"The opposite of war is…" Prequel 2: In The Shade Interlude
Grif and Simmons share their first intimate moment together.
Main Pairing(s): Grimmons
Background Pairing(s): Carolina x Four Seven Niner, Tuckington, Docnut, Chex, & Lopez x Sheila
Legal Disclaimer: I do not own Red vs. Blue or any of the show's characters. They are the rightful properties of Rooster Teeth.
In the Shade Interlude:
The others were talking in a huge cluster all around Richard "Dick" Simmons, adrenaline from that last particularly nasty firefight fading into grateful relief that they had all lived to see another day.
He watched as Carolina slipped away to do her own thing, as she so often did after patting her younger brother and Caboose comradely on their backs. The former Freelancer shared a silent nod with Tex, as if noting that she was leaving all of them in her care for the moment, the other distant redhead nodding in response before murmuring something to Church that had him sputtering expletives while Caboose giggled and hugged Freckles closer to his chest.
Simmons witnessed Sarge keeping Donut and Doc walking side-by-side together sufficiently entertained with his "brilliant" interpretation of everything that had happened out on the battlefield while Sheila and Lopez had a private conversation with one another close by.
The redhead's eyes wandered over to Tucker telling Washington that he couldn't wait to get home to see Junior. No doubt the child would have a ton to talk about in regards to Kai's adventures in babysitting. Washington smiled warmly and nodded his head in agreement, their shoulders nearly touching.
As for Simmons himself? All Simmons could feel right then were his frayed nerves as he remembered the bullet that had embedded itself into the wall just centimeters away from his visor. He couldn't stop shaking from the memory, so he fell behind as a result.
Since he was inwardly trying to calm himself down, the maroon-armored soldier didn't notice footsteps approaching him. When a hand fell on his shoulder, the lanky young man jumped into the air with a totally masculine-sounding startled exclamation.
Thankfully, Dexter Grif's only response to his actions was a bemused raised eyebrow instead of his usual mocking commentary as he lowered his arm back down, "Hey, I just talked to Kai and she said it was cool if we were a little late."
"Um…" Simmons' still running-a-mile-a-minute brain didn't quite follow what Grif was saying.
"After that last fight," the heavyset man rolled his eyes and jerked his head in the direction of the town's shoddy entertainment district, "I figured we could use a drink. Or four."
Simmons, still upset at his last close encounter with death, couldn't help but nod his head gratefully at Grif's suggestion.
The two made their way to a bar that pretty much had the reputation of being the local watering hole for the area. They ordered drinks and didn't comment on the fact that they ended up sitting side-by-side at the table instead of across from one another. Given what had happened earlier, Simmons knew that subconsciously he was seeking closeness where he could get it and, if Grif wasn't going to make a big deal out of it, then neither was he.
"Holy shit." Grif muttered after their drinks had come and the door to the bar opened again, "Is that Carolina?"
They both watched as the redheaded woman in question seemed to scan the bar until her green eyes landed on a tan-skinned woman with braided hair in a wheelchair who already had glasses of alcohol waiting. Carolina quickly strode over, a smile forming on her lips as the two women conversed.
"Hm." Simmons murmured speculatively, "She must have arranged to meet someone today."
No wonder she had seemed in such a hurry earlier. From the personal way the talk seemed to be going, it almost seemed to be a date of some kind. Carolina on a date seemed like an oddly scary concept.
Grif seemed to be thinking along the same lines, as he conspiratorially whispered, "Best to pretend we didn't see anything." He leaned closer in before adding, "You know, for health reasons."
Simmons tried not to blush too much at the feel of Grif's breath on his neck, "Yeah." He agreed since he definitely did not want to see how angry the former Freelancer might get if her date was ruined.
Grif stared at Simmons a moment more as a contemplative frown settled over his features, then he picked up his beer bottle and held it up in a mocking sort-of toast, "Well, here's to us not having died." He stated, "Again."
Simmons smiled weakly in response as he clinked his bottle against Grif's, then gulped down its contents in what probably amounted to record time right alongside his chubby drinking partner. Grif grinned as he lowered his empty bottle, signaling with his free hand for the bartender to keep them coming.
"And then Kai says…"
But whatever Kai had been about to say was cut off by Grif laughing loudly at the mere memory of it, Simmons joining in simply because he knew it had to be absolutely hilarious.
The two were into their sixth sets of beer, getting progressively more drunk and carefree as time went on. Simmons had pretty much forgotten about their most recent near-death experience, so engrossed as he was in their conversation that seemed to be about nothing and everything all at once. He was even laughing uproariously at every chance he got.
Simmons felt warm all over, his head was positively spinning in a rather pleasant way. He felt good. Real good.
"C'mon, Grif, you gotta tell me what she said!" Simmons managed to slur out as, without thinking, he reached over and touched Grif's arm to try and steer the conversation back on course.
He wasn't prepared for the immensely heated and even more flushed look that crossed over Grif's features then, the suddenly alert stance his body language took. The needy groan that suddenly came out of Grif's mouth both surprised him and had that warmth flooding his body become unbearably hot.
Simmons was about to try and salvage the situation by letting out a half-hearted, stammering apology, but he was cut off from doing so by Grif grabbing his sweaty hand tightly in his own.
"Let's…" Grif paused, licked his lips (and Simmons couldn't help but think that was hot), "Find somewhere else to be."
For the second time that day, Simmons could only wordlessly nod his head in agreement.
"Whoa."
The place that Grif took them to this time was a secluded spot on the outskirts of town. It was a rare patch of trees, shrubbery, and actual grass. Perhaps it had been an attempt at a park at some point, though it had long since been abandoned judging by the overgrowth.
The tan-skinned man smiled rather warmly at Simmons' awed expression as they entered the shaded, enclosed clearing that the vegetation provided.
"I had a feeling a nerd like you would like it here." Grif told him after a few seconds of watching the maroon-wearing man look around.
It was true too. Simmons loved areas like this for contemplation, reading, or studying. He knew Grif liked them for napping as they had often found themselves sharing such "secret" spots in other regions and not telling the others about them, lest Caboose wanted to make a fort.
"I do like it." Simmons murmured with his back to Grif, "Thanks for sharing it with me, fat—"
When he turned around, Grif was only a scant few centimeters behind him and suddenly they were kissing one another as though they would somehow drown otherwise.
Simmons pushed Grif to the ground, and at some point his hands were roaming underneath Grif's shirt. Grif somehow got the upper hand and rolled over so that he was above Simmons. He was quick to use his new position to trail hot, feverish kisses down Simmons' neck.
For a brief moment, just what it was they were doing crossed into Simmons' alcohol- and lust-filled brain, and he managed to get out, "Gr—Grif, what…?"
Grif smirked against his skin, the sensation making Simmons' stomach flutter and his hips arch, "That should be pretty obvious for someone as smart as you."
"R—right." Simmons' brain shut down as he desperately leaned up to kiss Grif even more hungrily.
Grif paused with his hand on the waistband of Simmons' pants, a contemplative look at war with the actual want and desire on his face (Simmons could hardly believe such a gaze was directed at him), "Are…are you sure you're ready?" He asked in a surprisingly husky-sounding voice, "Because I sure as fuck have been."
"Of…of course!" Simmons tried confirming and reassuring Grif by biting down on the orange-armored soldier's neck. He probably would leave a mark there, and a part of him was thrilled at the thought. Grif groaned heavily once more and pulled back just enough to gaze down at Simmons with such a longing, fond look that it positively took Simmons' breath away.
"I've wanted you for so damn long." Grif told him, his hand softly touching the side of Simmons' face.
The redhead's eyes widened, and he opened his mouth to respond when Grif leaned over him again and smashed their lips together. Simmons couldn't believe the noises and expressions they both made, and all the exhilarating sensations he was experiencing in that very moment right alongside Grif. He just wanted more and more until his body couldn't take it.
To say that the morning after, when they were both more cognizant of what had happened and were a whole lot more hungover, was hella awkward was a bit of an understatement. They each remained silent as they got dressed until Grif broke the moment with an awkward cough.
"So, um, last night was…" Grif paused, smiling slightly and trying to find the right words, "Really great."
"Y—yeah." Simmons nodded his head, looking anywhere but at Grif as his whole body turned red with a blush, "It…it really was."
They stood across from one another uncomfortably, not meeting the other's eyes and being unsure of what to say. What had happened, they both knew, left them with the new task of defining what exactly they meant to one another. Neither of them were good at talking about actual feelings and Grif looked ready to just run from the spot to avoid doing so.
Simmons was afraid to find out that what Grif had said before wasn't true, that his growing feelings for the other weren't reciprocated. Maybe, maybe Grif was just looking for an easy way out.
Simmons, even though it was the opposite of what he wanted, figured he could give him that. He forced a watery smile onto his face and finally managed to look over at the still pondering Grif, "It…it was just close to you needing your release, right?" He asked shakily.
There it was. They could just say that was all it was and pretend nothing of import had happened. If that was what Grif wanted, at least. As for Simmons? Well, he could pretend to be okay with it. Really.
A stricken look crossed over Grif's features, as if the notion was somehow painful. He took a step forward, his hand reaching out to Simmons, "That's—!"
"Grif! Simmons!"
Donut's voice suddenly cut through the air, causing them both to start.
"Tex!" Donut's exclamation was followed by Tucker's voice, "Shit, you guys, this isn't fucking funny!"
There was an urgency to their friends' voices that surprised both men, and they had even mentioned Tex too. Had she not gone home that night either?
Wanting to figure out what was going on and get away from the scene before Grif confirmed Simmons' fears and his heart broke into a million little pieces, Simmons moved to escape the shaded clearing and reconnect with their friends. He was stopped by Grif grabbing his arm tightly, and he looked up at the tan-skinned man's face questioningly.
"Simmons," Grif's grip tightened a fraction (reassuringly?) on his arm, a determined look crossing over his face, "We'll talk about this later, okay?"
Surprised and oddly hopeful, Simmons could only nod his head in response.
Author's Notes: My second side story prequel to When We Were Soldiers, detailing Grif and Simmons' first time together. As always, I'm not quite as confident when it comes to writing near-smut, so I apologize if anything comes across as strangely written here. XD The final prequel will be about the cyborg surgery in this story-verse, as well as how both Grif and Simmons initially react to it.
Next up on the writing schedule is another chapter of When We Were Soldiers though, and gah! We're so close now, you guys! XD I hope that everyone will enjoy these final updates, even though it is a bittersweet thing in some ways for me to write them because I've enjoyed sharing this story. Oh well, I guess I'll l just have to content myself with my other WIPs once this is done. XD
Thank you so much for reading! :D