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The clock struck two am and an understanding passed between them, unspoken. It was time for Tim to go home. He and Hawk were both well used to the routine by now. Sneaking out in the dead of night so no one would see. No one would know they had been together. Tim was even starting to get better at wiping the smile off his face after he left, just in case of the odd passerby on his walk home.
Tim stood up and went to grab his coat as Hawk wandered over to peer out the window.
“Uhh, Skippy? I don't know if you’re gonna be able to make it home in this snow.”
“Oh don’t worry about me, Hawk. I wore my snow boots.”
“Any chance you brought an entire snowsuit too?”
Tim scoffed, figuring Hawk was just being overdramatic, and joined him by the window to assess the conditions for himself. As it turned out, Hawk was not being overdramatic. A full on blizzard was raging outside. The dim street lights gave glimpses of just how fast the snow was falling. The wind whistled through the trees as a few strong gusts whipped snow into swirling eddies in the air. Their view was framed by clusters of intricate crystals clinging to the corners of the windows, jagged and sparkling.
From inside Hawk’s apartment, it was stunningly beautiful. But they both knew that outside, it would be absolutely insufferable. There was no way Tim would make it the roughly one and half mile walk back to his boarding house. They hadn’t found themselves in this particular situation before, and a tense quiet hung in the air as both men waited for the other to say something first. Finally, Tim was the one to break the silence.
“I’m sure I’ll be alright. I mean, I might walk through the door looking like a snowman. But I’ve got plenty of heavy blankets in my room to warm up under once I’m back in. Besides, it’ll actually be good because—”
“Stay.”
Tim stuttered in shock for a moment before finding his words again. “Hawk, you don’t have to do that. I know you worry about your neighbors seeing me. And with good reason. You don’t have to ask me to stay over just because you feel bad for me walking home in the snow. You shouldn’t risk everything.”
“I’m not asking because I feel bad for you, Skippy. I’m asking because I want you to stay. Please. Spend the night with me. The whole night.”
Tim scrunched his nose up and pursed his lips to prevent a giddy smile from taking over his face.
“Are you really sure? It won’t be an imposition on you?”
Hawk chuckled lightly. “Yes, Skippy. I promise, you are not imposing.” He splayed his hands around Tim’s waist and drew him in until their bodies were flush against one another. Then he leaned in and gently connected their lips. The kiss was painstakingly soft. Sweet and warm and delicate. Tim’s lips continued to move in rhythm with Hawk’s and the kiss seemed to say everything Hawk couldn’t. Thank you. I need you. I just want to wake up next to you.
When they finally pulled apart for air, Hawk couldn’t stop a smile from creeping across his face to match Tim’s own wide, contented grin. “Come on. Come get in bed with me,” Hawk said as he led Tim down the hallway to the familiar room where they often shut the world out together.
They slipped under the covers together and their bodies melted easily into a comfortable embrace. Hawk placed one last kiss on Tim’s temple as he succumbed to the drowsiness gently pulling his eyes closed. Then Hawk, too, easily drifted off into a blissful calm, knowing that for the first time, when he woke, his Skippy would still be there safe in his arms.