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cigarettesandinevitablebetrayal · 1 year ago

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Felix notices his boyfriend is spending a surprising amount of time around Nate. Old worries born from experience come rearing their ugly heads.

Rated T for suggestive content.

Other Tags: Established Relationship, Miscommunication, Secrets, Insecurity, Inferred Infidelity, Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy End, & Idiots in Love.

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A smile as bright as the sun breaks across Felix's face as he catches the deep rumble of Julian's voice through the walls. He speaks so softly around Unit Bravo, a kindness on their enhanced senses, it sounds more like a soft humming than spoken word. Judging by the muffled quality and the timbre of the voice that answers, Julian is in the library with Nate. Felix can't quite make out what they're saying at the volume they're speaking, but it makes him happy all the same.

It takes all his self control not to physically skip down the hall towards the library, though there is a distinct bounce to his gait. Nate's laugh floats on the air, joined by Julian's a second later, and the sound sends warmth pouring through Felix's ribs. Julian had been so standoffish early on, so prickly and private, that Felix had worried he'd be the only one to chip away at the Detective's walls. He was glad to be proven wrong. Julian needs more friends and Unit Bravo needs someone to push them out of their comfort zones the way Julian always does.

As he approaches, he starts to make out what they're saying to each other.

"-sound ridiculous." Julian says with an amused groan. The lightness in his oaky voice makes Felix grin even wider. It's such a special contrast to the flat tone he uses almost everywhere else.

"Just keep practicing," Nate's tone is patience incarnate. There's a rustle of cloth, no doubt Nate putting a reassuring hand on Julian's shoulder. "You'll figure it out."

"I'm starting to fear my mouth just isn't made to do that."

Felix raises an eyebrow at the phrase, but pushes the door open nonetheless, a joke on the tip of his tongue. It dies shortly after he steps into the library.

Julian's dark eyes go wide and he hastily slams the book in front of him shut. "Felix!" He slides the book towards Nate with one hand, tapping him on the arm with the other. "I wasn't expecting you back so soon."

Felix's smile falls ever so slightly as he looks at Julian. There's surprise in the set of his jaw and panic in the quick rhythm of his heartbeat. Felix briefly glances at Nate as the older vampire collects the books in his arms and gets up to put them away.

"Patrol was a breeze today," he says with a shrug. "Whatcha up to, Jules?"

Julian catches the use of his nickname instead of his pet name immediately, judging by the stutter of his heart. Of course he does. The man may not have a vampire's senses, but sometimes he picks up on more than they do on good days. Too damn smart. "Oh, just some auxiliary studies on the supernatural. All boring things, I'm sure."

Luckily for Felix, Julian is still the worst liar he's ever known in both the Echo World and this one. He presses his lips together, leaning against the table as close to Julian as he can physically manage. It's one of the few times he doesn't have to look up at his boyfriend. "Uh-huh." He lets his skepticism infect the sound. If there's one thing Julian especially doesn't find boring, it's studying the supernatural. "Like what?"

Julian shrugs, his eyes glancing away for a split second. "Comparisons of the aerodynamics of supernaturals with flight capabilities." Felix blinks long and slow, watching as Julian runs a hand through his shaggy black curls. His shoulders are almost up to his ears.

He’d always thought it was funny that Julian had performed so well while undercover at the auction. He had acted out his role perfectly, walked into a room full of trappers and played them like fiddles, the perfect agent. More than Felix, Adam had been impressed with the performance. But when it comes to the little lies, Julian cracks like cheap paint on old plaster.

Things like whether he's worried or if he's having that damned Murphy nightmare again. He gets fidgety, looks askance, answers too quickly. He becomes a deer in headlights. Like right now, as he goes on about how odd it is that magic supersedes physics on occasion and whether or not that's due to something or other that Felix can't hold onto because he never has the patience for this sort of thing and now Julian has that shine in his dark eyes whenever he talks about something that excites him and Felix can't help the lazy smile that tugs at his lips.

Suddenly Julian trails off and his smile becomes more crooked. "I'm boring you, aren't I?"

"Me? Bored?" Felix says, pressing a hand to his chest. He blows out a sharp exhale. "No. Never with you, babe."

"Hmm." Julian turns to fully face Felix. He reaches out to trail his fingers over Felix's waist. Felix doesn't bother to fight the urge to give into the touch, letting himself be pulled closer until their knees are touching. "And that's exactly why you were making that glassy-eyed look you get whenever I lose your attention."

"Hey, you have my full attention," Felix protests. He leans further towards Julian, their faces so close their noses brush against each other. This close, even through Julian’s glasses, he can see the striations of lighter browns that keep Julian's eyes from being black discs.

The smile that breaks across Julian's face is enough to catch the breath in Felix's throat. He lets his fangs extend just enough to be visible as he bites his lip and, just like always, the resulting spike in Julian's breathing and heartbeat stokes a fire in his belly. Julian’s never said it aloud, but Felix suspects he has a thing for sharp teeth. After all, he’s seen the smile on that reporter, Bobby Marks. And Julian gets so damned turned on every time Felix pulls this trick.

One of Julian’s hands moves from Felix’s waist to trail across the line of his jaw. Felix shivers under the touch and takes in a shaky breath. “See,” he chuckles. “Full attention.”

“I don’t doubt it, corazón ,” Julian says. His fingers brush against the hair at the nape of Felix’s neck before pulling him closer. Felix melts into the kiss, moaning as Julian nibbles at his bottom lip.

Felix clambers up into Julian’s lap, moaning as Julian’s hand shifts from his waist to his ass, keeping him from slipping right off and onto the floor. Felix buries his hands in Julian’s soft curls, letting the dark strands tangle around his fingers, ignoring the way they almost tickle against his skin. The slight hint of sensory overload is well worth it for the feel of Julian’s hands on him and the taste of his lips.

“Jules,” Nate’s voice floats over from somewhere deep within the shelves. There’s a hint of reproach and no small amount of exhaustion. “Our agreement.”

Julian pulls back, his eyes closed, and he groans quietly. “Of course,” he tilts his head over to look in the direction of Nate’s voice. “Sorry, Nate.”

“Agreement?” Felix mouths, quirking an eyebrow.

Julian’s eyes turn back to him, an embarrassed flush creeping up his cheeks. “We should move this to one of the bedrooms.” Julian winces. “Or my apartment.”

“Babe, did you tell Natey we wouldn’t fool around in his precious library?” His voice breaks on the question, his giggling trampling over his attempt to be serious.

“You tore a book in half.”

“It ripped in half,” Felix argues.

Julian angles his face down, peering up at Felix through his thick lashes. There’s an edge of admonishment in the set of his jaw. “It was a two hundred year old copy.”

Felix rolls his lips together. This would have been an easy argument with Nate, one Felix has had before, but it’s impossible to have it with Julian. Especially when he really wants to continue their little moment. “Fine,” he grumbles. Then he smirks. “But why do we have to go all the way to your apartment? Your room is right down the hall.”

Julian’s tawny skin flushes even deeper, going red all the way up to his ears. “Fewer prying ears.”

Felix’s smirk broadens and he takes the shot. “What? Don’t want everyone else to hear how good I’m getting it?”

Felix isn’t sure he could get Julian to blush any harder if he tried. The man looks mortified enough to combust on the spot. Felix can’t help but chuckle, the sound turning into a full blown laugh as Julian presses his lips into a thin line and narrows his eyes. Months ago, that look would have made Felix nervous. Julian had been so intimidating in the early days. Now, it might as well just serve as a sign that he’s mildly annoyed and embarrassed.

So Felix leans in to nibble at Julian’s earlobe, breathing in the soft scent of his rose shampoo, and whispers, “Or maybe you don’t want anyone to hear how good you’re getting it.”

“Alright, enough,” Julian practically growls. There’s a shift in their weight and Felix almost yelps as Julian stands up quickly. Felix feels himself start to slip, but then Julian’s hands slip under his thighs, boosting him back up so he can lock his ankles around Julian’s hips. He laces his fingers together across Julian’s shoulders and stares down into those dark eyes. Felix swears he could fall into them some days.

He kisses Julian once, twice, laughing as the man doesn’t put him down. There’s a wicked edge to his smile now, one only reserved for when Felix gets himself in a particular kind of trouble. It makes his heart nearly hammer out of his chest and his knees go a little weak.

Julian still doesn’t let go as he walks them both towards the door out into the hall. He turns around, shouldering the door open with little effort.

“You’ve made your point,” Felix laughs.

“Perhaps.” Julian bobs his head a bit for emphasis. Then he lowers his voice to a husky whisper, just quiet enough that Felix is certain only he can hear it. “But I rather like where I have you now, corazón .” He smiles wolfishly, stealing another kiss.

Felix feels like he could burst into light and wind at the elation that pour from his heart out all the way to his extremities. A giggle bursts from his lips as he keeps kissing Julian, keeps teasing his fingers through Julian’s hair. He could stay like this forever, held in Julian’s embrace, feeling his steady heartbeat.

It's a small miracle that they only run into the wall once on the way to Julian’s room.

Julian has been hanging out with Nate more and more these days. Felix knows he shouldn’t be worried about it. If anything, it should make him excited. His family is beginning to really bond with his boyfriend. And Julian could use a family. It had certainly been a surprise how much he and Adam had warmed up to each other. They are like weird soulmates - both incredibly guarded, independent individuals who have poor social skills and yet they’ve still managed to develop a silent understanding and mutual respect. Their odd alliance doesn’t bother Felix.

Nate, however, worries him. Everyone likes Nate. Nate is approachable, easy-going, and charming. Humans swoon in the brilliance of his smile. But, more importantly, he’s smart. Smart in the way that Julian is: well-read and passionate about learning new things. Nate is quick to forgive Julian’s social indiscretions and Julian is quick to drag Nate along for lengthy discussions of magical theory and the like.

Felix never feels like he can quite keep up with them when they’re in the same room. Sure, he likes listening to Julian when he starts rattling on. His dark eyes light up and an easy smile works its way around his words and he looks less tired for a few moments. But Felix isn’t good at paying attention. And he’s never been good at studying. He gets too caught up in the gentle hum of Julian’s voice, too busy watching the way his expression opens up and sets alight with passion that’s so different from the type they share in moments of privacy.

Nate can meet that energy. The two can keep a conversation going for hours on end, trailing off in directions that Felix can’t follow. And now he finds them constantly in each other’s presence when he’s not around. He comes back from patrols to find them huddled in the library, whispering quietly over books that are cleared away quickly when he comes into the room. He catches them in the kitchen in the early morning, more whispers being exchanged over Julian’s breakfast.

Every time Felix comes across them, Nate finds something else to do elsewhere in the warehouse. Before he goes, Julian always throws him a grateful smile. It makes Felix so very nervous. There’s something going on between them, he just isn’t sure what. Realistically, he doesn’t think it’s anything to worry about. They’re both nerds. They both like the quiet. They just like each other’s company in a purely professional, academic way. Except that Julian dodges any questions about what they’re doing in a manner he’s learned can throw Felix off every time: talking about whatever new thing he’s learned or asking questions about the Echo world.

What if it is something more? Julian could just be sparing his feelings. Then again, Felix has never known Julian to spare anyone’s feelings. Julian, for the most part, says whatever he thinks or feels is relevant to the time, regardless of if it’s going to upset anyone. If there was something going on between Nate and Julian, Julian would likely let him know immediately. So what is going on that they have to keep so secret? It’s driving him to distraction.

Which is probably why when Adam throws a punch that is telegraphed like a glowing neon sign, Felix doesn’t manage to dodge out of the way. He stumbles back, swearing as the bruise blooms across his shoulder before beginning to fade away. Felix rubs his shoulder and looks up, “You’re pulling your punches.”

Adam frowns at him, crossing his arms over his chest. “A fact you should thank me for, otherwise you would be much more sore, given your current performance.”

“I’ve never had any complaints about my performance before,” Felix protests with a lazy smirk.

Quips have never put Adam off before, and they certainly don’t start now. He takes a step back and crosses his arms. “You’re distracted.” It’s half an admonishment, but more a statement of a fact.

Felix blows out a sharp exhale and rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah…I know.”

“I take it this has something to do with Julian.” Julian’s name makes its way easier onto Adam’s tongue these days. It sounds better than ‘Detective’ or 'Agent Mendez', anyway. It makes Felix smile despite the anxiety that currently gnaws at his stomach.

Felix glances away briefly before meeting Adam’s piercing gaze again. “It might have everything to do with Jules,” he admits.

There is the softest chuckle from Adam, a sound that could easily be missed if it wasn’t fairly quiet in the clearing, but it’s gone the next second. “It usually seems to with you.”

“Hey!” He’s not wrong, but Felix still feels a flush cross his cheeks. Adam’s not supposed to be the one who teases people around here. It has, however, become more common since he and Julian are thick as thieves. He’s picking up on Julian’s rare moments of biting wit. It’s not fair. “Jules is a bad influence on you,” Felix mutters with a pout.

“And here I thought you approved of my friendship with him,” Adam’s voice is an even monotone, but there’s a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth. “Or so you’ve impressed upon Nate and Mason.”

“Snitches,” Felix mutters, but there’s no bite in the word. He sighs, letting the unusual melancholy take hold of his heart. “Do you think Jules is getting bored?”

Adam blinks owlishly at Felix. Some of the tension in his stance drops in his surprise. “Bored?” he repeats, as though he’s not catching what Felix is hinting at.

“Bored of me,” Felix clarifies. He wrings his wrists, shifting his weight from foot to foot just to disperse some of the nervous energy beginning to build under his skin.

Something flashes in Adam’s green eyes and he works his jaw a moment before saying, “Felix, you have, in your brief time with us, posited more than a fair share of absurd theories, but this is perhaps the most far-fetched.”

Felix offers a lopsided smirk, “You always were the king of backhanded compliments.”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Adam takes a deep breath before opening his eyes once more and levels his gaze at Felix. “What has prompted this worry?"

Rubbing the back of his neck, Felix wonders how many times he can avoid Adam's gaze in the span of a conversation. The words catch on his tongue and teeth, hesitant to hit the air and become real rather than panicked speculation inside his head. But Adam isn't moving and the silence is stretching between them, so Felix takes a deep breath and lets the dam break. "Something's going on between Jules and Natey, but neither of them are talking about it. And they both have that whole 'knowledge is power' students of the world thing and Nate can sit still without making any noise, which has to be good for Jules because I know he's prone to being overstimulated and-"

"Felix!" It isn't a shout, but it's firm and commanding, much like Adam's hands on Felix's arms. Adam looks down at him, green eyes to gold, and Felix takes another deep breath to calm himself down.

"Sometimes I just don't know why Jules chose me," Felix admits. His voice comes out smaller than he expects and breaks on the last word. “Sometimes I’m afraid he’ll wonder about that, too.”

Adam lets go of Felix. He takes a step back and closes his eyes, sighing deeply as he crosses his arms. When he does open his eyes once again, Felix can swear there are more lines between his brows than before. If any vampire is to be the first to manifest a way for them to develop wrinkles, it’d be Adam without a doubt. “If this concerns you so, why not simply discuss it with Julian?”

“Because what if he doesn’t think about it until I bring it up?” Felix points out, throwing his arms out wide. “What if I am jumping to conclusions? What if talking to him makes him realize I’m right and he’d be happier with someone like Nate?”

Adam scrubs his hand over his face, something quiet and pensive working like gears behind his green eyes. He looks Felix over and says through gritted teeth, “You don’t need to worry about Julian and Nate.” He pauses, obviously hesitant to continue, but manages to say, “They are working together on a project Julian has planned with you in mind.”

Adam’s words wash over Felix like a bucket of ice water. He stands up a little straighter, his lips pulling into a hopeful smile, “Julian and Nate are planning a surprise for me? What is it? How long have you known?”

“I’m not indulging you any further on this,” Adam announces. He slips back into a defensive pose and waits.

Felix isn’t giving up just yet. “Please?” He bats his eyelashes for good measure.

“And suffer Julian’s disappointment for the foreseeable future?” Adam scoffs. “Absolutely not. You can wait patiently for when Julian is ready. Now, are we continuing our spar or not?”

Felix nods, shifting into a guarded pose, but he can’t help the smile that breaks on his face. Julian is planning a surprise for him. The thought makes excitement burn all the way from the top of his head to the tips of his toes. He could touch the sun if he wanted. All he has to do now is wait.

Waiting has never been one of Felix’s strengths.

Felix hears Julian swear quietly through the door as he knocks on the wood. He probably should have sent a heads up text before dropping by Julian’s apartment, but he’d been too excited and nervous to remember. Besides, Julian had said before that Felix is always welcome. The excuse of being able to have some actual privacy with his boyfriend is an added bonus.

There’s a sound of books and papers being shuffled around before familiar footsteps pad across the plush rugs on the floor. The door swings open and Julian straightens his perpetually crooked glasses, his lips pulling into a soft smile. “Good morning, corazón .” It hasn't been morning for hours, but Felix doesn't mention it. He's too distracted by Julian as he leans down to press a kiss to Felix’s forehead before he steps back, opening the door wider to invite Felix in. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Felix has been in Julian’s apartment enough times by now that it’s no trouble to turn around and walk backwards towards the couch as he says, “Just thought I’d drop by to see you, babe.”

His foot catches on the leg of the coffee table and Felix flails a bit to right himself. His reflexes kick in and he pinwheels his arms a bit too fast, but he manages to stay upright. He throws the coffee table a quick frown. It's been shifted slightly since he was last here. He gives his shirt a gentle tug to straighten it back out.

Julian's eyes are on him, much to Felix's dismay. He always seems to be looking when a clumsy spell strikes. It's not fair. Julian presses his glasses further up his nose, only somewhat managing to hide the amused smile behind his hand.

"Well, it is an excellent day for it." Julian shuts the door gently behind him and makes his way over. "Adam informed me that I'm to take the day and, unless some terrible happenstance should occur, I've got no plans." He lets his fingers brush lightly across the back of Felix’s as he walks past and towards the kitchen. "I was planning on making chocolate chip pancakes. I know food isn't really something you enjoy, but would you like to try one?"

Felix trots after Julian, hopping up on one of the chairs at the breakfast nook, "Sure!"

He watches Julian as he works. Julian is always so meticulous in everything he does. Felix is never sure if it's actually more efficient to do things his way or if it's simply how Julian prefers things. He's careful not to clink any of the utensils up against the measuring cups or the mixing bowl as he portions out flour and other white powders Felix can't name. For a while, the cozy apartment is filled only with the soft sound of Julian's footsteps on the linoleum, the rhythmic clicking of his mechanical valve, and whatever tune he hums gently to himself.

“I thought pancakes are a breakfast food,” he says as Julian pulls out a frying pan from one of the cupboards.

“In some cultures,” Julian muses. “They’re savory in a lot of Asian cuisines but, yes, the ones I’m making are traditionally for breakfast.”

Felix eyes the digital clock on the stove, “It’s past noon.”

Julian scoffs. “Time is an arbitrary measurement created to better organize our experiences." When Felix is silent, Julian glances over his shoulder with a worried furrow in his brow. His cheeks flush and he looks away, like he always does when he feels he’s said something Felix might think is weird. He mumbles, “Maybe breakfast is a state of mind and I just felt like having pancakes.”

Felix chuckles at that, watching the red spread down the back of Julian’s neck. He hunches his shoulders a bit as he pours lumpy batter into the pan. Julian is always so fidgety about the things he says sometimes, eccentricities that he’s worked to avoid around others that come out naturally around Felix, but they make Felix smile. It makes Felix feel trusted. Like Julian feels safe enough in his presence to be more genuine.

That thought brings a modicum of sobriety back to Felix as he thinks on the last few weeks. He traces a crack in the countertop, rolling his lips as he deliberates over his conversation with Adam. It’s a risk. Experience has not been a kind teacher in circumstances like this. Then again, not mentioning it would be hiding a part of himself from Julian, and that worries him more. Julian’s perceptive enough to notice it sooner or later and there’s no telling if Felix will notice him noticing. The man can be so damn stoic sometimes.

"Hey, babe," Felix starts. He fiddles with his fingers a bit to keep in his seat. "Can I ask you something?"

“You know you can ask me anything,” Julian answers easily. He doesn’t even turn around.

He hesitates. He doesn’t want to lose this, doesn’t want Julian to wise up and realize he could be with someone calmer and quieter and more academic. No , he thinks to himself, courage. He takes a deep breath. “Why did you choose me?”

Julian’s hand slows as he wedges his spatula beneath the pancake in the pan. His posture shifts and Felix recognizes the drawn back shift of when something confuses Julian. He waits as patiently as he can. Then Julian turns off the stove, sets the spatula down, and turns around to face Felix. His brow is furrowed and his lips are pursed slightly. “How do you mean?” he asks slowly.

Felix rubs the back of his neck, wishing the weather was cool enough that he’d brought his hat. Fidgeting with it always made him feel more grounded, more relaxed, especially under Julian’s discerning eye. “Like us, you and me. Why did you choose this relationship?” he chances a glance at Julian, but quickly looks away. “You’re smart and talented and I know how people see me. I know I’m loud and immature and I get too personal too quick and I can’t sit still and I know that drives you crazy sometimes. And you could-”

Felix stops as Julian’s hands cup either side of his face. There’s something warm and soft and sad in his dark eyes. “Felix…” And Felix melts a little because Julian says his name like it carries all the weight in the world. “I didn’t choose you.”

Felix reels back a moment as worry snaps at his chest, “What?”

“Wait.” Julian reaches for Felix’s hand, taking it gently and running his thumb over Felix’s knuckles. He mutters something quietly in Spanish before looking up and saying, “Let me think how to phrase this.”

So Felix waits, as quietly and as still as he can manage, as Julian’s jaw works and his eyes unfocus. But he keeps touching Felix, lightly tracing unrecognizable shapes into the back of his hand.

Slowly, Julian says, “I didn’t choose you because loving you feels like breathing. Relationships have never been easy for me, Felix.” He gives a wince and Felix squeezes his fingers to keep him talking. “But you are…natural, to me.” Julian’s eyes narrow, but a small wondrous smile tugs at his lips. “I’ve never met anyone as honest or forthright as you. You are unapologetic about everything you think and feel and I have never felt like I can talk to anyone the way I talk to you.”

He finally looks back up at Felix. His eyes burn with certainty. “I didn’t choose you, because there was no choice to be made.” He pauses, freeing one of his hands to trail his fingertips across Felix’s cheekbone. “ I love you, Felix. You are like sunlight in my life. ”

“Ah, babe, that’s-” Felix stops short, eyes widening as Julian glances away sheepishly. “Say it again.”

Julian’s smile widens and he holds Felix’s gaze as he repeats himself. “ I love you. You are like sunlight in my life. ”

Felix hadn’t misheard. “You’re learning Echolian?” He practically breathes the question, wonder and delight sparking off like fireworks in his head.

“Nate is doing his best to teach me,” Julian admits, grimacing a little. “I may have underestimated how difficult it would be to learn a language with no sister languages on this plane. We’re making our way through common morphemes, but it’s easy enough to memorize simple phrases once you’ve learned basic phonological awareness.” He smiles softly as he shrugs. “It was meant to be a secret until I could at least keep up conversation.”

Felix blinks slowly at Julian, quickly reminding himself of his own journey learning English. He presses his lips together to keep from giggling. For someone so intelligent, Julian has such a knack for missing the most obvious of details. “Babe, it took me five years to become fluent in English, and I don’t have to sleep much. How long were you planning on hiding this?”

Julian tilts his head back and forth, wincing as an embarrassed blush creeps across his face. “The logistics of the plan might have been an oversight, I’ll admit.”

“Five years,” Felix presses, grinning ear to ear. “You were going to sneak around with Nate for five years?”

Julian throws up his arms, looking exasperated. “Alright, I might have gotten overexcited by the whole prospect! I wanted to do something romantic for you and, once I’d thought of it, I was too caught up in the idea to think it through. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Felix leans forward to grab a little of Julian’s shirt, gently tugging him closer. “Say it again for me?”

Julian acquiesces, leaning over the breakfast bar until their noses are almost touching. “ I love you .” He tilts his head to steal a peck of a kiss. “ You are like sunlight in my life .”

Felix’s smile broadens so much, it almost hurts. “And you said you’re bad at poetry,” he teases.

Julian rolls his eyes, “I said I can’t write poetry, not that I can’t be poetic.”

Felix buries his hand in Julian’s curls and pulls him closer, capturing his lips in a deeper kiss. He can feel Julian smile against him and draws out a soft moan as Julian nips at his bottom lip. “ I’m so lucky to be loved by you, ” he murmurs, trailing kisses up Julian’s jaw.

Julian pulls back slightly, his laugh somewhere closer to a gasp. “I have no idea what that means.” Then his eyes shine with excitement. “But now, I suppose, you can help teach me. It’ll be such a privilege to learn from a native speaker!”

“Pancakes first,” Felix points out. “If you get distracted now, I’ll never know if they’re any good.”

Julian chuckles, pressing one last kiss to his nose, “Alright.” He turns back around, tossing the forgotten half-cooked pancake into the trash before starting over. Then he throws over his shoulder, as though it means nothing, “Oh, and I would tell you if your fidgeting ever bothered me. Just so you know.”

Felix’s jaw drops. “Adam told you that?”

“Of course,” Julian says in a matter-of-fact tone. “He was worried about you.” Then he continues, amusement clear in his voice. “And he wanted to assure me that he hadn’t spoiled the surprise, just in case you grew impatient.”

Felix leans his cheek on his hand with a sigh, “I knew it was bad news when you two started hanging out. Co-conspirators, that’s what you are.”

Julian laughs softly at that, the sound better than music to Felix’s ears. He lets a lazy smile tug at his lips as he watches Julian cook. He doesn’t feel compelled to fill the silence any further. The slow, gentle swing of one foot is the only movement he makes. Felix doesn’t normally like the quiet but, with moments like this, he thinks he could at least begin to appreciate it.

#cigs writes #fic: julian #ship: paper planes and charcoal stains #twc fic #twc detective #f hauville #Crossposting this here at last

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