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There were a lot of things about Derek Malik Nurse that annoyed William Poindexter. From the very beginning, his attitude had rubbed Dex the wrong way. Which, quite honestly, wasn’t surprising.
The moment Dex overheard Shitty and Nursey mention Andover on their Taddy Tour, he knew he’d be in for a bunch of preppy, granola-infused bullshit if he chose Samwell. But it’d been his best option, aside from UMaine, and really there was no comparing the two when faced with the prospect of sharing the ice with Jack Zimmermann.
So Dex had chosen Samwell, and Murray and Hall had chosen Nursey as his D-partner. Which, in some ironic twist of fate, ended up being the best for both of them when it came to ice-time.
Off-ice was another story.
Dex’s current problem—along with his first big programming project of the year—was trying to figure out what on earth Nursey did to smell so fucking good. They’d barely begun to unpack the teetering towers of boxes in their shared room the other week when Dex caught a whiff of something and thought Bitty was back already and downstairs, conjuring a pie from thin air before even coming up to say hi. A quick trip to his truck for his tools had proven that theory wrong, and after re-examination, Dex had quickly realized that the source was none other than Nursey, the delicious smell floating in and out of the room with each entrance and exit.
As Dex now sat staring at his computer, attempting and failing spectacularly to get his brain to concentrate on the lines of code he was supposed to be writing, his thoughts wandered, meandering along the pleasant swirls of aroma that filled the room back to Nursey, sprawled out on the top bunk with a notebook and scratchy blue pen. The scrape of pen on paper sharpened Dex’s focus, mind catching on every annoying aspect of this whole ordeal.
Nursey smelled like Dex would expect him to smell if this were one of his obnoxious esoteric poems, or his mom’s Nora Roberts novels, or the fanfictions Ransom and Holster were always reading out loud when halfway to ‘shwasted on a quiet weekend. He smelled like spice, warm and crisp and every reminder of the cool fall air Nursey seemed made for; the layers of sweater and jacket he fit so easily in, that so easily fit him. His look was as artfully effortless as his poetry, and of course his scent would suit him him just as well, a sharp note of cinnamon as bright as his smile.
It was irritating as hell and entirely too enticing. A scary thought in light of the places Dex’s mind had strayed over the summer…
Dex’s nose wrinkled and he violently ruffled his hair, frustration finally getting the better of him.
“I’m gonna go for a walk,” he ground out, studiously avoiding Nursey’s prone form.
“Sure dude.”
It was hot, just barely September and the summer heat still hung in the air, heavy with the humidity of an incoming stormfront. Dex usually enjoyed the electric feeling of dark clouds rolling far off in the distance, but the oppressively muggy weather and stagnant breeze were little comfort. He felt smothered, lungs wet and wooly and nose filled with the lingering, inescapable scent of Nursey.
Dex needed to clear his head. He still had calc homework to do, and a short essay for a lit class he was surprisingly enjoying, thanks in no small part to Nursey’s ability to make words come to life when he decided to abandon his aloof hipster aura, and when Dex set aside his petty grievances long enough to listen. But now he was thinking of Nursey again…
“Dammit!” Dex kicked a rock on the sidewalk, sending it flying before it bounced off a tree and careened precariously close to a group of girls laid out studying in the last vestiges of sunlight. It earned him a barrage of glares, like a flock of geese all lifting their heads as one to shame him. Dex ducked his head between his shoulders and scurried off, barely managing an audible “sorry” through his red-faced embarrassment.
This wasn’t working. Everything was wrong and nothing Dex knew how to do would make it right. He couldn’t figure it out himself and he couldn’t ignore it. Nursey intruded in on his thoughts when he shouldn’t, inspired emotion in Dex past simple anger or annoyance or even grudging respect. There had been a time when things had been easy, followed by a time when things had been more difficult, but better for their newfound ability to, for the most part, get along. Dex had even once thought they could end up some sort of friends.
Something, however, had changed. Changed in Nursey or changed in Dex or maybe even the both of them. And Dex hadn’t even realized until he couldn’t stop thinking about how good Nursey smelled, how amazing such a scent would taste, the peach-fuzz skin of a strong neck soft under the press of Dex’s lips…
Thunder rolled, a long, low growl that worked its way through Dex’s nerves, his ears tingling as they took in the sound. The clouds had yet to overtake the sky, but the wind picked up and Dex knew it wouldn’t be long. Having made it all the way across campus, he’d have to turn back now or risk getting caught in the squall. But Nursey awaited him in their room, and Dex didn’t know if he was ready for that, for the confrontation he was sure would follow.
Students hurried to pick up their things from where they’d laid scattered across the lawn, blankets and books and empty coffee cups hurriedly tucked under arms and stuffed into bags as they beat a hasty retreat. Dex looked out over the pond as he struggled within himself. A decision had to be made, whether now or another time, but he knew he couldn't stall much longer.
The storm made it for him as a bolt of lightning tore the sky apart out over the water, deafening thunder following right on its heels and startling Dex into action. Years on a lobster boat meant Dex knew first-hand how water and electricity didn’t mix, and he wasn’t taking any chances as he turned and high-tailed it back to the Haus.
Somehow he made it just in time, the roar of sudden sheets of rain pelting the old wooden slats drowning out the click of the front door behind him. Dex kicked off his shoes and stalled for a few moments in the kitchen, Bitty waving him off as Dex hovered over his shoulder to see what kind of pie he was currently affixing a beautiful latticework to. He grabbed a Red Bull from the fridge, the only sort of liquid courage he could handle right now, and skipped his way up the stairs, nervous energy ricocheting through his body.
The door was open, which was probably a good thing. Dex didn’t know if he’d have had the courage to push past one last barrier to what was probably going to be the biggest disaster of his life.
“Yo, Dex,” Nursey greeted him, picking his head up from his book and twisting around the moment Dex’s shoes hit the squeaky floorboard by the door. “Looks like you missed the rain.”
“Uh, yeah,” Dex responded, trying and failing to return Nursey’s smile. “Got here just in time.”
“‘Swawesome. You, uh, you okay?” Nursey asked after a moment. “You ran outta here pretty quick.”
Dex breathed deep, held the air behind pursed lips, then set the Red Bull on his desk with a frustrated snort.
“No,” he finally got out. “No, Derek I’m not okay. I have no fucking clue how I’m going to say this, but whatever.”
“Say what, Dex?” Nursey asked after Dex fell silent, staring out the window at the rain assaulting the large oak in the yard.
“It’s just…” Dex turned to face his fears, to give Nursey the respect he deserved as Dex confessed his own messed-up feelings. “You smell so fucking good.”
“Uuuh, thanks dude?”
“No but, it makes me feel things. Want things.” Nursey’s face wrinkled in confusion. “Fuck, no, that's not really right either. I, I think I like you.”
Nursey’s brows raised as his eyes went wide. “Well shit,” he exclaimed, clearly taken aback.
“It just kinda finally hit me ‘cause you smell really freaking good and I wanna fucking lick you or something and god does that sound weird and creepy and I have heard Rans and Holster read one too many a/b/o fics to be comfortable with myself and my life right now.”
“One is too many a/b/o fics, bro."
Dex chuckled. “Yeah. Yeah…” His eyes darted away for a moment as he gathered the last of his courage. “I’m sorry,” he said, turning back to Nursey. “I know this is weird and is gonna make things awkward, but I had to say something.”
“Mmm.”
Nursey was silent for a minute, the longest sixty seconds of Dex’s life as they held eye contact, green and amber level and unwavering despite Dex’s roiling stomach.
“Sooo, do you want to lick me?” Despite the crooked smile spread over his gleaming teeth, Nursey’s tone was dead serious.
Dex stumbled. “What!?"
“You said you wanted to lick me.” Nursey tumbled from the top bunk, more graceful than he’d been the first handful of times he’d tried it, but still caught his foot on the frame of Dex’s bed on his way down. “Do you want to?” he asked again after righting himself and closing the few feet of distance between them.
“Shouldn’t we like, kiss first or something?”
“But that wouldn’t answer your question.”
With Nursey standing there before him, apparently — and against all Dex’s prior imaginings — willing to allow Dex what he wanted, it was impossible to say no.
“If… If that’s okay with you. Yes.”
“It is okay with me.”
“Um,” Dex tripped over his own thoughts, a different type of nervousness setting in. “Where should I…?”
“Hmm,” Nursey hummed again. “I think, here,” he said, pointing to the muscular trap of his left shoulder.
Dex’s eyes traveled to the spot, then flicked back to Nursey for one more confirmation of consent. Nursey smiled and nodded. Dex turned back to Nursey’s shoulder, the skin barely covered by a tank so outrageously colored and striped Dex wondered if he’d stolen it from Holster. But then it would be too big for Nursey’s frame, probably falling off the shoulder Dex was delicately running his fingers down, fully exposing the spot his lips tingled to touch.
He leaned in, hesitating only for a moment before pressing a light kiss to Nursey’s skin.
“That’s not a lick,” Nursey chirped and Dex felt his ears go hot.
“Shhh,” he mumbled, lips lingering low over the warmth of Nursey’s skin.
Gooseflesh prickled up Nursey’s arm, a physical note under Dex’s fingertips that read loud as day. Whatever this was, Nursey was enjoying it.
Bolstered by this new thought, Dex ran his tongue down a short length of Nursey’s shoulder, eliciting a full-on shiver that would have done wonders for his confidence had he not been suddenly taken aback.
“Dude!” he whisper-shouted in plain confusion, pulling away to look Nursey in the eye. “You taste like cinnamon! What the fuck?!”
Nursey chuckled, clearly amused. “Don’t chirp me for my ‘bougie-ass shit’, but I like to use essential oils. Cinnamon for muscle aches after practice and stuff. It’s what you’ve been smelling. And it also tastes pretty good."
“You're like a Red Hot.”
“Is that a come-on?"
“Do you really need one to know how I feel?”
“I think I got the gist of it.” Nursey smiled again, softer this time. “But we should talk about it. I think I could be liking you, too.”
“Yeah?” Dex asked, not caring how hopeful he sounded.
“Yeah.”
~*~