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He was exhausted and drained, although he would never admit to either of those sensations least the media try to further disparage him in light of what he just accomplished.
A 21 hour filibuster in the name of personal freedom. That's how he liked to think about it.
He was proud of what he'd done, and if his fellow senators and the media pegged him as a phony and labeled his filibuster as a fake, what did he care? He was fighting for what he believed in, the creed he had grown up on, his bread and butter, the document he kept next to his Bible at all times-
"That was some filibuster, Ted," a voice said behind him, effectively stopping Ted's romanticized and slightly delirious conceptions of the U.S. Constitution.
"Thanks," he responded with an attempt at firmness, trying to ward off the sleepy tones his voice was allowing to seep through.
He turned to face the speaker.
It was Rand Paul.
The other man quickened his pace to match Ted, falling in line with the junior senator.
"It may have been in vain, but the people deserve a chance to let their voices heard," Rand continued, "and you represent that voice."
"Mmm," Ted hummed. As much as he valued Rand's support and assistance, he was tired and not really in the mood for small chat with the hot-headed senator from Kentucky, or anyone for that matter. Although Rand was certainly better company than some of his fellow constituents, he was still a little irritated and, if he was to be honest with his conscious, disappointed at Rand's tenuous support during his filibuster. He wasn't going to the let his fellow republican get off that easy with this, least he suffer the never-ending side remarks Mike Lee would give him if he did; the Utah senator might be even more bothered by Rand's lackadaisical assistance than Ted was.
Oblivious to Ted's thoughts, Rand continued to walk in strive with Ted, his presence a constant by Ted's side as they proceeded in silence for a few minutes, following Ted's languishing pace as the latter made his way down the chamber's long corridors. The clinking of their shoes on the tile floor echoed with tenacity in the relatively tight space, the sound far too loud for Ted's ears as the after-effect of the noise rang in his head with each consecutive step. He looked to the side to reaffirm that the other man was still there, the sound of their shoes had synchronized and the fog edging its way over Ted's brain left him unable to distinguish the two sets.
A quick glance.
Yep. He was still there, his lean figure moving with a grace Ted only wished he could emulate, not that he would ever admit that either. While he had a commanding and often times authoritative presence, he couldn't seem to achieve the same kind of relaxed swagger in his stride as Rand exhibited so effortlessly.
A few minutes passed in silence before Rand spoke.
"Uh," Rand cleared his throat, the noise registering even louder than the beating of wooden heels and soft soled tennis shoes on the floor, causing Ted's head to shoot to the side in reaction to the noncommittal sound.
"Listen," Rand began, his voice thick with his signature Southern drawl. Ted thought he heard a slight tremor in the other senator's voice. Just a little key off pitch, tinged with the slightest sliver of trepidation and perhaps... uncertainty?
Ted didn't respond as he waited for Rand to continue, trying as he did so to stop over analyzing every decibel in the other's voice. He had a tendency to become hyper-aware when tired and scrutinize everything around him.
"Ted, that was truly an impressive feat you pulled off today, and even if the majority decides to pass this act, it was worth a shot."
Ted didn't want to be rude, but he was tired and Rand was repeating himself, and although he was used to that (at time endearing) characteristic from the man, he was so tired and still annoyed with his companion.
"Thanks," he said again, hoping Rand would either cut to the chase or make his farewell-
"But we've been skirting across this issue for too long."
Ted heard the sound of heels abruptly stopping, the clanking sound nearly offensive in its loudness as it resonated around him. He looked up. Rand had stopped walking and was facing him, his stare pointed as he looked directly at Ted with an expression equally revealing and closed-off at the same time.
Before Ted had a chance to respond or ask Rand what exactly he was referring to, Rand continued.
"I know we've been putting it off," he said. His voice had dropped a notch or two in volume, the effect of which made the air around Ted suddenly feel claustrophobic, as if the lower tone and added privacy was cornering him in.
"Well, mainly I have been avoiding the subject. I wanted to talk to you about it, to clear the air..." he made an open gesture to the space around them, moving closer as his hands dropped to hang at his sides.
"...but then we became so entrenched in this filibuster business, and I had to put it to the side for the time being.
"But that's over now. And we really need to talk."
Ted stared at Rand, an inquisitive look in his eyes served as the physical representation of his confusion. What was Rand talking about? For a man prone to extremely blunt behavior, this was a first. Rand seemed almost reluctant to bring up the issue, whatever it was, if the way he bit his lip was any indicator of that.
"Rand, I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't feign naiveté with me, Ted."
Ted didn't know what just happened; all he registered was the push of his body against the wall and a firm grip pinning his wrists to his sides as his mouth was assaulted by a frenzied kiss. It was hard and abrasive, and Ted's head fell back to hit the wooden paneling behind him with a thud. His eyes fluttered shut on their own accord as Rand moved closer, pressing his body against Ted's, hands moving to caresses the sides of his body and slip under the fabric of his jacket, pulling at his tucked dress shirt. The action sparked Ted's cognitive ability to remember how to function and he quickly reacted, extracting himself from Rand's pinning clutch and pushing the slighter man away.
Rand took a small step back, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand in a juvenile gesture while his eyes remained locked on Ted's, staring him down with such intensity that Ted began to feel the warmth of a blush rising up his neck. There was a moment of quiet, broken only by Ted's ragged breaths. He broke the visual contact, unable to compete with Rand's look of determination colored by astute perception, and if Ted was right, budding arousal.
He let his gaze drift to an indeterminate spot just above Rand's shoulder, his hands instinctively falling to his hips as he pulled down on the bottom of his suit jacket in an effort to straighten himself out, but mainly as an excuse to avoid Rand's eye, even if for a second.
After a moment's pause, Ted gave up staling, and looked back at Rand who stood there innocently in front of him with wide eyes, his mouth slightly ajar. In the dimmed light of the corridor, Ted could catch the glint of shine coating the other man's lips that remained from their kiss and he watched as Rand's teeth began to gnaw at the delicate skin of his lower lip.
Ted took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a second. The corridor had become stifling, whether the change in temperature was a result of physical manipulation of the air conditioner or do to the heat quickly flooding over Ted's skin, he couldn't tell. He didn't dare let his sight drift downwards to find out either.
"You idiot!" he hissed, "You know there's camera's everywhere?"
Rand just shrugged, mumbling something that sounded like "the NSA is always watching," and Ted wanted to scream. He let out an exasperated sigh and nearly threw his hands up in frustration as Rand continued to gnaw his bottom lip, unfazed by Ted's vexation. Ted spun around on his heels to face the wall, which he had only realized once his head connected with it, wasn't actually a wall; it was the door to his office. He huffed dejectedly as he rummaged through his jacket pocket for his key and promptly jammed open the wooden structure, Rand sliding in after him and allowing the door to slam shut behind them.
"Okay, what the flying flip, Rand?" Ted said.
He knew his words struck a nerve with Rand because the older senator looked away, his defiant glare pinned to analyze some invisible spot on the floor.
Ted cast his head down, a feeling of regret for his words washed over him like an unholy baptism. He shook his head as he made to pour two glasses of whisky.
"Here," he said, more softly this time as he extended his hand towards Rand and then moved back to stand against the wall behind his desk.
"Thanks," the senator mumbled and he took a large gulp of the drink, the burning sensation nearly causing him to choke but he refrained, swallowing the fiery liquid with only a hint of distress evident on his features.
Ted watched him with a careful eye, keenly observing the bobbing of Rand's Adam's apple as he swallowed and sloshed his own drink around in his glass before he took a modest sip and then broke the silence with single word.
"Why?"
Rand looked away again briefly before turning back to face Ted. He wasn't going to shrink away from this, from something he had already started.
"I told you, we've been skirting across this issue for too long," he echoed his previous words, a note of that familiar uncertainty laced within them and Ted suddenly felt compelled to down the entire bottle of whisky right then and there.
They had been. And they both knew about it for far too long.
It started when they began working together.
They hit it off right away. Both Tea Party Republicans, mostly disliked by the rest of the party for their inability to follow the status quo. They shared similar views on Liberty and individualism and often engaged in light-hearted debates about the Constitution over a drink. It was a fine, cordial, and even enlightening relationship at times.
That is, until Ted started to notice things about the other senator. He had a keen eye for detail and could not refrain from allowing his gaze to wonder over the senator from Kentucky with an increasing frequency.
It would happen sometimes when they were in groups, the discourse amongst the other senators flowing around him freely, giving him a chance to ponder his private thoughts while half-listening to his colleagues.
There was something about the way Rand seemed to get so riled up whenever he spoke. Call it passion or enthusiasm, what have you, but Ted was captivated by it.
It was a pure sight if he ever saw one, the way Rand waved his hands around frantically when he was trying to articulate a point, the slight bounce his curly hair had when he was overdue for a trim, the natural firmness in disposition Ted envied when he watched the other man in debates. Ted admired him, and that admiration lay simmering with each and every addition contact Ted had with him, always there, slowly penetrating its way through into regular conversation. And that's when Ted began to trip up.
Unnecessary congratulations over trifling matters, always riddled with fluffed up compliments he didn't intend to verbalize but that came out anyway. A clasp on the back or pat on the shoulder that lasted a second too long and that always entailed direct eye contact.
The change in his attitude regarding his colleague went unnoticed, in fact, Ted didn't realize it himself until that faithful day when Rand caught him staring and his first reaction was to shield his gaze away as he felt a gentle blush begin to caress his pasty white skin. As he turned his head down, a thought crept into his mind, so malicious and intrusive that he didn't, couldn't, bear probing at the surface.
From then on, he was hypersensitive in his confrontations with Rand. Never staying alone with him too long, only allowing the briefest touch of hands when exchanging documents, keeping the conversation to the bare minimum. That was, however, until the whole fiasco with the government shutdown happened, requiring him to spend extensive time alone with the older senator even after his other congressional friends and fellow republicans left.
It wasn't awkward or anything, it was strictly business. They were used to late nights it the office accompanied by frequent swigs of liquor and stale crackers Ted kept in his desk drawer. And if Rand tended to invade his space a little more than was normal, Ted had no quorums with it.
The night before the filibuster, Ted reasoned it would be smart to get a full night's rest in preparation for what he planned to make an all day endeavor and then some if he had to the following day.
He gathered his materials into his briefcase with weary eyes; he hadn't slept more than a few hours all week, half of the reason why being his last minute research and the other half his restless nerves.
There was a knock and Ted turned to the sound. Rand.
"Getting ready to go?" he inquired, leaning his trim body against the door frame with an inquisitive expression on his face.
"Just about," Ted mumbled back in response. Why on earth Rand was still here, Ted didn't know, the other man never failed to provide Ted with waves of confusion regarding his actions. But Rand was just like that, an enigma and an open book at the same time, leaving Ted with the feeling that he never truly understood the other. He continued gathering his things, pretending not to notice the sound of the door closing and Rand's easy footsteps as he glided in to the room.
"I just wanted to wish you luck," the senator from Kentucky said in a tone far too peppy for this late hour as Ted focused a little too intensely on snaps of his brief case, body turned in the opposite direction of the man standing over him.
Just keep it together, Ted, he told himself and then he mentally berated himself for even thinking that.
It was just Rand Paul, the same Rand Paul he'd been working with since he was elected to the senate last year, the same Rand Paul he'd spent countless hours alone with drafting hypothetical legislation for fun, the same Rand Paul he found himself strangely yet undeniably attracted to these past few months. Ted closed his eyes. Of all the times to think about his unconventional fascination with Rand, it had to be with the man standing right before him, his breath creating a little haze of heat over Ted's head. He stood up, briefcase in hand, and met Rand's eyes.
"I appreciate your well wishes, senator," he said, his tone coming off a little colder than he intended. He wasn't normally one to let his emotions affect how he dealt with others, but his nerves were still on fire, causing his skin to tingle with anxiety. The whole filibuster ordeal was big enough to keep him on edge, he didn't need this, whatever it was, interfering.
Ted had his fair deal of self consciousness back in his youth, but he'd learned to overcome it with time and practice. However, with Rand standing there sans suit jacket with his sleeves rolled up and his hands on his waist emphasizing the way his slim hips jut to the side, Ted felt a wave of that old familiar feeling creep back in. He set his face in a hard line, willing himself not to give anything away.
Rand must have caught the edge in Ted's voice because he's expression shifted to one of sympathy and Ted had to squish the juvenile urge to retaliate to the change unkindly.
"Don't stress about it Ted," he said, talking over Ted's half-heartedly mumbled defense of "I'm not."
"Everything's going to go just fine. You'll be great." Rand reached out a hand, placing it on Ted's shoulder with a strong grip. Ted hadn't realized how close Rand was to him, close enough that Rand had to bend his arm to touch the other man.
A beat passed, the weight of Rand's palm against his lightly clothed shoulder, having also foregone his suit jacket at this late hour, felt as heavy as the air around him. Suffocating. But still, Ted didn't make any motion to shake off Rand's touch.
He tried to keep his eyes impassive as he looked at the other.
Rand moved his hand down Ted's shoulder, fingertips trailing down his arm in a light feathery graze. Too soft to be unintentional, his delicate touch causing goosebumps to rise to the surface of Ted's skin.
His breath hitched. An involuntary reaction.
Oh fuck.
He knew.
There was no way he didn't know.
Godammit!
"I'm sorry, but I really have to be going now," Ted said quickly, the words spewed out almost on top of each other as he nearly pushed Rand aside and ushered him out the door. Rand stood there in silence as Ted quickly locked up, shoving his keys into his pants pocket and making a beeline for the closest exit.
"Goodnight senator," he called midway from down the corridor without looking back.
Well, he had figured he wasn't going to be sleeping much anyways that night to begin with.
The memory of that touch, of a thousand other touches he shared with the senator, played in Ted's head as he tried to come up with what to say to Rand.
Was it too late to deny the stirrings inside him? He's lied to people, to their faces, many times, he was no stranger to that. He could do that now, just deny it, pretend like Rand was acting off a delusional thought and never discuss it again.
But no. Rand had kissed him. Unless this was some sort of sick joke, that meant something.
Ted put his glass down on his desk in a slow motion, Rand mimicking his action.
He took in a deep breath, "Rand, I-" but he paused, not quite knowing how to go about this. He fingered his shirt sleeve, trying to find the right words to say.
"I-" he tried again but nothing else came out. Rand just nodded, a symbolic gesture signaling his understanding. And Ted understood as well. No words had to be spoken, nothing had to be explained. They both understood.
He shifted his body closer to Ted's and gently picked up the other's soft hands with his own more coarse ones, his thumb rubbing in a circular motion on the back of Ted's palm. Ted just watched him with a slight smile playing at the corner of his lips. Rand leaned forward and closed the gap between them.
The kiss was soft and sweet and pure, and Ted closed his eyes at the utter feel of it. He felt light-headed and giddy, his heart was racing in his chest as Rand ran his tongue over Ted's lips, gently parting them with the gesture. Rand lowered his chest against Ted's, the weight of him slowly pushing Ted against the hard wall.
The Kentuckian moved his face away from Ted's and extracted himself after a moment. Too fast.
A knowing smirk graced his face as he took in the unabashed look of loss lingering in Ted's eyes, the emotion springing upon him too quickly for Ted to suppress it.
"No need to mourn, senator," he said with a pseudo chiding voice, "at least not yet."
Ted looked up at him with hooded eyes as Rand made to move against him, pressing his groin into the growing bulge beneath him as he fluttered light kisses over the senator's neck, stopping only to open the buttons on Ted's shirt, revealing the white skin hidden underneath.
When the shirt was fully open, its flaps hanging limp at Ted's side, Rand began to trail downward, his mouth following an invisible line across the other man's chest as he continued his slow descent.
Ted closed his eyes, the sensation in his lower extremities building with every feathery kiss, every touch of Rand's experienced hands on his sensitive skin. A soft moan escaped his lips despite himself, and Ted tilted his head back in tune as he felt a warm wetness close over his left nipple, a tongue jutting out to swirl around the delicate tip, dull teeth dragging slowly over the area. Ted felt the pleasant touch of Rand's hand close upon his other nipple, his thumb and forefinger rubbing the nub into erectness. With his hips, Rand swayed back and forth, the gentle press of his crotch was antagonizing and Ted made known his discomfort with a little whine.
He heard Rand chuckle above him.
The pressure was too strong, verging on uncomfortable, and Ted was sure Rand was aware of it. He gave Rand a moment, making certain the other man was aware of his compromising predicament. He saw the movement of Rand's hands falling towards his own belt buckle and reached open in a swift gesture, making to stop the action with a swift grasp of his hands on Rand's.
"I don't know what you're thinking, my friend, but it doesn't work like that."
Rand stared back at him, his pupils blown wide with lust and confusion. Ted smirked. He guided Rand's hands to his belt, the cold touch of his metal buckle chilling in the warm room.
"Open it," Ted commanded.
Rand complied and Ted listened to the clinking sound as his belt was released. Rand looked down at Ted, waiting for a confirmation, and Ted wondered if Rand had ever been with a man before.
He gave a slight nod and Rand proceeded to pop open Ted's dress pants. They hung open loosely on Ted's hips, allowing Rand to see the near fully erect cock the Texan had been concealing with agony. He swallowed down his arousal and made to bring his hand up to the still clothed member but Ted swat it away.
"Not yet," he instructed, moving his hands to clutch Rand's shoulders and pulling him in for a harsh kiss. Rand tried to deepen it but all too soon Ted stopped, pushing Rand away from him with a palm to the center of his chest. He still had that smirk on his face, making Rand pout, much to Ted's delight.
"Now, do you want me to stand or sit?"
Rand raised and inquisitive eyebrow and Ted shook his head.
"When you suck my dick. Do you want me to stand or sit? You, of course, will be on your knees either way."
Ted watched as a pink tinge quickly spread across Rand's face and he opened his mouth to stutter out a reply but Ted bet him to it, answering his own question.
"I think I'll sit. I want to be able to see your face as you suck me off."
Rand didn't know what to say, causing Ted to make a "tisk" sound with his teeth.
"Come now, doctor, I'm sure you're an expert in these matters," he said as he gently dragged Rand over to his desk chair and plopped himself into the cushy seat while his hands pushed down on Rand's shoulder.
Rand took a moment for his bewilderment to fade. This wasn't what he had planned, but it seems Ted had a different idea for how this night would end.
Rand shifted on his knees, getting into a comfortable position. Once that was achieved, he reached out to tug on Ted's pants and then boxers, stripping them off as Ted followed in kind, lifting his hips to make the process easier.
Ted sighed as the warm air caressed his exposed skin, closing his eyes and waiting. Rand marveled at the engorged manhood standing at attention before him. He brought his body in between Ted's legs, hands grasping onto his upper thighs as he lowered himself down.
Ted could tell Rand was hesitant, his motions restrained and body rigid. Ted took sympathy on him, Rand's behavior confirmed Ted's earlier musing. Rand was definitely a virgin in these areas, the confidence he had shown previously must have been built on the faulty belief that Ted was just as inexperienced as he was. While it was true that Ted was technically a novice in this situation, he had to preoccupy his mind somehow during dull senate lunches, and the source of his concentration was usually some heavily graphic mental concoction of a fabricated encounter between him and the senator now on his knees before him.
"You can start slow," Ted prompted, reaching out his hand to touch the side of Rand's face in a gentle caress before gliding it up to tangle in the senator's short hair.
Rand nodded once and then began.
Ted couldn't stop the moan from escaping his lips. As each second passed, Rand became more sure of himself, even bringing his hands out of their seemingly catatonic state to aid in the action, alternating between stroking the hardened member and fondling Ted's balls.
Rand's mouth was hot, his touch consuming, and it took all of Ted's might to prevent his hips from jerking forward into that captivating heat. It was just like he imagined. Better than he imagined. His fingers roamed over Rand's scalp, pulling at his hair, serving to further encourage their owner to continue on.
It was so good that Ted nearly forgot his original plan.
"Wait," he called out, the word falling from his lips in a breathy manner but Rand heard it sure enough. He looked up at Ted with doe eyes, his expression far too innocent for what he had just been doing.
Ted quickly reassured him that he hadn't called the pause over any fault of Rand's, on the contrary, Rand was perfect.
"I want-" Ted started but had to stop for a moment to breathe, the throbbing of his dick was intense, nearly overpowering his sensory complex.
After a second, he was prepared to speak again, ready to tell Rand what he wanted, exactly what he wanted. His eyes cast down to met Rand's gaze and the words caught in Ted's throat. Rand was so breathtaking, his lips wet and shaded pink, his face mostly lost to the shadows of the darkened room except for the sparkle of his light eyes.
Ted got up, pulling Rand to his feet and then bringing the man close against him. He could feel his own hardness brushing up against Rand's as they stood and the sensation drove him over the edge. He kissed Rand with a harsh intensity sure to leave bruises and walked the other man over to the couch in his office, pushing Rand down into the plush fabric without breaking the contact.
When Rand fell, the length of his smaller body stretching out across the couch and his head resting against the arm rest, Ted began to strip him, pulling off his clothes in record time. He took a moment to marvel at Rand's dick, almost wanting to reach out and touch it but he refrained. There was something else he wanted more.
"Senator, I'm going to fuck you now," Ted declared in a husky voice.
Rand responded with a noncommittal sound as Ted situated his body over him, accidentally brushing over the tip of his cock with the movement. Ted let his hands fall down to Rand's legs, briefly caressing the soft flesh and moving upwards to lightly kneed at his inner thighs. He lay a kiss to the lowest part of Rand's stomach before trailing a hand upwards across his chest, his feathery touch ticklish on Rand's bare skin. Ted placed his hand at the side of Rand's cheek, rubbing his soft skin for a moment before he tip-toed his fingers to the crook of Rand's mouth. The older man complied instantly, allowing Ted to slip the digits inside as Rand sucked.
Once Ted had deemed it to be enough, he extracted his hand and brought a single finger in line with Rand's hole, inserting it with care as he felt Rand squirm a little bit.
"Shh, don't panic, just let me-" he bent his finger and Rand let out an elicit noise, the vulgar sound spurring Ted on further. The next finger went in easily afterwards, Rand rendered perfectly wanton by his touch.
He met little resistance as he eased himself inside. It was hot and tight and wonderful, and he pushed harder, deeper, feeling Rand move against him. He thought about everything that led up to this moment, his fear and anxiety, those nights spent awake, simply lying in bed and willing himself not to think about this exact happening, forcing his mind not to dwell on the feel of Rand's hands clawing at his back, of the scars he would surely have come morning, or of the way of his name would sound as Rand called out for him not to stop. He had tried to quench the feelings and desires, to extinguish the need he so keenly felt whenever a stray though would cross his mind or glimpse of curly hair would leave him wanting.
They would deal with the consequences later; time felt limitless to Ted right now in a way he never experienced before. Just Rand, laid out poetically beneath him, mewing softly each time Ted thrust into him. With Ted, everything was calculated, although the exact details of his life's ambitions were ironed out over time, a plan always existed in order to reach his goals. He knew what to expect when he entered Congress, a stagnant and monotonous world, a far cry from the excited of his attorney general days, but it was not in his nature to sit on the sidelines and let life pass him by like so many in the senate appeared to believe. And that was where Rand entered the his life. Rand, with his passionate and fiery speaks, his fierce determination and stalwart adherence to principal, Ted couldn't help but admire his intelligence and wit, couldn't help but appreciate the more superficial aspects of the man's countenance.
They both suffered damaging blows in the political sphere but that in no way quelled their enthusiasm, an enthusiasm Ted was currently feeling right now if Rand's reaction meant anything.
He looked up at Rand's face, his head tilted back and pushing into the plush armrest, eyes screwed shut, and a small smile on his lips.
Consequences be damned, he thought rather irrationally, but he couldn't lead himself to care.