(Untitled)

[little_moons]

It was a good day. Busy and hectic and humiliatingly domestic, but a good day. By some fuckin' miracle, the girls slept 'til seven, and Mike and I were heading out the door to open up the restaurant while Tom was getting them up and dressed for the day. I spent the morning there, sitting behind the bar with an open textbook, then I made the walk up

Comments

[out_of_realm]

Tom Hobbes was tired. He didn't have much reason to be, it wasn't a longer day than any other. The girls, ITF, a few minor projects around the house. Not anything unusual, but there was a tingle in his shoulderblades that told him pain would come with morning. He grimaced. He was getting to the age where it was a choice between giving up beer and being more diligent about running, and sometimes when it rained his right hip shot hot little slivers of pain through his thigh. That was Sarajevo, just saying hello across the years.

He was getting older. He guessed it had to happen sometime.

"You know," he said, dropping down into a low crouch by the edge of the pool and watching Neil with a slow smile. "I think I've seen you naked here more times than I have in our bedroom."

[little_moons]

Blinking water from my eyes and turning toward the voice, I break out in a playful grin, treading low in the water and drifting closer.

"You're a liar. We're not that much like an old married couple. Not yet."

[out_of_realm]

"Routine," Tom sighed, grinning and darting looks at the ghostly shimmer of Neil's legs beneath the water.

"I mean, it's a good routine," he added, falling back onto his ass to untie his shoes. "It usually involves you. Naked."

[little_moons]

"Routine," I say, barking out a laugh and arching a brow at him, "Seriously, are you trying to insult me?"

[out_of_realm]

"Hey, I'm just glad that I'm dangerous enough for my routine to include you," Tom said, reaching down to untie his laces. "Used to be a good weekend was me and Sophie going to the mall together."

He looked up, grinning. "This is better."

[little_moons]

"Better be," I grin, watching him fumble with his shoelaces with a kind of warmth growing in my chest that would've made me nauseous just a few years ago.

"Never really was much of a mall person."

[out_of_realm]

"I would have thought that would be a big deal in Hutchinson," Tom teased, carefully setting aside his boots with his socks folded neatly atop them. He rolled to his feet, giving Neil a slanted grin and now, after everything blushing as he undid his buckle and started to unbutton his jeans.

"Or did you spend all your time at the Dairy Queen...?"

[little_moons]

"You know where I spent all my time," I mutter, rolling my eyes and swimming backward, away from him, beckoning him to follow with a crook of my finger.

"Bars and playgrounds and back alleys and parking lots. Our houses and Preston's car. I wasn't exactly real social with anybody else when I wasn't lookin' for somebody to fuck."

[out_of_realm]

Tom winced. He couldn't help it. A brief flash of pain across his features as he pushed down his pants and boxers, face turned away. He remembered Neil too clearly at eight years old and everything that had come after....

He gave Neil a slanted smile, pulling off his shirt and letting his feet dip into the water. "Yeah, well, you weren't really missing anything at the mall."

[little_moons]

I feel bad for saying it, now that the words are out there and I can see that flicker of pain on his face -- he can't hide that kind of shit. Not from anyone, least of all me. I feel bad, but I shouldn't. It's the truth, there's no point in hiding it.

Holding my hand out to him, I look at him and say, "Come here, Tom."

[out_of_realm]

Tom reached out, giving Neil a quick, tight grin as he slid the rest of the way into the water. It was a warm night and humid, so the temperature didn't come as a shock. He kicked in closer to him.

"Hey," he said, sliding a hand onto Neil's side and watching him carefully for a few moments. "You okay?"

[little_moons]

"Yeah, I'm okay," I murmur, sliding my arms around his neck, still kicking slowly to stay above the surface, "Are you?"

[out_of_realm]

Tom reached under the surface of the water, hiking Neil's thighs up around his waist. After a moment, he shrugged.

"I mean...yeah. I'm good. I guess routine is you still being able to catch me off guard."

[little_moons]

"Sorry," I murmur, and I mean it. As much as I try and get under people's skin, I wasn't trying to with him. Not right that moment, at least.

I push a hand back through his hair, damp fingers spiking the short strands at his temples, and I let my legs wrap around him more securely, pressed flush against him under the water.

"Don't think about that shit. Think about what we've got now."

[out_of_realm]

"I like what we've got now," Tom said, tipping his head to catch Neil's mouth in a shallow, scraping kiss, hands drifting over his spine and hips.

"But...I mean..." He sighed softly, looking up at Neil with big, concerned eyes. "Is that what you're doing? Living in the moment, here?"

[little_moons]

"You got a problem with livin' in the moment?" I ask, arching a brow, the words half muffled against his lips. He's looking at me with those puppy-dog eyes and I'd be more worried about it, but his hands are so goddamn distracting I can't really focus on much else.