Partners (Private/Possibly Mature)

The smallest of smiles touched Joel’s lips as he heard Ethan’s acceptance, seemingly reluctant but true all the same. He paused, watching Ethan sway into the room over before extricating himself from the sheets and ambling through the hall, his shirt forgotten. Admittedly, he wouldn’t need it anyway. The notion that he may be about to do something that neither of them could ever take back crossed his mind, but he didn’t waste another second to think about it. He was already committed, happily so. Any regret or guilt was no concern of his. It couldn't be now.

Joel’s breath caught in his throat as he saw Ethan strewn haphazardly over the bed, and he was happy to let his reaction show, grinning all the way. “You really do look great,” he crooned, slowly sauntering over before climbing into the small bed beside his partner. He drew Ethan close, lazily tossing one arm over his chest and nuzzling into his neck, lightly nipping once at the exposed flesh before drawing back. The heat was probably the most noticeable thing. Ethan was incredibly warm even through his clothes in contrast to his demeanor. It was comforting, reminding him of memories he never had, but was rather told of. If happiness came from another, Joel imagined it would feel something like this. His eyelids drooped low, and the younger man simply let his sense of touch tell him one surface from another.

Rolling his eyes, Ethan assured Joel, "I've never believed it before, and I won't believe it now. I don't have to be a handsome bloke though. Just means my job can't take my pretty face from me." There was something more to it, a silent compliment to Joel, coupled with a warning to take care of himself. Wrapping one arm around Joel's shoulders, he used a hand to tilt up the younger man's face. In a very serious tone, he told him, "Behave yourself," before kissing him on the forehead. Turning off the light, he pulled the blanket up over both of them. He wasn't sure if Joel had meant for them to have sex, but he knew he was far from ready for that, and quite frankly, there was a fine line between mistakes that he was willing to make. Drunk or not as his excuse, he wasn't going to let things get stupid. They still had a mandatory six months before they could escape each other. He was not making himself suffer.

Reaching over Joel, he turned off the lamp and then closed his eyes. There was something amazingly stubborn about the gesture, but a small voice in the back of his head nagged at him, teasing him that he was just afraid for someone to see him, and it was true. He was so disgusted with his own body that he never wanted anyone to see it. It wasn't insecurity, it was knowledge and pain.

“Believe it handsome.” his partner’s sudden seriousness was a bit bothersome and seemed out of place, but the thought was discarded by the gesture that followed. The small kiss was so overwhelming coming from the normally stern Ethan. It made him feel that much closer. This alien emotion was certainly a taxing load on his senses, but it left him feeling strangely free. Truth be told though, he was unsure of what to do next. Even as he had asked to spend the night with Ethan, he had no idea exactly what that meant. He thought for a moment, wondering exactly he’d wanted here. After a moment, Joel decided he wanted to feel the hard muscle of his partner’s chest as he had the day before, even though the feeling had been dampened by his clothes. He longed to listen to the other’s heart beat if only for a moment. He wished, somewhere in the deepest depths of his heart, to form a connection tonight, but he dared not consider it any further. He reflected upon his other two thoughts. A curious desire to be sure, but one he was absolute on. Joel lightly tugged on the fine fabric, his voice a silky purr against the darkness, “You don’t need this, do you?”

For a moment, Ethan's sleepy brain was confused what Joel meant. An annoying, arrogant partner that wanted in his pants? Eh, not really. It would be a lot easier with a straight, straight-laced cop that was all about the job and could take criticism. Then again, he had been surprised at how well the brunette took his words for the most part. Occasionally, there was resentment or annoyance in his eyes, but for the most part, he hadn't had much trouble with the young man. It really didn't due to complain.

Just as he had made up his mind to treat Joel less like a brat, he realized that wasn't what his partner had meant at all. He was referring to the shirt. Amazingly, that made Ethan even more uncomfortable than the situation itself.

"Can't sleep without it. Too many house fires," he replied, his voice distorted by a sudden yawn. It wasn't completely honest, but it was close enough to the truth. There had been about eight fires in two years shortly after he had turned six. The memories were, rather literally, burnt onto his mind. He had never gotten burnt bad, but it left an impression on his mind. He feared flames and would only cook with an electric stove. He also slept a lot easier when he was dressed, because then he knew that he was ready for almost anything.

Rubbing Joel's back, he closed his eyes against the darkness and asked, "Can't you just sleep or does a bit of beer make you hyper?"

Ethan’s response pleased Joel. He suddenly seemed so awkward and dodgy. It was honestly just adorable to the younger man. Ethan seemed like someone who could be told to wrestle a bull, and he’d do it fearlessly provided he had a reason. Thus, when he found something Ethan wasn’t so impassible on, it made him want to pursue the issue that much more. He decided against continuing, though, as this was just the first…the only night he’d have with Ethan and he didn‘t want to leave a bad impression. Thinking something like ‘the first night’ would be dangerous. Still, he decided he should make the most of it after hearing Ethan speak a bit more. “Would you think it wrong if I said you make me a little hyper?” A playful tone crept in Joel’s voice even as he looked up and traced his partner’s jaw line. “I just can’t help the things you do to me. Take responsibility why don’t you.” He chuckled as his hand swept back down to rest on Ethan’s chest.

"I would say that you're hoping to rely on the "drunk card" tomorrow, when we both know you aren't," Ethan replied to the playful question. Quickly, he was coming to regret his decision to let this spirited young man into his bed. He had no idea why he thought that cuddling would be enough to shut him up. Maybe he was drunker than he realized for his logic to be so impaired. Joel pushed. That was what he did. It was a part of his nature. He had seen that just in the short while they had known each other.

Sighing, he gave up on sleeping. Propping himself up, he demanded, his tone peevish, but not sincerely annoyed, "Are you going to pester me until I give in or send you out?" The darkness hid the smile on his lips as a memory played through his mind. It was just a story, of a younger student in love with an upperclassman, seducing him and adoring him. The story had more to it than that, but those scenes were what had stuck with him, mostly because he had always imagined that something like that could actually happen in real life. He had seen a few of the male and female cops mimic such behavior. He had never dreamed of it, but it struck him as funny that he might be living his favorite romance, at least to a degree. Maybe there was no romance, no love loss between them, but there was seduction, love.

Tilting up Joel's chin, he gave him a soft kiss on the lips. Some part of him wanted to shrug it off as nothing big, nothing important, but he had to swallow hard, his heart racing. "Is that enough?" he asked, his voice cynically mocking. It wasn't truly cruel, but somehow joking.

Joel had to bite the inside of his mouth to stop whatever strange noise was about to come out of it. He hadn’t really expected anything of Ethan for a few reasons. Thus, the younger man was absolutely stunned when he felt his partner’s lips against his own, and he had to stifle the urge to rub his hand over the tender flesh as a means to confirm that it had actually happened. Joel turned away, happy for the darkness to hide the flush of his face. He had to try a few times, the words catching in his throat before he managed to reply with a sarcastic, “I guess”. He tried to sound annoyed, but his response was half-hearted, and in the end just seemed disappointed. (Or maybe my body is giving me away for being dishonest.)

In truth, that simple kiss set off a dull ache in Joel’s chest. He wanted more. He wanted to run his lips over Ethan’s neck, down to his chest, his navel, and yet still lower. Wanted to feel every inch of flesh and learn his partner’s toned and beautiful body inside and out. He wanted to try things he’d never done before, but was convinced he could do them well. (Christ, I’m falling for the first pretty boy who does a few nice things for me. And for years, I laughed at women for this…am I really going to just...just let this happen?) But he already had the answer. Joel was still in bed, vying for Ethan‘s attention, waiting anxiously for more wasn’t he?

Feeling Joel turn away, Ethan wondered if he had been too gruff with him. Though he didn't really want to encourage him (okay, maybe he did want to a little, but he really didn't want to have to deal with the situation in the morning), he absolutely didn't want to have to deal with Joel being a rebellious ass because Ethan was too sharp with him. Of course, there was always the chance that he wouldn't act out, but would behave perfectly out of spite, but that meant there would be more tension. Neither idea really sounded like a good one to rely on. Hearing the sarcastic reply, he felt himself smiling, acknowledging that there was a chance that Joel would just act normal, but that was enough of a pain in the ass.

Shifting forward, he hooked an arm around Joel's waist and drew him back against his chest. Nuzzling his face against the back of the younger man's neck, he mumbled, "Good. Then go to bed. We're going to the gym in the morning." Smiling to himself, he let his eyes close again to sleep.

Joel’s breath quickened as he felt Ethan’s hands wrap around his waist and pull him closer, but truly was disappointed, sighing at the suggestion. The younger man considered speaking up and giving honesty a chance, but it would more than likely just frustrate Ethan more. Joel decided he could just settle for this, almost letting himself lapse into the dazed trance between consciousness and syncope. He could feel the pull of darkness tugging his lids shut, but he railed against it, wanting to remember every moment of this pleasant touch that he could. There was also the fact that sleep was forgotten at this point, every little touch seemingly like a shock to Joel, but that didn't seem to play a big role. Looking around at the room, he felt awkward. His vision had adjusted a bit to see in the gloom, but most of the room was still shrouded in shadows. He allowed himself to mutter once, saying something like “I wonder if it would’ve been different…” before sighing again and grasping Ethan’s hands, pushing back just a bit and closing his eyes.

Ethan was not a heavy sleeper. Every time Joel shifted woke him, though his mind was awake while his body remained in the dazed state. By the time morning came around, the same thought had occurred to him a dozen times over: he loved sleeping with someone else, but he hated it at the same time. He was completely unrested, felt like he should have just stayed up, but at the same time, none of the nightmares had bothered him. Trading sleep for no nightmares was something he was willing to do. At least this time he had someone to hold onto.

Just as dawn began to pour through the window, he "woke up." Sitting up, he stretched. Looking at his partner, he wondered briefly how to handle what had happened. Should he bother addressing the situation at all? He knew he had been more compliant than he should have been, but he also knew Joel hadn't been drunk either. While they did barely know each other, something obviously drove the young man towards him, and even with as little sleep as he had gotten, he hadn't given solutions much though. In some ways, he figured it would sort itself out. Even if it didn't, he would maintain a level of professionalism at work...

But what about outside of work? Could he really string along the young brunette until his time at the station was done and he could move on? Would he do it?

Sighing, he gave up on trying to figure it out until he had a shower and a cup of joe. Standing up, he stretched, his body crackling at every joint. It felt good for a moment, and then he slouched forward, heading towards the kitchen to start the coffee pot. Black java with too much sugar: it sounded like a dream.

Even as Ethan had shifted out of bed, Joel was still fast asleep. At some point around three or four in the morning, he’d passed out, unable to stay awake as he had tried. This job was already taking a toll on him it seemed. Though exhaustion was never a pleasant thing, being in law enforcement beat the hell out of whatever other options he had.

Every dream had a few common themes. Happiness. Life. Ethan. The last one was new, but expected. His mind went quickly from thought to thought, and his partner was one of the newer things in the line. And then all of these things were torn from his grasp by some shadow-faced killer. Usually Joel could see the face of the one attacking him, but this a rather new development. Frightening in its own way, but comforting in another. At least he didn’t have to recognize the face that brought him death’s cool touch.

At some point, he realized he’d woken up and was staring at the ceiling. (Who’s…) The night rushed back, sending a shiver through his spine. Everything suddenly seemed cold without the press of another at his back. Joel sat up, hugging his knees close to his chest. Sometimes the younger man wondered if he could ever really stop himself if he wanted something. Last night was a token of such ideas. Joel paused, contemplating. Last night was…a mistake. That had to be it. A mistake. Ethan was too professional. Too cold. Too fucked up. (But I was the one who accepted him for just that last night…)

When he tried to fully open his eyes, they hurt, and he realized he couldn’t really properly see. A product of too little sleep and too much stress most likely. Joel squinted until things became somewhat focused, and felt his way through the house in his skivvies in search of the bathroom. Finding the door, he grabbed a towel from the closet inside and stepped in. At this point, asking to use the facility didn’t really seem necessary. The warm water felt great, and he gingerly rubbed at his eyes until he could finally blink without pain and see clearly. He could hear what he assumed was Ethan’s muffled shuffling and grumbling if he listened closely, and the younger man giggled at the idea of Ethan waking up a mess. He wanted to see it one day.

Ethan had showered quickly already, using the time that he was awake by himself to finish that and prepare breakfast. Fruit was set on the coffee table beside his coffee and sugar pots. He was sprawled on the couch with a hand over his eyes. While he hadn't drank enough to have a hang over, he did have a headache. Stress, tension, and trying not to think were all delightful mixes to the head-fuck parade.

His skin was clean and today, it wouldn't be dirtied at a crime scene. He had the day off. Normally, that meant jumping up and running to the gym, working himself to exhaustion, crawling home to soak the sweat off, and then pouring over old cases until his eyes bled. He had a second party today, so he had to wait until Joel was showered, fed, and then he would drag him through it. Though it was to get to know him better, it would also help Joel set up good habits as an officer. Ethan knew how important that was. He hadn't had much help starting out and for the most part, he had been a mess for years. If it hadn't been for Anthony's-

An emotional pain so severe that it felt like a physical blow hit his chest. Guilt wrecked him, poisoned him, and twisted at his innards when he thought the name. He had brought another male into the same bed he had shared with his lover for years. It was wrong on so many levels. Despite that, a cool voice in the back of his head was certain that Anthony wouldn't have cared. With all of the games they had played, he wouldn't have minded that Ethan was slowly moving on from the life they had shared. Even knowing that, he felt guiltier than he should have. Months had passed and nothing had happened. Why did he feel guilty?

Just as Joel emerged from the bathroom, he pushed the feelings away. Not bothering to look at the young man, he told him, "Coffee is still hot. Don't have much more than fruit, so help yourself to anything. Figured we could go the gym same time as planned." The half sentences were spoken quickly and professionally. Without meaning to, he brushed off any openings for conversation, making himself distant and cool. He honestly hadn't meant to, but he wasn't good at approaching problems, especially not problems like the one he was currently faced with.

For a moment, Joel considered walking out in just a towel to tease his partner, but he was stopped by the thought that Ethan probably wouldn’t be in the mood today. The brunette wondered if his partner was ever going to lighten up. A hard attitude was fine for work, but it was inhuman to persist at all times. Joel decided that cracking Ethan would be important to making whatever relationship they had work. After all, being an arrogant smart-ass was a part of him that couldn’t be let go, and that would clash heavily with Ethan’s no-nonsense demeanor. In the end, the younger man slipped on the worn jeans, but opted to remain bare-chested. He had to have a little fun after all.

Joel walked out into the living room, making a note of Ethan’s dismissive attitude. Just as he predicted, his partner clearly wasn’t in the best of moods. (And after he got to sleep in the same bed as me. How rude). It was a joke after all, but Joel couldn’t help but feeling a tad vulnerable as the brief pulse of realization coursed through his body, telling him that he needed someone to cling to a hell of a lot more than Ethan probably did. Regardless, his response was equally as dismissive as his partner’s. “That’ll be fine. You’ll have to run me through the whole ‘working out’ thing though. Like I said, never really been to a gym.” Joel ambled through the kitchen, grabbing an apple to nibble on as he plopped down in a nearby chair, working his way through his breakfast.

"That's fine. We'll only go as long as you want. It is all pretty basic stuff. Start with cardio, move on to weights, and I generally finish up with a swim. Usually takes me about four hours, but I figure two will kick your ass enough," Ethan told him. The words were half meant to be joking, but that didn't come across very well. Removing his hand from his face, he reached for his cup of coffee and eyed Joel thoughtfully. The other looked good-damn good-in those jeans, and picking to go without a shirt had definitely been a brilliant idea on his part. The day before, Ethan might not have even noticed. He was so used to forcing himself to ignore men, ignore what he found attractive, that he would have just over looked it. As an officer, it was easier to work with a partner or just other officers if he didn't actually look at them. This change...well, it wasn't so bad.

Realizing what he was thinking, a faint pink cast touched his cheeks, though he brushed it off. He wasn't some damn school girl to get flustered over some bare skin. While he was curious to touch it and see just what got a reaction out of Joel, he kept that want to himself. As he eyed the other's torso, he also noticed the scars, an abundance that matched with the abuse that the kid had gone through. His heart broke with sympathy, but it didn't show on the surface.

"I can loan you some sweat pants or shorts. They're more comfortable to run in than jeans. I've also got swimming trunks that would work well for the swimming, unless you want to skip that," he offered, his tone still as brisk and business like before, but he couldn't quite get the gray eyes off of Joel's torso, though it was obvious by the way his eyes would dance up only to drift down again that he was trying. Finally, he fixed his staring problem by tilting his head back once again. It was more difficult to drink his coffee that way, but at least he wasn't eye raping his partner.

Joel pretended not to notice Ethan’s reaction, but it was too obvious to outright ignore. The younger man just smirked as he replied, “Whatever you want to do, we can do. You’re the boss here after all.” His tone had an inviting veneer, tinged with seduction but so casual that someone might think it was just a brash response. Ethan would notice the former of course, having the keen eye he did, but Joel wondered if he would see through the teasing to the desire within.

After finishing the apple, Joel tossed the core into a trash bin and stretched out, lunging either way to work his legs and lifting his arms, twisting his torso every which way. Being flexible definitely had his perks, including, but not limited to, putting on a bit of a show. It was probably wrong to continue to tease his partner with the long day ahead of him with Ethan at the reigns, but Joel didn’t care. He was enjoying himself too much to let the reaction go to waste in the privacy of his partner’s home where the awkward gawking would actually reflect on the surface of the blond’s face instead of being hidden away.

The coffee was quickly disappearing, but the headache was building...at least figuratively speaking, because the more hydrated he was, the weaker the physical pain became. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything left in his cup and if he looked down, he would have to look at Joel, which mean doubtlessly molesting him with his eyes, which was seriously not okay. Though judging from the tone the other spoke in, his companion didn't mind it too much. Still, it felt unprofessional, so he was careful to keep his eyes on the coffee as he poured himself another cup.

"Then once I finish my coffee, we can go there-and do you want, they offer yoga classes in about an hour, so you can do all of your stretching and twisting then." His voice was a bit sharp, but it could have merely been because he felt ignored with the other flexing. Of course, they both knew that wasn't it, but Ethan could let himself hope that maybe Joel would think that was. He really was starting to get frustrated, but he told himself to let it go. Joel was just a kid, so there was no stopping them. He had been young once two.

Young once? Ha, he was still young, or so a voice in his head chimed. He chose to ignore it as he stood up with his cup of coffee and walked into his room. Sorting through the drawers, he found two of his workout outfits and stuffed them in his gym bag along with soap, deodorant, and towels. While the gym did offer towels, they were rather small and usually in poor condition. Finally with everything he needed, he walked out with the gym bag over his shoulder. Cracking his neck, he finish up his coffee and placed the cup in the sink before asking, "Are you ready to go?" There was a pointed look at his bare chest and shoes as Ethan walked over to pull on his own sneakers.

A smile crossed Joel’s face at the mention of the yoga classes. His effort wasn’t going to waste at least, even if Ethan was getting a tad testy. A bit more prodding and that would be the end of it…probably. Joel watched his partner walk to and fro, obviously miffed at the taunting but too proud to say anything about it. At some point, the thought that Ethan wasn’t interested at all, but was merely toying with him crossed his mind, but the younger man pushed it away, casting it aside as a mistake, if not pleading with some ethereal force above to make it so. No…no, any sane person interested in males would be foolhardy to not be interested. Or at least that’s what Joel told himself.

As Ethan came back with the bag, the brunette stood to meet him. Joel crept up behind his partner, who had bent down to tie his shoes, and grasped him around the waist as he stood, breathing light, warm puffs of air onto the older man’s neck. His eyes were closed and his voice husky as he whispered into the blonde’s ear, “Wherever you go, I‘ll follow, any time. Just lead me gently, okay?” Joel pecked him once on the cheek before walking bare-chested out into the early morning sun, his aloof face masking the childish glee just beneath the surface.

Ethan's eyes narrowed as he seriously debated the pros and cons of hitting Joel just then...not that it felt bad. It was actually sort of nice to be caught from behind by surprise-not in that way you perverts, but a hug and the feeling of someone else's heartbeat so close to his own...However, he was still rather annoyed by the other's antics. In the ends, the cons outweighed the pros, so he chose to take the high road and just ignore him. Maybe if he ignored him enough, the other would be discouraged beyond pursuing him...which sounded a lot less appealing than it should have. He should have loved the idea, but he couldn't when his heart ached painfully.

The remark and gentle kiss were adorable, and Ethan felt the strings of annoyance drop away. With a sigh, he walked out behind Joel, pausing to lock the door and then heading towards his car. Climbing in the driver's side, he called, "Hurry up, smiles, or I'll leave you." There was a more playful note in his voice, and obvious sign that his annoyance had dropped away. Despite his threat, he waited until Joel was in and buckled before pulling out. Since they were driving, rather than on duty, he turned on his radio. AC/DC blared, not quite earshattering, but pretty damn close, and maybe it suited him a little too well, but he nodded along with the lyrics, a grin on his face.

Smiles. Pretty far from the truth, but when his partner said it, it sounded sort of nice, even if it was just a joke. The nickname, however, seemed more apt for Ethan than Joel, as the older man seemed to be having a little too much fun. That was good too. If Ethan was happy…well, Joel felt like he had a chance. The brunette chuckled a bit, berating himself for even beginning to fall for his austere, uptight partner. Honestly, he wouldn’t of had it any other way. Ethan was everything Joel wasn’t. The younger man didn’t ever really believe in any of that 'missing half' bullshit, but if it really existed, Ethan seemed like a prime candidate to be the second piece in the puzzle. Not that it would complete Joel-nobody had a chance at finishing something so incomplete-but he could feel whole for a few sparse moments, and that could be enough.

Strapping in, Joel felt a smile creep onto his face. Today would be enjoyable. Ethan would put him through the ringer, he was sure of that, but spending the day in their own little privacy seemed appealing. In the city, no one gave you a second glance for anything short of streaking and hollering. Thus, Ethan and Joel would be wallflowers, completely unnoticed even with a hundred people surrounding them to look on. Now that sounded damn good. The brunette had to raise his voice to shout over the music, “The whole ‘no-shirt’ thing won’t be a problem will it?”

Since the drive wasn't far, Ethan didn't drive fast, wanting to finish the song, since it was one of his favorites. Hearing Joel's question, he shook his head and assured him, "Shoes are a must for the equipment, but they've never cared when I show up without one. However, we won't be able to go out to eat since you chose to be difficult." For a split second, he smiled, but then he focused on the road again. As he drove, he considered it, and as soon as they reached the gym and he had parked, he looked at Joel with a faint smile. His eyes were wicked as he told him, "This is going to be fun."

Initially, he had planned on taking it easy on Joel, but since that never seemed to work, he'd bust his has a bit. It would be fun, and seeing the young man sweat would be a nice sight...Though when he thought that, a whole different scenario appeared in his head. Shaking it off, he climbed out and headed for the front door. Waving to the pretty blonde behind the counter, he signed in the member registry and then pulled out his wallet. "Still five bucks for a guest?" he asked with a friendly expression. Though he didn't smile, there was still something warm about how he spoke to the girl.

Aaaand it was obvious that she took the friendliness the wrong way as her cheeks reddened and she grinned at him, doing her best to subtly look more appealing. Nodding, she barely glanced at Joel before saying, "Yes, Ethan, it is only five dollars. It's not usual that you bring someone here."

"New partner. Going to make sure he can watch my ass if we get into a tight spot," he told her with flicker of a smile. Handing over the money, he headed towards the locker room, missing it as the girl murmured, "Lucky him." Glancing at Joel, she blushed, realizing he might have heard and gave him a winning smile, hoping he wouldn't say anything to Ethan.

Joel could only smile weakly back as he and Ethan walked inside. It wasn’t that the prospect of working out with Ethan was scary, but something told him his partner really wouldn’t hold back anything. Joel was no lightweight though, and he would welcome the challenge…even if it meant waking up tomorrow and having trouble walking from being sore.

The brunette stood around as Ethan and the girl behind the desk spoke, admiring all the equipment. It must’ve cost a fortune for less than a quarter of the machines inside. He turned back in time to see the girl’s face flush and instantly realized she must’ve been interested in Ethan. Poor girl. After the conversation, he watched Ethan walk to the locker room before turning back to the girl and sticking his tongue out playfully. Whatever response she had for him was lost as he followed his partner into the changing room.

Cin grinned at him, glad to see that Ethan finally had someone that seemed lighthearted. With a soft sigh, she gazed after him for a moment before returning to work.

Ethan tossed down the bag. Opening it, he grabbed a pair of sweat pants, a shirt, and a towel before heading towards the showers. Even when he was alone, he did it that way. There were some scars on his body that he didn't want anyone to see, stranger or friend...or whatever Joel was. Over his shoulder, he told the younger man, "You can go ahead and get started on a treadmill if you want or wait for me to get out. I won't be more than five minutes. Getting my hair wet helps me focus."

Drawing the curtain behind him, he tossed the clothing onto the shelf as he stripped, landing it with surprising accuracy. The water rushed on, just long enough to soak through his thick, blonde hair, and then he dried off and dressed. Toweling some of the moisture out, he kept the towel about his shoulders as he pulled on his shoes and headed out. Making certain that Joel knew how to work the treadmill, he set them both up at a brisk jog for twenty minutes. It was just fast enough to get their bodies moving, without putting too much strain on them. It also was just fast enough that they could still talk with relative ease.

He’d already laid with Ethan almost completely naked. He shouldn’t be embarrassed at the mere notion of his partner showering of all things, but those thoughts didn’t mean a thing as Joel felt heat rise to his face, and he instinctively turned away from the scene about to unfold. Possibilities raced through his mind just as quickly as they were dashed against the outer crags of his comprehension, each more scandalous than the last, but, lightly swearing, Joel managed to recollect himself. He almost thought he heard Ethan chuckle as he went to the showers, and with that, Joel walked out of the locker room rather robotically, barely remembering to switch out his slim fitting jeans for a pair of loose shorts.

A few minutes passed as Joel sat idly by, quietly contemplating the day ahead. Every so often he spared a glance towards the counter girl, wondering what exactly about Ethan she found so attractive before deciding against putting too much thought into it. He found the guy attractive after all. All those “rugged good looks” or whatever it was all those Cosmo magazines loved to spit out. Joel was interrupted by the clap of footsteps against the tiled gym floor, and the brunette looked up to spy Ethan walk out, opting to go bare-chested just as he had. Now this was something he could definitely get used to, and the sight was sure to get better as the day wore on.

Setting up on the treadmills, Joel stretched out, remembering that staying limber was essential to any work-out, lest one risk unnecessary injury. Taking a deep breathe and paying close attention to his breathing pattern, the brunette stepped up and began jogging along, matching his partner’s pace until the heavy thud of their footsteps clomped against the rubber of the tread simultaneously. “So she’s…pretty,” Joel remarked. It wasn’t a sincere phrase so much as an absent-minded observation. The statement was similar to how a random passerby could glance into an art exhibit, pick out a particular piece, and compliment it. While never truly understanding the depth of or the fascination for the piece, they could admire it for the simple factors such as color and shape.