Victor smiles as he pushes the rickety door to Brasstown open, shivering but pleased as the coolness of the air conditioning washes over him.
The cafe is quiet, with only a handful of people inhabiting the mismatched tables in the corner, the late-afternoon sunlight creating an unusually eerie glow in the dimness, the tinted windows making its ambience more like a cellar than a cafe.
As Victor approaches the counter, drumming his fingers on the wooden surface, he leans over, peering into the short corridor behind the till and squinting. Through the little slit in the door, there's movement for a few moments, before the door peels back to reveal Benji, who jumps when he makes eye contact and waves.
"Oh, hey, babe. You're right on time, my shift is just finishing," Benji says, hanging his apron on the hook on the wall before he reaches across the counter and grabs Victor by the chin, bringing their lips together into a soft kiss. He pauses, tilting Victor's face to both sides. "Wait... are you wearing eyeliner?"
"I'm trying something new. Do you like it?"
"Yeah, honestly. It's... really sexy. Like that one guy from 'What We Do in the Shadows'."
"Taika Waititi?" Victor asks, face twisting as he pulls away. "Isn't he like... old?"
Benji shrugs, stroking his own chin. "He's not that old... More of a dilf, I guess... But anyway, what's up?"
"Well... I wanted to catch you before you left, because, drum roll please... I have a little surprise for you. Maybe more than a little one, though, now that I think about it..."
Benji raises an eyebrow as he slips out from behind the till. "What kind of surprise?"
"Let's just say... you know how you complained about how you wished you had more of a chance to travel?" Victor asks, opening the door and ushering Benji out into the sticky humidity.
"Um..." Benji says, stopping in his tracks right in front of the door. His eyebrows knit together and Victor doesn't know if it's from the sunlight shining in his eyes or something else. His tone drops. "Are you taking me on a trip?"
Victor's smile fades and he tips his head to the side. "You don't seem very happy about that."
"I mean... it's so sweet and you're so thoughtful, but... I don't know if I can just take days off on a whim like that. We're kinda short-staffed lately..."
"Oh..."
"I appreciate the thought, though," Benji says quickly, just as Victor turns his attention to the parking lot. "Wait... isn't that your car? Also... why is Lake waving at me?"
Taking a deep breath, holding it, then exhaling slowly, Victor gives Benji a tight-lipped smile. "So, the thing is... I may have let it slip to our friends that I wanted to take you on a trip to New Orleans... and they invited themselves over..."
"Okay... I mean, I don't mind, but I would have preferred if it was just the two of us."
"But!" Victor says, holding up his finger. A group of disgruntled onlookers weaves around them as they enter the cafe and Victor pulls them out of the way. "They also offered to help pay for this really nice Airbnb and this is the only time we'll all be free..."
Benji sighs, rubbing his forehead with his palm and shaking his head with a soft chuckle.
"What do you think? Sorry, I know it's really short notice and I should have at least asked what your schedule looked like..."
"It's okay." Benji takes Victor's hand in his own and squeezes it as he leads them to Victor's car. "Let's do it. I think it'll be fun."
Victor smiles again, holding up his fist before he smacks the hood of the car. He opens the door on the driver's side as he motions to the passenger side. "Your chariot awaits, then."
Rolling his eyes, Benji hops in next to him and turns around to greet Lake, Mia, Fee, and Andrew, who've all crammed into the two rows of seats behind them. His voice is cool. "Hey, guys."
A chorus of 'hey's rings out as Victor drives them out of the lot and down the road toward Benji's apartment.
They chat amongst themselves as Benji rests his hand on Victor's bare thigh, tensing as they turn down one of the streets and stop at a red light. Benji taps Victor's knee urgently, scowling, before he motions for Victor to come closer. Victor raises an eyebrow but obliges.
"Can you please just drop me on the next street?" Benji whispers into Victor's ear.
"What? Why? That's ridiculous."
"Just... please."
Victor hesitates, opening his mouth but clamping it closed quickly before he turns down the next street. Benji watches him from the corner of his eye expectantly, but Victor shakes his head as he continues before turning down Benji's street, the old brick buildings coming into view. Bristling, Benji averts his gaze and withdraws his hand as Victor parks on the side of the road outside his building.
"Wait, isn't this the wrong street?" Mia asks.
"Nope," Benji says curtly. "This is... where I live." He shoots a glare at Victor and grits his teeth.
Lake presses her face against the glass and wrinkles her nose. "Well, this is... uh... bohemian."
Benji doesn't say anything more as he jumps out of the car and slams the door hard behind him.
It's quiet as Benji stomps across the sidewalk into the building. He glances over his shoulder before disappearing from view.
"Victor, what the hell did you do?" Lake snaps.
Whipping around and smacking the sides of the steering wheel, bewildered, Victor stares at her. "What do you mean? I didn't do anything!"
"He's pissed, you moron!"
The others hum in agreement.
"Bro, you should go after him, 'cause he probably won't come back if you don't," Andrew says, stretching and draping his arm over Fee's shoulders.
"Ugh... fine." Victor groans, clicking the button on his seatbelt repeatedly, fingers clumsy, before it finally releases, and he grumbles to himself as he rolls out of the car and into the street.
He sighs as he cuts across the overgrown grass, running to the door and wrenching it open before he darts up the stairs, footsteps echoing like a stampede around him as he makes his way to Benji's floor.
Taking a deep breath of dank, stale air, Victor bangs his fist on the door.
"Benji! Open up!"
There's movement on the other side of the door, accompanied by retreating footsteps. Victor grumbles before he hammers against the door again.
"Hey, I'm sorry, okay? Can we talk?"
An older woman shuffles down from the upper floor and pauses to examine him suspiciously before she resumes her descent. Victor holds his hand up apologetically, heart hammering in his chest as he waits for her to leave before he bangs on the door again.
"Benji, seriously... I know you're in there. Please stop ignoring me."
Victor swallows the lump in his throat before he sighs, taking a step away from the door and jamming the heels of his hands into his eye sockets.
"What the fuck is wrong with me?" Victor asks himself, running one hand through his curls, distressing them as he tries to rein in the panic flooding his veins.
A soft click pulls him out of his pity party and Victor stands up straight as the door squeaks open.
"Can you stop that? You're being loud as fuck. The neighbors are gonna complain," Benji snarls.
"Oh, thank god..." Victor sighs.
Benji rolls his eyes and disappears down the corridor as Victor gingerly closes the door behind him.
"Babe... are you mad at me?" Victor calls down the hallway.
"What makes you say that?" Benji says sarcastically, returning bearing a black bag that he throws at Victor with all his strength. "And don't 'babe' me."
Victor catches the bag with ease. He frowns as Benji avoids eye contact and steps into the kitchen. Benji opens the fridge with a loud exhale, staring straight ahead but not taking anything in, pupils still.
Scoffing, Victor drops the bag on the floor by his feet. "Seriously. What's your problem?"
"My problem? You're asking me what's my problem?" Benji lets out a mirthless laugh.
"Yeah, you're being fucking weird, B. Is this because I took you home? Which was the goal all along?"
Benji chews on his lip for a long moment, plucking at the little bits of skin to the point where it starts to bleed before he speaks.
"My problem is that you didn't listen to me when I asked you to do one thing for me."
Deflating, Victor drags himself into the kitchen. He closes the fridge gently as Benji's hand slips off the handle and dangles, and Benji stands up straight, gritting his teeth as he crosses his arms over his chest.
"Stop doing that with your lip, you're bleeding," Victor says gently. "You'll get an infection."
Adam's apple bobbing, Benji stops, but he won't bring himself to look at Victor. "Happy?"
"B... Do our friends... not know that this is where you live?" Victor asks quietly, his voice just above a whisper.
Benji shifts his weight from one foot to the other before he turns away, taking a step toward the window, where the sunlight streaming in illuminates the dust particles dancing around in the air. "No."
"Why?"
Victor takes a step forward, resting his hand on his shoulder, just as Benji swallows, his Adam's apple bobbing. Benji shrugs him off but doesn't answer.
"Benji..." Victor says, slipping between Benji and the window, as Benji looks away again. "Please talk to me."
"Can we just leave and talk about this later?"
"Look... I'm sorry I didn't listen to you. I didn't think it would be a big deal."
Fiddling with his fingers, Benji chews on his lip as he turns away from Victor again, only for Victor to follow him.
"Can you... not do that?" Benji mutters, shoving Victor away. "Of course you didn't think..."
But Victor grabs him by the arm, pausing his rotation. "Can you please just tell me?"
"Because I was embarrassed, okay?" Benji snaps, wrenching his arm away from Victor's grip as he blinks back the tears clinging to his eyelashes that, as always, he can't hide from Victor's prying gaze.
Victor's hand drops down to his side and his mouth falls open into a small 'o', as he stands there like a pufferfish, staring stupidly.
Benji growls, taking a step away from him, bumping his back against the counter. "Is that what you wanted? You fucking humiliated me, Victor. And honestly, I don't even know if I should bother going, because I won't be able to face our friends knowing they've seen the shithole I live in."
Realization dawns on Victor and he nods, pressing his lips together tightly into a line as he takes Benji's hands in his own. "I see... I'm sorry, Benji. I didn't realize it was such a big thing."
"Well, it is to me, okay? And I'd appreciate it if you just trusted me."
Victor nods, eyebrows furrowed. "I get it. And I do trust you. But I'm realizing now that I'm not looking too trustworthy right now with that... So I'm sorry. Again."
"Thank you."
"But also, I don't want you to feel like you have to hide things. Plus, I don't think our friends will care. They might be bougie, aside from Fee--"
"Huh?"
"Yeah, Fee lives in my building. Did you not know that?"
"Oh, no..." Benji raises his gaze, both his eyebrows rising on his forehead.
"They're not gonna judge you. Like, I know it doesn't absolve me, and I will be better about this thing in the future. But we all love you and you're awesome and you have nothing to be ashamed of."
Benji snorts, squeezing Victor's fingers before he brings one of his hands to his lips and kisses it. "Thank you for saying that."
"It's just the truth." Victor smiles, leaning forward to kiss Benji gently on the forehead.
"Well, I guess I have no choice but to forgive you. But I won't forget. I'm still mad at you."
Biting back a smile, Victor can't stop the corner of his lip from curling up. "Should we get going?"
"Yeah... lemme just get changed. Care to join me?" Benji says, wiggling his eyebrows as he slips down the corridor.
Victor's grin widens and he shakes his head as he follows Benji to his room. "As much as I would love to accept your offer, I don't wanna keep everyone waiting."
"That's never stopped you before..." Benji teases, as he walks backward into the room and pulls Victor toward him by an invisible string.
"True..."
"Do you wanna help me pick an outfit, at least?"
"I mean... You sure ask me to do that a lot despite roasting me for my fashion sense in the same breath," Victor says with a laugh, as he plops down on Benji's bed and peers up the posters on the wall.
"It's not even really about what you choose at the end of the day." Benji opens the drawer of his wardrobe and digs around for a moment before he withdraws a pile of shirts. "What if I just went full masc like I did in high school when I was trying to pretend I wasn't 'one of those gays'?" He gives Victor a toothy grin as he drops the shirts on the bed.
"I mean, you'd be hot either way," Victor says, leaning back and setting one hand down on the mattress behind him. He picks up one of the shirts--the mesh crop top with crosses--and snorts. "Isn't this what you wore to the party?"
Benji doubles over with laughter as he drops himself beside Victor and snatches the shirt from his hand. "Oh god, don't remind me of that awful night... This is gonna give me weird ass tan lines."
"It looks good on you, though," Victor says suggestively, bumping Benji with his shoulder.
"Well, if you insist..." Benji tugs the collar of his Brasstown t-shirt over his head and sighs when he gets tangled in it. "Ah, shit. I'm stuck."
Victor giggles, endeared, as he reaches over and hooks his fingers underneath the fabric, freeing Benji's arms and tossing the shirt aside. He clears his throat, making a show of letting his eyes rake over Benji's bare torso, eyelids hanging heavy on his face as he smiles and drags his fingertip down the smooth skin right between his pecs.
Shivering, Benji bites his lip and smiles as he picks up the mesh crop top and pulls it on. "How do I look?"
"Talented, brilliant, incredible, showsto--"
Benji smacks Victor in the arm and they both erupt into a fit of laughter, swatting and shoving each other until they collapse onto one another in a heap, realizing soon enough that their proximity is too close for comfort when Benji raises his head from Victor's chest and clears his throat, before he pushes himself to sit up.
"We should go... They're probably wondering what happened to us," Benji says quietly, picking up his shades from atop his tiny rickety desk and sliding them onto his nose before sloughing off the bed and holding his hand out to Victor to help him up, too.
They return to the car, hand in hand, before they part when Benji hops into his seat, tense, while Victor goes around to the trunk and opens it, before he carefully perches Benji's bag on top of the pile of other bags.
The drive out of Atlanta and into New Orleans is full of wind and laughter and "Lady Marmalade" blasting over the speakers as they all sing along at the tops of their lungs while they barrel down the highway. Benji lets his arm hang out the window, catching the breeze, while his other hand laces with Victor's over the console, the desire to part dampened even as sweat coats the space between their skin.
"So wait... what part of the city are we staying in again?" Fee asks once there's a lull, as they bite off a piece of a Twizzler and pass the bag around.
"Tremé," Mia says, nasalizing the 'r' dramatically as she stares down at her lap where her phone rests. She continues on with her best French pronunciation. "Lafitte. Or Faubourg Tremé."
"I love listening to you speak French," Lake swoons, grabbing a Twizzler from Fee's bag behind them, too.
"I'm literally just saying random words."
Fee takes another bite of their Twizzler and waves it around in their hand. "I can't believe French is a real language. It looks and sounds so whack."
"How come no one makes a big deal like this when I speak Spanish?" Victor teases.
Benji scoffs, feigning offense. "Excuse you, I, for one, love when you speak Spanish, but you never do it."
"I do too."
"All right, then. Let's hear it." Benji nudges Victor with his arm.
There's a long pause and Victor opens his mouth, mind racing, as he wades through the recesses of his mind to choose the words he wants to say, but it comes up blank. "Okay, fuck you, I wasn't ready!"
The others erupt into laughter, and even as the warmth creeps up his neck, Victor can't stop himself from laughing along, too.
Fee takes another bite of their candy and smacks their teeth as they chew, making a twisted face at Victor in the mirror. "It's okay, man. I can barely speak English so it's always impressive to me to hear you guys speak other languages."
"Thank you, Fee. At least someone appreciates me." Victor snorts, shaking his head before he unlaces his fingers from Benji and reaches his hand behind him, not taking his eyes off the road. "Anyway... can I get some of that? I fucking love Twizzlers."
"Don't worry, babe, I got you," Benji says sweetly, snatching the bag of candy out of Lake's hand, the plastic crinkling loudly, and pulling out a piece before he holds it out to Victor. "Say 'ahh'."
Snickering, Victor obliges him, opening his mouth and biting down when Benji shoves the red licorice between his teeth.
"Shit, relax, man," Andrew says through a mouthful of candy as he leans against the window beside him and uses the licorice as a pointing stick. "You're like a shark. Looks like you're gonna chew Benji's fingers off.
Benji giggles beside him, just as Lake steals the bag of candy away from him, failing in his attempt to keep it away from her prying hands.
"Hey, babe," Andrew says, biting off the end of a Twizzler. "Wanna play a kissing game?" He holds one end of the stick of candy between his teeth and leans toward Fee.
Fee shrugs, grabbing the other end of the red candy in their mouth and nibbling a bit as Andrew takes several large bites, until they end up with their lips connected, falling into a deep kiss as the rest of the car cheers.
"Damn, I wish that were me," Benji says wistfully as he gazes at Andrew and Fee in the midst of their lip-locking.
Victor shakes his head and clicks his tongue. "It could be us, but... I'm driving."
"How about at the next red light?" Benji asks, his voice dripping with honey.
"B... we're on the highway," Victor says, guffawing.
Benji pouts, grumbling to himself, before he shrugs and turns on the radio again.
Soon the cityscape comes into view, the buildings towering from across the water but still giving a less imposing atmosphere than the skyscrapers in Atlanta, the sun slowly drifting out of view until the only light comes from the city's pollution and the full moon bursting out of the surrounding sky.
As they enter the deeper, inner parts of the city, the old culture seeps in around them, the murals on the walls of buildings depicting musicians from the Jazz Age and revolutionaries reminding them that even though Atlanta and the other cities of the South have a shared history, there is still much for them to learn and experience here.
They pull into the driveway in front of a powder blue mid-1800s house, the light on the porch illuminating the old rocking chairs and the ornately carved columns holding up the richly painted overhang. The windows are shuttered behind plants hanging from the ceiling, their vines spilling out and almost touching the floor. Fireflies dance around the glowing glass lamps.
"Whoa..." Victor breathes as he shuts off the engine.
Benji sighs. "Okay, I feel like this'll be worth missing a few days of work."
"Yeah... I'm never gonna underestimate your choices again, babe," Mia says, kissing Lake on the cheek.
When they gather their things, Victor straps his bag to himself and takes Benji's absently in his hand. He smacks himself in the back of the neck as something pricks him, and when he pulls away, he grimaces at the black smudge left behind from a mosquito. Wiping it in his shorts, disgusted, he promptly forgets about it as ascends the stairs, the ancient wood creaking with each step.
Despite the historic exterior, the interior of the house is more modern, with refined furnishing throughout. They stand in the foyer for a moment, simply admiring, before venturing further into the living room, outfitted with cozy black couches with colorful throw pillows and more plants hiding in the corners, along with picture frames adorning almost every inch of the wall.
As they take it all in, Mia slips down into the hallway, leaving the rest of them behind.
"Oh, shit, this place has a pool. Sick," Fee says, peering out through the sliding glass door to the backyard, where the water lapping at the sides vibrates with tiny droplets of white thanks to the little garden lights spread throughout.
"We can go for a night swim," Victor says suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows as he snakes an arm around Benji's waist and draws him closer, his body heat pleasant after being exposed to the shocking cold of the air conditioning.
Andrew raises a fist and chuckles giddily. "I like where your head's at, Vic. Same brain."
Benji chuckles nervously and gives Victor a tight-lipped smile before he slips out of Victor's grip and into the kitchen. Victor pauses, tipping his head to the side as he follows after Benji.
"What? You don't like swimming? We can do something else."
"It's... not that," Benji says, hesitating as he looks at everything but Victor. He exhales and lowers his voice. "I, uh... I don't know how to swim."
"Huh? You don't know how to s--"
Benji claps his hand over Victor's mouth. "For god's sake, Victor..."
Victor pulls Benji away from himself and scratches the back of his head. "Sorry. I was just surprised... Aren't you a water sign?"
"Yeah, haha, a water sign who can't swim, hilarious."
"I mean... I can always teach you. I'm pretty good, but it was mostly because I didn't have the option not to know how, since my parents always brought us to Puerto Rico for the summer."
"It's fine, I didn't bring any swimwear with me." Benji shrugs, peeking over his shoulder through the doorway.
Rolling his eyes, Victor bumps Benji with his hip, grinning innocently. "Who says we need swimwear?"
"Oh my god..." Benji says, cheeks tinging pink. "Well, either way, then, I can just hold onto you." He grins devilishly as he slips his hands into Victor's back pockets and brings their middles together.
"Get a room you two, jeez," Lake snaps, covering her eyes dramatically with her hand. "I mean it's hot and all that but it seems like y'all are just constantly all over each other. Don't you get tired of it?"
"Get tired of what? Having an engaging and fun sex life?" Benji asks, resting his elbow on Victor's shoulder and peering up at him through his eyelashes seductively. "Because I don't understand the question."
"Cough whores cough," Lake says with a wicked grin as she flips her hair over her shoulder and winks at them before she continues down the hall to where Mia had disappeared.
"We have a little bit of a... conundrum," Mia says a moment later with a tight-lipped smile as she presses her finger against her lips and exits the room. "There are only two rooms. Which means there will be sharing."
"But Mia and I already called dibs on the room with one bed. So that means y'all," Lake says, motioning with her hand in a circle at Benji, Victor, Andrew and Fee, "get to share. Toodles!"
"Oh, great. It's like being back at school, only worse," Andrew groans.
"What, you don't like us or something?" Victor teases.
Andrew rolls his eyes and pushes open the door to the room. "It's not that, it's just that I was looking forward to having a little bit of alone time with my honey, you feel?"
"And we know you two are gonna get freaky as usual and I don't wanna be here for that," Fee says, throwing their bag onto the bed closest to the door before plopping onto it face-first.
"Hey, we can control ourselves," Benji says, blushing as he sets his bag on the other bed and opens it up to dig through it. "Right, babe?"
Victor pauses his stride, swallowing quickly before he nods. "Hm? Oh, yeah. Totally."
"Sure..." Fee says. "Anyway... Apparently there's a haunted cemetery tour in the French Quarter and you can see the tomb of the Voodoo Queen which sounds awesome. I wanted to go tonight since it's still pretty early."
"That actually sounds kinda cool."
"Really?" Benji eyes him as he zips his bag back up and drops it on the floor. "That's interesting coming from the guy who was scared to watch Midsommar."
"I mean I've basically desensitized myself to scary shit thanks to creepypastas and true crime videos on Youtube at this point," Victor says, sitting down on the edge of the bed beside Benji, smug. "I wanted to be less of a baby."
Benji gives him a Cheshire cat grin and shakes his head. "You know the real thing is different from the stories. A lot scarier."
"Yeah, I know. Bring it on. I'm kinda an adrenaline junkie."
"Okay, well... I'm down if you're down. But if you scream like a baby because you get scared, I'm gonna pretend we don't know each other."
"You won't protect your own boyfriend from all the scary ghosties?" Andrew asks sarcastically.
Benji smacks his knee as he chuckles. "Do I look like I can protect anyone?"
Victor bites his lip and slides closer to Benji, wrapping his arms around him tightly and kissing his cheek hard. Benji winces but leans into the touch, snuggling into Victor's chest fondly.
"You make a good point, Campbell," Andrew says, smacking Victor's arm on his way to the ensuite behind them.
"Actually..." Benji says, yawning and covering his mouth in the back of his hand. "What time is it, anyway?"
Fee glances down at their phone. "I mean, it's like... almost eleven at this point."
"Shit... that's actually kinda late," Victor says, stretching dramatically and feigning a yawn as his eyes flit to Benji quickly. "I've been up since like... five, for some reason. I kinda wanna just chill. Maybe go to sleep early."
"Oh... Well, We can always reschedule for another time. Andrew and I can just like... go to the French Quarter just to see what's around, get to know the city a bit, and then maybe we can all go together tomorrow?" Fee says, tapping their chin with their finger.
"Yeah, I like that idea. We have a few days here, anyway. There's no rush," Victor says, brushing some of Benji's hair from his face and smiling down at him softly.
When Fee and Andrew exit, leaving Benji and Victor alone, Victor waits until their footsteps have retreated before he turns his attention to Benji, who's lying in the middle of the bed and staring up at the ceiling.
Victor rolls on his side, propping his head up on his hand and peering down at Benji as he draws little circles on his chest with his finger.
"Thanks for that, you didn't have to fake being tired for me," Benji says, letting his head drop to the side as he locks eyes with Victor and smiles. "But I wasn't actually feeling up for doing anything tonight and I didn't wanna be a bummer, so I appreciate it."
"Yeah, I figured. It's all good, babe. I'm sorry we don't have a lot of privacy, though. I was expecting things to be a little... different."
Shaking his head, Benji leans over and presses his lips to Victor's before he pulls away and smiles as he smooths down Victor's hair. "It's okay. Honestly, I'm having fun just lying here with you."
"Me, too." Victor grins, stroking Benji's cheek with his thumb for a moment before he sighs. "Why don't we get ready for bed and we can just hang out, maybe watch something?"
"That sounds perfect."
Benji drags himself out of bed with a groan and disappears into the ensuite, before he returns a few minutes later, clad in green flannel pajamas and smelling of mint and spice.
"So... because I was pissed off earlier, I wasn't really thinking about what I was packing..." Benji says, ruffling his damp hair as he dumps his clothes next to the bed. He fluffs the pillows and pulls the covers away before he slips underneath. "But it's good because it's actually kinda freezing in here."
"You look cute, babe," Victor says, squeezing Benji's shoulder before he grabs his things from his bag.
Burying himself under the covers so only the top half of his face is visible, Benji's eyes light up, the corners crinkling. "Thanks."
Victor ducks into the bathroom, humming to himself as he showers away the grime and sweat of the day, the warm water cascading over his skin pleasantly as he closes his eyes for a moment, exhaling the stiffness he'd accumulated in his neck and shoulders from the drive.
He pulls on a pair of sweats before he pads back into the room, shivering as the cold air shocks him. Benji is still lying there, cocooned like a caterpillar anticipating its metamorphosis, his phone hovering over his face. He peeks up at Victor and smiles.
"Shit, you're right, it is cold," Victor says, hopping into bed and burrowing into the little cave of covers that had already grown warm.
"I told you." Benji shuts off the screen of his phone and sets it on the nightstand beside him. "We could always turn the AC down, though."
Victor chuckles, wrapping his arms around Benji in search of warmth as his teeth chatter. "I don't really feel like looking for the thermostat."
"True... and knowing us, we'd probably break it."
They chuckle, their breath mingling between them, but even as it dies down, their eyes meet. The cicadas screech outside in their attempt at reminding the two of them that no matter what, they're never truly alone. But they ignore this plea, too focused instead on each other.
Clearing his throat, Victor shifts, rolling onto his other side and turning toward the other nightstand as he feels around on the polished surface until his fingers meet plastic and rubber.
"What did you wanna watch, babe?" Victor asks, turning on the tv sitting on the dresser across from them as he props himself up on a few pillows.
Benji hums as he slots himself against Victor's side, letting his head rest on Victor's shoulder, making Victor shiver, as his arm wraps around his waist. "I dunno... a movie?"
"Okay... let's see..." Victor mutters to himself as he flips through the channels, pausing for a moment before he glances down to where Benji is peering up at him.
He smiles, pressing his lips together as he goes back to pushing the channel up button and wraps his arm around Benji's back.
After a few more seconds, he sighs, leaning down to press a soft kiss to Benji's expectant lips only to have warmth overcome him when Benji tightens his grip on Victor's waist and snuggles even closer to him as if he'd just returned to a hearth after being out in the snow.
"What are your thoughts on Jurassic Park?" Victor asks.
"The original or the one with Chris Pratt? 'Cause I know he's problematic but he can save me from dinosaurs any day."
"That's Jurassic World, B, keep up," Victor says with a chuckle as he puts the subtitles on. "And I think I know what I'm dressing up as for Halloween this year, then."
Benji snorts. "It wouldn't even be a costume, it's just your normal clothes."
"Hey!" Victor snaps, erupting into a fit of giggles. "That was a low blow."
"I'm thinking of another low blow I can give you." Benji wiggles his eyebrows suggestively as he tilts his head back and narrows his eyes up at Victor. "But in all seriousness, I actually haven't watched it in a while, because every time I tried to, my mom would shut it off. She legit thought it would give me nightmares."
"Seriously?"
"I mean... I was like... ten, I think. So it's been a while."
"Well, if you do get scared, I'll protect you," Victor teases as he places the remote back on the nightstand. He glances down at Benji again, only to meet his golden eyes again. "You like what you see?"
Benji grins, cheeks pink, before burying his face in Victor's neck, his voice muffled. "I do, very much."
For a while, Victor ignores the sensation of Benji's lips tickling his neck, squirming a bit but not wanting to tell Benji to stop. He bites his lip as Benji creeps up from lying beside him, the mattress squeaking as he slowly blankets Victor with his body and rests his head on Victor's collarbone while Victor listens more to Benji's breathing than to the cries of terror emanating from the television.
When Benji slots his knee between Victor's legs, Victor gulps, peering down to where the breath from his nose ruffles the little wisps of Benji's hair that have already dried, making them dance around like feathers in the wind.
He becomes more aware of the way his heart hammers in his ears, but he doesn't move, not wanting to disturb Benji, even as each of Benji's breaths sends a pleasant sensation straight to his groin.
"Your heart's beating really fast," Benji says against his chest, the hint of a smile weaving into his words.
Victor's hand tenses on Benji's lower back as Benji lifts his face and rests his chin on Victor's chest, simply observing him.
"Well, I feel like neither of us are really watching the movie," Victor says, letting his hand slowly slip under Benji's shirt.
"I mean I was... until I realized how fun it is to tease you without actually doing anything."
"Is that why you didn't wanna go out? So we could have sex?"
"Yes and no," Benji says, shifting his leg ever so slightly so it gently rubs against Victor's clothed cock. "Although I will say... I'm kinda hard."
"You don't have to tell me that, I can literally feel your dick against my leg." Victor giggles, slipping his other hand down Benji's pants to where the flesh of his ass almost burns him. "I can't believe you're not wearing underwear. You little..."
"Little what?" Benji asks innocently, staring at the ceiling as he grinds down against Victor's leg. "Hm, Daddy?"
Victor licks at the back of his teeth as he gives Benji's ass a squeeze. "You're my little slut, is what you are."
"Mm... so true..." Benji all but whispers as he shimmies out of his pants, leaving them to reside under the covers. "I'm also feeling way too clean right now, daddy..."
"I don't know how that's even possible since you're the filthiest little slut I know." Victor gives his ass another squeeze before he smacks it, eliciting a small yelp from Benji as his lips fall open ever so slightly.
Benji grins as he slides over so he's straddling Victor's lap before he pushes himself to sit up, the cool air rushing against Victor's overheated body a welcome sensation.
"I love it when you're a little mean to me," Benji says as he rubs up on Victor's erection, grinning down at Victor as he unbuttons the top button of his flannel before Victor smacks his hand away and takes over.
Victor struggles with the second button, biting at the inside of his cheek as he tries to undo it. "Well I love knowing that me calling you my slut--" he pauses as the button finally comes free from its prison, "is enough to get you so wet you're begging for it."
"Mhm... yeah... exactly..." Benji babbles, reaching out to steady himself against the headboard.
"Damn, Benji... did you like... super glue these buttons or something?" Victor says, gritting his teeth as Benji leans down and peppers kisses along his neck.
Benji sighs, reaching down into the bag on the floor and digging around before he grabs Victor's hand and wrenches it away from his shirt. "Don't worry about it... I just want you to cum in my ass before our roommates get back."
"Noted..." Victor mutters, as he brings Benji's face down to meet his.
Victor cups Benji's cheek and lets his hand meander down to his neck, resting gently on the sides for a moment before continuing downward to where part of Benji's chest is exposed, his shirt slipping off his shoulder, allowing his nipple to peek through. His normally pale skin has taken on a pink hue, the cross-hatched pattern covering the expanse of his torso.
When they pull away, Victor almost laughs at the pink dots littering Benji's skin. "Nice tan lines."
"I literally look like I have scales. Like some sort of fish or a lizard thing or something," Benji says with a soft snort.
"A very cute fish or lizard thing."
"Just stop talking."
"Anything for you, my love."
Benji eyes him, as if he's reading the words formulating in his mind.
"Just one more..."
"Fine."
"You're my... slutty little fish or lizard thing."
"I'm breaking up with you."
Victor chuckles and Benji rolls his eyes with a smirk as he tugs Victor's sweatpants and his underwear down in one go, eyebrows knitting together as he stares down at his erection. Benji licks his lips and brushes his own hair back, eyelids heavy.
Smiling and biting his lower lip, Victor watches as Benji leans down and takes the head of his cock in his mouth for a moment, suckling gently as he peers up at Victor with wide, glazed-over eyes before he lets Victor's dick slip from between his lips.
"God, I love the way your dick tastes," Benji sighs.
Victor chuckles as he cradles Benji's face in his hands as if he's a precious jewel and swipes his thumb over Benji's plump, swollen lips, before he pulls him up and kisses him so hard he almost loses his breath, tasting himself on Benji's tongue and moaning quietly into his mouth, just as Benji does the same.
"I love you so much, babe," Victor breathes when they pull away.
"I love you more." Benji snickers as he uncaps the bottle of lube and drizzles a generous amount on Victor's erection, before he prods at his own hole with the tip a few times and slides down it slowly. "Mmm... yessss..."
Benji heaves as he stares down at Victor, skin glistening with sweat as he sinks down onto Victor's cock, taking him in, inch by inch, until Victor's fully sheathed inside him. Victor groans at the way Benji engulfs him, hot and inviting and squeezing him just so and making his dick throb, just as Benji leans down to kiss him again.
Victor runs his hand through Benji's hair, gripping at the roots and pulling just so he can listen to the way Benji mewls into his mouth as he raises himself up on his knees and lets himself drop down on his cock.
Letting his eyelids flutter closed, Benji sits back again, letting his palms rest on Victor's bare thighs as he bounces up and down on Victor's cock, his own dick smacking him in the stomach.
Victor can only thrust up into him, gripping his hips and sliding in and out of Benji's tight body as Benji speeds up his movements, the moans he's trying so desperately to bite back slipping from his lips as the mattress squeaks so loudly, Victor wonders if it'll wake the neighbors.
The house rattles and a door slams nearby as Benji continues to ride Victor's cock, his hair falling in his face seductively just as he hovers over Victor, letting his fingers rest gently on the outside of his neck.
Benji presses down every so slightly, putting just enough pressure to make Victor smile up at him as his head goes light and he's floating in the atmosphere with only Benji to accompany him, and there's nowhere else he'd rather be.
Victor's bones transform into jelly just as he approaches his climax, the pit of his stomach seizing as pleasure washes over him and he shoots hot cum deep inside Benji, ignoring the sounds around him for a moment because everything around him is blissful, his vision going blank as Benji clenches around him and cries out as he cums, untouched, between them.
But Victor doesn't even get a chance to slip out of Benji when the footsteps approach and he shuts his eyes tightly, feigning sleep. All Benji can do is plop his shuddering body down on top of him and throw the covers over them as he tugs on the little string on the lamp.
A split-second later, the door opens and light pours in.
"Guys?" Fee whispers.
Neither Benji nor Victor responds.
"Aww, babe... it looks like they fell asleep watching Jurassic Park," Fee says with a giggle as they creep into the room quietly.
Andrew laughs, not trying to keep quiet as he enters, stomping across the old Turkish rug. Victor peeks through a slit in his eye as Andrew grabs the remote and shuts the television off.
"Well, at least we didn't walk in on them fucking," Andrew says, plopping backward onto the bed beside them.
Benji tenses on top of him, snorting quietly against Victor's shoulder as he clutches at Victor's waist. Victor squeezes his arms around Benji's back and kisses his forehead ever so slightly as the door closes and darkness surrounds them again.
"Love you," Victor whispers against the shell of Benji's ear.
"Love you, too."
And now all Victor can focus on is Benji's flesh, his presence, his embrace, anchoring him to the world around him even as he separates from his surroundings and falls into a comfortable sleep where all he can dream of is Benji.