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 perched on the edge of the bed, leaning slightly against Hawk's side, while Quill lingered by the door awkwardly. She glanced between them, ready to tease them solely because of how uncomfortable they both suddenly were. "Are you seriously planning to host Quill's first big art show in a gym?" she asked.Hawk shifted and rubbed his face. "I didn't have many other options."Lilly smiled as she tilted her head. "You didn't have many other options, or you didn't want to think about other options? Big difference."Quill stepped into the room. "I told him it was a bad idea. It's not exactly a flattering venue."Hawk exhaled sharply. "I know. But I did what I had to do."Lilly folded her arms, clearly considering it. "It's clever, I'll give you that. But it still feels... off. I'm sorry I kicked you out and made you even have to think about using the gym."Quill shrugged, though the tension in his shoulders betrayed his discomfort. "You don't need to apologize. It's not like it ruine
Quill grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair. He rummaged through a pile of clothes on the floor, muttering under his breath as he pulled on a shirt. Hawk watched him from the bed with his arms crossed."You're leaving?" Hawk asked.Quill didn't answer immediately, his focus on lacing up his boots. "I should get back to my place," he said finally. "Can't have people thinking we're... you know."Hawk leaned forward. "Thinking what?"Quill paused, looking everywhere but at him. "That we're living together. Like... like a couple."Hawk stood, crossing the room in two long strides to stand in front of him. "We're not hiding like that anymore." Quill froze. "So... we're a... couple?"Before Hawk could answer, Lilly laughed loudly. "About time you two figured that out. Now focus. There's a huge, very irate man downstairs."Quill straightened. "My dad?""Brown hair, brown eyes. Yup," Lilly said with a pop of her lips. "And he's in a mood, apparently."Hawk glanced at Quill, then back
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
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
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
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
The gym stayed dark, lights off since Lily shut it down a week ago. No music. No neon signs humming above the door. They stayed toward the back where shadows kept the windows from showing too much. Hawk liked it that way. Quiet, hidden. Less chance someone would knock or worse, walk in uninvited.Hawk moved through his reps like he wanted the weights to regret being made. He grunted with each lift. Quill stayed close, counting under his breath, keeping Hawk going while failing at resisting the urge to tease him. "You really think a bench press is gonna fix this horny rage spiral?"Hawk didn't answer. Just gritted his teeth and kept moving."Because spoiler," Quill added, "it's not."Another set. More sweat. Hawk dropped the bar harder than necessary into the rack and sat up with a scowl. "You said to work it out.""I said distract yourself, not try to rearrange the equipment by force."Hawk reached for the towel on the bench and wiped it across his face without looking at him. His bod
Hawk rose up and aligned himself. He pressed forward slowly, nudging against where Quill wanted him most. The contact made them both still. Hawk lingered there, breathing hard, fighting the instinct to push in too fast. He looked down at Quill like he was trying to memorize him before losing control and breaking him. Quill grabbed his hips. "Don't stop. Fuck me. Now. You're not going to hurt me. I'm Alpha too, remember?"So much for control. That instinct Hawk had been wrestling with surged up fast and took over like it had just been waiting for an opening. For permission.He slammed in with one powerful thrust. Quill's mouth fell open as a growl ripped up from his chest. Hawk paused just long enough to feel how deep he was. He throbbed inside him. Quill clenched around him as he adjusted to the fullness. Then Hawk moved. Deep. Fast. Merciless.His body slammed into Quill, rhythm brutal and unrelenting. Sweat dripped from his temple as he leaned up, bracing himself for more force. Qu
The apartment door barely clicked shut before Hawk shoved Quill against it. Quill's back hit the wood hard enough to shake the frame. He kissed him roughly, all hunger and urgency. Tongues slid together. Teeth scraped lips. Breath mingled.Clothes tore. Hawk's shirt ripped open, buttons scattering. Quill shoved the ruined fabric off his broad shoulders. Hawk dragged his sweatpants down roughly, freeing him entirely. He gripped Quill's cock as he rolled his shoulders and growled softly. Quill gasped sharply. His hips jerked forward into Hawk's calloused hand. Hawk squeezed, stroking hard and fast until Quill groaned, loud and rough, unable to hold back.He started clawing at Hawk's waistband, yanking the material down. Hawk's erection pressed hot and heavy against his hip. Their bodies slid together, cocks rubbing. Both were already slick from sweat, their bodies flushed and burning from how fast everything escalated. That desperate friction made them both shiver.They staggered down
Lily stared at him. Then at Quill. Then down at the floor like the answer might be hidden in the blood they hadn't finished scrubbing.Quill finally laughed under his breath. "We've had sex before we were anything, really. At least out loud. It didn't feel like this."Hawk nodded. "It wasn't this before."Quill let his eyes drop, then lifted them back to Hawk. "No. It wasn't."Lily stepped back, folding her arms tight over her chest. "So now what?"Hawk exhaled hard. "I don't know."Quill ran a hand down Hawk's side, sliding it beneath the hem of his shirt and holding it there. "It's not going away."Hawk nodded once, eyes still on him. "No. It's not."Quill kept his hand right where it was. "Feels worse when I try to ignore it."Hawk looked down at him, breathing unevenly now. "Feels better when you touch me."Quill didn't hesitate. His thumb moved against Hawk's ribs. "I always want to touch you."Hawk smiled faintly. "Good."He pulled Quill closer again. No kiss this time. He just
The mop handle smacked into Quill's shin for the third time. Hawk stepped in beside him. "You're doing it wrong."Quill didn't look up. He swirled the mop in a wide circle, pushing dried blood off the tile like it had personally offended him. "There's no wrong way to clean old delta gore off a floor. How many did you kill again?"Hawk hovered near the bucket. "Several. You're using too much pressure."Quill twisted toward him. "Then you do it."Hawk leaned against the wall. "I did. The whole front half. I'm done."Quill sloshed the mop into the bucket and flicked water toward him with a smirk. "You just rushed so you could come watch me like a... well, a Hawk." Hawk stepped back with a grin and a wet splotch forming on his borrowed shirt. It was Quill's, loose around the shoulders. The collar slipped off one side. The hem had ridden up. Quill's eyes followed it and stayed there too long.Hawk tilted his head. "Keep looking. We'll end up on the floor again."Quill winked. "Promise?"H
He braced both hands to Hawk's thighs and let his mouth drag over a scar not yet faded. Hawk shivered. Quill dropped to his knees and took Hawk deep on the first stroke. No teasing. No slow buildup. He opened his mouth wide and worked him in, inch by inch until Hawk hit the back of his throat.The sound Hawk made was low and half-broken. It bounced off the bathroom tile and curled under Quill's skin. His hips jerked, instinct kicking in before he caught himself. He reached for Quill's hair and gripped hard. Not to guide him, not to hold him still, just to feel him. Just to stay connected. Quill growled softly.He adjusted his angle, jaw slack, tongue pressed flat. He pulled back just enough to catch his breath, then drove forward again. Quill's left hand braced against the wall. The right slid under Hawk's body and curled around him from behind, fingers gliding between his legs. He didn't hesitate. He worked him open with the same rhythm as his mouth. Slow at first, then deeper.Ha
"I don't want to be your Alpha."Quill shifted just enough to look up.The bond vibrated with confusion first. Then panic. Not doubt. Not hesitation. Real fear. It clawed under his skin, fast and brutal. It felt like a rejection without warning. Hawk felt it instantly. He swore under his breath. "That's not what I meant."Quill just tilted his head at him. Hawk sat up, drew a breath through his nose, and let it out slowly. Blood still marked his skin. The bruises hadn't totally vanished yet. Yet, the bond kept humming underneath, pulling at everything. Healing what was broken. He could feel it, and it had nothing to do with Quill submitting to him. "I just don't want that dynamic. I don't want you under me. I want you with me. Equal. My Alpha too, if you will."Quill blinked, then started to smirk. "That some new-age progressive werewolf shit? I wonder how the council will react."Hawk fought off wanting to roll his eyes. "You're laughing, but I'm serious.""I'm not." He leaned in c
The room stayed dark. Sealed shut. Blacklights hummed low and steady above them, casting everything in bruised violet. No windows, no clocks. It could've been midnight. It could've been noon. Time didn't reach in here.Quill moved first. He tried to stretch his legs, but his muscles pulled tight. His joints ached from staying twisted up in the same position too long. His muscles protested. He blinked against the dark, vision still blurry, and forced in a deep breath. The soreness had changed. No longer jagged. Now it was just a steady throb, sunk deep into tendons and spine.Hawk shifted beside him. Bare skin dragged against his ribs. Warm. Solid. He didn't move far. Didn't pull away. Their legs stayed tangled. One arm rested across Quill's stomach.It should've felt peaceful.There was a sharp and sudden commotion near the door. Plastic or cardboard. Something scraping against metal.Quill flinched. Hawk shot upright.Lily stood in the doorway holding two paper bags and a cardboard t
The forest closed in. Every branch scraped open skin. Every root waited to catch an ankle. Quill kept one arm tight around Hawk's ribs, and Hawk leaned in harder with each step. Their legs didn't move so much as drag forward, shredded by gravel and stiff from the shift. Nothing in them worked right. Nothing had settled yet.They didn't speak. The path to the edge of Hawk's land tilted in and out of view, soft with fog, harsh with light, never still. Every breath hurt. Talking would've meant letting go.The sound came fast. Branches cracking. Leaves scattering. Footfalls too heavy, too reckless. Human.Quill tensed. Hawk lifted his head.Then Lily appeared, tearing down the slope with both arms out like she'd fight the trees if she had to. Dirt streaked her jeans. Her jacket flapped open. Hair tangled across her face, caught in the brush she didn't bother to avoid."I've been screaming your names for two hours!" Her voice cracked. "Two! I thought you were dead. I thought one of you ki