August 12th, London
Fred had been at the shop for the past two days without a break. George had rightly complained of needing a break and since Fred had just returned from yet another weekend away he clearly had no just cause to complain. It was the end of the third such day and rather than even bothering to go upstairs to the flat Fred apparated directly to Oliver's place. It was dark. Knowing of his lover's aversion to darkness Fred lit a number of candles, draped his robe over the chair near the sofa and stretched out on the couch wearing nothing but a ratty Weird Sister's T-shirt and his smalls. Oliver would likely be back soon. Despite better intentions, Fred dozed off waiting.
Oliver had stayed late at practice. After the owl he'd recieved that morning from his father, he'd needed to work off the excess energy. He was exhausted, his face bruised, and his hair was still damp from his shower. The thought of food was nice, but at the moment he just wanted to sit down.
The soft flicker of candlelight met him and he smiled softly as he tossed his bag on the floor in the foyer and closed the door quietly behind him. He smiled a bit wider at the sight that greeted him when he moved into the living room. He stood watching him sleep for a moment, resisting the urge to bend down and kiss him awake. He knew Fred was just as tired as he was, moreso actually, with all the hours he'd kept lately. The flames from the candles cast shadows over his face and Oliver carefully moved to the end of the couch, sliding himself under Fred's feet, letting his fingers softly massage his feet.
"Mmmm", Fred murmured, "I've half a mind to let you just continue doing that for a few hours." Fred squirmed a bit and hummed, wiggling his toes to encourage Oliver. He lay there for a while, drifting in that half-asleep state, soothed by the wonderful feeling of Oliver's hands on his skin. At last he put an arm behind his head to raise it slightly attempted to open his eyes. "You've no idea how much better I feel now, been standing all day."
Oliver was looking down, face shadowed by his position and the dim light. "Love you. Missed you. I'll sit up, soon as I can convince my muscles to wake up, and greet you properly."
Oliver smiled and worked his fingers over Fred's instep, massaging him gently. "You lie still and relax. I love you too and I missed you as well. If you're hungry I'll go pick something up in a bit." The slow motion of his fingers over Fred's warm skin was relaxing. "Tell me about your day. Was the shop busy? I would have helped if I could. Perhaps I should quit the team and you can hire me. I have a feeling that the benifits would far exceed anything I could get from Quidditch." He lifted Fred's leg and kissed his ankle before lowing it to his lap again and continuing his massage. "Beautiful."
"The shop was actually not very busy at all, which is slightly disheartening. However, we were low on just about everything. Apparently there was a run over the weekend. George and Katie were slammed. I spent the day mostly in the back room with occasional sprints out to the front to help the random customer, several of which insisted on simply wandering for hours and then left without buying a thing. In other words, typical day in retail." Fred moaned as Oliver pressed into his instep. "Gorgeous, both you and that massage. I'll give you anything you want, including a job, although you'd hate it and then hate me and I couldn't bear that so you'll likely have to stick with Quidditch." Fred still couldn't see him very well. He'd spell the candles brighter in a minute, honestly. "How was your day? Anything exciting happen?"
"I'd never hate you," Oliver said, moving up to his calves. "And I love the shop." He leaned back against the back of the couch and got comfortable. "Sounds like you were busy though, replacing everything. I'm glad that you did good business this weekend. Was George brassed off that I took you away again?" He rubbed the warm muscle beneath his hands, working the back of Fred's legs carefully. "My day was long. Practice was rough this morning and then I stayed and trained in the weight room for most of the afternoon. Did a few practice runs after that. I'm beat."
"Nah, George thought it was a brilliant idea. That's why he grabbed Katie and headed for parts unknown himself. He didn't actually tell me where he was going or when he'd be back. If I needed him, however, there are ways to find him." Fred's patronus could find George anywhere. Barring that, they were connected by blood magic in ways they hadn't fully explored. Fred sighed and moved his leg slightly to give him more room, slowing turning the day over in his head. It took another moment for the import of what Oliver had said to sink in. "Wait, you practiced, then you worked out, then you practiced some more? I figured that you just had night practice or a late game." Fred noted that Oliver had yet to fully look at him, keeping his face turned and supposedly concentrating on his legs, glancing sideways at him when he spoke. "What happened? Did something upset you? Are you injured?"
Oliver smiled at him and looked up at his face. "I'm fine. A few bruises that go along with the territory, but I promise, nothing more than that. My face wasn't perfect before the bludger got me, so no worries. This might have actually improved things," he joked. He shifted Fred's legs forward a bit and laid down with his head against Fred's stomach. "I needed the extra time in," he said, kissing his belly. "I let in a few goals that were stupid, and shouldn't have happened this past week. I need to work a bit harder is all." He smoothed his hand over Fred's hip. "You're too good to me, you know? Thank you for worrying about me."
Fred's hand found it's way into Oliver's hair, stroking through it for a moment before moving to trace ever so gently over his cheek. "I'll heal that for you, or at least get you some ice. Are you sure there's nothing else wrong? You usually only work yourself into a stupor when something's on your mind. The team isn't angry that we were away this weekend are they?" Fred went back to stroking Oliver's hair, lowering his arm so that he could use his other hand to play along the muscles in his shoulders. "I'm not nearly good enough to you. If you need non-team practice I'd be happy to grab a broom and a bat and hit bludgers at you. Mind, I'm nowhere near as good as your boys, but my very pantsishness might throw you off."
Oliver relaxed against him, sighing against his stomach. Fred's warmth seemed to seep into him and help release those muscles in his back that he'd not been able to relax before. "I'd love to practice with you. And you're just as good as my mates on the team. Better really, you've natural talent they'd kill for. They have to work for what they can do. Just lilke me. You're just good." He hummed and melted against him, nuzzling him softly. "It was just a very long day. I've known I've needed to practice more. Heard from my parents today, I haven't written back yet. Too busy to do anything. Im glad to be still for a moment." He sighed again. "You smell good. I've missed your smell."
“You, love, are just smitten. George and I were good, together. That’s mainly because we could cheat through knowing 99% of the time what the other was going to do in any given situation. By myself I’m just a boy with a bat.” Fred continued to rub Oliver’s scalp and his shoulders, squirming down a bit so that his lover was lying more on his chest than his stomach. Fred grinned, “Looks like your trying to snog the lead singer with your head like that,” he commented. He was now in better position to really work on Oliver’s neck with both hands.
“Owl’s out anyway. Already left to hunt.” Fred wanted to ask what that wanker had said, wanted to find the letter and read if there was one, send it back hexed, follow it himself and do the hexing. Instead he shoved aside his own feelings and concentrating on relaxing Oliver. “I smell like potions and candy floss and blasting powder. Perhaps I should market it as the new cologne for men.” Growing more serious he crunched up long enough to kiss Oliver’s hair. “No need to miss me anymore, Keeper. I’m here.”
"You smell like you," Oliver murmured, breathing him in deeply. "I don't want anyone else to smell like you, so let's nix the idea about the cologne, eh?" He sighed again and moaned softly as Fred hit an exceptionally sore spot. "God, that's good." He squeezed his arm around Fred's waist. "I'm glad the owl's out. I don't want to reply just yet. Won't do any good anyway." He glanced up at Fred's face. "You do know that you're much more than a boy with a bat. You're amazing on a broom. You don't give yourself enough credit. You are amazing. Not you and George, not as his twin, but you as yourself." He smiled and tilted his head up to kiss his chin."I am smitten, it's true. But I knew you were amazing before I was smitten. I still know it. And I'm glad you're here. My day got immensly better once I stepped into the flat to find you here. Been thinking of you all day."
“Been thinking of you all week. I’m not doubting my self worth, Keeper mine. If I ever did I have you around to continually inflate my head.” Fred shimmied a bit more, sliding down until Oliver’s head was resting on Fred’s shoulder and a slight turn and dip let him taste those lips. “No cologne then. That bruise is quite the beauty. Want me to go find my wand, or the salve? Where else did you let those gits injure you?” Fred kissed him again. “Sorry, I’m not trying to start something, honest, you just taste good. Far better than I supposedly smell. I could market your taste without a doubt, but its mine.”
The knots were easing out of Oliver’s spine, loosening under his fingers and Fred didn’t want to bring them back. Still, he didn’t want Oliver to think that he didn’t care. “Can’t you just owl some gold and be done with it?” He worked to keep his tone admirably mild, practically bored.
"You don't like it?" Oliver asked, grinning, motioning toward the bruise. "It was my fault. I wasn't watching. The bludger should have been avoided, but my head wasn't in it this morning. 's why I worked so hard the rest of the day." He hummed into the kiss and smiled softly. "You can start anything you like. But I'll have to eat first if you want me to do more than just lay here."
Oliver sighed, still relaxed against him. "Oh, I'll send some gold to them. He isn't pleased that I've not been home, or so he says. I know differently. It's likely he's not pleased with something else and would rather berate me face to face." He shrugged. "I'll put him off a bit longer."
“I don’t. Mind, you do look very rugged and manly, but I prefer you unmarred. I’ll have to be seeing to that bludger,” he warned, narrowing his eyes threateningly. “I fully planned to feed you. You ever had pizza? There’s a place of Charring Cross Road that has great pie. Thought I’d pop off and pick us one up. Should have done it earlier but its better hot.”
Fred cupped Oliver’s bruised cheek gently in his hand. It felt warm from the blood pulsing near the surface. He wondered how many other bruises Oliver would have if he went home to see his father. He toyed with thoughts of telling him that he was an adult and that he didn’t need to stand for this, but he, perhaps more than most, knew that family relationships were complicated. “Leave your ring home, when you go. No need to borrow trouble.”
"Oh, pizza. That sounds fantastic. I've had it before, not often enough. Extra cheese. And mushrooms. And sausage and olives and peppers and anchovies and..." He kissed Fred again and chuckled as his stomach gave a loud rumble. "I was more hungry than I realized. You bring out my hunger, apparently. Does this mean that you don't want me just to lay here?" he teased.
He leaned his face into Fred's hand and closed his eyes. "Do you know how offensive that is to me? To hide you? It makes me ill to think of it. You don't deserve that and besides, I'm proud of you. I'm d*mn lucky to have you and..." He sighed and opened his eyes. "It doesn't matter what he thinks. I'd prefer he not know who you are just so he can't decide to harrass you... I'd not stand for that. I want you safe and I want everyone to know you're mine."
“I like bringing out your hunger, in all its incarnations. I also like having you draped across me. Feel free to lie there as long as you like.”
“Sod that. You are the one who doesn’t deserve it. Any of this. I’ll not think less of you or be less yours should you choose to fail to mention me. We already ruled out my coming with you. Besides, I’d still be wearing mine. Or is it, perhaps, that he already knows and this is what displeases him? We’ve not been at all subtle.” Fred’s fingers itched for his wand, for just five minutes alone with that man.
He swallowed, holding his breath for a moment before letting it go very slowly and softly, hands moving to stroke Oliver’s hair again. “Don’t tense up on me, we can drop the subject for tonight if you like. I can feed you and hold you and get the rest of those knots out of your back.”
Oliver sighed. "Good, I won't move then." He hugged him tight. "I don't think he knows, but that's not the problem. I mean, he knows I've been with guys before, I've not hid it. How could I? The prophet reports everything. He went throught the roof when he found out. I'm an embarrassment to him. But the gold helps. He can be bought to an extent. No... he ran into one of the owners last week. He's likely unhappy that I've slacked off a bit. If I handle him right it won't deteriorate into something nasty." He pressed his face against Fred's neck. "I... I could owl mum. You could meet her? If you want?" He kissed him softly. "You're lovely. If he does know about you, so be it. And if he doesn't, I don't mind telling him."
Oliver was hiding his face, which in this case was a good thing. Fred was free to scowl at the ceiling. He stopped when a tiny black spot appeared on the paint above their heads. He’d not been that close to losing it in a long time. His hands never stopped their soothing dance, however. “I love you. I’ve not meant to be a distraction to the point where the owners are unhappy with you again. You need only tell him about me if it is something you feel you must, or something you wish to do for your own reasons. I,” don’t give a rat’s arse what that bloody child abuser thinks of me “have no opinion one way or the other.” Fred kissed Oliver’s hair, breathing in his scent, moving his arms at last to just hold him close, hard, safe against him.
“I would be honored to meet your Mum. If and when, and only if and when, you wish me to and it would be wise to do so.” Fred’s stomach rumbled, giving him a valid way to change the subject. “Are you still hungry, love? What say we stay like this for another ten minutes and then I’ll go fetch us some food. Or we could dress and go together?”
Oliver looked up at him. "Love. You are not too much of a distraction. And the owners aren't unhappy with me... my father is. He apparently still thinks he needs to check up on me. But the league is at a standstill at the moment, everyone has slacked off. He just can't accept anything less than perfection." He leaned up and kissed Fred gently. "I think you would like her. But you have to realize... they aren't a part of my life like your family is a part of yours. I would like her to know about you, though."
He slid further on top of him and smiled down at him. "I want to stay in. And if you'll tell me where to go I'll go get it... I don't want you to get dressed. You look entirely too delectable like this."
Fred closed his eyes, wishing to sink into that kiss. "You are perfection. In every way imaginable. I'll meet anyone you like. I don't mind going. I suppose I could shower while you were gone? You've been killing yourself all day. I really don't mind going." Fred leaned up to suck softly on Oliver's bottom lip again.
"No, go shower. I'll pick it up. You know anywhere good?" He kissed him back softly. "You should know, however, that I plan to get you dirty again. You may want to hold off on that shower unless you want to take two tonight. I don't mind either way." He smiled at him and kissed him again.
Fred leapt up off the couch, bringing Oliver with him and then falling back over. “Hey, no fair. I’m coming with you. Can’t bear to be parted again. I’m planning to steal some of your trousers, and that old pair of trainers.” Fred fumbled for his wand and summoned the items. “Please? We’ll come right back.”
Oliver smiled. "All right. As long as you promise to get undressed as soon as we get back." He kissed him softly and stepped back as Fred pulled on a pair of his trousers. "So, where are we going anyway?"
Fred bent from the waist to tie the trainers. “I promise. You, however, must return the favor. I’d be all embarrassed naked by myself.” Fred still hadn’t stood up. “We can apparate to the deserted shed behind the place. I’ll take you.”
"You'll take me?" Oliver said, leering at him. "Is that a promise?" He grinned and reached out to pinch his arse. "Gorgeous. And I have to say, I've never known you to be embarrassed about being naked. You certainly have no reason to be."
Fred stood up and pulled Oliver into his arms. "If you want me to, yes. I promise." Part of Fred tried to wake up and take notice of that, but he was hungrier in other ways. He was hungry for touch, for food, for the taste of Oliver's lips. "You ready, handsome?'
Oliver stilled for a moment, not quite sure what to make of Fred's change of mind. He recovered quickly though and smiled. "I am always ready." He wrapped his arms around Fred's waist and held on tight. "I'm in your hands."
Fred hadn't forgotten their whispered conversation, the feel of Oliver's words pressed into his neck....I want you to want me; want that so much. "If you've changed your mind, I've no problem with that. I like you in my hands." Fred kissed him, pulled him close and apparated them away.
Once the force of apparation let up, Oliver looked around and found them both in a darkened shed. He smiled at Fred softly and pulled him close for a kiss. "I've not. Changed my mind. Now feed me. I'm starving."
Fred grinned, pressing Oliver back against the nearby door, transferring grime onto his shirt, and kissed him until Fred, at least, was breathless. "Did I mention that I missed you? Think I'm addicted." Fred stepped back and eased them both out of the door. He spelled the dirt off Oliver's shirt and then pocketed his wand. "Take three steps forward and smell. You can follow your nose to the pizza place. I'll be watching your arse."
Oliver grinned at him and stole another kiss. "You're the addiction, love. I just got lucky enough to get you to want me in return." He took Fred's hand and led him to the front of the building. The restaurant was small and crowded, and Oliver pulled Fred along as he led him toward the bar. "What do you want on it, love?"
Fred grinned, pressing up behind him, ostensibly so that he could get a look at the menu. "Anything you want. They don't serve peas on the pizza and I'm game for anything else."
Oliver laughed. "Really? You want me to order for you?" He looked over his shoulder and kissed Fred on the nose. "All right. I can do that. I can't promise you'll like it though." He turned back and waited for the guy to come take his order. Extra large, extra cheese, mushrooms, olives, peppers, sausage, anchovies, ham. The guy told them it would be about ten mins and Oliver ordered them each and ale and then took them and Fred to an empty booth in the corner to wait.
Fred took a long pull on his drink before leaning over the table to steal a kiss. "This is much better. I wouldn't have survived without you for 20 minutes." Fred stuck out his leg and wrapped it around one of Oliver's. "So tell me about your week, while we wait. Seems like I haven't seen you in ages."
Oliver smiled at him over the table. "I'd prefer not to be away from you either. Today was long enough. I agree, we've not spent enough time together the past few days, but then, I could spent 24 hours a day with you and it still wouldn't be enough." He tugged on Fred's leg as well and tipped his ale back. "My week was fairly uneventful. The team has been a bit rowdier than usual, and that is saying something. I was tossed into the tub in the changing rooms right before we went out to practice. Then of course they glued feathers to my broom. Tossers." He grinned. "I'm trying to think up somehing suitably nasty to get them back with."
"I may have an idea or two. I think I played a prank once, sometime in the far past." Fred took Oliver's hand in both of his. "You need to introduce me to the team. I can 'accidentally' spike a drink or two or leave present on a cloak. It'd be entertaining. I could watch them all watch you and wish they got to take you home." Fred took another sip of ale. "How much longer? I want to take you and the pizza home."
"I'm sure you'll have an ideo or two, that's why I mentioned it." Oliver grinned at him and took a few more gulps of his ale. "I'm glad for you to meet them. But I'm punching the first one that flirts with you. They're all dogs, the lot of them. I know." He looked up at the clock. "Shouldn't be much longer. I'm starving. And yeah, I'd prefer to have you to myself."
Fred grinned. "No punching anyone. Wouldn't you rather watch their faces when I turn them down?" Fred kissed him again. "Think I can get us thrown out of here for public snogging? I'll come up with something extra-special. You do know that feathers are something I mastered a long time ago."
Oliver laughed. "Yes. I remember well. I wore them because of you a few times." His eyes twinkled as he looked at Fred. "I'm not worried about being tossed out of here. They can go to hell." He kissed him back. "They likely don't have the balls to ask me to leave; this'll just make them get the pizza ready quicker."
"In that case," Fred kissed him again. In fact, he threw his whole self into the kiss. It was the clearing of a throat that finally made him look up. "Look, love, it appears to have worked."
Oliver chuckled again and went to pay for the pizza. "Ready?" he asked, balancing the box in one hand. "I have more ale at the flat, so we don't need to get any more."
Fred nodded, wrapping an arm around Oliver and simply smiling at the people who were forced to move aside in order to let them pass side by side. Once they were in the alley, Fred pulled them to a stop. "Pizza won't survive the apparition." He cast a warming spell, a notice-me-not spell, and banished the thing to Oliver's flat.
"I will confess that it wasn't actually concern for the pizza that made me do that. I wanted to do this again." Fred wrapped his arms around Oliver and buried his face in his hair. "Think we can eat like this?"