Manny gently pushed Arcade onto the mattress and lay beside him. He slid an arm under Arcade’s head. Arcade laid his cheek against Manny’s chest and brought his hand up to curl around the sniper's neck.
“Adora’s not working with the Legion. I’m sorry I ever doubted her. She just wanted to meet Caesar to see whom she was up against. But I can’t do this anymore. I’m not a fighter. I told her that I’d be of more use somewhere else. Anyway, she’s pretty good at patching herself up now.”
“Mmm,” Manny sighed. “Does that mean I can talk you into hanging around here for a while?”
Arcade didn’t answer, but Manny could feel him nod, face pressed to his chest.
Basking in the warmth radiating from Arcade, enjoying the way it relaxed his aching muscles, Manny was almost asleep when he heard him whisper. Arcade’s breath ghosted across his chest as he spoke.
“Thank you. For saving me. I was so scared I’d never see you again. I dragged myself here, even though it hurt so much, because….because it would have hurt more to die without seeing you one last time.”
For the second time in just a few hours, Manny’s eyes prickled with tears. He pressed a kiss to Arcade’s temple, stroking his blond hair until he was asleep. Only then did Manny slide out of bed, cross the room to the small bathroom, and lock himself inside. He pressed his hot forehead to the cool tile wall and sobbed like a small child.
These last six months had changed him. Feelings he never knew existed had pushed their way to the surface and he was overwhelmed. First true friendship, now love. Love. What had he done to deserve this happiness? What good deeds could he have possibly done to earn the love of a man like Arcade?
His breakdown was interrupted by a quiet knock.
Shit. He thought about wiping his eyes but realized he wouldn’t be hiding anything, so he reached out to open the door.
Arcade came to stand behind him, wrapping his arms around Manny’s waist.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “This is too fast, isn’t it?”
At that question, all of Manny’s resistance, worry, and hesitation disappeared. Arcade’s ability to so quickly understand the situation was further evidence that this man – his friend – understood him like no one else ever had. Or ever would.
He turned in Arcade’s arms and laid his cheek against the doctor’s broad chest. They stood in silence for a few moments before Arcade murmured, “Come back to bed.”
They crossed the room, hand in hand, and slid together onto the bed. Manny rolled onto his side and Arcade stretched out behind him, pulling their bodies close together.
“Stay with me this time?”
Manny’s hands sought Arcade’s. Lacing their fingers together, he considered their future. He’d found a partner, someone with whom he could share everything. Nothing else mattered. War or no war, he and Arcade would be together. Always.
Re: Just Friends 7/7
“Adora’s not working with the Legion. I’m sorry I ever doubted her. She just wanted to meet Caesar to see whom she was up against. But I can’t do this anymore. I’m not a fighter. I told her that I’d be of more use somewhere else. Anyway, she’s pretty good at patching herself up now.”
“Mmm,” Manny sighed. “Does that mean I can talk you into hanging around here for a while?”
Arcade didn’t answer, but Manny could feel him nod, face pressed to his chest.
Basking in the warmth radiating from Arcade, enjoying the way it relaxed his aching muscles, Manny was almost asleep when he heard him whisper. Arcade’s breath ghosted across his chest as he spoke.
“Thank you. For saving me. I was so scared I’d never see you again. I dragged myself here, even though it hurt so much, because….because it would have hurt more to die without seeing you one last time.”
For the second time in just a few hours, Manny’s eyes prickled with tears. He pressed a kiss to Arcade’s temple, stroking his blond hair until he was asleep. Only then did Manny slide out of bed, cross the room to the small bathroom, and lock himself inside. He pressed his hot forehead to the cool tile wall and sobbed like a small child.
These last six months had changed him. Feelings he never knew existed had pushed their way to the surface and he was overwhelmed. First true friendship, now love. Love. What had he done to deserve this happiness? What good deeds could he have possibly done to earn the love of a man like Arcade?
His breakdown was interrupted by a quiet knock.
Shit. He thought about wiping his eyes but realized he wouldn’t be hiding anything, so he reached out to open the door.
Arcade came to stand behind him, wrapping his arms around Manny’s waist.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “This is too fast, isn’t it?”
At that question, all of Manny’s resistance, worry, and hesitation disappeared. Arcade’s ability to so quickly understand the situation was further evidence that this man – his friend – understood him like no one else ever had. Or ever would.
He turned in Arcade’s arms and laid his cheek against the doctor’s broad chest. They stood in silence for a few moments before Arcade murmured, “Come back to bed.”
They crossed the room, hand in hand, and slid together onto the bed. Manny rolled onto his side and Arcade stretched out behind him, pulling their bodies close together.
“Stay with me this time?”
Manny’s hands sought Arcade’s. Lacing their fingers together, he considered their future. He’d found a partner, someone with whom he could share everything. Nothing else mattered. War or no war, he and Arcade would be together. Always.
“Always.”