A while later, after seeing the guys out, Marshall wandered back through his house, eventually finding AJ still in the game room, shooting pool alone. For a few minutes, Marshall just stood in the doorway, shoulder leaning against the jam as he watched the man he loved make shot after shot with no problem.
The man he loved. He still couldn’t wrap his mind around that one. He hadn’t had much time to think about it since he’d realized how deep his feelings ran. He’d only been sitting on the floor inside his living room for a minute or so before he’d heard Harry coming back into the house. Quickly he’d gotten to his feet and headed back for the others, not wanting to be caught freaking out about his feelings.
He’d walked back into the game room to find AJ rapping to a song one of the guys had put in with Denaun, Rondell, Pete and Swift. He’d known AJ could rap if the mood took him, but he’d never gotten to witness it before. He wasn’t half bad, especially since it wasn’t even something he practiced. Apparently the rest of the guys felt the same, because they were smiling and backing him up. Behind him, he felt Harry’s hand suddenly on his shoulder, giving him a light squeeze before releasing him and stepping past.
Marshall had continued to just watch as Harry slipped into his Proof persona and started rapping right along with AJ. AJ had stopped and looked at him, startled for a minute, then smiled lightly, accepting the peace offering for what it was, and went back to rapping. Marshall hadn’t been able to keep the goofy smile off his face after that. All his doubts about his feelings for AJ had been temporarily put on hold as he watched his crew and his boyfriend bond and have fun.
Now that the house was empty except for the two of them though, the doubts came crashing back in on him. He didn’t know what to do about it. After things with Kim had fallen apart for the final time, he’d sworn he’d never let himself fall back into the trap of loving someone that way again, and he’d meant it with all his being.
The fact that he had anyway scared him. Part of him wanted to push the younger man away so he could get some distance and put his walls back up. The other part of him wanted to hack away at the last little bit of the walls still holding him back and let AJ all the way in. He didn’t know what the fuck to do, and didn’t think he could possibly be more confused if he’d tried.
Just then AJ turned, sensing someone watching him and found Marshall in the doorway, a frown on his face. AJ frowned in return, wondering what was wrong. The night had went pretty well in his opinion. The guys seemed to have accepted them, even Harry although that situation was still pretty shaky. AJ wasn’t naïve enough to believe that just because Harry had made a peace offering that everything was going to be smooth and easy, but it was a start at least.
Setting his pool stick down on the green felt of the pool table, AJ started around it toward Marshall as he asked, “What’s wrong baby?”
“I want you to meet Hailie.” Marshall blurted before he could stop himself.
He wasn’t sure who was more surprised by that, him or AJ. He hadn’t even realized he’d been thinking it, but now that he acknowledged it, he could admit to himself that he had wanted that for a while now. AJ and Hailie had talked on the phone a couple times now, but for some reason, it wasn’t enough. He wanted AJ to know his daughter, and his daughter to know the man he loved. Hailie was the most important part of his life and somewhere along the way, AJ had wormed his way under that heading too. He wanted the two most important people in his life to know each other. It was as simple as that...and as complicated.
When Marshall’s words registered in his mind, AJ stopped in his tracks, just beyond the edge of the pool table. His stomach did a little flip. He wanted to meet Hailie too. He had for a while now, but he hadn’t said anything. She was the most treasured part of Marshall’s life, and AJ hadn’t wanted to push his way into that unwanted.
“You…you do?” AJ asked, unable to keep the surprise out of his voice.
Marshall pushed away from the doorjamb and walked over to AJ as he said, “You sound surprised.”
“I am.” AJ said simply.
Marshall wrapped his arms around AJ’s waist and pulled him close, resting their foreheads together. “Why?”
AJ brought his hands up to Marshall’s arms, lightly holding onto his biceps, needing the extra bit of contact. “She’s important to you.”
Marshall nodded, their foreheads rubbing slightly. “One of the most important people in my life.”
AJ nodded in return and said, “Exactly,” then thought about what Marshall had just admitted. “Wait, one of?”
“Yeah.” Marshall confirmed with a slight smile.
Right then, holding AJ, their faces so close he could feel his breath kiss his skin as he spoke, all his doubts seemed to melt away. He wasn’t sure if they’d return later, in the light of day, but for that moment, they were gone and he wanted to enjoy it.
Hope flashed in AJ’s expressive brown eyes for a second before settling on resignation, his mouth turned down in a frown as if he was berating himself for even considering the possibility he would be the other person. “Oh, right, I suppose the guys would be in there too.”
Marshall’s brows knit in confusion. He had prayed AJ would catch on so he wouldn’t have to say it out loud, wouldn’t have to commit to the words verbally, so the fact that he didn’t took Marshall off guard and he couldn’t figure out who the other man meant. “Who?”
“The guys, you know, D-12, the people that just invaded your house and threw you the coming out party I always wanted?” AJ responded in a half-joking way, trying to hide the disappointment he was feeling.
He had hoped he meant as much to Marshall as the other man meant to him, but he should have known better than to expect that much from him. Really, he’d gotten way more from the other man already than he had ever expected. He should have been grateful for that instead of being greedy and wanting even more.
Marshall caught on to AJ’s train of thought and had to remind himself that beneath AJ’s confident exterior lay someone very insecure. He didn’t know why that was so hard to remember. After all, they shared a lot of the same insecurities about themselves.
The older man shook his head and said, “Oh, them. No, they don’t make the list. They’re up there, but there’s only one other person I’d even consider possibly being as important to me as Hailie.”
AJ swallowed the sudden lump in his throat, refusing to let the hope curling inside him take root. In a voice barely above a whisper, he asked, “Who?”
Marshall stared into AJ’s eyes for a long moment, drinking in the emotions he saw there. Lifting his hand from the younger man’s waist, he cupped the side of his face and traced his lips with his thumb.
In an equally quiet voice filled with certainty, he made the verbal commitment he’d been trying to avoid. “You.”
AJ wanted to jump up and down and cheer. He wanted to leap for joy. He wanted to get on a stage and declare his love for Marshall to the world. Hell, he just wanted to declare his love to the other man, but knew right then wasn’t the time. AJ recognized that Marshall had just taken a huge step by admitting as much as he had, and even though AJ longed to say, ‘I love you,’ and hear the words in return, he knew it was too soon and he might ruin what they had now by rushing it.
So, instead of jumping and leaping and making announcements, he leaned in and showed him how much that admission meant to him with a kiss. A long, deep, passion-filled kiss that left them both breathless and harder than hell.
“Fuck I want you right now.” Marshall muttered in a husky voice.
AJ pressed himself against his lover, letting him feel just how much he wanted him too. Leaning in, he whispered against Marshall’s ear, “Then take me.”
Marshall needed no more encouragement than that.
~ ~&~ ~ ~&~ ~ ~&~ ~
After a round of hard, fast sex on the game room floor, a shower filled with wet, slippery sex and a more leisurely round of sex on Marshall’s bed they lay in a tangle of limbs, cum and sweat, trying to catch their breaths.
AJ looked down at the both of them and chuckled. “Guess we should have waited on that shower.”
Marshall chuckled too. “Yeah, guess so.”
AJ’s head fell back against the pillow behind his head. “Guess we should get up and take another one.”
Marshall again responded with, “Yeah, guess so.”
Neither of them moved however, not wanting to break contact with the other, even for a second. It was almost a desperate feeling they both had, as if they were scared now that Marshall had admitted how much he cared, it was going to blow them apart.
“You’re leaving tomorrow, aren’t you?” AJ asked, feeling the loneliness creeping up already the way he always did when the two of them were separated.
Marshall sighed. “Yeah, got that two day concert this weekend and need to get there a day early for rehearsal.”
“Nervous?” AJ asked, knowing how bad his nerves got to him right before the first show after a while not being on stage and wondering if it was the same for the rapper.
“Fuck yes. On top of that, the CD’s dropping on Sunday now instead of Tuesday…well, some places on Friday actually, but it’s being announced that it’s Sunday.”
“You know it’s gonna blow up right?” AJ asked, looking into Marshall’s eyes.
Marshall shifted his gaze from AJ to the wall nearby. “Never know. Could flop.”
AJ snorted. “Yeah, because you’re so yesterday’s news.”
“It’s only gonna have three fucking days to chart, and hardly anyone even knows it’s coming out this weekend. It’ll be lucky to sell fifty thousand.” Marshall said, his doubts getting the best of him.
AJ grabbed Marshall’s chin and firmly turned his face back and waited until the other man looked straight into his eyes, then said confidently, “It’s going to blow up.”
“Maybe.” Marshall said stubbornly, even though for some insane reason, AJ reassuring him was actually working.
AJ saw the flash of belief in Marshall’s eyes and smiled, knowing the other man believed him even if he wouldn’t admit it. “If I wasn’t so tired right now, I’d tie you to this bed and torture you until your stubborn ass admitted it’s going to do well.”
Marshall’s lips curved up into a smile. “Sounds good to me. That what you’re gonna ask for? For the bet?”
AJ chuckled. “Uh, uh. You’re not finding out yet. I’m waiting for the perfect time to spring it on you.”
“Uh oh. It needs a perfect time to be uh…sprung?” Marshall asked, just a little nervous at that revelation.
AJ grinned wickedly. “Yep. Timing’s everything.”
Marshall was really nervous now. He’d never seen AJ smile at him quite that way before. “That bad huh?”
The grin dropped from AJ’s face and his eyes flashed with heat. “Oh fuck no. That good.”
“Now I’m scared.” Marshall said, not entirely joking.
The wicked grin was back as AJ responded, “You should be.”
Marshall’s eyes narrowed, and before AJ knew what he was planning, the older man sprang into action, pushing AJ onto his back and settling his weight on top of him to hold him down. When AJ tried to push him off with a chuckle, Marshall grabbed his wrists and held them down to the mattress, taking advantage of AJ’s simultaneous squirming to insinuate himself between the younger man’s legs, rendering him helpless.
He had a moment’s flash of worry that AJ might get freaked out by being in that position and at his mercy, but AJ’s continued grin as he struggled in vain put his worries to rest and he leaned down and nipped at AJ’s bottom lip.
When AJ settled down a little and started nipping back, Marshall pulled his face back and stared mischievously down into his lover’s eyes. “You know I could make you tell me right?”
AJ’s eyebrow arched challengingly. “Oh yeah? How’s that?”
Marshall licked his lips and leaned in, darting his tongue out and tracing the vein up the side of AJ’s neck to his ear. Nipping at his earlobe and smiling as he felt AJ shiver underneath him, he said in a low, seductive voice, “I could give you the longest most intense blowjob of your life.”
He smiled at AJ’s sharp intake of breath, feeling his cock twitch between them. Taking advantage of AJ’s budding arousal, he slowly ground his hips down into him as he continued, “I’d suck you so hard and so good, right down my hot, wet throat, then every time you’re on the brink of cumming I’d back off. Then I’d start again and keep doing that until you’re begging me to let you cum in my mouth. But I won’t let you until you tell me…what…the…bet…is.” He punctuated the last part of his description with quick, hard thrusts of his half aroused dick against AJ’s.
AJ’s whole body twitched and shivered under Marshall’s touch and words. His eyes fell closed as he pictured what Marshall was telling him he’d do to him. He couldn’t believe he was getting hard again after the three mind blowing orgasms he’d already had, but he was.
When Marshall’s hips stilled and he fell silent, AJ opened his eyes and licked his lips. “You could, and fuck me if I’d stop you, but you won’t.”
It was Marshall’s turn to raise an eyebrow challengingly. “Oh yeah? Why the hell not?”
AJ smiled wickedly. “Because you’d have no idea if I was telling you the truth or just making something up to get you to get me off.”
“So…you’re saying you’d blatantly fucking lie to me?” Marshall asked, a dangerous edge to his voice.
“Because you’d be blatantly torturing my horny ass? Fuck yes.” AJ retorted, determined not to back down.
For a minute they remained still, staring into each other’s eyes, trying to figure out if they were still joking or if the conversation had taken a turn neither of them expected or wanted. Suddenly though, Marshall smiled.
AJ smiled back, asking, “What?”
“I like that you don’t back down and just take my shit. It’s one of the things that attracted me to you in the first place.”
AJ got a silly smile on his face and pushed his head up off the bed toward Marshall, silently asking for a kiss. Marshall obliged, lowering his mouth to AJ’s and soon they were lost in the kiss. As AJ’s tongue slipped in Marshall’s mouth, the older man’s grip on his wrists loosened, and AJ took advantage, pulling his hands free so he could reach up and wrap his arms around the man above him. For several minutes the kiss went on and they only finally separated because oxygen had become necessary to stay conscious.
After a moment, AJ reached up and touched Marshall’s face. “What you said before. About me being one of the most important people in your life?”
Marshall fought the reflex to tense up, still not totally comfortable with the idea, let alone the fact that he’d admitted it to him. It gave AJ power over him. Power to hurt him the way everyone else he’d ever loved had, with the exception of his daughter. “Yeah?”
“I just wanted you to know…that goes for me too.” AJ admitted.
Marshall was silent for a minute, then said, “You don’t have to say that just because I did you know.”
AJ shook his head against the pillow and stared back into Marshall’s blue eyes, willing him to see the truth in his own eyes. “I’m not. I’ve felt that way for a while now. I just didn’t think you’d want to hear it.”
“Oh.” Marshall processed that for a second, read the honesty in AJ’s eyes, and leaned in for another kiss, that one short and semi chaste. After, he pulled back and said, “You were probably right.”
They fell silent again, deciding without needing to say it that they were both too tired to pursue satisfying their partial hard-ons right then. Marshall rolled off AJ and they rearranged themselves so that Marshall was on his back, and AJ was curled up against his side, his head in the crook of his arm, one hand on his stomach, one leg thrown over one of Marshall’s. For a little while nothing could be heard but their breathing as they both tried to stop the thoughts running through their heads long enough to get to sleep.
Finally, Marshall couldn’t take it anymore and asked, “How about Sunday night?”
“What?” AJ asked in a soft, edge-of-sleep voice.
“Detroit. My house. Hailie. You.” Marshall said.
AJ lifted his head off Marshall’s arm with effort and looked down into his face. “Sunday?”
“Yeah. I’ve got that music festival thing Saturday and Sunday in Washington, but Sunday night I’m flying back to Detroit and picking Hailie up from Kim.”
AJ’s smiled softly. “Sure. I’ll be there.”
Marshall smiled back. “Good.”
AJ settled back down next to Marshall and after a couple minutes of silence, Marshall asked, “So, you’re seriously not going to tell me what you want me to do for the bet?” When AJ didn’t answer, Marshall asked, “Alex?”
Looking down, he saw that the younger man was fast asleep. Smiling, he closed his own eyes and began to drift off, deciding he could wait to find out what AJ was going to demand in payment. Besides, he figured whatever he was going to have him do, it couldn’t be that bad…could it?
Chapter Thirty-Six
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