Samuel--Home

[nola_quicksilver]

The front door rattled when Oliver kicked it shut behind him. Belatedly, he remembered that this particular pair of shoes loved leaving prints on the plain white paint, but oh well, what's done is done, and his hands were full.

"Hey, Sam," he called into the apartment at large. Oliver assumed Samuel was home because he was emailed a detailed spreadsheet listing Sam's upcoming work schedule on the first of every month. Also, his bedroom light was on. "A new coffee place just opened down the street and they're giving out free coffee."

Carefully, he started setting down the six huge lattes he'd poached from the frazzled barista who'd been distracted by trying to create legible foam art. The lid on one was loose, sending a splash of coffee on the counter, but even still, Oliver put his hands on his hips and looked down on his bounty like a proud father.

Six! This might be enough to get him through the overnight shift at the tattoo parlor.

But then, with a pang of conscience, he called out, "I guess you can have one of mine."

Comments

[nola_quicksilver]

"I didn't say you were!" Oliver replied, frowning at the ceiling. Wait, had Sam cleaned the ceiling? Okay, that was a mystery for another day. "I was just making an observation."

[nola_cyclops]

You could do a lot with a ladder and long-handled supplies. "Great, observation noted." Still, Sam didn't move away.

[nola_quicksilver]

Oliver didn't either, trying to hold on to the last lingering tendrils of afterglow. But then he nuzzled the top of Sam's head. "I think the smell is in your hair."

[nola_cyclops]

"Oh my god." Sam rolled out of Oliver's reach and stood up, shaking his head. Oliver would never let anything go. "Don't worry, I'll shower."

[nola_quicksilver]

"I didn't say you had to shower!" Oliver protested. He sat up, rolling his shoulders a little to work out the kinks. With great effort, he managed to resist sniffing at his own skin to see if it smelled like the floor.

[nola_cyclops]

"Just that the smell offends you." It was so annoying how good Oliver looked, shoulders working, changed by what they had done. Still, Sam only spared a moment to look; he was busy trying to re-clothe himself.

[nola_quicksilver]

Oliver watched Sam dress, disappointed. He'd liked the experience of seeing Sam vulnerable, trusting Oliver with his nakedness. It was the first time Sam had been unguarded in his presence in all the months they'd been living together. "You don't offend me."

[nola_cyclops]

Sam sighed, briefly hanging his head. Things had felt so surprisingly good, like they really knew each other. Like they got each other. But now it was the usual mess with the added bonus of, apparently, emotional distress? "Forget it, it doesn't matter."

Sam would find a new cleaning solution for the floor tomorrow.

[nola_quicksilver]

Oliver didn't miss the look on Sam's face. He'd made a lot of people look that way over the course of his twenty-four years. Think before you act, Oliver.

He stood, not bothering to dress, and reached out to spear his fingers back into that nice, pine-scented hair. "It's okay to call me a jerk when I'm being one."

[nola_cyclops]

Sam blinked; a slow smile flickered somewhere on his mouth, at least for a few seconds. "There aren't enough hours in the day, Oliver." Sam meant that warmly, to meet the peace offering Oliver seemed to be making.

[nola_quicksilver]

Oliver smiled back. He liked Sam's smile—it was a prize, not easily won. "But I'm okay sometimes."

[nola_cyclops]

“Sometimes,” Sam agreed, and readily. “At least one recent example comes to mind.” It was nice to relax his defensive reflexes for a minute.

[nola_quicksilver]

Well, Oliver was going to take that as a compliment. And he loved compliments, enough that he leaned in and gave Sam a quick kiss. "You were okay too."

[nola_cyclops]

That kiss was touching and unexpected. Sam rested an appreciative hand on Oliver’s arm. This wasn’t really tenderness, but it suggested a more tender side to Oliver than Sam could ever have guessed was there. “Yeah I was,” Sam agreed, straight-faced.

[nola_quicksilver]

Oliver laid his hand on top of Sam's and said softly, "Now go take a shower. You have my spit all over you."

[nola_cyclops]

Oh right, Oliver was annoying. “Thanks so much for the suggestion,” Sam said, but his irritation was relatively mild. “Even if it directly contradicts something you just said.” But also, of course Sam was going to immediately shower. Look at what they just did!

[nola_quicksilver]

"I wasn't telling you to shower then, just now." It was like Sam didn't even want to listen!