: Saintsmourn - Nicholas & Patrick :

[dangernerd]

Nicholas Kirkland (Nicky to those who he considered friends) was at this moment finishing up the last of his reading for his college classes. In the little dorm-room that himself and Patrick shared, it was a muddle of books and random objects that they'd collected. Not only that but also bits and bobs of their friendship tied into neat little nostalgic notes.

The last rays of the sun was streaming in through the window and he was poised, feet crossed on desk and balancing barely on the back two legs-- precarious yes, and honestly he knew that he should not really be doing this. Coordination be damned, he'd never worried about it before despite the bumps and bruises he regularly got because he was perennially distracted.

It was almost time for Patrick to come home from his late evening classes and then they'd start their foraging for dinner.

After that, well the evening was still young and there was trouble to be had. All of which he looked forward to, after all Patrick had for as long as he remembered, been his favorite partner in crime.. they had grown up together and they had a special bond.

As close as brothers, except not quite-- and honestly? Nicholas was glad for that.

Comments

[giveeverything]

Oh yikes. Mr. Leary. Trick sat up a little straighter. That was just short of using his middle name -- which he doubted Riley knew to use anyway -- in terms of you're in trouble instincts. Then the priest kept talking, and he immediately slumped back, this time it was his turn to drape over Nicky, like an inflatable arm-waving tube man who lost all its air. "You've gotta be kidding me. Check-in? Like you're our probation officers?" Okay so maybe he was a little overly dramatic; it was to compensate for his embarrassment over the crying earlier.

He paused though to look up at Nicky. "You mean your pet project spycraft stuff? That'd be cool, and a little less obnoxious for having to check in with." Since, you know, cool spy shit.

Liam shook his head at both his brother and at Nicky. "This is serious, you two. You don't know Gregory like I do. You haven't seen what he's capable of..." Liam had. All too clearly, all too closely, and the idea of Gregory coming after Riley or Trick or Nicky was still horrifying, a cold icy weight in the pit of his stomach. "Riley's right. You check in. We make sure none of you are caught out alone or unprepared." Nicky's communicator idea was good though, and it would perhaps keep him occupied for a while.

[dangernerd]

Nicky folded his arms across his chest and adopted the slump, because when faced with family it was easy to turn into a teenager again. It was science in a way, especially for young men who were barely past the age of drinking much less even older than that. And technically they were both more adults than they were, definitely Riley was an adult and Liam? Oh occasion.

"Yeah, I'll let you be my lovely assistant." Nicky shot Trick a look and then he had the audacity to waggle his brows (though thankfully he was still not hard). "But I can have something rigged up by tomorrow night I think, with enough pizza and Mt. Dew."

"Excellent." Riley thought that Liam handled himself rather well, but also it managed to do what Riley hoped-- and that was to con Liam into allowing people in on this war too. Really, the Priest was the true winner when all was said and done.

[giveeverything]

Trick snickered at the eyebrow waggle -- which was not helping the not taking this seriously allegations -- lifting a hand to tug at Nicky's hair. Pulling his hair because he totally had a crush on him. "I'm not wearing sequins." But he'd help Nicky do his science tinkering as best he could.

Even though he knew this was dangerous -- and really he did know it was perilous and could end in disaster -- Trick felt lighter and strangely relieved. He... he actually had his brother back, didn't he? And he had a boyfriend. And he wasn't ever going to become a priest.

Liam was entirely unaware that his angel had plotted this all out with subtle pulls of strings. Clever, evil, beautiful, wonderful Riley. If he hadn't already been in love with him, he would've fallen here and now. It was a weird feeling, to be here in this room with people who knew his worst secrets and were still willing to help him.

It was strange not to be alone. He smiled, an almost bewildered expression on his face, quiet disbelief that this was happening. A moment in this lost in thought and feelings, and he shook his head. "I'll treat you two to pizza, as long as you promise to behave."

[dangernerd]

It was good to know that the two of them were like twelve year-old boys about this whole 'in love' thing, it really suited it as well as substantiated the fact likely in Liam's estimation that they probably required watching after the hijinks that they'd reportedly gotten into the night before. They were super mature adults, there was no doubt about it.

"Hey, I'm not gonna turn down pizza.. and honestly? I have a lot to work on this weekend so I think we're safe, but I can make sure that Trick doesn't leave my sight."

He'd follow him down the hall, into the shower.. even into bed. You know really buddy things.

"Wonderful then that is settled, I think that in which case Liam has nothing to worry about." and then Riley turned around to face Liam. "This also means that I have to keep you close.. you know this right?" did Liam? Well now he knew.

[giveeverything]

"Good. Keep him on a tight leash, Kirkland." Liam would do his damnedest not to think about his dumb little brother and his equally dumb little pseudo-brother showering together and getting up to bedroom hijinks. He'd already had to consider it way too much when Nicky showed up possessed by a sex demon. So.

Trick meanwhile was rolling his eyes and waving a hand dismissively at his brother. "Whatever. I'm behind on homework too." Since he had gotten a grand total of zero non-carnal anything done the past stretch of time. He'd gone from pulling Nicky's hair to twining that lock around his fingers now, looking at him thoughtfully. Maybe they'd make some time for non-homework though, once they'd both had some time to recover. Don't mind the half come-hither stare in your direction, Nicky. Trick was, well, a red blooded young man in his prime, after all. With a soulmate, of all things.

Liam seemed satisfied with this and nodded, taking a moment to point at his eyes and point at Nicky. Then Riley spoke, and he turned to face the blond to assure him that he'd find something to worry over, before feeling a fluttery sensation take sudden flight in his chest. "Oh? That a fact, angel?" And because he couldn't get caught blushing in front of the two idiots on the couch, he stepped in closer, settling a hand at Riley's hip, voice dropped low and half purred. "How close were you thinking?"

[dangernerd]

Let's not talk about leashing, especially after the past 12 hours that he'd had in which case he had rather vigorously fucked and been fucked by his boyfriend, Liam's brother. His constitution could not survive that though he would not mind talk about that, he was open to a lot of stuff. But there was something about the way that Trick was rolling the hair around fingertip, and the look in that eye that wasn't precisely sexual but still something.

Then there was the vibes he was getting from Liam and the Priest which arguably he was still sensitive to like some horny town residue that lingered long after the resident had vacated.

He cleared his throat and then tugged at Trick's hand. "I think we better go. I think that if we hadn't barged in like this, they would've been well on their way to poundtown, yeah?"

What a way to ruin a sexy moment. Riley had been quite interested in what Liam was saying, like they were mentioning battle tactics, and then the lowered voice coupled by a purr. And then Nicky opening his big mouth, which brought his palm to his face so that he could drag it down.

[giveeverything]

Not precisely sexual, not precisely not. Trick was probably thinking about utterly filthy things right now, like holding Nicky's hand again on the way back to their room and wondering if his boyfriend had a preference for being the big spoon or the little spoon. Such scandal.

...no wait, the Scandal was Nicky's mouth. Trick nearly choked on a sound as he heard what the other had to say, unsure if he should laugh or not. "You can't say poundtown to a priest, Nicky. I'm pretty sure that's in the Bible somewhere." Okay yeah he was laughing now.

Liam, however, was not laughing. He was however blushing and turning to stare at the ginger menace. Maybe he should have let the Incubus eat him after all. "Nicky, I swear, if you are not a speck on the horizon in the next thirty seconds..." He let the threat hang.

Trick just laughed again, and hopped to his feet, pulling Nicky along with him. "Yeah, yeah, we're going. Remember. You owe us pizza. Hawaiian. And wings."

Maybe Liam should've let the Incubus eat Trick too. "And for the record, we were sleeping."

[dangernerd]

Holding hands could be filthy underneath the right circumstances, it was all in the slide of thumb against the bridge of hand, or the intimate slide of fingers. Trick should try him sometimes, he'd find that Nicky was down for such filthy not without marriage behavior such as hand-holding.

"Hawaiian pizza.. and wins." Nicky chimed as he was pulled rather easily. Some of his strength had come back magically, certainly enough that his feet started to move once more. "Also whatever, I know first hand what happens when you wake up from sleep with a pretty boy lying next to you."

He'd said too much, and his voice was a echo down the hall, good job Nicky-- one point for each side.

"They are so exuberant." Riley said with a laugh, still a bit flushed from the candor and also from Liam's proximity. "They remind me of my brothers, well... some, I have so many." he said with a sideways glance at Liam.

[giveeverything]

Trick was still laughing as quickened his step and pushed thee door shut and led Nicky down the hall before Liam could decide to give chase and murder his soulmate. Probably better to save his brother from succumbing to his dark side when he'd sort of just gotten him back in a very real way.

"What happens when you wake up with a pretty boy next to you?" He asked with a pointed lift of his eyebrows as he let his steps slow once some distance had been put between them.

---

Liam took a breath and reminded himself that killing Nicholas Kirkland, while it may be justifiable homicide, would still be homicide. Luckily Riley was there, looking flushed and laughing and everything in Liam's chest felt too full and too warm. Well, yeah, okay, see. This would clearly keep him from sin.

At least murderish sin. Lust flavored sin on the other hand...

He slipped his arms around Riley's waist, stepping in close enough to lean his forehead against the priest's. "The fact you survived so many siblings with your sanity intact is evidence you're a much stronger man than I am."

[dangernerd]

Nicky was rather fond of his life, even moreso now that Trick and him were a couple. He followed as best as he could, and thankfully he had quite a bit of strength recharged; granted, he was still tired and would require a nap but he rather thought he could do that safe tucked in the circle of Trick's arms.

He slowed as well, using his arm to wrap around Trick's waist so that he could steady himself but really it was so that he could have an excuse to get all handsy up on Trick. "Well, my memory is not clear but...." then he, in true Nicky fashion, waggled his brows. "It may have involved a bit of hanky-panky." adding a little spanky to that as well.

"Liam would barf."

---

"I can assure you that Nicky equals around three of my siblings so.. the strength is not that pronounced." there were a few that were rather mild mannered, like Dante. The twins however, yeah they were a bit of messes and he realized that quite well. "But, I guess what is another one to the pile." meaning that he would not mind adopting Trick as his own brother, and maybe Nicky in a sort of 'he's my stepbrother and I only see him on weekends' sort of way.

[giveeverything]

Napping could definitely happen. Trick would enjoy that very very much, thank you. He slipped his arm around Nicky in turn, leaning into him. "Oh? Feeling a bit foggy on things, Baby? Guess I'll have to remind you tomorrow morning."

He snorted at the mention of his brother. "Yeah well, we caught him hiding in a priest's closet in his boxers, he doesn't get to talk." Because really, now Trick had the knowledge in his head that his brother was sleeping with Father Walsh.

Speaking of sleeping though. "So, important question. Big spoon or little spoon?"

--

There was that warmth in his chest again. Riley was going to be his undoing, and he hadn't seen it coming. How had one of his lowest moments in a confessional booth, and then the ill-advised blatant flirting that had followed and all the mess thereafter, how had it brought him here?

"Kirkland is... something else. You should meet his sister. She's a terror." Like an actual nightmare. Men cowered in her wake.

He fell quiet for a moment, and when he spoke again, his voice was softer. "You should be more careful, you know. At this rate, if I actually live to see the end of this mess..." unlikely as that seemed, "I'm going to want to marry you."

[dangernerd]

This was absolutely important question that begged to be answered, the big spoon or little spoon was not something that they had ever explored given that most sleepovers had not been a sharing a bed affair (though Nicky had imagined what would've happened if he had slipped into Trick's bed, his imagination was robust and helpfully supplied many a scenario.

"Big spoon.. but I am open to little one too case may be.

Let him be your backpack, Trick. Although he would enjoy the morning grinding no matter what form it took. "Do you have a preference?"

--

Riley looked at Liam and his heart softened, those grey eyes like a warm heather grey sweater worn on the coldest of days, a reminder of coziness. And then he slipped his arms around that waist because he could not imagine a life without the other man.

"You realize that you have ruined me for the church, I am unsure if I can go back to who I was before you. And I do not want to." He wanted that, you know-- wanted a home and a cat, a dog and maybe children.

"But we will both survive this, or we both will not."

[giveeverything]

"You know me, baby. I'm a knife."

He said this with a straight face even. Clearly the big tough supernatural investigating jock right here. A moment to let that settle in and he added, "But for you, little spoon. I really like the thought of your arms around me. But I'm versatile, so long as you're close." Oh god he was getting sappy. Immediately ruining the knife allegations. But he couldn't help it. He loved his boyfriend.

And had loved him for lifetimes before apparently. That one deserved some closer thinking. Later.

--

Liam wanted to wrap himself in the warmth he could see in those eyes, like a blanket on a rainy day. Everything about Riley called to him like the siren song of warmth and safety and home, none of which were things he'd ever believed he could have. Hell he still had trouble believing that he deserved this.

But those arms around him made it harder and harder to let those thoughts win. Deserving or not, he had it, he had this handsome, brave, tender man. "I didn't mean to steal you from your calling..." he murmured quietly, stepping in that much closer, until he could let his forehead rest against Riley's, voice a low secret for the two of them to share and no one else. "I'd ask your forgiveness, but I'm not sorry, even if I should be." And one couldn't be forgiven for a sin that one couldn't properly repent for.

"I won't let anything happen to you." That was a promise, and inside that promise a clear argument to Riley's pronouncement about their sharing the same fate either way.

[dangernerd]

"Are you going to knife and fork me?"

There was that charming smile even as he lightly bunted himself against the other guy, like an affectionate cat would; if he had a tail, it would've been wrapped against Trick's thigh so that the other man would not be allowed to escape from. "Because I totally would let you." and then a hum before yawning, his head hitting that shoulder because he was tired though. "After sleep though, I just want to curl up behind you and sleep.. I am so tired."

It evidentially took a lot out of a healthy red-blooded man to be infiltrated by a sex-hungry incubus? "If you're not tired, I can sleep maybe tucked up against you as you play on your phone?"

--

Riley looked a bit sheepishly himself, especially in regards to Liam's own confession and also the chagrin from what was percieved to be a bad. "So I chose the church because I did not have any true interest in sex or even, I guess love. I had boyfriends but they were not, well they were just to have them and it was always more friendship than anything else. When I chose it was because I thought that I could live without things like that but.." he lifted his chin up and pulled Liam close.

"I guess I had not met the right man, and I am willing to forgo my calling for love.. if I find it."

That was said solemnly, and he knew it was love. Knew that he wanted to build a life with Liam right here and now.

[giveeverything]

"Knife, fork, spoon, if I can figure out a way to make ladle or whisk sound sexy, those too."

His arm tightened around Nicky's waist in a brief one armed embrace. "Baby, I went from a virgin to a sudden rush of sex in like twenty four hours and topped it all off watching my brother pull a demon out of my boyfriend and eat it for breakfast. I could sleep for a week."

Though he would need Nicky nearby for that sleep to be at all peaceful after how worried he'd been over him. He pressed a kiss to Nicky's head through his hair, his free hand pulling his keys from his pocket to open up the door to their room as they arrived.

--

Did Riley realize what that did to Liam, to be told that Riley was choosing him, that Riley loved him enough to choose him over the priesthood? Because it shook something horrifically broken in him down to its foundations and built it back up, mended and whole, and it made him want to survive all this more than he ever had.

For a long time he'd believed the only way this would end was with his death, and he was starting to almost wish for that. Now he wanted to live, wanted to break free of it all and take Gregory out and have an actual life. With Riley.

He sank into Riley's arms. He knew it was love too, down to the deepest core of his soul. A tilt of his chin and he brushed his lips against Riley's in a light whisper-soft touch. "I love you."

[dangernerd]

"That was pretty cool." Nicholas agreed, because of course he did. He thought it was exceedingly cool to eat a demon for breakfast. It had been on a list of things he never knew he needed to see and he was forever changed by it. "Pretty useful skill to have."

But then as Trick started to fumble with the lock, he pressed a kiss to the neck. A soft tribute, the scratch of scruff proving that it had not been a dream. "You could make anything sound sexy you know, because you are so sexy that it hurts-- and I want to have a date with you, not the usual breakfast morning but something you know well romantic."

Though Nicky could probably make pancakes romantic if he tried hard enough.

--

"I love you too, there is no room in my heart to feel this way for anyone but you." it was almost like the spot had been waiting for him, a not yet-- not now, until finally he'd met Liam, gotten to know him and then that little voice saying 'this! this is him' in such a poignant way.

"Also I am glad you and your brother are back on terms again, I know this was not how you wanted it to be but the right time rarely is planned." truth if ever there was one.

[giveeverything]

"We were lucky he had it." Really. Trick had not expected to run into his brother in the priest's room -- still wrapping his head around that one -- but the fact that Liam had been able to drag the entity out of Riley had been a surprising stroke of luck. And now, somehow, he had his brother back, which was a confusing mix of emotions. He felt guilty for all the terrible conclusions that he'd jumped to, guiltier still that it had been all for his sake. But he was also still pissed at how stupid Liam was. And relieved and happy and determined to kick this Gregory's ass.

Luckily he had the world's best distraction from confusing things like feelings in the form of Nicholas Kirkland kissing at his neck.

A laugh as he managed to get the door open and usher them both inside. "Oh we're definitely having a date. I mean, we're gonna have lots of dates, but we're gonna have a super romantic first date, even if Liam and Father Walsh think they have us on lockdown."

--

Those were the sweetest words that he had ever heard spoken to him, and he would never get tired of hearing them from that beautiful, warm voice -- the thing that had caught his attention and drawn him to the priest from their first meeting. Riley had been nothing but that gentle voice and the kindness in it, and already something in Liam had known that could not be the only time he heard it.

"I am too. I was afraid he'd..." Well, he'd had so many scenarios of how it would hurt Trick to know, or how he'd hate him even more or, well, to sum it up, "I was afraid." He'd been afraid for a very long time.

"Those two are only going to behave so long though. They're tired which might buy us a day or two, but they'll try taking things into their own hands soon." So Liam had to act sooner rather than later.

[dangernerd]

Did they listen? Well they would listen to the rough estimate of the law in that they would go out but it was incentive to make those communicators which would be his project. If they had their communicators then they could go wherever the fuck they wanted, right? That was just science, a form of communication that would hold the tin-can line.

Walking into their room which was cozy, and with the view of Jella curled up on the bed waiting for them, likely keeping the bed warm for the both of them, Nicky was already pulling off Trick's hoodie and tossing it off to the side so that it landed right against the loveseat that they had magically for all of the past couple of years managed to keep a distance from each other on it, that would change however.

"Hey Jella, you and Trick are gonna have to work out which side of me you each want to lay against."

Jella let out a huff that was audible. An, 'I knew this day was coming' in kitty speak.

--

"Yeah, they will." Riley had been in Saintsmourn enough to recognize when they snuck in and out of their windows from late night whatever it was they were doing. The two of them were absolutely trouble and a handful and he did not want to imagine what would happen if Gregory got a hold of them.

They were technically pawns now.

This bore a little bit of thinking. Surely there was something that he could do in order to assure their safety, for Liam.

"That means when have a few days, that is enough time. Would you like to get dressed, get breakfast and then do a bit of brainstorming at the Saintsmourn library? I can get into the restricted section-- legally."

[giveeverything]

Totally. There were always ways to obey the vague shape of the law while getting away with way more than they probably ought to be able to. Besides, they were both adults despite what Liam and Riley seemed to believe.

As Nicky announced the state of things to Jella, Patrick looked over at the cat, pointing two fingers at his eyes and then at his little feline rival for Nicky's attention. It's on now, kitty cat.

He kicked off his shoes, paused for a moment before deciding why stop there? Out of his jeans next and his sweater, leaving him in a t-shirt and his boxer briefs. May as well be comfy if they were going to crawl into bed and nap.

--

"Sounds romantic and a little forbidden. I'm in." Liam's smile was playful, and lighter than perhaps any that Riley had seen on his face. Somehow he looked brighter, as if some of the shadows that darkened his already dark cocoa eyes had been sent scattering by the return of the sun after a night that had finally yielded to the dawn.

He reluctantly disengaged from the other man and set about trying to put together something to wear from a combination of his clothes and Riley's. Sorry, Father, he was helping himself. He'd at least stay away from the priest collars.

"You know, we could kill two birds with one scone..." See what he did there? "If we hit the Tea Bog for breakfast. Chat up the local fey contingent over breakfast?"

[dangernerd]

It was clear that Jella was going to claim her space first, with an 'I was here first' not in terms of knowing Nicky, but in terms of sleeping with him. And so she got up and slinked over toward where the bed bordered the wall, if anyone was going to get potentially knocked off the bed.

It would be Trick.

If Nicky was not quite so tired, that would be a definite invitation. Instead he threw himself onto the bed just shy of Jella (whomst bounced a bit) and then he spread his arms out wide. "There is enough for the both of you."

--

Riley looked at Liam for a moment, because he had caught it but it did not sink in as quickly. Then he picked up a pillow and walloped the other guy with it in one fell swoop. "That was terrible, Liam. You should be ashamed of yourself."

Read: Riley enjoyed the joke.

"That is an idea though, I could use a bearclaw. The past 12 hours have worked up quite an appetite for me." what with the sex and then also the having to handle the impromptu visit from Liam's family.

[giveeverything]

Trick would put his money on Jella too, in the contest between them. But he could live with being bested by the feline phenom, he supposed, especially when Nicky looked at him that way, arms open and inviting. Yup, that was where he was going, right there into those arms.

Where he belonged.

Now he'd talked about spooning, and they'd get around to that, but he settled in facing Nicky for now, his hand coming to settle atop the other man's hip. "Hi, Baby."

--

Liam took a pillow straight to the face, but the smile on his face looked no less smug despite it. It was an incredible pun, clearly, to have earned that reaction from Riley. "I should be, and yet here I am. No shame to be found."

Ah well. He was an unrepentant punner.

It had been a very eventful twelve hours. What with the sex. And then yeah, whatever the hell this morning was. "Bearclaw and coffee is my treat. Just like our first date." That wasn't a date, Liam.

[dangernerd]

In the most suave way that he could muster, he spoke the following with a grin on his lips and a sparkle to those sky blue eyes, "Hey..." turning his head then so that he could look right at Trick with a come hither and let's sleep together smile.

Meanwhile Jella was peering over Nicky's chest and monitoring this development. Just her eyes though, all that Trick would be able to see was those eyes as she regarded her 'nemesis' with that 'I'm watching you so no funny business' look. She had let last night and whatever that was slide.

--

Riley knew it was not their first date but he was not going to say anything. Instead he was going for his jacket which he pulled on over his sweater, following it up with a scarf which he wound around his shoulders so that it would keep his neck warm.

"You have yourself a deal, Mr. Leary."

Maybe one day he would be Mr. Leary.. who could say.

[giveeverything]

Not fair that Nicky could look at him that way, and Trick had absolutely no defense against it, falling straight into those baby blues. Nicky would be the death of him for certain. He leaned in to kiss that smile, a soft, tender thing.

And he tried his best to ignore the judgmental eyes of the lady of the house watching him over the other side of his boyfriend. Look there would be so much funny business in the coming days and weeks and months and years. These two were creative, imaginative men, after all, and they had lifetimes to make up for. "You are so pretty it's ridiculous."

--

Liam knew too, but it was easier to tease while his heart still reeled with everything that had happened this morning and the night before. His entire world had shifted, and now it rotated around an entirely new axis, orbited a brand new sun that shone with the exact golden warmth that he saw every time he looked at Riley.

So instead he grinned, did his best not to also think about Riley being Mr. Leary some day too, because boy did it flicker across his thoughts. Liam had always wanted a simple, domestic life. Someone he loved to share his home and his name and his bed. A fenced in yard with a dog and a cat. Kids. A fireplace for the chilly New England winters.

[dangernerd]

"Pretty?" there was a gasp as he watched the way that those beautiful eyes seemed to crinkle at the side. Yeah, he had a pretty healthy sex drive but he'd also taken pleasure in the day-to-day things, it was what had gotten through him many a rough day, it was what managed to coax him out of the dorm room and into the land of people (bleah), the fact that there was the other guy by his side. And now? He was his? He'd go to any countless number of gatherings and parties as long as he had the pleasure of holding that hand and letting the entire world know that Trick was his.

"As much as I want to disagree with your logic processes, that and I'm quite content being the nerdy awkward guy that you are going out with.." listen Nicky knew that his best friend was quite the catch. "..I will only raise an eyebrow at you like so." and then Nicky demonstrated, one brow raising quite artfully.

--

It took only a few moments to get dressed, and though he knew that he couldn't precisely take Liam's hand (he really wanted to), he contented himself with a reach to wrap a scrarf around Liam's neck. A symbol that no matter what, he would make sure that Liam was safe and warm.

That was something that would never change, even though he was not one who would plant himself all over Liam in public (would never push Liam away though) it would be in the small little gestures of care, making sure a scarf was straightened, making sure that the other guy did not leave without an umbrella or a jacket or anything else.

Get taken care of, loser.

"Shall we?"

[giveeverything]

Oh god Trick would without a shred of hesitation drag Nicky to some awful college party just so he could drunkenly make out in a corner with him. Actually, it was a very appealing plan and he would enjoy that party more than any other without even coming close. But that would have to wait. Right now he was here staring at the idiot in his arms who was entirely oblivious to his own level of attractiveness.

"Only an eyebrow raise? Too bad. My turn for a rebuttal, and I have a dissertation. Buckle up, Buttercup."

Look Nicky, Trick might be jock-shaped but he was also a big dumb nerd. He could and would tackle this debate-club style. "You have the most devastatingly beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen. Not even sky blue. They're blue like flame. They've taken my breath away since the first time I saw you even though I was, like, four, and didn't even knew that could happen and Mom was sorta worried I had asthma or something. And that's just your eyes. I think I could cut myself on those cheekbones if I'm not careful, and honestly I kinda want to try. And the stubble... you scruff up so good, Baby."

Nicholas Kirkland would gain self esteem even if Patrick had to beat him over the head with it.

--

Liam knew that he would have to keep his hands to himself in public. He would not do anything to get Riley into any difficult situations. The last thing he wanted to do was to ruin anything for him or cause any more problems than he'd already dropped into the blonde's lap.

Maybe someday they'd have the luxury of holding hands, of sitting side by side on that bench by the sea, with Liam's head tucked against Riley's shoulder.

For now, he found himself melting as the other man wrapped that scarf around his neck. Riley's scarf, smelled deliciously like Riley, and Liam would be keeping this. Until it lost that scent, and he would worm his way into borrowing another at that point. These were the evil plans of a man who'd sold his soul to a demon. Who let this idiot be a villain?

A little twitch of his hand at those words, and he slipped them into his pockets to stop any unsanctioned hand holding. "Let's go, Angel. Bearclaws aren't going to eat themselves."

And Fey Lords were sorely in need of new champions.