Nemesis: Loud Like Love - 22. Epilogue: Life's What You Make It

EPILOGUE

Life's What You Make It

‘To The Oxymorons!’ Dave raised his glass high. ‘The most awesome band that ever played.’

Matt laughed. ‘Dave, you’re drunk.’

‘Not drunk,’ Dave corrected him. ‘Happy.’

They sat in the living room of Nick, Mellie, and Dave’s flat. The Oxymorons had played a fantastic gig at the Academy, and Dave couldn’t be more proud. As ever, Nick had looked unbearably sexy up on that stage, and now Dave couldn’t help but lean over to him and kiss him, deeply and thoroughly. Nick climbed up into his lap and gave a happy sigh.

It wasn’t a large party. Matt had brought Alan up from Wolverhampton, where they were both attending uni. Mellie had invited a couple of friends, James and Tina, and also Brendan, who may or may not be her new boyfriend. She had yet to disclose this information. Alexandra, a fellow medical student, was also there, and Oliver, who was a recent acquaintance of Nick’s. And then there was Stuart, of course, who lounged happily in a chair drinking a beer, mostly quiet.

‘Oh, hey, you guys,’ said Oliver. ‘I talked to the Pride committee, and there’s like a ninety-nine percent chance that you’ve got a gig during Pride week, we just have to work out logistics.’

‘That’s awesome!’ Matt grinned.

‘Yes, fantastic,’ Stuart agreed. ‘That’ll be excellent exposure for us.’

‘We’re all volunteers,’ Oliver continued, ‘but we should be able to scrounge up some cash to pay you guys. Won’t be much, mind, but . . .’

‘No worries,’ said Nick from Dave’s lap. ‘It’s a good cause, and you need queer bands at Pride, anyway.’

Matt nodded his agreement. ‘And we are super queer. One gay, one bi, one ace. That’s three whole letters covered, right there.’ He grinned.

‘Ace and aro,’ Stuart reminded him.

Matt rolled his eyes. ‘Still the same letter, Stu.’

‘Don’t call me Stu.’ Stuart grinned. The band and their friendship was going on four years now. These days, it seemed to Dave, their bickering was mostly for show. It bordered on flirting, except Stuart didn’t flirt. Matt did, though. Relentlessly. He and Alan might be three years exclusive, but there was no power in the universe that could stop Matt from flirting. Thankfully, Alan didn’t seem to mind.

Tina frowned. ‘What’s ace and aro?’

‘Asexual and aromantic,’ Mellie explained. ‘Stuart isn’t interested in anyone, sexually or romantically.’

‘That seems . . . odd,’ said Tina.

Before Stuart could launch into one of his complex metaphors for explaining how asexuality and aromanticism worked, Nick raised his glass and said, loudly, ‘To all you awesome people who came to our gig! You’re all legends!’

Ever the diplomat, thought Dave, and smiled fondly at his boyfriend. He slid his hand into Nick’s hair. He had the sides shaved these days, longer on top. It suited him very well, and Dave couldn’t help but tug at it a little bit. He was rewarded with a soft moan and another deep kiss. Okay, so maybe he was a little drunk to do that in front of nine other people.

‘Get a room,’ said Alexandra, but Matt responded by climbing into Alan’s lap and sticking his tongue thoroughly down his throat.

‘Sorry, sorry,’ said Dave. ‘Couldn’t help myself. Matt, you can stop humping Alan’s leg now.’

Both Matt and Alan were slightly pink in the face. ‘Technically,’ said Matt, ‘since we’re sleeping here tonight, you guys are in our bedroom.’

‘Yours and mine,’ Stuart corrected him. ‘And I’d be grateful if you guys didn’t shag loudly while I’m trying to sleep.’

‘Quietly it is, then,’ said Alan, laughing.

They sat for a while longer, drinking and talking with their friends, until James and Tina excused themselves, and Oliver and Alexandra followed soon thereafter.

‘You staying over, Brendan?’ asked Nick, raising an eyebrow suggestively.

Brendan looked mildly uncomfortable. ‘I . . . I mean . . .’

‘You can stay if you want,’ said Mellie, almost coyly. ‘I wouldn’t mind . . .’

Brendan licked his lips. Then his eyes moved to the empty wine bottle on the table in front of her and, giving her a brief peck on the lips, said, ‘Another time. When we haven’t been drinking so much.’

‘Ooh, I like this one,’ said Matt. ‘Consent is sexy.’

Still, it took Mellie a good ten minutes to return to the living room after walking Brendan to the door.

‘He seems nice,’ said Nick, smiling. ‘Hope it works out.’

Mellie gave a half smile. ‘Yeah, me too.’

* * *

Nick dragged Dave into their shared bedroom. Brendan might not want to have sex when drunk, but Nick had no such scruples, especially given that he and Dave had been at this for over four years now. It was crazy, thinking that it had been that long. Since they had moved to Manchester, for Dave to study medicine, things had been good. They had been so, so good. It was hard to believe, after everything that had happened between them. All the bad stuff.

Nick pushed his boyfriend down on the bed and climbed on top of him.

‘Eager, aren’t you?’ Dave murmured against his lips.

‘Mhm.’ Nick licked into Dave’s mouth and then moved his lips to his neck. ‘Want you. Really, really badly.’ Coming off stage after a particularly good performance frequently turned into this. This need for closeness and intimacy and, well, sex. Thankfully, seeing Nick on stage had a tendency to get Dave going as well, so that worked out nicely.

Dave chuckled softly. ‘You’re so hot. How are you this hot? Ah, fuck . . .’ Nick had reached down between them and palmed Dave through his jeans.

‘You’re wearing too many clothes,’ Nick breathed.

‘You too,’ Dave agreed. He pulled off his shirt and started working on Nick’s clothing, and soon they were both naked and rutting against one another.

‘I’m gonna ride you,’ Nick murmured against Dave’s lips, and Dave released an obscene groan that was far too loud considering that Matt, Alan and Stuart were just outside their door, in the living room. Nick kissed him to shut him up. ‘Shh . . . Quiet. I love you.’

‘You can ride me,’ said Dave breathlessly, ‘but I want to suck you off, first.’

Nick let out a shaky breath and smiled coyly at him. ‘Deal.’

Dave made Nick come with his mouth, and then he was inside Nick, filling him the way Nick loved to be filled. Four years, both twenty years old now, and they didn’t want each other any less than they had when they were teenagers. Dave always, always made Nick feel wanted and loved, and tonight that love was almost enough to make Nick cry, because he was a little bit drunk and a lot happy.

Afterwards, they lay in each other’s arms. Nick kissed Dave’s neck, and his cheek, and his chest, and found his mouth, giving him a long, soft, languorous kiss. He wanted to stay just like this for the rest of his life.

‘Dave?’

‘Mhm?’ Dave’s eyes were closed, and he smiled sleepily.

‘I want to be with you forever. I know that’s not a promise anyone can make, but . . .’

Dave opened his blue eyes and locked his gaze to Nick’s. ‘Maybe not. But I can promise that I’ll always be honest with you, and always interpret your words and your actions as though you have the best intentions. And that I’ll always listen to what you have to say. And that I will always, always be your friend, no matter what else happens.’

Nick sighed and licked his lips. After everything that had passed between them, he still often felt like he didn’t deserve the trust that Dave put in him, but Dave had never held what happened over his head, had never used it to guilt trip him or shame him or anything like that. ‘Okay,’ said Nick. ‘Then I promise the same things.’

Dave kissed his forehead softly. ‘Then that’s our forever. I love you, Nick.’

Nick raised his head and kissed Dave again, trying to put everything he felt into it, because words could never suffice. They came away from it hot and flushed, though neither of them were ready to go again, not quite yet. ‘I love you too,’ Nick breathed, and he knew he always would.

END