as if Nicotine {Dom}

[Erik Stewart]

When Erik got a text from Dominique, he was fresh out of the shower. Erik tousled his dark hair into wet, curling black strands; he gathered up the left side and squeezed the water out. He sat and rubbed the towel down his arms and around his shoulders and down, down towards his toes, the whole length of his white skin peppered with freckles: freckles on his cheeks, his shoulders, his forearms, and a little on the side of his thighs and even under the curve of his backside. They were distinctive markings.

Erik only paused long enough to text Dom back, ‘I just got out the shower’, which was implied to be a pass. He was surprised when his phone lit up again. Erik hadn’t started his day intending to spend a good time with Dom, but he knew that life could take unexpected turns, and who was he to deny opportunity knocking? Eventually, he conceded, and sent the other boy a short line of agreement. ‘Give me 10,’ he said.

He’d take longer than ten minutes, though. Usually, Erik didn’t get out of his towel for a good hour, but this time he forced himself to break ritual and dress himself in twenty (which was double the time he’d promised). Still, he didn’t think Dominique was the type to care.

Erik hadn’t been to Dom’s room many times…and he thought he could understand why: the kid seemed neater than he was, and probably cared about mussing up his sheets a lot more than Erik did. Besides that, Dominique just seemed like an incredibly private and aloof person. That wasn’t to say Erik didn’t jealously guard his privacy, either; they just went about it in different ways.

Anyway, he raised a hand to knock at his door, hoping he would have to stand in the hallway for too long.

[Dominique Chevalier]

Dom hadn't replied once Erik had confirmed; there was no real point. Instead he didn't really move from where he lay on his bed in his boxers, laptop up as he had a look at a few of the skiing resorts he wanted to see over the Christmas break. Staying in America for christmas was just not going to happen; it was so tacky.

Beside his bed there was several cartons of cigarettes, still in their cling wrap. He'd picked them up at duty free a while back, and unlike some of the people he spent time with, never had real trouble getting more.

It was unusual for him to invite people back to his room when there was a strong likelihood of it ending in bed, but Erik knew the drill; Dom wasn't a fan of sleep overs. Neither, as far as he knew, was Erik. It worked out well. And sure, the snake changer had a liberal view on time but no one present was the sort to be bent out of shape by that.

Scanning through pictures of mountains capped with enough powder snow Dom could already tell it would be up to his knees, he almost missed the knock on the door. Closing down his laptop, then putting it in its case in a draw, the blond teen finally rose to his feet and opened the door to let Erik in.

"Hey," he said, "good shower?"

[Erik Stewart]

Erik was looking away when the door opened, as if momentarily distracted, with his hands stuffed in his gray-green hoodie. He didn’t have much time to pretty himself up so he came as he was, with still-damp hair and a pair of faded jeans thrown over his thin legs. That’s what Dom got for callin’ him on the fly.
But it looked like Dominique was the underdresser on that particular evening; when he turned to look at him he appeared mildly startled, which quickly melded into a small smile. He reached up to wipe some black hair out of his eyes. “Ain’t fuckin’ around are you?” he said, eyes on his middle for perhaps one or two seconds longer than necessary.

The inside of his dorm didn’t look much different than his own, except maybe it was a bit neater; he only spared it a quick glance. He might have been here once or twice but most of the time they retired to his own room. Erik understood why. He’d heard Dom lived with his brother, and it might be pretty devastating to know what your brother was up to…at least, he thought it would; he’d no siblings of his own, only cousins off in different states.

“You’re lucky I’m feelin’ nice,” he said, dropping down on the side of Dom’s bed. He tried wedging off his sneakers as he watched Dom pass by in his boxers, the low lamp-light filling his body with well-placed shadows and accentuating his – well, his rear. “I take a shower n’ I’m done for th’ day.”

Erik was aware he was talking a lot of shit for someone so blatantly checking him out, but that was just part of the game, and Dom would know that, of course. If he looked, he’d find a sort of coquettish smile on his freckled face, and he was leaning back a bit on his elbows, as if inviting him to climb over.

When he didn’t, though, he got a little curious; tilting his head, Erik watched him pass him by, then straightened up, considering. “What’s th’ occasion?”

[Dominique Chevalier]

"Fucking around is exactly what I'm doing," Dom said quietly, smirking slightly at the the admiring glance directed at his midriff and then chuckling as Erik saunted past him and getting an eyeful for himself. Almost a handful too, but that would be crass. The Chavaliers were never crass, never. He wondered over to where he'd left the cigarettes, glancing back to see Erik splayed out over the bed.

It was very inviting, but Dom picked up the package and rested back against the dresser.

The impulse had been a strange one, and he still felt a little strange about it. Getting the desire to get things for people that were outside of his direct blood relations was not exactly common, unless it was to get something. And he didn't need to give Erik things to get laid, he just had to pick up his phone.

He turned back to the bed and shrugged, heading over and sitting down. "Got you these," he said, passing the cartons over, "so you won't be so stingy with sharing next time."

There. That sounded like him.

[Erik Stewart]

Erik propped himself up. His smile was delayed, but when it arrived it spread across his cheeks like warm butter. It was as genuine as he could get it and Lord knew those were few and far between.

“What the fuck?” he laughed.

He sat up, pulling his legs up the side of the bed to gather them cross-legged in front of him, making the mattress bounce a little. Erik reached out to take one of the cartons. It was still wrapped in plastic; he liked the feel of it. Lifting it up, he turned the package around as if to admire it from all angles, or, at least, to ascertain that it was really as advertised. He found that it was. “Aren’t these like thirty five bucks?”

Erik looked up at him. He was a naturally intuitive boy, but even he found Dominique hard to read; even now he couldn’t find much else than that stoniness. Sure, some of that melted away when they were fuckin’ around, but he’d have never thought…it was just unexpected, was all. His pleasant surprise melded with an ounce of confusion. Erik was more transparent than Dom; it showed clearly on his face.

“Thanks,” he said, first, then: “I’d fuck ya anyway, y’know.”

But he didn’t mean to imply the gift as bribery. Erik smiled again, shifting, flipping some hair over his shoulder; he reached out as if to take his arm. “C’mere.”

[Dominique Chevalier]

Cracking his own slight smile in response to the one lighting Erik's face, Dom shrugged his shoulders. He watched the snake-shifter laugh with amusement sparking in his eyes. Some people were so easy to please.

His pale eyebrows rose as Eric sat like a kid by the Christmas tree, examining his presents with the same sort of childish excitement. It was almost a pity there was no colourful paper, Dom could imagine how quickly it would go flying.

"Oh no," he said dryly, "I've bankrupted my family." People with money didn't talk about money, that was vulgar, but he had assumed that it would be pretty clear that 35 bucks wasn't exactly going to break the bank, or even chip the bank. He met Erik's gaze easily enough, his own face perfectly neutral as he crossed his arms over his bare chest.

"I know," he said honestly, and a little smugly. That wasn't why he'd bought them, but that didn't really matter. As Erik reached out, Dom easily grasped his wrist and let himself be pulled towards his bed until his legs met the edge of the mattress. "I'm pretty irresistible."

[Erik Stewart]

Erik wasn’t fancy, he didn’t need much, and to him several (free) cartons of cigarettes were a luxury. He’d lived most of his childhood in an old, molding southern home, and the rest of it here, relying on Hammel’s food and lodging and goodwill. Plus, this kind of unexpected generosity was lost on him. He had about as much experience with it as Dom had giving it out.

“Don’t be such ‘n asshole,” he said, smiling. When he succeeded in drawing Dom close, he used his hold on him to scooch himself forward on the bed, so that their waists almost touched. Erik looked up at him, head nearly tilted straight back. “What, y’want me to admit it now? Y’want me t’tell you you’re hot shit?” He paused to tuck some of his own hair behind his ear. “’Fraid y’might let it get t’your head.”

Erik supposed he hadn’t spared many compliments for him (though his attention, those looks and touches, told a story he never said aloud), except for the ones he might’ve breathed in his ear during the heat of the moment.

“Y’really didn’t have t’get me those, though,” he said, his voice softening around the edges. He closed the distance between them, slowly, to put his lips against Dom’s bare middle. “I didn’t bring anythin’ for you.”

Clearly a suggestive offer, he put his lips against his skin a few more times – light, fluttery touches. His other hand slid up his side.

[Dominique Chevalier]

With a chuckle, Dom looked down at Erik sceptically. Like he needed someone to tell him he was hot shit. Generally, that was assumed knowledge. But he did register, as much as someone used to compliments could, that it was odd to hear that from Erik while he was still wearing some item of clothing.

It still didn't really register though; Dom had never relied on anyone other than himself to stroke his own ego. He did a pretty great job of it. The asshole comment just slid right off, like water on smooth stone.

"Yeah, I know," he said with a roll of his blue eyes, even as he reached out to lace one of his hands through Erik's hair. It was an excellent length for hanging onto. "If you keep going on about it, I'll-" he closed his mouth at the spot of warmth on his torso, still looking down as his skin was peppered with kisses.

A list of things to say popped through his head, as it usually did. Speaking of gifts, or and sucking this won't give you cancer but, as was his way, chose to just stay quiet and wind his fingers a little tighter in Erik's damp hair as the other cupped over his shoulder in a solid hold.

"This isn't a quid pro quo thing," he said after a moment, frowning slightly. "Just so we're clear."

Best to get that suggestion out of the way as quickly as possible.

[Erik Stewart]

Erik glanced up in between his soft kisses, his sweet descent downwards. As he rested his chin against the flesh of his middle, he smiled, and murmured, “Oh, this’s just for fun.”

***
He usually liked to light up something to smoke after the fact - the calming rush of nicotine clashed too well with the afterglow – but he was sure Dom wouldn’t care for some stains on the ceiling and the lingering scent of it on his bed sheets. Erik kept his vice to himself.

He turned, dragging along some of the covers around his body. The silver chain draped around his damp collarbones slid over his chest. “You ain’t gone t’sleep already, have you?” he asked, lightly touching the boy who laid beside him. “Not even gonna show me th’ way out?”

Erik smiled, as if to himself, and started to reach over him to grab his clothing.

[Dominique Chevalier]

The shifting of the mattress was a familiar enough sensation that it hardly broke Dom from his post-coital daze. He turned towards the touch on his chest though, shooting Erik a lazy smirk as he heard exactly what he wanted.

As a freckled arm reached over him, Dom grasped Erik’s wrist and tugged him down again. “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” he said, his tone taking on that extra note of cheer it always seemed to find after sex. “One of your best sides is your backside. I'd hate to miss that view."

Oh what a wit.

The silver chain was hanging down invitingly, so Dom hooked his index finger through it and gave it a quick tug. "Down here, boy," he murmured quietly.

He wasn’t in the mood for another round; they’d been thorough enough, but maybe it was the warm glow a good orgasm or two always left him with, or the warm glow of gift giving (he would struggle to recognise that one) but he was feeling alright with the idea of getting up in ten minutes, rather then the usual few.

[Erik Stewart]

He snorted. “You’re full ‘uh shit,” he said. “Sleep when you’re dead. Yeah right. Y’all roll off an’ go t’sleep in five minutes.”

But Dom’s astute comment on his ass seemed to go appreciated. As he crossed over his middle, he glanced down at him, his freckled cheeks dimpled with a smile. It looked like he’d keep going, if it weren’t for the gentle tug at his neck. Erik didn’t need too much convincing. He lowered his head just underneath Dom’s chin, and settled down over him, with his ear to his chest.

Erik had stuck around after a roll in the hay before, but he couldn’t recall a time this held true with Dominique. He was quietly pleased that he was able to now – if only for a few moments. Usually, the other boy seemed so disinterested in company; he hadn’t protested, because Erik had never expected anything else. He had never been under the illusion that their relationship was anything different, nor anything more.

But between the cigarette cartons and Dom’s encouragement, he couldn’t help but think something was up.

“What’s got into you tonight?” he asked, his voice soft. Erik idly drew patterns on Dom’s damp skin with his finger.

[Dominique Chevalier]

Erik curled up like a cat, and Dom let his arm drop around the freckled waist of the other boy. Dark hair tickled his nose, so he smoothed it down and behind his ear, out of the way. It was a good thing the temperature was still quite chilly, or he’d have already started to wiggle away from the unusual extra body heat.

The content expression on his face was interrupted by Erik’s innocent question, a crease appearing between his eyebrows.

What had gotten into him? “Don’t so be gay,” he muttered, his arm dropping from Erik’s waist. “You’ll make it weird.”

The last time he’d been in bed with someone like this was with Lucy and her stupid sleep-spooning. Only they hadn’t been naked. That made it a bit different. And Erik didn’t really feel anything like Lucy, he was all bones and angles and freckles. Dom was already starting to regret it, sort of.

Not the cigarettes, he didn’t regret that.

“Seriously, don’t get ideas,” he added quietly, but did move his arm back.

[Erik Stewart]

Erik didn’t move from his spot, but he did furrow his brows and scrunch up his nose, as if in bewildered concentration. His blue eyes rolled up towards his hairline, even though he couldn’t really see Dom from his position.

“Oh, now I’m too gay,” he said.

He shifted. “Alright, alright. Fine,” he continued, before Dom could get too offended. “Forget I asked. Jesus. I ain’t gettin’ - ” he yawned. “ – any ideas.”

Oh well. This was good enough, he supposed. Erik was glad he’d gotten out of that shower to come here; those cartons would last him a while, and frankly, he’d take all the close after-sex contact that he could get. He was a big sucker for it, as much as he kept quiet about it.

Erik lightly dozed, and if Dom didn’t stir him from it he’d soon fall into a deep sleep.

[Dominique Chevalier]

His thumb running up and down the bumps of Erik's ribs, Dom snorted but was silent; apparently content with that. He laid back for a little, eyes not quite closing as he felt the expansion and reduction of Eric's chest as he breathed.

It was easier to stop thinking about what it did mean, having someone with him like this. And this time, no one was asleep and could deny clinging like a little sleepy limpet.

Still, while it was fine for a while, the question wasn't going to fade away and as he felt Erik's breathing start to slow he huffed a breath and pushed himself up to sitting. As Erik's head slid down and Dom gently pushed him off his lap, the twin leaned over and grabbed his friend's clothes so no one would have to lean over again.

"Here," he said murmured, helping to draw the covers back off the body beside him so he could pull on his clothes, "I'll see you around some time."

[Erik Stewart]

Erik liked to talk a lot of shit for someone who was so liable to fall asleep first (he always did). He did experience unconsciousness, for a moment, until he felt the warm skin he’d been resting on start to stir.

He didn’t say much as he pulled his clothes on. He was drowsy now – thought he’d go to sleep as soon as he got back. He wondered if he’d take another shower. When he finally pulled his jeans up, Erik rolled out of his bed and stood, patting down the wrinkles in his shirt.

Erik gave him a little smile. “Bye,” he said. He had to double back to collect the cartons; he’d almost forgotten them.

He held them up as he left, a silent ‘thank you’, and finally shuffled out the door.

(done? :3)