Chapter 514: Modo XXIX—Sweet and Slow
Waking up and not immediately knowing where one was became a phenomenon not too unusual for a young hockey player. In fact the more times it happened to one during the week, sometimes the better his status and the greater his fleeting legend. Modano remembered those days, but not well enough to not worry when he opened his eyes and peered around at a bedroom he definitely did not recognize as his own. A pounding headache, a dry tongue, cracked lips, foul teeth; oh he could feel a hangover beginning.
I have a game tonight! His brain screamed and he pressed his palms against his eyes and he just could not believe that he’d allowed himself to go party…late into last night…with Phil? Mike wrinkled his nose and looked at the bed, and he saw a blonde tousled mop of hair peeking from the top of the bed covers. Oh great. And he’d wanted to take it slow with him! Disappointment, annoyance, oh anything he could think to aide in hating himself he felt.
Mike groaned and leaned forward. Man, he couldn’t even remember anything from last night that had to do with sleeping with Phil! He remembered three, no four clubs, he remembered dinner and early drinks with the guys, and Phil and Keane hitting it off quite well, and Joe actually being pretty brusque with Phil. Oh my God! Could Joe be a little jealous of Phil? Not that Joe knew they were an item but…. Mike wrinkled his nose, his headache worsening.
Forget that, it’s done. What Joe does or doesn’t feel doesn’t matter!
Still, he could remember tottering with Phil into this house, he remembered talking? He remembered mentioning that he didn’t remember where his car was, and that he was too drunk to get home anyway.
Stay here then….
And what after that?
I can’t remember anything! Mike groaned again, On top of everything, the sex turned out to be forgettable. That never boded well for the beginning of a relationship; in fact it could spell the immediate end of it. What if Phil remembered more and decided that none of this would be worth it.
I can’t believe I screwed up like this!
And then
Mike saw the clock on the wall. In the dim light of the darkened bedroom, the
curtains pulled closed, he could make out the general direction of the hands.
“I’m such a screw up!” Modano groaned.
“Mmm,” Phil replied, moving under the covers. Modano turned to look at him and he saw a pair of characteristically sparkling eyes peep at him. “Good morning, sunshine. You’re awake kind of early.” He yawned. “Why don’t you roll over and get a little more sleep.”
“Phil!” Mike exclaimed. “Did we?”
“Um…nope.” Phil replied. “We were too drunk.” He yawned again. “Want me to order some breakfast or I can make us some eggs?” He then rolled out of bed and stretched. “I’ll make some eggs.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Mike said as Phil, clad in boxers and socks scratched his waist as he strolled into the bathroom.
“Well we have to eat sometime don’t we?” Phil replied and he sounded a little snappish as he did so.
Modano frowned. “Well someone’s grumpy in the morning.”
While Phil used the restroom Modano slowly got himself moving. It occurred to him that he had to pee really badly but he didn’t want to get up and randomly explore the place for another bathroom. At least this was a house and not an apartment complex so no one would have seen them stumbling in last night, so he wouldn’t have to fear too much gossip. Oh wow his head hurt!
After a little while Phil came out of the bathroom, still tousled and half dressed but smiling with rosy cheeks and gleaming teeth. “Breakfast it is! Omelettes, I can make us something really good really really fast you’ll like it a lot. Come on darling, get in the bathroom and freshen up, half the day is gone. Move it!” He winked and Modano melted inside wondering how he hadn’t given in to impulse last night.
Stretching,
he sat around on the bed for another few minutes before he slowly go up and
stumbled into the bathroom. Dying for any sort of moisture, he grabbed a
“Are you sure we didn’t do anything?” Mike asked with a freshly cleaned mouth and a grin after he’d followed the delicious sizzling breakfast smells into the pristine and spacious kitchen.
Phil flipped an omelet perfectly in the pan and raised his eyebrows. “Well if I’m that repulsive to you…”
“Ha ha no!” Modano said quickly. “It’s just that, I didn’t want to rush anything.”
Phil nodded and slipped the sizzling omelet onto a china plate. “Sure, you said that before remember? And believe me, last night the thought of violating your sanctity really did come to mind, but I didn’t want to break your trust like that. Heh.”
Modano rolled his eyes. “Oh great so you would have?”
Phil shrugged and began to butter some toast. “A hot stack of smoking pancakes like you? Who wouldn’t?”
Modano laughed grimly. “Yeah that’s my problem.”
“Well,” Phil replied. “If you go at things a little more aggressively, that could be someone else’s problem.”
Modano raised his eyebrows. “That’s an evil way of thinking isn’t it?”
“Not if no one gets hurt,” and Phil placed the hot food on the kitchen table, causing Mike’s stomach to leap with joy. “Or they don’t remember much the next morning.”
Modano swallowed nervously.
“Just kidding!” Phil laughed after a dramatic pause.
“Oooh! Hahaha.” Modano rubbed his damp palms together.
Phil crossed his arms over his golden chest, “You need to lighten up, you’re wound up so tight. I can tell you’ve been hurt.”
Modano felt his cheeks overheat and he looked down. “No, no I don’t think it’s been that bad. People have had it worse. I just…”
“No it’s okay,” Phil said and he came towards him.
Against his instinct, Modano stepped back, not exactly running away but something inside him just feared. Even then he didn’t know what he had to fear. It embarrassed him even more and Mike just wanted to run now, go through that front door and never be heard from again. Phil didn’t deserve a head case like this, and perhaps he wouldn’t want one to think about either.
“I’m not going to hurt you, Mike,” Phil said softly. “I’m not like everyone else.”
“I…” Modano said and he scowled because no other words came to mind. He didn’t look at Phil though he was a breath away from him. All the blood in his body began to rush fast and overheat.
“Come on, look at me.”
And Mike met Phil’s eyes and just felt a pure moment of breath taken joy right before he kissed him. Lips touched, softly, sweetly not even hinting at an open mouth or any further intrusion. Gentle fingertips touched his cheek and Mike felt his entire body tremble as never before with anyone! And then softly, Phil pulled away and hugged him tightly. “You like it sweet and slow, Mike. I can give you that.”
Mike closed
his eyes and sighed.