In the time that passed while waiting for Ethan to get to the castle, Heisenberg spent it alone. Or rather trying to find a place where he could be alone without a maid fluttering about, asking him if he needed anything (which had only been informing Ethan of the library's location). Alcina and her daughters loved getting pampered by an ensemble of women in fancy dresses, but it was very quickly beginning to get on Heisenberg's nerves, always there to try to remove the healthy pragmatism of basic living.
Therefore, he only felt like breathing once he had found his way to the library. Here, the only light source came from the dull clouds above the skylight and the dim candelabras placed sporadically about on stone shelves so the library had a shadowy atmosphere, but it was mercifully quiet and provided Heisenberg with several hiding spots where he could sit and mull on the trajectory of the world around him.
This truce was actually happening. He was in the castle without it being forced upon him or watching over Ethan. Just thinking those words sounded so unreal like the world itself refused to wake up still and instead carried on with the most lucid dream known to man.
The door to the library opened and Heisenberg just assumed it was one of the maids coming to check on the candelabras again. A burst of light came from the hallway, shaped like a doorframe before it was swallowed by darkness and a shape stepped under the pale glow of the skylight. Ethan stood hand in hand with Rose uneasily standing on her two feet and looked around the room until he spotted Heisenberg move out of the shadows.
"Hi. There you are," his eyes lit up like a bright sun, which was immediately mirrored in Rose making a sound that could liberally be deciphered as "dart". She clumsily walked over to Heisenberg and he picked her up as she giggled through her pacifier, repeating that word which probably didn't mean what he thought it meant.
"She's saying Karl," Ethan explained. "She's been calling for you all morning."
Oh.
"Now you got me. What now?" Heisenberg let out a short chuckle, tugging the baby closer. Rose answered immediately by clutching small fistfuls of his beard.
"So, we're here. What's the deal?" Ethan asked, comfortably strolling towards the door that led to the hallway, probably because he was getting real sick and tired of the dingy feeling in the library. The light was almost blinding once they made it out of the room. Even Rose had covered her eyes from the glare. She began to stir some more until Heisenberg put her down and she immediately stood up, enjoying her newfound ability. He made sure to hold her hand though.
"Tried to make peace with Lady Everest and she agreed – provided she gets to, quote, see how special you are," he explained, smiling at the look of shock that spread over Ethan's pretty face.
"Jesus Christ, what have you been saying about me? I'm just a guy."
"And that's what I told her. I suppose the idea of someone enjoying my company is so alien to her that she must examine the brain of that person."
Sometimes even Heisenberg questioned why someone chose to stick around. But he had far too much dignity and respect for that someone to delve into further rumination. Ethan wouldn't let it slide either as if he caught onto those momentary flickers of doubt. He grimaced at Alcina's theory in the way that only he could, almost appalled on Heisenberg's behalf. Considering what he knew of the "family", it shouldn't have come as a shock to him but his considerations were heartwarming.
"She'd be surprised at how lovable you are," he said bluntly.
"Heh, the bint is going to faint when she sees how normal you are," Heisenberg nudged him in the ribs to make him squirm and laugh. It said quite a bit about the differences between them, their upbringings, their familial relationships, and their outlooks on life when the normality that was Ethan Winters could be so alien to some.
Before long, they made their way to the ground floor and subsequently to the opera hall. It was here where Alcina practiced her music whenever she felt like recapturing her past successes. Here, the room was thankfully brighter and emptier, just in time for the sky outside to darken and rain to patter on the windows.
But neither Rose nor Ethan was paying attention to the weather as the former found a whole new room to explore, walking about on her own and falling on her behind a few times while the latter stopped by a piano not far from the stage and its curtains.
It took a few pokes to his shoulder before he seemed to come back to the present. Gingerly, he brushed his fingers over the gold accents of the instrument. "Well, I know how to play – sort of. Was taught when I was younger. Just felt nostalgic for a moment."
There was something slightly akin to longing in his voice like he was soothed by olden memories of a simpler time.
"You can't say that and not give a demonstration," Heisenberg said, looking around for Rose who was in the middle of trying to climb one of the armchairs nearby. Just out of goodwill, he walked over and lifted her into its seat and she sat back like a princess on a throne.
"It's not mine," Ethan stepped away from the piano with a frown on his face. He had to shove his hands down his pockets lets the tingling of musical passion became too great.
"So?" Heisenberg raised a brow with a cheeky grin.
Before Ethan could answer with a quippy remark, the doors to the opera hall went open, and heavy footsteps thumped against the floor, forcing an end to the conversation. The weight of Alcina's loud heels brought a strange atmosphere to the room and her presence alone forced attention her way. Good for her, since she basked in it.
"Well, well. Ethan Winters, we meet again," she said, taking a long drag from her pipe.
Next to her stood an unassuming maid no one paid attention to. On the other hand, Rose stared with wide eyes at the tall lady, as she did during their first meeting. Heisenberg hadn't found out if she had a reaction to the tall lady during her first stay in the castle. She was certainly intimidated by her now, sliding down the chair and walking towards Heisenberg, hiding under his coat and behind his leg.
"Hey, it's been a while, Ma'am," Ethan hesitated a bit, raising his hand for an uneasy wave.
"Nobility is a foreign breed in the outside world, isn't it?" she lamented, ignoring the casual gesture. "Call me Alcina."
Funny how she cawed on about Heisenberg changing when she was allowing an outsider, a man even, to call her by her first name. The Duke had been given the same courtesy but only because he gave her money and blew smoke up her ass by calling her "My Lady" instead.
"Nice, great," Ethan loosened up, looking around the room until he spotted Rose under Heisenberg's coat. He had to wave her over before she reluctantly came walking towards her dad, now hiding behind his leg.
"Go on," he touched her head. "Say hi, honey."
Rose clutched onto the fabric of Ethan's jeans and raised a tiny fist to do the meekest of waves. She hadn't quite been this shy when Heisenberg initially met her; he didn't interact with her much either, letting her get adjusted to him at her own pace until she treated him like a second father (not third, screw Alan).
The scene was comical though as Alcina looked at the child with an utterly confused, uncertain look on her face as she raised her hand to half-heartedly wave at Rose. It must have been quite awkward for her to be cordial when she initially acted like such a bitch in front of the kid. To watch her so out of her element was a rare occasion.
And a small but vibrantly vocal part of Heisenberg was loving every second of it.
"I take it you haven't properly been introduced to my daughters yet," Alcina puffed herself up with parental pride, turning to stare at the maid who hastily excused herself to collect the trio of young women.
Minutes seemed to pass at a snail's pace before the door to the opera room went open once more and three people stepped in, all dressed in black dresses, almost like clones of each other. They did a synchronized courtesy, which probably just added to the overall weird vibe strangers would get from them. Ethan did mention they creeped him out when they had stalked him around the castle.
"Uncle's man-thing from the Winter Jubilee!" Daniela, the youngest smiled in awe, staring at Ethan like a dog would stare at a human that could potentially give it attention. A subtle giggle emerged from her as she continued to stare beyond what was socially acceptable.
"And he brought his baby-thing too. It's standing upright now. How peculiar. I like how symmetric its face is. Just like when you cut an apple in half," Cassandra, the middle child, locked her dazed eyes on Rose, to a point where the poor kid began to fuss and Ethan had to pick her up.
"I can't believe the words that come out of your faces sometimes," Bela, the oldest and thankfully the most socially adept, rolled her eyes, and groaned at her siblings as she folded her arms over her chest.
"Now, now, daughters. Behave yourselves in front of our guests…except for Heisenberg but it's the thought that counts," Alcina cut in, bringing a merciful end to this round of introductions. Heisenberg looked over at Ethan, noting how he had gotten a shade paler than usual. He looked stable but there was something in his eyes that pointed towards active fear. It couldn't have been the girls; it was probably something else.
A reminder of something else?
With Ethan and Rose set up in their room, it was time to explore the rest of the castle not yet uncovered during the Winter Jubilee. Daniela had volunteered herself to be the tour guide with a few maids behind her as ordered by Alcina. They were possibly there for assistance, but Daniela almost treated their presence as an intrusion when it came to Ethan's attention, talking over them on occasion.
Thankfully, he was far more preoccupied with his surroundings to shower her efforts in praise. What wonderful timing that the castle was beginning to buzz with life and he didn't have to watch Daniela leer at him.
"And this is where the world-known Dimitrescu wine is produced. I promise you, it is the best," she gleefully boasted once they made it inside the winery. She fiddled with the keys to a door that probably led somewhere dank and uncomfortable.
Heisenberg's gut dropped a bit when the door went open to a staircase of stone leading to God knew where. He lifted Rose into his arms just to be safe and followed the rest of the entourage down the steps. He was familiar with the castle and its layout but in this area. Certainly not enough to know anything about what lurked below ground level. Not that he cared either. Curiosity didn't set in like it did when he visited Ethan's apartment for the first time.
At the foot of the staircase, there was a singular door through which the maid entered first so she could light the various candelabras until a dim orange glow filled the room. It was a lot larger than initially perceived, filled with barrels, crates, and bottles in the walls. Two tables with accompanying chairs stood although the room didn't scream cozy, especially not with the chill and the lingering smell of basement.
Heisenberg continued to carry Rose even as she began to wriggle so she could be let down and go explore. At last, he had to comply but held onto her hand while she walked around. It showed quite the amount of trust between him and Ethan when the latter seemed perfectly safe letting his daughter wander about without him monitoring her. Thus, the only one paying attention to Rose was Heisenberg and a few distracted maids smiling at the child.
"Would you like a taste?" Daniela asked, staring at Ethan like she was trying to undress him with her eyes. Either he didn't notice, or he did but didn't care, treating her with basic decency like he did with most people he met.
He hesitated a bit. "Is it alright?"
"Of course!" Daniela exclaimed, turning around to shoot a glare at one of the maids who gulped a mouthful of air and nodded, scrambling to search through the cabinets for a goblet and heading over towards one of the barrels to fill it with wine before it was served to Ethan.
He looked into the thing, sniffing its contents before taking a modest sip, probably cataloging every morsel of taste. Then his eyes lit up like stars and he turned to Heisenberg with a grin on his face. "Oh! That's it! That's the wine, I was talking about."
Before Heisenberg could half-heartedly congratulate him or bask in the joy, Daniela jumped in with some not-so-subtle bragging, "It's our best vintage. Award-winning even."
Right. Alcina had been unable to shut up about that award. Heisenberg didn't pay much attention to the conversation after that. He'd let Ethan have his fun even if the discussion about wine flavors was mind-numbing. Daniela had only drunk her mother's brand so she had nothing to add when Ethan mentioned other bottles.
Meanwhile, the basement began to feel claustrophobic and Heisenberg picked Rose up again, carrying her up the staircase until he found himself alone in the winery with the little child in his arms. She protested somewhat, staring longingly after the basement like she could sense some bad juju oozing from there and she wanted to protect her dad from it.
Stubborn little brat as she could be, she began to whine and wriggle so much that Heisenberg had to put her down before she decked him in the face. But before he could take her hand again, she had already started running. Clumsy troll that she was, she didn't make it far before she fell flat on her face – all before Heisenberg could catch her.
It took a moment before the inhuman screams only a child could produce came hollering like a siren. She lifted her head and rolled over, tears streaking down her face, her mouth opening wide enough for the pacifier to fall out. Fuck. Great. Heisenberg sighed and went to aid her, pulling her into his arms so he could check for injuries – which were a few light scratches and some dirt stuck to her face.
But then again, babies were fragile little things.
Rose was mostly unharmed and Heisenberg did what he could to make her happy, tickling her to distract her until she bubbled with giggles. While her chest still heaved with the occasional hiccup and soft whine, she had since stopped crying, gently humming as she put her head on Heisenberg's shoulder. The incident hadn't lasted more than a few minutes, but it had already alarmed Ethan as the door swung open and he stepped out, jogging towards Rose.
"What happened?" he asked, quiet panic lacing his voice.
"She tried running and fell over," Heisenberg considered passing her over to her father, but she wasn't too keen on letting go so he stopped trying.
"Oh," Ethan's shoulders slumped in relief and a smile spread over his face. In the doorway, a confused Daniela stood and leered at Rose but no one paid attention to her thankfully.
Rose was far too curious to take any naps, thus she was becoming tired early on, slacking in the arms of the men who had to carry her. And as evening approached, she was given a quick, digestible meal before she was put to bed. Just in time for a maid to flag Ethan down and announce that he (and subsequently Heisenberg) would be joining Alcina and her daughters for dinner that night.
Ethan accepted but Heisenberg would love for nothing more than to decline, drive off, and return hours later – or however long the Dimitrescu dinner parties lasted. But he had already made that mistake before and this relationship business included this thing called "support", so he'd endure it and stick with Ethan until the end. It would feel better for the both of them too.
So off to the dining room, they went. Them and the baby monitor.
Right before Ethan opened the door, he stopped and turned around, stepping closer to Heisenberg until their body heat almost mingled. "So I've been meaning to ask about baby-thing and man-thing."
The fear from earlier returned in his eyes, just subtle enough for anyone who didn't know him to not notice.
"Dimitrescu-ism creates the habit of adding the suffix 'thing' to whatever is out of the ordinary or unlikable," Heisenberg closed the gap between them until he could feel Ethan's faint breath tickling his skin. "Babies and men are a rarity here because Alcina likes neither. Yet, she tolerates you and Rose so that's a good thing."
The smile that spread across Ethan's smile was a nice assurance alongside the sparks of anxiety vanishing. "Are you a man-thing then?"
"I've been called much worse. Man-thing is almost a compliment," Heisenberg chuckled. He looked down when he felt something brush against his arm and saw Ethan's hand slide down to hold his.
"Thanks for sticking with me this time," Ethan said, so tender and warm it could bring summertime along on its own. Dammit, it shouldn't be so effective but that tiny, questioning, insecure side of Heisenberg quivered with heartfelt delight and confident bravado.
Confident enough to meet the emotional cadence, giving Ethan's hand a gentle squeeze, "You are exceedingly lucky that I like you enough to do that."
A subtle blush spread over Ethan's face as he opened the door to the dining room. Already present were Alcina and her daughters, bathed in orange from the nearby candles and a cackling fireplace. They weren't seated, just standing by their elaborate chairs at the long table, staring at the pair like prowling lionesses. A sinking feeling emerged in Heisenberg's stomach – even if he had made a pact with his sister to be nicer to each other. Miranda wasn't here anyway so there was less of a chance for an outburst.
"Greetings, Ethan Winters," Alcina folded her hands together, souring just a notch when she laid eyes on her brother. "And Heisenberg. Have a seat."
She wasted no time, taking a spot at the end of the table so she could peer over the entire table. Her daughters sat lined up at one side, in the order of their ages. Regardless of if it was tradition or just for fun, Heisenberg found it wholly creepy and weird. He waited a bit for Ethan to sit down in the chair that stood closest to Alcina before he sat down as well.
An awkward silence filled the dining room, broken apart by the doors opening and a legion of maids entering with plates, bottles, and serving trays in their hands, serving all but Heisenberg who subtly declined. Especially since it was mutton smothered in rosemary. He could smell it from where he sat.
"Not hungry?" Ethan asked but he could only shake his head. He was but not in front of Alcina. Part of him still felt on edge being within her presence in her castle and there would be no way he'd eat her food – especially when he didn't like it. The maids bowed and quickly left the dining room without saying a word and silence took their place, accompanied by cutlery scraping against plates and the sisters whispering amongst each other.
If Heisenberg was hungry before, his appetite completely evaporated upon seeing Alcina slicing into her lamb and munching on the extremely rare meat with the blood blending into the potatoes and the sauce. In the intimate light of the dining room, it almost looked like tar.
"So, I hear you are knowledgeable in the flavor profiles of wines, yes?" she said after a long pause and reached for a glass of red wine. Her wine, red as blood. The narcissism was unreal.
Think nicer thoughts, Heisenberg had to remind himself. He looked over at Ethan, noting how stiffly he sat. Probably in an attempt at proper manners.
"Yeah, Rose's mother used to drag me to wineries across America, and then I graduated to France and Italy. Got my palette filled out so thanks to her, I'm bit of a wine connoisseur. Your winery revived that a bit. Thank you for the bottles by the way," Ethan said, a subtle tremble permeating his voice.
Heisenberg had heard the story before. Heaven forbid he got dragged out to such an adventure. His displeasure must have been quite apparent as he felt a nudge to his ribs and looked directly at Ethan grinning like a Cheshire cat.
"Oh, don't worry," he said, offering a piece of mutton from his fork. "I won't take you there so you can stomp grapes with your feet."
"Disgusting. I'll stick to beers and Sazeracs," Heisenberg groaned, gently swatting the fork away, and was rewarded by a bubbly laugh from Ethan that could possibly bring world peace.
"I must admit, I find it wholly unreal how that fool-" Alcina blanched for a moment before she rethought the words about to come out of her lips and tried again. "That foal managed to bring us all together like this."
Despite the Heisenberg family crest bearing the symbol of a horse, it still felt like a backhanded insult. Amidst the things that had come out of Alcina's mouth, it was by far mild on the spectrum. The morbid disdain lingered in her eyes however, but curiosity took a comfortable spot next to it.
"I guess it's his special talent among many. He brings people together," Ethan answered honestly and wholeheartedly.
"Oh come on," Heisenberg interjected, not quite the one for compliments. "Flattery will get you nowhere."
"It's not flattery if it's true."
There was a moment's silence before Bela asked a question that was probably resting on everyone's minds ever since that godforsaken tea party. "What are you to each other?"
Briefly, Heisenberg felt his breath hitch behind his chest under the weight of all eyes staring at him. They hadn't done much of anything when it came to the secrecy of their relationship – if one could even call it secrecy. He even admitted the truth to Mia after some probing. But Mia wasn't also Alcina with sharp words and talking about people behind their backs or insulting them for minuscule things to their faces.
The anticipation of that caused Heisenberg to remain silent while the question was allowed to hang in the air like a persistent, dark cloud in the dining room. He had no reason to be nervous; his preferences weren't such a big deal or an issue at all. It was just the ghost of bad experiences lingering.
Ethan stared directly at Bela as if to get a look at her soul before he answered with; "Lovers."
Under the table, Heisenberg felt a hand pass over his own and give it a firm squeeze as if to punctuate that revelation. He didn't mind the feeling that spread across his body in the musing silence; warm and soothing in a way that felt like inner peace. As for the reactions around the table, they varied. Cassandra looked apathetic, Daniela pouted slightly, and Bela was mildly amused.
"How quaint," she smirked, silently toasting and drinking the last bits of her wine. On the other hand, Alcina quietly mulled over the revelation, poking at her potatoes thoughtlessly.
"…I guess you really are special if you use that label on him, Winters," She said at last, stabbing a slice of lamb to cut away the fat.
"I mean, it's that magical thing we call relationships," Ethan shrugged, ignorant of the way she pursed her lips a bit as if she had perceived an insult thrown her way.
"Oh please. Sounds wholly unmagical The need for someone to validate my existence is nonexistent," she drank from her wine with a quiet huff, nearly dropping the glass all over herself when Heisenberg asked; "Not even the Duke?"
Abrupt silence filled the room as she stared daggers at him, her eyes almost shooting lightning in the candlelight. Her lips thinned and her hand clenched around the stem of the goblet to the point, she could break it. If it had a sharp end, she'd stab her little brother with it. And all Heisenberg could do was to flash her a devious grin. He shot a glance at the daughters, watching them stare wide-eyed at their mother until she glared them into dropping their curiosity.
But for what it was, it felt like peace.
The dinner evolved into something a little more palatable and Heisenberg could even cram a few bread rolls down after the event. Getting a win over Alcina, even something as innocent as playful banter worked up his appetite now when he found himself in the comforts of a guestroom.
It still struck him as a tad surreal that he was having banter with Alcina at all which didn't result in one of them wanting to murder the other in the most gruesome way imaginable or hurling slurs at each other. No looks of absolute hatred or comfort from childhood memories of vulnerable moments to soothe bruised egos. Just banter.
Of course, it had been right at the edge of subtle insults but nothing quite to the levels where the brittle peace absolutely shattered like one of the many porcelain pots stationed around the castle. Alcina wasn't above losing her temper in front of her daughters, which terrified them if Cassandra was to be believed so the only reasonable explanation must have been the presence of Ethan. But Alcina didn't care about him enough to mind her tongue.
She did care about keeping up appearances but not to that extent…right?
As Heisenberg ate the last bread roll, he figured the answer pertained to Miranda and the agreement to keep Rose away from her at all costs. That was it; the almighty Alcina was afraid. He didn't blame her though. Even for different reasons, they had a common objective.
"You sure, you don't want something more exciting than bread rolls?" Ethan asked upon returning from the adjacent baby room after checking up on Rose. The baby monitor had been quiet all evening as she was still fast asleep on account of not napping. Ethan put her to bed at the same time as usual, but she'd be sleeping in certainly.
"It's about the only thing I trust to put in my mouth in this place," Heisenberg brushed some crumbs off his fingers, spotting Ethan gently toss himself onto the mattress with a teasing gleam in his eyes.
"That…and me."
"Yeah, well," Heisenberg gestured with the last bit of bread. "I can't have my mouth full while sucking you off, can I?"
He ate it and went to wash his fingers, dusting his beard off for crumbs. When he returned to the bedroom, Ethan had set the fireplace alit, poking the logs until the flames licked them. He seemed so pleased with the result, standing up to stretch his body until it popped at the right places. He had taken off his hood shirt, thus revealing the scar on his left wrist.
It wasn't something they ever talked about because it pertained to Louisiana.
Maybe. Heisenberg shouldn't be staring but he found himself enthralled by the man and everything about him. He could allow himself to bask in some eye candy, at least until Ethan stopped and stared back at him. Without a word, he stepped closer and linked his fingers together around Heisenberg's neck. Every movement he made was slow and testing, careful and explorative. But confident in the fact that they had done this countless times before.
Heisenberg remembered that the castle had rather thin walls but ignored that so he could bring his hands to hold Ethan firmly and pull their bodies closer. He made a silent vow to be quiet while he lavished on the feeling of standing here like this. Mutual longing compelled Ethan to lean closer until he pressed his lips against Heisenberg's, gentle yet hungry. He searched for the rim of his own shirt and pulled it to his chest, and Heisenberg eagerly explored his bare skin, his blood humming at the low moan and glazed eyes before him.
"You're not so concerned about noise this time?" he asked, once Ethan let his head fall back.
"I'll be quiet," he promised – only to break it when two hands slid over his rear to squeeze a sultry moan out of him. With how close they were standing, Heisenberg could feel something familiar press against his groin. His hips bucked in response and he dropped a curse under his grip, sliding his hands away to unbuckle Ethan's pants.
Wringing them off was a trying process, Heisenberg found out as he was partly distracted by kisses to the side of his jaw and a clumsy set of hands trying to loosen his pants. They maneuvered about until they lay on the bed with him having better access to pull those jeans and briefs off.
Upon seeing a semi-erect cock almost begging to be touched, Heisenberg had to clear his throat and his mind lest impulses got the better of him. He looked at a dazed, red-faced Ethan and posed a much-warranted question. "Lube and condoms?"
"I got 'em but-but I really, really want you to suck me off," Ethan breathed in long, gentle huffs.
Heisenberg smirked. He'd get there but first, he wanted to play around for a bit, running his hands alongside Ethan's side and pressing lightly against the ridges of his ribs. The cautious part of Heisenberg's mind began to rear its ugly head, mulling over whether or not this was a good idea with those shitty walls. But then again, they were in the guest wing, isolated from everyone else, and with Ethan sitting up to kiss him firmly, he decided that, yes, he wanted it on this particular night.
Maybe it was helped by the extra glasses of wine that Ethan had been consuming which made him extra cuddly. A little clumsier than usual. They tumbled back onto the mattress, breaking apart so Heisenberg could paint kisses and hickeys across Ethan's bare torso and feel two hands tug at the roots of his hair. Momentarily he pulled back, running a hand through his tender scalp. He settled himself in front of Ethan's legs, lifting them until they stood at the balls of their feet.
Being at his total mercy, they still quivered when he kissed them by the knees, slowly making his way upward Ethan's thigh, listening to every sigh and groan along the journey until he stopped right above the man's crotch. He hesitated, then assured when Ethan began to writhe with impatience before giving the man what he desired. He took a firm grip of the legs in his hands and lifted Ethan off the mattress, teasing the tip of his erection with gentle licks at the beading precum.
Heisenberg took his time, sliding the tip past his lips, diligently licking every inch with devilish vigor at the soft groans that came from Ethan, who pressed his head against the pillow with a deep blush over his face. He covered his mouth to stifle himself, mindful of the baby sleeping close by – and the lack of isolation that the castle provided.
He clutched the sheets under them, his hips bucking in tandem with Heisenberg sliding his member further into his mouth and teasing its entire length. At this point, Heisenberg knew all the spots that were the most sensitive and most effective in driving Ethan wild, feeling the other man's release fast approaching. Right at the edge, he pulled back, grinning at the pleading stare he received in return.
"Damn. You tease…" Ethan breathed out with a laugh and ran a hand through his hair. Collecting himself somewhat, he rolled onto his stomach, fumbling with the bag next to the baby monitor resting on the nightstand. His legs swung up while he searched the contents of the bag, almost kicking Heisenberg by accident. After some trial and error, he pulled out a little square package and a tube, which he handed over.
Heisenberg had him pinned to the mattress soon after, tucking his face in the crook of his neck, now slightly tacky with sweat. He took a deep breath, inhaling the other man's scent and feeling it flow to the depths of his very core. Sex felt a whole lot nicer when you adored the person. Ethan hummed at the soft kiss against his neck and then his ear, lifting his hand to caress Heisenberg's jaw.
"Karl," he murmured, his voice laced with urgent desire like he never wanted anything in life this badly. Heisenberg let his mouth rest against Ethan's neck, feeling him relax and mewl at the lips dragging across his shoulder blades and the curve of his spine.
The fireplace hadn't been fed enough logs thus its cackling began to cease ever so slowly but no one seemed to care. Heisenberg sure didn't as he ran his hands across Ethan's lower back, pressing firmly against every fine muscle underneath his skin and creating a trail of goosebumps. He pulled away, reaching down to ease his pants below his waist to apply the lube and condom while Ethan looked over his shoulder, his eyes almost dark with lust.
It was a look that was quickly hidden behind closed lids when his hips were firmly held in place while Heisenberg pressed into him slowly. A pleased moan escaped him, muffled into the valley of the pillow under his head. Bowing his head, Heisenberg pushed himself all the way in, groaning at the hot, snug tightness that greeted him. It was almost enough to make him cum right then and there. He leaned forward, exhaling as he finally bottomed out, moving again with a bit more speed.
"Fuck, yes," Ethan cried out into the pillow. He'd gotten a lot more chattier during sex recently, but Heisenberg didn't mind this. Not with his brain so fogged up on arousal as he rolled his hips harder, rougher. He thrust forward, groaning against Ethan's skin flushing against his own and his insides reeling. He wrapped his arms around the other man's stomach, holding him close. Heisenberg buried his face in the crook of Ethan's neck, pressed against damp, flushed skin, feeling the twitches of his throat and tremors of his voice.
Ethan's voice was muffled through the pillow, hoarse and high-pitched, made speechless and trembling. Gasping at every firm snap against his pelvis. For a moment, Heisenberg wished he had more self-control to just pause, turn the man around, and look at the beautiful expression on his face. But Heisenberg was too deep; the pleasure was racing through his veins and coiling deep into his gut, growing hotter, growing stronger.
He tightened his embrace and pulled Ethan closer somehow, grunting and groaning against the back of his neck as the pleasure became almost overwhelming. Without warning, the release came like a strike of lighting, and he came shamelessly hard. It almost made his vision blacken and he slowed down his thrusts to draw out the awaited orgasm until it defeated him completely.
In his arms, Ethan shook, lifting his head free of the pillow. He bit his lips to contain a sharp moan as the orgasm hit him like a hurricane, ripping through his entire body until he slumped into the arms around his stomach. They rested, almost merged with the mattress while still bathed in the afterglow.
For a good solid minute, they lay there with deep breaths filling the room. Heisenberg could very easily fall asleep like this but his bodyweight must have begun to feel choking as Ethan wriggled himself from underneath, snatching a blanket on the way. He gingerly cocooned himself and headed towards the fireplace, shuffling his feet in such a comical manner.
From within the blanket, his arm extended towards the bucket of logs and fed some to the fireplace, poking at the glows and the ashes until the flames revived themselves. He squatted in front of the fire, watching it dance merrily, and tried to lay on the rugs before he gave that up and shuffled back to bed.
"Those rugs aren't as nice as yours," he uttered from the depths of the sheets.
"Alcina is gonna love hearing that," Heisenberg sat with his back against the headboard, tossing his shirt onto the floor.
"Hush, it'll be our little secret," Ethan poked his face through the blanket with a smile just barely visible. He rolled around again until he found a comfortable position, drawing a deep breath, filled with thoughtfulness. "I always get a little nervous when sleeping in the house of some family I don't know. I should stop that."
It all tied down to the reason he had left America in the first place, did it not? The question skipped straight to the tip of Heisenberg's tongue, burning to be uttered in a selfish way that would possibly lead to a lot of hurt.
"Louisiana?" he tried anyway, his gut tightening at the look he got in return. Active fear and hurt accompanied by depressed acknowledgment that it had indeed happened. Slowly, Ethan nodded and sighed, releasing himself from his cocoon to stare at the ceiling instead, his brows pinched together in discomfort.
"Yes. I owe you an explanation, don't I?"
"Not at all. But I can't deny that I'm curious with the times you've alluded to it."
"That's only fair. I just need to...to enter the headspace."
Ethan had said that, but he trembled as he did. He closed his eyes and swallowed hard like he was preparing for the flood of discomfort over digging through uncomfortable memories. Heisenberg knew that feeling all too well, but it was still a new experience to encounter someone confronting past grievances. Gingerly, he reached under the blanket to give an affirming squeeze on Ethan's wrist, and it was just about what the man needed to keep himself grounded.
"The people that this all comes down to are Mia's adopted family, the Bakers. Religious, quiet, traditional, close-knit southern folk. Family to them and Mia is important. As is tradition. That's why she invited them to the wedding," he explained.
A bad taste settled in Heisenberg's mouth until a thought struck him. "We don't have to attend that, you know."
"Right, but I wanted a chance to confront what happened and that's why I said yes. And I have you, so I'll be okay – I think," Ethan said with a restless smile. Stubborn lovable fool, he was but also braver than most – willing to confront the demons in his life instead of giving up under the pressure.
It was enviable as it was admirable.
"If they hurt you, I'll throw them off the nearest cliff," Heisenberg said pointedly without hyperbole even if he was being entirely facetious.
"Thank you, Karl. Really," Ethan smiled in relief. He rolled closer until he could rest his head in the other man's lap.
"Okay, I think I'm ready. So after an argument, Mia and I decided to drive half across the country for a visit. And things just went downhill from there…"