"Oh..." He reached out, stroked Connor's wrist. Oh, that just bit the big one. "Oh, man. I'm so sorry. That sucks so hard."

  The pulse under his thumb began to race. "I... It was not unusual, where I'm from. Young men die."

  "Yeah? You must come from a rough place. I mean, there are gang bangers here and shit, but it's not common."

  "I left for a reason." Connor scratched one long scar on his cheek with his free hand, the other staying captive under his. "Are you...am I keeping you? Not that I want you to go. I just..."

  "No. No, I was just going home to watch some TV. Relax. Would... Are you? I mean, I have tea bags at my apartment..."

  Connor's mouth opened, tongue pink and wet where it touched his lips. "I... That would... Yes?"

  "Excellent!" He nodded, grinned. "Cool. That way we can hang out and you can teach me what real tea tastes like."

  "I could, yes. If you have milk?" Connor dug in his pocket and came out with a handful of bills. "Can I pay for this?"

  "I do and you can, but be careful, huh?" He reached out, pulled a twenty. Man, right. Different money. Uh. Shillings and shit? "I'll give you a quick U.S. currency lesson at my house."

  "Okay." Nodding and smiling, Connor stuffed more than Adrian's monthly wages back into his front pocket, bouncing up like a happy puppy.

  He grabbed his case with one hand, Connor's arm with the other. "Come on, I have a little loft -- nothing fancy, but solid and pretty."

  Connor followed, hesitating a tiny bit when they hit the street again, looking almost panicked. "So much noise," Connor murmured.

  "It is loud, isn't it?" He nodded, squeezing Connor's arm. "That's one great thing about my place. I put acoustic tiles up *everywhere*. It's so quiet."

  "Oh..." Sounding almost reverent, Connor started them moving again. "That sounds wonderful. Not that it's quiet where I'm from, but this traffic and people and all. It's very different."

  "I'd love to hear about it. Do you like music? Like singing? With your voice I bet you're great." They wove down the street, in and out of the crowds.

  "I've never really tried, I suppose." Staying close, Connor sort of...loomed over him. It was kind of cool.

  "You should. You'd be excellent." He dared to lean a little closer, touch.

  "It would sound like the howling of a wolf, I imagine." One big hand ghosted over the small of his back, brushing lightly.

  "No. And that sort of a music, huh? Kind of?" He shivered, stepping closer, drawn.

  "Oh, I like traditional music. I'm just not sure I could carry a tune without sounding like a beast." Warm. Connor felt huge and warm and hard-muscled.

  "We'll just have to try it." He whistled a jig, one that he'd learned back in grade school, just enjoying the heat, the closeness, the strength of the man beside him.

  A warm chuckle floated to him on the night, Connor humming right along. Oh. That was a sweet voice. It really was.

  They made their way up to his building, then up the three flights of stairs, Connor close, almost helping him up the narrow stairways.

  He'd bet the man could carry him with no more problem than he would carry a fly. It was kinda weird. But good. They got inside, and Connor looked around, nose twitching.

  It was kind of wild -- the ceiling was draped with feathers and ribbons and little lights, the walls were covered in scores. He had a few big pieces of furniture, but mostly he had bean bags and pillows and shit. Casual stuff. Light stuff. Easy to move stuff.

  Connor grinned at him, wide and white, pulling the watch cap off his head, finally, showing close-cropped black hair. "I like it."

  "Thanks. I do too. I'll put your coat in the closet, if you want?" He shrugged his own coat off, put the violin away, pottering over to turn on the stereo. No messages on the machine.

  "Oh. Thank you." The peacoat smelled of man and something like charcoal, and like the sea. Deep and salty and musky. It was a good smell. "Where should I sit?"

  "Down." He grinned at the confused look on Connor's face. "I'm not formal. Just find a comfy spot and snuggle in."

  "Oh. Fair enough."

  Connor wandered, hands in the pockets of his jeans, looking at everything, laughing at this and that.

  Adrian plopped down on a soft corduroy beanbag, cuddling in with grin. "Man, I'm full. That was a good pizza."

  "It was." Connor sorta bounded over, plopping down beside him on a big plaid floor pillow, hand right next to his hip. "I like marinara. A lot."

  He rolled a little, facing Connor, eye to eye. "Yeah? Not big in Ireland, huh? Well, anytime you want a pizza partner? You call me. I'm in."

  "I will. I have no idea if it's big there. I come from, um, a small town." Up close the scars were just fascinating, like a map of the man's life.

  "There are a lot of college kids here, so there's small town people too." He reached out, petted Connor's scars, touch light. "Do they hurt?"

  "Not any more, no." Those eyes told him everything, from happy to now the memory of pain. He wondered if that was why Connor tended to hide them. So pretty.

  "They're fascinating, you know? I mean, really." He kept touching, sort of taking faith in the fact that Connor hadn't bashed it.

  "They're like badges, I suppose." He felt the little laugh that huffed out at that, even as Connor leaned into his touch.

  He nodded. Yeah. Yeah, that made sense. He moved closer, heart beating a hundred beats a minute. Maybe a hundred and twenty.

  One big hand cupped his head, Connor drawing him down until their lips met, making it seem so easy. As shy as the man was about everything else, in this he took the lead, humming against Adrian's lips as they kissed.

  Oh. Oh wow.

  It was simple, to cuddle over, move closer. Oh, man. That strength wasn't a tease. At all.

  Connor's other hand settled on his waist, pulling him closer, pulling him over on top of that broad, heavy body. The heat just seared him. He moaned into Connor's lips, tongue sliding in to taste sweet and spice and heat and mmmm...

  The kiss ended gently, not quite flowing into a other as Connor pulled back a little, still close enough for Adrian to see each whisker on his chin. "Is this all right?"

  "More than all right. Can we do it again?" He rubbed his nose against Connor's, grinning.

  "We can. I thought I should ask." Connor licked his lips before kissing him again, tongue pushing at him a little, sweet and good.

  It was fascinating, the way the kisses slowly built up, moving from warm and sweet to almost hot.

  Then there was no almost about it as Connor's legs fell open so he could slip between, Connor's hardness pressing against him as the kiss went unbearably deep. He moaned, hips pushing against Connor, rocking at little, both of them finding a rhythm.

  "Mmmm." A low growl, throaty and dark, escaped Connor's mouth. It vibrated right through him, rumbling in Connor's chest.

  Oh, he liked that. His hands flattened against Connor's belly, exploring the ripped muscles, hoping to get more sounds. He liked that a lot.

  He got them. There was no purring, just this deep bass sound along with the movement of Connor's body as he started arching up into Adrian's touch.

  "You feel so good." He pushed down, fingers digging in, massaging. Connor smelled like... pizza. It made him grin. "You're so strong."

  "I like your mouth." Connor smiled against his lips, loving on him. It was sweet. So sweet.

  "Good." He chuckled. "I've never just picked someone up before. Honest. I usually do at least a date or two."

  "Oh." Blinking, Connor stroked his back, hips still rolling up against his. "I have not dated much. But I promise I have not been loose."

  "Well then, we're both not sluts, just incredibly attracted to each other and lucky." He nipped Connor's lips, tugging just a little.

  Laughing, Conner nodded, licking at him, teasing right back. "We are, I'd say. Lucky indeed."

  He managed to slip his hands under Connor's sweater, groaning low as he found skin.

  "Mmm. Oh, that's a bit of right." Pushing at him, Connor rose up just enough, baring a wide, furred chest, covered in more scars, some faint and white, some still pink. Adrian bent down, tongue sliding along one scar, then the other. Fascinating. The hair tickled his tongue, irritated him. It must have tickled Connor too, the way they rocked as Connor laughed and curled up. "I thought they might disgust you."

  "Shows you're strong. They're fascinating. And you taste good." He nuzzled Connor's belly, lips nipping and tickling.

  Connor gasped, muscles rippling as he sucked his belly in. "Oh. Oh Heavens. You... Your mouth. Adrian."

  "Mmhmm. Have great hands too. Years of practice, you know?"

  "Years of...oh. Music." Another chuckle came before Connor started struggling with Adrian's shirt, trying to get him bare as well.

  "Uh-huh. Music." He lifted his arms, knowing he wasn't as studly as Connor, but some guys liked long and lean. Maybe lots of guys.

  "Pretty." Hands sliding on his skin, Connor stared, looking utterly taken with him, those eyes almost black.

  Heat flushed through him and he arched, almost dancing under Connor's gaze. "Better than a toothless trucker?"

  "Much, much better. There was this old...man, in Ireland, who had lost all his teeth in fights. Not attractive at all."

  "You have strong teeth. Strong everything." He stroked Connor's belly again. "Fuck, you're sexy."

  "You're the first man to say so." Long fingers tugged at his pants, worrying the button. "I would see all of you."

  "You have to show me yours too." He sucked him, let Connor work his fly open, his cock pushing out like anything.

  "Uh huh." Connor was staring though, reaching down to touch, thumb sliding over the head of his cock. "Soft."

  "Hard." His laugh was all mixed in with a groan and a shudder. "Feels good. You have great hands."

  "Mine, yours. They're all good." Connor took another kiss before moving his hips back to struggle with his own jeans, getting them undone. Oh. Talk about hard. And uncut.

  "Oh..." He bent down, cheek sliding on Connor's shaft, caressing, inhaling deep to fill his lungs with that scent.

  A deep moan was his answer for that, Connor's hands cupping his head. "Adrian. I've not... I'm not sure I can."

  "Can what?" He nuzzled again, lips on the soft dark curls.

  "Hold off. It's been a long while." He could tell that in the way Connor's cock jumped, leaked.

  "Oh. That's okay. I'm not in a hurry to push you out." He started stroking, petting that pretty cock while his lips moved up toward Connor's nipple.

  "Uh. Good." Panting, Connor moved against him, starting to pant. "Because I, oh, could get used to this."

  "Okay." He wrapped his lips around Connor's nipple, sucking hard, tugging nipple and cock in time.

  The tension coiled in Connor's body, the muscles under his thighs and hands and belly hardening, Connor's cock twitching. "Yes. Oh, yes."

  Yeah. Man, it felt good to know he was making Connor make those sounds, that he was making Connor hard. Pushing into his hand over and over, Connor growled, rumbled, just made a whole new kind of music for him. Chest hair rasped his cheek, rough thighs cradled him, and the scent... pure animal. He bit down, just a little, enough to make it sting, thumb working the tip of Connor's cock, pressing into the slit. Every muscle in that big body went hard, vibrating, hot come splashing over his fingers and Connor cried out, the sound surprised, shocked.

  "Oh. Oh, you smell so good." He just rubbed, humming low, cock sliding and slipping against one strong thigh. So fucking good.

  "So do you..." Moaning, Connor turned them so they were on their sides, face to face, so Connor's big hands could grab at him, could pull his cock, even as those lips found his throat.

  Everything in him was humming and buzzing, just ringing out, so perfect. Adrian arched, moving frantically between hand and mouth, his cries just ringing out. His blood rose hot and stinging beneath Connor's lips; that was gonna leave a mark for sure. That hand. God, it was huge, cradling his cock, stroking faster and faster.

  "Good. So good." He wasn't anything close to a quiet lover, pleas and cries rising up and up as his hips pumped faster.

  "Yes. Oh, you smell. Hot. Good. Your skin. Adrian." Those sharp teeth tested him, but only just, nowhere close to breaking the skin.

  The sting made him gasp, pushed closer. "Connor. I... Oh. Oh, wow."

  His orgasm slammed through him, his head snapping back, body tight as a bow string.

  "Yes. Oh, yes, sweet. Like that." Those eyes watched him, Connor petting and pulling, kissing his cheeks, his chin.

  He sort of melted down against Connor, shivering as the aftershocks moved through him. "Oh. Man. Thank you..."

  "Mmmm. Thank you, Adrian. For everything. Can I sleep here? With you?" They were already sort of...snuggling down, their come rubbing between their skin.

  "Mmhmm. Absolutely. We'll make bacon and eggs for breakfast. It'll be cool." He reached out, tugged an afghan off the end of the bed. If Connor was a serial axe murderer, he was a monkey's uncle. "You can make us tea."

  "I can. And I can wash your back when we bathe. I'm very good at that." Connor just sounded so pleased, curling around him, nose buried in his hair.

  Adrian nodded, humming along to three or four bars of the recorder suite of the Suite in A minor before he dozed off, warm and cozy as hell.

  ***

  Warm. Soft pillows beneath him, a warm body wrapped about him. Connor had not felt the like since he was a lad. He thought perhaps he dreamed, like a pup running after hares in his sleep. But the body against his was, while not heavy, solid and hot and distinctly smelled of Connor's mark, his come.

  Blinking, he opened his eyes. Adrian. Oh. Sweet boy. No, not a boy. A fascinating man.

  Connor watched as Adrian breathed deep and even, admiring the long sweep of lashes.

  Adrian's hand moved on his skin, even in sleep, petting him, stroking him. It was... fascinating.

  He shifted under it, wanting to just lick Adrian all over. Hmm. Not such a bad idea, that.

  "Mmm..." Adrian stretched, cheek rubbing against him, dark hair silky and slick. "Morning."

  "Morning." His belly rumbled, making him decide the licking ought to wait until he'd eaten or he might gnaw a bit on Adrian.

  He got a chuckle, Adrian's lips brushing his nipple. "Somebody's hungry. You like bacon and eggs?"

  "Oh, yes." He could just see the thick, pink slab of bacon and a nice pair of fried up eggs. "Potatoes?"

  "I got hash browns from Ore Ida." Adrian pushed up, kissed the tip of his nose. "You have tea and toast duty."

  "I can do that." He could. He could make tea, and toast he vaguely remembered. Connor grabbed Adrian back to him, kissing him hard. "Lovely."

  "Mmm... You are. I liked waking up with you." Adrian stood up, stretched up tall. Oh, pretty. Long and lean and... pretty. "You want some sweatpants to wear? Something cozy?"

  "Yes, that would be nice. I have my sweater, but some soft pants..." he would like that. Connor got up himself, wondering where the head was. He'd learned about those on the ship.

  "I've got some stuff that'll fit. If you need to clean up, the bathroom's in there." A pile of soft, warm black fleece was pushed into his hands, another kiss pressed to his mouth.

  "Thank you." Well, that answered that question. Connor took his time, watching the faucet as he turned it on and off. Hot *and* cold water.

  He could hear music and singing and banging in the other room. The sounds were happy and bright; they made him smile to hear them, made him bounce a little.

  Of course, the smells that started a bit later did more than make him smile.

  Something...oh. Something sharp and crisp and a little acrid, but something that made his mouth water. Connor finished washing Adrian's come off his belly before pulling on his sweater and brushing his teeth with his finger.

  Then he went in search of Adrian and that SMELL.

  Adrian was in front of the stove, something sizzling and bubbling, the kettle and a loaf of bread waiting for him. Adrian's ass wiggled a little, back and forth in time with the music. Oh, god. Out here it smelled better.

  Drooling, he walked over and peered over Adrian's shoulder. "What is that?"

  "Bacon. I made a whole package because it just looked so good. The hash browns are going too. I know how to fry eggs and scramble them. What kind do you like?"