covers of a book.

[goodfight]

Somewhere in that long journey back to the Mojave, in that broken and dusty old road, Alex had mentioned a book. There was nothing particularly descriptive in his utterance, nothing that would have a guy running to the local rundown library for it, but it was enough to stick in Neil's thoughts.

Thus, when he "serendipitously" caught sight of the book in a merchant's stock somewhere in Nebraska, he snatched it up. He tucked it carefully away in his pack.

And now, a day later with the sun sitting highest in the sky, while Alex and ED-E are up ahead scouting the area, Neil slips the book into Alex's pack, in a place the other man would find easily. He straightens from his task, a small grin playing on his lips, before he notes that Dogmeat is staring at him in curiosity.

"Not a word," Neil tells his mutt.

Dogmeat wags his tail, as if excited about the prospect of a secret.

Comments

[goodfight]

Alex lifts his head and presses lips to his. Presses in to take his mouth, and Neil allows the gesture. Lets it happen.

He wishes he could do more. Give more. But there's nothing worthwhile to offer at the moment, and when it stops, Neil can only look away.

[doubletap]

Alex breaks to breathe, and Neil looks away. He grabs his chin more forcefully, to kiss him thoroughly more.

His other hand still on Neil's wrist, he presses Neil's hand--echoing a few weeks before--to the bulge in his pants.

[goodfight]

He's pulled in, further and further, as his hand is pressed to the leather. To feel the organ underneath. And Neil cannot help the small noise he makes against Alex. Cannot help tightening his hold on the other.

[doubletap]

The sound is enough. Alex breaks the kiss, leaving their foreheads touching as his hand moves backward into Neil's hair.

"You're kind enough for me," he replies, a beat late, voice low. "You're enough for me."

[goodfight]

They break, and Neil breathes. Gasps helplessly for air. Alex slips his hand into hair, and on instinct, Neil leans closer to that touch.

"Alright," he says, breathing uneven. "Alright. I get it."

[doubletap]

This feels like lining up more than anything that came before, and when Neil leans into his hand, Alex slips down to kiss the corner of his mouth. "...It's not you," he goes on, in that quiet low tone. "This is new to me, remember? Don't be discouraged."

Don't give up on trying to be closer. On trying to be kind.

[goodfight]

Alex moves to kiss, and Neil again curls his arms around the other man. His mind takes in the words, trying to remember that yes, Alex is quite new to returned affection.

"...I wasn't lying, you know," he mutters. "You do have a nice ass."

[doubletap]

Alex cuddles into Neil's arms, then freezes at the words. He consciously attempts to relax. "Since when," he starts, voice a little choked. "Do you even look at me physically? I thought you weren't into that."

[goodfight]

Neil curls his lips upward in a pleased, albeit broken, smile. "Doesn't mean I can't objectively appreciate the human form," he explains. "And I've seen your ass enough times to comment."

[doubletap]

"God damn," he mutters, and moves to press his face into Neil's shoulder again. Not quick enough to hide the shyly pleased smile peaking on his lips however.

"I guess I didn't know what I was getting into with a relationship. I'm all used to you hating me," he adds in humor.

[goodfight]

Of course, Neil catches that, the shy smile touching Alex's lips. He tightens his hold, finding stability in the gesture.

"Never hated you, old man," he retorts. "Just never knew how to respond to you."

[doubletap]

"And now you do," he wonders, and it comes off as statement and question.

"You seem to know exactly how to affect me at the moment. All morning even."

[goodfight]

"Now I do," Neil repeats. "Though, I'm just glad you got that book. Of all people, you deserve it the most."

As House's inheritor, it's only appropriate that such a rare item of his goes to Alex Seattle Geer.

[doubletap]

He lifts his head to mock glare at Neil, ruined by a smile. "You're going to make me blush, Wanderer."

A statement make superfluous by the flush still on his cheeks.

[goodfight]

He's charmed by that flush, those words. The willingness to try to accept. "Good," Neil says. "You could stand to have more color in your cheeks."

The man squeezes Alex once before loosening his grasp. "So you owe me breakfast."

[doubletap]

He snorts, eyebrows furrowing. "Like hell," he retorts. "You owe me a handjob. You left me high and dry."

Literally. Literally, Neil.

[goodfight]

"Oh?" So Neil does. "Well, Mr. Geer, since we're ahead of schedule, we can take a moment for me to fulfill my debt."

[doubletap]

The eyebrows lift instead. "Do you mean getting me hard, then apologizing and stopping? Because that's a debt I'll just forgive."

[goodfight]

His own eyebrows lift in turn. "Don't think I could do it?" he questions evenly. "Don't think I have enough hands-on experience?"

[doubletap]

"Well, you don't, do you?" He puts a hand to his chin, still sitting in Neil's lap happily. Job interviewer look on. "You have no references for me--probably including yourself, since you're not into that kind of thing. Is there an advanced technique that you know? Any... specializations?"

The grin he attempts to withhold but that doesn't work for long.

[goodfight]

Oh, boy. Neil, despite his appearance, is decent at these things and can probably wing it with the best of them. He smiles brightly in turn, enjoying the random moment.

"Glad you asked, Mr. Geer," he says. "See, handling a man's no different than playing baseball. You swing the bat just right, let that ball hit at just the right angle, and you're looking at scoring a home run. And I've scored a lot of home runs."

[doubletap]

Alex holds an expression between amused and confused. "...See, the whole swinging and hitting is the stuff that's worrying me. Doesn't sound too pleasant.

"Though..." And here he shifts to something more possessive in nature. "Those... lot of homeruns makes me a little annoyed. Who would have thought?"

[goodfight]

"Not in the hands of a professional," Neil insists, expression staying. "You'd be in the best of hands."

After all--

"I was Vault 101's Little League MVP for eight full years. Of course, I'd hit a lot of home runs."

[doubletap]

He laughs near hysterically, then grabs the front of Neil's clothes. He's grinning, but it's full of confusion on whether this means what he thinks or not.

"You tell me what you fucking mean right now, Neil Park. Are you talking about baseball or jerking off your whole group of teammates?"

[goodfight]

That reaction, that face... Everything speaks volumes, and Neil's laughing, laughing, and laughing. Seriously? Seriously? Neil Park, jerking off a bunch of fuckers like Wally or, god fucking forbid, Butch?

Oh, someone cleanse his brain from this blasphemy!

"Jesus, Alex!" he says, still laughing. "I was talking about baseball!"