowing, confused.

"No you aren't," Paul shook his head.

Paul stared at Will for a moment before slamming their lips together.

Will wrapped his arms around Paul and opened his mouth.

Paul greedily sucked Will's bottom lip into his mouth. He slid his hand between them and grasped the button on Will's slacks.

Will whimpered, "What are you doing?"

"What do you think I'm doing?" Paul answered before kissing Will again.

Will gasped and clung to Paul tighter when he popped Will's pants and shoved his hand into his underwear.

"Paul," Will groaned bucking into Paul's fist.

"Yeah, baby?" Paul grinned as he sucked kisses along Will's neck.

"Don't stop," Will sighed as he fumbled trying to get Paul's pants open as well.

"There you go," Paul praised once Will got his pants undone.

"You drive me crazy," Will kissed Paul again as their hands jerked each other almost in sync.

"I know," Paul beamed before groaning, "Fuck, keep doing that."

The two continued to kiss and touch each other until they were spilling over their fists.

Paul pressed his forehead against Will's. Paul and Will panted against each other's mouth, fighting to catch their breath. Paul asked, "Is it me, hmm? Is that why we have to be a secret?"

"What?" Will's head felt cloudy and unfocused.

"What is it about me that means we can't be together?" Paul clarified.

"What?" Will repeated, shaking his head to clear it. "No, no. I told you. I'm not ready yet to deal with what would happen after."

Will lifted his clean hand to touch Paul's cheek, "It's not you."

"OK," Paul exhaled loudly.

Paul held Will's gaze heatedly, "I'll keep us a secret but not forever. Eventually you're going to have to give me something more."

Will nodded slowly. He knew Paul was right.

"Just give me a little bit more time," Will pleaded. "I'm sorry that I said I'd leave. Just give me a little bit more time."

"Hey," Paul smiled at Will, "It's OK. I'll give you all the time you want. I just want to know that this is going somewhere."

Will wrapped his other arm around Paul's neck. "I wouldn't be with you like this anymore if you were just something to pass the time."

"I know," Paul kissed Will, lingering for several long moments. "Just don't freak out anymore."

"I'll try," Will promised.

"We need to get back to the party," Paul said giving Will a supportive smile. "You want one of us to go in first?"

Will shook his head, "No, I want to go in with you."

"OK," Paul tried not to smile too widely. "What if someone suspects something?"

Will shrugged, "It's a busy night. No one is going to see us."

"If you're comfortable with that," Paul agreed.

"I am," Will confirmed. "The suspicious part is going to be why we both have to go to the bathroom to wash our hands at the same time."

"Anyone observant enough could figure that out," Paul chuckled.

The Next Morning

"Morning, Mother," Paul said into his phone as quickly got dressed. Today was one of the days he woke up in his own hotel, alone.

'I really need to move out of here,' Paul thought.

"Morning, Paul-san," Tori greeted. "I see you went to a party for your cologne yesterday?"

"How do you know that?" Paul asked as he pulled on his pants.

"I might be following a few blogs about you," Tori seriously answered. "How else am I going to keep up with your life? My son seems to forget he has a mother that worries."

"I've just been busy," Paul offered. "So," Paul wondered, "What kind of stuff did you see?"

"That you looked handsome," Tori looked over the screen of her laptop. "That you look like you're having fun." Tori paused over one unsettling picture, "And that you're talking to Will Horton."

Paul frowned and scrunched his face. 'Damn,' he thought. 'I hate it when Will's right about this stuff.'

"Yeah," Paul told her. "I talk to Will."

"Why?" Tori demanded. "After everything he did-,"

"Mother," Paul firmly responded, "Will and I are fine now. It's just," Paul searched for the word to use it, "Easier to get along with him."

Tori looked over a picture of Paul with his hand dangerously low on Will's hip. She recognized that look on Paul's face.

'It almost looks like he's protecting Will,' Tori shook her head. 'But why would he do that?'

"You need to be careful about who you're seen with," Tori ordered. "Will Horton isn't the type of person you need in your life. He isn't stable."

"I think I know him better than you do," Paul immediately replied. "But don't worry about it. I've got everything under control."

"I hope so," Tori said. "Maybe next time you can tell me what you're up to so I don't have to see it online."

"Maybe," Paul smiled.

After getting off the phone with his mother Paul beamed when he saw a message from Will.

Will sent a picture of himself, sleep rumpled and bleary-eyed, to Paul with his lower lip jutted out. The message simply read, "I miss you."

Author's note:

Please let me know what you thought.

Thank you very much for reading!