My Charcoal Rainbow - Standalone
My Charcoal Rainbow | Gabe/William, William/Travis, Gabe/Mikey | NC-17
12,554 words | Stayed up all night to finish this. I didn't sleep \o/
JUSTSOYOUKNOW this is the sequel for Colours Fade. It might not make sense if you haven't read that one.
When Gabe kisses him it's always I love you or I'll protect you. With Travis, all he gets is hotfastdesperate, especially when the other hooks his thigh up between William's legs. A little higher and he gets a moan from William that's passed through the kiss and Travis smirks against his lips. William doesn't realise that he's holding onto Travis' forearms, that he gripping his biceps for dear life, still doesn't realise it when Travis pulls away to move them inside of the closest cubicle.
Sometimes it can take William a while to get into something. Sometimes, it takes more than a day. More than a week. More than a month. At times he just never gets used to a change, never even wants to change, but there's still that voice in the back of his head that tells him it's all for the better. Why? Because most of the time, it is.
It had taken a while for William to get used to receiving a kiss every time he got to the markets of a morning. It was nice, but it was foreign. It had taken a while for him to get used to painting as well, just because he had taken such a long break with his past artist block. It had taken a while to get used to having people watch him paint, to compliment him and even asked if he sold his work. It had taken him a while, but it was soon enough that he was kissing back, holding his brush correctly and making a small profit, as well as friends.
“William, how's it coming along?” William hears the familiar voice calling from a few metres away and he needn't look up, just smile as he draws to let Gabe know that he heard him. Gabe stops just by William's side and looks down at the canvas, smiling widely as he rests an arm around William's shoulders. As he continues to paint, William just leans his head against Gabe's for that slight bit of comfort as he works the colours onto the surface of the canvas.
“How's sales?” He asks, so quietly he barely hears it. He feels Gabe shrug and smiles again when Gabe kisses his cheek with not much else to say.
“You're been going for hours,” he points out, whispering softly as if he's trying not to disturb William from his work. “C'mon, take a break. I'll buy you some lunch.”
William pauses for the split of a second before he turns, thinks then just nods. He puts his brush down and stands up from his chair, letting Gabe lace their fingers as he drags him to one of the little cafes along their side of the market.
Being carted around in public is also something that took a bit of getting used to. William's fine with it now, even if Gabe kind of likes to be attached at the hip- -Though, William likes it too, so there's no real problem. The only thing was that he's still jittery about Gabe paying for everything. As gentlemanly as it is, he feels like he's just mooching off Gabe and if something ever happened that caused a rift for them to break apart, he'd have nothing to show for their time together.
Gabe doesn't really seem to give a shit, though. He tells William he doesn't care, that it makes him happy to be able to help him out whether he actually needs that help or not. So William just stands quietly by his boyfriend's side as Gabe buys them their coffee and their scones.
“You're such a pretty picture.” They hadn't said anything since they sat down, so when William just whispered quietly it caught Gabe off guard. He paused mid-sip to his coffee and puts the cup down, instead resting his arm around William's shoulders.
“What do you mean?” He asks, pushing a lock of hair from William's face and tucking it behind his ear. William only blushes and leans a little closer as he picks off corners from his scone.
“This. Just, everything. You. I've never had such an art flow than when you're around. It's the perfect scene in all of my drawings. And you inspire it.” He's sure he's red but Gabe just leans down and kisses his cheek anyway, doing so meaning William can feel Gabe's smile pressing against his cheek.
“Then as long as you keep drawing, I'll be sure to stick around,” he whispers, using his other hand to take a hold of one of William's, lacing their fingers under the table.
They sit like that for a while and it's at the stage that William feels like he could fall asleep before he decides he needs to move, eat, drink, and finish up before someone steals his canvas and runs away with it. But before William can put a piece of his roll into his mouth, Gabe's stolen it off him to break a piece for himself then start to feed William little bite-sized pieces.
William is a breath away from muttering “Gabe, I'm not a baby,” but the way Gabe looks so excited as he's ready to help him makes him giggle and go along with it anyway. They're both half way through lunch and their drinks when William's phone- -The one that Gabe, surprise surprise, bought for him- -beeps to let him know he has a message. He's quick to check it then quickly reading it out to Gabe; A message from Cassadee to tell them they should get back soon. Gabe nodded, because she was right, and helped William clean up before they left the cafe.
Something that William can get used to, though, is when Gabe takes him home. They pack up their gear and they barely get a chance to hug and kiss Cassadee goodbye before Gabe has carted him away, again. They half walk, half jog back to his apartment and Gabe is holding his hand the whole time and William just loves it. He craves the end of the day when Gabe takes him up to his apartment, when he shuts the door with his foot and kisses William until their lips are numb.
But William always has to stop him, because if he doesn't, Gabe really wont stop. He'd just keep kissing and touching until they start grinding and shredding their clothes and- -no. There's nothing wrong with that, but William is normally out of breath enough as it is from their way home.
So while William makes him way to the kitchen to prepare a cheap microwaveable meal, Gabe will put his messenger bag down against the wall and take out a few CDs. He'll find one they like and put it into the CD player that he bought William for their half-year anniversary (because fuck you, they're allowed to celebrate 6 months) and turn it up just two levels over what's really needed. William wont care though, he just sways his hips as he waits for their frozen vegetarian lasagne and keeps swaying them when Gabe comes up from behind him to wrap his arms around his waist.
But neither finish their food. They get about halfway through before they realise that the cheese tastes like plastic and they'd rather be touching anyway. So they'll put their plates aside and lay in bed, just sort of lazily kissing with their legs tangled around the duvet that's half pushed to the bottom of the bed.
It's got to be an hour before they're finally laying on their backs, staring at the ceiling. Gabe's arm is around William's shoulders and William's head is on Gabe's chest. Gabe will always murmur something about how it'd be beautiful if William painted a mural on the ceiling, but every evening, William has to remind him that he's only renting and he wouldn't be able to anyway, unless he defied the laws of gravity or something.
And it's about there that William will sit up and start to take his shirt off, because he knows that even though it's getting colder, it's becoming Winter, he knows that his duvet is warm enough as long as Gabe is there to help him get used to the temperature. Lately? Gabe just hasn't been going home. William will look so sweet when he lays there after sex, all pouty with his hair messed up and his eyes sort of drooping closed. So Gabe just doesn't have the heart to go home. Neither of them dare whisper the words room mates, only because they're both afraid as one another about commitment and where everything will lead to.
But when William takes his shirt off he doesn't have to think about that. Gabe just sits up too and takes off his, starts to touch William's waist and kiss the side of his neck. They can't go a single night without kissing and touching and sometimes grinding, sometimes sex, but there'll always be the touching. William will always be out of breath when he's ready for sleep, but sometimes it's only because Gabe just doesn't stop kissing him.
So he crawls on top of the older man as they shuffle out of their jeans and- -still kissing- -start touching some more until William's got what he needs for preparation and protection. It's never long before he's flipped them over and Gabe is pushing in, bodies just flushed together as they kiss and touch and refuse to let go.
It's when they come that they both remember when they first did it. Same bed, same apartment, different feelings. They were tentative back then, nervous, a little afraid. Now it's nothing but certainty and maybe even a little bit of love.
That's definitely something William has gotten used to. Sitting up at twelve in the morning with the blankets low down his hips, Gabe half asleep next to him as he tries to stay awake with William. With a sketch pad in his lap, though, William feels he'll be awake for a while longer. Gabe is always such a beauty to draw, especially with his curls even curlier and his eyes half shut, desperate to stay open. His elbow resting on his pillow and his head leaning against his hand, but William can tell he's about to fall asleep.
“Get some rest. We've got an early day tomorrow,” William whispers as he puts his sketch pad and pencil aside. Gabe looks up and tugs William's arm to pull him down into a laying position. As soon as he does, Gabe pulls him even closer so he can wrap his limbs around him and keep him warm while they sleep.
“Don't you mean 'today'?” He murmurs, making William laugh softly. William just tilts his head to peck Gabe's lips, and even though he tells himself it's the last one for the night, they always manage to fall asleep with their lips locked together and Gabe's music still humming softly through the stereo speakers.
-
“You didn't go home again, last night,” William says softly, even though they're both totally aware of it. He's not scolding, he's not upset, but rather, smiling a little as he says the words. Gabe looks up from where he's still in bed and smiles back, watches as William wiggles into some jeans.
“Why do you have to wake up so early, William?” Gabe finally asks, resting his hands behind his head as an addition to the pillow he's already leaning on. William pauses and looks over, bites his lip, but just turns away to grab one of his belts off the floor.
“I have to meet up with Cassadee,” he shrugs, looping the leather through the belt loops in his already-tight-enough jeans.
“No you don't,” Gabe says bluntly, frowning only softly.
William lets out a quiet sigh as he finishes doing up his belt. He walks back over to the bed and sits down on the edge, still shirtless, and takes a light hold of one of the lumps under the blankets which is Gabe's foot. “I need to make money some how, Gabe,” he murmurs.
Gabe just shakes his head and sits up. “William, you know that I'll-”
“Gabe,” William interrupts, squeezing lightly. “You know that I hate when you talk about giving me money. The CD player was enough.” He smiles as he says it but it's sort of sad, sort of regretful as he takes a glance over at the stereo.
“Oh,” Gabe says, looking down as he started to draw invisible shapes in the blankets. “I guess. I guess you wont want a full-year anniversary present, then?” He asks, looking back up at William with a smile, that time.
William just pauses and releases a groan, but he can't hide a smile as he does so. “What are you getting me?” He murmurs, finally letting go of Gabe's foot and crawling up the bed so he can sit in Gabe's lap.
“You'll find out,” Gabe smirks.
“Is it expensive?” William frowns seriously, draping his arms around Gabe's shoulders. He feels Gabe wraps his arms around William's waist and simply shrugs, not giving any more information. “I'll make you take it back to the store if it's too expensive.” It's an empty threat and they both know it, but that doesn't stop Gabe from grinning and leaning forward to kiss him.
“Why don't... Why don't, maybe, we just stay in. Just for today? We can tell Cassadee I got sick and you caught it off me?” Gabe whispers against William's lips far too hopefully, and even though William mumbles something incoherent and shifts on his lap to get a better kissing angle, he figures he's got a pretty good chance for this one.
After a few convincing kisses, Gabe manages to get William to strip his pants off again and they spend the entire day in bed, just like the night before; kissing, touching, feeling.
-
“William,” Cassadee groans, leaning her hip against the stall. “Wiiilliam, you were meant to be here. We had customers! Can you believe it? Customers.”
William just laughs softly and hoists himself up to sit on Gabe's table, leaning back to scan through some of the CDs he's got there. Gabe looks over and grins at William, even though he can't see him, before he turns back to a customer he's serving.
“Although I guess it wasn't all that bad. There was this really hot guy that came by, and without a she-man like you to distract him, he actually talked to me,” Cassadee grins proudly as she speaks.
William suddenly looks up though, a little interested. Only curious, really. “Hot guy?” He asks, cowering when he feels Gabe slap him playfully over the back of the head. He turns to look at him over his shoulder and whines, “What?” before looking back at Cassadee. “So, you finally got a boyfriend?”
She frowns and slaps his thigh, making him wince again. “Hey! I'm fragile,” he mutters, rubbing his hand over the spot. Cassadee just grins again and shrugs.
“Not yet.”
The three of them all hear a chiming in the distance as the market high clock hits the next hour. “Noon already?” Gabe asks to no-one in particular, looking up at the hands on the face of it. “Looks like it's time for our lunch break, bye Cassie!” Gabe grins and nudges William off the stall and grabs his arm without so much of a warning. Cassadee lets out an over dramatic sigh and waves her hand at them before she retreats back to her own stall.
“Since when did we stick to a schedule?” William finally asks when she's out of earshot and Gabe is lugging him towards a close-by Starbucks. He hears his boyfriend chuckle and replace his hand from around William's wrist to around his waist instead.
“Since she started talking too much,” he shrugs, and William really wishes he hadn't giggled at that.
Gabe sticks to the normal routine from there on; leading William to a table, walking over to order their regular coffees along with some rolls for them too. He seats himself next to William in the booth as he sets down his latte, instantly taking a sip of his own mocha.
“So,” William says, breaking off a corner of his croissant and putting it in his mouth.
“It's almost Christmas,” Gabe pipes up with an eager smile, leaning a little against William's frame. His smile makes him look like a little boy at.. Well, at Christmas, and it only makes William smile wider.
“It is.”
“What do you want to do?”
William stops to think as his coffee cools. He really doesn't know. As much as he wants to just stay in bed for the day and pretend that it's just another day, he gets the feeling that Gabe actually does want to do something. “Sleep in?”
Gabe chuckles and it confirms William's assumption.
“You're going to make me get up at fuck in the morning and go ice skating or some shit, aren't you?” William asks glumly, resting his head on the other's shoulder. Gabe just laughs and rests his arm around William's shoulders, starting to play with his hair.
“No, but that'd be entertaining..”
William rolls his eyes and nudges Gabe's side but he doesn't make the move to stop him from curling his fingers through his locks. “If you do then I'm sending you home,” he warns softly, barely loud enough for himself to hear but Gabe gasps over dramatically anyway.
“You wouldn't dare!”
William smirks, “Wanna bet?”
Gabe frowns as he lifts his coffee back to his lips. William only snuggles closer to him to let him know he's far from serious and it makes him smile wider when Gabe pulls him closer. They sit together for a while before William looks up, sees Cassadee out the window at her paint stall. She's leaning against the table and she's wearing her best smile, talking to a man who seems half distracted more than anything.
“Hey,” William murmurs, lifting his head properly, “You think that's him?”
Gabe puts his coffee down and looks at the guy who Cassadee appears all to desperate to flirt with. He snorts, tapping William's shoulder to get him to shuffle out of the booth as he follows him out with both their coffees in his hands. “One way to find out,” he mutters, giving William his cup as they pass through the door.
When they're a few metres off, Cassadee finally looks up. She looks a little disappointed at first before she smiles back at this guy, then beckons them over. “Let me introduce you to my friends,” she says, hoisting herself up to sit on the table.
William stops a few feet short as Gabe walks over to sit in William's normal seat by his canvas. “This is William, he gets mad when I call him Bill,” she starts, then points over at Gabe. “Aaaand, that's Gabey baby.” Gabe rolls his eyes but she only grins.
William, though. He takes a sip of his coffee but keeps his eyes on the guy as he lifts a hand to wave, adding in a little smirk that does wonders to send a shiver down William's spine. His skin is dark, much darker than Gabe's, and his hair is braided back. His arms are completely inked and William sees the hint of a few more tattoos creeping up his neck. He wants to sit and stare at them all day because really, the colours look beautiful, and William has always been a fan of colour. Art on paper or art on bodies, it's beautiful nonetheless.
“Uhhh, hello? William? Earth to Bill?” Cassadee starts waving her arms around and William snaps out of his trance, goes a dark shade of red when he realises he's been staring. For a while. The guy seems amused by it, though, grins a little deviously as he cracks his knuckles casually then outstretches an arm.
“I'm Travis, s'nice to meet ya',” he nods, lightly shaking William's hand when he finally reaches out to it. He turns to Gabe for a moment, nods at the canvas and asks, “You paint?” before shoving his hands in his jeans pockets.
Gabe straightens up a little and shakes his head as he puts the near-empty coffee cup on the ground next to his chair. He shakes his head, “No,” then adds quite darkly, “My boyfriend does,” then nods at William. William goes a little red and hides his face behind his cup again, trying to ignore the sudden look from Travis.
“He's good,” he says to Gabe, slouching his posture a little.
Gabe nods slowly. “He is.”
Cassadee jumps down from the table when the three of them fall silent, clasps her hands together. “Well, seeing as you two have already had lunch, Trav, do you wanna come get something to eat with me?” She asks all too hopefully, offering that same charming smile she wore so well just before. But as Travis opens his mouth, William does the idiot thing and pipes up.
“Actually, I could go for seconds?”
Three pairs of eyes fall on him and he lifts his cup, again, to chew on the lid. “I mean, if you didn't mind.”
“William,” Gabe says, standing up from where he was sitting. “I just fed you a whole scone?”
William bites his lip, narrows his eyes and glances from Travis back to his boyfriend. “Gabe,” he mutters sternly, only getting the same glare in return.
“William.”
Travis raises his hand half in the air awkwardly as a gesture to try and cut in. “I'm er- Sure there's room?” he tries, trying to smile and lighten the mood, but Gabe just broods. William smiles half heartedly and Cassadee rolls her eyes at Gabe, or William, he's not sure, but the four of them all head back into the Starbucks in which William and Gabe previously came.
-
“I can't believe you today, Bill.” They're barely in the door and Gabe is already on about it, William thinks, and he really just doesn't get it.
“What? Huh? What did I do?” He snaps, throwing his coat down so it's draped over the CD player that's been unused since the day before. Gabe stays quiet until William walks to the kitchen, opens the pantry to look for something before remembering that, hey, he's poor, and he's never got something to do. “What is so wrong with me wanting to make a new friend?” he snaps again, crossing his arms as he turns to look at Gabe in the other room.
“Nothing wrong with that,” Gabe starts, crossing his arms as well as he cocks a hip. “What's wrong with it is how you were just. Ugh, look, it doesn't even matter.” He rolls his eyes and turns around as he starts to shrug his jacket off, but William walks over and shoves his shoulder gently. It does fuck all to actually hurt him, not that William was trying to, but it grabs Gabe's attention at least.
“No, go on, what did I do?” he mutters, hands on his hips.
Gabe grits his teeth as he turns and looks back at William. It's their first fight since... ever, and neither really know what they're doing. “What's wrong is the way you were all over him, Bill. Instantly laughing at his jokes, draping yourself all over him, just a total fucking suck up. I don't get it. He's not even that hot.”
William clenches his fists on his hips and tightens his jaw. He's about to cut in, say something like, “I wasn't on him. I found his jokes funny. I wasn't sucking up. That's just how I am, got a problem with it? Jesus fucking Christ, Gabe. Are you really this jealous over one guy I want to be friends with?” but none of it comes out. He purses his lips and looks out the window for a moment before rolling his eyes and shaking his head. What does come out is totally different. It's quieter, it's more pathetic, but it's all he can really muster.
“Just- -Get out, Gabe. Just get out.”
Gabe takes a heavy breath and tightens his coat around himself, his lip twitching as he turns to grab one of his hoodies that's on the end bed post, one that he's left there for a while. He turns back to William to utter, “I was planning to,” then just heads for the door. He stops, grabs his Rolling Stones CD that's resting on top of the CD player then goes to open the door. Just as he turns the handle, William's heart sinks a little and he wishes he could take it all back.
“Gabe?” He murmurs, still trying to sound strong.
Gabe stops and looks back at him as he opens the door. They're silent, William doesn't speak and Gabe doesn't make him. Instead, he just looks out the hallway then down at the hoodie bunched in his hands. “It's going to be fifteen degrees tonight,” he tells him. Without anything more, Gabe throws the hoodie to him and William catches it a little too desperately. “I'll see you tomorrow,” and with that, he's gone.
William doesn't actually realise how cold fifteen degrees is when he's got no one to cuddle him warmer. He doesn't wear the hoodie but rather, holds it, keeping in a little ball for the entire night to suck up as much warmth as he can get.
-
Things die down at least a week later. It's creeping up closer to the 25th of December but Gabe hasn't slept at William's house for a few good weeks. Travis has been hanging out more, asking what was up between them but no one really bothered to enlighten him. William doesn't think a fight should have lasted so long, but he's never had one before so, he doesn't really know.
“Gabe,” William says one day, drawing with pencil in his sketch pad because his hands are too shaky in the cold to be painting. “Gabe, please promise me we don't have to go ice skating at five in the morning at Christmas?”
Gabe snorts and sways as he shifts his weight from foot to foot. All he really says is, “Maybe,” before focusing his attention on his coffee and the warmth it's bringing. William rolls his eyes as he draws, doesn't notice as Travis creeps up on his other side until he sees Gabe stiffen from the corner of his eye. He looks at Gabe first, then at Travis, offering a little smile. He's worried to fall into another fight with Gabe, though, so he only says hello then goes back to drawing.
“Jesus shit, Bill, that's so wicked!” Travis suddenly exclaims, snatching the book off of him. William freezes and his eyes go wide as he looks up at the other. He tries to reach up and grab it back but Travis holds it up, and no shit, Travis is even taller than Gabe, which is several kinds of unfair. He lets out a little whine then looks at Gabe for help, but his boyfriend looks nothing but amused as he sips his coffee.
“How long you been drawin'?” Travis asks as he hands the book back, his hands finding their way back to his pockets again. William looks down as he smooths out the page (not that Travis crinkled it or anything) and answers with the same thing every time,
“A while.”
Travis nods and takes a look around, opens his mouth to say something but Cassadee quickly scurries over, waving a piece of paper in William's face and really, it's quite distracting. William mumbles something before he snatches it off her, skims what it says and his eyes go wide about halfway down the page. “Thank you!” He squeaks, pulling her down for a hug and even kissing her cheek.
“What's that?” Travis asks, nothing but confused as he leans down and tries to read over William's shoulder. He doesn't notice Gabe's irritated glare.
“There's this art convention that's happening like, really soon, and we've been waiting to get the details. Cassadee finally got a hold of a flier for me and I love her!” William beams, pulling her closer for another hug. She laughs, works mainly on getting himself out of the grip just as Gabe's face falls.
“When is it?” He asks softly, fumbling with his coffee cup as he tries to read over William's other shoulder. William scans the page until they find the dates at the bottom, pointing to the one he was planning to go to.
“Twenty-second,” he nods, looking back at Gabe. “You.. You can come, right?” He bites his lip, lowing the page.
Gabe opens his mouth to speak but shuts it, lowering to his knees so he's somewhat eye level with William. “I can't,” he starts, and William just slumps and looks down. “Bub, you know I can't. My dad's coming around just before Christmas and I gotta give him a place to stay. He's older now, I gotta look after-”
“Gabe, It's okay,” William interrupts. He offers a smile but Gabe knows it's nothing but forced. Faked. Something like that. “We'll go next year, alright?” He assures, giving Gabe this slightly more genuine smile. Because he knows they're going to be together next year, they're too tight for anything to stop them from being together. Gabe releases a breath and nods, takes one of William's hands and ignores the slightly amused smirk from Travis.
“Hey, where is this thing?” he asks, making William look up at him. “You know? Like, I could go with ya' if ya' wanted?”
Gabe squeezes William's hand subconsciously as William hands the flier to him. “East City Convention Centre, it's close by here,” he smiles, not noticing Gabe's distaste towards the idea as he squeezes tighter. Instead, he lets go of his hand so he can point on the flier to where it has the address. “It'd be cool if you came, cause Cassadee can't go either.”
Gabe starts mumbling something about leaving his padre by himself in the apartment so he could go too but no one really notices it. William is smiling properly by the time Travis waves them a goodbye, but he notices Gabe's slight scowl from where he's still kneeling by William's side.
“Hey, you're not actually jealous of him are you?” William asks seriously, his smile fading as he gives Gabe a you-can't-be-serious look, though he's more scared they're going to end up fighting again. But, in public. Gabe just shrugs and shakes his head quickly, but William doesn't buy it. He holds onto Gabe's face gently with both hands, cupping his cheeks and looking him dead in the eye. “I love you,” he mutters, pressing their lips together. It's the only consolation he can think of, but really, Gabe should know by now that William isn't some kind of whore. It's not like he and Travis are going to sleep together when they barely know each other.
-
Okay, William is freaking out. His self assuring didn't go far enough, 'cause Travis keeps shooting him these smiles, he's constantly brushing their hands as they walk and every time he stops to point something out, his hand niftily falls to hold the small of William's back. The worst part, is that William is doing absolutely nothing to stop him. William knows that he's going to tell him to stop soon enough, but Travis is just working everything into his actions so smoothly that William doesn't really have anything to get angry about. It's not flirting, it's barely affection, but it's driving William insane and he's not sure whether that's a good thing or not.
“You wanna get some food in a bit?” Travis suggests, tucking his hands in his pockets as they walk past a stall that still being set up by an artist that William doesn't recognise the name of. It takes him a moment to realise he's been asked a question, but quickly nods when Travis gives him a questioning look.
“Huh? Sure.”
Travis sighs after a moment and suddenly takes William's hand, drags him somewhere quieter towards the public toilets where there aren't any stalls. He stops walking when they're close enough to the doors, gets William to look at his face and puts his hands on the man's shoulders. “What's up with you today?” He asks in all serious, and William feels a weight lifted from his shoulders.
“Nothing,” he smiles, lifting a hand to hold onto Travis' wrist gently. “I'm fine. Just thinking how Gabe's doing,” he shrugs, taking a glance around. “So uhm, about lunch?”
Travis turns his head to look at the crowds, sucking his lower lip into his mouth. “About that,” he pauses, leaning his back against the wall next to the door leading to the men's bathroom, dropping one hand off of William's shoulder but keeping the other there. William swears he feels the other's thumb run gently over the skin but he assures himself he's just imagining it, that it's not actually happening. But then he actually feels Travis' thumb, he knows it, and that weight it back on his shoulders and even heavier than before.
“Hey, have you n' Gabe ever thought about an open relationship?” He asks. Totally smooth, William thinks. But, oh, shit, what did he say?
“I can't imagine Gabe with anyone else,” he admits, biting down on his lip. Hard. He uses his hand to nudge Travis' hand off of his shoulder, finally, but his neck gets a chill when the warmth of his palm disappears.
Travis just laughs. Really, William doesn't actually believe it, but he laughs. “But I can picture you with someone,” he smirks, reaching out to touch William's neck again. William doesn't push it off, but his eyes widen.
“Trav! I don't even know you!” He's whispering but he doesn't know why, perhaps just this fear that Gabe is lingering around, watching, listening, even though William is saying no to what Travis is saying, it still feels like he's doing the wrong thing. He could always just tell him flat out no and storm off, but instead he stands there and argues while Travis' long, warm fingers splay out against the crook of his neck.
“But I know you enough to know what I want,” Travis adds with a wider grin, a grin that sends a shiver down William's spine. He's not sure if it's the bad kind either, and that just makes him feel worse.
After a moment of silence Travis lowers his hand to grab onto William's wrist. He slides his palm down to hold his hand and lace their fingers, before he pulls William along and takes him into the men's bathroom with him.
“Travis?” William murmurs, sort of going with it, but more or less being dragged along. It's frightening almost, but his brain goes to mush when Travis pushes him up against one of the toilet cubicle walls and kisses him, just kisses the life out of him. His body catches up with his mind and soon enough he's nothing but limp, eyes wide as Travis' lips move against his own. Travis' hands move to hold his hips, which William would be glad for if he wasn't being kissed because if he didn't hold onto him somehow, the shock and limpness of it all would make him just fall to the ground.
He finally squeezes his eyes shut just as Travis pulls his mouth off, smirks at William and kisses the corner of his lips. William only breaths heavily, doesn't say anything, doesn't object, but doesn't initiate either. Before he gets a chance to say anything, Travis kisses him again and this time he closes his eyes, more or less feels with it, goes with it, tries to get what Travis is telling him through this kiss.
When Gabe kisses him it's always I love you or I'll protect you. With Travis, all he gets is hotfastdesperate, especially when the other hooks his thigh up between William's legs. A little higher and he gets a moan from William that's passed through the kiss and Travis smirks against his lips. William doesn't realise that he's holding onto Travis' forearms, that he gripping his biceps for dear life, still doesn't realise it when Travis pulls away to move them inside of the closest cubicle.
He turns to slide the lock in the door and William whimpers when he's pinned against the wall again. “What are we doing?” He whispers, scared and afraid. He tilts his head back when Travis' lips go to his neck, kissing and sucking and nipping so lightly it's going to be hard to see any marks.
“We're-” Travis pauses to take a breath as his thigh resumes it's old position, making William squeak again. “-We're giving into temptation,” and it's so true that it's horrifying.
When Travis lowers one of his hands to William's crotch, that's when it really kicks in. He squeezes his eyes shut and it almost feels like it's rape, but he knows that somewhere in his mind he wants this. Hell, it seems that his cock wants it, for every time Travis comes into contact with that area in the slightest he feels his skin twitch and his blood boil. He lets out a little moan when Travis starts to palm him, working and rubbing his palm against the denim so well. Travis quickly presses their lips together again with a smirk as he mumbles, “Quietly, baby, you'll wake the neighbours,” and it reminds William that they're in a public bathroom, if anywhere.
What's worse is that he can't stop thinking how much better it sounds when Travis calls him baby rather than when Gabe does.
He finally works up the courage some moments later, gasping, “Travis, we can't,” even though it's probably too late because he already feels half hard against the other's hand. He opens his mouth to protest again but Travis just kisses him, open mouthed and deeper, and that's when he can't help but rub his hips forward and moan against the other's tongue. Well, at least he tried to say no, right?
Travis' tongue tastes like something he can't put his finger on, something that's just different, hard to describe. Something that's not Gabe. He tastes cigarettes and coffee and white chocolate but he tries not to dwell on it, as much as he shouldn't he just focuses on the hand rubbing against his too-tight jeans. Travis gradually starts sucking on his tongue and it's painful to admit that William loves it, just being done like this against a toilet wall.
When William's belt is tugged loose, Travis wastes no time to dive his hand down and wrap his fingers around him, jerking him slowly to a level of complete hardness. William whimpers as he does, dropping his head back against the wall and squeezing his eyes shut tighter as he tries not to moan. Someone could come in at any second and hear what they're doing, or see if they were to notice the two sets of legs under the cubicle door.
William has sort of just given up on fighting back at all by the time Travis pushes his jeans past his hips. He bites his lip, going a little red as Travis pushes his own down, starts jerking himself for William to watch as he bites his lip and fumbles with himself. William finds himself awkwardly staring, exposed as he watches, still pressed with his back against the wall. He waits for Travis to reach back to tug a condom from his back pocket and bites his lip, not actually knowing anyone to carry them around with them. Unless Travis was like, planning this or something.
The thought kind of makes William a little bit harder.
Travis whispers something rushed and hurried to him that he doesn't quite catch, but figures he knows the jist of it when Travis tugs on his arm. He turns around so his stomach is against the wall, leaning a little bit so he can spread his legs. Though, Travis sort of just had to nudge them apart for him to get the message. William is meanwhile still pondering, trying to decide whether all of this is a good thing or a bad thing, when he feels two cold, wet fingers pressing at his entrance.
So, William has had sex. Obviously. It's just a surprise since it's been a few weeks at least, what with Gabe and he in a fight and everything. Gabe still hasn't slept at his house for a while, even though they're fine now, but it means that William still feels a little tight and has to gasp out, “One, please,” and feels pathetic when he does. But Travis only nods against William's shoulder before he kisses at his neck, takes a finger away so he starts to slide one lone finger into his hole.
William isn't sure what Travis has planned for this but he doesn't seem to be wasting too much time with the prep. After he scissors two fingers, William feels him pull them out and replace his hand with his cock, his hardness pressed against William's backside. He whimpers, probably startling Travis from the sound but he chuckles nonetheless. He can feel the rubber stretch when Travis pushes in, slowly, gradually making it easier. William is not some virgin being fucked against a wall, but he feels like it, so he's thankful for the gradual speed.
When Travis starts rocking, that's when William wishes he had a better grip on something. He tries to claw and grip the wall but it's just a cool, flat surface, making it harder to stay up. As soon as he seems like he's wobbling, Travis' hand snakes around his middle to hold his stomach, touching the bare skin under his shirt. He has trouble holding back a moan but only just manages when Travis seems to instantly pick up speed, making it really seem like a casual wall fuck than having sex or making love.
William doesn't think he wants to long how long it is before he comes, just just knows there's sweat on his brow and his breathing is shallow. He comes against the wall from Travis' hand jerking him off and he feels the other come inside the condom inside of him.
Cleaning up is scarily fast and easy as Travis pulls out, carelessly dumps the condom in the toilet for the next person to find. He does up his pants before he turns William around and does the same for him while treating him to a kiss, their lips probably red and sore. When he's got William's belt back on his hands travel from his hips around to his ass, cupping before he feels for William's cell. He tugs it out of his pocket and pauses the kiss, leaning up against him still as his fingers work over the thumb pad. William watches in awe, still chewing his lip, as Travis adds himself as a contact into William's phone.
“You ready to go?” He murmurs, sliding the phone back into William's back pocket. He doesn't wait for a verbal answer, the nod will suffice, before he lifts his hands to fix William's hair with a smirk and give him one last kiss before leaving the bathroom, walking hand in hand as they exit the building.
-
When William's at home he sort of wants to cry. He showers and makes himself a coffee but it's not as nice as the ones Gabe makes him, it's not as tasty as Travis' mouth, but it's enough. He sits on the end of his bed with a blank page of his art book sitting next to him, staring, taunting him. He cups his coffee and stares out the window but more into outer space, not noticing the liquid slowly go cold in his hands.
He can hear his neighbours in the halls but he doesn't pay attention to them and their talking and their footsteps through the building. The apartments are so small so there are so many that fit into the building, which means he has many neighbours. He just doesn't talk to any of them. William is still staring when footsteps approach his door, when a key is jammed into his lock and when the actual door opens. He finally turns his head when he hears the voice, barely smiles when he sees Gabe in his doorway. Gabe. He'd almost forgotten about Gabe.
“Hey baby,” he coos softly, almost experimentally, and William is reminded of how much nicer it is when Travis says it. Gabe walks in and shuts the door behind him, sits next to William on the bed and waits for him to say something. There's an uncomfortable silence as he reaches an arm around to drape around William's shoulders, to lean up and kiss his cheek, but William feels his smile against his skin.
“Hey,” he tries, but his eyes are glued to the window.
Gabe bites his lip as his arm falls to be around William's waist instead. He opens his mouth to speak, but William sees from the corner of his eye when Gabe stops himself last minute. He lifts his arm again, brushes William's hair back and tucks it behind his ear. He runs his fingers over the skin but lingers his thumb over one particular spot that makes William wince. He can only guess that Travis left some kind of mark.
“William-”
“I slept with Travis. Today.”
He swallows and keeps his eyes on the window, hands tightening around the mug. He doesn't know if that's what Gabe was going to ask, but William's already admitted it so it's no use in jumping up and telling him it's all a big joke. The silence is horrifying as Gabe stands up, takes a breath and walks back to the door.
“I hope he was worth it.”
William looks up just in time to see Gabe's mortified glare, his disgusted look that he only so definitely deserves before he leaves, shutting the door with a loud bang behind him.
It wasn't worth it. It wasn't worth it at all.
continue ->
12,554 words | Stayed up all night to finish this. I didn't sleep \o/
JUSTSOYOUKNOW this is the sequel for Colours Fade. It might not make sense if you haven't read that one.
When Gabe kisses him it's always I love you or I'll protect you. With Travis, all he gets is hotfastdesperate, especially when the other hooks his thigh up between William's legs. A little higher and he gets a moan from William that's passed through the kiss and Travis smirks against his lips. William doesn't realise that he's holding onto Travis' forearms, that he gripping his biceps for dear life, still doesn't realise it when Travis pulls away to move them inside of the closest cubicle.
Sometimes it can take William a while to get into something. Sometimes, it takes more than a day. More than a week. More than a month. At times he just never gets used to a change, never even wants to change, but there's still that voice in the back of his head that tells him it's all for the better. Why? Because most of the time, it is.
It had taken a while for William to get used to receiving a kiss every time he got to the markets of a morning. It was nice, but it was foreign. It had taken a while for him to get used to painting as well, just because he had taken such a long break with his past artist block. It had taken a while to get used to having people watch him paint, to compliment him and even asked if he sold his work. It had taken him a while, but it was soon enough that he was kissing back, holding his brush correctly and making a small profit, as well as friends.
“William, how's it coming along?” William hears the familiar voice calling from a few metres away and he needn't look up, just smile as he draws to let Gabe know that he heard him. Gabe stops just by William's side and looks down at the canvas, smiling widely as he rests an arm around William's shoulders. As he continues to paint, William just leans his head against Gabe's for that slight bit of comfort as he works the colours onto the surface of the canvas.
“How's sales?” He asks, so quietly he barely hears it. He feels Gabe shrug and smiles again when Gabe kisses his cheek with not much else to say.
“You're been going for hours,” he points out, whispering softly as if he's trying not to disturb William from his work. “C'mon, take a break. I'll buy you some lunch.”
William pauses for the split of a second before he turns, thinks then just nods. He puts his brush down and stands up from his chair, letting Gabe lace their fingers as he drags him to one of the little cafes along their side of the market.
Being carted around in public is also something that took a bit of getting used to. William's fine with it now, even if Gabe kind of likes to be attached at the hip- -Though, William likes it too, so there's no real problem. The only thing was that he's still jittery about Gabe paying for everything. As gentlemanly as it is, he feels like he's just mooching off Gabe and if something ever happened that caused a rift for them to break apart, he'd have nothing to show for their time together.
Gabe doesn't really seem to give a shit, though. He tells William he doesn't care, that it makes him happy to be able to help him out whether he actually needs that help or not. So William just stands quietly by his boyfriend's side as Gabe buys them their coffee and their scones.
“You're such a pretty picture.” They hadn't said anything since they sat down, so when William just whispered quietly it caught Gabe off guard. He paused mid-sip to his coffee and puts the cup down, instead resting his arm around William's shoulders.
“What do you mean?” He asks, pushing a lock of hair from William's face and tucking it behind his ear. William only blushes and leans a little closer as he picks off corners from his scone.
“This. Just, everything. You. I've never had such an art flow than when you're around. It's the perfect scene in all of my drawings. And you inspire it.” He's sure he's red but Gabe just leans down and kisses his cheek anyway, doing so meaning William can feel Gabe's smile pressing against his cheek.
“Then as long as you keep drawing, I'll be sure to stick around,” he whispers, using his other hand to take a hold of one of William's, lacing their fingers under the table.
They sit like that for a while and it's at the stage that William feels like he could fall asleep before he decides he needs to move, eat, drink, and finish up before someone steals his canvas and runs away with it. But before William can put a piece of his roll into his mouth, Gabe's stolen it off him to break a piece for himself then start to feed William little bite-sized pieces.
William is a breath away from muttering “Gabe, I'm not a baby,” but the way Gabe looks so excited as he's ready to help him makes him giggle and go along with it anyway. They're both half way through lunch and their drinks when William's phone- -The one that Gabe, surprise surprise, bought for him- -beeps to let him know he has a message. He's quick to check it then quickly reading it out to Gabe; A message from Cassadee to tell them they should get back soon. Gabe nodded, because she was right, and helped William clean up before they left the cafe.
Something that William can get used to, though, is when Gabe takes him home. They pack up their gear and they barely get a chance to hug and kiss Cassadee goodbye before Gabe has carted him away, again. They half walk, half jog back to his apartment and Gabe is holding his hand the whole time and William just loves it. He craves the end of the day when Gabe takes him up to his apartment, when he shuts the door with his foot and kisses William until their lips are numb.
But William always has to stop him, because if he doesn't, Gabe really wont stop. He'd just keep kissing and touching until they start grinding and shredding their clothes and- -no. There's nothing wrong with that, but William is normally out of breath enough as it is from their way home.
So while William makes him way to the kitchen to prepare a cheap microwaveable meal, Gabe will put his messenger bag down against the wall and take out a few CDs. He'll find one they like and put it into the CD player that he bought William for their half-year anniversary (because fuck you, they're allowed to celebrate 6 months) and turn it up just two levels over what's really needed. William wont care though, he just sways his hips as he waits for their frozen vegetarian lasagne and keeps swaying them when Gabe comes up from behind him to wrap his arms around his waist.
But neither finish their food. They get about halfway through before they realise that the cheese tastes like plastic and they'd rather be touching anyway. So they'll put their plates aside and lay in bed, just sort of lazily kissing with their legs tangled around the duvet that's half pushed to the bottom of the bed.
It's got to be an hour before they're finally laying on their backs, staring at the ceiling. Gabe's arm is around William's shoulders and William's head is on Gabe's chest. Gabe will always murmur something about how it'd be beautiful if William painted a mural on the ceiling, but every evening, William has to remind him that he's only renting and he wouldn't be able to anyway, unless he defied the laws of gravity or something.
And it's about there that William will sit up and start to take his shirt off, because he knows that even though it's getting colder, it's becoming Winter, he knows that his duvet is warm enough as long as Gabe is there to help him get used to the temperature. Lately? Gabe just hasn't been going home. William will look so sweet when he lays there after sex, all pouty with his hair messed up and his eyes sort of drooping closed. So Gabe just doesn't have the heart to go home. Neither of them dare whisper the words room mates, only because they're both afraid as one another about commitment and where everything will lead to.
But when William takes his shirt off he doesn't have to think about that. Gabe just sits up too and takes off his, starts to touch William's waist and kiss the side of his neck. They can't go a single night without kissing and touching and sometimes grinding, sometimes sex, but there'll always be the touching. William will always be out of breath when he's ready for sleep, but sometimes it's only because Gabe just doesn't stop kissing him.
So he crawls on top of the older man as they shuffle out of their jeans and- -still kissing- -start touching some more until William's got what he needs for preparation and protection. It's never long before he's flipped them over and Gabe is pushing in, bodies just flushed together as they kiss and touch and refuse to let go.
It's when they come that they both remember when they first did it. Same bed, same apartment, different feelings. They were tentative back then, nervous, a little afraid. Now it's nothing but certainty and maybe even a little bit of love.
That's definitely something William has gotten used to. Sitting up at twelve in the morning with the blankets low down his hips, Gabe half asleep next to him as he tries to stay awake with William. With a sketch pad in his lap, though, William feels he'll be awake for a while longer. Gabe is always such a beauty to draw, especially with his curls even curlier and his eyes half shut, desperate to stay open. His elbow resting on his pillow and his head leaning against his hand, but William can tell he's about to fall asleep.
“Get some rest. We've got an early day tomorrow,” William whispers as he puts his sketch pad and pencil aside. Gabe looks up and tugs William's arm to pull him down into a laying position. As soon as he does, Gabe pulls him even closer so he can wrap his limbs around him and keep him warm while they sleep.
“Don't you mean 'today'?” He murmurs, making William laugh softly. William just tilts his head to peck Gabe's lips, and even though he tells himself it's the last one for the night, they always manage to fall asleep with their lips locked together and Gabe's music still humming softly through the stereo speakers.
-
“You didn't go home again, last night,” William says softly, even though they're both totally aware of it. He's not scolding, he's not upset, but rather, smiling a little as he says the words. Gabe looks up from where he's still in bed and smiles back, watches as William wiggles into some jeans.
“Why do you have to wake up so early, William?” Gabe finally asks, resting his hands behind his head as an addition to the pillow he's already leaning on. William pauses and looks over, bites his lip, but just turns away to grab one of his belts off the floor.
“I have to meet up with Cassadee,” he shrugs, looping the leather through the belt loops in his already-tight-enough jeans.
“No you don't,” Gabe says bluntly, frowning only softly.
William lets out a quiet sigh as he finishes doing up his belt. He walks back over to the bed and sits down on the edge, still shirtless, and takes a light hold of one of the lumps under the blankets which is Gabe's foot. “I need to make money some how, Gabe,” he murmurs.
Gabe just shakes his head and sits up. “William, you know that I'll-”
“Gabe,” William interrupts, squeezing lightly. “You know that I hate when you talk about giving me money. The CD player was enough.” He smiles as he says it but it's sort of sad, sort of regretful as he takes a glance over at the stereo.
“Oh,” Gabe says, looking down as he started to draw invisible shapes in the blankets. “I guess. I guess you wont want a full-year anniversary present, then?” He asks, looking back up at William with a smile, that time.
William just pauses and releases a groan, but he can't hide a smile as he does so. “What are you getting me?” He murmurs, finally letting go of Gabe's foot and crawling up the bed so he can sit in Gabe's lap.
“You'll find out,” Gabe smirks.
“Is it expensive?” William frowns seriously, draping his arms around Gabe's shoulders. He feels Gabe wraps his arms around William's waist and simply shrugs, not giving any more information. “I'll make you take it back to the store if it's too expensive.” It's an empty threat and they both know it, but that doesn't stop Gabe from grinning and leaning forward to kiss him.
“Why don't... Why don't, maybe, we just stay in. Just for today? We can tell Cassadee I got sick and you caught it off me?” Gabe whispers against William's lips far too hopefully, and even though William mumbles something incoherent and shifts on his lap to get a better kissing angle, he figures he's got a pretty good chance for this one.
After a few convincing kisses, Gabe manages to get William to strip his pants off again and they spend the entire day in bed, just like the night before; kissing, touching, feeling.
-
“William,” Cassadee groans, leaning her hip against the stall. “Wiiilliam, you were meant to be here. We had customers! Can you believe it? Customers.”
William just laughs softly and hoists himself up to sit on Gabe's table, leaning back to scan through some of the CDs he's got there. Gabe looks over and grins at William, even though he can't see him, before he turns back to a customer he's serving.
“Although I guess it wasn't all that bad. There was this really hot guy that came by, and without a she-man like you to distract him, he actually talked to me,” Cassadee grins proudly as she speaks.
William suddenly looks up though, a little interested. Only curious, really. “Hot guy?” He asks, cowering when he feels Gabe slap him playfully over the back of the head. He turns to look at him over his shoulder and whines, “What?” before looking back at Cassadee. “So, you finally got a boyfriend?”
She frowns and slaps his thigh, making him wince again. “Hey! I'm fragile,” he mutters, rubbing his hand over the spot. Cassadee just grins again and shrugs.
“Not yet.”
The three of them all hear a chiming in the distance as the market high clock hits the next hour. “Noon already?” Gabe asks to no-one in particular, looking up at the hands on the face of it. “Looks like it's time for our lunch break, bye Cassie!” Gabe grins and nudges William off the stall and grabs his arm without so much of a warning. Cassadee lets out an over dramatic sigh and waves her hand at them before she retreats back to her own stall.
“Since when did we stick to a schedule?” William finally asks when she's out of earshot and Gabe is lugging him towards a close-by Starbucks. He hears his boyfriend chuckle and replace his hand from around William's wrist to around his waist instead.
“Since she started talking too much,” he shrugs, and William really wishes he hadn't giggled at that.
Gabe sticks to the normal routine from there on; leading William to a table, walking over to order their regular coffees along with some rolls for them too. He seats himself next to William in the booth as he sets down his latte, instantly taking a sip of his own mocha.
“So,” William says, breaking off a corner of his croissant and putting it in his mouth.
“It's almost Christmas,” Gabe pipes up with an eager smile, leaning a little against William's frame. His smile makes him look like a little boy at.. Well, at Christmas, and it only makes William smile wider.
“It is.”
“What do you want to do?”
William stops to think as his coffee cools. He really doesn't know. As much as he wants to just stay in bed for the day and pretend that it's just another day, he gets the feeling that Gabe actually does want to do something. “Sleep in?”
Gabe chuckles and it confirms William's assumption.
“You're going to make me get up at fuck in the morning and go ice skating or some shit, aren't you?” William asks glumly, resting his head on the other's shoulder. Gabe just laughs and rests his arm around William's shoulders, starting to play with his hair.
“No, but that'd be entertaining..”
William rolls his eyes and nudges Gabe's side but he doesn't make the move to stop him from curling his fingers through his locks. “If you do then I'm sending you home,” he warns softly, barely loud enough for himself to hear but Gabe gasps over dramatically anyway.
“You wouldn't dare!”
William smirks, “Wanna bet?”
Gabe frowns as he lifts his coffee back to his lips. William only snuggles closer to him to let him know he's far from serious and it makes him smile wider when Gabe pulls him closer. They sit together for a while before William looks up, sees Cassadee out the window at her paint stall. She's leaning against the table and she's wearing her best smile, talking to a man who seems half distracted more than anything.
“Hey,” William murmurs, lifting his head properly, “You think that's him?”
Gabe puts his coffee down and looks at the guy who Cassadee appears all to desperate to flirt with. He snorts, tapping William's shoulder to get him to shuffle out of the booth as he follows him out with both their coffees in his hands. “One way to find out,” he mutters, giving William his cup as they pass through the door.
When they're a few metres off, Cassadee finally looks up. She looks a little disappointed at first before she smiles back at this guy, then beckons them over. “Let me introduce you to my friends,” she says, hoisting herself up to sit on the table.
William stops a few feet short as Gabe walks over to sit in William's normal seat by his canvas. “This is William, he gets mad when I call him Bill,” she starts, then points over at Gabe. “Aaaand, that's Gabey baby.” Gabe rolls his eyes but she only grins.
William, though. He takes a sip of his coffee but keeps his eyes on the guy as he lifts a hand to wave, adding in a little smirk that does wonders to send a shiver down William's spine. His skin is dark, much darker than Gabe's, and his hair is braided back. His arms are completely inked and William sees the hint of a few more tattoos creeping up his neck. He wants to sit and stare at them all day because really, the colours look beautiful, and William has always been a fan of colour. Art on paper or art on bodies, it's beautiful nonetheless.
“Uhhh, hello? William? Earth to Bill?” Cassadee starts waving her arms around and William snaps out of his trance, goes a dark shade of red when he realises he's been staring. For a while. The guy seems amused by it, though, grins a little deviously as he cracks his knuckles casually then outstretches an arm.
“I'm Travis, s'nice to meet ya',” he nods, lightly shaking William's hand when he finally reaches out to it. He turns to Gabe for a moment, nods at the canvas and asks, “You paint?” before shoving his hands in his jeans pockets.
Gabe straightens up a little and shakes his head as he puts the near-empty coffee cup on the ground next to his chair. He shakes his head, “No,” then adds quite darkly, “My boyfriend does,” then nods at William. William goes a little red and hides his face behind his cup again, trying to ignore the sudden look from Travis.
“He's good,” he says to Gabe, slouching his posture a little.
Gabe nods slowly. “He is.”
Cassadee jumps down from the table when the three of them fall silent, clasps her hands together. “Well, seeing as you two have already had lunch, Trav, do you wanna come get something to eat with me?” She asks all too hopefully, offering that same charming smile she wore so well just before. But as Travis opens his mouth, William does the idiot thing and pipes up.
“Actually, I could go for seconds?”
Three pairs of eyes fall on him and he lifts his cup, again, to chew on the lid. “I mean, if you didn't mind.”
“William,” Gabe says, standing up from where he was sitting. “I just fed you a whole scone?”
William bites his lip, narrows his eyes and glances from Travis back to his boyfriend. “Gabe,” he mutters sternly, only getting the same glare in return.
“William.”
Travis raises his hand half in the air awkwardly as a gesture to try and cut in. “I'm er- Sure there's room?” he tries, trying to smile and lighten the mood, but Gabe just broods. William smiles half heartedly and Cassadee rolls her eyes at Gabe, or William, he's not sure, but the four of them all head back into the Starbucks in which William and Gabe previously came.
-
“I can't believe you today, Bill.” They're barely in the door and Gabe is already on about it, William thinks, and he really just doesn't get it.
“What? Huh? What did I do?” He snaps, throwing his coat down so it's draped over the CD player that's been unused since the day before. Gabe stays quiet until William walks to the kitchen, opens the pantry to look for something before remembering that, hey, he's poor, and he's never got something to do. “What is so wrong with me wanting to make a new friend?” he snaps again, crossing his arms as he turns to look at Gabe in the other room.
“Nothing wrong with that,” Gabe starts, crossing his arms as well as he cocks a hip. “What's wrong with it is how you were just. Ugh, look, it doesn't even matter.” He rolls his eyes and turns around as he starts to shrug his jacket off, but William walks over and shoves his shoulder gently. It does fuck all to actually hurt him, not that William was trying to, but it grabs Gabe's attention at least.
“No, go on, what did I do?” he mutters, hands on his hips.
Gabe grits his teeth as he turns and looks back at William. It's their first fight since... ever, and neither really know what they're doing. “What's wrong is the way you were all over him, Bill. Instantly laughing at his jokes, draping yourself all over him, just a total fucking suck up. I don't get it. He's not even that hot.”
William clenches his fists on his hips and tightens his jaw. He's about to cut in, say something like, “I wasn't on him. I found his jokes funny. I wasn't sucking up. That's just how I am, got a problem with it? Jesus fucking Christ, Gabe. Are you really this jealous over one guy I want to be friends with?” but none of it comes out. He purses his lips and looks out the window for a moment before rolling his eyes and shaking his head. What does come out is totally different. It's quieter, it's more pathetic, but it's all he can really muster.
“Just- -Get out, Gabe. Just get out.”
Gabe takes a heavy breath and tightens his coat around himself, his lip twitching as he turns to grab one of his hoodies that's on the end bed post, one that he's left there for a while. He turns back to William to utter, “I was planning to,” then just heads for the door. He stops, grabs his Rolling Stones CD that's resting on top of the CD player then goes to open the door. Just as he turns the handle, William's heart sinks a little and he wishes he could take it all back.
“Gabe?” He murmurs, still trying to sound strong.
Gabe stops and looks back at him as he opens the door. They're silent, William doesn't speak and Gabe doesn't make him. Instead, he just looks out the hallway then down at the hoodie bunched in his hands. “It's going to be fifteen degrees tonight,” he tells him. Without anything more, Gabe throws the hoodie to him and William catches it a little too desperately. “I'll see you tomorrow,” and with that, he's gone.
William doesn't actually realise how cold fifteen degrees is when he's got no one to cuddle him warmer. He doesn't wear the hoodie but rather, holds it, keeping in a little ball for the entire night to suck up as much warmth as he can get.
-
Things die down at least a week later. It's creeping up closer to the 25th of December but Gabe hasn't slept at William's house for a few good weeks. Travis has been hanging out more, asking what was up between them but no one really bothered to enlighten him. William doesn't think a fight should have lasted so long, but he's never had one before so, he doesn't really know.
“Gabe,” William says one day, drawing with pencil in his sketch pad because his hands are too shaky in the cold to be painting. “Gabe, please promise me we don't have to go ice skating at five in the morning at Christmas?”
Gabe snorts and sways as he shifts his weight from foot to foot. All he really says is, “Maybe,” before focusing his attention on his coffee and the warmth it's bringing. William rolls his eyes as he draws, doesn't notice as Travis creeps up on his other side until he sees Gabe stiffen from the corner of his eye. He looks at Gabe first, then at Travis, offering a little smile. He's worried to fall into another fight with Gabe, though, so he only says hello then goes back to drawing.
“Jesus shit, Bill, that's so wicked!” Travis suddenly exclaims, snatching the book off of him. William freezes and his eyes go wide as he looks up at the other. He tries to reach up and grab it back but Travis holds it up, and no shit, Travis is even taller than Gabe, which is several kinds of unfair. He lets out a little whine then looks at Gabe for help, but his boyfriend looks nothing but amused as he sips his coffee.
“How long you been drawin'?” Travis asks as he hands the book back, his hands finding their way back to his pockets again. William looks down as he smooths out the page (not that Travis crinkled it or anything) and answers with the same thing every time,
“A while.”
Travis nods and takes a look around, opens his mouth to say something but Cassadee quickly scurries over, waving a piece of paper in William's face and really, it's quite distracting. William mumbles something before he snatches it off her, skims what it says and his eyes go wide about halfway down the page. “Thank you!” He squeaks, pulling her down for a hug and even kissing her cheek.
“What's that?” Travis asks, nothing but confused as he leans down and tries to read over William's shoulder. He doesn't notice Gabe's irritated glare.
“There's this art convention that's happening like, really soon, and we've been waiting to get the details. Cassadee finally got a hold of a flier for me and I love her!” William beams, pulling her closer for another hug. She laughs, works mainly on getting himself out of the grip just as Gabe's face falls.
“When is it?” He asks softly, fumbling with his coffee cup as he tries to read over William's other shoulder. William scans the page until they find the dates at the bottom, pointing to the one he was planning to go to.
“Twenty-second,” he nods, looking back at Gabe. “You.. You can come, right?” He bites his lip, lowing the page.
Gabe opens his mouth to speak but shuts it, lowering to his knees so he's somewhat eye level with William. “I can't,” he starts, and William just slumps and looks down. “Bub, you know I can't. My dad's coming around just before Christmas and I gotta give him a place to stay. He's older now, I gotta look after-”
“Gabe, It's okay,” William interrupts. He offers a smile but Gabe knows it's nothing but forced. Faked. Something like that. “We'll go next year, alright?” He assures, giving Gabe this slightly more genuine smile. Because he knows they're going to be together next year, they're too tight for anything to stop them from being together. Gabe releases a breath and nods, takes one of William's hands and ignores the slightly amused smirk from Travis.
“Hey, where is this thing?” he asks, making William look up at him. “You know? Like, I could go with ya' if ya' wanted?”
Gabe squeezes William's hand subconsciously as William hands the flier to him. “East City Convention Centre, it's close by here,” he smiles, not noticing Gabe's distaste towards the idea as he squeezes tighter. Instead, he lets go of his hand so he can point on the flier to where it has the address. “It'd be cool if you came, cause Cassadee can't go either.”
Gabe starts mumbling something about leaving his padre by himself in the apartment so he could go too but no one really notices it. William is smiling properly by the time Travis waves them a goodbye, but he notices Gabe's slight scowl from where he's still kneeling by William's side.
“Hey, you're not actually jealous of him are you?” William asks seriously, his smile fading as he gives Gabe a you-can't-be-serious look, though he's more scared they're going to end up fighting again. But, in public. Gabe just shrugs and shakes his head quickly, but William doesn't buy it. He holds onto Gabe's face gently with both hands, cupping his cheeks and looking him dead in the eye. “I love you,” he mutters, pressing their lips together. It's the only consolation he can think of, but really, Gabe should know by now that William isn't some kind of whore. It's not like he and Travis are going to sleep together when they barely know each other.
-
Okay, William is freaking out. His self assuring didn't go far enough, 'cause Travis keeps shooting him these smiles, he's constantly brushing their hands as they walk and every time he stops to point something out, his hand niftily falls to hold the small of William's back. The worst part, is that William is doing absolutely nothing to stop him. William knows that he's going to tell him to stop soon enough, but Travis is just working everything into his actions so smoothly that William doesn't really have anything to get angry about. It's not flirting, it's barely affection, but it's driving William insane and he's not sure whether that's a good thing or not.
“You wanna get some food in a bit?” Travis suggests, tucking his hands in his pockets as they walk past a stall that still being set up by an artist that William doesn't recognise the name of. It takes him a moment to realise he's been asked a question, but quickly nods when Travis gives him a questioning look.
“Huh? Sure.”
Travis sighs after a moment and suddenly takes William's hand, drags him somewhere quieter towards the public toilets where there aren't any stalls. He stops walking when they're close enough to the doors, gets William to look at his face and puts his hands on the man's shoulders. “What's up with you today?” He asks in all serious, and William feels a weight lifted from his shoulders.
“Nothing,” he smiles, lifting a hand to hold onto Travis' wrist gently. “I'm fine. Just thinking how Gabe's doing,” he shrugs, taking a glance around. “So uhm, about lunch?”
Travis turns his head to look at the crowds, sucking his lower lip into his mouth. “About that,” he pauses, leaning his back against the wall next to the door leading to the men's bathroom, dropping one hand off of William's shoulder but keeping the other there. William swears he feels the other's thumb run gently over the skin but he assures himself he's just imagining it, that it's not actually happening. But then he actually feels Travis' thumb, he knows it, and that weight it back on his shoulders and even heavier than before.
“Hey, have you n' Gabe ever thought about an open relationship?” He asks. Totally smooth, William thinks. But, oh, shit, what did he say?
“I can't imagine Gabe with anyone else,” he admits, biting down on his lip. Hard. He uses his hand to nudge Travis' hand off of his shoulder, finally, but his neck gets a chill when the warmth of his palm disappears.
Travis just laughs. Really, William doesn't actually believe it, but he laughs. “But I can picture you with someone,” he smirks, reaching out to touch William's neck again. William doesn't push it off, but his eyes widen.
“Trav! I don't even know you!” He's whispering but he doesn't know why, perhaps just this fear that Gabe is lingering around, watching, listening, even though William is saying no to what Travis is saying, it still feels like he's doing the wrong thing. He could always just tell him flat out no and storm off, but instead he stands there and argues while Travis' long, warm fingers splay out against the crook of his neck.
“But I know you enough to know what I want,” Travis adds with a wider grin, a grin that sends a shiver down William's spine. He's not sure if it's the bad kind either, and that just makes him feel worse.
After a moment of silence Travis lowers his hand to grab onto William's wrist. He slides his palm down to hold his hand and lace their fingers, before he pulls William along and takes him into the men's bathroom with him.
“Travis?” William murmurs, sort of going with it, but more or less being dragged along. It's frightening almost, but his brain goes to mush when Travis pushes him up against one of the toilet cubicle walls and kisses him, just kisses the life out of him. His body catches up with his mind and soon enough he's nothing but limp, eyes wide as Travis' lips move against his own. Travis' hands move to hold his hips, which William would be glad for if he wasn't being kissed because if he didn't hold onto him somehow, the shock and limpness of it all would make him just fall to the ground.
He finally squeezes his eyes shut just as Travis pulls his mouth off, smirks at William and kisses the corner of his lips. William only breaths heavily, doesn't say anything, doesn't object, but doesn't initiate either. Before he gets a chance to say anything, Travis kisses him again and this time he closes his eyes, more or less feels with it, goes with it, tries to get what Travis is telling him through this kiss.
When Gabe kisses him it's always I love you or I'll protect you. With Travis, all he gets is hotfastdesperate, especially when the other hooks his thigh up between William's legs. A little higher and he gets a moan from William that's passed through the kiss and Travis smirks against his lips. William doesn't realise that he's holding onto Travis' forearms, that he gripping his biceps for dear life, still doesn't realise it when Travis pulls away to move them inside of the closest cubicle.
He turns to slide the lock in the door and William whimpers when he's pinned against the wall again. “What are we doing?” He whispers, scared and afraid. He tilts his head back when Travis' lips go to his neck, kissing and sucking and nipping so lightly it's going to be hard to see any marks.
“We're-” Travis pauses to take a breath as his thigh resumes it's old position, making William squeak again. “-We're giving into temptation,” and it's so true that it's horrifying.
When Travis lowers one of his hands to William's crotch, that's when it really kicks in. He squeezes his eyes shut and it almost feels like it's rape, but he knows that somewhere in his mind he wants this. Hell, it seems that his cock wants it, for every time Travis comes into contact with that area in the slightest he feels his skin twitch and his blood boil. He lets out a little moan when Travis starts to palm him, working and rubbing his palm against the denim so well. Travis quickly presses their lips together again with a smirk as he mumbles, “Quietly, baby, you'll wake the neighbours,” and it reminds William that they're in a public bathroom, if anywhere.
What's worse is that he can't stop thinking how much better it sounds when Travis calls him baby rather than when Gabe does.
He finally works up the courage some moments later, gasping, “Travis, we can't,” even though it's probably too late because he already feels half hard against the other's hand. He opens his mouth to protest again but Travis just kisses him, open mouthed and deeper, and that's when he can't help but rub his hips forward and moan against the other's tongue. Well, at least he tried to say no, right?
Travis' tongue tastes like something he can't put his finger on, something that's just different, hard to describe. Something that's not Gabe. He tastes cigarettes and coffee and white chocolate but he tries not to dwell on it, as much as he shouldn't he just focuses on the hand rubbing against his too-tight jeans. Travis gradually starts sucking on his tongue and it's painful to admit that William loves it, just being done like this against a toilet wall.
When William's belt is tugged loose, Travis wastes no time to dive his hand down and wrap his fingers around him, jerking him slowly to a level of complete hardness. William whimpers as he does, dropping his head back against the wall and squeezing his eyes shut tighter as he tries not to moan. Someone could come in at any second and hear what they're doing, or see if they were to notice the two sets of legs under the cubicle door.
William has sort of just given up on fighting back at all by the time Travis pushes his jeans past his hips. He bites his lip, going a little red as Travis pushes his own down, starts jerking himself for William to watch as he bites his lip and fumbles with himself. William finds himself awkwardly staring, exposed as he watches, still pressed with his back against the wall. He waits for Travis to reach back to tug a condom from his back pocket and bites his lip, not actually knowing anyone to carry them around with them. Unless Travis was like, planning this or something.
The thought kind of makes William a little bit harder.
Travis whispers something rushed and hurried to him that he doesn't quite catch, but figures he knows the jist of it when Travis tugs on his arm. He turns around so his stomach is against the wall, leaning a little bit so he can spread his legs. Though, Travis sort of just had to nudge them apart for him to get the message. William is meanwhile still pondering, trying to decide whether all of this is a good thing or a bad thing, when he feels two cold, wet fingers pressing at his entrance.
So, William has had sex. Obviously. It's just a surprise since it's been a few weeks at least, what with Gabe and he in a fight and everything. Gabe still hasn't slept at his house for a while, even though they're fine now, but it means that William still feels a little tight and has to gasp out, “One, please,” and feels pathetic when he does. But Travis only nods against William's shoulder before he kisses at his neck, takes a finger away so he starts to slide one lone finger into his hole.
William isn't sure what Travis has planned for this but he doesn't seem to be wasting too much time with the prep. After he scissors two fingers, William feels him pull them out and replace his hand with his cock, his hardness pressed against William's backside. He whimpers, probably startling Travis from the sound but he chuckles nonetheless. He can feel the rubber stretch when Travis pushes in, slowly, gradually making it easier. William is not some virgin being fucked against a wall, but he feels like it, so he's thankful for the gradual speed.
When Travis starts rocking, that's when William wishes he had a better grip on something. He tries to claw and grip the wall but it's just a cool, flat surface, making it harder to stay up. As soon as he seems like he's wobbling, Travis' hand snakes around his middle to hold his stomach, touching the bare skin under his shirt. He has trouble holding back a moan but only just manages when Travis seems to instantly pick up speed, making it really seem like a casual wall fuck than having sex or making love.
William doesn't think he wants to long how long it is before he comes, just just knows there's sweat on his brow and his breathing is shallow. He comes against the wall from Travis' hand jerking him off and he feels the other come inside the condom inside of him.
Cleaning up is scarily fast and easy as Travis pulls out, carelessly dumps the condom in the toilet for the next person to find. He does up his pants before he turns William around and does the same for him while treating him to a kiss, their lips probably red and sore. When he's got William's belt back on his hands travel from his hips around to his ass, cupping before he feels for William's cell. He tugs it out of his pocket and pauses the kiss, leaning up against him still as his fingers work over the thumb pad. William watches in awe, still chewing his lip, as Travis adds himself as a contact into William's phone.
“You ready to go?” He murmurs, sliding the phone back into William's back pocket. He doesn't wait for a verbal answer, the nod will suffice, before he lifts his hands to fix William's hair with a smirk and give him one last kiss before leaving the bathroom, walking hand in hand as they exit the building.
-
When William's at home he sort of wants to cry. He showers and makes himself a coffee but it's not as nice as the ones Gabe makes him, it's not as tasty as Travis' mouth, but it's enough. He sits on the end of his bed with a blank page of his art book sitting next to him, staring, taunting him. He cups his coffee and stares out the window but more into outer space, not noticing the liquid slowly go cold in his hands.
He can hear his neighbours in the halls but he doesn't pay attention to them and their talking and their footsteps through the building. The apartments are so small so there are so many that fit into the building, which means he has many neighbours. He just doesn't talk to any of them. William is still staring when footsteps approach his door, when a key is jammed into his lock and when the actual door opens. He finally turns his head when he hears the voice, barely smiles when he sees Gabe in his doorway. Gabe. He'd almost forgotten about Gabe.
“Hey baby,” he coos softly, almost experimentally, and William is reminded of how much nicer it is when Travis says it. Gabe walks in and shuts the door behind him, sits next to William on the bed and waits for him to say something. There's an uncomfortable silence as he reaches an arm around to drape around William's shoulders, to lean up and kiss his cheek, but William feels his smile against his skin.
“Hey,” he tries, but his eyes are glued to the window.
Gabe bites his lip as his arm falls to be around William's waist instead. He opens his mouth to speak, but William sees from the corner of his eye when Gabe stops himself last minute. He lifts his arm again, brushes William's hair back and tucks it behind his ear. He runs his fingers over the skin but lingers his thumb over one particular spot that makes William wince. He can only guess that Travis left some kind of mark.
“William-”
“I slept with Travis. Today.”
He swallows and keeps his eyes on the window, hands tightening around the mug. He doesn't know if that's what Gabe was going to ask, but William's already admitted it so it's no use in jumping up and telling him it's all a big joke. The silence is horrifying as Gabe stands up, takes a breath and walks back to the door.
“I hope he was worth it.”
William looks up just in time to see Gabe's mortified glare, his disgusted look that he only so definitely deserves before he leaves, shutting the door with a loud bang behind him.
It wasn't worth it. It wasn't worth it at all.
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