Sapphire Blue - 3. The Spaces

Micheal woke up to the vibration of his mobile. He quickly snatched it off the bed side table so it wouldn't wake Ian up. He was fast asleep and had his arm wrapped tightly around Micheal, hugging him close to his side. Micheal maneuvered out of his grip and got up from the wonderfully warm bed. He searched around in Ian's bureau and found a pair of black sweatpants emblazoned with smilies, and slid them on. He briefly wondered why on earth would a grown man own sweats like that. Dropping a kiss on Ian's hair he walked out of the bedroom.

“Hello,” he pressed the phone to his ear without looking at the caller ID.

“Where the hell were you last night? You stood us up. We were waiting for you in the club and you never showed.”

Micheal pulled the phone off his ear at the explosion from the other side. He wondered what she was talking about, apparently out loud, he realized when Nina replied.

“You don't even remember? Oh my god! What is wrong with you? And where are you. I rang your house yesterday and your mom told me that you didn't come home.”

He sighed and walked towards the kitchen while Nina rambled on about a million things. He put the coffee on and opened the fridge to look for something for breakfast.

“I'm sorry I stood you up yesterday Nina. But I don't even remotely remember promising to meet you. When was this again?” Micheal asked, taking out eggs and a carton of milk from the fridge.

“Well, I called you around 5.30 yesterday morning.” The annoyance had evaporated from her voice.

“I think that explains why I don't remember. Now who's fault is that?”

“Fine. But where are you?”

“Nina. Will you stop that?”

He really didn't want to answer Nina's question right now and he knew that she would catch him if he tried to lie. What was he supposed to tell her anyway? He didn't think that Ian would want anybody to learn about them just yet, and he didn't want to put a label on their fragile relationship just yet. He definitely didn't want to scare Ian away. The man was rejecting him up until yesterday evening; it felt like a small victory to be able to be here right now and have Ian be happy about it. So, he wasn't going to put Ian on the spot just yet.

“So, what did you want to celebrate again?” He questioned and prayed that his distraction would work. Thankfully it did.

“Brian landed an internship with that architectural firm he had always dreamed about. They were so impressed with him they wanted to take him on, on a permanent basis, but some company policy doesn't allow it. Once his internship is over they are going to make it permanent!” She was obviously bursting with pride.

“Nina, that's wonderful. I'm sorry I missed the party yesterday. I'll make it up to you. I swear.” He promised.

“Okay, tell me where you are now.”

Damn. She didn't forget.

“I had to stay behind and finish this project I'm working on. I have to go out of town with it next Tuesday for four days. I'm a little tied up here at the moment.”

He turned around to find Ian leaning against the kitchen door frame, dressed in a pair of gray sweats, gloriously half naked, watching him. Micheal swallowed, while his eyes took in the man standing in front of him. He blushed slightly at the memory of the previous night. Micheal had moved past the level of of lusting after the hunky guy to the level of noticing how happy Ian's eyes looked right now. Ian gave him a little smile that warmed him on the inside. He moved closer to wrap Micheal in a warm hug, burying his nose in his hair. Micheal inhaled and relaxed in those strong arms and wrapped his own arm around Ian's waist.

“Something important just came up, Nina. I'll call you later. Bye.” He hung up before she could even reply.

“So, I'm something important, huh?” Ian chuckled into his hair.

“Of course.”

“I missed you in bed when I woke. Why did you get up?” He placed a finger beneath Micheal's chin, gently lifting his head up to look him in the eyes, and cupped his jaw.

“I didn't want to wake you when Nina called. Besides I started breakfast, if you hadn't noticed.”

“I did.” Ian replied, before he met Micheal's mouth with a scorching kiss.

Micheal wanted desperately to kiss him since waking up, but he didn't want to disturb Ian when he was sleeping so peacefully. He wanted the reassurance that last night was not some kind of sick dream he had been having. So he clung to the man and returned the kiss with passion, making Ian moan into his mouth. They had to break apart for air too soon.

“A very good morning,” Ian kissed his jaw and tightened his arms around Micheal.

“Definitely. Now let me get back to making breakfast.”

“I'll help.”

Micheal raised an eyebrow watching Ian take out the bread from the bread basket.

“I can cook very well, I'll have you know.” Ian pointed with a slice of bread before he put it in the toaster.

“So, what did your friend want?” Ian asked.

“Nina's boyfriend landed an internship with a company he was dreaming about joining. Apparently Nina told me about the celebration yesterday morning around 5.30, which was absolutely a pointless thing. So, missed out on seeing them yesterday, and she was angry about it,” he sighed. “I'll most probably have to go and meet them sometime today.”

“Today? Do you have to go today?” Ian had stopped in the middle of buttering the toast.

“Yeah. Why? Did you have anything in that mind of yours?” Micheal asked.

“Agh, why do you have to talk so odd all the time?” Ian made a sour face at him and Micheal had to laugh. He ignored him and continued. “Well, usually on Sundays I visit my family, mostly I leave early. Now I'm convinced that waking you up at five in the morning will be a bad idea, so I will have to let you go home tonight. So, I was going to ask you to spend the day with me so we can spend a little more time together before you have to leave. Only if that isn't any bother to you.”

Micheal didn't know how to respond to that. Ian had this expectant look that urged him to say yes, but there was so much they had to talk about, things he had to know before he went in for this thing with Ian. The man hardly ever talked about himself and Micheal practically knew nothing about him. It surprised him that Ian was the kind of man who would spend Sundays with his family, or that he was a sweet lover who could to tell him that he missed him in bed when he woke up. It was as if he was an entirely a different man in here. At the office Ian was this closed off iceberg who terrorized the staff. It was funny how people would panic at the sight of Ian; it wasn't that he was mean to his staff, but he had this questioning, critical glare that kept everybody in line. So, now he needed a lot more answers before he got in too deep.

When Micheal didn't answer for a few seconds Ian went back to his bread and butter. Micheal watched his face fall for just a moment before he went back to his normal self, and he spoke up before Micheal could.

“It was just a thought Micheal, it doesn't matter.” He gave a short laugh. “Is the omelet done? I'm starving.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Micheal turned to the stove and checked the eggs. They were almost done.

“So do you read a lot? I saw some books in the living room and in your bedroom. I would have never figured you for a reader.” Micheal asked as he slid the omelet into a plate.

“I have trouble sleeping. Books are a really good distraction as I found out recently.” Ian gave him a little smile.

“YOU have trouble sleeping?” Micheal asked incredulous as he cut the omelet in half. “I'd have never guessed that this morning.”

“I am going to deny this if you ever repeat this, but I slept better with you next to me.”

The forlorn look Ian's eyes had earlier returned. He thanked Micheal when he put the plate in front of him, silently tucking into his food.

'Micheal could definitely cook,' Ian thought as the wonderful flavors burst in his mouth.

“This is delicious Micheal,” Ian moaned appreciatively. “Where did you learn to cook?”

“Nina.”

“I might date you just so you would make this for me every morning.” He told Micheal, savoring a forkful of eggs.

Micheal laughed and turned to look at him.

“So you keep telling me that you are not really good with words and then you go on with this sweet talk. I wonder if you have schizophrenia.”

He had to laugh at that. 'Schizophrenia, not even close kiddo.'

“What sweet talk?” He asked instead.

“Eyes like that lure people in and make them do crazy things?”

“Internet,” he replied. “I got that from the internet, and it works every time.”

Micheal started laughing so hard. He did find it on the internet. But he hadn't really been raking his brains trying to find it that night. Finally that statement had become true so the words had come easily. But he didn't want to tell Micheal that. He would look desperate. If he could have one day with Micheal, he wouldn't do anything to ruin it. He leaned closer and kissed the corner of the younger man's mouth brushing a crumb with his lips and Micheal leaned into his touch, turning his face so that their lips met. He captured the lower lip, still slightly swollen from last night, with his own and tenderly sucked on it. Micheal closed his lips around Ian's upper lip and deepened the kiss. After a nibbling, soft kiss, Micheal broke away and gave him a devastatingly beautiful smile.

“Tell me one thing. One thing you want me to know about you.” He cajoled.

Ian sighed. He couldn't say no. He couldn't lie. So he went with the truth.

“I have hurt a lot of people in my past and I have liked it. I'm incapable of love. I can care a little. But I can't love. I really don't want to hurt you. That's why I'm telling you this.” Ian closed his eyes. 'Don't let him see.'

He felt a soft touch on his hand and then a squeeze. He opened his eyes to see those vibrant blue eyes watching him with such tenderness that it had his heart skipping a beat.

“This is enough for now. You will get better eventually. I will make sure that you will get better.”

Micheal closed the distance and took his mouth in a searing kiss that had him forgetting about everything beyond this great man in front of him. 'How did I get so lucky?'

“So, you like my omelet?” Micheal asked once they broke apart.

“Hmm, it's really good.” Ian nodded taking another bite.

“Good. Because this is the only thing I know how to cook.”

Ian broke into a fit of laughter.

Micheal ended up spending the rest of the day with Ian. They lazed around the house and it wasn't as bad as Ian thought it would be. He liked having Micheal in his apartment. Micheal filled up the stark emptiness. They watched movies, read and played video games as if they were teenagers. Micheal beat him every time and eventually Ian refused to play so he could keep his dignity intact. They ended up making out on the living room sofa, when Micheal offered to kiss his ego better.

“There, there,” he peppered kisses on Ian's forehead, eyelids, nose and cheeks before he caught Ian's lips in a sweet soothing kiss. “You are really good at kissing. So it's okay not to be good at video games.”

If somebody else tried to talk to him as if he were a five year old, he would have thrown them out of the door. He never really let even his mother coddle him. But Micheal had this mischievous gleam in his eyes whenever he went on teasing him that he enjoyed too much, he didn't have the heart to stop Micheal. He found himself laughing so much around Micheal, that his cheeks hurt.

“So, what do you want to do now? Please choose something I might have a chance to win at.”

Ian ran his hands over Micheal's back. The younger man was straddling his lap and had his arms around Ian's neck, playing with his hair. He seemed to have some sort of an obsession with Ian's hair.

“Lets go out.” Micheal suggested.

“Where do you want to go? Your clothes must be dry now.”

Ian had laundered Micheal's clothes after breakfast, and now the boy was in a pair of sweats he usually wore when Alexei was spending the day with him. Alexei loved them and even he thought that they were cute. He mentally shook his head at the thoughts of Alexei and Micheal together. That would be a disaster.

“I don't know. Somewhere. Anywhere.”

“Can't we stay in? I have to let you go home tonight.” Ian pleaded, nuzzling the nape of Micheal's neck.

“Sure,” Micheal's voice was hesitant.

Ian lifted his head and looked at the man perched on his lap.

“Micheal? Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Micheal said, shaking his head as if to chase some thought away.

Ian knew not to press for answers. That was one thing he hated about any kind of relationship. Other people thought it was perfectly normal to press him on things like his emotions and stuff, something he found rather annoying. On the other hand, he had all these emotions he didn't want to define, and he definitely didn't want Micheal giving them names. Instead he did something that was a tried and tested method of distraction. He leaned in and kissed Micheal, who immediately responded, kissing him back with vigor. Ian traced his fingers all over Micheal's back and chest, occasionally brushing over hard nipples, a fleeting feather soft brush, a teasing tug that had Micheal arch under his assault. Micheal pulled at his hair in retaliation and slid his hand down, raking fingers down his chest and dipped his fingers inside Ian's waistband. Ian gasped into Micheal's mouth when those soft fingers took hold of his erection and squeezed.

Micheal had these hands that were really soft for a man, but his hold was quite strong, assuring. He loved what Micheal could do with those hands. Micheal's touch was hesitant at first, but once he figured out how Ian liked things he would attack with vengeance, driving Ian to the edges of insanity. Right now he varied his strokes from slow to punishing, that had Ian moaning into that inviting mouth. Ian slid his hands into the waistband of Micheal's sweats and pushed it them down his hips, Micheal lifted himself off Ian's lap letting him take the sweats off. Ian's sweats followed and Micheal settled back on his lap and ground himself against Ian, skin on skin, sending thrills up Ian's spine. He broke the kiss to trail his lips down Micheal's jaw, down to his neck, kissing and sucking on his thundering pulse. He had one of his hands around Micheal's waist, holding him on his lap securely while his other hand took hold of the erections that were demanding for attention.

A needy moan escaped Micheal's mouth and he arched into Ian's hand that was around their hardened lengths. It simply felt too good when Ian rocked his hips, and soon enough he matched the rhythm and heard Ian gasping into his shoulder. He wasn't sure where his moans ended and Ian's started and he could feel his nerve endings bristle with the crackling electrical charge between them when Ian sank his teeth into the point where his pulse raged. The bite wasn't hard enough to break the skin, but it was hard enough to leave a mark. He pulled Ian's head off his shoulder and pulled him into a kiss that he hoped would give Ian a glimpse of the all-consuming, wild, fire like passion that Ian ignited in him. Ian took it in his stride, and returned the kiss as his hand relentlessly worked at bringing him closer. Micheal found himself being at the receiving end of the fire once again, instead of egging Ian on. Ian broke the wonderful kiss and traced a route from his lips to ears.

“Do you have any idea what you do to me?” He rocked his hips as if to punctuate the question.

Micheal moaned and panted into the older man's ear, unable to do anything else but give in to the pleasures that Ian insisted on giving him.

“You drive me insane with desire every time you give me that mischievous smile. I have to restrain myself so I won't pull you up and kiss you senseless. At that stupid party I wanted nothing but to have you with me like this. Bet or no bet, I wanted to see you loose that insane control you have with me. I've never been so turned on. You are so beautiful and hot, but you don't even realize how sexy you are.”

Ian murmured in his ear while his hands worked to bring them off. Micheal let go of the restraint he had, trying to hold against the impending orgasm, that promise to take him to heights unknown that he broke into a million pieces. He let go the same moment he felt Ian pulse and stiffen underneath him.

Micheal slumped on Ian's shoulder and waited for his breathing to come down. Ian wiped his hand on his discarded sweats and wrapped his arms around Micheal. He shifted his head and kissed a cooling bead of sweat on the side of Ian's neck and felt Ian press his lips on the side of his temple in reply.

“I can quit and go work for my dad's company, you know.” He murmured into Ian's neck.

“Why would you do that?” Ian asked, pushing him off his chest to look at his face.

“You don't seem too keen on anybody knowing about us. So it would be easier if I worked somewhere else, in some other building.”

“Where did this come from?”

“You didn't want to go out earlier.”

“God Micheal! I told you. I don't get to have enough time with you today. I don't want you to go home tonight. I need you to stay, but I have to drop you off home tonight because I have to leave early. When I told you, I slept better with you next to me, I wasn't joking. I didn't pick that up on the internet, I swear! I have insomnia, I rarely sleep longer than two hours a night, and I take medication for that. I have been in therapy as long as I can remember, but nothing ever worked. But last night was exceptional, because I slept for so long without waking up once. I didn't even know when you got out of bed this morning.”

He cradled Micheal's face in his large hands and looked into Micheal's eyes.

“I know I'm being selfish but I just wanted to get a few more hours of sleep, because it really feels good to be rested. Of course you didn't know that and assumed the worst. I'm sorry. We can go out now. We should go out actually. There is this Cuban restaurant I want to take you...”

Micheal laughed out loud cutting Ian's tirade short.

“What?”

“So, let me get this straight. You didn't want to go out because you wanted to sleep?” Micheal asked, incredulous.

“Um... Yeah.” Ian blushed.

Micheal couldn't help laughing. Ian was nothing like he expected him to be. He had no idea how to deal with this man. He was expecting a very dominant, hard to please macho man when he first met Ian. But he saw the playful side of him at their innumerable lunches, he was a grown up who stole Micheal's fries. The man who was in front of him now was the biggest surprise of his life. He was so capable of saying the most heat breaking things that it made Micheal want to protect him, care for him and spoil him silly.

“How about we order in from that Cuban restaurant you like so much and spend the rest of the day in bed?”

“You don't have to do things like that for me Micheal. And I think we should really go out and get some fresh air.”

“What if I want to stay in with you? And what if I want to do all these little things for you? Wouldn't you want me to do them for you?”

“No. I don't want you being nice to me Micheal, because I don't know how to be nice back. I don't want to owe you that.”

Micheal sighed, thinking, 'Why do you have to be so stubborn baby.'

“Let me in. Then you won't owe me anything.”

Micheal got off Ian's lap and bent down to pick up his discarded sweatpants. All this heavy talk had his head spinning and he knew that Ian was going to shut him out sooner or later. He didn't want that.

“I'm going for a shower. Do you want to join me?” He called back over his shoulder as he sauntered out of the living room.

Ian didn't move from his perch on the sofa. Micheal sighed again as he continued towards the bathroom. He didn't know what to think of Ian's confessions. Ian kept repeating that he wasn't good for Micheal. But he had been nothing but adoring with him. Then he just couldn't understand how anybody could function on two hours sleep. Ian was much more than he expected from even the most serious relationship. He already had trouble knowing which way was up or down. He adjusted the temperature of the shower and stepped into the water. He wondered if he should take Ian's advice and walk out before things got too complicated. But then he remembered Ian's face as he slept soundly this morning. As much as he wanted to deny it, he knew that he was already falling for this complicated man and he was at a the point where he didn't want to turn back. He exhaled a frustrated breath and jumped when he felt the pair of now familiar arms wrapped around his waist. He immediately relaxed into Ian's broad chest as Ian nuzzled his neck.

“Thank you.”

Ian didn't elaborate, but Micheal was sure he knew what he was talking about.

“You're welcome.”

“This is SO not what I expected from 'hanging out,' dude. This is slave labor. You shouldn't force us to work like this on a Sunday.”

Brian whined as he brought the last cardboard box full of books into the apartment.

“Stop whining Brian. Our boy has grown up and now he's moving into his own apartment. If anything we should be proud that he finally grew a pair of wings!”

Micheal threw a shoe at Jake, who was lounging on the comfortable sofa in the living area. He had his friends over to help him move. He finally had a reason to get a place of his own and he had talked to his mother about moving out of the family home. His mother was quite ecstatic at the idea and wanted to buy him a penthouse apartment worthy of a super star. He put his foot down and had his mother come to a more reasonable agreement with him. He could pick the apartment and she she would buy it, along with the necessary furniture. So he ended up in rather a spacious studio apartment.

His mother wasn't terribly happy about the 'small' place but she insisted on decorating the bare apartment. He worked all day and spent evenings censoring the stuff his mother bought for the new place. He vetoed the antique Persian rug and an 18^th century bedroom set, both of which cost an obscene amount of money. Eventually he gave up cooperating with his mother. He expected the space to be filled with soft pinks and ostentatious golds, and various nick-knacks, but his mother surprised him when she let him into the apartment after two days of 'cleaning up.'

She had left the warehouse like brick walls unpainted, just cleaned up and polished. The kitchen counters and the kitchen island top were black marble with rosewood pantry doors, if he wasn't mistaken. The sofa in the living area was a warm tan and the new thick silver gray rug looked like the most inviting place to spend a nice evening in front of the new fireplace which she had managed to install. The king sized bed, tucked under the window on the platform in the corner between the new closet and the bathroom, was completely covered by the towering dark wooden book racks. The whole place was decorated with different shades of black and brown, with the one exceptional splash of color, sheer white curtains with burgundy drapes.

He was surprised at how in tune his mother was with his likes and dislikes. Nina fell in love with the place immediately when she stepped into the apartment this morning, and he loved the apartment too. He couldn't wait for Ian to see it tonight. Ian hadn't seen this place yet.

“So, where are we going to go tonight?” He came back from his daydreaming when Nina prodded.

“I'm going straight home, to bed.” Brian flopped on the sofa next to Jake.

“Wimp,” Nina muttered under her breath and set about straightening the curtains.

“Darling, unlike you, we have to go to work in the morning. So we need our beauty sleep.” Micheal told her, patting her head as he passed her.

He loved his friends, but he wasn't going to let them mess with his date with Ian tonight. He rarely got any time to spend with Ian during the week and the man was unavailable on Sundays. So he had to content himself with Saturdays at Ian's. It's been three weeks since they started dating. They had gone out several times and Micheal made a habit of spending his Saturday at Ian's apartment. They still had lunch together and whenever possible Ian made sure to take him out in the week, sometimes for dinner, or for ice cream in the afternoon. Last week they spent Friday night at the pub where Micheal met Ian's friends. It was rather awkward at first, remembering that all of them tried to kiss him the last time they saw him. But they were all nice people like Ian said. It had been very nice, better than he expected from Ian after his repeated declarations of being unromantic.

Ian surprised him by asking if he should come and help with the move. That, he did not expect at all. Ian was very unsure of what they had and wasn't very sure about meeting anybody from Micheal's social circle just yet. It was as if he was waiting for things to go wrong. Micheal didn't want to put too much pressure on the man since he was trying quite hard as it was. So he wasn't going to throw Ian to the sharks and had said no to the offer.

His phone vibrated on the coffee table and he picked it.

“At the supermarket. Gathering stuff to make you the best pasta dinner you've ever had. Still with friends?”

He smiled and typed his reply.

Ian had spent the greatest day with Alexei even though Alexei had to leave early so that he could get ready to go see Micheal and his new apartment. He was very glad about how understanding Alexei was. He just couldn't stop talking about Micheal, and Alexei found it rather hilarious, he seemed quite intrigued about this young man who had weaseled into Ian's heart.

Alexei had even helped Ian to make dessert, a chocolate cake, for their dinner for later tonight. Now he was standing in front of Micheal's door and tried to knock with his elbow. He had his arms full of groceries, the cake, an array of succulents in a Greek style flower pot and a bunch of red roses he bought on a whim, which now he very much regretted. If he had a free arm, he would have taken the roses and left them at Micheal's neighbor’s door. 'No such luck.' he thought as the door opened and he watched Micheal's eyes widening at the sight in front of him. He momentarily forgot the juggling he was doing a minute before as he took in the sight of the young man in chino shorts and a navy t-shirt standing at the door.

“Oh! Let me take this,” Micheal let go of the door and rushed forward to take the roses, the flower pot and the cake from Ian.

Ian waked in after Micheal and looked around even as he followed the younger man to the kitchen island. The place looked rather beautiful, and very much Micheal. Masculine, yet soft and comforting. He set down the groceries and took out the bottle of wine he brought setting it on the smooth black marble before leaning on the counter. He watched as Micheal set both items down before he picked up the roses and opened the box before he sniffed them.

“What's with the flowers?” he raised a brow.

“Because.” Ian shrugged, embarrassed.

“It's carnations.”

He stared at Micheal, trying to understand.

“What?”

“I like carnations, not roses.”

“Oh!” he thought as his heart fell. 'It was a bad idea.'

Micheal laughed causing Ian to lift his head and look at the man in front of him. He watched as Micheal stepped up and closed the distance, standing so close that Ian could feel the heat that rolled off him even without touching.

“The type doesn't matter, Ian. What matters is the thought behind them,” he murmured even as he set the flowers on the counter. “What does matter is that you brought them for me. They are beautiful and thanks for thinking so much of me.” He grazed his lips on Ian's.

Ian gave in and chased the kiss, wrapping his strong arms around Micheal's slender frame. He nibbled on those soft lips and sighed as he deepened the kiss, exploring that sweet mouth he had grown to love. He ran his hand over Micheal's back, making him moan, and slid a hand down pulling the younger man against his erection. He growled softly when Micheal rolled his hips, sending delicious tingles all over his body. Micheal pulled away from him too soon.

“Rain check, the dinner?” Micheal asked, his voice husky.

Ian gave him his patent wicked smile that had Micheal clamping his teeth on his own luscious bottom lip. He turned and took the glossy, azure ceramic pot with the succulents of soft hues, before he sauntered towards his bed, with Ian following closely. When they reached the bed Micheal walked around to deposit the flower pot on the window sill where they stood proudly against the soft backdrop of the white curtains. Micheal ran his fingertips over the plants with such a tender expression on his face that it had Ian wishing he knew what the younger man was thinking. Finally, when those deep blue eyes settled on him they had an unfathomable expression in them that filled Ian's heart to the brim. He pulled Micheal into his arms, wanting to eliminate the distance between them, Micheal's arms circled his neck, his slender fingers sinking into his hair, gently tugging.

“They remind me of Greece, the pot and the plants both. Thank you. This is the best housewarming present ever.”

Micheal kissed him, a sweet kiss. He lingered at it a second longer before he pushed Micheal down on the bed and crawling on top of him, sliding along the lithe body and making Micheal whimper when he deliberately grazed against Micheal's hardened member.

“Look after it for me?”

Even he wasn't sure if he was talking about the plant anymore, but Micheal's sapphire gaze told him that he understood. When Micheal replied his voice dripped with emotion.

“I promise.”

Ian claimed the younger man's mouth in a possessive kiss. Their dinner would have to wait as they both were a lot more interested in christening Micheal's new bed.