(Closed to Gabe - Sirens Gone Wild plot~)

[freefromsin]

Caleb wakes up with the overwhelming feeling that he needs to see Gabe.

It's one step away from thinking Gabe is in trouble, that urgent. There's no explanation, but the panic, the desperation, the longing are a physical ache in his chest that's impossible to ignore. He scrambles from bed, pulling on shoes while stumbling for the bathroom to take a quick piss. He manages a five second teeth brushing, but doesn't bother with his hair. He went to bed in cotton shorts and a tank top and he figures he's dressed well enough, he doesn't have time to change, he has to go.

He slips quickly and silently out of the house. It's pouring but that doesn't stop him from sprinting down the driveway to the sidewalk. It's a brisk five or ten minute jog to Mira's house, and surely the most exercise he's had in awhile, but he hardly notices. He's panting and drenched by the time he reaches their block. Shivering, he rubs a frantic hand over the back of his neck; it's early and he doesn't want to piss Mira's family off by knocking at the door and potentially waking anyone up, but he needs Gabe. Gabe needs him, he just knows it.

After some manic pacing in front of Mira's house, he finally walks to the porch and gives a determined knock. Or two.

...Three when no one answers right away.

Comments

[overdrawing]

"If I leave, I'll tell you." Not that he plans to leave. Gabe thinks that if he ever moved somewhere, Siren Cove would inspire the homesickness that his family home doesn't. He'd miss Mira and Finn, even the work at the pub that leaves his hands raw and rough.

Shyly, Gabe moves a few inches closer, close enough for a kiss he's not brave enough to ask for.

[freefromsin]

"Okay." Caleb's voice goes hushed as Gabe gets closer. He's so close it's hard to focus on his face, and Caleb's heart speeds up again. Still, his eyes search Gabe's for intent.

"Can I kiss you?" he whispers.

[overdrawing]

Yes and please are such simple sounds and yet so difficult to say. Quietly, Gabe nods, his eyes meeting Caleb and he waits, holding his breath.

[freefromsin]

Caleb wants to kiss Gabe more than anything. He wants to feel what he'd felt that night in the hotel room with him; it had probably been the best night of his whole life. And it wasn't just the sex - though that had been amazing - it was affirming what he was. It was the connection. It was all the affection and desire he'd felt for Gabe since he was a teenager being acted upon - showing him how he felt and having it reciprocated. It had been a dream come true. But it hadn't ended well, and now here was a chance to make it right.

And yet.

He can't deny that there's a part of him that's scared. Yes, Gabe is giving him permission, but he'd given him permission that night, too. Time has passed for Gabe to try and come to terms with all of it, but has it been enough? He'd promised himself he would wait, that he wouldn't do anything until Gabe was ready, even if it was twenty years from now...

But maybe he is ready. At least, for a kiss.

So Caleb lets his eyes slip closed, and he leans in, touching their lips together feather-light, the sweetest, most delicate kiss.

[overdrawing]

Gabe's chest thuds with nervousness, with anticipation. There's still fear, but it has nothing to do with Caleb. He doesn't know how to kiss, not really, hasn't kissed anyone before or since Caleb. He isn't like Joel and Spencer or Finn or Davin; he's nothing but clumsy and shy. Inexperienced.

Caleb might laugh at him and Gabe wouldn't even think him wrong for it.

But Caleb's not laughing, or making any noise at all. He's pressed so lightly against Gabe that it's almost impossible to believe it's happening. This is it, he realizes. This is a kiss. The gesture isn't scary or shameful. It's just a kiss. Gabe feels warm all over, safe instead of scared.

Uncertain, he inclines his head a little so that the connection is more real, more firm.

[freefromsin]

Caleb stops thinking, he stops worrying, when he feels Gabe reciprocate. He lets out the tiniest moan and melts into the kiss, reaching over to gently cup Gabe's cheek. It's warm and dreamy and perfect, and it just reaffirms that how he feels about Gabe is real, his feelings never went away.

[overdrawing]

"You're the only person I've ever kissed," Gabe whispers. He keeps his eyes closed so he can just revel in their shared warmth. Vaguely, in the distance, he can hear Mira and her family stirring, but he doesn't want to get up.

Laughing softly, relieved at how easy and safe it feels. "I'm not sneaking you out Mira's window."

[freefromsin]

Caleb feels a flush of guilt, because he'd kissed other boys - and more - after Gabe had disappeared. It wasn't the same, it wasn't near as good, but he'd wanted to know what it would be like. He doesn't say so, though. There's no reason to tell Gabe.

"Would it be so scandalous that I stayed over?" he asks with a small grin. "Nothing happened."

[overdrawing]

No, Gabe realizes, shaking his head slowly. It occurs to him just then that that isn't what he's concerned over. "Just worried it'd be rude, inviting you over when I'm their guest," he admits shyly.

[freefromsin]

Caleb thumbs at the skin between Gabe's eyebrows. "Careful, or you'll get lines for all the worrying you do."

He stretches, and then just flops closer to Gabe, resting an arm loosely around him. "Mira said it was fine, but I'm okay with hiding out here until they leave. ...They do go to work, right?" He didn't have a shift until noon, so he wasn't in a hurry to leave.

[overdrawing]

That provokes a laugh out of him and Gabe ducks his head, blushing a little.

"Just stay here. I don't want to get going or anything. I don't need to."

[freefromsin]

"Okay. Right here," Caleb says, smiling warmly and gazing across the pillow at Gabe.

He realizes, then, that they're laying on the floor when there's an even more comfortable bed available to them. "...We could probably move to the bed, though. No reason to stay down here." He sits up, stretching again, and scrubs a hand through his hair.

[overdrawing]

"Okay, right there," he says, shuffling reluctantly away only so he can stand up. It shouldn't surprise him, Gabe realizes, how much more complete he feels just by having Caleb nearby to help.

"Thanks...for all of this."

[freefromsin]

"For what?" Caleb asks, laughter in his voice. Not cruel, just...happy.

He flops down on the bed on his back, scooting all the way over to the side to make room for Gabe. It isn't a very large bed, but it's enough for them to share comfortably if they don't mind laying close. Which Caleb absolutely does not.

[overdrawing]

"Finding me," he says again. Caleb found him in a lot of different ways and in the end, Gabe thinks he'll be grateful. He can't go back to the person he was or the family he had, but he has a new life here.

[freefromsin]

"Then thanks for wanting me to stay," Caleb says softly around the bloom of warmth in his chest and face, sitting up and taking Gabe's hand to pull him onto the bed with him.