The Returnee

Chapter 13

Pressed together, the world settled into a content bubble of heat and the buzz of pleasure running through them. Colin snored softly, hands holding his. The world moved on, and contentment filled Lee for the first time since leaving the farm. He bathed in it, listening to the snores and matching his breathing to his partners.

The crash hit with the familiar clime of his phone ringing. Ignoring it wasn't an option, not with that ringtone. The buzzing object sat on the desk out of his reach, outside of the warmth and safety and in reality's cold, harsh world. If he didn't answer, the result could ruin any chance of the reoccurring. The longing not to lose this again gave Lee the strength to clamber out of bed and over to the ticking bomb.

Colin groaned, glaring grumpily as the blankets shifted and the cold woke him. Colin didn't want the call to ruin their reunion either. Lee tried not to grin back as Colin's hair stuck up at strange angles.

[Where are you?]

"The hotel, breathe," Lee rolled his eyes to make Colin grin. Colin pulled the blankets closer and closed his eyes again, ready to fall back asleep. "I told you that I'd go pick up some clothes."

He combed his fingers through his hair as he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. It wasn't much better than Colin. He flipped it back into place as best he could before sitting back on the bed. Colin flopped over to him, lips twitching as Lee ignored Joey's complaining. The enforcer could rant and rave all he wanted. They hadn't done anything wrong.

"I'm guessing you're going to object to Colin and me having dinner alone?" Lee pressed against Colin and enjoyed the steady throb of Colin's torso breathing. He wanted to purr, warm and sated, and he wanted more of it.

[Not tonight. Tom made fajitas] Joey rumbled on the line of storming over to drag them home by their ears. [Stay there; I'll come to pick you up.]

"We're perfectly capable of making our way back. I went to yours successfully yesterday."

[Humour me. I'll be half an hour.]

"An hour?"

[Half an hour.]

"Spoilsport," Lee grinned as Joey spluttered. Colin mirrored him, purring loud enough for Joey to hear him. "No promises, we'll be ready in half an hour, but you can try."

[You'd better be ready] Joey hung up on with Lee laughing.

"You shouldn't tease him so much," Colin said with too much mischief in his voice to be taken seriously. Lips killed behind his ear. "He might not let us have time alone again.

Lee hummed, turning to capture Colin in a proper kiss. Colin shifted his leg over Lee's lap to twist and straddle Lee's lap. Muscles flexed against him, and the warmth of shared skin lit up his awareness. Lee hummed happily and lost a few minutes of the world to the buzz that was kissing Colin. Colin was liquid sunlight and golden honey; Lee wanted to devour everything.

"Joey wouldn't dare stop us if he wants me to stay in his care."

Colin's eyes narrowed as his expression turned thoughtful, as if removing himself from a caretaker's influence had never passed through his mind. It possibly hadn't. Colin had been abducted young. He was young enough that the farm had to get a child-specialised certification to allow him to stay. Someone had looked after him as long as he'd been back on Earth. Even running from the other to see Lee, he'd gone to Joey first.

"You'd leave?"

"If I thought there were better options. Wouldn't you?"

"I don't know. This is the first time I've not planned to go home," Colin admitted.