verses

[Robert Ashter]

You push me
I don't have the strength to
Resist or control you
Take me down, take me down

You hurt me
But do I deserve this?
You make me so nervous
Calm me down, calm me down

                                                   

The sun was bathing the whole room with light but Charles had been awake for a while already. He simply refused to move. At first, he lied there, on his back, lost in his thoughts. His thoughts taking him to one very particular topic however, he turned to look at its source. The man was lying next to him, still sleeping. The sunrays kissed Franck’s figure, giving the young man an almost angelic aspect. Charles smiled at the comparison. As if it was possible to be even more sweet and innocent than this guy already was! Yet, somehow, in his sleep, he managed it. He looked so serene, with his head on the pillow, slightly leaning towards him.

It was funny. Had someone told him he would enjoy being with a man, to lie next to one in a bed and long for his touch, he would have called them crazy. But this was exactly how things were. He couldn’t have enough of the Frenchman. Since that first kiss, François awoke something within him, a passion that scared him at first as he didn’t understand it well then. It took him time to come to terms with this. Now that he accepted it, he couldn’t do without. François merely had to look at him that Charles wanted him. He felt worse than a hormonal teenage boy. And he liked it.

He had another smile as he thought of the young man’s innocence. It really was only in appearance. Charles thought Franck really was innocent too at first. Oh, sure, he was, but there was another side to him as well. His love had nothing innocent in it. He did not expect that passion when he let Franck in. At first, it even scared him, as he never thought to be a passionate person. Yet, somehow, it worked. They had their moments of peace then the two only needed to touch each other to ignite a fire that consumed the two of them.

Slowly, Franck opened his eyes. Charles didn’t move, he lied there, facing his lover, watching him wake up. It took a moment during which Franck opened and closed his eyes as they adjusted to the light and let out a soft moan. Eventually, he saw Charles and how he was awake too and it made him smile. Charles knew he should probably say something but he remained silent. He just wanted to look at him. “You look pensive,” he said in a whisper. There was a hint of French accent too. It always amused Charles how, despite growing up in America, he had such an accent. There was soemthing endearing to it. “I was just thinking at how easy it was for you to make me do everything you wanted,” he answered, his tone of voice low. Talking normally would ruin the moment. Franck rolled until his arm was across Charles’ chest, forcing his lover to fall on his back in the process. “If I really could make you do everything I wanted, you’d be living with me right now,” Franck pointed out before kissing Charles’ shoulder. Charles shivered from this, closing his eyes even. He enjoyed his lover’s lips on his skin, and his hand caressing his shoulder. “You know why I don’t. My brother-““I know,” Franck interrupted him, keeping his lips pressed against the shoulder. He knew indeed. Charles already explained he kept his apartment here in Palm Woods so that his brother could stay there. Luke could never afford it on his own. Franck had seemed a little disappointed when he heard this the first time, but he also understood. “Besides, I spend most of my nights here already,” Charles reminded him. “It’s true. But spending the night with your lover with your little brother in the next room would be awkward.” “Especially when your lover is this noisy,” Charles teased him. François raised his head and looked at Charles with a mix of surprise and embarrassment. Charles chuckled at this before bringing his face closer to his and capturing his lips into a kiss. It was so easy to make Franck blush and, somehow, it was so tempting to do so.

Franck lied back against Charles after that. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. “It’s not like you have to go back just now, right?” Charles paused a moment. He was in no state to think about it and frankly didn’t want to do that. But he forced himself to consider his schedule for the day. “I’m doing an evening shoot,” he told him. “That’s not in a lot of hours,”Franck retorted, his hands slowly moving from the man’s shoulder to his chest. It caused Charles to shiver again. How could he still give him that kind of reaction, he didn’t get it, but Franck didn’t need to do much to make him give in completely. “Yes,” he admitted. Franck lifted his head again, stayed there a few seconds, allowing them to look at one another before he would lean forward and press his lips against his. Charles wrapped his arms around his body and pulled him closer. The sun might be up, but the two had no intention to leave this bed just yet.

Wake you up
In the middle of the night to say
I will never walk away again
I'm never gonna leave this bed, oh

So come here
And never leave this place
Perfection of your face
Slows me down, slows me down

                                                        

“Akeem, Akeem, I think I got an idea.” Akeem grumbled. Not only Casey told him this with far too much enthusiasm in her voice but she then moved on to shake him while still calling his name and repeating that she’d had an idea. He rolled, pulling his pillow to wrap his head with it, not wanting to wake up. It was in vain. Casey was determined to have him listen to her. Still, Akeem was hoping to head right back to sleep, even if that meant not listening to everything she had to say. “What?” he asked, his voice muffled by the pillow. It better be something of the outmost importance. He just wanted to sleep. Maybe, just maybe, if he kept his eyes closed, he could drift back to sleep instead of having this conversation.

“What if Angela wakes up Zayn because she’s certain she’s heard a noise in the apartment and is scared? Turns out it’s nothing but Zayn fakes it’s something scary just to punish her before heading back to bed. What do you think? Or it can be one of his friends, coming in the middle of the night because his girlfriend dumped him and he wanted to squat their couch. Or...” “What time is it?” Akeem interrupted her. Seriously, why did she want to talk of the show in the middle of the night? It could wait in the morning. His question had Casey freeze for a second, as though she wondered herself. “I don’t know. I couldn’t sleep and this idea came up and I wanted to work on it now before I forget about it.” Akeem groaned a bit at her explanation. He dared to pull his head from underneath the pillow and searched for his phone on the nightstand. A light pressure revealed the time. “Casey, it’s three in the morning. I want to sleep,” he complained. They already had to wake up at all sorts of hours depending on their shoots and she had to reduce their precious sleeping time by waking him up for... for what exactly? Ah yes, because Angela and Zayn couldn’t let her sleep. And, apparently, neither should he.

“But I can’t sleep!” she argued. She looked down at the man lying in bed next to him. He was not moving or saying anything. She shoved him again. “Come on Akeem, let’s work this out. It’s a good idea or not?” Akeem groaned some more. She really didn’t want to leave him be. Resigning himself, he rolled on his back and lifted his upper body on his elbows. He was not fully awake but he still recalled what she told him, more or less. “So, Ange wakes him up, forces him out of bed?” Casey nodded. He could see her figure thanks to the dim light pouring through the window. Akeem paused, but he couldn’t do it. His brain didn’t want to work this out. And he didn't want her to force his brain to work it out. “I have an idea too. How about, when she keeps pushing him to get up and see what happened, he does this?” And Akeem lifted up some more to reach Casey’s face and kiss her lips. She closed her eyes, let him do it, but didn’t call herself beaten nonetheless. “You’re just avoiding the subject,” she pointed out. “I am,” he confirmed, kissing her again. She didn’t want to give in but Akeem gently forced her to lie back on the bed instead of sitting on it. “Go to sleep, we’ll talk about it in the morning,” he told her once he got her down. “No,” she argued, softly. But he knew he got her. Already, she was not talking about her idea anymore and was wrapping her arms around him instead. She wanted more kisses. That might not be sleep, but it was a lot better. He dropped next to her and pulled her closer as they kissed.

So fall down
I need you to trust me
Go easy, don't rush me
Help me out, why don't you help me out?

Wake you up
In the middle of the night to say
I will never walk away again
I'm never gonna leave this bed, oh

                                                   

Sarah was slowly waking up. She could feel the warmth of the sun on her face and her brain functioning as usual, but she refused to open her eyes just yet. The bed sheets just felt too nice. She heard some noise, knew it was Jerry, but she refused to let it wake her up. Suddenly, she felt his lips against hers. It made her smile as they kissed. She wished he’d stay like this forever, that she could feel his warmth and stay wrapped up in it, but he got up. She, on the other hand, remained as she was, with maybe just the smile lingering on. “Oh come on. I kissed you, it’s supposed to wake you up, you sleepy princess.” “Maybe it means you’re not really a prince.” She timidly opened her eyes, a mischievous smile on her lips. Jerry was there indeed, staring at her. “Oh you,” he let out in a laugh. Sarah laughed quietly as he leaned towards her to give her another kiss. Her hand moved from underneath the sheets to touch his arm. Once that done, he kept his face close to hers, their noses snuggling with each other. This was like a dream. “Hurry up sleepyhead, I made breakfast,” he whispered. Sarah moaned as she pressed her cheek against his. “It’s too good here, let’s stay here.” It made Jerry laugh. “You want breakfast in bed now?” “I want you in bed now,” she retorted, stretching her arms out to wrap them around his neck. “You do, uh?” The two of them were smiling again. She pulled him towards her. She knew she was not strong enough to match him but she was pulling him anyway. He offered no resistance. Slowly, he got on the bed, first a knee, then straddled her. They snuggled as their smiles grew bigger.

Jerry slowly moved down from Sarah's lips to kiss her neck, her collarbone. He pulled down the sheets and went to her stomach. It was getting rounder. Jerry caressed it because giving it a kiss. Oh, he would be a great dad, she just knew it. She didn't mind that he was resting his head on her stomach. She actually believed it ought to be one of the most romantic gestures he ever did.

"What are you saying baby? You hungry?" She refrained a laugh at this and only did her best to look at him with as much serious as possible when he turned his gaze on her. "I think the baby wants some breakfast." Again, she had to do her best not to laugh. "Really?" Jerry moved back to her and kissed her lips, catching her sightly by surprise. "I'll get a plate and bring it here," he said before leaving the room. This time, she laughed for good. She sat on the bed, placing the pillows to be sitting comfortably. He would really be a great father.

So you say "Go, it isn't working"
And I say "No, it isn't perfect"
So I stay instead
I'm never gonna leave this bed

Take it, take it all
Take all that I have
I'd give it all away just to get you back

                                                        

And fake it, fake it all
Take what I can get

Knockin' so loud
Can you hear me yet
Try to stay awake but you can't forget

                                                    

Meg looked at the little thing in the crib. He was quiet, so was his father, lying down on the mattress on the floor. A part of her wanted to hate that baby boy. He was ruining everything, Then again, it was none of his fault. He never asked to come to life. He never meant to be a living, breathing proof that while Hiroto was practicing with her, he was involved with another woman, that he got her pregnant. He also was not responsible for Meg finding out
by visiting Hiroto one day and find a crib in the middle of his tiny apartment. He didn't even tell her, at any time! They had kissed, she thought they were dating, and he never said a thing until she found out by herself. And she had nothing to say. He explained himself, said that while the boy's mother wanted to give him away, give him the best chance possible, he grew up in foster care himself and didn't want that to be his child's life. She understood his reasoning. That didn't mean she understood his choice though, nor thought it was a good idea. One look at the place sufficed to say it might not be. The changing table was just a console he pushed against a wall. A neighbor of his made a quilt and pillow to put on top so it would be more comfortable. Most of the things bought were second-hand or handmade by people he knew. Hiroto took in a job at a Chinese restaurant, placing people and cleaning tables. The manager said Hiro had a good face to work in such a place. It was ironic, since he was Japanese, but cutomers don't seem to care, so long as he's Asian.

She wanted to hate the kid. She thought she was falling in love with Hiro. She must be, since she was in here, in the middle of the night. Or she was a fool. She wanted to dance, and to dance with him, not be a mother. She left that to her sister. That kid was not even hers!

The boy opened his eyes and she held her breath. For a second, their gaze met and locked. It felt like an eternity. Then, he started to cry. Her brain told her to back off but her body had an entirely different reaction. She picked the little boy up and tried to calm him down. There were not a lot of seats in the place and she turned around while rocking Kenichi in hope he would stop crying. Hiroto woke up with a groan. Since he was moving, she quickly sat on the mattress. She didn't know what she was doing but she could not let go of the baby. "Is he okay? What's wrong?" Hiroto asked, his voice hoarse due to him still being sleepy. "He's not dirty. I think he must be hungry," she said, keeping her voice down. Hiroto nodded and got up, allowing her to place herself more comfortbaly on the mattress as he went and prepared a bottle. Why did he tell the woman that he'd take him? At the same time, would she have preferred to have the other woman around, reminding her of how Hiroto had others before her? He never talked of her and she had never seen her around, not even to get news of her kid. Maybe she really wanted to give him up.

She still thought she was going crazy, to hold Kenichi like this. She heard he was named like this because his mother loved Death Note and the actor who played a character in it was called that. It left a bit of a bitter taste in her mouth but it suited him. His dad was Japanese after all, he could have a Japanese name too. But why was she acting so motherly with him? Even now, as Hiroto returned, she grabbed the bottle from his hand and tested the warmth on her wrist before approaching it to the boy's mouth. Kenichi had started to calm down and grabbed the bottle with both of his tiny hands as he sucked on it. Meg flinched, feeling the fingers against hers. She looked at his hands. She had a baby niece, she knew how tiny babies could be, but it felt different this time, so surreal.

Hiroto had sat down next to her, watching the two of them as she fed her son. He never asked for her to help with Kenichi. He might be dancing less since the kid was in his life, but he managed. He had others to rely on as well. He never told Megan but he thought she started developping feelings for him as they danced together. She was the one who kissed him first. He didn't quite know what he had been feeling himself back then, but as he was watching her right now, with Kenichi, he started to have an idea.

"What is it?" she asked him, noticing how he had been quietly staring at them all this time. He should probably say that he loved her. But Hiroto had never been very good with words. Instead, he leaned forward and kissed her. She was caught by surprise but soon relaxed. It might all be madness and a terrible idea, but it felt really good.

Wake you up
In the middle of the night to say
I will never walk away again
I'm never gonna leave this bed, oh

You say "Go, it isn't working"
And I say "No, it isn't perfect"
So I stay instead
I'm never gonna leave this bed, ooh

                                                        

"Stop tugging at the bottom like that." "But it's too short!" Beatrice wanted to die. Did he really want her to wear that? He was making fun of her again, for sure. He already found it so funny during their first night together when she got up in the middle of the night. Had she only been more discreet! She could swear he had fallen asleep but he turned on a light and caught her grabbing her clothes and trying to cover herself with them. She had found her pants but no top only to have remembered that Kai had tossed it elsewhere and she ended up hitting the foot of the bed while trying to walk her way around it. She felt so embarrassed that he would see her naked. It didn't change anything that, just as he told her when she tried to explain herself to him, they had just spent quite some time naked together in a very intimate way. But the moment had passed and sleeping naked next to him felt indecent. It did not matter that he claimed he would not dress up. It did not matter that he teased her over needed to get some nightgown ready for next time. She didn't mean to bring one, and certainly never thought that he would.

He said he had a surprise for her and brought her to his walk in. The thing was huge. So big in fact that he even had a couch in there, and on said couch were four different outfits. Lingerie. She turned bright red. "Try them, pick whichever you prefer," he said before leaving her alone in there. She had wished she ran out of there before he closed the door. Now she was trapped. She looked at the couch. A sea of satin, silk and lace. There was a purple bustier with black lace. A definite no! Way too sexy. What had he been thinking? There was a set of panties and bra in bright red underneath a white silk kimono with red flowers. Cute, but too short, and she couldn't bring herself to show up in front of him in underwear like that. There was a longer one, of a white that was turning slightly blue, very pretty, but with a cleavage that scared her. Her only other option was the black one with the shorts. She put it on but felt so ridiculous. She looked herself in the full-length mirror and didn't think she look that good, or sexy. He wouldn't think she was either. She thought of simply walking out in her own clothes but he called her out. Startled, she shyly exited the walk in. And quickly pulled at the bottom of the night dress so it would go lower. Below the knees would have been the best, really or at least closer to that.

"You know, you had my entire walk in at your disposal, if you didn't like it, you could have just run off with one of my shirts," he pointed out. she bet that in terms of length, it would have been better than that. but she never could have done this. she was looking down at the floor, wishing she could just disappear. she heard him get up the bed. she knew he'd walk to her but she still looked up at him with some surprise as he cupped her face in his hands and foced her to look at him. "Why did you buy that? You shouldn't have." "Well, if you're so insistent on keeping your clothes on, might as well wear something that I'm gonna enjoy too." She flushed red. Of course he'd think that way. But she was not ready to be walking around wearing this. It was almost as embarrassing as wearing nothing. While he leaned in to kiss her, she instead escaped his arms and went to hide under his covers. "I'm not sure I'm ready for more than that. It's a surprise I need getting used to," she said as she brought the sheets as far up as possible. From where he was, Kai could only see a bit of hair. He laughed. Did she know how much of a tease she was being right now, playing along and parading in this only to hide away and say it was all he'd get?

It would look like he had no other choice. "Fine, but I'm getting some snuggles out of you," he conceded. He walked towards the bed while undressing. Beatrice had looked at him for a moment but turned her eyes away at this. He noticed and chuckled again. Considering what they had done the last time, you'd think she wouldn't be as shy. But it was Bea. She put some distance between them, giving him some of the covers as he got under them as well. She really seemed to relax only when he turned off the lights. He moved closed, found her waist and pulled her towards him. She offered no resistance, even knowing she would be against his skin. It was dark, she could be a little more bold, as she wouldn't get to see. Plus it felt good in his arms, like he could keep all of her anxieties at bay. She wished she could just stay like this forever. She'd even settle to wearing this night gown if they could stay like this.

Take it, take it all
Take all that I have
Take it, take it all
Take all that I have
Take it, take it all
Take all that I have
Take it, take it all
Take all that I have

                                                    

Lindsey was floating in that blissful state between sleep and wakefulness. Her brain had started the functions to wake her up but the warmth of the sheets could send her back into slumber. That is, until she heard an alarm. She muttered something under her breath, no doubt an incoherent curse at the phone trying to cut short her peaceful moment.She felt movement next to her. The alarm was not hers. She never would have set one on for such a time. It was Zach's. He didn't need to wake up this early but the man had this terrible habit of having multiple alarms at way too early in the morning. She was determined not to lose this time though, and to score a small victory over this god-awful alarm.

Zach just had the time to roll that she did the same and wrapped herself around him, thus preventing him from sitting. "I have to wake up," he told her. "Not yet. Ten more minutes," she argued. She buried her face against his neck and tightened her grip so he would try to break from it. She could feel him sigh but he also moved towards her and the bed. She gave him enough space to roll on his back and immediately lied against his chest. "You always get it your way, don't you?" she heard him say. He could say that, but he had an arm loosely wrapped around her waist now and was not trying to walk away from her. "Isn't it so much better though?" she pointed out, snuggling against him. She certainly prefered it that way.

She really got ten minutes, as it was the moment his second alarm resounded. This time, he took a deep breath before saying with more resolve, "Now, I must really get up." She didn't want to. It took her long enough to get him there, she didn't want to let go so easily. But Lindsey finally moved, allowing him to get up. She knew she couldn't just keep him from work, not if she wanted him to come back to her. She, however, did not get up. She grabbed the sheets and pulled them over her head. She felt as though she could smell him still, right where he slept. It couldn't be right, but she could fool herself that she did, that his warmth was still there. She stayed like this for quiet some time, until she could smell the scent of coffee. He was brewing some fresh one and it finished waking her up. She sat on the bed, the sheets no longer above her head. "Save a cup for me," she shouted as she got up to join him.

[Robert Ashter]

François looked at the time for the umpteenth time. Charles had texted him to say he arrived at the airport and was coming over. Franck did suggest waiting for him there and bring him home himself, but Charles objected, saying that he didn't know when he'd arrive exactly and didn't want Franck to waste all his day there waiting for him. So he wasted his day waiting for him at home. But Franck knew there was another reason. He may not be able to restrain himself after more than a month away from his lover, and he knew Charles was not quite ready to admit his homosexuality openly. He had always been less expressive with his feelings too and would have been uncomfortable with Franck's attitude as they would meet again.

The fact that Charles had just discovered his homosexuality was the reason why Franck hesitated to take this job in new York. It was a chance at another television show, which was good, but he wanted to be near Charles to support him and help him on this journey. Charles was the one who told him to go, that it was silly to say no because of him. They talked as often as they could. And they got the chance to meet now. Charles was coming over for a few days that he got off work. Franck thought of a hundred things they could do during that time, only to try and contain himself and be reasonable, and then go all over again. He would definitely take him out to a nice restaurant this evening. He already made a reservation. He was truly looking forward to seeing him again.

He almost dropped his phone when he received a message saying that Charles had arrived and was coming up. Franck had rented a small apartment for the duration of the shooting. He allowed him up and was waiting for the knock to let him in. As to prove Charles was right not to let their reunion be in public, he barely had the time to put down his luggage and Franck to close the door that he already ran to him to kiss him with passion. He was caught off guard but he answered in a similar fashion. He couldn't believe he was this eager to hold onto Franck like this. Of course, he had missed him, but he managed not to long too much over his touch. He just proved himself wrong though. Franck, so shy to talking of this, couldn't get enough of kissing him and hugging him.

Neither seemed interested in breaking things. It was Charles who did, eventually. "I'm kind of scared to see what will happen when I'll go put my luggage in the bedroom." Franck gave him an embarrassed chuckle. "Well, we have some time before we should go eat," Franck replied. Charles was shocked he dared say it but he looked quite shy while saying it, like the Franck he knew. Charles couldn't believe that, at first, he was shocked at the thought of wanting to kiss him. He now had a cheeky smile as he pulled Franck closer again for another, briefer kiss. He didn't realise how much he had missed him. Charles might have no idea of the projects Franck thought for them, but both of them were pretty sure they wouldn't be doing much, judging by their reunion.

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