Captured Effortlessly (Ain't Nobody)

Bonus Ae/Pete - a love so deep we cannot measure

A/N: Since people in the comments on AO3 and on twitter were mentioning Ae/Pete, I thought I could give it a try. (I'm still not entirely confident I can pull that pairing off, but there hasn't been much content for them anymore recently, so... it's something?)
This happens immediately after chapter 8, when Pete gets home to Ae after meeting Tin - and is basically just a glimpse into how I imagine their relationship could have evolved if they got kinkier with each other.

As soon as he had closed the door of their condo behind him, Pete got down on his knees and slowly crawled towards the living room, where he knew Ae would sit on the sofa, working overtime for the product release his team had planned for the end of the week.

Technically, Ae and Pete didn't have the kind of relationship that required Pete to crawl around on his hands and knees at home or any other submissive gestures outside of a scene – but Pete always liked to be nice to Ae after meeting Tin, and Ae liked it when Pete showed him his appreciation.

Ae didn't even look up from his laptop when Pete entered the living room.

Pete wasn't sure if he had noticed him. He had closed the front door quietly when he arrived, because it was late and he didn't want to have quarrels with the neighbours again. Some of them had tried to raise a moral outrage when they had caught Ae and Pete kissing in the elevator. Luckily, the landlord had sided with them, not the neighbours, but since then, they had to make sure not to break the slightest rule and risk trouble once more.

They could afford a bigger apartment if they wanted to, with the money they both earned from their jobs by now – but somehow, they were both nostalgic about this condo, and their first passionate experiences they had had together in these rooms.

Plus, Ae liked to invest the largest part of his salary into a new, more central location for his family's restaurant, as a way to repay them for allowing him to study engineering at LBC university.

When Pete had reached Ae, he carefully pulled off his socks and started to massage his feet, smiling to himself whenever he could feel the toes slightly curl, and hear his breath hitch up just a little bit, whenever he pushed a sensitive pressure point.

Ae still hadn't done anything else to acknowledge Pete's arrival, though.

He didn't give off an angry vibe, not like he used to in the past when Pete had been out on his own.

It had a darker, and much sexier undertone.

The confidence of a Dom, who was secure in the ownership of his sub and took what was rightfully his with ease.

Pete remembered how different their beginnings had been: Ae had desired him so strongly he had a hard time keeping his hands to himself, and at the same time, he had treated Pete like a delicate porcelain doll whom he was afraid to even touch, scared to break him.

Already back then, Pete had found ways to entice Ae to take charge more confidently, to dare him to be as rough with him as he was gentle – and over time, Ae hadn't just gotten that message, he had also stopped seeing Pete as an innocent child that needed to be protected from the fire of his burning desire.

Now, Ae's hand could casually reach out for Pete's head as soon as he was kissing his way up his leg, and guide him gently, but with clear direction – all without taking his eyes off his laptop.

"How's Tin?"

A question Ae wouldn't have asked easily in the past – particularly not while Pete was getting busy opening the button of his suit trousers with his teeth, but that was how far things had evolved.

What was more... Ae actually seemed moderately interested in an answer.

"Really well. I haven't seen him all smiles and happiness like that, ever before."