Static Crush {M/M} ✔

EPILOGUE PT.#2

He pushes it open. The common room looks just as he left it. The wood-burning stove heated the house in winter and spring, but in the warming summer they don't use it for much more than cooking. A lot more hand-crafted decoration clutters the space, including a couple coffee-stained, clay mugs still there from this morning.

No Rayner though.

Two doors lead from the common area—one on the left, one on the right. The right leads to Hale and Rayner's private home. It's tiny and laid out to economize the space, with most areas serving more than one function. Storage and bookshelves frame the windowed seating area where Rayner likes to read. The bed is in a loft accessed by ladder, but Rayner isn't here either. He's hovering over the sink in their tiny bathroom, head turned away from Hale, fingers preening through the hair at his temples in search of the greys. He startles when Hale appears in the doorway.

The smile Rayner gives him is worth the eight days of separation. Suddenly Rayner fills his arms, fills his nose with all the new scents his skin's adopted from their life outdoors. Fresh soil and wood smoke. A little lemongrass. The crushing embrace becomes a crush of Rayner's mouth against his. There's no timidity, just the insistent need to be close and reacquaint themselves with each other's touch.

And taste. Rayner coaxes Hale's lips apart. The slide of his tongue makes Hale's head spin.

There will be more time for that, he reminds himself, and with obvious reluctance pulls away.

"Happy birthday."

Rayner kisses him harder. It catches Hale off guard, a bubble of laughter rising in his chest.

"Am I to understand that you missed me?"

"Uh, yeah."

Rayner noses in to continue but Hale draws him away just far enough to tilt his head and comb his fingers through the silvering hair at Rayner's temple. Rayner's expression shutters just a little at the reminder.

"Damo pointed it out." The sulky tone disguises a more self-conscious one.

"He was only trying to get you inside so you wouldn't see your surprise."

"Yeah, but he wasn't lying. I'm going grey at twenty-eight. I can't believe I didn't even notice. Like, I guess I don't spend much time looking in the mirror these days, but you never told me."

Hale cups his cheek. "I like it. We'll match one day."

Rayner's cheeks colour and he ducks his face into Hale's chest. "Jesus. You would find a way to make it sweet."

"I saw the front door." Hale's heart trips at the hopeful look Rayner shoots him. "It's really beautiful."

Rayner sighs. "Damo said I could take the credit, but my version of Ophelia was really shit. Sorry."

"It's your birthday. You're the one who should be receiving gifts, not giving them."

"Yeah, well." Rayner offers a prolonged shrug, then slouches forward until he's practically kissing Hale again. "Suck it up."

"Do you want to see your surprise?" Hale nearly bursts out laughing at Rayner's genuinely conflicted look. "You can kiss me when we get there?"

"Deal."

The walk from the house to the truck is just long enough to herald the resurgence of Hale's nerves. Rayner walks in step with him, casting Hale a few inquisitive looks. In the moments before they pass through the trees into the clearing, Hale is certain Rayner won't be pleased at all by a repeat gift and that he should have done something completely different. Only when Rayner's eyes fall upon it do those fears go away.