Rated Five Stars

Jack opened the door before Daniel even finished knocking. "Daniel," Jack said, backing away, his eyes wary. "You're here. How very prompt of you." He moved further than was actually necessary to let Daniel in, and continued backing away.

As if Daniel hadn't been ready and waiting for this moment all day—or for years, maybe.

It was a typical hotel room—pale walls, dark furniture, and bland, inoffensive "art" above a bed that was roughly the size of a football field. "Nice," Daniel commented with some surprise. He wondered how much a bed like that would cost, and whether he could fit one into his little house.

Jack was standing at the window, his fingers tugging at the drapes even though they were already closed up tight. A sliver of late afternoon sun filtered into the room. "Yeah, well," he murmured, without looking up.

Daniel's heart sank as he watched Jack fiddle with the heavy cloth. After everything they had gone through the night before—the fierce kissing, the talking, with more talking, and the arguing, all finally resulting in this carefully arranged rendezvous—Jack was having second thoughts.

"Yup," Daniel said. "You know, that bed alone is bigger than some apartments I've lived in."

Jack's eyes flicked over to the king-sized bed with the resplendent green and gold bedspread, piled high with pillows. He regarded it as if it were alive, as if it were liable to attack at any time. "It's a bed, all right."

"Big. Plenty of room." Daniel slid his hands into his pockets and nudged it with his knee. The bedcover had an intricate pattern woven into the shiny fabric—green leaves twined around full, golden flowers. Roses, maybe?

The silence stretched between them, broken only by the drone of the air conditioning unit. Daniel glanced over to see Jack scuffing the pale rug with his toe. He was still wearing his shoes. "I have to admit," Daniel said at last, "I expected someplace a little more seedy—I mean, isn't that more appropriate for an assignation? Sagging bed, lumpy pillows, blinking neon lights—you know, seedy."

"Seedy hurts my back," Jack admitted. "And there's no room service. But if you want seedy, we can go somewhere else—"

"No, no, no, this is fine, this is great, as a matter of fact. Room service. That's good." Daniel was babbling, and he knew it. The situation felt awkward, if not downright wrong. For one thing, Jack was still all the way on the other side of the room studying the curtains. Daniel was pretty sure they needed to at least be on the same side of the room to have sex.

He understood that Jack was scared. Hell, he was too. But they could be scared together, couldn't they? Preferably while naked, in a very large bed. Like that one, right there in the room with them. Because the simple truth was that he wanted, no he needed Jack. He needed fidgety Jack with his silly lopsided smile, Jack so tense and nervous, trying to keep his distance. Daniel just had to get close to him again, had to feel his warm, wiry body against his, needed to let go the pretense of casual affection and love Jack with all his heart and body and soul and anything else he could get his hands on. And after the kissing and the hugging and touching last night, he knew Jack was just as desperate.

He only needed a little push.

"Well, I'm going to get started," Daniel announced as he pulled the covers off the bed. "Feel free to join in at any time. This whole sex thing is usually a lot more fun with two people." He lifted his tee-shirt off over his head, wondering if Jack really was going to freak out and leave him standing alone in a non-seedy hotel room, shirtless and utterly frustrated.

Jack didn't leave.

Before Daniel even finished pulling off his shirt Jack was there, thank god, right behind him. Jack had crossed the great divide to wind an arm around Daniel's waist and press his lips to Daniel's shoulder. Daniel leaned against him, relieved. Jack had lost his shirt along the way, and that was nice, very nice what with the sensation of warm skin and chest hair rubbing against his bare back. Jack's rough hand was splayed out on his stomach, holding him steady while warm lips drifted across his shoulder to his neck. Daniel's cock grew even harder, and he was sure he was going to explode, that he was going to come right there in his pants.

"This is nuts, you know that," Jack told him, his breath tickling Daniel's ear.

"Yeah, well, we pretty much worked that out last night." Daniel put his hand over Jack's.

"Feels like I'm jumping out of a plane without a parachute."

"But look," Daniel said, "There's big soft bed to land on."

"But Daniel, I—we—"

"Enough with the talking." Daniel turned to face Jack, his hands on Jack's shoulders. "Listen—we're gay. We love each other. It's scary as hell but we've got to just get naked and deal with it."

Jack stared at him in surprise. When he opened his mouth to speak yet again Daniel quickly raised his hand. "Ah!" Daniel said sharply, pointing his finger at Jack's mouth. "End of discussion. Naked. Now."

Jack closed his mouth. He watched for a moment as Daniel continued undressing. Then to Daniel's delight he did the same himself, stepping awkwardly out of his jeans, almost losing his balance while pulling off his socks. When he was done he presented himself with arms outstretched, mouth shut tight, and his lips in a firm, straight line. Even though he couldn't hide the nervousness, there was also laughter in his eyes.

"You're so naked," Daniel said, grinning stupidly. It was a silly thing to say, but Jack was beautifully naked, so tall, long skinny legs and narrow hips, hard, hairy chest. Daniel loved all the hair, swirling around dark nipples, trailing down his stomach, leading to a wild bush of pubic hair and a boldly jutting cock. "And there's that," he added, pointing to Jack's cock.

Jack nodded proudly.

"I love you."

Jack placed his hands on his hips and frowned.

"All of you," Daniel added, realizing he had been staring at Jack's cock when he spoke. His eyes flicked back down. "But especially that part of you."

The next thing Daniel knew he was on the bed, Jack on top of him, his weight pushing him down into the mattress. Mouth to mouth, chest to chest, belly to belly. Ravenous kisses, as if Jack wanted to eat him alive and Daniel was more than happy to let him. He spread his legs and pushed his cock against Jack's hip and it was good, so good that he dug his heels into the mattress and shoved hard, moaning open-mouthed against Jack's cheek.

Jack reached underneath and grabbed Daniel's ass, fingers digging in, holding tight as he gave an answering thrust of his hips, his cock sliding against Daniel's stomach and Daniel decided that was all he needed. The grunting and sliding and thrusting was enough, the friction, amazing. They could save the fancy stuff for later. Mindlessly rubbing his entire body against Jack's was definitely the way to go. It seemed fine with Jack, too. Because Jack was holding onto him as if he might fall to earth if he let go, his hips jerking rapidly, breath fast and harsh in Daniel's ear. Push, shove, and clutch, they had a rhythm going and Jack's skin was slick and sweaty with the effort. Jack was on him, all around him, his taste on Daniel's tongue, the his skin sliding over Daniel's skin, the smell of his sweat, the small noises he was making, deep in his throat.

The sounds grew louder, Jack's body convulsed and moved out of synch, spoiling the rhythm. Jack was about to come, Daniel realized. He wrapped his arms around Jack's body, hugging him tight, because he loved Jack so much, because after so many years, Jack was willing to make this jump with him.

"Daniel—" Jack said, his voice low and rough. "Daniel—oh fuck—" He stiffened and came, making a sound almost as if he were in pain. Daniel's stomach grew warm and slippery, because Jack's come was all over him, and that was even more exciting and kind of nasty, too, his hot skin getting even hotter as their bodies slid together. Then all thoughts vanished as he came, too, with a sharp burst of pleasure, and it really was like falling, blood singing in his ears like the roar of the wind, so dizzying but Jack was there, holding him steady, kissing him back to earth.

They came to rest on the huge bed, Jack stretched out over him. Daniel couldn't remember the last time he felt this joyful and loved. And limp. Very limp. "Okay," he finally said, when he could talk again. "That wasn't so scary, was it?"

Jack raised his head from Daniel's chest with a questioning look.

Daniel made a show of thinking it over. "All right, you may talk now. But only briefly."

Jack sat up, solemnly wiping his stomach with the edge of the sheet before folding his hands on his lap. Daniel immediately recognized his making-an-announcement-mode, and Jack looked so god damned cute doing it all naked and ruffled that Daniel wanted to pull him down and kiss him senseless. But he generously let Jack speak.

"Okay," Jack said, with a curt nod. "A: Yes, that was scary, terrifying as a matter of fact; B: Why'd we wait so damn long to do it; and C: Can we do it again? Right now?"

Daniel opened his mouth, but Jack placed a hand over his lips. "Oh wait, one more. D: I love you, too."

Daniel licked his fingers.

Jack smiled. "That's all the answer I need."