[Stephen is considering hitting him again when Nate catches his hand.]
I'll tell you off and sex will be the absolute furthest thing from my mind. You could have killed yourself doing that. In increasingly devastating and creative ways.
[If Nate were his ward, his student, Stephen is sure he'd have grey hair by now from the worrying over reckless use of magic. That, or he'd have slapped him in iron by now and called it a day.]
You're not going to sweet talk me into feeling better about that, [he grumbles as Nate kisses his hand.]
I need to finish packing a few things... Then what? Just move in to your apartment? We'll need to write up a proper contract sooner than later for that to fly, I think.
Yes, we should. [Stephen pauses at the threshold of his bedroom.] Do we have to sort everything tonight?
[It sounds exhausting, trying to get a contract together at breakneck speeds. There's no reason why it can't wait until the morning, is there? At least the negotiating part. Of course informing the lawyer to get something started is a perfectly reasonable first step.]
[ Nate has followed him in, and is scrolling through his contacts. He's not known for being the world's most organised person, but when he knew he wanted to contract with Stephen, he'd trawled back to find this number. Then he'd saved it, knowing that he would need it soon, though he hadn't anticipated how soon.
At that question, though, he looks up, and he smiles. ]
Course not. Come here.
[ He reaches to draw Stephen into another hug, a gentle one. ]
We can go straight to mine. You've stayed over before, it'll just be like that. Anyone asks, we can tell them it's in hand.
I think tonight, we should just hang out. [ He lifts his eyebrows. ] I can make Chinese curry...
[He leans against Nate and wraps his arms around him for a moment. His fingers curl in Nate's shirt and he tips his head up to give him a kiss.]
That sounds lovely, [he says quietly.] Let me grab my bag, I don't really have a lot to move.
[If he brings it now, there won't be much to come back for. Stephen pulls away and packs a few more things, then slides the bag over his shoulder. He reaches for Nate's hand when he's ready.]
We're walking down, by the way. No teleporting nonsense.
[ Nate makes a quick call to the lawyer while he's packing. It's brief, only long enough to make an appointment for the next day, and then he's sliding the phone away again.
He reaches for Stephen and smiles, ducking his head. ]
You're the boss. I only wanted to reach you quickly.
[ But then he walks close beside him, letting their shoulders brush. ]
I wanted to have a house to take you to. It was meant to be very grand.
[Stephen smiles small and leans to brush a kiss to Nate's shoulder. A quiet night sounds perfect.
He's been in Nate's apartment so many times, but it's different as he crosses the threshold now. He belongs here. Soon, he will legally belong wherever Nate is.]
[ There's no fumbling for keys at Nate's door. He just brushes the handle, and it opens, letting them in.
He has not prepared for visitors. Magic paraphernalia is scattered around the place - more of it than usual. His animated brooms have been working hard to keep the place clean, but the odd sparrow is still flying around, and the wilder of his two cats is chasing after them. He sighs. ]
Right. I forgot about those birds.
Ah, well. [ He pauses, turning to look at Stephen. ]
So, I have the second bedroom. [ Formerly Anna's room. ] It's empty. But you can...I mean, you can just live in mine, too. If you want. Space is no issue.
[The apartment is in a certain kind of chaos and Stephen can't help the wry smile when he sees it all. It's very... Nate. He shouldn't be surprised, he knows Nate's magic has been a bit haywire and so of course he's been experimenting.]
Do you want me in your room?
[He remembers something Cy asked him. Stephen doesn't want to be in Nate's way.]
[ Nate chews his lip. He's worried about it sounding like an expectation. Worried about putting it out there and having Stephen say no. Worried that he might wand to say no even if he wouldn't say it.
Fuck being shy. ]
I do. Of course I do, I want to wake up with you.
[ His breath catches. They were supposed to have time for all of this. Now they need to deal with it all at once. ]
But I don't have to be in your pocket. I want you to feel at home, I want...
[ He smiles, pauses again. ]
I want you to be happy, Stephen. So tell me what you'd like.
[Stephen lets his bag hit the floor and he reaches to pull Nate closer to him. They were supposed to have time to sort all this out, to talk and negotiate and set expectations and boundaries and--
Now they're out of time.
He pulls Nate down into a kiss, lingering now that they're behind closed doors again. One hand slides up to cradle Nate's face while the other holds tight to the front of his shirt.]
Let's... worry about one night at a time, [he murmurs.] But I want to be in your bed tonight. I want to wake up to you.
[He doesn't want to feel alone when the person he wants is so bloody close.]
[ Nate sinks against him. One hand pushes into Stephen's curls to hold him there, and the other circles his back. There's that familiar taste, the softness of Stephen's lips contrasting with the rough of his stubble, and there's the peppering of static playing over Nate's face.
Stephen's magic hands. Literal magic hands.
He's a little breathless at the end. His eyes open, because they'd closed thanks to that kiss. ]
Okay. [ It's easy to agree. They don't need to run out of time, not now. They can just work it out together.
[He leans into Nate and closes his eyes after the kiss, after he pulls him in and holds him like that. Stephen lets his head rest against Nate's shoulder for a moment, attempting to make himself stay in just this moment. They could worry about tomorrow when that came.
He brushes a kiss to Nate's shoulder before he picks his head up again.]
Alright then... I believe you were saying something about dinner.
[ Nate wouldn't mind it if he stayed there all night. He likes the weight of Stephen against him, likes the way he kisses him. Like how affectionate he is when they're alone.
Nate touches his jaw, running his fingers very gently over it, and then he leans in to brush their lips together. ]
I was. I've been practicing.
[ In preparation for the contract, of course. He'll just have to hope he's ready. He nods towards his bedroom. Stephen will already know his way around. ]
Put that bag away, and I'll make the sauce. I'd cheat, but you know. [ He shrugs his shoulders. ] Still broken.
[It feels much easier - safer - for him to be affectionate behind closed doors. Stephen tips his head into Nate's touch, eyes closing for a moment as their lips meet. He can't help but smile at the small confession.]
Then I'm glad you can't cheat, [he says as he pulls back.] Let's see what you've been practicing.
[His touch lingers for a moment, but he lets his hand drop as he heads back toward the bedroom with his things. They can figure everything out in the morning: for right now, this is where he belongs. He leaves his bag by the closet and takes out something to wear to bed, assuming he manages to get changed at all. He puts some of his toiletries into Nate's bathroom.
Once he feels a bit more settled, Stephen reappears. He's taken off his tie and undone the first few buttons of his shirt. He's rolled up his sleeves, the way he does when he's warm or working.
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I'll tell you off and sex will be the absolute furthest thing from my mind. You could have killed yourself doing that. In increasingly devastating and creative ways.
[If Nate were his ward, his student, Stephen is sure he'd have grey hair by now from the worrying over reckless use of magic. That, or he'd have slapped him in iron by now and called it a day.]
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Well, I'm very lucky, then. And devastating. And creative. Devastatingly creative.
I might put that on a banner for the theatre. Bound to draw in a crowd.
[ Now he's teasing. He lifts Stephen's hand to kiss it. ]
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I need to finish packing a few things... Then what? Just move in to your apartment? We'll need to write up a proper contract sooner than later for that to fly, I think.
no subject
He nods, though. ]
Yeah, we'll need to file an official thing. I'll call the lawyer that did mine and Anna's. You pack, and I'll do that.
[ He lets Stephen go, and reaches to get his phone from his pocket. ]
We should...probably finish that chat about what's in it, too.
no subject
[It sounds exhausting, trying to get a contract together at breakneck speeds. There's no reason why it can't wait until the morning, is there? At least the negotiating part. Of course informing the lawyer to get something started is a perfectly reasonable first step.]
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At that question, though, he looks up, and he smiles. ]
Course not. Come here.
[ He reaches to draw Stephen into another hug, a gentle one. ]
We can go straight to mine. You've stayed over before, it'll just be like that. Anyone asks, we can tell them it's in hand.
I think tonight, we should just hang out. [ He lifts his eyebrows. ] I can make Chinese curry...
no subject
That sounds lovely, [he says quietly.] Let me grab my bag, I don't really have a lot to move.
[If he brings it now, there won't be much to come back for. Stephen pulls away and packs a few more things, then slides the bag over his shoulder. He reaches for Nate's hand when he's ready.]
We're walking down, by the way. No teleporting nonsense.
no subject
He reaches for Stephen and smiles, ducking his head. ]
You're the boss. I only wanted to reach you quickly.
[ But then he walks close beside him, letting their shoulders brush. ]
I wanted to have a house to take you to. It was meant to be very grand.
That'll just have to come later. Are you okay?
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I don't need grand at all.
[Stephen stays close as they head downstairs. He still can't quite believe this is happening.]
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Maybe not. But you deserve it.
[ Nate shifts to twine their fingers, and gives his hand a squeeze. ]
We can do something nice tonight. No work, just...nice things. Watch a movie maybe. Good distractions.
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He's been in Nate's apartment so many times, but it's different as he crosses the threshold now. He belongs here. Soon, he will legally belong wherever Nate is.]
Where should I put my things?
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He has not prepared for visitors. Magic paraphernalia is scattered around the place - more of it than usual. His animated brooms have been working hard to keep the place clean, but the odd sparrow is still flying around, and the wilder of his two cats is chasing after them. He sighs. ]
Right. I forgot about those birds.
Ah, well. [ He pauses, turning to look at Stephen. ]
So, I have the second bedroom. [ Formerly Anna's room. ] It's empty. But you can...I mean, you can just live in mine, too. If you want. Space is no issue.
no subject
Do you want me in your room?
[He remembers something Cy asked him. Stephen doesn't want to be in Nate's way.]
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Fuck being shy. ]
I do. Of course I do, I want to wake up with you.
[ His breath catches. They were supposed to have time for all of this. Now they need to deal with it all at once. ]
But I don't have to be in your pocket. I want you to feel at home, I want...
[ He smiles, pauses again. ]
I want you to be happy, Stephen. So tell me what you'd like.
no subject
Now they're out of time.
He pulls Nate down into a kiss, lingering now that they're behind closed doors again. One hand slides up to cradle Nate's face while the other holds tight to the front of his shirt.]
Let's... worry about one night at a time, [he murmurs.] But I want to be in your bed tonight. I want to wake up to you.
[He doesn't want to feel alone when the person he wants is so bloody close.]
no subject
Stephen's magic hands. Literal magic hands.
He's a little breathless at the end. His eyes open, because they'd closed thanks to that kiss. ]
Okay. [ It's easy to agree. They don't need to run out of time, not now. They can just work it out together.
Nate shakes his head. ]
You're not alone. You're mine, and I've got you.
[ He nudges his nose, and pulls him in tightly. ]
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He brushes a kiss to Nate's shoulder before he picks his head up again.]
Alright then... I believe you were saying something about dinner.
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Nate touches his jaw, running his fingers very gently over it, and then he leans in to brush their lips together. ]
I was. I've been practicing.
[ In preparation for the contract, of course. He'll just have to hope he's ready. He nods towards his bedroom. Stephen will already know his way around. ]
Put that bag away, and I'll make the sauce. I'd cheat, but you know. [ He shrugs his shoulders. ] Still broken.
no subject
Then I'm glad you can't cheat, [he says as he pulls back.] Let's see what you've been practicing.
[His touch lingers for a moment, but he lets his hand drop as he heads back toward the bedroom with his things. They can figure everything out in the morning: for right now, this is where he belongs. He leaves his bag by the closet and takes out something to wear to bed, assuming he manages to get changed at all. He puts some of his toiletries into Nate's bathroom.
Once he feels a bit more settled, Stephen reappears. He's taken off his tie and undone the first few buttons of his shirt. He's rolled up his sleeves, the way he does when he's warm or working.