Hawk sat on the edge of Quill's couch, jaw tight as he stared at the floor. Everything they hadn't allowed themselves to feel, let alone voice, was suddenly loaded with implications they never expected. This tension that had been building for years was now just waiting for a crack to break free. And knowing who was downstairs only sharpened it."They're here together. Acting like a couple?" Hawk sounded bitter even to his own ears. He glanced up at Quill, who was pacing the room."Yeah," Quill muttered. "Hard to believe, isn't it?" He stopped and shook his head. "The same people who'd beat us down if we so much as looked the wrong way at each other. And now…" He trailed off.The silence that followed only exacerbated the frustration Hawk felt. It wasn't just that their fathers were here together, breaking every rule they'd forced on their sons. It was the hypocrisy of it, the impossibility that their fathers could have the freedom they were denied. Neither of them knew how to face th
Quill blinked awake slowly. He was lying on his back, and Hawk was sprawled beside him, still fast asleep with his body pressed against him. They hadn’t done this in years. Not since they were kids, not since Hawk’s father had found them curled up together in the treehouse one morning and had made sure neither of them forgot why boys didn’t “share beds” like that.Quill shifted and propped himself up to look at Hawk. His friend was splayed out, one arm over his eyes, his breathing steady. A soft snore escaped occasionally. His lips were barely parted, and his usual guarded expression was nowhere to be found. He looked peaceful. Comfortable. Seeing him like this, wearing Quill’s clothes no less, made him want to stay still and memorize the moment. To etch it in his mind much like he would later on canvas.Hawk stirred and mumbled softly before settling back down. Quill couldn’t help but smile. After watching him for a long time, he quietly slipped out of bed and went to the bathroom
Hawk and Quill followed Lilly through the main floor to her office. She stepped inside, motioning for them to enter. The desk was scattered with a spread of photos from the previous night. At first glance, they appeared harmless enough until Hawk realized what they were. "Wait," he muttered as he bit back a growl. "You were taking photos? What the hell, Lilly. We didn't agree to that."Lilly glanced at him. "Calm down. No photos of either of you were taken. I'm careful with these things. Some guests paid extra to be photographed for custom art pieces or to take the images home. Commissioned works, you know? You're not in any of them. Promise."Quill frowned, eyeing the photos before looking back at her. "Then why bring us here? If we weren't in any of them, what's the point? I don't want to see others... moments.""Well…" she began, glancing between them. "I sign NDAs with all my clients, so I can't show most of these images openly. But Quill, as an artist interested in commission w
"You know…" Quill said, his voice edged with frustration as he sketched rough outlines on the notepad in front of him. "I'm happy your dad's eyes don't glow the same color as yours when he's shifted. His wolf is an ugly piece of shit, I remember that much. It should be easy to capture it even though it's been years since I saw him as a wolf. Unfortunately, your wolves are similar enough to jog my memory."A soft throat-clear cut through the air. Quill's hand froze mid-sketch, and Hawk whipped his head toward the door.Lily was leaning against the doorframe, her arms crossed and an unimpressed expression painted on her face. "Don't stop on my account," she said dryly. "I'm dying to hear what else you have to say about these wolves of yours."Quill carefully set the pencil down. "How long have you been standing there?""Long enough," Lily replied, stepping further into the room. "Long enough to hear about the wolves you're so keen on working into this little commission. And definitely l
Hawk stepped out of the shop and headed straight for Fluid. He didn't hesitate. The door was locked, but his key solved that problem quickly enough. Being Lilly's landlord came with a few perks, and he wasn't shy about using them when necessary. Quietly, he slipped inside. Lilly sat behind her desk, papers fanned out in front of her. Her pen clattered to the desk as her head snapped to the door. She stood abruptly. "You broke in? Are you kidding me right now?" "Don't be so dramatic. I didn't break in. I used my key. I'm your landlord. Remember?" She snorted and crossed her arms. "That doesn't mean you can just walk in whenever you feel like it. Boundaries, Hawk. Heard of those?" He shifted slightly. "Boundaries? Funny. You didn't seem to care much about those when Quill let himself in not too long ago." She rolled her eyes. "That was different. Back then, I didn't know you two were lying to me." "We weren't lying." He pushed off the doorframe and took a step forward. "And Quill
Ding. Hawk glanced down at his phone, grinning as another email popped up. Another RSVP for the art show. He hadn't expected the responses to flood in so quickly, but they had. Nearly twenty confirmations arrived within hours of sending the invitation, and they hadn't slowed since. Each one felt like a small victory. Setting the phone aside, Hawk leaned back against the gym counter, scanning the space that would soon host the event. It wasn't exactly the kind of venue most would expect for an art show, and Quill had made sure to voice that opinion. Several times. "It's a gym," Quill had muttered the night before, standing in the middle of the floor with his arms crossed. "It smells like sweat and stale body oil. You're really telling me this is where you want people admiring my work?" "It won't smell like this on the night," Hawk had assured him, hands raised in defense. "I'll clean it. Deep clean it. You won't even recognize it. Trust me." Quill hadn't looked convinced. "Trus
The scent of paint and sawdust lingered in the air, mingling with the faint aroma of fresh coffee that Quill had brewed earlier. The apartment above the building wasn't much yet. Just bare walls, a few mismatched pieces of furniture, and an air mattress shoved against one corner that was doubling as Hawk's bed. A pile of unopened boxes sat near the door, evidence of how chaotic the move had been. Hawk leaned against the small counter in the kitchen, his gaze trailing to where Quill was sprawled out on the mattress, sketchbook in hand. The sun filtered through the large, uncovered windows, highlighting the younger man's furrowed brow as he worked on tattoo designs he planned to offer."You know that sketchbook's going to fall apart, right?" Hawk teased. "Pretty sure you've redrawn the same design ten times now."Quill glanced up, his longer brown hair falling into his face. "It's called refining, genius. You wouldn't get it. Bench-pressing and sketching don't exactly overlap in skill
Quill woke before dawn. He stared up at the ceiling, willing himself to shake off the remnants of sleep. He'd slept better than he'd had in years. Hawk had only shifted closer throughout the night. He was now pressed against his back with his arm covering his eyes. Quill loved waking up like this. He always had. He rubbed his face, forcing himself upright. His legs swung over the side of the bed, and he stretched until his shoulders cracked. He looked back to Hawk and smiled. Hawk sighed faintly from under his arm but didn't wake up. They had been inching closer again, closing a gap that had stretched far too wide for far too long. Quill had missed this... Missed him.Their rekindled connection was both thrilling and unsettling. They were building something again, piece by piece, but the foundation still felt shaky. It always did when their Dads were involved. Quill couldn't decide if the prospect of losing it again scared him more than the effort it took to hold on to it.He pulled
Lilly hesitated as she stepped into the dimly lit back room of Fluid. The air felt heavier here, carrying a faint tang of alcohol mixed with the metallic scent of old paint. Quill's boots clicked softly against the scuffed floor as he locked the door behind them. She cast him a sidelong glance, suspicion creeping in like an itch she couldn't scratch. Across the room, Hawk leaned against the wall, his arms crossed tight over his chest. Even in the shadows, the set of his jaw screamed tension."Well? What's the big reveal?"Quill shifted his weight. He exchanged a look with Hawk before taking a sharp breath. "We're werewolves."Lilly blinked once. Then twice. Finally, she snorted."Werewolves?" She smirked. "Good one. So what's the real secret?"Hawk groaned. "He's not joking."She stopped moving, and the smile slowly disappeared. She quickly looked back and forth between them. "You're serious."Quill nodded. "Dead serious."Hawk rolled his shoulders. "Alpha males, if you want the full
Quill paused, his hands steady as the needle hummed faintly against Hawk's ribs. The design was coming together smoothly, but he could feel the tension radiating off Hawk, his breathing still too heavy. Quill shut off the machine before leaning in.His lips brushed lightly against Hawk's. "I have always loved you. Stop doubting that."Hawk blinked, his breathing slowing slightly. "I know… but did you love him? Did you? You two were always so...""Stop," Quill interrupted sharply, cutting him off before the spiral could start. He grabbed a clean cloth and pressed it gently against Hawk's side. "You're already breathing too heavy for me to work."Hawk didn't say anything at first, but his shoulders still rose and fell unevenly. Quill sighed, setting the machine down and shifting until he straddled Hawk in the chair. He kept the cloth pressed against Hawk's ribs.Hawk groaned dramatically. "Get off me. You're gonna break the damn chair."Quill smirked faintly, leaning closer until their
Quill pressed the final line of ink into Herc's skin. He wiped the design clean, examining the smooth curve of the tattoo as it wrapped perfectly over the scar along Herc's lower stomach."Done," he muttered, setting the machine down and reaching for a cloth.Herc tilted his head, glancing down at the fresh ink. "Looks good. Like always."Quill didn't respond. He wiped away the blood and excess ink, then cleaned up the rest. "I think this is the last one," Quill said abruptly as he tossed the stained cloth into the tray.Herc frowned, sitting up carefully. "What do you mean?"Quill pulled off his gloves, turning toward the counter to clean his tools. "I'll send you to someone else to finish the rest. I can recommend a couple good artists."The chair creaked as Herc stood. "So, that's it? I don't get a choice in this?"Quill's shoulders stiffened slightly, but he kept his back turned. "It's probably for the best.""Best for who?" Herc shot back.Quill didn't answer. Herc pulled his sh
Quill wiped down the machine and glanced at the girl's wrist again. The small infinity symbol was clean against her skin, as precise as it was forgettable. Eighty-four of these. He'd counted."You're good to go," he muttered, tugging the gloves off.She beamed at him, rattling off something about how much she loved it, but Quill barely listened. He finished cleaning up his station, nodded as she handed over cash, and ushered her toward the door. The bell chimed faintly as it swung shut behind her.The door opened minutes later. "Quill."Quill stiffened. He turned slowly. Herc Matthews stood near the counter, grinning in a way that was both familiar and disarming. Herc always managed to look comfortable, like he was born to be wherever he happened to be at the time, and make people notice in the process. Tall, broad, scarred, and annoyingly handsome. His mismatched eyes...one brown, one striking blue... locked onto Quill.He'd always looked at Quill that way. Like he never wanted to st
The next morning, Hawk woke up earlier than he'd planned, sliding carefully out of bed so he didn't wake Quill. He lingered for a second, watching the way Quill sprawled across the sheets, hair messy, skin marked faintly from Hawk's hands and mouth. He shook his head slightly and grabbed a hoodie, slipping it over his bare chest before pulling on a pair of joggers.The walk to the gym felt strange after days of avoiding it. His focus had been entirely on Quill, on breaking down years of stress and finally figuring out what it meant to start something real together. Now, standing in front of the glass doors, Hawk exhaled and pushed them open.The space smelled faintly of sweat and beach. Equipment sat out of place, mats rolled halfway or not at all. He frowned, moving further inside, but his confusion disappeared when he spotted Lilly. She stood near the squat rack, a rag in one hand and a spray bottle in the other, scrubbing down the bar with deliberate effort."Lilly," Hawk called,
Quill thrust slowly, his movements deliberate and measured to keep from overwhelming Hawk. His arm wrapped tightly around his waist as he continued. He slid his hand down to stroke Hawk in rhythm with each thrust.The tightness around him left him breathless. He had imagined this moment for so long that it felt surreal to finally be here. Every fantasy he had ever entertained paled in comparison to the reality of Hawk beneath him, their bodies moving in unison.He kept the pace steady. Every thrust was deliberate, every touch meant to draw Hawk deeper into the moment. Quill had been with others, but none of it compared to this. None were Hawk. This was what he had always wanted, what he had always pictured. It was as perfect as he had dreamed, maybe more.Hawk's moans filled the room, guttural and raw. He growled low in his throat, his body writhing beneath Quill's, the rhythm of his hips meeting each thrust. Quill couldn't tear his eyes away from him, couldn't stop watching as Hawk
Quill stretched out on his back as Hawk leaned over him. Hawk's lips pressed softly against his skin, tracing a path down his chest. His tongue followed, lingering over the hard planes and softer curves of Quill's body. Hawk let his hands slide down Quill's sides as his lips explored.The taste of Quill's skin, faintly salty and uniquely his, drew Hawk in even deeper. He pressed his lips against the dips of muscle and the ridges of bone, savoring the texture. He couldn't stop. He didn't want to stop. Quill shifted, moving slowly enough to give Hawk time to follow. He twisted until their bodies faced opposite directions, his hands settling on Hawk's thighs. Quill brushed his fingers lightly along the sensitive skin of Hawk's inner thighs and lower stomach. Hawk didn't lift his head, too focused on where his lips rested against Quill's hip, but the faint twitch of his muscles betrayed his reaction. "Can I?" Hawk didn't hesitate. His grip on Quill's leg tightened, and he nodded, never
Hawk watched as Quill dug around in the boxes in the corner. He pulled out his old sketchbook. He handed it to Hawk. "Here, you can keep it. I haven't drawn in it since the day your dad showed up, and everything changed. I'd planned on giving it to you that night and maybe... maybe making this very thing happen then." Hawk sighed. "I felt it, too. We were so close to giving in. It was like he sensed it or something." Quill snorted as he sat back down beside him. "Maybe. Or maybe fate just wanted us to wait longer before we did." "I don't know about all of that." Quill went still and flipped to the last page with anything on it. The half-finished drawing stared up at both of them. "Well... All I know is if this had happened that night... It would have been both our firsts." Hawk huffed and looked away. One of his biggest issues with Quill over the years had been his frequent romps with random girls... and guys. "On some level, I knew that." "No need to dwell on it now. I'm tryin
Over the next ten days, Hawk and Quill worked tirelessly to break down the wall that had once separated Hawk's apartment from Lilly's old one. The rhythmic pounding of hammers and the sharp groans of pried beams filled the space, each sound echoing the transformation of the apartment and their lives. Dust clung to their clothes, the gritty residue sticking to sweat-slicked skin as they worked side by side, turning two spaces into one."This is surreal," Quill muttered as he braced the crowbar against a stubborn beam. His muscles flexed as he leaned into the motion, the wood creaking under the force. "Feels like déjà vu, except this time we're not scavenging for parts."Hawk wiped the dust from his face with the back of his hand, glancing toward the pile of debris growing in the corner. "We were broke back then. Every wall we built was funded by tattoos you finished hours before. Now we can actually do it right." Quill frowned at him. "And here I thought I was such a big help then. Is