OOM: Portugal

[latino_menace]

The drive down yesterday had been quiet, but not awkward. They're rarely awkward with each other. The house, which Ramon hasn't seen in about forty years, is actually much as he remembers it - old, rambling, a little frayed around the edges. The front is reached by a long driveway edged by thick trees, the back opens up on to a beach. It's not a

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[underwater_owl]

His lover is just coming into the room, walking up behind him, as is customary, with arms to slide around his waist and a kiss to press to his shoulder.

"Lover, this place is a dream."

[latino_menace]

'Yeah, it's nice.'

A hand rests on one of the arms round his waist and he leans back into him a little.

'Would have brought us here sooner if I'd remembered it was still in the family. Maybe I should buy it.'

[underwater_owl]

"I think you should."

He can see them, so easily, spending months here.

"We'll think about it when we get home, yeah? Lord knows, me drunk off the air isn't the best person to decide."

He presses his face into the side of his neck.

"Solitude."

[latino_menace]

He thinks a moment, about who actually owns this place now. Raul, his uncle, is dead, so probably one of his cousins. It won't be hard to get it.

'I'll make a few more calls tomorrow. Should be no problem at all, give them enough money and they'll take the offer. I'll just have to do it anonymously.'

He'd shrug if Random weren't wrapped round him. Money is no object. If Random likes it, Random will get it.

He stays quiet for a while, just enjoying the gentle leaning. But eventually murmurs, 'What have you been up to this morning?'

[underwater_owl]

"Just thinking."

Ramon knows what he means.

"In, out, about. The patio's nice. So's the bedroom. I'm tired, come, take a rest with me?"

[latino_menace]

'Sure, OK.'

He'll do whatever. And he wants so badly to make things better for Random but he thinks the only way he can do that is to agree to the whole thing with Martin. While it seems a little more feasible to him now, it's still not something he would ever choose to agree to.

Still, he turns and kisses him. 'You OK?'

Random should know what he means.

[underwater_owl]

"I'm getting there."

Which means not yet. In their strange, backwards language. Random's hand finds Ramon, somehow, part of the embrace. The feel of his fingers is comforting.

"I'm just drowsy."

[latino_menace]

He hates this. He knows that he could make Random so happy with just a few short words - but the consequences of them are just not something he wants to think about. Eighteen years of consequences. A baby's worth of consequences.

Ramon suppresses a shudder and lays a gentle touch of his lips on to Random's neck.

'Let's go rest then. It's hot anyway.'

[underwater_owl]

"Kay."

Fingers still wrapped around Ramon's, Ranadom tugs him towards the bedroom. To not is five hundred years of consequences. Five hundred years he's trying to crush away from the surface of his mind, and just concentrate on the man he's holding on to.

"Just for a while. We've all the time in the world."

[latino_menace]

You have.

But ultimately, he might too, in a way. And it might be the second most compelling reason to agree to this madness.

The first, being, to see Random smile and not look so pained. After everything they've been through, he can hardly bear seeing that pain. To be the cause of it again is almost too much to take.

He follows to the bedroom, a light, airy room that's welcoming and cool. Well, cool-ish. No air conditioning in this old place after all. Ramon heads to the bed and sits on the edge for a moment, wondering if Random wants to sleep properly or not.

[underwater_owl]

Not really. His jeans are stripped off, though he leaves his shirt (and socks) on as he climbs into bed, with a short laugh. His arms wrap around Ramon's shoulders, and he tugs at him to lie down.

"This really is something."

[latino_menace]

Ramon grins a little and struggles upright again, stripping to his underwear and then climbing in next to him.

'It'll be yours soon, promise.'

He lies and faces him, eyes tracing his features as a hand rests on his side.

'What's with the sock and shirt? Afraid I'll compromise your virtue?'

[underwater_owl]

"Take them off me, and in a bit we can compromise eachother all night long."

He grins cheekily at him, reaching down to pull off his socks, because it really is nice to be barefoot on cool sheets on a hot day.

[latino_menace]

He wants to love him. Wants it badly, because it's the only way he can think of that might help make a decision on this. He's torn at the moment.

The buttons on the shirt get eased open but that's as far as he takes it. Instead, he puts his head on his chest and just rests there silently, wanting to be close.

[underwater_owl]

Which gets a soft, satisfied sound as Random's fingers work through his hair, keeping him still.

Nothing wrong with holding, with being held, with just resting for as long as they need. His eyes close, and he just breathes.

It helps.

[latino_menace]

It does. The feel of Random's fingers tousling his hair is gorgeous, relaxing, loving. He can smell him, knows what he'll taste if he just purses his lips to touch the skin under his cheek. Knows the sound he makes as he breathes, the strength of his legs when they wrap round him. Intimate details. The things that make him him.

He doesn't want it to change. But either way this goes, it will.

'Do love you. Don't want to make you unhappy. I'm sorry.'