Chapter Text
The letter comes in the mail. Eric hasn’t gotten a letter in years because everything is online now. He doesn’t even get flyers anymore. It’s normally an empty box that he still check every other day on his way up to his apartment. He is shocked that day when he opens the mailbox and sees the letter sitting there.
He turns it over in his hand, brows furrowing in question as he reads the address in the corner. It’s from his old school, one he graduated from ten years ago. He notices the words “reunion” across the side, near his own name in the middle of the envelope. He doesn’t even know how they got his address. He doesn’t talk to many people from those days. There are only a few that left an impression in his life and he warranted deserving of his friendship to this day. The rest were simply bullies and punks who were complete assholes.
He hates that there is still one asshole that flashes in his own mind even after all these years. He has to shake himself out of those thoughts as he looks back at the letter.
He doesn’t remember his old school having reunions. It wasn’t something mentioned in his years there or following. It could be something new. He doesn’t know. The only thing he knows is that there is an envelope in his hand and he rips it open when curiously gets the better of him.
The letter inside is a classic invitation. It’s old school and Eric chuckles as he looks it over. It brights him back to days of birthday invitations as a kid, graduation invitations that still bring back good memories. He still has some of those invitation stashed away from parties that bring about a feeling of accomplishment and happiness for him.
The invitation is addressed to him on the letter. It says the basics like time and place. It’s at one of those swanky new restaurants in town that cost more money than Eric would ever pay. He doesn’t know how they could even fund all his classmates. He gets his answer at the bottom of the page, noting that it asks for ticket money for the event. He wasn’t sure it was worth the money. It also notes that it is the first school reunion ever, saying they hope to start the tradition strong.
Eric had been right about the school’s reunion. It looked like they were starting something new. He isn’t sure if he is going to go though. Those days bring back memories that are mostly bad. He’s worked through them all but he isn’t sure he wants to see the bullies from school. He doesn’t need to see them to validate his life. At the same time, he wants to go so they all know how successful he is. He wants them to see that he still made it after years of being torn down by those assholes.
The thoughts rattle around his head as he pulls out his phone. He dials the most recent number, holding it up to his ear. “Hey, Otis. Did you get the invitation yet?” Otis is one of the few good things from his school days and he sees the other at least once a week and they talk more than that. He doesn’t know why he would need to go when Otis tells him he got the invitation but will probably skip it.
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Eric sees Aimee on occasion. It’s normally when Otis hosts a little get together for friends and family. It’s usually a monthly occasion, but Aimee hasn’t been able to come the last few times as she’s been traveling for work. Eric is honestly shocked to see her when he walks in the door to Otis’s house that night.
She smiles at him like they’ve talked everyday for the last few months when in reality they haven’t talked since the last party. She had never quite meshed into their little group fully, not like Meave had. She had had a taste of being popular and it showed in their group when they hang out. It wasn’t like they didn’t all try, but it was easy to drift away from her when they all went to separate universities. Eric knows Otis only invites her because of Maeve. Aimee and Maeve have continued being friends to this day and Eric is still a little confused by that friendship. They didn’t quite fit together. He had given up trying to figure their friendship out a long time ago.
“Eric!” Eric looks around the room even though he knows Aimee called his name. He meets Otis’s eyes, trying to send the other a message, but Otis simply shrugs and continues his conversation with Maeve. Eric was ready to kill Otis. He wasn’t exactly in the mood to go through small talk with Aimee. This was supposed to be a party, enjoyable. He liked Aimee enough but it was always forced. Eric knows most of this comes from his end. He knows it’s because of his moment with Adam all those years ago. It had been awakened being around her at first and it still is somethings. No one knew about that moment with Adam, not even Otis. It was a moment Eric kept to himself, still keeps to himself. He just doesn’t want to let it slip even all these years later. Adam had apparently been chasing after Aimee, trying to get her back, when their little moment in the music room happened. Eric still doesn’t know why he finds it so weird to talk to Aimee. The therapist he saw in university said it could be because he had feelings for Adam and felt that he shouldn’t if he wanted to be friends with her (can’t date friends ex and all that shit) but Eric wasn’t so sure. He wasn’t sure if he ever had those kind of feelings for Adam. He was never allowed to find out and he hates that years later he still feels like he needs closure.
“Aimee, how have you been?” Eric forces a smile to his lips, glancing over at Otis one last time before he meets Aimee’s eyes. She is smiling brightly and Eric tries to match it, tries to pretend that he is happy to see her after all these months.
“I’m so great.” She answers, leaning forward to wrap her arms around him. Eric hugs her back awkwardly as she goes on. “I’ve been traveling for work.” Eric already knows this. Otis had told him as such after she missed the first get together a few months ago. “I’ve been helping plan this reunion for our class. It should be such a fun time.” Shit. That couldn’t be a good thing. “You’re going to come, right?”
He hadn’t exactly expected this. He had talked this over with Otis. He was sure he wasn’t going to go. Otis had never mentioned Aimee was the one putting this together. That changed things. It makes his stomach twist in guilt because he had planned on skipping it, still planned on skipping it. He may not have been close with Aimee but they were still friends and he felt he had to go support his friend. This fucking changed everything.
“I’m not sure I can go yet.” He decides to answer as the two pull away. He is trying to look Aimee in the eyes but he ends up looking at the painting on the wall. He is lying to her in this moment and he feels guilty. He knows that he can technically go, but he simply doesn’t want to go. He is already off work early that day, had taken it before the invitation had even come out for a mental health day. He doesn’t consider a school reunion a mental health day though. It seemed more like a flash of memories he had worked years to get over. It seemed more like backtracking at this point in his life. He had worked through his shit from school. He had worked through the bullying and crap he took. He had worked through his shit with Adam but he doesn’t know if everything will hold up when he walks through those doors and sees his classmates. It was totally different being there. He didn’t need that shit in his life.
“But you have to come! It will be such a good time. We’ll have an open bar and a dance floor. The whole place is reserved for the night.” She seems so excited about this. Eric hates that. It makes him feel like he has to go.
“I’ll see what I can do,” he settles on, forcing a smile to his lips. He suddenly realizes that he is going to go now. He suddenly realizes he needs to work on some of his self care techniques before he goes. He knows that he will be fine once he is there, but he wants to make sure he is prepared. Those years in school had been tough but they had built his confidence and composure a lot. They had helped him grow and become who he is today. He will show all those assholes how successful and confident he was.
Aimee seems satisfied with that answer and shoots him another smile before excusing herself. She interrupts Maeve and Otis, giving both a hug as she turns her attention to Maeve. Otis takes that moment to slip away from the pair as they start to talk about Aimee’s travels and makes his way over to Eric.
“Fuck. I think I just got roped into going to that shit reunion,” Eric tells the other, keeping his voice down so Aimee won’t hear him. He knows he hadn’t said yes outright, but it had been close enough. It didn’t matter if he didn’t want to go because Aimee was in their little friend group and he knew that he had to go to support her even if he hadn’t said yes right away. Being an adult met he had to do shit he didn’t want to sometimes and this was one of those things.
Otis frowns, nodding his head in agreement. “Me too.” At least the two of them can suffer together.
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“I don't know what to wear to this stupid thing.” Eric still doesn't want to go to this reunion but he feels like he has too. He ran into Aimee after the party and she brought it up again. He had still thought he could get out of it at that point. He was thinking about faking sick. He hadn't done that in awhile. He hasn't had too.The problem is that he ran into Aimee yesterday and he didn't think he could pretend to be sick today without even a sniffle yesterday when they saw each other.
This is how he finds himself standing in front of his floor length mirror trying to look fabulous because if he was going, he was going to show all those assholes how great his life was. They are going to know how successful he is. They are going to know how amazing he is doing despite all their effects to tear him down. He was happy with himself and confident in who he was and they couldn't get to him this time.
“I don't know either,” Otis admits. “The last time they saw me I was pretending to be a sex and relationship therapist. How do you dress when the previous fake therapist is a real therapist now and was doing unethical shit in school?”
“Just dress in a snappy suit and make sure they know you're a doctor now. We can't be blamed that much for the shit we did in school. Plus, you didn't ruin anyone's life so you're good. They probably don't even remember.” He can basically hear Otis thinking on the other end of the phone. He had seemed nervous these last few days, more so than usual. This must be why. He was worried about some shit Eric had thought they worked out ages ago. This is what Otis does though. He overthought things. “Plus, I hear there is someone interesting coming.”
Eric had heard through Lily, who he still talked to on occasion, that someone unexpected was coming but Eric had no idea who that could be. There weren't many interesting people in his class except that one kid who went on to play football for some major team. Eric didn't really care but others probably would make a big deal out of someone famous coming to the reunion even if he was only invited because he was a graduate of their class not because he was a famous athlete now.
“Have you heard anything about who is supposed to be coming?” It seems to have done the trick. Otis' mind is on this now, which means he has something else to focus on.
“I haven't heard anything.” He shrugs even though Otis can’t see him, but the other knows his mannerisms so well he probably knows he is shrugging. Otis hums on the other end. “Lily didn’t get that much information. It’s probably that soccer guy.”
“The one on Manchester United?” Otis asks like it is even a question that Eric will be able to answer. He knows the other is some hot shot athlete, but he doesn’t know much more than that. He isn’t big into sports and only finds a need to watch them when the athletes take their shirts off. “I doubt he would come anyway. Why come back to the reunion if you don’t have to?” Eric knows Otis hadn’t wanted to go, was only dragged along because of Aimee like Eric.
“Are we showing up fashionably late to this?” Otis already knows Eric doesn’t want to go so he doesn’t have to say it again. He has already complained time and time again to the other. He just needs to get over it and start to look on the bright side. He is going to show up all his classmates and show them how great his life was going. This was his time to shine. This was his moment. He didn’t peak in school like his classmates and he was going to show them. “We will have to really strut our stuff so we stand out. I want them to know my life is fucking awesome right now.”
Otis laughs on the other line, but doesn’t disagree. He is a good sport, just like when he danced with Eric at all their school dances when Eric lacked a date. He would do this for Eric even if he doesn’t care about this. Eric knows he is going for Aimee, but only to impress Maeve. It was like school all over again. It’s been years of will they, won’t they, but Eric had a good feeling about tonight. “Make sure you save me a dance like old times.” Eric can hear the smile in Otis’ voice and he smiles himself as he holds a shirt up in the mirror. He tosses it aside.
“The highlight of my night,” he laughs, memories of their last school dance flashing before his eyes. It was actually one hosted by his uni and Otis had been kind enough to step in when Eric’s boyfriend hadn’t been able to attend. It had been a fun as hell night even if his boyfriend hadn’t shown up. It worked out anyway because they broke up soon after and he was happy he had the memories of his last dance with Otis and not his asshole of a boyfriend at the time. “Just make sure you don’t try and lead again. I nearly broke your toe last time.”
Otis is still laughing on the other line and Eric can see him holding his stomach, tears in his eyes. Otis had nearly fallen backwards that night because Eric had stepped on his toe. It had been hilarious once he knew Otis was okay.
“I’ll be sure to let you lead.” The smile in his voice has Eric smiling as well. It is the first time he’s actually felt good about this dance, especially when he finally picks an outfit. Maybe this wasn’t going to be such a bad night after all.
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The music is pulsing from outside the building. He doesn’t know how the building is even standing it is vibrating so much. He is already dreading the loud music inside the building as he steps closer. He can see Otis on the other side of the parking lot. He looks nice in his black pants and button down shirt. Eric can see him tugging at the tie around his neck from here and he frowns at the other. It looks messy already.
“Stop playing with it!” he yells, startling Otis. He looks around the parking lot until he sees Eric standing by the door. The smile on his lips is a bit nervous as he hurries over to Eric, waving as he does.
“I can’t help it. It’s too tight.” Eric simply rolls his eyes at the other, reaching out to fix and straighten the material when Otis is in front of him. He can see the way Otis is fidgeting, shifting his weight back and forth. It is like the other has reverted back to his anxious high school self. It has a frown pulling down Eric’s lips as he finishes up the tie.
“Let’s get this over with.” Otis nods and they link arms. They stop in front of the door, watching the strobing lights from the outside for a second. Eric takes a deep breath in, the nervous hitting him now that he is actually going into this party, going to see all of his old classmates.
“Ready?”
“Ready.” Eric grips Otis’ arm a little tighter as they walk into the room. The music is louder than he expects and he can already feel his hearing going for the night. It takes a moment to adjust to the light but once he does he can see the DJ on the other side of the room, lights flashing behind him as they fling around the room. There are high tables scattered around the outskirts of the room and the food is along the wall to their left. The dance floor in the middle is filled with people. Eric recognizes some, but he honestly doesn’t recognize most of his classmates. The faces and names are drawing up blank.
“Maeve is over there!” Otis yells and Eric can barely hear him. Otis is pointing Maeve out though so Eric knows what he is saying and he follows the other over to the small group. Jackson is standing to the side, beer in hand as he looks around. He looks a bit uncomfortable and Eric knows he didn’t stay in touch with anyone from school. He disappeared off the map once they graduated. He is surprised to even see him here. He looks good in his suit though and Eric can appreciate that. He liked a good suit on a man but who doesn’t.
Aimee is standing next to him with a smile on her face. She has a wine glass in hand and she takes a long sip before she places it on the table. The pink dress she is wearing flows to the ground and shows off her strong back. She looks fierce. “It’s a hit!” She yells when they make it to the table. She looks like she has too much energy, especially for someone who worked on the event. He would think she would be worn out by now. This seems like it was hell to plan and Eric gives her credit for that.
Maeve is rocking a glass of beer, which matches the dark pantsuits she’s wearing. He hasn’t seen her dress this nice in a long time and she rocks the modern look. She looks beautiful with her hair out of her face and the red lipstick smeared across her lips. She is smiling at something Otis said and nods next to him. The two are quick to go into their own world talking about God knows what.
Lily is the last one at the table and she is quick to wrap Eric in a hug. They haven’t seen each other in a while but talk on occasion just to catch up. She is rocking a blue dress that falls to her knees and Eric thinks she looks like the ocean as she smiles at him when she pulls away. She laughs and sways and Eric watches as a man walks over and wraps his arms around her waist. It’s the guy she always wanted for herself in school and now she has it years later and looks happy. Eric couldn’t be happier for her.
He hadn’t noticed Otis leave but he quickly finds a drink in his hand and he shoots the other a smile. He knows him so well. The drink is gone in a few minutes as they chat and catch up over the music. It’s easier to hear now that he is used to the sound of the music. He replaces the tables drinks when they decide to go out on the dance floor.
The music is loud and the beat sucks but he jumps up and down and moves around the floor with his friends. It has him smiling as he sips his drink and spins around. The outfit he choose flows around him and makes him feel free. He almost forgets he is at his school reunion (because he hasn’t actually talked to anyone other than his friends).
The moment changes suddenly though. The music is blaring and the beat is finally good but the room has stopped dancing and everyone is staring at the door. Eric’s eyebrows furrow as he turns around to see what people are looking at. He is thinking that famous soccer player decided to show up to the reunion
The thing is, it isn’t the soccer player standing in the door. It isn’t even a graduate standing in the door. This man, because he is a man now, was pulled from school a year and a half early and was never seen again by his classmates. This was the same man that stole Eric’s first kiss and his first blowjob while threatening him along the way. This is the man that caused so much turmoil in his life for years after that. The man who a counselor had to help him move past before he could have any serious relationships because he confused him so much.
Adam fucking Groff is standing the doorway, nervous smile on his lips as he tugs at the tie around his neck.
Adam looks more handsome than Eric remembers. The lean muscle from school has only been defined with age. There is no signs of baby fat dusting his cheeks anymore, instead it is replaced with a soft layer of fuzz that Eric just wants to run his fingers through. The eyes are still the same piercing blue that he remembers, scanning over the crowd as Adam clearly looks for someone. The pants the other is wearing hugs his ass just right and the tie around his neck only bring out the blue in his eyes.
The lull only lasts a moments as the rest of his class starts to dance again, not even bothered by his presence. Eric is still staring though, watching the other look around. “Adam! Over here!” Eric is stunned when he hears Aimee call behind him and he can see the other waving out of the corner of his eyes.
The second he looks back at Adam their eyes lock. He has to swallow the lump in his throat as those eyes peirce into his soul. It has his breath catching and his palms sweating. The moment is broken when Jackson, drunk off his ass, runs into him on the dance floor, causing Eric’s drink to spill down the front of his beautiful top. It is a great excuse to slip away though, excuse himself from the party as he hurries over to the bar and around the outside of the crowd in order to avoid Adam. He hurries off to the bathroom down the hall as he downs the drink he just grabbed.
He never thought he would see Adam again. He hadn’t been prepared for this. He hadn’t expected so many feelings to come rushing back. It makes him feel like shit as he enters the bathroom, closing the door behind him as he takes in a few deep breaths, counting backwards from ten.
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Eric grips the sides of the sink as he takes in a deep breath. This was not what he was expecting tonight. He was just going to impress his peers and head back home and curl up in his pajamas. Adam didn’t even fucking graduate with them. Why the hell would he be here?
Eric jumps when the door opens, pulling away from the sink in order to rub at his eyes, like it will change anything, like it will make the vision of Adam disappear.
“Are you okay?” Eric let’s put a breath when Otis’ voice echoes in the otherwise empty bathroom. He thanks God that no one else is in here right now to see his breakdown.
“I’m just not feeling well,” he tells the other, turning to look at him. He forces a small smile to his lips and rubs his hands together in a nervous fashion. It’s been eleven and a half years and he still hasn’t told Otis about their moment in the music room, the one he still has a clear memory of. He was planning on taking that to the grave. It was probably the only thing that Otis didn’t know about him. He told the other everything.
“You doesn’t seem right to me.” He hates the Otis knows him so well. It did not work in his favor at this current moment. “Why did you run out when Adam came in?”
Eric was hoping he wouldn’t connect the dots but his asshole of a best friend had a doctorate in physiology with a focus in counseling and he knew everything about Eric. Well, almost everything. “Why is he even here?” He was changing the subject and he hopes the other would go with it.
“Aimee invited him. She ran into him a few weeks ago and they caught up. She said he’s been doing well.” The last Eric heard Aimee hated Adam. They had broken up and it had been a big to do at school. Aimee hadn’t mentioned him when they saw each other a few days ago and he doesn’t appreciate that. “She invited him as her plus one so he could see the old class.”
“Fuck,” Eric groans. This is just a crazy situation he has found himself in.
“What the hell is up with you? I know the asshole bullied you but I’ve never seen you like this, not even when we were in school.” Otis is too intuitive for his own good. He remembers when Otis was shy and anxious and he would never have been so confrontational. He really has come into his own since they graduated. He is happy his friend has grown so much but not really in this moment.
“It isn’t the fucking bullying! It’s the fucking blowjob! He kissed me, got me off and then left, never to be seen again!” Eric is frustrated and annoyed and he has to take in a few deep breaths to calm himself down. The second he does, he notices the shock on Otis’s face. He looks at a complete lose right now. “I never told you because I still sometime can’t believe it happened.”
“Did he…?” The shock is still there, but some of it has been replaced with concern. It takes a moment for Eric to process what the other is asking and Eric is quick to shake his head.
“He didn’t rape me. He didn’t force himself on me. It just...happened. I felt right in the moment.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah,” Eric agrees, running his fingers through his short hair. “We can’t hide out here forever.” He is going to have to go back out. He has to go out into the room to get out of the building in general. He wasn’t going to let Adam ruin this for him though. He was having fun before he came and he can have fun now too. “I’m not going to let him ruin the night. I’m actually having fun.”
“It’s better than I thought it would be.” Eric nods in agreement and links arms with his best friend. He knows he can do this. He can do anything with Otis’ support.
“Lets just get his over with so we can have fun.” The two of them smile at each other and Eric can’t help but feel like a weight has been lifted on his chest. He feels better now that he’s told Otis. It boosts his confidence as they open the door and step out. He was going to have a good time no matter what.
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He doesn’t see Adam when he steps into the room again. The bar is pretty empty and he orders himself another before he heads back out to the dance floor. It is hot and loud and he is having the time of his life. The heat becomes too much thought and he notices a little patio out back, which is actually empty right now. Aimee is currently joining the DJ and Eric doesn’t really feel like listening to Aimee talk about the good old days of school and he excuses himself before he heads out of the room.
He can hear Aimee’s voice in the background, but the breath of fresh air has any previous tension leaving his shoulders. The cool air hitting his face is quick to cool him off as he takes another sip of his new drink. The trail off to the side catches his attention and he glances back inside before he heads down the little trail. He just needed to get away from the sound of Aimee’s voice and the memories they flash from school.
There is a small sitting area at the end of the short path. It has tables set up and Eric thinks they probably have this open for customers when the weather is nice. It looks like they have it set up for the reunion, but no one has wondered down this path yet. They’ll probably start wondering down after Aimee does her speech and they get a few more drinks in them.
Eric picks the table furthest from the entrance and lets out a sigh. It’s nice to actually think and be able to hear his own thoughts. He had gotten over the whole club scene a while ago and finds that he can only take just so much of the loud music now.
“Tired of the music?” The voice startles Eric and he turns to find Adam standing a few feets away. He looks the same as Eric remembers, hands in his pockets and shoulders hunched. He seems a bit nervous as he rocks onto the balls of his feet. “I’m not much of a fan of loud noises myself.”
“I just don’t choose to relive our schools day if I don’t have too. It’s one thing being around classmates when your just dancing, but not when Aimee is giving a speech about the good ol’ days.”
“Yeah, sorry about that.” Eric furrows his brows at the other. He’s a little confused by right now. This isn’t really where he saw his night going. “I treated you like crap and I’m sorry. It wasn’t about you. It was my own shit.” Adam clarifies.
“It was a long time ago.” Eric had thought he had moved passed it. He had worked hard to move past it, but the apology feels like a weight lifted off his shoulders. Eric had never expected an apology. He had never expected to see Adam again. He didn’t even think he needed one at this point, but apparently he did. “But thanks. It sucked when you treated me like that.”
“I kinda sucked in school. I had a lot going on and took it out on you, which wasn’t cool.” Adam takes a tentative step forward and Eric shifts. He pushes the chair out next to him and Adam walks toward it. He looks shy and unsure of himself and it’s a new look for Eric. The last time they saw each other, he was miserable and sad, but Eric’s most vivid memories of him are the cruel teasing and the hardened look on his face, one that always hide a hint of sadness.
“Did you come to this reunion just to apologize?” Eric jokes, because the mood has shifted and it’s a little too sad and serious for his liking right now. This was supposed to be a fun night that was filled with a lot of alcohol and a lot of forgetting.
“I did.” Eric turns to look at him, noting how serious he looks. The way he is shifting nervously in his seat. The hands on the table are fidgeting and Eric thinks he actually just met what he said. He assumed Adam just wanted to crash the party like old times when he was trying to get Aimee back. Hell, he could still be trying to get Aimee back. Eric had no idea what has been happening in Adam’s life. It was apparently big things though.
“What?” He wants to hear it again. The music could have damaged his hearing or something. He could have just heard it in his head because that’s what he wanted the other to say.
“I’ve been working out some of my shit and figured this would be a good opportunity to apologize. I wasn’t going to come at first, but she mentioned you in passing. It sounds fucking stupid, but figured it would be my only opportunity.”
“You literally came to this thing to apologize to me?” Adam nods his head, eyes downcast as he watches the table closely. Eric doesn’t know why this has his heart pounding and his stomach turning. He hates that he likes that Adam still thinks about him. “Why?”
“Because I’ve always felt like crap for treating you how I did.”
Eric isn’t thinking. He can only repeat Adam’s words playing in his head over and over again. Adam literally only came to this party for Eric. He literally only came to this party to apologize to Eric. How the hell did that?
The thoughts have all of Eric’s common sense going out the window as he lurches forward and crashes their lips together. It’s in that moment that he realizes how much he has wanted to do that. He has been waiting year to do this again. This was the part of his life that never got closure. This was the part of his life that was always holding him back in his relationships. This was the closure that he needed with Adam.
The other seems eager as he places a hand on the back of Eric’s head, tilting his head and opening his lips so Eric can slip his tongue inside. Adam’s other hand wraps around his waist, leaving burning trails across his skin as he presses closer to the other, arms wrapping around Adam’s neck.
He doesn’t know how he ends up in his lap, but suddenly Adam’s hand are trailing up his shirt, leaving hot trails along Eric’s skin. There are lips against his neck and Eric sucks in a breath when Adam’s teeth graze pulse.
“Fuck, we can’t do this out here,” Eric breaths, pulling away to look at Adam. He can see the other’s eyes are shot, lust dripping from them. Adam’s lips are pink and puffy as he watches Eric closely, eyes scanning his face. “Fuck. We need to leave.”
“My place isn’t far.”
Adam doesn’t have to say another word as he takes the other’s hand and pulls him back toward the party. Aimee is still chatting away so they get out of the building without trouble and Eric shoots Otis a quick text that he isn’t feeling great and he slipped out early. He feels a little bad, but he knows Otis is having a good time. He can see it in the smile Otis shoots Maeve as Eric slips out the door. It works out in his favor as he slips out the door unnoticed, Adam’s hand still in his. He can’t help but think that this feels right.
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The walk home is a blur. Eric can feel the alcohol sitting in his stomach, maximizing his normal bright personality and his courage. He can feel the confidence coursing through his veins as they hurry down the street. Eric finds himself smiling a lot, giggles leaving his lips. He pauses every once and a while to press open mouthed kisses to Adam’s throat.
Adam was right when he said the walk was short. He lives just on the outskirts of downtown and Eric vaguely recognizes the bakery under his apartment. He’s surprised when they enter the front of the bakery and he furrows his brows at Adam as he holds the door open to the vacant room.
“I know people,” he shrugs and Eric pulls him in to press their lips together in a burning kiss. Adam laughs against his lips, one arm going to wrap around Eric’s waist as the other closes the door behind them, clicking the lock shut.
Adam is quick to walk him backwards, pressing him against the glass cases that hold delicious pastries. He pulls his lips away from Eric’s and Eric whines at the loss, only to let a moan slip from his lips when Adam presses his lips against his pulse point. “Fuck,” he breaths, leaning his body closer to Adam, trying to get more contact. He slips his fingers up Adam’s shirt, trailing along defined muscles that he suddenly has a desire to see.
Eric tries to get the offending shirt off, but Adam stops him, fingers wrapping around his gently. “Let’s go upstairs. I don’t want anyone to see,” Adam mumbles and Eric has to take a moment to process the words, the combination of lust and alcohol starting to cloud his mind. He finally nods though and Adam takes his hand and leads him around the back and through the large kitchen.
The walk up the stairs is excruciating. He wants to tear Adam’s clothes off and press his lips to every part of the other’s body. He wants to bend over as he lets Adam take him, long and hard. He wants to spread out on the bed as Adam’s tongue roams over his body. He hates that he is so turned on right now. He hates that he wants the other so much right now.
He thinks it is the control of this moment. Adam was tentative with his touches, eyes connecting to ask permission. Eric was the one leading this and it showed in the way Eric pressed the other to the door the second they stepped into the apartment above the bakery. It showed in the way Adam’s eyes met Eric’s as Eric started to trail his lips down his body until Eric was one his knees, hooded eyes looking up at the other.
“Are you sure?” The words are comforting and hesitant as fingers trail along Eric’s jaw. Adam’s eyes are vulnerable and open and Eric flashes to that night in the bandroom, the only other day he’s seen Adam this open. The breath catches in his throat as he sees how unsure Adam is, how nervous he is right now. “You don’t have too.”
The words cause a fire to burn in Eric’s stomach as he is quick to pull the buckle of the other’s belt from the loops. He tosses it away without a thought, pulling the zipper open. He pauses for a moment, looking back up to meet Adam’s eyes. The look in the other’s eyes has Eric tugging the other free before his wraps his lips around him.
The rest of the night is a blur of discarded clothes and moans. It’s like fire in Eric’s viens when Adam presses him to the bed, mumbling reassurances and asking permission along the way. Eric’s heart leaps every time their eyes meet and he has to push the thoughts away as he nods to the other, telling him to keep going.
It’s passionate, and burning, and searing, and Eric can’t help but think how right it feels when he falls asleep that night, Adam’s arm draped over his middle.