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 Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2024 11:51 am
“Anything we like?” Casey giggled some more, but peeked around Ariel’s chin so he could grin at Morgan a little cheekily. “Come keep us warm then. Harrison, too.”
He was teasing! He didn’t actually expect Morgan to join them, and he would feel guilty if Ariel was uncomfortable because of it.
He gave Ariel a gentle squeeze to hopefully let him know that he could reject his suggestion if he wanted. It was so hard not to kiss his cheek, though. Or his neck. He’d noticed his shampoo before, but for some reason he was really starting to like it.
Oh, but he should pay attention to what was going on so they could stay warm. Even with weird candles.
“Anyway, if I’m wearing a sexy outfit, you can bet it won’t be until the heat’s back on. I don’t think my winning smile will keep anyone warm!”
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Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2024 12:15 pm
A part of Ariel was uncomfortable with being so close to Morgan. Well–no, that wasn’t even fair. Cautious? Reserved? Nervous? It didn’t feel wrong, just…
Odd.
For more reasons than he could properly consider in the split second he had to decide if he was going to smile or protest. It didn’t feel bad, though. His heart skipped a beat and the world felt like it tilted a few degrees off axis.
“I don’t know, it’s keeping me pretty comfortable,” Morgan said. He closed his book and gave Harrison one more fond pet on the head before he scooped her up in his arms and stood. “Move the blanket back? She’ll be warmer if you tuck her in, too.”
“Oh–okay,” Ariel said, at first worrying that maybe they’d actually offended Morgan. He’d been teasing along with them just a moment ago. He was still smiling, but…
Ariel only moved as much of the blankets as he absolutely had to in order to let Morgan slip Harrison in. He did so gently, maneuvering her paws so she didn’t accidentally scratch anyone. Her belly was warm and he laid it out across Casey’s lap.
He moved the table just a bit closer, and almost immediately Ariel could feel the warmth radiating from the clay pot. He almost reached his hand out to touch it, disbelieving that it actually worked that well, but he was surprised instead by the weight of another blanket being draped over his and Casey’s shoulders.
And an arm.
Morgan sat back down on the couch after wrapping them up in his blanket. He had one small part of it but didn’t seem too bothered by the temperature despite losing lap-warmer Harrison and much of the blanket he’d poured his body heat into over the last few hours.
Morgan was warm. And muscular. And he’d come over to keep them warm, just like Casey had asked.
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Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2024 6:33 pm
Oh. Oh Morgan was actually coming over to sit with them. Casey was thrilled and also horrified that he’d made a mistake and that Morgan would change his mind or think they were weird or something absolutely ridiculous like that.
He shifted a bit to let Harrison under the blanket, and then went back to cuddling close to Ariel. He flashed Morgan and Ariel his apparently winning smile, and laughed in amusement when they were all together on the couch.
“See? We should have done this from the start,” he decided. Even though his cheeks were warm, he was still with the two people in his life that actually proved that they cared about him.
“We could probably do this even without the power being out. Just a thought,” he mumbled as he pressed his face into Ariel’s neck again and…
Oh… his lips kind of pressed against his neck too but… well… maybe he did kind of mean to kiss him, but more subconsciously. Maybe Ariel didn’t notice. He hoped he didn’t mind, either way.
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Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2024 6:55 pm
Ariel’s heart was in his stomach, or his throat, or maybe it had just evaporated in his chest. He couldn’t feel it pumping. But then, he’d also forgotten how to breathe. Really, he couldn’t recall how to think, either.
He was aware of only one thing, and that was Casey’s lips upon his neck.
Not for warmth, probably. That was a kiss, wasn’t it?
…Was he hoping it was or it wasn’t?
Both, simultaneously. It wasn’t fair that life should be so unfair. He wanted to enjoy this. He didn’t want to dread that something would go wrong, he didn’t want to have to push Casey away to keep him safe. Oh, but–
Morgan was here, who would think to do anything for as long as he was here? Certainly, certainly there was no trouble to be had here? Morgan couldn’t stay all the time, or–well, maybe he could.
No. No, Ariel knew he was being selfish.
…He just couldn’t help it.
Selfishly, he enjoyed the kiss. No matter how many layers he put up, no matter how much he told himself he didn’t need those things, he did. And every little kindness, every tender gesture Casey bestowed upon him reminded him of how desperate he was.
He couldn’t push him away. He didn’t have the strength.
He wanted this too badly.
“All right,” Morgan said, breaking the silence. He seemed pleased enough, like he was agreeing to something so obvious that it hardly even needed to be voiced. “You’re pretty comfortable. Would be nice to sit back and read like this. I could probably fall asleep like this, too.”
He’d have to be careful not to.
Or, he could just do it and enjoy it. If those two were happy, what was the harm?
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Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2024 7:00 pm
He was enjoying this too much. Ariel hadn’t jerked away in surprise or shoved him away. And Casey was pretty sure he could feel the way Ariel’s heart was racing under his lips.
He wanted to tell Ariel that it was okay, and that he could breathe, and that he wouldn’t let anything happen to him. That he liked him. A lot. That he looked forward to being roommates with him. That he wanted more than just friendship.
But he also knew how risky that was. He knew that Ariel was easily spooked and he was just getting used to things.
Morgan was there now, too. And they both liked him. In a different way, yet the attraction was obviously there. And Morgan seemed comfortable being with them.
Casey giggled quietly in amusement at Morgan’s comments.
“Sweet dreams, then,” he teased, because he certainly wouldn’t mind falling asleep as he was now. At least until the power came back on and he could soak in the warm water.
Although he didn’t understand quite what this was… Casey wanted more of it. He wanted them to be together. It was completely irrational to feel like it was something meant to happen, but he was happy with them. And he didn’t think that would change.
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