Kendall spent the next hour sitting at the bar slowly nursing his beer. He didn't wanna be drunk when he headed to James' place to chat. And if things should happen to progress past just talking, well, he didn't wanna be drunk for that either.
James was able to talk to Kendall between serving customers, small tidbits of info in an effort to get to know each other. He learned the brunet had moved to Newtown from Minneapolis a few years back, following his best friend Logan, who was now dating a guy named Dak—because apparently their town was smaller than Kendall originally thought. He learned that James was into tattoos and had a couple of his own, including a diamond on the inside of his wrist for his surname. He learned that James was also into guys with their own ink and piercings, winking and licking his lips in a way that caused Kendall to blush and thank whoever had decided to make the club so dark.
Kendall told him about his mom and younger sister, told him about his dad's death when he was a toddler and to not dare say he was sorry because he was too young for it to really affect him all that much. They talked tattoos and how Kendall had gotten started, which then led to a discussion on Lucy's habit of dragging him into schemes. James asked if any of them ever had a good result and Kendall had admitted than two had: his introduction to tattoos and being threatened into going to Kno'Where that night. The smile on James' face at that was big and bright enough that even a blind man could've seen it.
Finally the bartender's shift was over and he disappeared into the back for a couple minutes to clock out. Lucy and Mercedes had already headed home, having said their goodbyes with long distance waves. He was a hundred percent sure he'd been getting countless demanding texts to give them all the details and grilled incessantly the next day at work, gossip a guilty pleasure that both girls would deny having right before launching into another interrogation for more info.
James reappeared with a leather jacket in his hands, leading Kendall out the club and to a parking lot in the back, stopping at a Camaro and unlocking it. The blond took the hint and got in, whistling at the expensive interior and sinking into the butter-soft leather seats.
"Nice ride," he commented, fingers gliding over the gadget-heavy dash.
The brunet shrugged, playing it off. "Gift from my dad," he muttered, tone making it seem like there was more to it than that but he didn't wanna say.
Kendall didn't press, figuring they had plenty time to get to the point where James would be more comfortable with spilling more intimate details of his life. Instead, he busied himself by going through the other man's music library, impressed with his taste and feeling glad they had that in common. Nothing worse than dating someone who wasn't into the same music as you.
He'd know all about that. Unfortunately.
Conversation soon flowed, talk of concerts they'd attended and ones they still had yet to see. James confessed to wanting to be a singer and having written a few songs himself, Kendall needling him until he gave in and agreed to let the blond hear him play. Kendall evened the field out by talking about his childhood dreams of being a hockey player, but had pushed it aside after discovering a love for tattooing while recovering from surgery after a gnarly knee injury. The brunet said he used to play when he was a kid, too, but his mom had put the kibosh on that, too afraid he'd get hurt and scarred. It was told with an eye roll and a narrowed gaze, leading Kendall to assume that James didn't really get along with either parent.
They arrived at James' place after about a twenty minute drive, a tall apartment building in the nicer part of downtown. Kendall recognized it as one of those swanky places usually associated with business owners and corporate presidents, people high up on the company's ladder in both payroll and power. He wondered how a bartender could afford to live in such a place, eyebrow cocking at the security guard behind the desk and feeling a tiny bit weird at actually having to sign in, despite walking in with the resident he was visiting.
James hit a button for the tenth floor—out of twelve, of course—and he gave the brunet a questioning look. He shrugged a shoulder and played it off like he had his car, simply stating "trust fund" in a flat voice.
Kendall thought he was nuts for brushing the whole thing off when he finally entered the apartment itself, taking it dark hardwood floors and white walls, noting an iron staircase leading up to a landing that stretch along the back wall, double-doors peeking over the safety wall. The place was open concept, kitchen to the left with an island that featured a breakfast bar, appliances all stainless steel and high end. The left was the den area, white L-shaped couch with matching love seat, giant flatscreen TV above a gas fireplace, inset entertainment unit to the side with a glass door displaying all the gadgets James had.
The blond found himself whistling again as he wandered about, taking in the high ceiling and the touches of chrome here and there. His entire apartment would fit in the living area alone and he wondered how the hell he was supposed to compete with a guy who seemed to have everything.
James locked the door up, putting the security bar over and typing into an alarm keypad of some form. His jacket was tossed onto the back of a couch and Kendall noted a lack of dust flying up from it, unlike his own couch bed. He absently wondered if James cleaned the place himself or if he hired someone to do it then found himself to be absolutely ridiculous for thinking of such stupid shit. It didn't matter that the guy was in some high end apartment, didn't matter that he had a fancy sports car, didn't matter that he had a trust fund. He was still James, his James. He'd wanna be with him if he had nothing but a cardboard sign declaring he was willing to work for food.
Turning to the brunet, he found those brown-green eyes locked on him, a myriad of emotions swirling in the endless sea of different colors. He wondered what the other man was thinking if he was questioning his choice in bringing Kendall back here and whether it wouldn't have been better if they'd waited. If he wanted to take things slow and go on a few dates before they do anything. If he wanted to just talk like he said at the bar and was hoping Kendall hadn't gotten the wrong impression.
Licking his lips, James made a few faces as he thought things over, contemplated his options, before sighing out a "fuck it". "I wanna be with you," he confessed.
Kendall snorted out a laugh, body rocking with the action. "Well, yeah, otherwise you wouldn't have brought me here."
"No, I mean." He paused, huffing, foot tapping in impatience at he tried to figure out how to word things. "I wanna fuck you. But not in a one night stand kinda way. 'Cause I'm pretty sure we're meant for more than that, that we're meant for forever, but I am just dying to be in you and see if it's as good as those dreams."
"Holy shit," the blond breathed out his new motto. Or was it his new mantra? Both? Whatever, didn't matter. What mattered was that James was on the same wavelength as him, wanted the same things as him. And didn't that just make him, make them all the more perfect?
His mind was inundated with countless images, flashes of dreams—memories?—of them together, of tangled tongues and legs, of hard cocks and thrusts, of breathy moans and names. He thought of how those hands felt on him, sometimes with rough skin, sometimes it was soft, always careful and caring. He thought of that tan skin spread across his pale flesh, those white teeth sinking into various weak spots over his body, that muscular frame pressing into him, onto him, behind him, those eyes staring into his with awe and joy and wonder and ecstasy and love. He thought of himself filling and being filled, sucking and being sucked, licking and being licked. He thought of all the guys in his past who he'd done those very things with and how they'd paled in comparison to the dream he'd had the night before that had left him aching and alone and more than a little turned on.
He briefly worried that James wouldn't live up to the dreams either, only to push that aside. The universe wasn't that big an asshole to where it'd give Kendall a soul mate that was shit in bed.
Right?
Whatever. He deserved a good lay after all the mediocre to pretty alright ones he'd been through.
James swallowed hard, hand scratching his whisker covered jaw, the rasp of it and the AC unit kicking on seeming to be the only sounds in the room. Because tension didn't make a noise, not really, but was still a palpable thing at that moment. It was the fire heating up his insides, the electricity tingling his skin, the blockage stopping his lungs from getting any air. It was the anticipation and the want and the need, the way he felt so worked up already and they hadn't even touched.
Kendall licked his lips, knowing that a move had to be made at some point by some person, and he wasn't about to play chicken with this shit. With determined strides, he made his way over, grabbing James' face and crashing their lips together right as their bodies collided.
It was a terrible move—at first anyway—teeth clacking together and smashing their lips, sounds of pain muffled between their pressed mouths. But then Kendall moved back a fraction of an inch and it was like everything had been turned up and dialed down all at once. Their lips moved together, kissing once, twice, remaining joined. He felt whiskers scratch at his chin, at his palms, felt hands softly land on his hips, thumb rubbing along the bone through his tank.
Harsh exhales puffed out through their noses, fingers scratched through whiskers before sliding into brown hair. Kendall cupped the back of James' head, feeling silky strands tickling between the webs of his fingers, his other arm draped around broad shoulders. It was perfect, James maybe only an inch or two taller, their similar heights making it easier to kiss and keep kissing, to press their bodies closer and feel a muscular chest against his flat one, ridged abdomen against his admittedly slightly pudgy one, a half-hard cock against his own.
Shit. James was getting hard. Oh god, Kendall was making him hard and it was the greatest thing he'd ever felt in his entire life.
That thought was immediately scratched from his head as James slid his arms around his waist, one hand drifting down to cup his ass and pull him impossibly closing, hips grinding together. That was the greatest thing he'd ever felt in his life.
And they still had clothes on.
Which really...
Kendall pulled away, panting slightly, eyes only able to open halfway. "I don't normally wear them."
James looked dazed yet beautiful, lips kiss swollen, eyes half-lidded, tan cheeks slightly reddening. "What?" he breathed out, brow furrowed in confusion.
"The pants," he clarified, feeling a strange urge to let it be known that despite being gay, leather wasn't really his thing. "I don't normally wear leather pants."
"Oh," was the brunet's flat response, a shoulder shrugging under the leaner male's arm. "Too bad. I mean, that's okay, whatever you wanna wear or don't wanna wear is cool. Just. I kinda like 'em on you."
"I can totally wear the pants again," Kendall stated in a rush before bringing their lips back together in a kiss more frenzied than the last.
Tongues were soon added to the mix, hands roaming, grabbing, groping. His ass was squeezed, hair tugged on, tank slipped up at the back. He felt pebbled nipples, ridged abdominals, pulled a tee out of jeans.
James pulled away to yank his shirt over his head, breathing hard as Kendall looked his fill. Jesus fuck, the man was ripped, looked like the cover model on one of those muscle magazines he used to see back when he worked at Sherwood's Grocery. He thought of that movie Crazy, Stupid, Love that Mercedes and Lucy had made him watch and Emma Stones declaration of "It's like you're photoshopped or something" and he fought back the urge to yell the same thing.
Because seriously, it was like he was photoshopped or something.
Not. Fucking. Fair.
But at the same time, totally fair and awesome because he was all Kendall's and Kendall had free reign to do whatever.
Which he didn't hesitate to do.
Ducking his head, he dragged his teeth over his collarbone, ran his tongue over a nipple, delighting in the sharp inhale of breath it pulled from James. So much so, that he he did it again and again, only to feel bad about neglecting the other and remedied it by sucking it into his mouth.
A swear left the other man on a breath, fingers of one hand carding through dirty blond locks. Not pushing, not directing, simply laying there, as though needing another connection, as though he needed something to ground him and remind him that this really was reality and that this really was happening.
Kendall knew the feeling.
Sinking further, he ran his tongue along every line on his stomach, his sides, dipping into his belly button and nipping at it. He sucked on a hip bone, licked his way along the top of his jeans, bit the other side. His bottom lip dragged up along his happy trail, fingers skimming along his leather belt before reaching the buckle, undoing it with shaky fingers.
Only to have a tan hand cover his pale ones.
"Not here," James decided, voice rough, chest pumping in shaky motions.
Kendall just nodded, rising up to his feet. James slipped his hand into Kendall's, tugging it as a sign to follow. Not that it was necessary. Kendall would've followed the guy anywhere.
James led him upstairs, opening one of the two double-doors to reveal the master suite and flipping the lights on. Kendall didn't bother taking inventory, eyes seeking out the bed and finding it propped right up against the back wall. The rectangular frame was the same dark wood as the floors, linens white, a million pillows perfectly arranged on the neatly made covers and making it look like one of those display beds at a department store.
Yeah, that needed to be fixed. Now.
He dropped James' hand before walking over, shoving throw pillows and euro pillows and what-the-fuck-ever other pillows, leaving the two standard ones for their heads. Kicking off his shoes, he flopped back on the bed, letting out a satisfied groan as he felt himself sink into its softness.
"What is your mattress made of? Clouds?"
James snorted, slipping his own boots off. "Cotton candy."
The blond let out a happy "mmm" as his arms wagged up and down along the soft comforter, making the wings of a blanket angel. James probably had those fancy sheets with the high thread counts, Egyptian cotton, down-filled pillows. Kendall found himself wishing he could shove it all in his pockets and just steal it. He'd settle for just moving in.
Not that it'd be a hardship, considering who he'd be moving in with.
James knelt on the bed, bracketing Kendall's hips with his knees. "Memory foam," he answered honestly, staring down at the blond.
He licked his lips, bucking his hips up. "Then let's give it something good to remember, huh?" he suggested, wagging his eyebrows.
The brunet chuckled, bending over slightly and rubbing his hands up and down the leaner male's arms. "Nice ink, by the way."
He smiled proudly, his own eyes roaming the bare skin of the man before him, the ink that stood out against his tan flesh. His left arm had a tribal band wrapped around his bicep, beveled star cupping his elbow. The right arm featured a black and gray piece making up a half-sleeve piece, the flashes of ink Kendall had gotten sight of at the club. Only now he could actually make out that it was a knight on a rearing horse, sword in the air.
He found himself staring at it, at the details. The thing was incredible, every last detail done to perfection, from the individual strands of the horse's mane to the chain-mail of the knight's arm. It was incredibly done, one of the best realism pieces he'd ever seen, and James must've paid a pretty fucking penny for it.
"You, too," he breathed out, reaching up to touch the piece, almost surprised when he felt human skin rather than horse hair when he stroked the animal's neck.
James smiled, tugging Kendall's tank up and off him, the blond laying back down on the bed. Brown-green eyes roamed his lean frame, taking in their fill they way his own had done to James. He had enough of a buzz going that he wasn't self-conscious, that he didn't feel inadequate when compared to the muscular hunk currently straddling his hips.
"God, you're beautiful," the brunet breathed out before leaning down once more.
Their lips reconnected, tongues tangling almost immediately, hands exploring all over again. James dropped his hips, grinding down against Kendall's, surging and rolling in well-practiced motions that had Kendall bucking up against him. His cock was fully hard, an aching, throbbing presence under his boxer-briefs and he practically mewled against the other man's lips.
His hands slid around from a well-toned back to the front of James' jeans. The belt buckle was still hanging halfway undone and he finished the task, setting to work on the buttons on his fly. Because he wore those stupid jeans with five hundred buttons and, yeah, accidentally catching yourself on your zipper probably hurt like a bitch, but that rarely happened and only if someone went commando—
Which James did, considering the hard length that immediately popped out and into Kendall's hand.
The sound he made had no name. A groaned out moaning mewl type of breath that left his mouth and was swallowed by James', his back arching and pressing his skin against the other man's.
His fingers immediately wrapped around James' shaft, fingers exploring. He was wider than Kendall, a quick stroke telling him that they were probably about the same length, and god, did Kendall want it inside him. James groaned above him, hand punching into the mattress beside the blond's head, the action way hotter than it should've been.
He continued stroking the length, thumb rubbing over the slit and smearing the precome that had already started to leak out. Pulling his lips from the other man's, he brought his hand up to his mouth, sucking the sticky liquid off his thumb and groaning.
"Wanna taste more," he grumbled, pushing at James' shoulders to get him to roll over.
The brunet took the hint, moving so he was laying on his back, Kendall settling between his spread legs. He shucked the other man's jeans, pulled his socks off with them and tossed them away uncaring. His hands then slid up sculpted calves, thick thighs, bracketing his groin before fingers wrapped around the base of his dick.
James' breathing was erratic, chest pumping up and down with shaky motions. He propped himself up on his elbows, staring down at the other man with blown pupils. His tongue darted out to lick his lips and his head nodded, all the permission Kendall needed.
Ducking his own head down, he flicked his tongue in the slit, taking more of the salty precome into his mouth before licking around the head. There'd be another time for teasing, for exploring, he knew that, which allowed him to be okay with cutting the shit and just going for it. He wrapped his lips around the head and sucked hard, relishing the groan that left the man beneath him.
"Fuck," James gasped out, head falling back momentarily.
Kendall smirked as much as he could, taking more into his mouth, tongue lapping at the underside. His free hand cupped his balls, fingers rubbing at the sensitive skin just behind it. Whimpers hit his ears, spurring him on, until he felt the tip of James' cock tapping at the back of his throat. Relaxing it, he swallowed more down until his nose was buried in trimmed pubic hair.
"Oh shit!" the brunet cried out, elbows sliding out from under him and causing his upper body to fall onto the bed. "Oh god, Kendall, your mouth."
He felt his own cock twitch at the sounds the other man was making, throbbing insistently at his boxer-briefs, the leather pants trapping it in place. He pressed his groin onto the bed, trying to gain enough friction to sate the hard length as he worked on James'.
His head bobbed up and down, sucking the head, repeatedly pulling off it with an obscene pop that had the brunet gasping each time. He licked the length all over, sucked on his balls, nipped at the sensitive skin where thigh met groin, slid the dick back into his mouth and deepthroated him all over again.
"Fuck, Kendall," James whined. "Wanna taste you, too."
Kendall pulled off with another pop, moving up onto his knees. James immediately sat up with him, the two getting their hands tangled as both of them worked on undoing his pants. A thin layer of sweat was all over the blond's body, making it more difficult to slide the leather down and off, but through some small miracle, they were gone, boxer-briefs, too, leaving them both naked.
Large hands gripped his hips, yanking him up James' body until his knees were straddling either side of his head. The brunet pulled him down as he lifted his head, tonguing at his balls and lapping at his cock. Kendall breathed out a swear, hand shooting out and laying flat against the wall to steady himself.
"Wait," he requested breathily. "Just wait."
The other man did as he asked, pulling back. With some careful maneuvering, Kendall turned himself around and leaned forward, looking down between their bodies with a raised pierced eyebrow, silently asking if James got the hint.
Judging by the lips that immediately wrapped around his cock, the answer was yes.
He returned the favor, sucking the brunet's dick into his own mouth, moaning around the length as he felt a tongue flick at the sensitive head of his own. James' hips began bucking, thrusting his cock into his mouth and Kendall relaxed his mouth and throat, letting his face be fucked. His fingers tangled in the comforter, his legs getting shaky as he felt his dick being sucked hard, making him cry out around the length in his mouth.
James pulled off, groaning loud, murmuring praise as his hands rubbed at Kendall's thighs before settling on his hips and pulling him down. Only he didn't go for his cock like before, instead lapping his tongue around Kendall's hole.
The blond groaned loud, reaching back and giving the other man a thumbs up, letting him know he was all kinds of okay with being eaten out. James held him in place as he lapped at his hole, licking all around it in sloppy motions, getting him wet.
Kendall pulled off his cock, unable to keep sucking and moan at the same time, his head rearing back. James speared his tongue and slipped it inside him, tugging him further down onto his face and causing Kendall to sit up above him. His nose pressed along his crack, whiskers scratching between his cheeks, and the blond felt himself overwhelmed by all the sensations.
He wrapped a hand around his cock, simply holding it against his lower abdomen, a finger sliding inside him. He tightened his grip, reminding himself that coming early wasn't an option, not before he felt that beautiful cock in his ass rather than just in his mouth.
"Shit, James, you better open me up and fuck me soon," he demanded, not sounding very convincing with how breathy his voice was and how far gone he was feeling.
A chuckle gusted out against his pucker, scruff rubbing against his sensitive flesh and making him hiss. "Impatient little shit."
"You have no idea."
Another chuckle, finger slipped out and being replaced by his tongue once again. "God, I could eat you all day."
Kendall whined out the other man's name, torn between wanting that to happen very, very much and wanting to just be fucked already.
"Top drawer," James muttered before diving back in, sucking the quivering pucker.
The blond let out a high pitched gasp before leaning over and opening the mentioned drawer, reaching inside and quickly finding the lube and condoms. The bottle was taken from him, the cap snapping open, liquid squelching out before two slick fingers slid inside him.
"Fuck! Yes," he groaned, eyes closing as his head fell back. His hips moved on automatic, moving those fingers in and out of him, riding the digits as they stretched him.
James didn't complain, let Kendall move on his own, satisfied with rubbing his beard all over his cheeks and nipping at the irritated flesh. When the blond began whining again, he scissored his fingers, further opening up. A third finger was soon added, the stretch burning a little, but necessary. Kendall'd had his fingers wrapped around James' girth and knew he needed to be opened up a whole lot in order to enjoy it.
He took four fingers, turning him into a quivering, panting, whining mess. He was begging, pleading, slurring out phrases of how he was ready and that he better be fucked sometime soon or he was headed home to his little rubber friend who wouldn't hesitate to drive into him deep. James let out a noise that could only be defined as a growl at that, slapping a cheek before slipping his fingers out. Kendall moved on jellied legs, turning around and straddling the other man's hips. He tore open a condom, actually taking his time to roll it on, James slicking it up with more lube.
"In, in, in," Kendall demanded, wrapping a hand around James' cock and holding it upright, lining it up with his gaping hole.
James spread Kendall's cheeks and helped lower him onto his dick, both groaning at the intrusion as he slowly entered the blond. Kendall didn't stop until he was fully seated on the larger male, shuddering at the feeling. Shit, he'd never felt so full before, never wanted to just sit and feel it, enjoy it. Normally he was ready to just get the show on the road and start up with the thrusting, but at that moment, he just wanted to hold all of that length inside him and keep it there.
The brunet seemed to be okay with that plan, too, not moving or demanding the other man do it. His clean hand rubbed up and down Kendall's sides in a soothing manner, lube slicked one wrapping around his cock and stroking it once.
"No," the blond whined, covering a tan hand with his pale one. "Don't wan' come."
James nodded, licking his lips and that wasn't okay because he should be licking Kendall. Leaning down, the lean male groaned at the shift of the cock inside him before pressing their lips together in a sloppy kiss that was more out of a need for an additional connection than any sort of finesse or skill. Arms wrapped around him, holding him close, one hand slipping down and a fingertip tracing his rim as it stretched around a thick cock.
Kendall moaned, hips bucking on automatic, causing James to make a similar noise. He started moving in tiny motions, barely there thrusts before moving in earnest, pulling the other man out of him before sinking back down. The actions caused their lips to break apart, the blond settling for resting his forehead against the other man's. They were both breathing heavily, shakily, air mingling between them as their bodies were overtaken by sensation.
Their hips began moving together, rhythm speeding up substantially as Kendall moved to a sitting position and started riding the larger male. He started bucking up and down on thrusting hips, cock bouncing with the actions, thighs straining with the effort. But fuck, was it incredible and he never wanted it to stop. Ever. Wanted them to just have sex forever and ever and ever, amen.
Not that it was a possibility, but he could still wanted it to happen, dammit.
Soon though, his legs got too tired, muscles quivering from exertion. But he wasn't close, wasn't quite there yet and he let out a whiny "James", pleading the other man to help him out.
James took the hint, rolling them over so he was on top. He bent Kendall's legs back, the blond holding them in place, before straightening his own out, leaving just his toes on the bed. Then he started pounding into him, loud slaps that filled the room and made Kendall cry out, moans forced out his lungs with every thrust inside. The change in angle was what he needed, the shift causing the hard cock inside to rub against new areas, teasing different nerves and giving him the friction he was craving.
Green eyes went wide, mouth hanging open with a slack jaw. His harsh breaths were burning his throat, his skin heated all over, sweat covering both of them and mingling together. James' cheeks were flushing, hair sticking to his forehead, pupils blown until there was the slimmest of hazel rings visible around them. He was beautiful and he was Kendall's and they were gonna do this for the rest of their lives, he just knew it.
He was barely aware that he was mumbling, a stream of consciousness flowing from his mouth, declarations about how he wanted to do this every night, in every possible position, in every room on every surface, then do it all over again as he fucked into James. The brunet tucked his legs up close around Kendall's body, on all fours now, driving into him with deep, rolling thrusts. His lips moved all over pale, sweat-soaked skin, promising anything he wanted, anything at all, just let James do it to him.
A broken moan left him as he felt his balls draw up tight to his body, that familiar tingle started at the base of his spine. "'M close," he murmured. "Close, close, close, so fuckin' close—"
His hand was moved from where it held onto James' sweaty back, the brunet entwining their fingers, just like he did in every single dream of Kendall's. Because it was the two of them, finally together, after twenty-three years of not knowing what he'd been looking for but finding it anyway. Because they were soul mates who'd been together in countless past lives and they'd done this in countless different ways.
Because it was his James. And he was James' Kendall.
It was with that thought that Kendall came untouched, pleasure sparking throughout his entire body, radiating from his cock. Thick white ropes of come spurted out, landing on both their torsos, smearing as James continued to move, continued to thrust, continued to rub against his walls and his prostate and elongate his orgasm.
His passage clenched down hard around the cock still driving into him, making the owner of it cry out in pleasure. His name was a breathy groan as he felt a pulsing inside, the condom being filled as James' tensed up above him, coming in several prolonged thrusts.
Kendall laid there dazed, staring up at a white ceiling as James nuzzled his head into the crook of his neck. Neither spoke a word, both shaky as they came down, as their bodies rebooted after nearly dying via orgasm. Le petit mort as the French called it. And it was so very fucking fitting.
Slowly they came back to themselves, James lifting his head and smiling down at Kendall, who automatically returned the expression. Because he'd put that smirk on James' face, had pleased him and made him orgasm, had made him happy and boneless and come-dumb.
"You okay?" the brunet questioned, getting a nod in response. Because words weren't quite something Kendall was capable of just yet. Neither was feeling his toes. Which, whatever, who needed toes anyway?
James pulled out, holding the condom in place, groaning in an achy manner as he rose to his feet then shuffled off to the bathroom. Kendall stretched out, letting out groans of his own, pain receptors slowly kicking back on and making him aware of minor hurts all over: the burn from James' beard on his ass, face, and neck, the stretch of his rim, the ache of his widened jaw and lips, the cramp in his leg muscles.
All totally worth it.
The brunet returned with a washcloth and wiped him down in careful yet effective motions. Both of them cleaned up, he tossed it into what Kendall assumed was a laundry hamper inside his closet before they both got under the covers. The comforter was shoved to the foot of the bed, both of them still too warm to want its heat and weight over them, utilizing the extra sheet to cover themselves up to their waists instead. They quickly arranged themselves into a comfortable position, James spooning Kendall from behind, hand on a slim chest, Kendall covering it with his own and entwining their fingers again. He felt a nose nuzzle at his hair, a satisfied sigh leaving the larger man as they settled in.
"I'm glad we found each other again," James murmured sleepily, snuffling slightly.
Kendall smiled as his eyes drifted closed. "I'll always find you, no matter what life we're living."
A happy "mmm" was the brunet's response, the two of them falling asleep soon after.
Kendall didn't dream that night. About anything. Which would sometimes make him sad, make him feel like he'd missed an opportunity to be with James and for a brief moment, actually know what it felt like to be truly loved and be with someone. But when he woke up and realized he'd had zero dreams period, he was okay with it. Because his reality was turning out to be better than anything his imagination—or his past selves, as he now realized—could ever show him.
Snuggling up to a still snoozing James, he knew that there was nowhere else he'd rather be and no other life he'd rather live than the one he was in right then and there.