Cat and Mau5

Gerard was thankful that Frank hadn’t been kidding when he’d assured him that his place was nearby. They’d only hoofed 3 or 4 blocks and Gerard hadn’t even had to urge Frank to hurry. He was a clever guy; he knew how much trouble it would cause Gerard to be caught out with him and wasn’t offended by it in the least. Technology might have come in leaps and bounds since the early 00’s but unfortunately the public’s penchant for ‘celebrity gossip’ had not.

They had continued to talk on the way to the apartment, Frank now unencumbered and unembarrassed to chatter away about UFC. Nothing about the arrangement felt unnatural. They found each other easy to converse with and enjoyed doing so.
“How many are you up to now?” Frank asked as he punched in the code for his door.
“18 matches without a loss” Gerard told him proudly, stomach now a little jittery.

Frank hummed appreciatively as he stepped into the hallway, stopping to close the door and check that the lock had engaged behind them. Gerard walked ahead and stood in the centre of what constituted Frank’s lounge, dropping his bag onto the sofa. The apartment wasn’t desperately new but it was fitted with a modern layout and matching décor. The surfaces were dark and smooth like plastic, though they were hardy and took a lot to scratch. Gerard’s footsteps echoed as he stepped on the synthetic wood flooring and he poked his head into two adjacent rooms; a small kitchen with a beaten up automatic MealMaker, and a bathroom. Gerard found himself thinking about how the building looked nothing like Frank, and then questioned whether he really had the credentials to be making such an observation.

When he turned back around Frank was looking a little nervous.
“It’s nice” Gerard said in reference to the apartment, attempting to lessen the tension.
“No it’s not” Frank smiled. “It’s modern and generic and plain fucking boring.”
“Everything you’re not” Gerard replied quietly.

There was a pause as the air thickened between them, but Frank obviously wasn’t willing to capitalise on it just yet. He tucked his hands in his pockets and moved toward the kitchen.
“Would you like some coffee?”

Gerard was of half a mind to disregard the question and close the gap between them to claim Frank’s mouth, but then it clicked – a little spark of an inkling – and all impure thoughts were dead in the water.
“Wait. It’s real, isn’t it?”

Frank only smiled. Gerard moved forward and placed his hands on Frank’s cheeks in urgency, all lustful charge in the action dissipated.
“You have real coffee, don’t you? Coffee made from real beans. You’re Frank; you don’t like sims.”

Frank was grinning by this point, and he only had to begin to move his head into a nod before Gerard planted a chaste but enthusiastic kiss on his lips.
“Then hell yes I’d like some coffee.”

They meandered into the small kitchen unit and Gerard hoisted himself up onto the countertop, lightly swinging his legs as he sat. Frank programmed his MealMaker for two cups, asking for Gerard’s preference on sweetener – unfortunately he couldn’t stretch to authentic sugar – and leant back against the opposite cabinet as they waited.

“You must pay through the fucking nose for this stuff” Gerard said reverently as Frank retrieved another pair of cigarettes as promised. “Real tobacco, real coffee. It must set you back.”
“Yeah, it’s not cheap” Frank assured him as he passed over a lighter. “But I’d rather have a little of something real than a lot of something fake.”

Gerard agreed with the sentiment and puffed away on his cigarette happily, already not looking forward to the next time he had to choke down a herbal and pretend to be grateful for it. He didn’t usually consider himself one for illegal substances, but although he’d never approached a dealer himself, Gerard had never been able to resist tobacco when it was offered to him.

When Frank moved towards him with an ash tray to dispose of the spent stick Gerard leant down and caught Frank in another closed-mouthed kiss. It was weird, that it should feel so natural to exchange casual displays of affection with a man who didn’t even qualify as a one night stand yet. He didn’t have much time to ponder over it though, for Frank was already reaching into the MealMaker and retrieving Gerard’s cup.

Gerard made grabby hands unashamedly and cradled the mug to his chest, breathing in the scent of the genuine roasted blend like it was an illegal in itself. It slid down his throat like liquid gold, coating his insides with warmth and tainting his mouth with a tinge of happy bitterness. Gerard could barely remember what his plans for the evening had been before he’d met Frank and had been spoilt with such elusive tastes.

“What are you smiling about?” Frank asked.
“Just happy I ended up here rather than alone in some grotty motel” he smiled in response, setting aside his drained cup.

Frank walked to him wordlessly, standing between Gerard’s legs and running his hands absently along the side of his thighs up on the counter. He looked up with questions in his eyes.
“Why?” he asked. “Why are you here? You’re G3rard. Thousands of men and women alike would give their left leg to be with you. You could have anyone; you know that. Why are you here…with me?”

Gerard considered the question and thought of how he’d known intrinsically that he had to bend that rule, just this once. He skimmed a hand around Frank’s jaw to rest at the base of his hairline.
“I guess…I’d rather have a little of something real than a lot of something fake.”
The understanding passed between them silently and Frank couldn’t quite hide his smile as his words were tossed affectionately back at him.

This time when they met for a kiss they both opened up immediately, chastity shot to dust and passion rife in the movement of their mouths. Frank’s hands were still glued to Gerard’s thighs, but Gerard’s constantly shifted between cupping Frank’s face and thumbing through his hair. Frank’s mouth tasted of the things they’d recently consumed, the things that he wasn’t used to but tasted strangely like home, and he couldn’t get enough, sliding his tongue along Frank’s and inhaling harshly through his nose.

When they stopped for a more substantial breath Frank took Gerard’s hand, urging him to hop down from the counter. Frank grinned and tugged Gerard back into the lounge. They crossed the room to the closed door that Gerard hadn’t been nosey enough to open in his prior exploration of the apartment.

Gerard was the one to open it now, tearing his attention away from Frank as he surveyed the bedroom, the one room he had not yet examined. He smiled. It was like a sigh of relief, looking at Frank’s personal space. This room actually looked like its owner. The furniture was made of wood – half-rotten and in shoddy condition by the looks of things – and the walls were covered in faded paper. It looked like old pull-outs from magazines and newspapers. He didn’t have time to inspect each one fully, but by the look of the fonts and graphic design Gerard judged that the majority of them were connected to movies and musicians from a few decades prior. His bookcase was filled with a small selection of actual books and it made Gerard’s chest flare with warmth. Although Frank had some modern amenities visible - a touchscreen calendar and a flashy computer unit sitting in the corner - the room was undeniably Frank. His sheets were dark but soft-looking and Gerard couldn’t wait to press Frank into them.
“This is more like it” he said with a grin. “Not so generic in here, huh?”

Frank laughed and leant in, rising up on his toes slightly so as to reach Gerard’s mouth again. Their kisses grew in intensity, plunging deep and clashing teeth occasionally in their fervour. Frank’s arms were the first to withdraw from their embrace, sliding his hands under the lapels of Gerard’s leather jacket and teasing it off his shoulders to fall to the floor behind him. Gerard was glad to be rid of it, heating up as their movements did the same.

When Frank moved away, settling himself on the bed and kicking off his sneakers Gerard followed suit, bending to untie his boots just enough to wiggle his feet out. As soon as he got a knee on the bed Frank was tugging Gerard on top of him, pulling him in close and hooking his feet around Gerard’s calves. It was a happy shock to his system when their hips pressed together, heat spiking in his stomach and increasing his desperation to get Frank naked.

It wasn’t long before his fingers were clawing their way underneath Frank’s shirt and pushing it up, waiting until the fabric was rucked up against his own chin to tear himself from Frank’s mouth and pull it over his head. Frank’s skin was warm and soft under his palms, splashed with permanent ink. He was undeniably beautiful, as stupid as it made Gerard feel to think it.

Frank looked nonplussed and vaguely afraid when Gerard pulled back abruptly, looking thoughtful.
“What?”
Gerard was still sat atop him but he had leant over the side of the bed, grasping for Frank’s shirt.
“I just needed to check…” he mumbled, tugging at the collar and flipping out the label. His grin was quick and easy, dropping it and fitting himself back against Frank snugly. “100% cotton. Of course.”

Frank laughed loudly and pushed his hands underneath Gerard’s own shirt to reach the skin beneath.
“You’ll be disappointed by me soon enough” Frank said. “I own a great deal of sims and synths that you just haven’t seen yet. It’ll shatter your illusions.”

The word ‘yet’ stirred in Gerard’s gut pleasantly and he didn’t waste any time in getting his hand on Frank’s fly and beginning to remove both of their jeans.
“Some shattered illusions might be nice” he declared between planting kisses on Frank’s mouth and neck in turn. “It’d be a little unnerving if you stayed this perfect.”

When both of their jeans and socks had been shucked off Gerard fit their bare skin together wherever possible, rolling his hips over Frank’s and pressing down through the thin material of their underwear to ease the pulse in his dick. He felt Frank similarly hard beneath him, pushing up to increase the friction and teasing Gerard’s mouth with his tongue.

Before long Frank was pushing on Gerard’s side, tipping him over and climbing on top himself. The sheets were warm against Gerard’s back where Frank had been laying and the movement of Frank’s crotch over his was firm and relentless. He whimpered into Frank’s mouth when his dick twitched and was rewarded with the tell-tale sign of what was to come; a trail of kisses from chest into his navel. His stomach fluttered beneath Frank’s mouth and he lifted up eagerly when Frank hooked his fingers under the waistband of Gerard’s boxer shorts, discarding them immediately and wasting no time in wrapping a saliva-slicked hand around him.

The sensation of direct skin contact was glorious but when Frank dipped his head and took Gerard into his mouth he could do nothing but press his head back into the pillow open-mouthed and ride it out. Frank started slow, licking around the head of Gerard’s cock and taking him in as far as he could. When he pulled off he left his mouth close, his lips dragging softly against Gerard as he spoke.
“I’ve thought about this” Frank said breathlessly, the words tumbling out as he reached down to touch himself. “Thought about your cock in my mouth; how it would be, how it would taste. It’s better, so much better.”

With that he went down on Gerard again, sliding the sensitive head along the inside of his cheek, wet and warm and smooth. A short moan bubbled out of Gerard’s throat and Frank rewarded him by hollowing his cheeks and shuffling his mouth as far down as he could manage. When Frank climbed back up his body he stopped for another kiss, transferring the taste of Gerard’s precome and rubbing himself against Gerard’s hip, arm outstretched as he reached into the bedside drawer.

There was a moment of silence between them as Frank showed him the bottle of lubricant in his hand, sitting back and letting Gerard lean against the wall.
“I don’t have any condoms.” He was quiet, but didn’t break eye contact. “I mean, I’m clean and I’m sure you are too, but this is a weird situation and it’s not… I’d fuck you right now and to hell with the consequences, but it’s not right that we ask that of each other. I have some venerad we can both take…if you’re cool with this.”

Gerard was appreciative both of Frank’s honesty and his consideration. Although use of protection was still the most common method of disease prevention, medicine had expanded so far as to be able to treat the early contraction of said diseases. However, the venerads - venereal disease eradication meds - came at a price and were not yet commonplace. It was comforting that Frank was thoughtful enough to insist they mutually take the drugs rather than the chance. He didn’t doubt Frank’s honesty any more than Frank doubted his, but this was a much fairer arrangement, one that neither of them would object to.

Gerard smiled, placing a hand upon Frank’s cheek.
“Beyond.” They kissed. “Can I fuck you, Frank?”
“It’s kind of what I was angling for” Frank smirked, giving Gerard another couple of firm strokes before swapping positions.

Gerard removed Frank’s underwear and spent only a couple of minutes stroking the man underneath him before the lube was impatiently shoved his way. It amused him but he was eager enough himself so didn’t dawdle.

Frank was silent, unnervingly so, when Gerard slipped his first finger in. Gerard pressed a kiss to Frank’s knee and silently willed the man beneath him to relax. It wasn’t long before he added a second, moving back and forth slowly, scissoring occasionally and making Frank suck in a harsh breath. By the time he added a third Frank was used to the stretch, wincing but looking as comfortable with the discomfort as he was going to get. He smiled up at Gerard easily to signify that he was ready and Gerard’s stomach churned in anticipation.

Frank scooted down the bed a little further, pulling up his legs and fluffing the pillows beneath his head. Gerard pushed in smoothly, letting his mouth fall lax with the feeling. He hadn’t felt anything around his cock but his own hand in far too long. Frank huffed out a breath beneath him and when Gerard was buried to the hilt he bent over Frank’s torso and kissed him deeply.

It was different – fucking bareback – and he’d almost forgotten how much. Everything felt closer, sharper. Frank was vocal with each thrust, contorting his eyebrows and gripping onto the inside of Gerard’s elbows.

Frank was gorgeous beneath him; sturdy jaw, beautiful mouth and a head of mussed hair that grew more untidy with each drag against the pillowcase. He appreciated the perfect arch in Frank’s eyebrows in a way that he hadn’t in so long. Frank reminded him of times long passed. The taste of the tobacco in his mouth and appreciating the beauty laid out beneath him made Gerard think of art school, back when UFC was just a distant dream. All at once he felt nostalgic and hopeful, comfortable in his own skin and natural; natural here with Frank. He could do nothing but fuck it out, groaning when the drag of Frank against his cock made his stomach swoop and bring him dangerously close to the edge.

He wasn’t ready to tip over that precipice, and by the looks of Frank, tugging at his dick and rolling his hips to meet Gerard, he wasn’t either. He wasn’t even aware he’d been entertaining the notion until he pulled out of Frank, fixing himself to the younger man’s mouth and reversing their positions. Frank went with it, gripping their cocks together and stroking, the lube making the slide quick and sweet. They paused when Gerard hooked his legs around Frank’s hips, locking his feet and holding on.

Frank pulled back a little, face perfectly serene when he dusted his fingertips tenderly over Gerard’s cheek.
He simply asked: “Are you sure?”

Gerard nodded swiftly, threading his fingers through Frank’s hair and giving him a couple of quick kisses.
“It’s been a long time, though.”
Frank lifted an eyebrow, implying a repeat of the previous question.
“I want you” Gerard told him firmly, floored by the truth of it. His hands were a little shaky with the need when he reached for the bottle of lube.

Frank dragged Gerard back against his mouth furiously as he coated his fingers. Each time they drew apart it was like a magnetic pull, smashing them back together again and increasing their desperation.

Gerard whimpered far more than Frank had while he was being opened up, gritting his teeth. He hummed with as much reassurance as he could muster when Frank pressed kisses to his face, asking if he was alright. He hadn’t felt this burn in so long that it almost felt foreign to him. He stuck it out, breathing harshly through the pain and panting with want when it gave over into familiarity.

When Frank was finally inside him it was like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. It was simultaneously too much and not enough, Frank rearing back and pushing back in like he’d never wanted anything more. The blunt drag was dizzying, feeling the weight Frank put behind each thrust, going deep even as he picked up speed. The room was filled with the sound of their harsh breath battling together, the sound of skin on skin where Frank collided with him and Gerard’s own voice, crying out each time with no regard to how late it was or whether Frank’s neighbours would be able to hear.

When Frank struck Gerard just right on the inside his hand flew down to his own dick, smearing precome around the head and jacking, fast and tight. The want that pulsed heavily in his belly began to tighten, curling up hotly and making his feet flex. When he managed to crack open an eye Gerard saw Frank moving relentlessly above him, mouth hanging open and contorting as he grew closer. He looked incredible.

Gerard came first, crying out as it spattered on his chest, pulsing like fire and making him gasp for air. When it eventually fizzled out Frank bent over to taste Gerard’s mouth again, hips going wild and losing their rhythm. One of his hands had made it into Gerard’s hair, tugging sharply at his scalp in an attempt to steady himself.

“Can I?” he gasped, eyes begging for things his mouth never could.
Gerard replied by hooking his legs around the back of Frank’s thighs, pulling him in deeper and rolling his hips with force. Frank was practically gulping in air by now, and Gerard watched his face as he swiftly lost control, mouth contorting and trembling before he shoved in heavily and halted, coating Gerard’s insides as he came hard.

Gerard could feel Frank’s lungs working against his chest as he came down, and Gerard stroked through his hair as he did so, sighing contentedly. Eventually Frank found the energy to gently pull himself out and curled up, burying himself into Gerard’s arms and resting his cheek on his collarbone.