Fic: Lemon Chiffon (Citrus Series III) (BWOC, Tommy/Merton, NC17)
Title: Lemon Chiffon
Fandom: BWOC
Pairing: Tommy/Merton
Rating: NC17
“Remind me again how I let you talk me into…totally worth it,” Merton finished, his jaw dropping a little as Tommy stepped into the Lair. Merton had spent more time than he really wanted to admit over the past month imagining what Tommy would look like when he showed up tonight, but his imagination had never come close to the sight before him. Tommy filled out his black tux better than anybody really had any business doing, he almost always looked good but tonight he looked at least five years older. His tie was a weird shade of lemon yellow that under any other circumstances would have looked strange, but it worked with his green eyes and Merton wasn’t about to complain about that.
Merton had insisted on black on black on black, of course, and while his own tux suited him he knew he didn’t look nearly as good as Tommy. Tommy looked like…well, like he’d just walked out of one of those ads in a bridal magazine. Not that Merton spent any time looking at bridal magazines, but his mom had helped his cousin plan her wedding last summer and some of those male models were pretty hot…
“Merton, you with me?”
He snapped out of it in time to see Tommy stop directly in front of him, an amused grin turning up the corners of his mouth as he leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on the smaller boy’s lips. They’d been together for a month but he still got a thrill every time Tommy kissed him, they could be anywhere and it always took him by surprise that it was actually happening. “Oh yeah, I’m with you,” he breathed when Tommy finally released his mouth.
“Good.” Tommy grinned his approval as he looked Merton up and down, one strong hand landing on Merton’s chest to finger the buttons of his shirt. “Let’s get a move on before I decide I can’t wait to get you back out of this.”
“Now there’s an idea,” Merton said hopefully, pouting as Tommy laughed and steered him toward the door to the Lair.
“Nice try, but we’re going,” Tommy said, his tone letting Merton know that he wasn’t going to win this particular argument. He slid an arm around Merton’s shoulders as they stepped into the cool night air, falling easily into step next to his best friend. “It’ll be fun, you’ll see. It’s the last big event of the year, we have to go.”
Merton raised his eyebrows and cast a sidelong glance at Tommy’s profile, but the taller boy wasn’t paying any attention to him. He was already caught up in his idea of prom night, and as much as Merton wasn’t looking forward to spending the entire night standing around watching Tommy make the rounds he didn’t want to ruin it for him either. “Sure, Tommy. It’ll be great.”
The arm around his shoulders tightened reflexively and he smiled in spite of himself, leaning into Tommy’s side as they made their way down the sidewalk toward the hearse. He wasn’t even sure why he was so worried about going to the prom with his boyfriend, it wasn’t like everybody didn’t already know they were a couple. Tommy had been right, when they came out nobody really reacted at all. They got a few weird looks when they held hands in the halls or if Tommy got a little over-enthusiastic and actually kissed him at school, but other than that everyone seemed to take it in stride. Not even Lori seemed surprised, so there was no reason to think tonight would be any different.
Except for the fact that tonight was a social event, and there was bound to be dancing and hand-holding and if he knew Tommy at all there would definitely be kissing. The looks they got occasionally at school never seemed to phase Tommy, in fact Merton wasn’t sure if his boyfriend even noticed them. Then again maybe Tommy was just better at ignoring stuff like that than he was, maybe he should be used to it by now but it wasn’t the same as when people gave him weird looks because of his clothes. Making fun of him was one thing, but he couldn’t stand the thought of people talking about Tommy.
“Stop brooding,” Tommy said, his breath warming Merton’s neck as he leaned down to whisper in his ear. “It’s just a dance, we’ll stay and see who makes Prom King and Queen and then we’ll go. If it’s that bad we can leave any time, okay?”
“It’s fine, Tommy,” Merton lied, hoping he looked more cheerful than he felt. He hadn’t even realized he was brooding until Tommy called him on it, and now he forcibly tried to pull himself together so he wouldn’t ruin his best friend’s fun. “I wasn’t even thinking about the dance.”
“Liar,” Tommy said as they stopped next to the hearse. Tommy let go of him and pulled open the passenger door, waiting until Merton got in the other side before he slid toward the center of the seat and pressed his lips to Merton’s neck. “I’m not sure how long I’m gonna be able to stand being out in public anyway.”
A shiver rolled down Merton’s spine and straight to his groin as Tommy pulled away again, the feeling of his lips on Merton’s skin lingering just enough to make him forget to be nervous. He did his best to pull himself together and started the car, not daring to look over at the far too tempting body in his passenger seat until they pulled into the school parking lot.
“Here goes nothing,” Merton joked, his voice wavering a little as they got out of the car. He straightened his jacket and glanced at the school, where groups of students were gathered outside the gym entrance.
“Relax,” Tommy said, smiling as he reached for Merton’s hand and pulled him forward for another quick kiss. “It’s just like going to school only at night, right?”
“Sure,” Merton answered, not that he believed it for a second. For one thing there was a decided lack of actual dancing during school hours, and for another thing History and Calculus weren’t couple activities. Even though he and Tommy had been together for four weeks and everyone at school knew about it, there was just something about actually going to the biggest event of the school year as a couple. Visions of pig’s blood and the mocking faces of their classmates filled his head and he squeezed his eyes shut, telling himself this wasn’t a Carrie movie and he wasn’t being set up for some dumb joke. He knew how Tommy felt about him, and whatever happened at the prom wasn’t going to change that.
He steeled himself against any stray whispers or weird looks and followed Tommy into the gym, his eyes wide as he looked around at the decorations. “Holy…who did this?” It was bad enough the school was so cheap that they had to have their prom in the gym instead of somewhere nice like a normal high school, but to add insult to injury the prom committee had evidently decided that this year’s theme would be Rainbow Sherbet. The whole gym was decorated in pastel crepe paper in nauseating shades of pink, baby blue, lemon yellow and lime green. “This looks like my sister’s Rainbow Bright dolls on acid.”
“Hey, at least my tie matches,” Tommy said, grinning as Merton scowled at him. “Come on, Merton, lighten up. I’m gonna go see what they’ve got to drink, you want anything?”
“Yeah, scotch straight up,” Merton shot back. He let out a labored sigh when Tommy raised his eyebrows disapprovingly, shaking his head in resignation. “Okay, okay, it’s what my dad drinks. Although at this point I think it might make this room look better. Soda, whatever, I don’t care.”
Tommy smiled and leaned forward to kiss his cheek. “Don’t go anywhere.”
“Don’t tempt me,” Merton called after him, folding his arms over his chest as he scanned the crowd aimlessly. He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting exactly, but so far none of the people that happened to glance in his direction reacted one way or the other to his presence. Then again all he was doing for the time being was standing there, if Tommy cajoled him into dancing or something things could change fast. He let out a sigh and glanced in the direction of the refreshment table, scanning the crowd for any sign of his date. Letting Tommy guilt him into going to the prom was the dumbest thing he’d done so far in the name of love, but he knew all too well what a sucker he was when it came to Tommy and his puppy dog eyes.
“You’re doing it again,” a voice whispered in his ear, and he jumped and spun too fast, nearly colliding with Tommy and spilling both their drinks on his boyfriend’s tux. Tommy took a step backwards and somehow managed to save his shirt, frowning as he held one of the cups out to Merton. “Whoa, calm down. What’s wrong with you tonight?”
“Nothing,” Merton muttered as he took the soda, part of him angry at himself for ruining Tommy’s night and the rest of him furious that he’d let himself get roped into coming. He should have sent Tommy to the prom with Lori, at least that way he wouldn’t have to worry about what everyone was saying about them behind their backs. He looked up to find Tommy still frowning suspiciously, steeling himself against his boyfriend’s disapproving stare. “It’s nothing, I’m sorry. It’s just that this isn’t like being at school together. I know everybody knows about us but this is different, it’s a couple thing and everyone’s going to see us being all couply. It just feels weird.”
“I don’t get it,” Tommy said, his forehead furrowed in a confused expression that Merton usually found endearing. “You’ve spent the past few years not giving a damn what anybody thinks about you, but all of a sudden you’re worried about what people are thinking when they see us together? They thought we were together before it was even true, Merton. Why does it matter so much to you now? Is it because of me?”
“What? No, of course not,” Merton answered, a surge of adrenaline hitting him as he realized that Tommy was totally misunderstanding what he was saying. “I don’t care what people say about me, Tommy. I mean yeah, okay, so it hurts sometimes to hear some of the stuff people say, but I’m used to it. The thing that bothers me is people saying stuff about you.”
“Merton, I think I can handle it,” Tommy said, his expression softening as he took a step closer to the other boy. He took Merton’s drink out of his hand and set both cups down on the nearest table before turning back to Merton and holding out his hand. “Come on.”
“Where are we going?” Merton asked, hesitating as he stared at Tommy’s outstretched hand.
Tommy sighed and leaned forward, grabbing Merton’s hand and turning toward the dance floor where most of their classmates were already moving together to the slow song playing on the sound system. He pulled Merton along behind him, ignoring the other boy’s protests that he didn’t dance, thank you very much. He only stopped when they reached the center of the dance floor, finally letting go of Merton’s hand to grasp his hips.
As soon as they stopped walking Merton opened his mouth to protest, but one look from Tommy and he closed his mouth again. As soon as Tommy slid his hands around Merton’s waist and pulled him close he forgot about the people around them, sliding his own arms around Tommy’s neck as the taller boy leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on his lips. This was exactly what Merton had been dreading; he knew at some point they’d end up dancing and kissing and now here they were, doing both at once and they hadn’t even been at the prom for fifteen minutes. And the worst part was that he knew people were probably staring but he couldn’t make himself care, because Tommy was holding him tight and kissing him was the best feeling in the world.
“Hey, you two, no making out on the dance floor.”
Merton blushed and tore his lips away from Tommy’s at the interruption, rolling his eyes when he looked over to find Lori smirking at them.
“Hey, Lori,” Tommy said, a mischievous grin lighting up his features as he tightened his grip on Merton. “What, couldn’t find a date so you’re ruining everybody else’s fun?”
“Cute, Dawkins,” she shot back, making a vaguely disgusted face as she looked him up and down. “Nice tie. You know I can’t believe I went out with you.”
“That hurts,” Tommy said, but the grin plastered on his face ruined the affect. “Seriously, who’d you finally get to take you to this thing?”
She glanced over her shoulder in the direction of the stage that had been set up under one of the basketball hoops, a dreamy and very uncharacteristic smile lighting up her features. “The guy with the microphone. Isn’t he amazing?”
Tommy and Merton both followed her gaze, twin looks of shock on their faces as they took in the pale, thin lead singer of whatever garage band the prom committee had scraped up to play bad live music. He had dark hair and at least four earrings in the ear they could see, and he was wearing a crimson shirt with tight black leather pants. “Whoa, he’s pretty hot,” Tommy said.
“Hey!” Merton let go of Tommy long enough to smack the back of his head, drawing his boyfriend’s attention back to him.
“Oh, sorry,” Tommy said, flashing Merton a sheepish grin. “Not as hot as you, of course. But I think you could use a pair of those pants.”
Merton grinned back at him, mollified by the compliment. He grasped the back of Tommy’s neck and pulled him forward, letting out an irritated sigh when a throat cleared next to them, reminding them that they weren’t alone.
“Uh, guys? Still standing here,” Lori said, grinning at Tommy’s slightly dazed expression and Merton’s irritated scowl.
“Sorry, Lori,” Tommy said, shaking his head to clear the fog that had settled in his brain the moment he pictured Merton in leather pants. “I never thought you’d go for a guy like that. He doesn’t really seem like your type.”
“Yeah, well, people surprise you all the time,” she said, quirking an eyebrow at the two of them. “Anyway I gotta go see if I can wrestle Ian away from the mike for awhile. Catch you guys later.”
“Yeah, later,” Merton called after her, his gaze still locked on Tommy as they began moving together again. While they were kissing he’d been able to put the rest of the world out of his mind, but as soon as Lori interrupted them he remembered exactly where they were. He glanced over Tommy’s shoulder as they swayed together, misjudging a step and landing squarely on Tommy’s toes in the process.
Tommy yelped and pushed Merton away reflexively, but as soon as he registered the look of regret on the smaller boy’s features Tommy tightened his grip and pulled him close again.
“Sorry,” Merton muttered into his shoulder.
“It’s okay,” Tommy answered, running a soothing hand through Merton’s hair.
“That’s kind of your fault, though,” Merton said after a moment, grinning mischievously against Tommy’s chest.
“How do you figure that?”
“Well I told you I couldn’t dance,” Merton answered, pulling away just enough to look up at Tommy. “You’re the one that dragged me out here anyway.”
Tommy grinned and leaned forward again, pressing his lips to Merton’s. “I can live with that,” he said when they finally parted for air.
“Good.” Merton finally began to relax, realizing that maybe Tommy was right after all and nobody cared what they did. After all, everyone had had four weeks to get used to the idea, and if Tommy was right they’d all believed something was going on before it was even true.
The music shifted to something faster and Tommy let go of Merton, taking his hand again and leading him to the edge of the dance floor. They were halfway to an empty table when Tommy stopped short, and Merton barely managed to catch himself before he collided with the taller boy. “Tommy, what’s the…” He trailed off as he glanced over Tommy’s shoulder and right at Tim Eckert, vaguely wondering if he’d ever actually seen one of the twins without the other before.
“Hey, Tim,” Tommy said, tightening his grip on Merton’s hand as he stepped a little in front of him. “Where’s Travis?”
Tim ignored the question as he looked from one to the other of them, frowning slightly without saying anything. All Merton’s fears about the night came back at once, and he found himself tensing as he waited for the first blow. He knew the wolf could take both twins at once, but if Tommy wolfed out in a room full of all their classmates it would all be over. He wasn’t sure anyone would come to their defense if Tim decided to kill them both, though.
Finally Tim cleared his throat and sniffed loudly, reaching up with one meaty hand to wipe at his eyes. “Sorry, I just wanted to tell you guys that I think what you’re doing is beautiful. I know we’ve given you a hard time, Morton, but it’s a brave thing you’re doing, showing up here tonight.”
“Merton,” Merton corrected him, swallowing and ducking a little further behind Tommy as he realized what he’d said.
“Whatever. I gotta go before Travis sees me talking to you without actually hitting you or anything. I just…it’s just really beautiful, that you have each other.” Tim sniffed again and directed a friendly punch at Tommy’s arm, knocking him off balance and into Merton.
“Uh…thanks,” Tommy said when he caught himself, pulling his hand out of Merton’s to put his arm around his boyfriend’s shoulders. Tim just stood there watching them, obviously struggling to hold back his emotions.
“Hey, and if you ever want to talk about…whatever, just…you know, give us a call,” Merton added, smiling gently at Tim’s look of shocked gratitude. He and Tommy both smiled and waved as Tim slowly backed away, neither of them saying anything until he disappeared into the crowd.
“Well, that was…weird,” Tommy finally said, shaking his head as he stared in the direction Tim had disappeared.
“Yeah.” Merton blinked and glanced over at Tommy, his own confusion mirrored back to him in Tommy’s expression. “Did he just almost come out to us?”
“I don’t know,” Tommy answered, finally looking over at Merton. “I think…whoa. Travis is gonna freak.”
Merton shook his head at the thought of Travis’ reaction, that was if Tim actually was trying to tell them something and not just a romantic at heart. “I knew something weird was going to happen tonight.”
“Yeah, but at least it wasn’t bad. Just really, really weird.” Tommy grinned when Merton looked over at him, turning the smaller boy toward him and wrapping his arms around Merton’s waist. “See, this wasn’t so bad, was it?”
Merton rolled his eyes and tried his best to stifle a smile, but he couldn’t quite keep his amusement from showing. “Like I can resist when you give me that look anyway. You knew I wouldn’t say no.”
“Okay, yeah, I knew,” Tommy answered. “You didn’t have to, though. So I guess what I’m trying to say here is thanks.”
“I’m here because I knew it would make you happy.” Merton shrugged and let Tommy pull him a little closer, focusing on the taller boy’s chest so he wouldn’t have to look in his eyes while he explained. “I love you, Tommy.”
“I know, I love you too,” Tommy said, reaching out to cup Merton’s cheek.
“It’s more than that.” Merton looked up then, catching Tommy’s hand in his and pulling it away from his face. “Look, I know we’re still in high school and everything could change when college starts, but I just…I’m always going to love you, Tommy. I’ll never stop needing you in my life.”
Tommy’s heart skipped a beat and his breath caught in his throat as the gravity of Merton’s words sank in. It was a huge promise, but even though the thought of forever terrified him he knew he meant it as much as Merton did. He swallowed against the tightness in his throat and leaned forward, crushing Merton’s mouth against his. He wasn’t sure how to answer, he didn’t know if he’d get the words right or if he’d mess it up the way he usually did. The only thing he did know was that he loved Merton, and he was going to love him for as long as Merton let him.
Finally they broke apart to gasp for breath, Merton’s forehead resting against Tommy’s shoulder as the taller boy stroked his back soothingly. “Me too, Merton,” he whispered into Merton’s hair. “Always.”
Merton smiled and pulled out of Tommy’s grasp, his eyes shining as he reached for the other boy’s hand and glanced hopefully in the direction of the door. “You think we can get out of here a little early?”
“Oh yeah,” Tommy answered, a shiver running down his spine as he caught the gleam in Merton’s eyes. He tightened his grip on Merton’s hand and practically dragged him toward the exit, stopping only when they reached the car. Part of him wanted to wolf out and toss Merton over his shoulder, it would be faster if he just ran all the way back to the Lair. Instead he settled for sliding as close to Merton as he could and nuzzling his neck, alternating between gentle nips and soft kisses as Merton made a valiant effort to get them home in one piece.
Somehow they made it home without crashing the hearse into anything except the curb outside Merton’s house, and Tommy let go long enough to climb out of the car. As soon as they both stepped onto the sidewalk Tommy wrapped his arms around Merton again, walking backwards toward the stairs as he picked up his exploration of the smaller boy’s neck. They managed to make it down the stairs without falling and breaking both their necks, pausing long enough for Merton to fumble in his pocket for the key.
“Door,” Merton gasped as Tommy pushed him through the entrance to the Lair and crushed the smaller boy to his chest. Tommy paused long enough to kick the door shut before he dipped his head to capture Merton’s lips with his own, yanking Merton’s shirt out of his pants as Merton reached up and began tugging at his tie. Together they stumbled into the room, discarding clothes along the way until finally Merton’s legs hit the back of the bed. He sank down onto the mattress and pulled Tommy with him, a soft sigh escaping his throat as Tommy crawled over him and buried his face in Merton’s neck.
The past month had been a series of eye-opening experiences, starting with the night that Tommy showed up unannounced and soaking wet and proceeded to take off all his clothes and seduce Merton. That still seemed more like a dream than a memory, and if Tommy wasn’t busy sucking all the blood in his neck to the surface of his skin he might not believe it had actually happened. He let out a whimper he knew sounded pitiful as he caressed every part of Tommy he could reach, his hands moving over the other boy’s back and sides. “I meant what I said tonight,” he whispered.
Tommy pulled away from his neck to look down at him, his eyes shining with an emotion that still filled Merton with awe every time he saw it. “I know you did. I meant it too, you know.”
“I know,” Merton echoed, an awe-struck smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he grabbed hold of Tommy’s hips and rolled them both onto their sides. “Some days I still think I’ll wake up and all this will just be a dream.”
“It’s real, Merton. I love you, nothing’s ever gonna change that.”
Merton leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on Tommy’s mouth before pulling out of the other boy’s arms long enough to roll over onto his other side. He reached over to the nightstand and fumbled around until he found the tube of lube he kept in the drawer, handing it over his shoulder to Tommy as he snuggled back into Tommy’s chest.
Tommy bit back a groan as he wrenched the cap off the tube and dropped it somewhere near the head of the bed, beyond caring whether or not they ever found it. When Merton offered himself wordlessly to Tommy it was almost more than he could take; they’d been together more times than he could count in the past month but he still couldn’t believe the turn their relationship had taken. He knew exactly how Merton felt when he said he was afraid he was going to wake up one day to find out this was all some crazy dream, but the fact was that they were here and he could smell and taste and touch his best friend. He quickly coated two fingers with lube and ran his hand down Merton’s hip, his breath coming in short gasps as he pressed his lips to a bare shoulder and ran his fingers across the entrance to Merton’s body.
A shiver ran down the smaller boy’s spine as he arched into Tommy’s touch, trying and failing to get the teasing fingers where he wanted them. Tommy ran his fingers over the sensitive spot again, this time evoking a frustrated moan from the other boy. He smiled indulgently and nudged Merton’s thigh, pushing his leg toward his chest before he slid two slick fingers inside.
Automatically Merton thrust back, burying Tommy’s fingers as deep as he could before Tommy pulled back out again. His own erection was quickly approaching painful, but he didn’t want to rush. Not tonight, not after the promise Merton had made. He knew how hard that promise would be to keep, but considering what he was and how completely Merton understood him he had a feeling they could actually make it. He worked his fingers at an excruciatingly slow pace, ignoring his growing need and Merton’s frustrated thrusts. Finally Merton reached his limit, though, and his eyes snapped open long enough to look over his shoulder at Tommy. “More,” he demanded, eyes flashing with lust and determination.
Tommy groaned low in his throat and relented, fumbling in the tangle of sheets for the lube. Finally he found it and quickly coated his erection before settling against Merton again, sliding one arm around the smaller boy’s waist. “Ready?” he whispered in Merton’s ear, trailing his lips along the column of the other boy’s neck as he waited for an answer.
“I’ve been ready since you walked in here wearing that ugly tie,” Merton answered, his breath coming in short gasps. Tommy laughed and planted one last kiss on the back of Merton’s neck before he gripped his hips and slid slowly inside. Merton hissed and tensed against the sudden intrusion, and Tommy held his breath and struggled against the urge to move before Merton was ready. Slowly Merton relaxed and thrust backwards, evoking a low moan from Tommy as he thrust forward to meet him.
Together they established a slow, steady rhythm, Tommy’s fingers digging into Merton’s hip as the other boy arched back into him. It still amazed Tommy how quickly they’d fallen into sync in their sex life; the first few attempts were a little awkward and it took awhile to learn each other’s turn-ons, but they already knew each other so well that it wasn’t that hard to figure out. Tommy knew that Merton deferred to him more often than not, and he was more than grateful that his best friend was so willing to give him whatever he needed.
Tonight was a good example of that; Tommy didn’t even have to ask Merton for what he needed, the other boy had just offered it without question. The trust between them was the thing that made Tommy’s heart race and his throat tighten, and he knew he’d never be able to live life without Merton in it. His thrusts picked up force as Merton’s words repeated in his head: I’ll never stop needing you. Merton moaned his approval and thrust back harder, shivers of pleasure wracking his frame every time Tommy brushed over the spot inside him that sent blinding waves of sensation through him.
Tommy reached around him with still-slick fingers and grasped Merton’s length, running his thumb over the sensitive tip as Merton gasped and jerked helplessly into his touch. The only sound in the room was their harsh breathing, punctuated by a low grunt or a moan every time Tommy thrust forward. He could tell Merton was close, the change in his breathing and the increasing tension in his muscles letting Tommy know exactly how soon it would be over. He couldn’t bring himself to slow down, though, they’d waited too long and the events of the night all combined to make him want Merton more than he had since that first night they were together.
He increased the pressure of his hand slightly and twisted his wrist a little, opening his mouth against the junction between Merton’s neck and shoulder as he buried himself as deep as he could. Right on cue Merton let go, moaning his release as he clamped down hard on Tommy and pulled him over the edge too. Tommy groaned into Merton’s shoulder, vaguely sharp teeth grazing pale skin as he rode wave after wave of pleasure.
As he slowly regained his senses Tommy pulled out of the body that was still plastered to his chest, planting soft kisses along sweat-slick skin as Merton moaned against the sense of loss. For a long time they lay tangled together, eyes closed and chests heaving as they waited for their breathing to even out again. Merton recovered first, sliding out from under Tommy’s arm long enough to roll over so he was facing the other boy.
“Love you,” he whispered, planting a soft kiss on Tommy’s lips as he curled up against his chest. Tommy summoned the energy to lift one arm and let it drop across Merton’s waist, his hand tracing a lazy pattern on the smaller boy’s hip. He turned his head and planted a kiss against whatever part of Merton’s face was closest, unwilling to open his eyes long enough to aim for his mouth.
“My tie wasn’t that bad,” he muttered.
Merton let out a derisive snort and opened his eyes long enough to gauge whether or not Tommy was kidding. “Whatever you say, Tommy.” The truth was he didn’t really care whether or not Tommy’s entire tux had been lemon yellow, as long as he was the one that got to take it off him.
Fandom: BWOC
Pairing: Tommy/Merton
Rating: NC17
“Remind me again how I let you talk me into…totally worth it,” Merton finished, his jaw dropping a little as Tommy stepped into the Lair. Merton had spent more time than he really wanted to admit over the past month imagining what Tommy would look like when he showed up tonight, but his imagination had never come close to the sight before him. Tommy filled out his black tux better than anybody really had any business doing, he almost always looked good but tonight he looked at least five years older. His tie was a weird shade of lemon yellow that under any other circumstances would have looked strange, but it worked with his green eyes and Merton wasn’t about to complain about that.
Merton had insisted on black on black on black, of course, and while his own tux suited him he knew he didn’t look nearly as good as Tommy. Tommy looked like…well, like he’d just walked out of one of those ads in a bridal magazine. Not that Merton spent any time looking at bridal magazines, but his mom had helped his cousin plan her wedding last summer and some of those male models were pretty hot…
“Merton, you with me?”
He snapped out of it in time to see Tommy stop directly in front of him, an amused grin turning up the corners of his mouth as he leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on the smaller boy’s lips. They’d been together for a month but he still got a thrill every time Tommy kissed him, they could be anywhere and it always took him by surprise that it was actually happening. “Oh yeah, I’m with you,” he breathed when Tommy finally released his mouth.
“Good.” Tommy grinned his approval as he looked Merton up and down, one strong hand landing on Merton’s chest to finger the buttons of his shirt. “Let’s get a move on before I decide I can’t wait to get you back out of this.”
“Now there’s an idea,” Merton said hopefully, pouting as Tommy laughed and steered him toward the door to the Lair.
“Nice try, but we’re going,” Tommy said, his tone letting Merton know that he wasn’t going to win this particular argument. He slid an arm around Merton’s shoulders as they stepped into the cool night air, falling easily into step next to his best friend. “It’ll be fun, you’ll see. It’s the last big event of the year, we have to go.”
Merton raised his eyebrows and cast a sidelong glance at Tommy’s profile, but the taller boy wasn’t paying any attention to him. He was already caught up in his idea of prom night, and as much as Merton wasn’t looking forward to spending the entire night standing around watching Tommy make the rounds he didn’t want to ruin it for him either. “Sure, Tommy. It’ll be great.”
The arm around his shoulders tightened reflexively and he smiled in spite of himself, leaning into Tommy’s side as they made their way down the sidewalk toward the hearse. He wasn’t even sure why he was so worried about going to the prom with his boyfriend, it wasn’t like everybody didn’t already know they were a couple. Tommy had been right, when they came out nobody really reacted at all. They got a few weird looks when they held hands in the halls or if Tommy got a little over-enthusiastic and actually kissed him at school, but other than that everyone seemed to take it in stride. Not even Lori seemed surprised, so there was no reason to think tonight would be any different.
Except for the fact that tonight was a social event, and there was bound to be dancing and hand-holding and if he knew Tommy at all there would definitely be kissing. The looks they got occasionally at school never seemed to phase Tommy, in fact Merton wasn’t sure if his boyfriend even noticed them. Then again maybe Tommy was just better at ignoring stuff like that than he was, maybe he should be used to it by now but it wasn’t the same as when people gave him weird looks because of his clothes. Making fun of him was one thing, but he couldn’t stand the thought of people talking about Tommy.
“Stop brooding,” Tommy said, his breath warming Merton’s neck as he leaned down to whisper in his ear. “It’s just a dance, we’ll stay and see who makes Prom King and Queen and then we’ll go. If it’s that bad we can leave any time, okay?”
“It’s fine, Tommy,” Merton lied, hoping he looked more cheerful than he felt. He hadn’t even realized he was brooding until Tommy called him on it, and now he forcibly tried to pull himself together so he wouldn’t ruin his best friend’s fun. “I wasn’t even thinking about the dance.”
“Liar,” Tommy said as they stopped next to the hearse. Tommy let go of him and pulled open the passenger door, waiting until Merton got in the other side before he slid toward the center of the seat and pressed his lips to Merton’s neck. “I’m not sure how long I’m gonna be able to stand being out in public anyway.”
A shiver rolled down Merton’s spine and straight to his groin as Tommy pulled away again, the feeling of his lips on Merton’s skin lingering just enough to make him forget to be nervous. He did his best to pull himself together and started the car, not daring to look over at the far too tempting body in his passenger seat until they pulled into the school parking lot.
“Here goes nothing,” Merton joked, his voice wavering a little as they got out of the car. He straightened his jacket and glanced at the school, where groups of students were gathered outside the gym entrance.
“Relax,” Tommy said, smiling as he reached for Merton’s hand and pulled him forward for another quick kiss. “It’s just like going to school only at night, right?”
“Sure,” Merton answered, not that he believed it for a second. For one thing there was a decided lack of actual dancing during school hours, and for another thing History and Calculus weren’t couple activities. Even though he and Tommy had been together for four weeks and everyone at school knew about it, there was just something about actually going to the biggest event of the school year as a couple. Visions of pig’s blood and the mocking faces of their classmates filled his head and he squeezed his eyes shut, telling himself this wasn’t a Carrie movie and he wasn’t being set up for some dumb joke. He knew how Tommy felt about him, and whatever happened at the prom wasn’t going to change that.
He steeled himself against any stray whispers or weird looks and followed Tommy into the gym, his eyes wide as he looked around at the decorations. “Holy…who did this?” It was bad enough the school was so cheap that they had to have their prom in the gym instead of somewhere nice like a normal high school, but to add insult to injury the prom committee had evidently decided that this year’s theme would be Rainbow Sherbet. The whole gym was decorated in pastel crepe paper in nauseating shades of pink, baby blue, lemon yellow and lime green. “This looks like my sister’s Rainbow Bright dolls on acid.”
“Hey, at least my tie matches,” Tommy said, grinning as Merton scowled at him. “Come on, Merton, lighten up. I’m gonna go see what they’ve got to drink, you want anything?”
“Yeah, scotch straight up,” Merton shot back. He let out a labored sigh when Tommy raised his eyebrows disapprovingly, shaking his head in resignation. “Okay, okay, it’s what my dad drinks. Although at this point I think it might make this room look better. Soda, whatever, I don’t care.”
Tommy smiled and leaned forward to kiss his cheek. “Don’t go anywhere.”
“Don’t tempt me,” Merton called after him, folding his arms over his chest as he scanned the crowd aimlessly. He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting exactly, but so far none of the people that happened to glance in his direction reacted one way or the other to his presence. Then again all he was doing for the time being was standing there, if Tommy cajoled him into dancing or something things could change fast. He let out a sigh and glanced in the direction of the refreshment table, scanning the crowd for any sign of his date. Letting Tommy guilt him into going to the prom was the dumbest thing he’d done so far in the name of love, but he knew all too well what a sucker he was when it came to Tommy and his puppy dog eyes.
“You’re doing it again,” a voice whispered in his ear, and he jumped and spun too fast, nearly colliding with Tommy and spilling both their drinks on his boyfriend’s tux. Tommy took a step backwards and somehow managed to save his shirt, frowning as he held one of the cups out to Merton. “Whoa, calm down. What’s wrong with you tonight?”
“Nothing,” Merton muttered as he took the soda, part of him angry at himself for ruining Tommy’s night and the rest of him furious that he’d let himself get roped into coming. He should have sent Tommy to the prom with Lori, at least that way he wouldn’t have to worry about what everyone was saying about them behind their backs. He looked up to find Tommy still frowning suspiciously, steeling himself against his boyfriend’s disapproving stare. “It’s nothing, I’m sorry. It’s just that this isn’t like being at school together. I know everybody knows about us but this is different, it’s a couple thing and everyone’s going to see us being all couply. It just feels weird.”
“I don’t get it,” Tommy said, his forehead furrowed in a confused expression that Merton usually found endearing. “You’ve spent the past few years not giving a damn what anybody thinks about you, but all of a sudden you’re worried about what people are thinking when they see us together? They thought we were together before it was even true, Merton. Why does it matter so much to you now? Is it because of me?”
“What? No, of course not,” Merton answered, a surge of adrenaline hitting him as he realized that Tommy was totally misunderstanding what he was saying. “I don’t care what people say about me, Tommy. I mean yeah, okay, so it hurts sometimes to hear some of the stuff people say, but I’m used to it. The thing that bothers me is people saying stuff about you.”
“Merton, I think I can handle it,” Tommy said, his expression softening as he took a step closer to the other boy. He took Merton’s drink out of his hand and set both cups down on the nearest table before turning back to Merton and holding out his hand. “Come on.”
“Where are we going?” Merton asked, hesitating as he stared at Tommy’s outstretched hand.
Tommy sighed and leaned forward, grabbing Merton’s hand and turning toward the dance floor where most of their classmates were already moving together to the slow song playing on the sound system. He pulled Merton along behind him, ignoring the other boy’s protests that he didn’t dance, thank you very much. He only stopped when they reached the center of the dance floor, finally letting go of Merton’s hand to grasp his hips.
As soon as they stopped walking Merton opened his mouth to protest, but one look from Tommy and he closed his mouth again. As soon as Tommy slid his hands around Merton’s waist and pulled him close he forgot about the people around them, sliding his own arms around Tommy’s neck as the taller boy leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on his lips. This was exactly what Merton had been dreading; he knew at some point they’d end up dancing and kissing and now here they were, doing both at once and they hadn’t even been at the prom for fifteen minutes. And the worst part was that he knew people were probably staring but he couldn’t make himself care, because Tommy was holding him tight and kissing him was the best feeling in the world.
“Hey, you two, no making out on the dance floor.”
Merton blushed and tore his lips away from Tommy’s at the interruption, rolling his eyes when he looked over to find Lori smirking at them.
“Hey, Lori,” Tommy said, a mischievous grin lighting up his features as he tightened his grip on Merton. “What, couldn’t find a date so you’re ruining everybody else’s fun?”
“Cute, Dawkins,” she shot back, making a vaguely disgusted face as she looked him up and down. “Nice tie. You know I can’t believe I went out with you.”
“That hurts,” Tommy said, but the grin plastered on his face ruined the affect. “Seriously, who’d you finally get to take you to this thing?”
She glanced over her shoulder in the direction of the stage that had been set up under one of the basketball hoops, a dreamy and very uncharacteristic smile lighting up her features. “The guy with the microphone. Isn’t he amazing?”
Tommy and Merton both followed her gaze, twin looks of shock on their faces as they took in the pale, thin lead singer of whatever garage band the prom committee had scraped up to play bad live music. He had dark hair and at least four earrings in the ear they could see, and he was wearing a crimson shirt with tight black leather pants. “Whoa, he’s pretty hot,” Tommy said.
“Hey!” Merton let go of Tommy long enough to smack the back of his head, drawing his boyfriend’s attention back to him.
“Oh, sorry,” Tommy said, flashing Merton a sheepish grin. “Not as hot as you, of course. But I think you could use a pair of those pants.”
Merton grinned back at him, mollified by the compliment. He grasped the back of Tommy’s neck and pulled him forward, letting out an irritated sigh when a throat cleared next to them, reminding them that they weren’t alone.
“Uh, guys? Still standing here,” Lori said, grinning at Tommy’s slightly dazed expression and Merton’s irritated scowl.
“Sorry, Lori,” Tommy said, shaking his head to clear the fog that had settled in his brain the moment he pictured Merton in leather pants. “I never thought you’d go for a guy like that. He doesn’t really seem like your type.”
“Yeah, well, people surprise you all the time,” she said, quirking an eyebrow at the two of them. “Anyway I gotta go see if I can wrestle Ian away from the mike for awhile. Catch you guys later.”
“Yeah, later,” Merton called after her, his gaze still locked on Tommy as they began moving together again. While they were kissing he’d been able to put the rest of the world out of his mind, but as soon as Lori interrupted them he remembered exactly where they were. He glanced over Tommy’s shoulder as they swayed together, misjudging a step and landing squarely on Tommy’s toes in the process.
Tommy yelped and pushed Merton away reflexively, but as soon as he registered the look of regret on the smaller boy’s features Tommy tightened his grip and pulled him close again.
“Sorry,” Merton muttered into his shoulder.
“It’s okay,” Tommy answered, running a soothing hand through Merton’s hair.
“That’s kind of your fault, though,” Merton said after a moment, grinning mischievously against Tommy’s chest.
“How do you figure that?”
“Well I told you I couldn’t dance,” Merton answered, pulling away just enough to look up at Tommy. “You’re the one that dragged me out here anyway.”
Tommy grinned and leaned forward again, pressing his lips to Merton’s. “I can live with that,” he said when they finally parted for air.
“Good.” Merton finally began to relax, realizing that maybe Tommy was right after all and nobody cared what they did. After all, everyone had had four weeks to get used to the idea, and if Tommy was right they’d all believed something was going on before it was even true.
The music shifted to something faster and Tommy let go of Merton, taking his hand again and leading him to the edge of the dance floor. They were halfway to an empty table when Tommy stopped short, and Merton barely managed to catch himself before he collided with the taller boy. “Tommy, what’s the…” He trailed off as he glanced over Tommy’s shoulder and right at Tim Eckert, vaguely wondering if he’d ever actually seen one of the twins without the other before.
“Hey, Tim,” Tommy said, tightening his grip on Merton’s hand as he stepped a little in front of him. “Where’s Travis?”
Tim ignored the question as he looked from one to the other of them, frowning slightly without saying anything. All Merton’s fears about the night came back at once, and he found himself tensing as he waited for the first blow. He knew the wolf could take both twins at once, but if Tommy wolfed out in a room full of all their classmates it would all be over. He wasn’t sure anyone would come to their defense if Tim decided to kill them both, though.
Finally Tim cleared his throat and sniffed loudly, reaching up with one meaty hand to wipe at his eyes. “Sorry, I just wanted to tell you guys that I think what you’re doing is beautiful. I know we’ve given you a hard time, Morton, but it’s a brave thing you’re doing, showing up here tonight.”
“Merton,” Merton corrected him, swallowing and ducking a little further behind Tommy as he realized what he’d said.
“Whatever. I gotta go before Travis sees me talking to you without actually hitting you or anything. I just…it’s just really beautiful, that you have each other.” Tim sniffed again and directed a friendly punch at Tommy’s arm, knocking him off balance and into Merton.
“Uh…thanks,” Tommy said when he caught himself, pulling his hand out of Merton’s to put his arm around his boyfriend’s shoulders. Tim just stood there watching them, obviously struggling to hold back his emotions.
“Hey, and if you ever want to talk about…whatever, just…you know, give us a call,” Merton added, smiling gently at Tim’s look of shocked gratitude. He and Tommy both smiled and waved as Tim slowly backed away, neither of them saying anything until he disappeared into the crowd.
“Well, that was…weird,” Tommy finally said, shaking his head as he stared in the direction Tim had disappeared.
“Yeah.” Merton blinked and glanced over at Tommy, his own confusion mirrored back to him in Tommy’s expression. “Did he just almost come out to us?”
“I don’t know,” Tommy answered, finally looking over at Merton. “I think…whoa. Travis is gonna freak.”
Merton shook his head at the thought of Travis’ reaction, that was if Tim actually was trying to tell them something and not just a romantic at heart. “I knew something weird was going to happen tonight.”
“Yeah, but at least it wasn’t bad. Just really, really weird.” Tommy grinned when Merton looked over at him, turning the smaller boy toward him and wrapping his arms around Merton’s waist. “See, this wasn’t so bad, was it?”
Merton rolled his eyes and tried his best to stifle a smile, but he couldn’t quite keep his amusement from showing. “Like I can resist when you give me that look anyway. You knew I wouldn’t say no.”
“Okay, yeah, I knew,” Tommy answered. “You didn’t have to, though. So I guess what I’m trying to say here is thanks.”
“I’m here because I knew it would make you happy.” Merton shrugged and let Tommy pull him a little closer, focusing on the taller boy’s chest so he wouldn’t have to look in his eyes while he explained. “I love you, Tommy.”
“I know, I love you too,” Tommy said, reaching out to cup Merton’s cheek.
“It’s more than that.” Merton looked up then, catching Tommy’s hand in his and pulling it away from his face. “Look, I know we’re still in high school and everything could change when college starts, but I just…I’m always going to love you, Tommy. I’ll never stop needing you in my life.”
Tommy’s heart skipped a beat and his breath caught in his throat as the gravity of Merton’s words sank in. It was a huge promise, but even though the thought of forever terrified him he knew he meant it as much as Merton did. He swallowed against the tightness in his throat and leaned forward, crushing Merton’s mouth against his. He wasn’t sure how to answer, he didn’t know if he’d get the words right or if he’d mess it up the way he usually did. The only thing he did know was that he loved Merton, and he was going to love him for as long as Merton let him.
Finally they broke apart to gasp for breath, Merton’s forehead resting against Tommy’s shoulder as the taller boy stroked his back soothingly. “Me too, Merton,” he whispered into Merton’s hair. “Always.”
Merton smiled and pulled out of Tommy’s grasp, his eyes shining as he reached for the other boy’s hand and glanced hopefully in the direction of the door. “You think we can get out of here a little early?”
“Oh yeah,” Tommy answered, a shiver running down his spine as he caught the gleam in Merton’s eyes. He tightened his grip on Merton’s hand and practically dragged him toward the exit, stopping only when they reached the car. Part of him wanted to wolf out and toss Merton over his shoulder, it would be faster if he just ran all the way back to the Lair. Instead he settled for sliding as close to Merton as he could and nuzzling his neck, alternating between gentle nips and soft kisses as Merton made a valiant effort to get them home in one piece.
Somehow they made it home without crashing the hearse into anything except the curb outside Merton’s house, and Tommy let go long enough to climb out of the car. As soon as they both stepped onto the sidewalk Tommy wrapped his arms around Merton again, walking backwards toward the stairs as he picked up his exploration of the smaller boy’s neck. They managed to make it down the stairs without falling and breaking both their necks, pausing long enough for Merton to fumble in his pocket for the key.
“Door,” Merton gasped as Tommy pushed him through the entrance to the Lair and crushed the smaller boy to his chest. Tommy paused long enough to kick the door shut before he dipped his head to capture Merton’s lips with his own, yanking Merton’s shirt out of his pants as Merton reached up and began tugging at his tie. Together they stumbled into the room, discarding clothes along the way until finally Merton’s legs hit the back of the bed. He sank down onto the mattress and pulled Tommy with him, a soft sigh escaping his throat as Tommy crawled over him and buried his face in Merton’s neck.
The past month had been a series of eye-opening experiences, starting with the night that Tommy showed up unannounced and soaking wet and proceeded to take off all his clothes and seduce Merton. That still seemed more like a dream than a memory, and if Tommy wasn’t busy sucking all the blood in his neck to the surface of his skin he might not believe it had actually happened. He let out a whimper he knew sounded pitiful as he caressed every part of Tommy he could reach, his hands moving over the other boy’s back and sides. “I meant what I said tonight,” he whispered.
Tommy pulled away from his neck to look down at him, his eyes shining with an emotion that still filled Merton with awe every time he saw it. “I know you did. I meant it too, you know.”
“I know,” Merton echoed, an awe-struck smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he grabbed hold of Tommy’s hips and rolled them both onto their sides. “Some days I still think I’ll wake up and all this will just be a dream.”
“It’s real, Merton. I love you, nothing’s ever gonna change that.”
Merton leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on Tommy’s mouth before pulling out of the other boy’s arms long enough to roll over onto his other side. He reached over to the nightstand and fumbled around until he found the tube of lube he kept in the drawer, handing it over his shoulder to Tommy as he snuggled back into Tommy’s chest.
Tommy bit back a groan as he wrenched the cap off the tube and dropped it somewhere near the head of the bed, beyond caring whether or not they ever found it. When Merton offered himself wordlessly to Tommy it was almost more than he could take; they’d been together more times than he could count in the past month but he still couldn’t believe the turn their relationship had taken. He knew exactly how Merton felt when he said he was afraid he was going to wake up one day to find out this was all some crazy dream, but the fact was that they were here and he could smell and taste and touch his best friend. He quickly coated two fingers with lube and ran his hand down Merton’s hip, his breath coming in short gasps as he pressed his lips to a bare shoulder and ran his fingers across the entrance to Merton’s body.
A shiver ran down the smaller boy’s spine as he arched into Tommy’s touch, trying and failing to get the teasing fingers where he wanted them. Tommy ran his fingers over the sensitive spot again, this time evoking a frustrated moan from the other boy. He smiled indulgently and nudged Merton’s thigh, pushing his leg toward his chest before he slid two slick fingers inside.
Automatically Merton thrust back, burying Tommy’s fingers as deep as he could before Tommy pulled back out again. His own erection was quickly approaching painful, but he didn’t want to rush. Not tonight, not after the promise Merton had made. He knew how hard that promise would be to keep, but considering what he was and how completely Merton understood him he had a feeling they could actually make it. He worked his fingers at an excruciatingly slow pace, ignoring his growing need and Merton’s frustrated thrusts. Finally Merton reached his limit, though, and his eyes snapped open long enough to look over his shoulder at Tommy. “More,” he demanded, eyes flashing with lust and determination.
Tommy groaned low in his throat and relented, fumbling in the tangle of sheets for the lube. Finally he found it and quickly coated his erection before settling against Merton again, sliding one arm around the smaller boy’s waist. “Ready?” he whispered in Merton’s ear, trailing his lips along the column of the other boy’s neck as he waited for an answer.
“I’ve been ready since you walked in here wearing that ugly tie,” Merton answered, his breath coming in short gasps. Tommy laughed and planted one last kiss on the back of Merton’s neck before he gripped his hips and slid slowly inside. Merton hissed and tensed against the sudden intrusion, and Tommy held his breath and struggled against the urge to move before Merton was ready. Slowly Merton relaxed and thrust backwards, evoking a low moan from Tommy as he thrust forward to meet him.
Together they established a slow, steady rhythm, Tommy’s fingers digging into Merton’s hip as the other boy arched back into him. It still amazed Tommy how quickly they’d fallen into sync in their sex life; the first few attempts were a little awkward and it took awhile to learn each other’s turn-ons, but they already knew each other so well that it wasn’t that hard to figure out. Tommy knew that Merton deferred to him more often than not, and he was more than grateful that his best friend was so willing to give him whatever he needed.
Tonight was a good example of that; Tommy didn’t even have to ask Merton for what he needed, the other boy had just offered it without question. The trust between them was the thing that made Tommy’s heart race and his throat tighten, and he knew he’d never be able to live life without Merton in it. His thrusts picked up force as Merton’s words repeated in his head: I’ll never stop needing you. Merton moaned his approval and thrust back harder, shivers of pleasure wracking his frame every time Tommy brushed over the spot inside him that sent blinding waves of sensation through him.
Tommy reached around him with still-slick fingers and grasped Merton’s length, running his thumb over the sensitive tip as Merton gasped and jerked helplessly into his touch. The only sound in the room was their harsh breathing, punctuated by a low grunt or a moan every time Tommy thrust forward. He could tell Merton was close, the change in his breathing and the increasing tension in his muscles letting Tommy know exactly how soon it would be over. He couldn’t bring himself to slow down, though, they’d waited too long and the events of the night all combined to make him want Merton more than he had since that first night they were together.
He increased the pressure of his hand slightly and twisted his wrist a little, opening his mouth against the junction between Merton’s neck and shoulder as he buried himself as deep as he could. Right on cue Merton let go, moaning his release as he clamped down hard on Tommy and pulled him over the edge too. Tommy groaned into Merton’s shoulder, vaguely sharp teeth grazing pale skin as he rode wave after wave of pleasure.
As he slowly regained his senses Tommy pulled out of the body that was still plastered to his chest, planting soft kisses along sweat-slick skin as Merton moaned against the sense of loss. For a long time they lay tangled together, eyes closed and chests heaving as they waited for their breathing to even out again. Merton recovered first, sliding out from under Tommy’s arm long enough to roll over so he was facing the other boy.
“Love you,” he whispered, planting a soft kiss on Tommy’s lips as he curled up against his chest. Tommy summoned the energy to lift one arm and let it drop across Merton’s waist, his hand tracing a lazy pattern on the smaller boy’s hip. He turned his head and planted a kiss against whatever part of Merton’s face was closest, unwilling to open his eyes long enough to aim for his mouth.
“My tie wasn’t that bad,” he muttered.
Merton let out a derisive snort and opened his eyes long enough to gauge whether or not Tommy was kidding. “Whatever you say, Tommy.” The truth was he didn’t really care whether or not Tommy’s entire tux had been lemon yellow, as long as he was the one that got to take it off him.