What He Learned From The Water
They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but in all honesty being away from home hasn't particularly made Riley miss it. At first he had, the seemingly simple aspects of life and the relative safety it exhibited. Not that many places in the world could ever be considered less safe than Sunnydale, California but it's not like Riley hadn't been well briefed on that before he'd accepted the offer of a position in the Initiative.
No, it's more that now that Riley's seen what the rest of the world has to offer, home doesn't seem so much like the idyllic paradise he remembers from his childhood. It just seems... small.
It makes Riley feel like the proverbial rat let out of the maze. Now he's seen what the world has to offer it takes a little adjusting to small-town Iowa. Even if the world had to offer him demons and vampires.
Addiction he wasn't strong enough to fight and small blonde girls with too much strength, that inevitably drained him of all his own.
Although she never once had needed it.
Home really isn't the same place that he left five years ago but nonetheless that's where Riley finds himself again. Definitely older, maybe even a little wiser.
Riley's been back home almost a week and already he's thinking about escape. Planning a route out of town in case he needs to make a hasty exit. To where? He's not sure and that's the problem. As hard as he's finding readjusting to being back home, he can't think of anywhere else he could go to.
His only real option at the moment seems to be re-enlisting but that won't solve the issue at all, it'll merely delay it.
Riley's more of a stand and fight kind of guy anyway.
For the third night in a row, Riley finds himself down at the diner on the road north out of town. When he's here it's easier to pretend that he isn't trapped in some Middle American dream, a picture postcard life where the closest thing you'll ever see to a demon is a shopkeeper with a bad attitude. Shotgun under the counter not withstanding.
When he's here, Riley can also convince himself that the reason he has so much trouble sleeping at night is due to too much coffee. Not because he worries that he really has nowhere left where he can fit in, no place that's truly his home anymore.
It's raining outside and long streams of condensation cloud the window and dribble down in thick rivulets. It had been hot on the way over, humid. The air felt thick with life, despite the fact that everything feels dead to him.
When he takes a sip of his coffee he can feel it burn, bitter in the back of his throat. He never used to drink coffee black, he always drank it with a lot of milk and three sugars, but now? Now he drinks it black, no sugar.
It's quiet, like it always is in the diner at this hour. There's one other couple in a booth towards the back and besides Roxanne the waitress, he's the only other one here. He takes another sip from the plain white cup in his hand and thinks about leaving or ordering more coffee.
Riley's surprised when he hears the bell above the door signal somebody's coming in. He wouldn't normally give it a second thought but from the noise they're generating he can tell it's more than one person.
He turns his head slightly towards the door as he reaches once again for his half-full cup. A group of guys, young, probably around his age, maybe even younger are piling in through the door. They look tired; one of them with a beard has his hand up to his face, trying unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn.
They look out of place, like they're taking up too much space in the run down diner.
Riley turns back to his cup and regrets not asking Roxanne for a refill before this became the busiest diner in this part of Iowa.
One of the guys breaks off from the others and moves up to the counter. Slides onto one of the seats a couple down from Riley. He looks tired; Riley can see dark shadows that threaten at the corner of his eyes. Shadows that look like they're only moments from fully taking over.
Before Riley even realises it, he's staring at him. The stranger out of instinct turns his head and looks straight at Riley. His hair's a little longer than what's normal around here and he's slightly unshaven. But it's the eyes that grab Riley's attention. They're blue, really blue and Riley's shocked he can see that much clarity from this distance.
He's still staring when the stranger sitting next to him offers a smile. Riley can see the exhaustion fade from his face as soon as he does. Riley finds himself smiling back, nodding politely in greeting.
After only a moment, Roxanne comes over and asks the stranger for his order.
He only orders coffee and when Roxanne looks over at him, Riley nods his head as well.
>From behind him Riley can hear movement, he instinctively turns and follows one of the others leaving with his eyes. The one who'd looked so tired from earlier. There are now only two guys sitting in one of the booths by the door, one with short-cropped hair, the other's hair in spikes of blonde that fade to darker roots. Both sitting on the same side, the blonde is looking back out towards the parking lot and Riley can see his face reflected back in the window in front of him.
Riley thanks Roxanne for filling his cup and she smiles at him. There's a smudge of lipstick at the corner of her mouth, like she's applied it too quickly and Riley's suddenly fascinated by it.
Riley watches her as she walks slowly across the room, exaggerated swing of her hips. When he looks back the guy next to him is watching him unconsciously again. At first Riley's concerned but then he smiles again and Riley's no longer worried.
The other two sitting in the booth are very obviously not talking to each other and when Roxanne walks up to them, Riley can clearly see how relieved one of them is. The blonde is still looking outside; he looks like he wants to escape. Riley can see him flinch slightly when his friend touches him on the arm but he doesn't turn around. Instead he speaks facing the window, his southern accent thick, long drawn-out vowels. Riley can see his mouth move and hear his voice, but can't make out any of the words due to the distance and the angle at which he's sitting.
As soon as Roxanne moves back to the counter, they start talking. Exaggerated whispers that Riley has to try his hardest to ignore.
The man at the counter next to him is looking back at them over his shoulder and Riley once again notices how tired he looks. The fact that his friends are arguing seems to be making it worse.
One of them stands and in a concerted effort not to be heard by the rest of the diner says what can only be at the most six or seven words and then he turns on his heel and walks towards the exit. There's a moment where something flashes across the still seated man's face and Riley recognises hurt a little too easily.
After a moment he also stands and quickly moves towards the door.
On his way out, the door slams closed. Riley notices movement from the man still sitting next to him, a hollow sounding crack as he puts his coffee cup down a little too hard. Riley can see the hot dark liquid splash over the edge of his cup and against his hand. He's acting almost like it's in slow motion and Riley can see the splash of coffee on the other man's hand.
His face curls up when the liquid touches him; Riley suspects it's more out of shock than pain. Roxanne's over at one of the other tables and barely notices, Riley quickly stands and moves to help.
He grabs a cloth from the counter top and stems the flow of coffee before it moves any further. The guy in the seat's just sitting there, clutching his hand absently. Riley thinks he looks even more tired close up.
"Are you okay?"
He doesn't answer for a moment, doesn't even look at Riley and he's about to repeat the question when he finally looks up at him. He still looks unsure and Riley catches him sneaking a look back outside after his friends.
"No, not really."
Riley reaches out for his hand, "Let me look at it, there'll be a first aid kit around here somewhere."
"What?"
He sounds confused but doesn't snatch his hand back from Riley's grip.
"Your hand?"
"Oh. No dude, it's fine."
His hand looks slightly pink, nothing serious, Riley's seen much worse. "You better put that under cold water for a little while."
Riley moves him easily, brings him behind the counter and rests his hand in the sink under the flow of cold water. Now that he's standing up, Riley notices how thin he looks. Not an inch of fat on him. Riley's met a lot of guys like that, bundles of nervous energy, the sort of guys that make really good soldiers.
Except at the moment he doesn't look like he could put up much of a fight.
"So is everything okay with your friends?"
As soon as Riley mentions it, the other man visibly flinches, almost pulls his hand out from under the running water. After a moment, he just shakes his head wearily, his hair falling over his face and covering his eyes. Soft curls at the back of his neck cover the collar of his shirt. Riley hadn't even noticed but he's standing remarkably close, he pulls back instinctively.
"Grab a seat and I'll get you some more coffee."
Riley waits until the other man circles back around to the front of the counter and takes a seat.
"I'm Riley."
"JC."
"So, JC, what brings you to this part of Iowa, at this time of night?"
"We're just passing through."
"Of course, nobody comes here for a reason, everybody's always just passing through." Riley pours two cups of coffee, one for JC and one for himself and moves back to take a seat, this time next to the one JC's sitting on.
"We were on our way to... I dunno, somewhere. We were thinking about stopping for the night for a change, but..."
"...but you couldn't find anywhere to stop?"
"Yeah."
JC smiles again and Riley can notice the change almost immediately. When he smiles his whole face seems to light up and he doesn't look in the least bit tired anymore. Quite the opposite in fact, he seems so alive.
And it's been awhile since Riley's seen that.
"Yeah, pretty much. It's crazy really, it doesn't matter how much you love your friends or how well you get on, sometimes you just need time apart from them."
After he speaks, JC looks up at him, still smiling. Riley knows exactly what he means; it wasn't so long ago that he was stuck in the thick treacherous jungles of Belize. Depending on friends for survival but really wanting nothing more than time to himself. Being in such close contact can change a person, sometimes for the good. Other times, not.
"Yeah, I know what that can be like."
Riley takes a long sip of his coffee, they've been steadily talking since he poured it and it's only vaguely warm now. "How long since you had a decent night's sleep?"
"Damn, is it that obvious? I must look like hell."
"No." Riley laughs a little as he answers. He's pleased when JC laughs too. Riley watches JC drag one hand through his hair, the underside of his arm is well muscled, still thin but corded. Riley recognises the strength he sees there. It also makes him wonder what exactly is going on between his friends that is draining JC of all that strength.
JC rubs the flat of his hand across his eyes. The skin's pink and takes a moment to bounce back. He's blinking, and when he rolls his shoulders slightly he stretches his body. Long graceful movements that Riley can' help but follow with his eyes.
"If I look even half as bad as I feel, I must look like shit."
"So how long before you need to be... somewhere else?"
Riley can see JC stiffen as soon as he mentions it, his body more rigid, no longer relaxed. "Night after tomorrow."
"I know a place where you can crash tonight if you want?"
"Motel Six?"
JC looks dead on his feet and Riley starts to worry that he won't make it anywhere.
"No, there's a bed and breakfast not too far from here if you wanted some privacy." Riley smiles to himself when he considers just how small this town is. There's only one motel and it's more the sort of place that charges by the hour. The sort of place Riley wouldn't want one of his enemies to bed down in.
"Yeah? Isn't it a bit late for that?"
"That's okay, I know the family that runs it."
JC smiles up at him and nods.
It only takes a moment and they're both ready to leave. Riley leads the way out of the door and JC almost stumbles into him as Riley stops only inches in front of the diner. There's two rather hulking buses parked in the cramped lot. Not enough space for anything resembling that sort of size and Riley's pretty sure that wouldn't have been a problem until this evening.
One of JC's friends, the blonde from earlier is leaning against the side of the bus, next to the door. He's smoking and when he inhales, the tip of the cigarette flares a vibrant red and illuminates his face. He looks almost demonic, flash of red painting his skin crimson.
Riley doesn't move and instead just watches JC walk over to his friend. JC's head is hung low and the other man has one eyebrow raised questioningly. He ignores JC and stares straight over his shoulder towards Riley.
Riley feels uncomfortable; exposed and he's suddenly reminded of all those times back in Sunnydale. The way this stranger is looking at Riley makes him feel like prey, or his next meal. He'd normally be a lot more worried, given his past but nothing else unusual is alerting Riley to any danger.
Besides the fact that there's two buses parked right outside. Larger than any sort you'd see through here. No, this definitely isn't usual for this part of the world.
Luckily for Riley it's unusual in a very usual sort of way and at least he doesn't have to worry about Vampires or Demons when he's back home, ‘finding himself.'
JC's friend is still appraising him and Riley's not entirely sure how to react when JC shakes his head and starts to move inside one of the buses. His friend grabs him by the arm, stops him for a second and whispers something in JC's ear. His eyes never leave Riley's face.
JC shakes his head again and Riley can see his shoulders slump as he disappears inside the bus.
A few moments later, JC's friend takes one last draw on his cigarette and flicks the butt vaguely in Riley's direction. His mouth is pulled tight and Riley's almost relieved when he follows JC onto the bus.
When JC appears again, small bag over his shoulder, Riley wants to ask what the fuck that was all about. But JC's eyes look tired again and Riley's pretty sure he doesn't want to push it.
"Sorry about Lance. He can be a bit... over-protective sometimes." JC chooses his words carefully and Riley can't help but wonder if JC might in fact be thinking a few other things about his friend Lance.
Riley just shakes his head and offers a smile. That seems to help and the two of them begin to walk down the street in relative silence.
It doesn't take long before Riley's organised a room for JC. He'll probably owe Mrs Davis for waking her at such a late hour but she seems more concerned that Riley was able to see her in her dressing gown and with her hair in rollers than anything else.
He makes a mental note to make it up to her next time she asks him for any help around the place and offers to show JC the room so she won't have to.
She smiles at Riley and pats his cheek like his own grandmother used to do before she passed away. When he smiles back at her, she blushes slightly and she has to try and stifle a yawn that he can see escaping.
He pretends not to notice and thanks her again.
Riley shows JC up the stairs to his room. It isn't very big, a double bed that encompasses most of the floor space but JC seems happy enough when he sees it.
The room smells like lavender, fresh and warm, tinged with the heat of summer that sneaks in through the open window. Outside Riley can hear insects buzzing and despite the fact that there isn't really that much space it seems pleasant enough.
Riley sits down on the end of the bed; it's soft and gives under his weight. There's an old hand-woven blanket on the foot of the bed and it feels soft when Riley touches it. "It's not very big, but it seems comfortable?"
"More comfortable than a bus that's for sure."
When JC smiles at him, Riley swears he can feel the temperature in the room rise. Like the window's been closed or something. Up until now, Riley hadn't really noticed how close JC had been standing to him. JC's at the end of the bed, so close that Riley wouldn't be surprised if their feet were touching.
JC's different than anybody else that Riley's seen back home. There'd be no mistaking him for a local and that's nothing to do with the way that he dresses, even though that clearly marks him as not being from around here. It's something else, something more...
Riley's sure JC's seen a lot of things and could probably show Riley a whole lot about the world, in a different way than Riley's used to and that seems so... attractive, to him right now. That there's something here that Riley could want, that he could learn from.
Or at least that JC could help him forget.
Riley's mouth is a little dry and he wonders at first if it's the fact that he's had too much coffee already. He could sure use a drink.
When Riley looks up at JC, he's just standing there. His lower lip is pulled between his teeth, his brow furrowed slightly. Riley can clearly see him thinking about something. Riley wants to ask him what, but when he opens his mouth to speak, it's dry and he has to swallow instead. He can't quite find the words anyway and instead he just swallows the lump he feels forming in his throat.
JC inches closer, covers the small distance that separates them and now if Riley stands up they'll be so close that the two of them will be touching.
Riley suddenly wants to stand.
He still hasn't found his voice when JC moves fluidly, slides one hand under the thin cotton of the shirt he's wearing. One swift motion and he peels the tight shirt he's been wearing off over his head.
Riley's vision is filled with the rich expanse of naked flesh. JC's body is long and smooth, hard all over. The flat of his stomach arches up towards the hardness of his pecs. JC looks slightly flushed, the darker flesh of his nipples are hard and jut out.
Riley still can't think of what to say and when he raises his hand slightly, moves his palm until it's barely an inch from JC's chest he can fee the heat from JC's body. Without even touching him, JC feels warm, smells warm. Riley can feel that heat pour off him and travel through his own body, along his arm, down his own chest until it ends firmly in his cock. Before he's even noticed, Riley's hard.
Riley traces lines over JC's body with his eyes, he wants to mimic that movement with the soft pad of his hands, nimble flick and caress of his fingers. But mostly he wants to trace the hard lines of muscle with his tongue. Pressed flat against JC's body, Riley wants to lap at the skin of JC's chest.
Riley really wants to know what JC tastes like.
"It's okay, you can."
JC's voice almost shocks him. Riley looks up and JC's staring off over Riley's shoulder, not really looking. Almost like he's thinking about something else.
"I don't mind. I... want you to, Riley."
Riley almost doesn't notice the way JC's voice catches as he speaks.
"What..." Riley has to take a large gulp of air before he can continue. His hand is still only a touch from JC's chest and when he notices how close it still is, Riley snatches it back. Slides his hand under the length of his thigh, pressed against the soft wool of Mrs Davis' blanket.
"JC, what are you doing?"
"I thought... I just assumed you wanted me to..."
Riley looks up; JC still won't look at him. Riley wants to make him look, to move him away, or closer, he's not quite sure which, but he can't move with JC so close. If he does stand he'll be pressed against the silky rich heat of him.
"JC? Why do you think that?"
JC shrugs his shoulders. Riley traces the movement across his body as he does. Juncture of his neck almost sinuous. It moves like silk but Riley can see the hard strength underneath.
"I just thought... you helped me, so I just assumed that's what you wanted?" When he speaks, Riley can see how tired JC looks again. Can see it reflected in his eyes.
"Do you always assume that you have to offer yourself to everybody that helps you?" Riley's voice is soft when he speaks and JC finally looks back at him. He seems to notice how close he is and he pulls away slightly. Riley doesn't know what to make of it.
"That's what most people want."
JC sounds resigned and Riley's pretty sure that what he's saying is the truth. That he knows it's the truth because...
"Maybe you're not my type? Maybe... maybe I don't want to in the first place?" Riley speaks louder than he'd intended and he can see a flicker of emotion crease JC's face. He soon recovers but Riley can see it, he also sees the emotion that remains in his eyes.
JC reaches down to the floor and snatches up his shirt. A moment later he's pulling it back on over his head, play of muscles as he moves and Riley gets his last sight of JC's chest before it's once again covered.
"Shit, I'm sorry, I just thought that's why you were helping?"
"JC, I was helping because you looked like you needed it."
"Okay... I'm sorry Riley. Like I said I just assumed..."
Riley moves his weight slightly, slides over an inch or two. JC sits down next to him, the bed dipping slightly as it adjusts to his weight.
"So this is... this is normally what people want from you?"
JC only nods his head in response. He looks tired again, like he did when Riley first saw him this evening. Riley's also shocked at just how young he looks right at this moment. Like somebody out of their depth, forced to live the sort of life he isn't really ready for.
Riley may have seen that a lot but that doesn't make it any easier to see each time.
"So those guys back there?"
JC looks up at him, taken aback slightly. When he speaks he sounds genuinely confused, "You don't... I kinda thought you knew who we were and that was why you brought me here. That's why I thought you wanted... more."
"Should I know who you are?"
When Riley finishes speaking, JC smiles again and shakes his head.
"I'm... I'm just, JC."
JC looks at him and Riley shrugs his shoulders, "That's good enough for me."
The two of them are smiling again; Riley's surprised at how comfortable JC once again seems to be. When JC smiles at him, Riley can't help but smile too.
"I really should go then."
JC nods and when Riley stands up, he looks up at him still smiling.
"I'll pop in and see you tomorrow morning?"
"Sure and... thanks Riley, for helping and for not... you know"
"Sure thing, JC."
Riley isn't quite sure why, but on the drive over to Mrs Davis' the next morning, he goes out of his way to avoid the diner. It means taking a slightly longer route off the main road but he does it nonetheless.
The rain has cleared overnight and the sky is much more clear. There's not so many rain clouds and the air smells fresh as it blows in the open window of his truck.
It doesn't take him too long and he's parking out by the front of the Davis'. He can see Mrs Davis in the window of the kitchen as he walks up to the front door. A large smile breaks out on her face and Riley waves back in response to her greeting. She looks busy so he makes his way upstairs instead.
Riley raps the back of his hand on the door to JC's room and waits for an answer. He's about to knock again when he finally hears movement from the other side.
JC opens the door slightly and smiles when he sees who's there. "Hey, Riley, come in. I'm just back from the shower."
JC pulls open the door and gestures inside with his hand, Riley steps through the doorway and only then does he realise what JC has said. Back from the shower, literally, and wearing nothing but a towel.
The white cotton towel is cinched tightly around his waist and JC's chest is beaded lightly with moisture. Soft almost-crystals of it on the surface of his skin and Riley catches the slow sinuous movement of one droplet of water as it trails down JC's chest. Across the hardness of muscle as it slides down, perilously close to one nipple. Riley loses track of the droplet as it slowly absorbs into JC's tanned skin.
Without even thinking about it, Riley finds himself out of breath and wetting his lips with his tongue. He's pretty sure he's blushing but that doesn't stop him from looking.
"Sorry just gimme a minute and I'll dry myself off."
Riley can only nod in response. When JC turns his body slightly, Riley can see the play of muscles under his skin. Hard yet pliant and Riley aches to reach out and touch him. To remove that trail of water that drips down JC's chest with his finger, leave his hand there and just... touch.
Maybe Riley had hit his head last night or something but if JC asked him to stay now there's no way he'd be leaving.
JC wanders out of the room and only then does Riley realise he hasn't said one word since he walked in.
JC's actually still speaking to him, it takes Riley a few moments before he realises that and he moves closer instinctively to actually hear what he's saying. The door to the adjoining bathroom is still slightly open and Riley catches movement from the other side before he leaps back. Mortified at the thought that he may have been inadvertently watching JC get dressed, watching JC as he towelled dry his naked body, removing the soft beads of water from his well muscled skin. Dragging the soft cotton towel across his chest, nipples becoming hard with the contact of it as he...
Riley, no matter how hard he tries to concentrate, still can't hear a word that JC says.
Riley isn't quite sure where to look, at the moment he's fascinated by one of the cross-stitch panels above the dresser in the room. A pastoral scene, farmhouse surrounded by a large wooden fence. Riley thinks about commenting on the quality of the workmanship but when he turns around and faces back towards the bathroom door, it's fully open and JC is standing there watching him.
JC still isn't wearing a shirt, although he's dried himself off with the towel he still clutches in one hand. He seems to have missed a patch on his right shoulder, it still looks slightly damp and Riley's fascinated by it.
JC has a pair of large grey sweat pants on, at least one size too big, if not two. They slip off his waist slightly and expose the hard curve of his hipbone. Riley isn't quite sure what's keeping them from falling down at all, from sliding off and exposing more skin. Riley can see a distinct tan line just above the waistband, where JC's darker tanned skin fades and blends into a more pale, almost opalescent white.
The pants are too big for JC, and he has to hold them up absently with one hand, tightly fisted in grey cotton. Riley has this sudden flash of jealousy; he wants to know exactly whose pants they are and why JC is wearing them. He can feel himself blush at the thought.
Riley's sure JC has noticed him looking. He thinks for a moment he might be able to distract himself with the cross-stitch once again but he can't quite take his eyes off the dip of JC's skin below the waistband that hangs loosely off his hips.
Riley blushes even more and when JC smiles, he mentally kicks himself for being so obvious.
Riley pointedly clears his throat and wills himself to look away. JC moves the towel he's still holding up to his head and starts to dry his hair more thoroughly. Of course that means he has to use both hands and his pants fall even further as JC squirms a little. Quick, aggressive movements with the towel and Riley can clearly see a soft expanse of hair that trails down the base of JC's belly. He's stretched taut, arms reaching above himself and whenever he moves Riley can see the play of muscles across his stomach and chest.
It's all Riley can do to not reach out and touch him, to not close the distance that separates the two of them and worship JC's body with his hands and his mouth. The way he does with his eyes.
Riley's unsure what to do, he can't quite move, or think, or act. He still hasn't said anything when JC drops the towel on the floor, raking one side of his pants up with his hand. JC's hair sticks up in spikes and looks wild and unkempt. Riley can't believe how fucking gorgeous JC looks.
Riley's sure he couldn't blush anymore. And that that's the main reason that JC is smiling.
"Uh so, JC, you never told me why exactly I should know who you are?" Riley's amazed he can reach even that level of coherency.
JC laughs before he answers, "I was wondering when you were going to ask."
"I mean, I suppose I should have guessed you were somebody, what with all the commotion last night and the buses and..."
"Me? I'm nobody..."
"Uh no, JC, you're definitely not nobody."
JC hasn't moved an inch; he's still standing there, one hand curled under the waistband of the pants he's wearing.
Riley shifts a little uncomfortably. He can't take his eyes off JC and he's pretty much given up attempting to hide the fact. JC doesn't seem bothered by it. He still hasn't put a shirt on, despite the fact that his bag is only a few feet from where he's standing. Riley's pretty sure that JC is quite enjoying the way he's making Riley feel.
"In all honesty, Riley, I rather think I like being nobody."
"JC?" Riley swallows the lump he can feel forming in his throat. The room feels stiflingly hot despite the open window a few feet from where they're standing.
"Yeah?"
It takes a few moments before Riley can speak again, before he can pluck up the courage to ask the question that he's been wanting to ask ever since he left JC alone last night.
"Can I... can I touch you?"
Riley's voice sounds quiet in the stillness of the room. Once he stops speaking he's sure he notices JC's mouth turn up slightly in a smile. A sense of relief seems to skim momentarily across JC's face and Riley finds himself smiling back.
"If that's what you want."
Riley nods.
He moves closer, slowly. One hand extended out in front of him. He swears the beating of his heart must be deafeningly loud and Riley can see his hand shake a little with anticipation. JC doesn't move, even when Riley is only inches away from him, when he can feel the heat pouring off JC's body. When all he can smell, taste in his mouth is the rich musky smell of JC.
Riley shifts his hand, touches first with only the tips of his fingers. JC's arm feels warm, hard as Riley traces the tip of his fingers in one continuous line up his arm. Past his elbow, until he grips JC's shoulder with the palm of his hand. Riley can feel JC tremble slightly under his grip, warmth seeping into his own skin as he kneads the hard flesh of JC's upper arm and shoulder.
Riley swallows again, his mouth even more dry.
They're close, but the two of them are still only touching at one point: Riley's hand, as it ghosts back down and up JC's arm. Riley stares at JC and his mouth parts slightly as he breathes out, his eyes drift closed and his lashes flutter quickly. Like butterfly wings.
When Riley grips his shoulder more firmly, JC lets out a soft moan, he doesn't even try to stifle it and that makes Riley even harder. The fact that JC doesn't seem to care and instead gives in, feels.
Riley moves the back of his hand over JC's neck. It's thickly corded with muscle and JC arches his head back, exposes more as Riley strokes up over his chin and face.
Riley dips his head down, breathes in the rich scent of JC's skin, presses his face so it's almost touching the hard juncture of JC's neck and exhales slightly. When Riley's breath touches his skin, JC moans again and bucks forward slightly, driving himself against the front of Riley's body. Riley can feel how hard JC is as they touch.
Riley presses his face into the heat of JC's neck and parts his mouth, lips caressing and lets his tongue escape. Where they touch, JC's skin tastes slightly salty, warm and fresh on his tongue and Riley licks more, wants more. Open-mouthed kisses in a line up the muscle of his neck to his ear, JC now pressed against Riley's body, grinding in rhythmic circular motions.
Riley is hot and hard as he revels in the taste of him. Mouth presses against JC's ear as he tries to speak.
"I get the feeling, JC, that you could never be nobody."
Riley's voice is low and guttural and sounds so unfamiliar, even to himself. He begins to kiss a line down JC's neck, stopping to place a soft bite against the top of his shoulder. When he does, JC drives himself forward, head thrown back as he moans out Riley's name, low and deep. Riley doesn't think he's ever heard anybody sound so... dirty.
Riley loves it when JC moans his name. JC makes Riley want to know what he sounds like when he comes.
"God, Riley. If you keep doing this I don't think I could bring myself to care about who I was."
Riley kisses a line down to JC's nipple, circles it with his tongue before enveloping it. Flicking just the tip, teasing it.
JC lets out a loud gasp, louder than before and Riley's name escapes JC's mouth in a long drawn out hiss.
When Riley looks up at JC's face, his head is moving around and JC's eyes look half-lidded almost as if he's having trouble seeing.
"Is this okay?" Riley sounds uncertain, steadies himself, one hand just above JC's hipbone. Riley kneads with his fingers in what he hopes is a reassuring manner.
JC blinks down at him, he looks confused, unsure why Riley has stopped.
"God, Riley it's so much more than okay..."
Riley smiles up at him and moves back, circles JC's nipple again and continues to lap at it. He can still hear JC moaning and one of his hands threads into Riley's hair. Gently holding him close.
Riley steps JC back, until he feels JC's body bend against the weight of the bed. Riley lowers himself, presses the length of his body against JC as he kisses him.
JC pulls at Riley's clothes feverishly, there's too many layers of material separating them and Riley adjusts his weight, pulls the cotton of his shirt quickly over his head and discards it somewhere behind him on the floor.
This time when he pushes down against JC, the slick length of skin against skin makes him moan loudly into JC's open mouth. Riley can't remember wanting something this much in so long.
It's a rush of movement, flash and heat. Riley pushes at the pants JC's barely wearing, exposes the length of his cock, already hard. JC twists under him, one hand strokes the length of his body, pulls at Riley's jeans. Riley has to force himself to stand, to quickly pull his own jeans off until he's naked. JC simply watches him, eyes wide, mouth parted as he quickly gulps in air.
Soon they're both naked and JC snakes one hand between their bodies. Riley can feel it pressed between their sweat-slicked skin. He moans into JC's open mouth as his hand circles his cock. Not gently, rough twist and Riley wants so much more, wants this. Everything about JC as they slide against each other, Riley pressing the smaller man under his own weight.
Squeeze of his hand as it encircles Riley's cock and JC moans out Riley's name. Deep and low in a voice made for sex. A voice that makes Riley gulp in air, desperate to breathe.
His name whispered again and JC pushes his mouth closer to Riley's ear. It takes a moment before he can form words, fractured and broken with desire.
"Riley, please... god, Riley, I need you. Need you to fuck me."
Riley moans, he can't help himself. "I don't... I haven't..."
JC pushes against Riley and he moves reluctantly. Rolls slightly towards the edge of the bed and Riley can hear movement. A second later he's back, condom and lube clutched in his hand.
It only takes a second and Riley's ready.
Strokes one hand down the naked expanse of JC's body, he can feel the slight tremor that passes through him. JC's eyes never leave his own and that moment of trust almost shocks him. Quick movement and Riley presses himself close, cock hard against JC and the sound of his voice as he speaks almost makes him falter.
"Please, Riley?"
Gentle slide and he can feel JC around him, rich heat that envelops the length of his cock. One arm presses down on the bed, next to JC's head, which is thrown back, eyes closed, mouth parted as he writhes under him.
One of JC's hands presses along his side, pulls him close. The length of his body touches JC as he moves. JC moans out his name in thick guttural syllables, eyes pulled shut. Riley almost can't move when he sees that look, but then JC begs, slides himself forward. Drives his body against Riley's cock.
Soft kiss on JC's mouth, throat. Riley presses close, his entire body shifting forward as he slides deeper inside JC. His whole body a tight press of muscle as they move together.
Riley wraps one hand around JC's cock, begins to thrust in time with the movement he's making. One of JC's hands grips tightly to the bunched muscle of his forearm. Fingers circle his bicep and leave trails of white as he squeezes.
He's so close as he slows the rhythm, begins long strokes all the way out and then presses himself deep inside JC. He can feel it build inside him, a slow languid release. JC arches up, drives himself deeper, Riley can feel JC come against his hand, now slick as he moves against him. It's all too much and Riley can feel himself come, buried deep inside JC's body.
They remain like that for a moment, neither able nor wanting to move.
The wind blows into the open window of the cab of Riley's truck and flutters JC's hair around his face, he's smiling and doesn't seem to care and instead leaves it open. When Riley looks over at him, JC is smiling and every now and then the top of his face and eyes are covered by bangs.
Riley has to make a concerted effort to keep his eyes on the road, to not keep staring at JC sitting next to him. Or to not pull the truck over so it's parked on the dusty gravel shoulder of the road and push JC against the cab door and kiss him. Or more.
One of JC's hands rests against Riley's leg, almost unconsciously. Like JC doesn't even know it's there and the weight of it against Riley's leg feels reassuring. Grounds Riley, makes him realise that the last few hours really did happen.
As soon as the two of them had climbed into the cab, to drive back to reunite JC with his friends, JC had reached over and turned the radio on loud. Riley wasn't really sure who was playing, it had been so long since he'd really had time to think about things like that.
JC had started singing along immediately. He knew all the words and even when he didn't, Riley listened to him make up his own. That only made Riley smile even more.
JC rests his other arm on the open window and taps along to the beat, one of his legs measuring the rhythm. When Riley tells him he has a great voice, JC just laughs, not in a self-deprecating way, which was what Riley expected. Riley can't help but join in even though he isn't sure of the joke.
The parking lot is dry and large clouds of dust billow in front of the truck as Riley pulls in to park. The dust cloud encompasses the cab of the truck and JC actually stops singing when he breathes it in and ends up coughing into the back of his hand. He looks embarrassed but ends up smiling nonetheless.
The two buses haven't moved from the night before.
When Riley climbs out of the cab he can see JC wave inside to three of his friends, the guy with the beard from last night and the one Lance had been arguing with, who Riley thinks must be Lance's boyfriend.
There's also one more guy sitting with them that Riley doesn't recall seeing and he seems particularly interested in looking outside.
Riley can feel himself blush as the three of them wave hello to JC, They're whispering together and Lance's boyfriend in particular seems excited to see them.
"Just ignore them, man, I swear sometimes it's like living in a fucking sit-com."
Riley laughs along and ends up feeling more at ease. He hadn't been sure how JC would behave once they were back.
Lance walks out of one of the buses and stands next to the door, questioning look on his face. Something about the way Lance seems to be appraising him makes Riley feel even more uncomfortable than before but Riley gets a feeling this time it's more out of concern for JC than anything else.
"It seems like you've got some pretty good friends." Riley watches them as he speaks.
"Yeah."
"Well, I probably should be going..."
Riley gestures past JC, back towards his truck with one hand. JC's staring at him, mouth cocked slightly in a smile, Riley's still blushing and even though he tries hard not to look he can feel at least four other sets of eyes on himself.
"Thanks for making me feel welcome." JC moves closer, places one hand on the side of Riley's face and pulls him in close. Kisses him, soft at first but then harder. Riley presses the length of his body against JC as they kiss. Riley can feel JC's tongue snake into his mouth and he laps at it.
"Anytime, I only wish you had time to stay longer."
"Same here, Riley, same here."