Work Text:
It was supposed to be a simple meeting.
Markus just had to fly to DC to meet with some government officials on finalizing some new legislation before it was put into action. It was one of the more boring and dreaded parts of being a political figure, but quality LGBTQ+ rights weren’t going to be established unless those who believed in them stood their ground and persisted on them being made unrevocable law.
While North and Josh had stayed behind to hold down the fort at their base of operations, Simon had joined Markus as another proponent of their cause. He more often than not was the one who attended meetings with Markus, serving as his right hand man, primary support, and colleague.
What should have been just going over the new bill and sending it off to the next level of officials to pass or request changes had turned into the activists realizing that many of their points had been modified from the original proposal. Even minor changes to wording could have a major impact when dealing with politics and it seemed that every point had been reworked.
Each line had to be reviewed and scrutinized for any loopholes or alternative meanings. Luckily, Simon had a backup of their original proposal on his laptop and they had been able to negotiate many points in the bill to return to their original format. However, the process was long and slow going, leading the "short" meeting to run long and only end when the workday came to a close. Though, that didn’t mean they were finished. Everyone involved would have to come back the next day to, hopefully, come to an agreement on the rest of the proposal.
It was now late at night and the two Detroit politicians were stuck in DC when they had planned to fly home hours ago. Simon - the angle he was - had called to cancel their flights and try to get at least a little money back when they had taken a recess and it was clear they wouldn’t be making their boarding time. All they had to do now was find a place to sleep and worry about the rest tomorrow.
The first hotel they walked into had no rooms left for the night. The second hotel had advertised vacancies, but a large group ahead of them take the last rooms. By the third hotel they were loosing hope but their spirits had brightened significantly when they were told that there was one room left. They had eagerly taken it, not even bothering to hear any specifications about it as they handed over the IDs and credit cards as they signed agreement forms.
They had both felt a sense of relief as they headed up to the floor their room was on and walked down the long hallway until they reached the door with their number on it. Markus had used his keycard to open the door and the duo walked in. They froze just steps inside, as the door closed behind them.
The room before them was clearly a honeymoon suite. Not only was everything plush and velvety reds and pinks, but hearts and roses decorated the whole room and there was hardly any privacy to be seen. In fact, the whole room seemed set up to minimize privacy. A small couch faced the large bed complete with a heart shaped headboard. The suspiciously small bathroom only held a sink, mirror, and toilet, leaving room for the clear glass shower and heart shaped tub to sit proudly in the main room.
Simon figured skipping one shower in the morning wouldn’t be so bad - there was no way he'd be using what was available in the rom to bathe. He just hoped Markus thought the same.
Oh God, Markus. He was staying in this place with Markus. His cheeks burned at the mere thought.
It was a...well...poorly kept secret that he had a massive crush on Markus. His longing stares and daydream fantasies were all just facts of life to his friends. Hell, they even had a following online of people who wanted them to be together after seeing how Simon acted with Markus during interviews, rallies, and any other televised appearances. The only one who didn't seem to see the obvious was Markus and Simon was just fine keeping it that way.
The two slowly took in their surroundings, allowing a moment to process everything. It surely wasn't the hotel room they'd been expecting and the romantic and, frankly, sexual vibe of the suite had been quite jarring. However, it still had a bed and they were both exhausted.
Simon took initiative to speak the best solution he could find before Markus could say otherwise, “I’ll sleep on the couch. You can have the bed.”
Almost immediately, Markus spun to him and countered, “Wha- Nonsense! The couch is way too small to sleep on and the bed is more than big enough for us to share.”
Simon tried to defend his stance, “But-“
Markus cut the blond off before he could protest, “You don’t need to sacrifice your comfort for the night when there's no reason to. I know you’re just as dead tired as I am and need the good sleep. Let’s go to bed and worry about the rest in the morning.” His finalized tone left no room for argument.
The taller shrugged out of his suit jacket and laid it over a chair before casually beginning to unbutton his shirt.
Simon’s face burned red at the sight and he quickly turned away. Watching Markus undress was definitely not what he needed right now. He was sure it would be an enjoyable sight, but the following...problems were not something he had the time or space to deal with at the time.
Markus chuckled at the other's behavior. “You don’t need to be so modest. Sleeping in our clothes would just get them all wrinkled and they wouldn’t be presentable for tomorrow.” He frowned, “I don’t much like the idea of having to wear the same suit to two very important meetings back to back, but we don’t really have a choice here. There’s no way we could get new fitted suits before tomorrow.”
Markus neatly folded his shirt and set it in the seat of the chair his jacket was draped over. He sat on one end of the couch reach down and untie his shoes.
Simon supposed Markus...did have a point. If they were to continue their meeting tomorrow and end with their desired results, they would need to be at the top of their game. With a sigh of defeat, he slowly shrugged out of his own suit jacket and cautiously set it over another chair before deliberately taking his time with each button of his shirt.
His cheeks burned an alarming shade of red as Markus toed out of his shoes and socks, stood, and unbuttoned his pants, easing the fabric down his legs. The tank top and boxers he was left in was by far the least dressed Simon had ever seen Markus. He could hardly tear his eyes from the other as he approached one side of the bed - the bed they'd be sharing - and slipped under the covers.
The blond briefly thanked the fact that he was trans for preventing the usual signs of male arousal and giving away his true feelings on the situation. Though, he quickly cursed the fact again as he pulled off his button up and felt his chest tighten. It had been a few years since he had top surgery, but he was still used to wearing layers and staying covered up. The white T-shirt he was now in was something he'd never usually wear alone - at least not comfortably.
With a shaky breath, he forced himself to work on autopilot as he folded his shirt and took off his shoes and socks. He squeezed his eyes shut as he took off his pants, only opening them again to fold the fabric and set it with his shirt. Now in just his T-shirt and underwear, Simon carefully sat on the edge of the bed on the opposite side than Markus had gotten into.
Markus looked over as he felt the slight dip in the mattress and frowned. “Just get in, Simon. We both need the sleep. I’ll stay on my side, you can stay on yours, and it’ll be as good as if we had our own beds.”
Simon made a sound of acknowledgment and slowly did as he was told, pulling back the covers and slipping in. He could feel the way the edge of the bed wobbled from his weight with how close he was laying to it, just barely far enough in to not fall out. He kept his body as still as possible and tried to control his breathing as he clutched at the blankets pulled up to his neck.
Everything seemed to be against him as his eyes darted around the room, looking for anything that would help calm him. The romantic and suggestive decor definitely didn't make this feel platonic and there was no way that looking at Markus would help him when all he could think of was how little clothing they were wearing and how they were sleeping in the same bed and how hot Markus was and how much he wished he'd hold him and many, many, many more things along those lines.
Simon couldn't even stare down at his own body for a reprieve, his gender dysphoria acting up from being in so little clothing around someone he cared so much about. Not that it was a secret that he was trans - Markus had known and openly accepted him for years, even going as far as to pay for the vast majority of his gender affirming care - there was just something about being so vulnerable that made all of the worst case scenarios rush through Simon's mind.
Staring at the ceiling seemed to be the safest bet for a neutral view where he could calm his racing mind and heart. Though, as blue eyes turned to stare up, Simon found his heart only pounding faster as he saw himself staring back.
Of course the bed had to have a mirror above it.
The sight of himself on the edge of the bed and Markus cuddled in, peacefully sleeping just an arm's length away was too much. His mind filled once again with the thought that he was sharing a bed with Markus - his crush and the most perfect man alive. And it wasn't just any bed either, it had to be a honeymoon suite bed.
He took in the sight of the reflected red silk sheets and plush blankets and everything else you could only imagine in a dream. But it was real. Simon had somehow managed to actually get to this point in his life. And it meant nothing. They were both barely dressed and so close together, yet there wasn’t a single romantic motive behind any of it. They were just two friends trying to get some sleep, but, at this point, it seemed like only one of them would be accomplishing that goal.
The blond's eyes were drawn to the reflected form of the man sleeping next to him. All he could think of was how honored he was to be able to see him sleep - though putting the feeling into words made it sound weird - and how badly he wanted to Markus to turn over and hold him and cuddle him and, okay, yeah, do the things the room was intended for, too.
Simon squeezed his eyes shut to clear the mental images of fantasies that were forming. It wasn't his fault everything in the room was suggestive and set a certain tone.
He decided that keeping his eyes closed had to be the safest option. For real this time. There was no way anything could distract him or bring up unneeded thoughts, when he couldn't see anything at all. Instead, he focused on keeping the space between them. He became hyper vigilant in insuring to not touch Markus. He hardly moved, if at all, regardless of how uncomfortable he was getting from being in the same position for so long. But touching the other was far too close to what he wanted and he didn’t think he could live with the heartbreak of getting a taste but never more.
Besides, the risk of Markus feeling his racing heart and burning skin was far too much. He didn’t want Markus being suspicious of what was going on or getting concerned over his health. The last thing he needed was his stupid gay crush being figured out and making things awkward between them when they needed to work as a single unit at the meeting tomorrow.
Simon took deep, shaky breaths in another futile attempt to calm himself.
His eyes snapped open as he felt the mattress move and blankets shift as Markus rolled onto his side, now facing him.
The taller grumbled something half asleep before speaking in a deep, groggy voice that did nothing to help the blond’s situation, “Si? Why are you still up?”
Simon turned to look at the bedside clock. 12:42. Great. It was past midnight and he was having to have this conversation. His mind raced as he decided which partial-truth would be the least suspicious.
He tried his best to keep his nervousness out of his voice as he spoke, “I…don’t want to touch you. Not in a bad way! I just don’t…want to bother you.” His voice got smaller, the more words he said.
Markus seemed to notice something was off. “Is that it?”
“Yeah?” Great. Very convincing, Simon.
The other's tone was gentle yet firm as he gave a warning to tell the truth. “Simon.”
The blond let out a defeated sigh. “Okay, fine. There’s more but this is a really bad time to talk about it. We have important meetings and I don’t want anything being weird between us and ruining our shot. Not to mention ruining our relationship.”
Markus shifted to more properly prop himself up with one arm as he got more engaged in the conversation, "Nothing is going to ruin our relationship, Simon. If something is keeping you up, we can talk about it."
Simon felt his cheeks burn with blush and looked away. "It's...not a big deal. We have bigger issues to deal with. Just go back to sleep and I'll try to do the same, okay?" He tried to settle into what seemed like a comfortable position to sleep.
Markus, however, wasn't giving up so easily. "Simon, I can tell something is really bothering you. You don't have to be afraid of my reaction. I'm not going anywhere." He tried a grin. "You're stuck with me. So spill. What's keeping that pretty mind up so late and making you so anxious?"
Oh. So he had noticed his odd breathing and shaky voice. Simon supposed there was no use trying to hide that anymore. Though, he elected to ignore the comment about his "pretty mind." It was probably just a joke anyway...right? Yeah, it had to be a joke.
Simon bit his lip for a long moment before giving a long suffering sigh and caving, knowing he could never deny Markus anything. His voice was tight with anxiety as he confessed, “I…I like you, okay? As more than a friend. I’ve been in love with you since we first met and it’s kinda driving me crazy being so close to you in this room.”
Markus was quiet for a moment, processing the words. He blinked dumbly and stated the now-obvious, “You love me?”
Simon’s voice was small as he replied, “Yes?”
“Oh.”
Realization seemed to fully dawn on Markus.
“Oh. Is that why North and Josh make weird comments and smirk when we go on trips alone together?”
Simon felt like he was about to explode with embarrassment, his cheeks aflame with blush. “Yes.”
Markus let the words sink in and suddenly furrowed his brow. “Wait- How many people know that you like me?”
Simon’s voice was squeaky as he answered, “A lot? It’s not exactly a secret. I’m not very good at hiding it.”
Markus frowned. “You don’t- Then why didn’t you tell me?”
Simon sighed. “Because telling your best friend you’re in love with them is a terrible idea? It could ruin the relationship and then I wouldn’t even have you as a friend and I’d rather deal with being in love with you and never being able to do anything about it than to tell you and have you hate me.”
Markus’s brow furrowed again, this time in pure confusion and bafflement. “Why would I hate you?”
“Because you don’t love me.” Saying the words out loud and directly to Markus broke something inside of Simon. Suddenly, there were tears threatening to well up in his eyes. His voice broke as he spoke, “Can we…stop talking? I’ll try to sleep. Just leave me alone.” He pulled the blankets up closer.
Markus tried to reach out. “Simon-“
“Please.” The blond's heartbreak was clear in his voice.
Markus tried again, slightly louder and more commanding, “Simon-“
The blond turned his back to the other.
Markus huffed at the display and scooched closer. When Simon attempted to move impossibly closer to the edge of the bed, an arm wrapped tightly around his middle.
There was an uncharacteristic edge and underlying hurt to Simon's voice as spoke, “Markus. Let go.”
The freckled man refused. “No. Not until you hear what I have to say.”
Simon halfheartedly squirmed in the other's grasp and tried to push Markus’s arm away.
Markus pressed a kiss to the back of Simon’s neck and the blond instantly froze, every muscle stilling. A hint of amusement laced Markus's voice, “Will you listen to me now?” A beat of silence passed and he continued genuinely, “I love you, too. You’re sweet and caring and always reliable. You do so much for others and don’t give yourself near enough credit. You deserve the world and I want nothing more than to give it to you.”
Simon’s voice was small, like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing, as he replied, “Really?”
“Yeah. Well,” Markus smirked, “I’d also love to find out everything that makes you have that cute blushy face more often.”
Simon hid his face in his hands. It was true that the room wasn't very dark for being the unholy hour of the night that it was. The glow of the city was bright through the window and must have been enough to show just how red he'd gotten. He half-whined a warning, “Markus-“
The other chuckled. “I know, I know. It’s not nice to tease.” He nuzzled against the other. “But you’re just so cute when you’re flustered.”
Simon made a sound of protest but said nothing more, pouting as he uncovered his face.
Markus chuckled again and started to move away so Simon could have his space back when a hand grabbed at his arm and made him stop.
The blond's voice was small and timid as he spoke, suddenly snapped out of his embarrassment at the risk of the other moving, “Stay. We don’t have to do anything…more, but I don’t want you to leave. Not now that I know that you like me too.”
Markus grinned. “That’s a lot of words to say you want cuddles.”
Simon pouted. “Okay, fine. Cuddle me.”
Markus's cheer was clear in his voice, “Gladly.” He pulled Simon flush to his chest and held him close as he nuzzled his face into blond hair, muffling his next words, “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do this.”
Simon grinned back, “You have no idea how long I have wanted you to do this.”
Markus huffed a laugh and settled in behind Simon. The blond took a moment to process everything that had happened and smiled.
His heart still felt like it was fluttering in his chest and he couldn’t help the excited giddiness coursing through him, but it was all so much more bearable knowing that Markus loved him back and that they had a future to look forward to together.
Sure, they’d stayed up half the night and would be exhausted in the morning, but the weight that was now lifted off their shoulders would be more than worth it.