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By the time Nicholas had left the train station, staggered onto the bus, and then staggered, perhaps with even less grace, onto the sidewalk out front of his and Peter’s apartment building, one o’clock had well and truly passed, and he was exhausted enough that when his key to the building did not work the first three times, Nicholas seriously considered sleeping on the sidewalk. Luckily, the lock gave on the fourth try, and Nicholas, sighing, pushed into the building and kicked his duffle bag ahead of himself until he could get through the door, freeing up his good hand to pick it up by the straps and sling it over his shoulder. (He nearly, embarrassingly, overbalanced doing it.)
He leaned against the wall beside the elevator and watched, blearily, as the light slowly slid down, floor to floor, until the door opened and he could lurch inside. He punched the button for the ninth floor, then leaned against the back wall of the elevator, tipping his head back and closing his eyes. He was going to sleep for a week. Two weeks, perhaps, depending on how long he could fend Peter off, which - he grinned up at the ceiling thinking it - likely meant he’d get no more than 8 hours sleep, if he was lucky.
The elevator door chimed, opening onto his floor, and he picked his duffel up again, walking down the hallway to the door of 9C (still missing it’s lettering, marked only by the impression where it had once been). He dropped it, once more, and fumbled his key into the lock. The door creaked open to a nearly dark apartment. There was dim light escaping from beneath his and Peter’s bedroom door. He left his bag lying in the hall where someone - most likely himself - would undoubtedly trip over it and brain themselves against the door. At the moment, he couldn’t begin to care.
He opened the bedroom door slowly expecting to find - he blinked - not what he did find, which was Peter asleep on the bed, curled around Sha, the stuffed dragon Nicholas had won him from the boardwalk nearly four months ago. He had kicked most of the covers off of himself and one of his long bare legs was resting over top of them. Nicholas was struck with the sudden, blinding desire to run his hand up that leg, rousing Peter and… starting something he would undoubtedly fall asleep halfway through. He sighed and pushed away from the door.
Once he had resettled himself in his nightclothes and brushed his teeth - Peter would undoubtedly call him an old man for insisting on doing that, even when he was practically dizzy with lack of sleep - he crawled onto the bed, gently dislodging Sha and laying down beside Peter, who stirred gently and said, sleepily, “Nicholas?” barely opening his eyes.
“Shh,” Nicholas said, touching one hand to Peter’s cheek and then running his fingers through his hair - when Nicholas lay down on his back, Peter happily rearranged himself half on top of him, making small contented noises as he rubbed his cheek against his shoulder. Nicholas set one hand on the crown of Peter’s head and buried his noise in his unruly curls. “Go back to sleep, Peter.”
“Okay,” Peter said, drowsy and content, and was immediately gone. Nicholas followed shortly, the warm reassurance of Peter’s body against his and the soft sound of Peter breathing seeing him to sleep.
#
The next morning, surprisingly, Nicholas awoke before Peter. He blinked up at the ceiling, listening to Peter snuffling softly against his shoulder, then looked down at… well, he could really only see the top of Peter’s head. He set one hand on the crown of it and then stroked his fingers gently through his hair. Peter stirred, slightly, then shifted so he was looking up at Nicholas, blearily.
“I’m sorry,” Nicholas said, “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“Oh my gosh,” Peter said, “You should have woken me up like way sooner. What time is it?”
Nicholas glanced over at the clock on the bedside table. “9:30,” he said
“See,” Peter said, “We could have been making out for at least two hours,” and Nicholas laughed, softly. Peter pushed himself up onto his elbows and leaned up over Nicholas, who brought one of his hands up to touch Peter’s cheek. Peter grinned down at him. “Okay, so,” Peter said, “We are totally going to make out now,” and then leaned down and closed his mouth over Nicholas’. Nicholas kissed him back before… well, before becoming perfectly aware that it was morning, now, and neither of them had brushed their teeth. He grimaced and pushed Peter back. Peter blinked down at him, dazedly. “Nicholas, what,” he said, before Nicholas cut him off.
“Peter,” he said, “I missed you, but your mouth is disgusting.”
Peter blew out a breath and then hoisted himself off the bed. “UGH,” he said, rather dramatically, “You are such an old man. You’re supposed to be like ravishing me, not telling me to brush my teeth.” Nicholas pushed himself up onto his elbows and watched Peter walk towards the bathroom - watching him move he nearly regretted saying anything. Nearly. Peter’s mouth really had been disgusting. Just because he did not want to kiss him with morning breath though did not mean - well.
Nicholas pushed himself up off the bed and padded over to the bathroom. Peter looked up at him in the mirror, when he walked in, toothbrush in his mouth, seeming momentarily confused by his appearance.
“What?” Peter said, pulling his toothbrush from his mouth.
“Just… ,” Nicholas said, stepping behind Peter, close against his back, setting his good hand on Peter’s hip and nosing at his neck. “I really did miss you.”
“Oh my gosh,” Peter said, “go away or I’m so not going to finish.” Nicholas laughed and stepped back.
“I’m going to use the other bathroom,” he said.
“Hurry up!” Peter called after him, as he walked out, “You don’t need to brush your stupid teeth for like twenty minutes!” which was plain exaggeration, being that Nicholas never took longer than four.
Which apparently was still too long for Peter, being as he was hovering in the bathroom doorway not two minutes later, watching Nicholas. “Oh my gosh, come on,” he said, practically whining. “Hurry up.” Nicholas rolled his eyes but spit in the sink anyways, then reached for a glass to rinse his mouth out and spit again.
“Alright,” he said, and Peter smiled in a way that nearly lit up the room. When Nicholas turned to face him, Peter grabbed him by his good hand and pulled him in close, going up on his toes to kiss him. Nicholas set his hand on Peter’s hip, steadying, pulling him flush against his body. Peter made a few happy, breathy noises against his mouth, wrapping his arms around Nicholas’ neck.
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.
“Oh my gosh,” Peter said, “don’t answer that.”
Nicholas wavered, somewhat, torn between Peter’s mouth and the utter rudeness of leaving someone waiting at the front door when he was actually home. “It could be important,” he said.
“It could also be nothing,” Peter said and then, apparently, decided to take matters into his own hands, kissing Nicholas again, but deeper this time, drugging, the sort of kissing that always led somewhere. Nicholas made a noise against that his mouth he immediately vowed to deny ever making if Peter brought it up.
Another knock came. “I know you’re in there, Nicky,” someone - God help him, Tess - called through the door, “Open up. I’m not above kicking this door in,” which was not, unfortunately, beyond her capabilities, being that she taught martial arts for a living.
“She’s totally bluffing,” Peter said, but he didn’t sound convinced. Nicholas sighed and untangled himself from Peter, who made a high, whining noise and slumped against the door jamb.
“Come on,” Nicholas said, “We might as well see what she wants before she loses us our security deposit.”
“Tess sucks,” Peter said but followed obediently in his wake.
When Nicholas opened the door he was somewhat surprised to find Tess holding a gaudily-wrapped present in her arms. She immediately shoved it at him, forcing him to either catch it or drop it - had he known what it contained he likely would have let it drop - and brushed her way past him, into the apartment.
“It’s a “welcome back from watching people undress all day” present,” Tess said.
Nicholas sighed. “I was at a medical conference, Tess,” he said, “Not a strip club.”
“Yeah, and don’t think I haven’t seen all those pictures of naked people in your skanky medical journals.” Tess said. She even made finger quotes around medical journals. Good lord. “Claudia wouldn’t help pick it out. She wimped out when I brought out the catalogue,” which only made Nicholas never want to open the gift he was holding. Tess shrugged. “Go figure.”
Nicholas looked down at the package in his arms, somewhat dubious. Tess crossed her arms. “Jesus, it’s not a bomb,” she said, “Just open it.”
“Hm,” Nicholas said, sitting on the couch and setting the package on the coffee table, considering it.
“Seriously,” Tess said, “I’m about to open it for you.”
“Very well, then,” Nicholas said, and reached for the package, peeling back the tape, carefully unwrapping the paper.
“Peter’s right,” Tess said, “You’re an old man. You can’t just tear it off like a normal person?”
“No need to - “ Nicholas started to say and then actually got the thing unwrapped which effectively ended the sentence. “Tess… “
“Apparently, it’s the best you can get right now,” Tess said. “Not that I’ve tried, but the reviews online were all pretty enthusiastic. It’s even got attachments. Pretty sure there’s a cock ring in there somewhere.”
“Tess,” Nicholas said, and even to himself he sounded mortified, “Why on earth would you - “
Tess didn’t even allow him to finish before she said, “Hey I figure watching people undress all day when your boyfriends not there to - “
“Tess!” Nicholas said, and she continued with a, “Yeah, whatever, you’re a prude, we all know. But now you’ve got something to comfort you on those long lonely nights when you’re stuck hanging around a bunch of creepy old dudes who like to cut people open.”
“I - “ Nicholas honestly had no idea what to say. He covered his face with one hand and muttered, “You’re absolutely impossible.”
“Hey, you’d know,” Tess said, which was when Peter let out an, “Um,” and Nicholas looked up at him to find a pink, hectic flush on his cheeks. He looked at the - good lord, the vibrator - and then up and Nicholas, and then back again. “Um.” Nicholas let his hand drop away from his face and stared at Peter.
“Or, hey, you could use it now!” Tess said and slapped him on the shoulder, making him jerk in surprise. “I’m gonna go. You kids have fun,” and while Nicholas continued to stare at Peter, who was flushing further by the moment, she walked out, shutting the door behind her. Nicholas really should lock it, but at that moment - “Um, so,” Peter said, looking up at him again, still pink-cheeked. Nicholas decided the door could very well wait.
“Bedroom,” he said, “Now,” and Peter hastened to obey.