Was he messing with him? How dare he. Rude ass.

"It's about making money, Cian. You know this about me," he teased.

"Besides, don't you have your own minor league gym to run? Can't spend all your time fucking me," Eli said with a sly grin.

Of course, it was one of the only times he managed to tease him without turning into a blushing mess. Because, the next time Cian spoke, asking him if he wanted him to do it only one more time, followed by asking if he wanted him to stay... Elliott felt his heart begin to pound.

Was it from nervousness? Excitement? Anticipation? He couldn't tell. But, he knew his answer.

"Stay. Please."

CIAN MAHER

☉

Apparently, Elliott wasn't the only one thinking about initiating another time together. He looked up from his little hiding spot, eyebrows raised.

"Let me look at my schedule later, when I have my laptop in front of me."

He didn't know what shoots he had planned.

"Though... I wouldn't mind one more time tonight?"

CIAN MAHER

☉

He didn't have the energy to tell Cian to shut up, to stop laughing like he normally would. Instead, he hummed, shifting his legs as he felt his friend pat them from above the covers.

"You did good."

Something about that, the way he said it or the generosity of it, made a tingling sensation shoot through Eli. He blushed, biting his lip as he hid his face into Cian's side or a pillow, whichever was closer.

"Again? Well... yeah," he said after a moment's thought.

CIAN MAHER

☉

His proposal momentarily threw Elliott off. A photoshoot? His brows rose, then furrowed in confusion as he looked at Caden. Then, he spoke.

"You do realize that I'm a professional model, right? I do photoshoots all the time," he said.

Unless... Caden was implying something else entirely. He wasn't entirely sure as a bottle of sake was placed on the table, followed with appetizers.

caden maher

☉

Even though he wouldn't admit it out loud, Elliott found comfort when Cian slid back into the bed with him, huddling close as he put his arm around him. Sure, they'd cuddled like this before.

Just not naked and post-sex.

"What?"

He paused. How much did he honestly answer?

"Half of it, no. The other half..."

He waved his hand in the air. He had only gotten there about halfway several times.

CIAN MAHER

☉

Eli, after finishing the water and setting it down on his nightstand, gives him a pouting face, pulling sheets over him. Now, he was expecting him to get dressed, say goodbye, and leave.

But, Cian plopped his ass down on the bed.

"I think I'm going to be sore later," he said, though he wouldn't admit that it was probably the best he'd felt in... ever.

Blinking, he pondered a moment before feeling an urge for him to come closer. Slowly, Eli scooted a little bit closer. And then, he stuck a hand out from under the sheets, tapping the mattress.

CIAN MAHER

☉

Eli looked away from the spot he was staring at on the ceiling as Cian returned, looking over toward him. However, despite what they had just done, he grew bashful again, feeling his cheeks turn pink as he sat up.

"You'd do something like that after what we did? I thought you were supposed to be nice to me afterward."

Eli took the cup, sipping from it like his life depended on it.

CIAN MAHER

☉

Elliott looked up from his menu, looking rather confused from the sudden surge of compliments. Okay, well, he had been getting complimented the entire evening thus far, but being told to have more confidence?

It just seemed unlike Caden to tell him that. He had expected more flirting, more shallow comments.

"And how do you propose that?" he asked, a mixture of genuine curiosity and challenge.

caden maher

☉

Elliott, while Cian got up to make himself a drink, was laying flat on the bed, staring up at the ceiling like he was dazed. In a way, he was. His experience with anything that intimate was next to none.

It was like all of his energy had been pulled out of him, but he also never felt more relaxed in his life.

"M'fine," he said, hardly moving an inch.

CIAN MAHER

☉

Drinks were abandoned, that was for sure. Whatever confidence Cian had built in a matter of moments spurred him to go to the bedroom, even looking back to summon Elliott to follow.

Poor Eli. He didn't know if he could make it.

Holding his pants up with one hand, he balanced his way after Cian using walls, counters, whatever he could hold until the door was shut behind him and he could collapse on the bed. Reaching for his arm and tugging him down, he initiated this time.

CIAN MAHER

☉

Not yet?

Was Cian inane? A sadist? Eli felt like if he didn't at least sit down somewhere soon, he was going to collapse like sunken jelly and never stand up again. Maybe the whine he let out conveyed such a concern.

Especially the further down he went. He found himself clinging onto Cian by his head, grabbing his hair by the fistful, to find some sort of stability.

CIAN MAHER

☉

The trek to the inner room was just as Elliott thought. They had to take their time, avoiding any guards, but they had to be quick as well. By the time they entered the room, he was just relieved that the process seemed to be near halfway over.

His eyes watched closely as Cygne exposed the laser trap, lighting the way to the case in the center. Expected, he thought, as he dug at his side.

"Not my first time doing this," Eli reminded her.

Pulling a silenced weapon from his belt, he traced each laser to the outlet they were located at. He shot the area, disabling the system. Of course, it gave them a limited amount of time to get the jewels and get out of there. But they had time.

"Okay. We have a set time now. Get in, get out. Move."

ana fell

☉