Sean
SEAN
By the time Sunday evening rolled around, wasn’t sure precisely why he had been so worried about Blake. The man had been acting like he’d been dating men his whole life. knew there wasn’t much difference between the genders despite his lack of any real romantic connection with a man before. He regarded that as just the sort of knowledge a bi man learned over time. Blake, however, had adapted seemingly without thinking about it.
Then again, he supposed he himself was new to it. Never having dated another man before, had been curious if there was a difference. But between spending longer showers together, eating and talking, watching stupid television shows, mocking horrible movies, and curling up together at night, there really wasn’t much difference.
Well, save for the soreness in his ass anyway. He couldn’t very well blame Blake for that. was just as guilty of being more than a little horny. For his part, Blake had taken to the sex with enthusiasm, even if it did mean sitting down was a dicey proposition for if the surface wasn’t soft enough.
Behind him on the couch, Blake grunted. “You okay?”
“I’m a little...tender,” admitted, squirming so he wasn’t pressed against Blake.
“I’m not sure if I should be apologizing or not. Have I been too rough?” Blake asked.
smiled at his concern. “It’s just me not being used to it, is all. It’s been a while since I was with a man. And even longer since I was the bottom.”
“Oh.”
“And you’re not exactly small.”
“That would normally be a compliment, but it feels like an accusation.”
“This is not the sound of me complaining.”
Blake chuckled, kissing the back of ’s neck gently. “Good. But probably shouldn’t go again until you, uh, can have your butt touched again.”
“Or you can have a turn,” offered.
There was a pause, and then, in a thoughtful voice, Blake said, “True. I mean, it’s the last thing to do, right? And I know a finger isn’t the same thing, but I do know something like that can feel good...obviously, from the way you carry on while I’m inside you.”
felt a flush that had nothing to do with embarrassment. “Keep talking like that, and your experimentation might happen sooner than you think.”
“Are you threatening me with a good time?” Blake asked.
rolled over carefully so he could face Blake. “I’m trying to promise one, actually.”
Blake grinned, tipping his head forward to kiss . There was no real heat in it at first. was sure that would come in a couple of minutes. For the moment, though, he was willing to bask in the sweetness. He had been right on the money when he’d told Blake that despite how irreverent and ridiculous he could be, the man was genuinely a kind and gentle soul.
Despite only a few days officially dating, was already convinced he’d made the right choice with Blake. The ease of their companionship hadn’t changed from their mutual decision. If anything, it had opened a door to affection and intimacy that deepened what had been there in their friendship before.
It was all too easy to see how hard he could fall for this man.
A thump from somewhere toward the front of the apartment shattered his thoughts and the moment. pulled back slowly, frowning at Blake.
“Was that the downstairs door?” asked slowly.
“I’m not sure,” Blake began and then flinched when another crash, this one far louder and closer, interrupted him.
“Alright,” Eric’s very familiar and very much unwanted voice called through the apartment. “Where’s the bastard who’s been tainting my brother? Blake!”
“He has a key?” hissed, trying to disentangle himself from Blake.
“They both do,” Blake grunted.
“Eric,” Blaine’s voice warned as heavy footsteps entered the living room.
“Oh my God, they’re fucking!” Eric cried, horror thick in his voice.
“No,” grunted, finally getting his leg free so he could stand up and face his little brother. “But if you had waited another few minutes, we certainly would have been well on our way.”
Eric waved his hands, trying to ward off ’s words. “Jesus. Do not. I do not fucking need to think about that. I swear to God, , I will end you here and now. I have a gun.”
“No, he doesn’t,” Blaine said from out of sight. “It’s in the gun safe at home.”
sighed, rolling his eyes. “Hello, Blaine. I see you shared your conversation with Blake with your husband.”
Eric glared at him. “You mean he told me what you should have told me.”
stared back at him. “And I am not obligated to tell you when I am sleeping with someone.”
Eric groaned. “, don’t be an ass.”
“Well, that’s all it was until two days ago,” told him.
“Wait, you’re...you’re an item now?” Eric asked incredulously. “You’re willingly dating him ?”
“Hey!” Blake protested.
“Eric,” Blaine warned as he appeared behind Eric.
narrowed his eyes. “Blake?”
“Yeah?”
“Could you take your brother somewhere and show him something? Anything that lets me talk to my brother alone?”
Blaine brightened at that. “I can show you some of the pictures from Hawaii.”
“Jesus, married for a week, and he’s already becoming one of those people,” Blake grumbled. “, if we end up having a big gay wedding, never let me become that.”
“I’ll do my best,” assured him, privately touched that the man even thought it was a possibility.
Blaine took his brother by the arm, dragging him toward the back hallway. “Oh c’mon, there’s some places there that I know you’d love. There’s even some women in bikinis in some of these pictures unless you’ve gone full sausage fest on us.”
“My newly appointed boyfriend is in earshot, so I refuse to respond to that,” Blake warned him, giving a wink.
Eric huffed as they disappeared out of sight. “Man’s an idiot.”
crossed his arms over his chest, eyeing his brother. “Look, you can be frustrated with me. But there’s no reason to be even more rude to him than usual.”
Eric leaned back, blinking rapidly. “What? I’m not being more rude to him than usual, and since when do you defend him?”
“Since you are being more rude than usual. And he isn’t tainting me, Eric, I’m a full-grown man. Plus, I was ‘tainted’ long before you came to live in my house,” added as an afterthought.
“Oh, joy, just what I need. Thinking about my brother fucking in my childhood home, perfect,” Eric grumbled.
shook his head. “Eric. You’re being childish.”
Eric sighed, looking away. “I’m only kind of serious. I figured you were having sex, what with having relationships. All with women, I might add.”
smiled. “There you go, now you’re getting to what you’re really annoyed about. I didn’t tell you I was bi.”
“You do like your secrets,” Eric told him.
winced. The reminder of the letters Blaine had sent to Eric after their falling out, letters that had hidden from his brokenhearted brother out of a misguided sense of duty, no less, was not a kind one. Eric had the letters in his safekeeping once more, having read them and realizing he and Blaine had always been bound to be with one another. Of course, having revealed that he’d had the letters the entire time had caused a rift between him and Eric for the first, and hopefully only, time in their lives.
“That isn’t the same thing,” told him softly.
“A secret is a secret,” Eric said stubbornly.
sighed. “This was not a secret. You have the right of it when it comes to the letters. But this was simply a matter of my personal life.”
“It feels like a secret,” Eric said, finally looking at .
“It wasn’t. Since the cat is already out of the bag, I am bi, but I was never with men romantically. Only sexually.”
“Gross, thanks?”
“Again, now you understand why I never mentioned it.”
“A simple ‘hey, I like both’ would have worked. You didn’t have to bring up who you just fucked.”
sat on the couch, clasping his hands before him. “Would it have truly been important for you to know?”
Eric hesitated, finally dropping his arms and shrugging. “I don’t know. You’re my brother, , and I like to know about you. And hell, maybe if I’d known, I wouldn’t have been scared shitless to tell you I was gay.”
gave him a gentle smile. “Eric, even if I wasn’t bi, I would have never treated you any differently. And your coming out wasn’t the right time to tell you about myself.”
“It would have made me feel a whole lot better,” Eric muttered.
“Then, I’m sorry,” said. “If it was important to you, if it would have meant something to you, I’m sorry I withheld the truth.”
Eric scowled and said nothing. Instead, he huffed, stomped to the couch, and flopped down gracelessly beside .
“No,” Eric finally grunted, looking annoyed. “You’re right. I shouldn’t be making a big deal about it. It really is your business to tell or not.”
leaned over, wrapping an arm around his brother's shoulder and pulling him close. “I’m glad we can both agree the other is in the right, and no one’s ego has to be bruised.”
Eric snorted, lightly elbowing . “Ass. But seriously, Blake?”
jostled him a little firmly. “Eric.”
“I mean, Blake ?”
“Don’t ruin the moment by being a brat.”
“I just, first, I have to find out you’re bi, and I learn that in the same conversation as finding out you’re a thing with Blake?”
“I may consider beating Blaine for telling you in the first place.”
“He said Blake told him he could.”
sighed. “Yes, and Blake doesn’t always think things through to their logical conclusion, though his heart is in the right place.”
Eric glanced up at him. “But seriously, like, really fucking serious this time. Are you good? Is he...good?”
’s lips twitched as he fought to answer his brother’s question instead of making the all-too-easy dirty joke. “So far. It’s only been official for a little while.”
“I mean, you two have always got along when you were around each other. And you guys worked well together helping us with the wedding,” Eric admitted. “I guess he can be pretty funny, and despite the fact that he’s an ass, he can be nice.”
“Be still my heart,” said, deadpan. “I do believe you’re complimenting him.”
“Don’t tell him, I’ll never live it the fuck down,” Eric grumbled. “Just tell me he’s been making you happy, and you think he’ll keep you that way. Because I mean it, I do have a gun.”
“You’re a cop, Eric. Of course, you have a gun.”
“Not the point.”
laid his head atop his brothers, giving him a one-armed hug. “Yeah, he’s been doing a good job of making me happy, and I think it’ll stay that way.”
“Well,” Eric said, slumping against him. “Then I’ll find a way not to be weirded out by it. And, of course, you had to find a straight guy to get with.”
“Not very straight now,” assured him. “I have definitive proof of that.”
“Right, about that. Do you happen to know any other good therapists I can go to? I have some recent trauma I need to work through,” Eric grumbled.
“Love you too,” said, kissing his brother’s head.
“Yeah,” Eric said softly, hugging back firmly. “I love you, you giant asshole.”
was content to sit there, holding his brother and being held in return. From somewhere down the hall, he could hear the distant sound of the other two men talking and then, to his quiet delight, the sound of Blake laughing.
* * *
By the time Blaine and Blake emerged from the hallway, had Eric smiling, even if he did shoot Blake a warning gesture in the shape of a gun, naturally. Blake shrugged, elbowing his brother, who stepped forward and took over for . Blaine, ever the master of dealing with Eric, whispered something in his ear that had the man grinning wide before allowing himself to be led away.
“Family dinner next weekend?” Blaine asked as he followed after Eric.
“Won’t miss it,” promised.
Blaine waved to them as he trailed out of the apartment. Their exit was far more subdued than their entrance, and only heard the top door close.
Warm, strong arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him back into Blake’s hard body. gave a soft hum as Blake’s lips pressed to his temple, holding him tight.
“You two okay?” Blake asked gently.
“I think he was grumpy that he found out so late in the game,” told him, closing his eyes.
Blake grunted. “That was my fault. I should have thought about that when I told Blaine everything, and then said he could tell Eric if he wanted.”
“Ah, he would have found out one way or another,” said softly. “After all, I am dating you, and that’s the sort of news he would have to be told.”
gripped him, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “I really like it when you say stuff like that.”
“What, that we’re dating?”
“Anything that says you’re mine and I’m yours.”
“Why, Mr. Edwards, I do believe you’re a closet romantic.”
“Not so closet, Dr. Andreas.”
chuckled, turning around in Blake’s grip to wrap his arms around the back of his neck. Blue eyes twinkled down at him, just as bright as Blake’s smile. What residual stress he felt from the surprise visit drained out of him as he basked in Blake’s warmth.
“Then I’m yours, and you’re mine,” told him. “Though Eric promised he has a gun if you don’t do right by me.”
“And what if I promise to do whatever it takes to ensure you’re always happy with me?” Blake asked, smiling wide.
chuckled. He knew that was a promise no one could make with complete confidence. Yet, Blake was a man of great determination and not-too-small resourcefulness.
In fact, was beginning to believe Blake really was going to try his damndest to make sure they stayed happy, which suited just fine. He much preferred Blake warm and shining than anything else. Seeing the other man’s happiness was enough to lift his own spirits, and he could easily picture them making it like no other relationship had before.
“I’ll hold you to that,” whispered.
“Do that,” Blake replied softly, kissing him.