chapter twentytwo - afterglow III

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Thank you for this book reaching 3.5k reads, that's really amazing. Ok continue reading.. here's the intense rhink you've waited patiently for ;)

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Link hoped the tears from his eyes were camouflaged by the rain that was falling heavily around him. Waiting on Rhett's doorstep, his mind seemed to have frozen in place, and it came as quite a shock to the system. Well, not as much as Rhett opening his door to see Link shallowly breathing whilst blood trickled down his face.

At first Rhett didn't move, and neither did Link. He felt like just turning back to go home, and he almost did. But when Rhett knew no words he could say would show how he felt, he stepped outside, and took Link into his arms and held him closely as Link cried out.

Rhett patiently waited as Link calmed down some more, but he was still in agony from his face, and they were both getting drenched from the rain.
"Let's go inside," Rhett softly spoke after Link tried to wipe his tears, but some blood remained on his fingers making him feel faint. After losing his balance at the sight, Rhett carefully guided him in and straight to the bathroom where Rhett grabbed a cloth, and began cleaning up his face.

"Missed your eye; won't need stitches."

Rhett didn't question at all what had happened, but after seeing the bruise before, he could add the pieces together quite easily and figure it out for himself without asking directly. Rhett gently worked on helping Link, who was perched on the bathtub edge by the sink. He was shaking from the traumatic evening he had, but being in Rhett's presence felt so calming and that's all he wanted right then.

Rhett applied the final butterfly strip holding the largest cut together, and Link looked up at him with the most broken smile. In return it broke Rhett's heart, as he could not fathom at all why anybody would try to hurt Link. Especially Christy, who was his picture perfect wife and apparently adored him.

Blood from the cloth swirled down the drain, and Rhett took Link's hand in his own as he stood up. Briefly looking in the mirror above the sink, Link began poking and scraping the side of his face, still trying to realise why he deserved it. However, Rhett wasn't happy.

"Hey- hey Link, don't pull at your face like that!" he held Link's hand and took it down, regretting the tone of anger in his voice. "Sorry Link, I didn't mean it so rudely."

Link meekly nodded, and wandered down to the living room to grab his keys and coat to leave. Rhett sprinted after him, shocked at his actions. He wasn't going home, was he?
"Link... Link! Where are you going!" Rhett frantically called, catching up to the younger, who was ready to go right away.
"I think I should just go home, and Christy will be mad I left, and-"

"You're not going anywhere Link, you can't," Rhett interrupted. It was an idiotic idea for Link to return home, and he instantly demanded that he should stay the night to let Christy cool off.

"Are you sure? I-" Link was caught off, with Rhett embracing him tightly. Link dropped all his things on the floor, and hugged Rhett back, very thankful that he wouldn't have to see Christy for a while longer. As mean as that sounded, he was pretty scared of her.

"Head to my bedroom and get comfy, I'll bring some wine and snacks in and we can watch a movie together," Rhett smiled, and Link was thrilled about the idea. He looked up at the taller man and grinned whilst nodding. They had a plan, and if it meant Link would feel better, Rhett was more happy than anything.

Taking short steps along the corridor, Link made his way to Rhett's room which had the door slightly parted open. He peered inside, and the room was sparkling clean with clear floors and empty storage inside. Rhett hated lying in bed at night staring at Jessie's wardrobe with all her clothes, and all her paintings and artwork, so he had moved it all to the spare room where he wouldn't have to be reminded of it all. He felt terrible doing so, but as Link said right at the start: it was better to move on. As harsh as it seemed, Rhett agreed.

Link turned on the television attached to the wall at the end of Rhett's bed, and waited for Rhett before he picked something to watch. There was already a big pile of blankets on the bed, and Link decided to bury himself under them whilst Rhett got the food. Staring around, Link adored Rhett's large mahogany four post bed. It took up the majority of the room, but the detail in it was beautiful. As he was well aware, Rhett loved his wood. He got in a comfy position and took pulled his grey hoodie straight, ready to relax at last.

Not too long after, Rhett came into the room with the big bowl of snacks he promised, two fancy glasses and bottles of red wine slipping under his arms. Link chuckled at Rhett trying to let go of the items, and after watching half the snacks fall out the bowl, Link leaned over to help him out.

***

Link felt strange.

He knew three level glasses of expensive red wine would make him more than just tipsy, but that seemed to go out of his mind as he poured his fourth. Rhett leaned over Link for some more as well, and quickly returned back to his comfy position under the blankets, cuddling up to Link's side.

Rain was still falling outside and hitting against the windows, giving inside the bedroom a hazy, soft ambience. The movie they decided on was still playing, but became a blur in the background as the two were more interested in laughing together, sharing old stories and feeling the infamous buzz in their brains. They were sat so close to each other that Rhett could feel Link's heartbeat; warm, but steady.

After the weeks Rhett and Link had spent together, it was becoming more and more clear something new was developing between them. Simply sitting closer than usual, staring a little longer, or hugging a bit tighter was noticeable, but neither said anything or took any action on it.

And there Rhett was again, catching himself falling helplessly in love with Link's adorable laugh echoing throughout the room, and the beauty of him simply taking a sip from his near-empty wine glass. Every little thing he did seemed perfect to Rhett, but he couldn't tell if that was the alcohol thinking or not. He definitely felt awful for having these thoughts in such a dangerous time, with Link in the state he was, and just a few weeks before losing his actual wife. His wife. What was he thinking?

He was thinking about how much he needed to feel Link's lips pressed up against his.

"Something wrong?" Link asked, placing his already empty glass away and turning towards Rhett. He looked over feeling slightly deflated, knowing he was being ridiculous in his mind. But after seeing Link's welcoming blue eyes and hopeful smile, Rhett shuffled closer to Link and held his arms around him. Link buried his head in Rhett's neck, and they remained quiet as they swayed side to side together, trying to figure out what the next move to play was.

Their eyes met after a few seconds, and they paused. They were inches apart, and breathing heavily in unison. Like magnets being let go, Rhett and Link's lips came together with such emotion, that Link felt as if he could cry.

It felt so incredible, that they tried to move closer and taste the sweet berry flavour on the other's lips, succeeding to their luck. Not being happy with their current positions, Rhett let go of Link and let him readjust so he was straddling on top, not wasting any time and sloppily kissing Rhett back. Neither had felt so close and intimidate with anyone else this much, and that only made them want it more, and more, and more. Link especially was becoming more agitated, and his hips were grinding slow as his kisses were more sloppy and inconsistent.

The faint wine taste had long gone, and Link was now underneath Rhett as he made a trail of deep ruby love bites down his tanned, but slim torso. Link hated having to wait so long, and tried to bite back all his moans that were desperate to leave. However, when Rhett reached his prominent v-line after too long of a wait in his opinion, a small yelp escaped his mouth. Rhett felt unstoppable, but more importantly, in love.

And so did Link.

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