Page 46 of These Old Lies
“It’s perfect,” Ned responded immediately, his heart full and wondering if his magnificent lover would ever know what a gift this evening was to Ned. “Dancewith me again.”
???
“You look like an actor from the pictures. Or an angel. So perfect.” Charlie had pushed Ned up against the door of the flat as soon as Ned had managed to close it. There had been more dancing and some champagne, and then a bit of punch. Now they were home and basking in the hazy exhilarating feeling of an excellent night. Charlie grabbed Ned’s arse firmly. “I want to be inside you tonight.”
Ned nearly gasped as lust washed over him. He and Charlie had only ever done that act once, and Ned had been nearly out of his mind with grief, which is what had given him the total lack of self-consciousness to ask for it. Since becoming lovers again, they had been focused on other mutual pleasures, re-learning each other’s bodies.
Ned wrapped his arms tight around Charlie’s shoulders. “Yes. Make me come apart.” He wanted them to drown in joy tonight.
Once they managed to get to the bed, Charlie’s confidence seemed to waiver. He couldn’t meet Ned’s eyes as he traced the seams of his costume. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
Ned remembered how Charlie had worked to be gentle in the trenches, how Charlie had tensed every time Ned had grimaced in discomfort, because if he were honest, it wasn’t an entirely easy act. A possibility floated into his mind. “I could… I could be on top. Take you inside me that way.” It had been a long time, but that position had always been one of Ned’s favourites.
Charlie groaned. “You can’t just say things like that without warning. But yes. Now?”
Ned took off his tunic, tossing it somewhere into the room’s dimness. “Yes, now.”
Charlie watched Ned like every movement of his body was fascinating and enticing. It made Ned feel loved, safe. Tonight, it gave him the confidence to show off. So Ned took his time shimmying out of his hose, letting his body go pliant and lithe. Charlie’s eyes followed the slow descent of the material as Ned revealed more and more leg. Once Ned was naked, he turned to removing Charlie’s clothes, letting his fingers slide along Charlie’s chest, bringing his knee up between Charlie’s legs and putting just a hint of pressure on his cock. When Ned leaned across Charlie to grab the Vaseline from his bedside drawer, he dragged his cock over Charlie’s front, relishing the shiver he got in response.
Last time they had done this, Charlie had insisted on being as active as Ned needed him to be, but tonight Ned wanted the freedom to enjoy this and to be seen enjoying it. Ned opened himself up with his fingers and let his other hand wander across his own tingling body, stroking his cock, grazing over his chest. He was shameless, moaning, groaning and panting as he wanted.
Plus, there was the added benefit of watching Charlie slowly come apart. “Please, Ned, I’m not going to last unless you do something soon. Fuck.”
With a single movement, Ned lowered himself onto Charlie. Charlie’s hip bucked up and he cried out, “I love you. God, I love you.”
???
Later, Ned nestled against Charlie’s chest as Charlie played with his hair and kissed his forehead. Charlie had much less body hair than Ned did, a feature Ned was incredibly envious of, and he liked tracing patterns between the freckles on Charlie’s chest.
“Do you think I would like to do that?” It took a minute for Charlie’s question to penetrate the fog of bliss that surrounded Ned’s mind.
“Want to try?” Ned wasn’t really serious because he knew Charlie wasn’t.
Charlie propped his head up on his arm. “I don’t want to ask you to do something you don’t like.” Of course Charlie would take the expected and flip it inside out, not only asking for something Ned would have sworn Charlie wasn’t interested in, but also being more concerned thatNedwouldn’t enjoy it. Charlie then said, “But why not?”
“What I’m proposing? I’ll definitely enjoy myself.” Ned brushed a curl out of Charlie’s face. “Let me know if you don’t?”
Charlie kissed him, slowly, lovingly. “I trust you.”
Ned shifted his weight so that he could kiss his way down Charlie’s chest, nipping and licking and swirling. Charlie’s skin was still salty-sweet from their previous activities. He smiled to himself as Charlie shivered under his touch. It hadn’t been that long since their last round, so Ned was a little surprised to find Charlie hard. Clearly he wasn’t completely terrified about what Ned was going to do to him. He relaxed even further when Ned took Charlie in his mouth.
Charlie’s muttered pleas turned to a groan of frustration when Ned pulled back, and then his eyes smouldered when Ned grabbed the Vaseline.
Ned returned to his work, moving his left hand lower, slowly caressing his way down Charlie’s chest to the sensitive skin on the inside of his thighs. Charlie’s legs opened wider for Ned, although Ned could feel the tremor of tension in the other man’s body. As Ned nudged a finger in, Charlie froze. Ned lifted his head up, careful to keep his tone gentle. “Do you want me to stop?”
“Give me a moment?” Charlie's voice was uneven as he stared at Ned’s ceiling.
Ned laid his lips gently on Charlie’s thigh, ignoring the cramp in his hand. “Of course, darling.” He rarely used affectionate names like that, but tonight it felt right.
From this angle, he was looking directly at the insides of Charlie’s forearms, currently clenching the sheets. Even when they were having sex it was rare that Ned looked at them so directly, with their criss-cross scars, the legacy of the injury that had nearly killed Charlie. Yet, in this moment, those marks were just another reminder that both Ned and Charlie were both scarred. Yet still standing, still fucking, still loving.
When Charlie spoke again, his voice was steadier. “Try again.” Ned slid his finger in again, slowly, careful to brush and tease but not force. He returned his mouth to Charlie’s cock, gently moving his fingers as Charlie’s hands gripped Ned’s head, a muttered “Oh Jesus” gasping from his lips. And then Charlie was driving the rhythm.
Ned crooked his finger gently, waiting until he found the place he was looking for. He almost choked as Charlie thrust up into his mouth, and Ned pulled back long enough to ask, “Enjoying yourself?”
“Don’t stop.” Charlie’s skin was shiny with sweat and his voice came in harsh pants.
It was all awkward angles, and Charlie kept twisting, but Ned let himself go and be surrounded by Charlie’s pleasure. This was Charlie’s gift to Ned, not what specific act they did, but how raw and open he was.