Archive of Our Own

As a video store manager and part-time Hollow-hacker, Wise certainly has his fair share of experience with cardboard boxes. Accepting shipments, organizing inventory, and storing parts take up a majority of his life. However, the worst of them all by far has to be his current task: remote setup.

It's just tedious. And here, he can't even settle down in an abandoned office room or air conditioned basement. No, it's straight from the trunk of his car, in the middle of Blazewood, where it's bound to get sweltering within seconds if Wise doesn't bring out the extra cooling equipment that he spent way too much money on. This means he has to pack everything in, drive over, take everything out, and by the time he's sweat out his entire shirt, he's barely even started.

As he sits on his suitcase— the one with the clothes— he slumps over his portable fan and stares longingly at the abandoned diner. If only it was open. He could get an iced tea, maybe a sundae. Iced teas in Blazewood are supposed to be nice and sweet, with lemon. Or maybe he just saw that in an old movie. 

Behind him, Wise hears the crunch of footsteps. Heavier than the usual girls, so he probably doesn't know this person. Whoo. Manager mode. He sits up, scrubbing the remnants of sweat off his forehead, and turns around.

Then does a double-take.

The man looks straight out of a modern action flick, with a leather jacket marred with studs and a tattered red scarf. Aviator shades, light enough for Wise to see the handsome face beneath it, framed by soft, wild hair. His hands are big, his chest is wide, and Wise, who thought he'd beaten off all temptations of a certain kind long ago, finds himself in terrible danger.

It helps when the man finally looks down at him and subsequently walks straight into the side of Wise’s car.

“Wha… Are you okay?” Wise leaps to his feet to check on the beautiful man, who is holding his knee with a concerning amount of tension. 

“S’all good,” the man is quick to reply, not looking up. “You wouldn't mind pretending to not have seen that, would you?”

“I mean, it depends.” Wise hovers over the man, close enough to care but far enough to run. “Who are you? And are you here for something?”

“Suspicious one, are ya?” The man chuckles. When he peeks up, Wise catches a glance of deep, dark eyes over a charming grin, both of which only add fuel to his racing heart. “You're the other Proxy, right? Lighter Lorenz. Caesar should have told you about me. I just came to check in on ya.”

Oh, that's right. Caesar had been very excited about introducing all of her friends, and Lighter had been the only man. Their Champion with a red scarf. For some reason, Wise has imagined someone meatier and more grizzled, maybe bald and covered in scars and tattoos. Something that only proves how little he goes out in favor of watching his collection.

“Yes,” Wise says aloud, just to purge the silence. He swallows and scratches the back of his neck, as if he could cover up the redness. “I’m Wise. Thank you for taking care of Belle. She has a habit of walking into danger, so it’s bad for my heart when she's doing in-person commissions without me.”

Lighter hums as he straightens back up to full height, and Wise realizes that he's also tall. Wise, who is as average as humans get, is dwarfed by his broad frame. It's only made worse when Lighter leans over, propping his elbow up on the side of the car and engulfing Wise in his shadow, protecting the Proxy from the unforgiving Blazewood sun.

“Gave ya a little scare, didn't she?” Lighter chuckles. “Don't worry yer pretty head. No harm will come to your sister with the Sons of Calydon watching over her.” He tilts his chin down, smirking. “And that goes for you too, darlin’.”

Over the rim of his glasses, their gazes meet, and Wise needs to take a step back from the intensity of it. When did their faces get so close? 

In a moment of clarity, Wise realizes he's being flirted with. It's far from the first time someone has expressed their interest in Wise, though none of the ones Wise have actually been attracted to have been so bold. Perhaps Lighter is like this to most people he meets, especially ones who are doing him favors. Did Belle get this treatment as well? Did he lean over her so close that their breaths mingled, that the toes of their shoes knocked together?

The thought sobers Wise up more than any strike over the head. Smiling politely, he takes a good couple steps back.

“I would hope so,” he says. “On that note, I wouldn't spend too much time worrying about things on my end. I'll just be here making sure the HDD doesn't overheat.”

If Lighter notices the subtle dismissal, he doesn't show it. Instead, he leans his shoulder against the car frame as Wise is forced to go back to organizing his equipment. He really wishes Lighter wouldn't. Not with that body of his, watching Wise grunt over computer parts with his scrawny frame. 

After a few moments of rather embarrassing noises and whole lot more sweat, Lighter pipes up again, “Do you actually like doing this by yourself, or are you just actin’ cute for me?”

Wise doesn't want to, but he blushes easily. “Only Belle and I really know how to set the system up properly. I wouldn't want to waste your time.”

“No hope for a muscle head like me, huh?”

Wise flinches. “I didn't mean that.”

“Ha! Don't worry, I know.” Daring another glance over, Wise’s heart jumps when his eyes meet Lighter’s, so close he can see the flecks of green in his eyes. “You're killin’ me here, you know? This is Blazewood, and I'd be a terrible host if I left a pretty thing like you to struggle all by yourself.”

They're just sugary words, too sweet to swallow, but unfortunately, Wise likes sweets. He also gave Wise an out. The better idea would be to distance himself from Lighter, but…

“Alright,” says Wise, far more easily than he should.

“I know, you must be a capable guy, but… Wait, really?” Lighter does a double-take at Wise's face, as if trying to see if he's joking or not. Quickly, he clears his throat. “Heh, a Wise choice.”

“I don't find puns with my name funny.”

“Made’ja smile, though, didn't it?” Lighter says with a smile, tapping Wise’s chin with his knuckle cheekily. “Don't worry, the big boss said yer too precious to scare away. I'll be a good boy.”

With that, he shucks off his leather jacket, revealing a dark muscle shirt that does exactly what it's meant to and more. Wise’s mouth waters so fast he needs to swallow. Lighter is a work of art; he has the type of body actors need to maintain to make the romantic dramas believable. It's the cinematic sensuality that made Wise realize he was into men, and Lighter had exposed it like people aren't paying millions of dollars to see him naked.

This is why he needed to escape. He feels like the kind of guy he warns Belle about when he hands her a taser before she goes out for the evening. As he watches Lighter grab the heaviest box Wise has, heaving it to his chest with a wicked sound, Wise feels ashamed. Ashamed that he can't stop looking, can't stop imagining. Wise is not a heavy guy. Lighter could damage him.

“Darlin’?”

“Mm’hrm?” Wise emotes, rather strangled.

Lighter laughs. “Where am I puttin’ this?”

“Ah, um.” Reality comes back in pieces, and Wise suddenly remembers who he is and why he's here. “Back where it was. Help me put together the cooling system first.”

Reluctantly, Lighter sets down the box with all the care Wise would ask of him. They eventually begin to put together the portable HDD, and Wise finds it much easier than he expected. Lighter doesn't make assumptions; he simply does as Wise tells him to, so fluidly that Wise starts to forget he's there. He doesn't complain when Wise needs a minute or twenty to fix something himself, as boring as that must be, and doesn't bother Wise when it's obvious the young Proxy needs space to concentrate.

As dangerous as Lighter comes across, he’s still thoughtful, Wise has noticed. Reliable. Wise likes reliable. Lighter is sturdy and obedient and always knows exactly what to say to draw Wise in. If he keeps that up, Wise is going to start assuming the man is actively trying to stick around. He assures himself that Lighter is just following orders, maybe even keeping Wise in check. Still, for a little while, it's nice to dream.

Once the HDD is up and running, Wise lets out a sigh of relief. “Good to go. I updated everything before I left, so you can let Caesar and Kasa know we'll be ready for them when they are.”

“Mm,” Lighter mutters from where he sits across from Wise in the boot of the car, staring at him. Did he actually doze off with his eyes open? Wise waves a hand in front of his face. “Hm? What?”

Wise chuckles. “I said we're done, Lighter.”

“We are?” Lighter doesn't sound very enthused about that. His knee bumps into Wise’s as he sits up, their shoulders brushing. They must have drifted closer as Wise was focused on doing a final check of the diagnostics. “Damn, that was fast.”

Even with the display now showing the time, Wise doesn't need to check it to know how long this really took. The unforgiving heat that nearly melted him earlier is gone with the setting sun, shifting into a more comfortable desert chill. Had Kasa not been so generous with his and Belle’s accommodations, he knows they would have been in for a freezing night. 

Still, the dropping temperatures make him even more reluctant to part from Lighter, who, like his name, is naturally warm. Wise feels like if there's any time to escape, it's now, so he takes the first excuse he can get to get the man to leave.

But Lighter doesn't take it.

Scratching his head, Lighter looks away, then back again. The movement almost seems sheepish. “You doin’ anything after this, Proxy?”

Ah. Huh?

“...What?” Wise asks.

Lighter removes his sunglasses and tucks them into his collar. Whoa. He doesn't seem as mysterious anymore. His eyes are much more innocent than Wise expected, but perhaps that's why Lighter keeps them hidden. When the biker sees his reaction, he chuckles.

“Look’it you. Yer gonna give a man an ego if you keep blushin’ like that,” he says, nudging Wise’s pink cheek. Wise begins to panic. Had it been so obvious? All this time? “Don't think much about it. Workin’ folk need a good meal after a long day, y’know, and I happen to know a thing or two ‘round a kitchen myself.”

Had it been the Lighter from earlier, Wise may not have believed him, but the man in front of him right now in his sweaty tee, messy hair, kind eyes and face reddened with exertion and maybe something else, Wise can see it.

And he wants to.

“Well… I could tell you my standards are high, but they're not,” he confesses, and is rewarded with a big, genuine grin from his companion. Cute, Wise thinks, feeling soft. He's cute. “It's not going to take much to impress me. What happens if I let my guard down around you?”

Lighter laughs. “You can get Big Daddy to run me over himself if I don't do right by you,” he says, hand over his chest. “Be patient with me, though, alright? Can't imagine I won't be trippin’ myself dizzy trying to get you to keep lookin’ at me like you are now.”

Wise hums. “And you haven't already?”

“Already working, ain't it?”

It is. Wise is surprised how easily the flirtations come out. He just feels so comfortable; he's forgotten the way he and Lighter are pressed up against one another, how openly he's being allowed to ogle the man. Perhaps, if Lighter held his hand, Wise would get the courage to lean in closer, higher. Is this really him? What would Belle say, if she saw him now? Nothing good. He hopes she’s— 

“Lighter!?”

Wise scrambles backwards so quickly he falls off of the car, but he never hits the ground. Lighter grapples him much faster, pulling Wise into his chest, even as he stares off with Lucy gaping not a few meters from them, Piper blinking blearily at her side.

“You're…! You…! What the hell are you wearing!?” she demands, red as a beet. Though Wise only gets a glimpse of her reaction from where Lighter has stuffed Wise's face into his clothed pecs; and they're so soft . “Caesar said to check in on the other Proxy, not give him a strip show, you animal!”

“I just took my jacket off. Grow up, Lucy,” Lighter snaps back, which Wise mostly hears from his chest. “He asked for my help and I gave it.”

Technically, Lighter had practically begged to help and Wise had relented, but Wise thinks it's adorable how he keeps trying to keep the cool guy act in front of the younger members. Also, Wise needs to breathe. He wiggles out of Lighter’s arms with a gasp and clarifies, “I'm not used to the heat here. Lighter helped save me from a heatstroke.”

“That's why it looked like they wanted to play tongue hockey,” Piper says to Lucy, barely loud enough for everyone to hear. Lucy, consequently, makes a disgusted sound that can be heard all the way from Sixth Street. 

Instead of replying, Lighter turns to Wise with a raised brow. “Did you?”

Wise grips the knees of his pants. “...Huh?”

“Want that.” It's more curious than flirtatious. Cute. Cute. Cute. 

Yeah. It's hard to flirt back with an audience, especially one that reminds him of his sister twice over. So Wise just turns away and says, “Don't push it.”

“Gotcha.” Lighter rises to his feet and proceeds to knock Lucy over her helmet with a clang, sending them into a minor scuffle. “Lemme stuff this one in a crate and come back to pick you up, sound good?”

“My bat’s been looking for a few new balls, Lighter!” Lucy warns as she tries to punch the older man in the crotch.

“...Just come back in one piece,” Wise tells Lighter.

In a practiced move, Lighter hauls the kicking Lucy to his chest and starts to carry her away. “Wouldn't dream of disappointing you, sweetheart!”

Wise turns to Piper as well, who gives him an OK sign and follows them. With a sigh, Wise makes his way over the Leverboo to go inform Kasa and Caesar himself of the complete setup.

And then it hits him. He has a date.

He has a date with a sweet, hunky, dependable man who seems to be really into him too.

…Did Wise actually pass out from heatstroke? 

When he meets up with Belle, he asks her to smack him in the face, which she does without asking questions. Yeah, he's lucid. And all he took with him to Blazewood were loose shirts and not-nice jeans he thought would be okay to get covered in sand. He's so fucked.

Lighter hadn't been lying; he can cook. “Perks of being a jock,” he'd described it as Wise had tried to shove food into his face without looking like a loser whose hobbies included video games, artsy movies, and criminal activity. He tried to finish as much as he could, although Lighter eventually told him that there had been an excess made on purpose so Wise could take some home later. Apparently that was normal in Blazewood.

“What if I want you to cook for me again tomorrow?” Wise asks, because Lighter had looked so amused when Wise had tried to actually eat everything.

Lighter chuckles. “Then come on over. You know where I live.”

“No thanks,” Wise continues, placing his dishes in Lighter’s sink. “I feel like this could last me the next couple days.”

“Then maybe you don't have to come for the food.” When Wise turns, Lighter has his hip against the table; plenty of space between them, now feeling like mere inches with a single look. 

Not wanting to give in, Wise asks, “Why else would I come?”

Lighter gives him a smirk. Wise doesn't react.

And soon, after a long, awkward silence and Wise picking at his packed food, Lighter lets out a cough.

“You know, I just thought… If you want.” Lighter scratches his neck, acting as if the heat has suddenly gotten to him. “We could watch a movie…?”

“You don't have a TV,” Wise points out.

“I'll borrow Kasa’s,” Lighter says. “It's the one everyone uses. We have movies here, I promise. Though you probably don't wanna watch any of Caesar’s crap. Are you okay with blockbusters? I mean, you seem like a sophisticated guy when it comes to this stuff, but entertainment here is kinda limited.”

“Am I a pretentious film guy, you mean?” Wise asks with a raised brow. When Lighter sputters, Wise laughs. “I am, actually. But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy a good action flick that's mostly explosions. Not all movies were made to be artsy masterpieces.”

Lighter sighs. “You're killin’ me here, dar— Proxy.” 

That gives Wise pause. “Huh, I didn't know me being an art kid was such a deal breaker.”

“Huh?” Lighter seems to trip over the table as he stumbles Wise’s way. “When did I say that?”

“You stopped with the pet names,” Wise tells him. It's meant to be teasing, but apparently it's bothering him more than he'd like to admit.

This is just so much. Lighter is so much lovelier than he'd expected. It's one thing to whisper sweet nothings and look like sin, but another to stumble over your words, to grin like an idiot when Wise lights up when tastes Lighter's food. Wise is simple and inexperienced. It's not hard for him to go from 'can I be with you' to 'can I keep you'.

Wise has things he needs to do. People to take care of, people to save. What is Lighter in this scheme?

Tried, Wise says what he needs to before he loses his edge. “Listen, maybe that's for the best. I'm not sure how long I can interest you anyways, so it's best we stop this here before I get my hopes up.”

“Get yer… wait, wait, wait, Proxy— darlin’.” Wise’s heart jams in his throat when Lighter kicks out the nearest chair and sits in front of Wise, so close in his cramped apartment space that their knees need to slot together. Then he takes Wise's hand in his own, calloused and firm, so warm that it's going to be impossible for Wise to forget what they feel like. “Don't jerk me ‘round like this. Do you like me?”

“I-I…” Wise swallows. He wants to look back at Lighter, he does, but his face is so close now. “I… You think I don't?”

“I dunno, been tryin’ to figure that out all evening,” Lighter says with a self-deprecating laugh, one that makes Wise’s stomach curdle. “Yer givin’ me mixed signals here. Been thinkin’ I've been pretty obvious, y'know. A beautiful, smart, capable guy like yourself rides in and I'm like, damn, if I don't shoot my shot then what am I even doin’ with my life?”

“Beauti… Lighter ,” Wise hisses, cheeks burning. He tries to jerk his hand back, but Lighter holds on, resolute. “You're either lying or delusional. Have you seen me?”

“I'm starting to think you haven't,” Lighter mumbles. His thumbs caress the back of Wise's hand in a way that nearly makes Wise mewl, a sound he didn't even know he could make. 

Wise isn't used to being the center of attention; that's what Belle does. Wise is the guy behind the screen, managing their finances, sorting tapes in the back, making sure everything is running smoothly while his extroverted sister handles the face-to-face interactions. She has a way of connecting with people, online and off, that makes up the heart Phaethon. It's amazing to see how people take to her, and Wise has made it his job to protect that.

It's rare that people notice him first, and when they do, they get bored fast. Wise isn't interesting. He reads the news for fun. He likes movies that put people to sleep. If Lighter invites him out for a ride, Wise would probably black out. Or throw up. And Lighter likes him, why? Because Wise is pretty? Wise needs a fucking shower.

“Damn, you think a lot,” Lighter says, which only serves to humiliate Wise further. “This is where I should ask you out on a proper date, but considering, ah, we're kinda busy with the Tour and everythin’...”

“This deserves a lot of thought,” Wise argues. He covers his face with his free hand. “What is this? You want to date me?”

Lighter perks up. “Can I?” 

“You haven't thought about it!?”

“I dunno, I was focused on gettin’ you to like me first.”

“Like y— Of course I like you! That's the problem! You're so my type it's impossible to believe!”

“I-I, really?” Why does he look so flabbergasted!? What kind of biker bad boy is this cute!? Wise really feels like his ocular implants have malfunctioned and he's now experiencing some virtual hallucination based on every pathetic dream he's had since his preteens. “O-Okay, okay, let's do that then. Wise, babe, how do I get you to believe I'm totally into you?”

So Wise, mentally, emotionally, physically winded, blurts out, “Kiss me.”

And without hesitation, Lighter does.

Wise wonders if he should have mentioned that he hasn't been kissed since he was a student. That he's never dated anyone in a way that didn't feel like awkward fumbling with their words and hands. He feels like he's been pushed off of one of Blazewood’s towering canyons, but Lighter is there at the bottom to catch him. And with the sweet, pleading way his lips press against Wise’s, he feels like he might just survive.

So Wise kisses back. With trembling hands, he reaches up for Lighter’s face, angling him to a more comfortable position. He wants Lighter to feel at home in his touch, so that he wouldn't even think about breaking away. Lighter himself must be feeling cautious, because he's not as insistent as Wise expects, matching Wise's kisses with his own. It's only when Wise amps up the heat, when his own tongue starts licking at the seam of Lighter’s mouth, that Lighter lets go.

And then, they're on the table. Lighter lifts Wise up like it's nothing and all of the heat drops right down then Wise’s lower half. He yelps, out of embarrassment, pleasure, and grinds up on instinct. Lighter gasps and growls as he presses Wise horizontal against his makeshift dining table— an abandoned diner sidepiece meant for one— and the entire thing creaks with their combined weight. This barely registers as Wise is suddenly bursting with the full heat of Lighter’s tongue twining with his own, those large hands planted firmly at his hips, gripped into fists for one last attempt at control.

“Mmh — Lighter, aah, Light— mmrh…” Wise wants to speak, though his hands are thinking differently, doing nothing to push Lighter off. They press against Lighter’s chest, not to stop him, but to caress those full pecs like he's been imagining himself doing all day. They're just as soft as Wise remembers them and more. It's hard to form a coherent thought when his brain is just tits, tits, tits. “Lighter we’re gonna break the tab— whoa! ”

With how small Lighter's place is, the journey from the table to the ratty couch takes two seconds. Wise’s back bounces off the cushions once before Lighter is on top of him again, between his legs and grasping at Wise’s hips. Both hands nearly wrap around him fully, and Wise is aching . 

Lighter is too, from the way they brush against each other. But he does his best to keep himself from fully grinding against Wise. It's taking its toll, and that effort is going to show in the bruises Wise will surely wake up with tomorrow, perfectly matching the shape of Lighter’s hands. 

You're so sweet , Wise thinks through his love-haze, for lack of a better word. I want you so bad. How could someone like you want me as their boyfriend?

They make out for a while, probably. Wise doesn't trust his perception of time when Lighter's mouth is on his. The slow dance between hungry, open-mouthed kisses and adoring peppering of Lighter’s lips against his cheeks and jaw. Wise touches everything he can— Lighter's chest, his biceps, his waist and hips. He's too embarrassed to go for Lighter’s ass, but he eventually does sink his fingers into Lighter’s soft hair, especially after the whimper Lighter makes when he tugs at it. He's so cute, he's so cute .

“W-Wise,” Lighter soon sputters out. Wise makes a desperate sound when the biker draws away, vision blurry. “Was… Was that enough? I can't… I can't go any further unless you…”

“Y-Yeah,” Wise says through his foggy, kiss-stained brain. “Please date me. S’that… that okay?”

“You sure?” Lighter asks. His nose brushes against Wise’s cheek as he presses kiss against it. “You can't back out. You at least gotta let me have this for a week before you change yer mind.”

“Just a week?” Wise asks blearily.

“I’m clingy, darlin’.” Lighter admits, kissing down his neck. “I'm the one who should be worried about you gettin’ sick of me .”

Oh, a thrum of pleasure runs down Wise’s spine at that. He's not surprised at the admission. It's probably what lured Wise into this apartment in the first place. He likes that Lighter begs for his attention, that he hangs off of Wise’s every move and word. Wise is so simple. He's so, so easy and he hopes Lighter doesn't do anything to take advantage of that.

Somehow, he knows Lighter won't.

He nudges Lighter’s face off of his neck, meeting the dark green of his eyes. Instinctively, he pets at Lighter’s hair, smiling in admiration. Lighter watches the soft curve of Wise’s lips and dares to tilt his head into Wise’s hand like a pleading dog. 

“I'm scared of motorbikes,” Wise admits.

“Wow, pulling out the big guns this late in the game, huh?” Lighter chuckles.

“But I'm willing to try getting over that,” Wise continues, cheeks flushed. “If I had a good teacher, that is.”

Lighter beams, so unlike the playboy persona he'd introduced to Wise earlier. He tugs Wise’s hands down and presses his lips against the palm. “Fuck, you were made for me.”

Flustered, Wise flicks his forehead, then shoves Lighter back. With a yelp, they're flipped over, Wise straddling his hips and hands pressed against his shoulders. He then devours Lighter like he could vanish tomorrow, like he can burn the sound of Lighter's moans and whines into his eardrums. He's going to need it to, if he's going to survive a long-distance relationship like this.

“Boyfriend?” Wise asks weakly.

Lighter squeaks. “Y-Yeah?”

“Just checking.” And then Wise goes back to kissing the crap out of him. 

Best to get it all out before reality hits tomorrow.

Out of all of the drama of the Tour de Inferno, Wise and Lighter continue to make out. A lot. Mostly when it's appropriate; Caesar did almost die, after all. And also mostly in secret. 

Wise and Lighter agreed that they didn't need any more distractions, especially with the whirlwind relationship they've dived into in exactly no time at all. It doesn't feel right to just drop that in while everyone's busy trying to bring stability back to Blazewood. So they often wander off together when things are calm, kissing in the quiet of Lighter’s cabin, sitting together with their hips pressed against one another. 

Lighter does indeed ‘borrow’ the TV that is technically Kasa’s, and Wise digs out a couple VCRs he keeps in the car just in case. He sits through a three-hour long indie that Wise really just put on as a test. He falls asleep halfway through, but Wise decides that he still passes. He did his best. 

Lighter spins him around on Yeh Yeh’s swing that Wise is definitely too big for, and Wise does his best to sit on Lighter’s bike without having a heart attack. They end up going for a ride around the desert, and Wise holds on like he might die for the entire time. To his horror, once Lighter realizes that Wise is comfortable enough to not fling himself off in shock, he speeds up a couple times on purpose just to make Wise hold on tighter.

“I fucking hate you,” Wise mumbles while shaking, once they've found a suitable pit stop. Lighter just laughs and pulls Wise into his lap, petting the manager like he's a scared cat.

“Can't get over your fears without a bit of adrenaline, Proxy,” Lighter teases. “You gotta get used to it fast. I wanna pick you up when I come over.”

Wise thinks of Lighter learning up against his bike in Random Play’s parking lot, beckoning him over with a helmet in hand. Then pulling him in, bending him over the front seat, touching Wise like he's missed him.

Wise lets Lighter drag him out on more rides after that. He doesn't want to admit it, but the speed really does help, and the view outside of town is incredible. Once Lighter realizes Wise has a soft spot for sunrises, the biker drags himself out of bed before daybreak just to steal Wise away. Wise takes a million photos, and Lighter even makes it into some of them. It says a lot.

Eventually, the race is finished, and their time in Blazewood is nearly over. The relief Wise feels when Kasa convinces Belle to help her refurbish Cheesetopia is immense, so much that once Wise is in the privacy of his own room, he sinks down to the floor in relief.

“Never thought I'd see this place again,” Lighter comments as they watch massive sign get craned up. “Like, what kind of biker town are we without cheese fries?”

“I thought you were all about a healthy diet,” Wise points out.

“I can afford a couple thousand calories,” Lighter says, then looks at Wise pointedly. “So could you.”

Wise jabs him in the side. 

Then, after leaning against Lighter's solid form for just a bit more, he asks, “Does this mean you're finally going to take me out on that date?”

Lighter blinks down at him, processing. Then, he jumps to attention. Wise decides to answer for him, making a move for the entrance, until Lighter pulls him back.

“Hold up, hold up," his boyfriend pleads. Wise does. "I told you I was gonna treat you right. I need to get dressed for this.”

Fuck, Wise was trying not to think about that. He still doesn't have any good clothes. “That's okay,” he says.

“No, no, no, I have an outfit picked out.” That is so adorable that Wise wants to kiss him senseless. “I gotta show how serious I am about you. Meet me here at seven.”

And then he's gone.

Wise waves him off then makes a beeline straight for his and Belle’s cabin.

“Hey bro, check it out! I found this massive gopher and—”

“I'm going on a date in a few hours and I need you to make me look hot,” Wise blurts out all at once.

Belle gapes at him, still holding her gopher.

Then, everything about her shifts. “It's finally happening,” she says seriously.

“Yes,” Wise says. “Can I borrow your cosmetic—”

“Stop right there! I'm calling Lucy and Caesar.” Her phone is already in her hand.

What. “No, you really don't have to.”

“We've been waiting for Lighter or you to ask each other out for weeks! Caesar already offered to donate some flowers for you guys, and Lucy’s got better makeup than me. Just sit tight; you're going to be so edible, that bad boy isn't going to wanna waste a bite.”

“Please don't… say things like that,” Wise begs. And, after a serious moment of contemplation, he says, “We've actually been dating since I got here.”

Belle stops texting. Slowly, she turns to him. She's waiting for a punchline, he knows, but there is none. It's just as stupid as it sounds.

“What,” she says.

“This is just our first proper date,” Wise continues, embarrassed. “But we've been… seeing each other when we aren't busy.”

“You guys have…” She makes a suggestive motion with her hands.

“No,” Wise hisses. Though they've come close. Really close. Several times. “We jumped into this fast. We're going steady for now.” At least, that's what Wise tells himself. They've never actually talked out the statistics of it, but there's some unspoken agreement that they should hold back until they're sure about… things.

“I can't believe I didn't notice,” Belle says, aghast. “You… You! My own brother’s first real boyfriend! And you didn't even tell me! With the sexiest guy in Blazewood!”

“We were busy!” Wise snaps back, though that's the only thing he argues. Lighter is the sexiest man in Blazewood, and he's dating Wise. That's still hard to wrap his head around, though not as much as before. “Can you please just help me look like something he'll still think about after we leave?”

“Bro, if we leave now, he better still be thinking about you.” Belle tells him with her teeth bared. “I want him looking you the same way when you've rolled out of bed with that sweaty big shirt and dried drool on your face.”

Lighter apparently wanted Wise while he stunk like sweat and was covered in sand, but Wise doesn't want that to be the standard. “Can we go back to me being… edible?” 

With that, there's a knock at the door. “Don't you worry your big ol’ head, bro.” Belle gives him a thumbs up. Wow, no wonder it feels so weird when Lighter calls his head pretty. He's so used to this. “The girls and I are going to help you knock that man’s socks off.”

Instead of replying, Wise does the responsible thing and lets in Caesar and Lucy and… Big Daddy?

“I'm here to make you edible,” says the hog thiren. 

Yeah, Wise isn't mentioning any of this to Lighter.

For all his youthful experimentation, Wise has never been on a real date before. One with sitting down and getting to know each other, flirty words without a hint of awkwardness, feet bumping against one another, soft laughter from both ends of the table throughout the whole evening. At one point, Wise slides over to Lighter’s side of the booth, showing the boxer a clip from his phone. He never ends up moving back.

“Uh,” says Lighter afterwards, when they're on the front step of Lighter's apartment, full and still riding the high. “This may have been a bad idea.”

Wise's stomach drops. “What?”

“Cheesetopia,” Lighter quickly clarifies. “If I, uh, knew you were gonna look like this.” He waves over Wise’s primped-up form, hair slicked to one side, wearing his best work jeans and one of Kasa’s button-up shirts that he somehow is able to pass off like it wasn't made for a woman. He's unbuttoned the shirt a bit at the top to loosen up the shoulders, and he's caught Lighter balking at the window more than once. “I would've brought you somewhere… uh, better.”

Wise scans Lighter’s date outfit: a red button-up with the sleeves rolled up and leather pants, hair tousled into a working-mess style. He even took off his sunglasses, a big move for someone who usually hides his insecurity behind his aviators. There's a couple hints of gold in his jewelry, an earring and a couple bracelets, no necklace because apparently Lucy says it ‘makes him look like a gangster'. That may be true. Wise kind of wants to check for himself.

“This isn't our last date, isn't it?” Wise asks.

“‘Course not.” Lighter huffs. “Just thought you deserve more.”

“I don't like fancy places anyway,” says Wise with a soft smile. “And this is part of your home. I'd come here with you any time.”

Lighter stares at him. A hand touches Wise’s face. He realizes he's more used to feeling Lighter with his gloves off than otherwise, something that he doesn't think many other people get to have. He leans into the caress, never looking away from Lighter’s contemplative gaze.

“Hey, babe?” Lighter asks. “Can we have sex?”

And suddenly, the ground disappears from under Wise.

“Now?” he blurts out dumbly.

“P-Preferably,” Lighter continues. Bare-faced, Wise catches every little reaction. The fear, flustering, determination. “It doesn't even have to be penetrative, if you don't want. It's just, you're leaving soon, and I won't get to see you every day anymore. I really, really like you, Wise. And I really want to have sex with you. Right now. Or later. I can wait.”

“Lighter.” Wise swallows nothing. His mouth is dry. And then it's not. “Can you, uh.”

“What?”

“You can touch me however you want,” Wise tells him, “if you manhandle me to bed.”

Lighter’s mouth twitches. “... Huh?” 

Wise coughs. “I've kind of been imagining you ripping my clothes off before having your way with me,” he confesses, because, now or never. “And I… practiced.”

“Practiced…?”

“You… taking me.” Wise mutters the last part off, quiet as a mouse. So much that Lighter needs to lean in to hear him. When Wise looks up, he's close enough to kiss, so Wise does just that. “So, yes, I want to have sex with you. Right now.”

They barely make it through the door.

Wise isn't prepared for how quickly Lighter shifts. One moment he's treating Wise like glass, the next he's throwing Wise into the nearest wall, holding him up by his thighs and sinking his teeth into the junction of Wise’s exposed neck. Wise makes a sound like a teenager trying for their first orgasm. He claws at Lighter’s back, gripping that thin shirt, gasping and whining as Lighter laps at Wise’s hot skin, savoring the taste. He kisses lower, lower, until Lighter is buried in Wise’s chest, pulling apart Wise’s borrowed shirt and mouthing at his sternum.

“O-Okay, okay I changed my mind,” Wise stammers out as Lighter gets closer and closer to a pink bud. “I-I can't do anything like this. We should go to bed.” It's too embarrassing having my erection shoved up against your abs.

“But you're squirming so adorably,” Lighter tells him. He finally reaches Wise’s nipple, then, like a starved man, starts to suck. 

All the air in Wise’s lungs leaves him, and he scrambles to stay upright. One hand grips at the back of Lighter’s head, which Lighter loves. He teases Wise’s nipple, tongue swirling against the bud, sucking gently, then deeply, in a rhythm that has Wise blacking out. He slides the flat of his tongue against it, then kisses it, around it, then goes back to sucking it until Wise is, finally, mewling in his arms. 

“Fuck, the sounds you make,” Lighter pants out as he switches sides. The ruined nipple is covered in a sheen of spit, feeling chilled when Lighter abandons it. “I'm gonna treat you so good, darlin’. Just keep doing that.”

“Doing what ?” Wise demands.

“Whatever you're doing,” Lighter says, right before continuing his attack. Wise moans like a virgin, because, fuck, he is. But he doesn't want to go down as uselessly as this.

So as Lighter is eating him up, Wise moves. He tightens his thighs around Lighter’s waist, twisting his hips into his boyfriend’s abdomen, throwing away his shame. His free hand goes to the front of Lighter’s shirts and begins undoing the buttons, slipping against Lighter’s perfect chest. Beneath his hand, Wise can feel how Lighter's heart races faster from Wise’s touch, compelling him to knead appreciatively, needily. 

“Mmn, th’feels good…” Wise mumbles, burying his face into Lighter’s hair. They eventually find a comfortable position. Wise’s shirt is basically an accessory at this point, hanging off his elbows. Lighter’s hands have moved up to Wise’s ass, one cheek in each palm as he massages them eagerly. Wise is painfully hard now; he's rutting against Lighter like a dog. He needs his pants off yesterday. “Lighter, bed, please. ”

“Yeah,” Lighter says, dazed. Spit drips from Wise’s nipple in a way that he can't stop staring at. “Okay. Yeah.” 

Honestly, Wise could spend the rest of the weekend having Lighter just carry him around like this, wouldn't that be hot, but they need the stamina to do other things. Not that Wise is doubting Lighter’s stamina, or strength, but this position is inconvenient for many things, including how limited Wise's reach is. He does get the pleasure of Lighter throwing him into bed— he's taking that manhandling request very seriously— and Lighter yanking off Wise’s jeans like they're gift wrapping.

Wise thought he'd be a bit more normal about this. They have been basically dry humping for weeks now, touching everything, everywhere, with nothing but their clothes to keep them from each other. But exposing his hardness to Lighter with his briefs already stained with his own arousal, Wise is barely prepared. He clamps his knees together instinctively, clutching at the pillow he's only half-on. 

“Don't stare at it,” he warns Lighter, who is doing just that.

“Please let me have this,” Lighter says without looking up. He drags his hands up and down Wise’s thighs, slowly easing them apart, lower and lower until they're brushing against Wise’s erection. “You have such pretty legs,” he mutters in awe.

“I don't need to know that,” Wise mumbles. 

“Oh, but you do.” Lighter kisses his inner thigh, and Wise’s cock twitches through his underwear, which Lighter takes off next. “How else are you going to know what to tease me with when I'm begging you to show me something sexy over video call?”

“You're so presumptuous,” Wise says with a slight smile, despite himself. He's fully naked, now, his cock thick against his stomach, and he tries not to think about it. The talking helps. 

“Am I? We both know you'll do it.” Lighter lifts himself up and reaches down to unbutton himself. He shucks his pants off, a bit of a chore considering the leather, but when he does, Wise gets to see exactly what they were hiding. “You love rilin’ me up just as much as you love feelin’ me up.”

“Mmrhmh.” Wise is a bit distracted. A lot. Lighter is a lot. Of that. Is that going inside him? “Um… I've never…”

“Hm?” Lighter nuzzles at Wise's thighs once more, clearly just as distracted. “Don't worry, there's no wrong way to do video sex. I'll be happy with whatever you show me.”

“No, I mean…” Wise’s knees twitch around Lighter’s naked hips, whining as his boyfriend’s length brushes against his ass. “I’ve never. Fucked. Uhm.” 

Lighter stops. Through the frame of Wise’s thighs, he stares down, taking in his partner’s pink face as Wise tries to bury it into the pillow beneath him. “O-Oh. Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Wise admits with a nervous laugh. “I practiced a bit, by myself. Mostly with porn, as… reference.” It hadn't exactly been fun, actually. A lot of it had been uncomfortable. But it was better than him being unprepared and ruining the mood later. “I mean. When I was in high school, I gave someone I was kinda seeing a blowjob and it wasn't great. I've, uh, studied it since then. In case. You know.”

“I-It ain't easy, for… beginners…” Lighter says in a way that's supposed to be assuring. He's still staring at Wise. Specifically, at his lips. “Uh, you probably shouldn't…”

“Right, right,” Wise agrees. He really would prefer the fetal position right now, as opposed to whatever this is. “My mouth isn't that big anyways. I'd probably gnaw your dick off.”

“Wise, if your mouth gets anywhere near my dick, I'll blow my load. I'd rather not cum on your face on a first date.”

Wise does not know how to respond to that, racked by images of Lighter ejaculating on his face, as Wise licks spend from his lips, jaw aching and ruined. Considering how strained Lighter sounds, he's definitely thinking of the same thing. So Wise, eager to move past this, instead asks, “How do you want to come?”

Lighter, not expecting that, does not reply immediately. He instead glances away, his grip on Wise’s thighs tightening to a painful, but not unwelcome degree.

“Inside you,” he says. “I have condoms.”

“I'd… really like that,” Wise tells him. He'd really, really like that. He might have been imagining Lighter pumping him full for weeks. “You don't need the condom.”

“I think I do,” Lighter insists. He moves to rub at Wise’s lower stomach, pressing his thumb beneath the belly button and dragging it down, down. “Besides the obvious, you really don't want to clean all that up after your first time, babe. It ‘aint fun. Plus…” He presses a kiss to Wise’s knee. “We've got plenty of time to get to that, right?”

Wise, now feeling like an overeager dog, nods in understanding. Satisfied, Lighter unwraps Wise from him and shuffles off the bed. As he digs through his nightstand, Wise admires his body. The sight of his boyfriend’s ass makes him finally realize what the girls meant by ‘edible’. He sits up before he does something stupid, like put his mouth on it, and is then distracted by the ripple of Lighter’s tight back muscles, shifting with every movement. 

“Why are you up?” Lighter asks, lube and condoms in hand. Wise makes to reply, he does, though he's not sure what, but then gets interrupted by, “Wait, this will be easier. Flip over.”

Okay. Okay, that's fine. Slowly, Wise obeys, on his knees, because that's what they did in all the pornos. Because Lighter is definitely going to have his fingers in Wise’s ass soon and Wise would rather his face be in a pillow while that happens. 

“There you— Whoa.” Wise grips the pillow and spreads his legs, ignoring the awe in Lighter’s tone. It shouldn't surprise him when his ass is suddenly being fondled, gently squeezed as Lighter parts it. “I shouldn't keep an eager man waiting, should I?”

“No,” Wise tells him rather tersely, with a glare over his shoulder.

“Hey, relax.” Hands run up Wise’s ass cheeks and down the slope of his spine. Lighter repeats the motion a few times, until the tension leaves Wise’s muscles, getting used to the feeling of being appreciated. “Ain't so bad, is it, darlin'? You shouldn't be feelin’ ashamed of anything, lookin’ so pretty for me.”

Wise mumbles something incoherent in response, and Lighter pats his hip. With a couple deep breaths, Wise makes an effort to relax.

“It's going to be cold and weird at first, okay? But you probably already know that.” There's the faint sound of the lube being opened, then a light pressure at Wise’s hole. 

It is familiar, but it feels a bit different from when Wise had tried it on himself. Back then, he'd been focused mostly on his own movements, where his finger should go, how deeply to penetrate, the awkward feeling of touching his own insides. But now he doesn't have to think about any of that. With Lighter at the wheel, all he needs to do is sink into the sensation. 

“Ready for another?” Lighter asks after a while. When Wise makes an affirming sound, he does just that.

Now, the stretch is prominent. The rhythm of Lighter working him open, switching between soothing strokes and light scissoring, is much more than anything Wise tried on his own. Especially when Lighter’s fingers are rougher and thicker than his, curling into him, searching, able to reach much further. 

“A-Ah…” Wise groans into the pillow, his hips twisting as he tries to adjust himself to the position. He takes a glance back at Lighter and accidentally meets his eyes. The man looks so uncharacteristically serious that Wise can't help but give him an assuring smile. “T-That's… good. Go a little h-harder.”

“You're tight as hell, babe. I ain't takin’ chances with your first.”

“Need a little a-adrenaline to get used to it, r… right?” Wise bites back a moan as Lighter brushes against his prostate. “Almost. Higher, Lighter. Come… Come on.”

After only a second of thought, Lighter pours an obscene amount of lube over Wise’s hole and slams his fingers in.

A shrill gasp is punched out of Wise as his prostate is attacked, making his cock leak like a broken spout, begging to burst. Lighter’s free hand grasps at Wise’s hip and pins it in place, soon shoving in a third finger that makes Wise sink his teeth into the pillow beneath him, soaking it in drool. It's good. It's good. It's painful and amazing and it's driving Wise mad.

“H-Haah, Lighter! L-Lighter, o-oh my god, fffuck, oh my god, I feel— I feel— w-wait, I'm gonna—”

In a sharp movement, the heel of Lighter’s palm slams flush against Wise's ass, and Wise lets out a desperate cry into the pillow, begging, praying that none of the neighbors are awake to hear this. He feels himself unravel all the way down his body, crashing, bursting at the seams, as his orgasm demolishes him from limb to limb, collapsing into a climax that leaves him without anything left to hold him up but the firm grasp Lighter has on his lower body.

It takes a while for Wise to come back. The first thing he feels is disgust, then embarrassment, then, above all things, irritation. 

“...Babe?” Lighter’s since removed himself from Wise. He must have cleaned off his hand with a tissue while Wise had been orgasmed-out, because it's free of lube and whatever when he prods at the Proxy’s shoulder. “Wise, you good? I'm sorry.”

“I thought you wanted to fuck tonight,” Wise hisses without looking up.

Lighter laughs, not sounding very sorry at all. “I may have gotten a tad overeager. Come on, hips down.” He guides Wise to keep him from falling into his own come, then lifts him up to peel the comforter out from beneath him. Now without a blanket, he pauses. “I may have not thought that through.”

Wise says nothing from where he melts into the bed, feeling very much like a pillow prince as Lighter, once again, does all the menial work.

Truthfully, Wise is more frustrated at himself than anything. This isn’t how he’d wanted things to go. It doesn’t sit well with him to just take, even if Lighter seems to enjoy being the giver in this relationship. Wise has built his life on taking care of people, mostly his sister, and it makes him anxious to know he’s not contributing much, no matter what Lighter’s sweet words assure him otherwise. 

By the time Lighter’s done disposing of the comforter, Wise has already made up his mind. He sits up, and just as Lighter deposits himself next to Wise with a grin, looking terribly proud of himself, Wise plants both hands against his chest and kisses him.

Lighter makes a surprised noise, but quickly grows pliant against Wise’s touch. Mission oriented, Wise pulls Lighter back into the middle of the bed, giving him enough space to crawl between Lighter’s legs.

Thank god Lighter hadn’t lubed himself up. Wise hasn’t done this in a while, and he doesn’t want a mouthful of slick getting between them. Even so, with Lighter’s erect cock now standing tall in front of his face, maybe it would have helped.

“Wise?” Lighter calls out. “You don’t have to.”

That only serves to get Wise’s blood boiling. He looks up at Lighter from beneath his lashes, putting on his best pleading face as he presses his cheek into the smooth skin of his boyfriend's length. “Do you want me to?”

“I told you,” Lighter says, and it is suddenly apparent to Wise how tense he is. His hands grip the sheets with all the force of a man experiencing lucid surgery. “I will not last if you do this.”

“You want to come inside me, right?” Wise asks. Lighter nods stiffly. “I’m not a big fan of just sitting around waiting for my dick to wake back up, so what do you suggest we do?”

He feels up Lighter as he speaks, dipping low and cupping that champion-worthy ass in both hands, lavishing it. As he savors him, Wise notices how Lighter keens under his attention. How he opens himself up so easily when he sees how much Wise likes him. His body.

Ah, so it's like that.

“Mm, I suppose it's my turn, now, isn't it?" Wise peers down at Lighter with a growing smirk. "You’re a work of art, Lighter. I can’t believe I get to have this.”

“Hey, now,” Lighter says, but Wise just keeps going. He’s an art kid. He knows how to use his words.

“You’re right, I love feeling you up. I thought you were gorgeous from the moment we met, but now I feel simply insatiable whenever you’re near me.” He moves away from Lighter’s cock, careful not to touch it any further. Instead, he focuses on Lighter’s other assets. He drags his fingers along the tanned skin with a feather-like touch, pausing every once in a while to squeeze appreciatively. “I’m an overthinker, you know? I find things more romantic when I know where they come from. Like a love for the road…” He wraps a hand around a muscled thigh. “...or the strength to protect. To prove oneself.” Another, clutching Lighter’s hard calf.

“I… I dunno if this is helping,” Lighter says through heavy breaths. He looks feverish from this angle, but all Wise sees is his next target. 

He crawls up to Lighter’s chest and brushes the bangs out of his eyes, feeling that urge to care, to assure Lighter of his existence. He presses a kiss into Lighter’s forehead before dipping down and continuing the barrage down Lighter’s jaw, his neck. Rough hands find their home back on Wise’s waist, up his back, and Wise hums like a satiated cat. After a few tender nips and laps at Lighter’s neck, he digs his hands into the meat of his partner’s chest and sucks deeply, purposefully, until he’s sure the mark is there to stay.

Oh. Well that’s arousing.

“Oh, nnh, hey, come on.” Lighter can barely get a word in as Wise goes for another, and another, painting Lighter’s skin as if it were an open canvas, begging to be used. “My scarf can only… go so high. Hngh! Wise—!”

“You’re so hard on yourself, Ligh,” Wise says with a chuckle, kissing over his latest hickey. He can feel his oversensitivity fading, his dick twitching to attention. Eager to speed up the process, he straddles Lighter’s thick thigh and grinds down, using him for his own pleasure. “I thought you were just being cheeky, but you really don’t know what you do to people, do you? All of those love letters, and you think I’m going to convince you with a bit of attention?” 

“W-Wise,” Lighter gasps out. Wise grinds down again, and his knee bumps into Lighter’s abandoned cock ever so lightly, yet still draws out an anguished groan. “Wise, holy fuck, this is not helping—”

“I’m almost there,” Wise assures him, and he is. Lighter has been a good boy about it, keeping his thigh nice and firm for Wise to hump against; it’s actually amazing how comfortable Wise has gotten to be able to do this. He’ll have to praise Lighter about it later, about what an amazing partner he’s been. In a last resort, he takes each of Lighter’s— massive, holy shit— biceps and holds them down. “Oh my god, there is not enough time in the world to worship all of you.”

“But you’re gonna try, huh?” Lighter asks.

Wise nips at his lip, then replies, completely earnest, “It’s my belief that a masterpiece needs to be appreciated down to the finest detail.” His fingertips find the edges of Lighter’s scars and press against them, mapping out every ridge. Realizing what he just said, Wise blushes faintly. “That is, if you can deal with the cheesy ad-libs.”

Lighter then laughs out loud, throwing his arms over Wise’s shoulders. “Oh, darlin’, you are perfect.”

A smile overtakes Wise’s lips, his heart ready to leap out of his chest at the raw feeling of Lighter, Lighter, Lighter. He thinks he adores this man. Were they in a nicer world, he’d go anywhere with him. Everywhere. Just them and the open road. 

And it’s enough.

“I’m ready,” Wise tells his partner. 

Lighter perks, then sits up quickly, Wise suddenly on his lap. Wise grabs at Lighter’s shoulders to steady himself, but his boyfriend already has a firm grip on him, keeping them both in place. As if to make sure, his cock is fondled, making Wise’s breath hitch.

“Okay,” Lighter breathes out, tugging at Wise’s length once more. Annoyed, Wise smacks at him. “Babe, I am so close that you are going to have to cum fast, alright? I’m helping.”

“Help inside me,” Wise insists. Then, sheepishly, “Can we do it face-to-face?”

Lighter blinks at him. “You’re going to have to cum really fast.”

“Aren’t you an expert at making me do that,” Wise mumbles bitterly. 

“Ah. Right.” 

Lighter wasn’t supposed to take that seriously, but it seems to have gotten him in motion. He grabs a condom, ripping into it with his teeth and wrapping himself up like it’s muscle memory. Before Wise can think deeply about that, Lighter quickly flips him onto his back, never having forgotten that manhandling request— or maybe that’s just his default setting, not that Wise is complaining— and shoves Wise’s knees up to his chest in a single motion. Wise is not flexible, so Lighter’s only option is to spread him wide, exposing his loose, wet hole to the night air. 

“Don’t just look,” Wise tells him once again. But this time, he’s reaching down, pulling himself open, no matter how hot his body burns, how hard his blood rushes through his ears. “Come inside me, Lighter.”

And poor Lighter, who has been holding back for so long. Hours. Days. All of these weeks, really, barely seems to be able to comprehend this moment. But soon, Wise can hear the string snap. Lighter hooks a knee under each arm and grabs Wise’s hips before folding him over and driving right in.

The stretch nearly breaks him. Wise may have been overconfident. He should have goaded Lighter in lubing up before presenting himself like a piece of sultry meat on a dinner plate. Lighter is far thicker than three fingers, and Wise is loose, but not that loose. He digs his teeth into his lower lip and wills his body to relax, relax, steadying his breath, deep breaths, upper body, lower.

“Shit,” Lighter says, looking absolutely wrecked. Still, he’s lucid enough to see Wise’s pain, and has already stopped. Instead, he paws for the lube that’s travelled somewhere on the bed. Without pulling out, he drenches them once again, this time slathering the rest of his cock in the substance. “Sorry. I’m sorry. Fuck, I keep forgetting this is your first time. You okay?”

“I’m good,” Wise says, a bit too strangled. He takes another deep breath, slowly adjusting to the intrusion. “How… How much is that?”

“‘Bout a third,” Lighter confesses. 

“Okay…” Not even half. Right. Right, okay, Wise can do this. He’s gone up against far more dangerous things than his boyfriend’s massive dick. “Give me a second.”

“Anything you want,” Lighter assures him, even though he must be dying, sitting there with a third of his cock inside Wise. After holding back all night, just for this. He’s so sweet. He’s so perfect. Wise might be falling in love with him. 

With that thought anchoring him, Wise takes one last breath and shifts his hips. He finds just enough flexibility in him to try and ease his legs over Lighter’s shoulders, and eventually, Lighter finishes the job for him. After a thought, he grabs one of the free pillows and tucks it beneath Wise’s hips, which helps much more than Wise could have asked for.

“I think… I think I’m ready. Again,” Wise finally says. Through his foggy vision, he looks down his chest to where Lighter watches him, attentive. It’s such a good look on him. As if all of his thoughts are just like Wise’s own. Wise, Wise, Wise. How incredible is that? 

He beckons Lighter forward, just a bit, then strokes his cheek with all the affection he can muster.

“Good boy,” he whispers, and he means it. This is his man, and he has been so, so good to Wise. 

“Oh.” Lighter licks his lips. “You shouldn’t have said that.”

Wise only has enough time to think, What does he mean by— and then Lighter is slamming into him.

He doesn’t go in easily, nor is it as painful as before. He shoves Wise down, drowning himself deep into Wise’s gasps and groans, bullying his length through the thick of Wise’s untouched passage. Wise is seeing stars with every thrust, so much it's as though the roof above them doesn’t exist, revealing Blazewood’s rolling constellations, right over Lighter’s shoulder. He feels like he’s slipping away, and claws at Lighter’s back, desperate to keep himself in place.

Whatever Lighter feels from it only makes him thrust harder, the slick slap of skin against skin in tune with their ragged breaths. If he’s still only a third in, Wise may just throw himself into a cactus after this. It feels like Lighter is reshaping Wise, inside, out, molding him into a different person. He wonders if he’s like the characters in those animated movies, with the hearts in their eyes, something Wise would always scoff at when he’d see it. Now, he knows. He knows so, so well. He knows what it’s like to want, and want, and want. To be so totally, uncontrollably gone for someone that nothing ever feels the same again.

“Wise,” Lighter gasps out. He leans forward, kissing Wise as if he misses him, as if he’s been gone forever, even though they were just kissing moments ago. “Wise, Wise, baby, you are a dream. God, I don’t know what force sent you to me, but I will devote myself to it for the rest of my life.”

“M-Me,” Wise says with a laugh. “I brought... ah— brought myself here... remember?”

“I said what I said,” is all Lighter says, before his hips meet the plush of Wise’s ass. 

Wise never thought someone could be so deep. There is now the full weight of a professional boxer draped over him, and it’s suffocating. It’s secure. It’s threatening to make Wise come as fast as Lighter wants him to. He drags Lighter back down and kisses him like it’s his dying breath, and all he wants to remember is this.

They know this is it. Without asking, Lighter grasps Wise’s needy cock, tugging once, twice, in sync with his thrusts. Using the leverage of the pillow to keep Wise angled up against him, he presses himself as far as he can go, thumb stroking Wise’s sensitive tip. His tongue mimics the motion in Wise’s mouth, and there’s no hope after that. 

Lighter gasps against him when he breaks first. He fills the condom, pumping shallowly, his hand stuttering against his grip on Wise, but no less determined to make them finish together. It doesn’t take much. Wise’s body twists as he reaches his second orgasm of the night, this time feeling it rope against his stomach. 

For a while, the room is filled with nothing but their labored breaths. Wise feels like nothing. He can’t even remember where he is. He just closes his eyes and slips into this comfortable pocket of the universe that he’s found himself in, relishing it. Wow. Wow.

Eventually, Wise feels something begin to slip out of him. He then remembers who did this to him, and shifts his hips to help Lighter pull out. Huh. The condom had been a good idea, actually.

Sensing Wise’s thoughts, Lighter smirks as he slips and ties off the condom, tossing into his bedside bin. He then proceeds to give Wise his full attention, rubbing soothing circles into Wise’s limp waist. “Look’it you, all wiped out and pretty. Just like how I first saw you.”

Wise is all out of comebacks, at this point. He's out of most intelligent thought at all. His liquid brain has been reduced into a swirling mess of Lighter, mine, and mhmnmghyeah. 

On autopilot, he holds his arms up. Lighter pounces into them with his tail high, nuzzling into Wise’s neck. Wise feels himself whine in pleasure at the return of Lighter's body aligned with his own. 

“Mmh, Ligh?” Wise mutters out.

“Yeah?”

“Can I have one of your shirts before I go?” 

“Aw, missing me already?” Lighter shifts up and kisses Wise’s sweaty temple. “You gonna hug it to sleep? I doubt it'll be as good as me.”

“No,” Wise says, even though he definitely will. “I was gonna call you later wearing just that.”

Lighter stares.

Wise stares back.

“...Can we go again?”

Wise groans into his shoulder. “Lighter. I don't know how much I have left in me tonight.”

“Can I at least use your thighs? I'll make you breakfast tomorrow.” Lighter, very convincingly, pleads all of this while rubbing Wise’s sore ass. “I'll clean you up. You don't even have to be conscious for it. The cleaning, that is. You should stay conscious for the thigh-fucking. If you'll let me.”

Wise slowly turns back up to see him. Big mistake. He should know by now how weak he is to that look.

“...You know what, okay,” he gives in with a sigh.

“Really?” Lighter is already clambering up, and Wise hears the crinkle of him opening another condom. “Sweetheart, kill me if I ever leave you wanting.”

“Holding you to that.” Wise shifts so his back is facing Lighter. His entire body aches like it's been run over, but it's actually pretty arousing, the thought of being used like a toy. “Can you make pancakes?”

“Blueberry or chocolate chip?”

“Blueberry.”

“Great, I don't have chocolate.” Lighter gives him one last kiss on the shoulder before bundling up Wise’s thighs. “Fuck, you have pretty legs.”

“Mmmrph,” Wise groans. He doesn't have the energy to protest against that anymore. He guesses he has pretty legs.

Well, as long as Lighter likes them.

It doesn't fully hit him until Wise is back at Random Play. He's just sitting there, slumped up against the counter next to Eighteen, and everything feels… off. 

It's strange. This is the same place he’s stayed in every day since they moved to Sixth Street. He unpacks boxes, organizes the shelves, manages the finances, and, occasionally, assists in criminal activity. Sometimes he wanders off to chat with Asha and Enzo. Takes Eous out on walks and greets the cats. Why does he feel so askew?

Ah, he has a boyfriend now. 

Wise just misses him.

“Hey, bro, check out this weird fish Qingyi cau— awww. ”

Wise finds Belle peeping over his shoulder, and instinctively moves to block her. But Belle is nothing if not his nosy sister. In a practiced move, she shoves him out of the way to coo over the newest decoration on their counter.

“Does he know you have this?” Belle laughs, poking at the photo taped to the low shelf. Lighter looks up at the camera, adorably disheveled as he lazes against his couch in his house clothes. Wise relishes this look. No jacket, no shades. His bedhead fluffed up in all directions. “I can't believe he's a part of the store now! I'm gonna tell Caesar. She’s crazy about stuff like this.”

“Wait, wait, wait.” Caesar will not shut up about it if she knows, which means everyone in Blazewood will know, which means he'll indirectly be subjugating his boyfriend to harassment. Not to mention, Wise does not need Lighter to know about this little souvenir of his yet. “Just… hold off for a bit, okay? Let me have this for a while.”

Belle gives him a judging look, but gives in regardless. “Can I tell Miyabi and Nicole?”

Wise sighs. “Sure.”

“Ya-ay.” Belle pumps her fist and snaps a photo. Before she goes back to texting, she gives Wise a serious look. “I'm happy for you, you know?”

“...Thanks.” Wise can't keep the smile off his face. 

A phone chimes, and Belle looks down at her own. But it's Wise's, for once. His heart immediately softens into a familiar shape, cheeks aching from his grin.

Belle reaches over and pokes him hard in the cheek. “Heart eyes,” she teases.

Wise brushes her off. “Whatever.” 

He knows. 

Lighter: On my way, darlin.