Some people are just born with tragedy in their blood

Some people are just born with tragedy in their blood Copernicus Copper Galileo McIntyre 28 years old College Professor Writer

[copperxgalileo]

powerhaus97​:

Matt didn’t need a laundry list of reasons for why he felt attracted to someone. He had a tendency not to overthink things, and it was equal parts a blessing and a curse. A curse because it got him in trouble when he didn’t think about things through before leaping in, but a blessing when he did jump in the way he was doing now. He felt the thrill of Copper’s hand sliding up along his muscular thigh.

When their kiss broke and Matt took his time to push the other’s thick, dark hair out of his face, he smiled at the question that followed. Matt bit his lower lip softly, a deep chuckle falling from his lips. “And if I have?” he asked, letting his thumb trail down Copper’s jaw slowly. When Copper admitted he’d been thinking about it since they met, Matt’s cheeky grin grew a little and he bit his lower lip. “Is that so? Cause I’d say the same thing, but it looks like we were both in a stale mate until now,” he teased.

Matt had to admit that he was surprised at Copper’s sudden surge of confidence, and he liked it. Whoever told him he was wasn’t good enough in the past had been stupid as hell. There was more to Copper than met the eye, and Matt was only too happy to start unwrapping every layer to discover what lay beneath. “Good,” he murmured, leaning in to press a kiss on the other’s neck as he pulled him in closer. “I want you to be exactly who you’re supposed to be,” he muttered, letting his lips trail down to Copper’s collar and suckling on the skin. Maybe it would leave a mark, but it would be a little reminder of their time tonight in that tub. He muffled a quiet groan against Copper’s skin when his turgid shaft was positioned behind the other’s toned ass.

They kissed again, and Matt’s hands were exploring again as Copper pulled back and looked into his eyes. Matt felt a coil of excitement squeeze around his heart, making it skip a beat for a moment. People told him he was sexy all the time, but there was something else behind Copper’s words, as if he was seeing something more than just his physicality right now. It made him feel more naked, and somehow, he was okay with that.

Then Copper began to kiss him again, and goddamn those fucking hips had Matt breathing faster, making his own hips move, too. His baby blue hues closed as he focused on everything he felt. The hot water, the weight of the other on his lap, his pert ass moving against him, and that tight bud rubbing against his tip. It was almost too much of a temptation to push in, but Matt controlled himself. “I’m gonna fuck you,” he confessed quietly, then held on tightly to Copper’s hips, pulling him closer to him to still them. “But not in here.” He smiled and opened his eyes, looking at Copper again. “Let’s go to my bed. I wanna do this right,” he said, leaning in to kiss Copper briefly before lightly smacking his firm ass. “There’s a towel there,” he said with a wink, tilting his head toward a pile of thick, fluffy, rolled up white towels waiting on the edge of the sink counter. “And march your ass right to my bed.”

All of this was happening so fast, and if Copper really stopped to think about it, he’d start to second guess it, start to get paranoid.  That would be easy for him to do too.  After all, Matt was hot as fuck, and more than that, he was friendly, kind, smart, funny, interesting, basically the full package.  And the way he was looking at him now...it had been a long time since anyone had done that.  It made Copper feel special, and he had almost forgotten what that felt like.  Now he realized that even before Daniel had betrayed him with his own brother, he hadn’t made Copper feel like this, feel special and desirable, and Copper now realized just how badly he missed that.  Now Copper sat in the man’s lap, kissing him, spreading them across his face, fingers brushing through his wet hair.  He felt so much affection for Matt in this moment because it was like the man had woken him up, or at least awoken something inside of him.  The scary part of this though was that Copper didn’t know what he would do when he lost this feeling.

But Copper wouldn’t let himself think about that now.  All he focused on was the attention Matt was showering on him.  Copper moaned when he felt Matt’s lips on his neck, arms wrapped around him, hands on the back of his head, fingers in his hair.  “Leave a mark,” Copper told Matt.  “I want everyone to know what I’ve been up to.  If only there were a way for them to know I had the hottest stud in Chicago.  They’d be so jealous of me.”  Again Copper kissed Matt, smiling at him.  As hot as this was, as much as he wanted this, needed it, Copper didn’t want to lose Matt as a friend.  Copper could really use a friend right now.  But if that friendship came with benefits, as in hot sex with a hot man, then that was even better.

As they continued making out, Copper bucking his hips, thick cock sliding back and forth between his muscled ass cheeks, Copper moaned loudly, becoming more and more desperate and lustful for this specimen of a man.  He felt very lucky in this moment, though again, Copper worried what would happen if this was all that would ever happen between them.  Already he could feel himself starting to get addicted to Matt.  A smirk on his face, Copper said, “Your bed, hmm?”  Matt had said he wanted to do this right, and Copper couldn’t help but beam at him.  “There you go making me feel special again,” he said, pressing his lips against Matt’s.  “I could get used to this.”  As soon as he had said that, Copper sighed, hoping that hadn’t freaked Matt out, but he didn’t say anything about it.  “Yes sir,” Copper replied facetiously when Matt ordered him to his bed, moaning when he felt the smack against his ass.  Getting out of the tub, Copper grabbed one of the towels and hastily dried himself off before rushing to Matt’s bedroom, not even caring how eager he was clearly being.

Once in Matt’s bedroom, Copper climbed onto the bed, lying there naked and spread eagle, waiting for Matt.  Part of Copper worried that when Matt saw him like this, the water no obscuring anything, that he wouldn’t be as attracted to him, but he wasn’t going to stop this now, not when he was so close to what promised to be an incredible night.

[copperxgalileo]

powerhaus97​:

Matt smiled, having Copper this dangerously close. He knew he wouldn’t be able to keep his hands from roaming for too much longer, but he didn’t even have to think about it before the other’s soft, warm lips were on his. Matt’s heart was pounding hard and fast and he returned the kiss, deepening it more as Copper did. He liked the way Copper’s fingers felt as he rubbed Matt’s nipple, and he had a mind to do the same. One hand came up to palm along the other’s chest, finally finding that nipple ring and rolling his thumb over it lightly. He was dying to play with it and feel it with his tongue, but that was something he’d try in a while. Right now, he was focused on those sweet lips that gave him everything he wanted in the moment, and he was hooked. 

He continued kissing Copper, parting his lips with the nudge of that playful tongue until the other drew back. At the question, Matt smiled, eyes opening and getting a good look at the handsome face in front of him. Copper was really fucking gorgeous with those big eyes, full brows, and that thick, dark hair that fell over them. His fingers came up, dampening Copper’s hair as he pushed it back away from his face. “You taste way better than I imagined,” he teased, hinting that he’d imagined it before. In truth, Matt had wanted to kiss him ever since the fist time they’d passed in the hall. How could he not, when he was so goddamn hot? Knowing how sweet Copper turned out to be made him even more desirable to the athlete, but he didn’t want to pursue him aggressively. He’d been burned before, just as Copper had been burned before. But maybe neither of them was broken, and maybe they were allowed to enjoy themselves and indulge in one another. It had been way too long since Matt had been with anyone like this. He smiled again, biting his lower lip with playful anticipation. “You taste like a fucking angel,” he added. Matt was rock hard, and he wasn’t going to make any effort to hide it.

Feeling the other’s hand moving up his thigh, Matt got an idea. “C’mere,” he murmured, his voice low, husky, and full of desire. He reached down to take a hold of Copper’s far thigh, pulling him closer until he had the man straddling his lap. His palms grasped the other’s firm, perfectly shaped ass, giving a nice squeeze. He pulled Copper in for another kiss, his own lips parting as he invited the other to taste him once more, and one of his hands moved to Copper’s hip and down to his thigh. Any tiredness he might’ve felt earlier seemed to melt away, and now felt invigorated with the beautiful man on his lap. Matt intended to go as far as Copper would allow him, not wanting to push for more than the other was willing to give.

Really Copper wasn’t surprised at what was happening, but at the same time he was. Two horny guys attracted to each other sharing a bath? Obviously that would lead to making out (and more most likely). But what Copper was surprised by was the fact that Matt wanted him to begin with. While Copper knew he was objectively handsome, he didn’t really have much going for him, whereas Matt was an accomplished, beloved hockey player. But for whatever reason, Matt seemed to be into him, at least physically, at least in this moment, and Copper wasn’t going to question it. No, he would just enjoy it because Matt was seriously hot as fire, and a good kisser on top of that. His one hand slid up Matt’s thigh closer to his dick, and the other continued to tweak the man’s nipple was they made out, feeling his heart pounding beneath his hand; Copper was sure his felt the same, and he moaned into Matt’s mouth at the sensation of his pierced nipple being played with. When they had broken the kiss, Copper already felt a little breathless, and he was hard as a rock, his dick aching for attention. But he was in no hurry because this moment felt perfect, Matt pushing his hair out of his face so gently, smiling at him. There was just something about the way Matt looked at Copper that made him feel sexy, wanted, like he might actually be worth this man’s time. Smirking, Copper asked, “Have you thought about this before then? That’s hot. How long have you been wanting to do that? All you really needed to do was ask because I’ve been imagining this since I first saw you.” That was true: he’d been attracted to Matt from the start. “I might taste like an angel, but I don't act like one,” Copper told Matt, a devious expression on his face. He didn’t know where this side of him was coming from because there was a not small part of him nervous about where this was going since he had only ever done things with one other man before. Plus Matt has a big, thick cock, so that was a little intimidating. But he wasn’t going to pass this chance up, plus his own dick was doing all the thinking right now. And then Copper was in Matt’s lap, reaching back to position Matt’s dick so that the shaft was resting between Copper’s ass cheeks, moaning approvingly when Matt squeezed his ass and at the way his hands were roaming his thighs. “You’re so fucking sexy,” Copper told Matt after breaking the kiss again, hand on the hockey player’s cheek, just staring into his eyes. Despite not knowing the man for long, Copper was surprised to realize he trusted him, at least enough to do this. “What are you going to do with that monster between your legs?” he asked. Copper had a good sized (and bigger than average) cock, but Matt’s had him beat. “Are you going to fuck me with it?” Copper asked, kissing Matt before peppering more kisses down his jaw. He began bucking his hips, causing Matt’s dick to slide up and down between his ass cheeks, the head occasionally brushing the hole. “Are you going to fill me with that big, fat cock?” Copper asked with a smirk on his face. And then - though his tone was seductive, he was also serious when he said, “Go easy on me. It’s been awhile.” That wasn’t the sexiest thing to say, so he added, “That just means I’m tight.”

[copperxgalileo]

powerhaus97​:

Matt took stock in the way Copper’s shy awkwardness seemed to completely melt away to reveal a much more sensual person underneath. He liked it. A lot, actually, and it only encouraged him further in following his instincts. The flirting was certainly paving the way for something else, but there was a bit of a speed bump when Copper dropped that tidbit of information. His brother had been the one sleeping with his ex, and Matt couldn’t begin to imagine the level of betrayal Copper must have felt. Matt had cheated, and he himself had been cheated on before, but not because of family ties. Copper began to list the ways in which his brother was supposedly better, and Matt waved his hand in the air, as if to dispel those notions with a simple gesture.

“Don’t say that. If he was a better man, he would’ve nipped it right in the bud. All of those things are completely worthless if he was rotten enough to lust after someone you were engaged to, for fuck’s sake,” he said, but Copper wanted to drop it for now, and Matt would oblige. “We can go into it another time, whenever you’re comfortable with it. I’ll be all ears. But tonight? I can definitely help you take your mind off all that. Don’t you worry.” The poor guy had been having a shitty night between getting locked out of his apartment and having to remember the reasons that brought him to the city, so the least Matt could do was make him feel like it had all been worth it.

Once Matt was in the tub, he looked up with a subtle smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, watching as Copper scrambled out of his clothing with disbelief that this was actually happening. Matt also noticed the other’s erection beneath that jock, which was both incredibly hot, and definitely encouraging. Matt would remember the way he looked in one, and would keep that in mind. He felt a jolt down to his crotch, and he knew that they were definitely going to be ‘relaxing’ in more ways than one tonight. He could feel it. Matt didn’t say anything as Copper rambled a little. It was really fucking cute. The athlete ran his fingers through his sandy blonde hair, wetting it and pushing it back away from his face. Once the other was in the tub, Matt inched forward, reaching for one of Copper’s hands and playfully tugging him over. Lightly at first so the poor guy didn’t trip all over himself, but then a little harder so that Copper was now sitting snugly beside Matt. “There. That’s better,” he murmured, looking at the other and wrapping one arm around his toned shoulders. “You look… really good shirtless.” His baby blues flickered down to look at Copper’s plump lips. “I wonder if you taste as good as you look, though,” he teased playfully, his face drawing a little closer to Copper’s.

As expected, Matt had a strong reaction to Copper not only revealing what had happened but also by Copper trying to defend his brother somewhat.  That was the kind of person Matt was, and even though recounting his horrible betrayal was difficult, he smiled slightly at Matt’s words.  It wasn’t fair that a man this fucking hot could also be such a good person.  Sighing, Copper nodded and acknowledged, “Yeah, I know.  It doesn’t excuse what happened.  Maybe if it had only been one time or something, but...they just kept doing it.”  If Copper hadn’t been fired from his job and come home early that day, he likely would never have caught them because they were careful, and they’d probably still be doing it.

Luckily Matt accepted Copper’s desire not to talk about it, and he smiled at the other man.  “Thanks, Matt,” he said.  “I’m pretty sure you can keep my mind off of anything, especially if we’re about to be naked.  Well in that case there’s at least one thing I won’t be able to stop thinking about.”  As he said this, Copper looked Matt up and down; he wondered if the other man knew that he was imagining him naked right then.  And Copper found himself wondering if Matt were big.  More than likely he was because everything else about him was big.

Stumbling and falling down in front of the bathroom hadn’t been Copper’s finest moment, but luckily Matt seemed amused by it.  And the moment that Copper had the jock down, hard cock exposed, Matt taking him in (and hopefully liking what he saw), all of that embarrassment was forgotten.  For a brief moment, Copper looked down at his body and worried that he would pale in comparison to the Adonis that was Matt.  He was cut though, muscular if not huge, and he hoped that Matt would like the fact that he had his left nipple pierced.  It was something Copper had gotten for Daniel, but Copper liked it well enough, and he thought other men would too, though this would be the first test.  Once in bath, Copper started to relax, though he as still achingly hard, especially when Matt pulled him close.  “Definitely better,” Copper agreed, and despite the way his heart was racing, he did feel very comfortable like this, nuzzling against Matt’s bulk.  “You know, this is definitely something I could get used to,” Copper stated, wondering if he should have said that.  He smirked when Matt complimented him, looking down and asking, “You think so?”  Then he turned his attention to the hockey player, adding, “So do you.  Like...really fucking good.”  His cock gave a hopeful twitch when Matt made his next comment, and then he leaned in closer.  Copper had just a second - a split second - of hesitation because this would be the first time doing anything with another guy - he’d been with Daniel since he was a teenager.  But there was no fucking way he was missing this chance.  The hottest man he’d ever seen was naked in the bathtub with him and wanted to taste him, so Copper would be a fool to waste that opportunity.  “Only one way to find out,” he replied with a smirk, and then Copper closed the distance between them, kissing Matt.  At first it was a life, soft kiss, but then Copper deepened it, turning his body slightly, one hand on Matt’s thick thigh and the other moving to his firm pec, thumb rubbing over the man’s nipple.  His tongue nudged at Matt’s lips, wanting entry into his mouth, and Copper’s hand moved up the man’s thigh slightly.  Finally he broke the kiss, asking breathlessly, “So...what’s the verdict?  Do I taste good?”

[copperxgalileo]

powerhaus97​:

Matt smirked at Copper’s flirtation. There was a boldness to them that he really liked, like Copper wasn’t afraid and like he wasn’t waiting for Matt to make all the moves. It was a refreshing change from other people he’d fooled around with in which he had to do most of the chasing. “Hey, if you just wanted to get me to come over, all you had to do was bait me with some stir fry and a beer or something,” he teased as the bathtub began to fill with hot water and a light film from the cedar and lavender bath salts he’d thrown in.

For a moment, their conversation shifted back to Copper’s ex, and Matt was honestly puzzled as to why anyone would wanna leave someone as cute and fun as the man with those gorgeous smile and eyes to match. When Copper said his ex had ‘found someone better,’ Matt shook his head. “I doubt he found someone better. If he found someone who couldn’t respect the fact that you were both in a relationship, that person is scum. And the fact that your ex went with it made him scum, too. I should know. I was scum,” he admitted, raising his brows and glancing over towards Copper. What happened didn’t seem like the other’s fault, and Matt had been on the other side firmly enough to know that the fault lay squarely on his ex. “But… good that it happened sooner rather than years later, cause now you get to start over and will hopefully find someone who won’t do that to you again,” he said, raising his brows and nodding. Matt hadn’t known Copper for very long, but he genuinely felt that the man deserved to be treated with more respect than he had been in the past.

Copper questioned if Matt found him delightful, and the athlete chuckled and licked his lips slightly, raising his brows and giving an easy nod. “You’re quite welcome,” he murmured, his deep voice sounding a little quieter as he brought his beer to his lips, drinking a few sips and looking– really looking– at Copper. He was fucking sexy, and that confidence mixed with the little bit of shyness was so endearing. He wondered if Copper was always like this, or if it was just the nerves, but either way, Matt was going to have fun. He set his bottle aside, then padded off towards the bathroom again. This time, he pulled his shirt up over his head, baring the toned expanse of his strong back. He let it fall to the floor, then began to work on the buttons of his pants. “Water’s ready,” he said, not waiting for Copper as he made it into the bathroom and began to peel off the rest of his clothing. Matt had been to plenty of bath houses before, but he’d never done this with someone he’d met so soon in the privacy of his own apartment. Maybe he was a little nervous, but he wasn’t going to let it show. There was hardly any part of him that didn’t get a thorough work out in his profession, and it certainly showed. His thick, trunk-like legs disappeared into the hot water, and he let out a low hum of pleasure. “God, that feels so fucking good,” he murmured. “Get in, there’s juuuust enough room for one more,” he joked. There was plenty enough room, but Matt liked to make it seem like it was a little cozier than that.

Matt’s reactions to Copper’s continuous flirting just egged him on, and Copper was happy this was going so well.  The first few times he’d seen Matt in the hall or at the mail boxes or anything, he’d felt more than little flustered.  Something was different this time, but whatever it was, it felt right.  They had a surprising chemistry that Copper was loving, and he was interested to see where it went.  And it definitely seemed like it was going somewhere judging by the fact that Matt seemed to be drawing a bath for the both of them, and Copper found himself wondering if he’d have to sleep on the couch after all.  Smirking, Copper replied, “Well now I know how to get you to my place for next time.  Though maybe all I’ll need to lure you there is my smile.  Hell, I’ll even take my shirt off if it’ll help.”  Honestly Copper rarely wore a shirt when he was at home unless he was cold.  “Or maybe I just like the idea of you seeing me shirtless,” Copper remarked truthfully, grinning at Matt and wondering if he was really about to see him not only shirtless but also naked.  It seemed that way.

Copper really appreciated the way that Matt was defending him, and Copper revealed, “Yeah, the other guy...was my older brother.”  That was definitely a bombshell, and Copper downed the rest of his drink, wanting to drown out all his baggage.  It would take more beer than this though.  “Objectively Aris - that’s my brother - is better than me.  He’s handsome and successful, more than I am.  He’s fun.  He’s my best friend...well, he was.”  Since finding Aris and Daniel together, Copper hadn’t spoken to either of them, not even saying goodbye to Aris when he left.  “And he was going through a lot,” Copper tried to rationalize, not getting into the fact that the affair started around the time their father died, though Copper hated the fact that his instinct was still to defend his brother.  “But let’s not talk about that, okay?” Copper asked, forcing a grin.  “I want this to be a fun night.  Can we do that?” he asked.  “Can you help me with that.”  Although Copper hadn’t really wanted to talk about his situation, it actually felt kind of nice, though he didn’t want to get into the details too deeply when he was potentially about to take a bath with possibly the hottest man alive, a man who also seemed to inexplicably be into him despite being able to have any guy he wanted.  Maybe one day though he would tell Matt the entirety of the story, about his dad and about the ways Copper felt he had failed as a boyfriend.

The pair were having a moment as they talked, and a comfortable silence settled over them for several seconds, the two men just looking at each other.  There was a charge in the air, and Copper could feel it pricking at his skin, setting his nerves alight.  Matt was seriously hot as fuck, like in a way that Copper didn’t think actually existed in a normal person.  Like...Matt had the body of the hottest porn star, which was the only way Copper could think to describe it.  And then Copper was thinking about Matt doing gay porn, which he would undoubtedly be very successful at, and that was just making Copper’s skin feel like it was on fire even more.  As it turned out, Matt was serious about the pair sharing the bath, and fuck, Copper didn’t know how he was going to handle this, especially as he watched Matt take his shirt off and began to unbutton his pants.  But even if Copper wasn’t sure how he would handle this, he was most certainly going to handle it somehow because this chance might never happen again.  Hurrying after Matt, Copper pulled his tank top off and dropped it to the floor, pulling his shorts down as he went, which caused him to stumble and fall onto the floor in front of the bathroom door, shorts around his ankles, wearing just a jockstrap, which was barely containing his erection.  Because Copper was definitely hard - very hard.  How could he not be?  Getting to his feet, Copper kicked the his shorts off the rest of the way, and then he stood there in front of the tub, almost naked.  “Is this really happening right now?” Copper asked, though he was smiling at Matt.  He looked down at his body and then back at Matt, saying, “Now I feel self-conscious,” and he was, though not enough to back out of this.  Taking a deep breath, he pushed his jockstrap down, exposing his already rock hard dick, and there was no point ignoring it.  “Apparently I like what I see,” he joked, though it was true.  Copper was pretty blessed below the belt, so he wasn’t embarrassed by his size, just the fact that he was so turned on.  Finally Copper climbed into the bathtub, hot water making his sore muscles feel so much better.

[copperxgalileo]

powerhaus97​:

“Don’t get it wrong, I mean… It definitely has personal touches, but I hired an interior decorator, cause otherwise half of my belongings would still be in boxes,” Matt joked, chuckling again as he glanced around his apartment. “But I mean, who knows. Maybe I have picked up a thing or two. I dunno. You’ll have to bring me to your place to see if we make it look better or worse with my ideas,” he teased. When Copper asked if there was enough room in his tub or shower for two, Matt grinned. “Might be a cozy fit, but if you don’t mind, I don’t mind.” A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips and he shrugged his shoulder lightly. The tub sounded like the more desirable of the two for Matt right now, so he brushed past Copper and began to let the hot water run for a while. At least while they toured the place.

Matt noticed the annoyance in Copper’s voice when he gave him his take on men that sucked, and what Matt deserved. He listened as he drank his own beer, taking in every word that was said. The athlete thought that he wasn’t particularly deserving of anything big in the love department, since he felt like he was the one who’d fucked up… but it hadn’t all been his fault. In truth, he and his partner were equally to blame, and it could’ve been something to bounce back from, but their love hadn’t been that strong. Still, the tone in Copper’s words made him curious to know more about what happened, and hearing that he’d been through a break up made sense.

“Honestly? That makes perfect sense to me. It’s why I left, too. Whoever decided to let you go was an idiot, too. Even if you do lock your keys in your apartment,” he teased with a little wink. Matt smiled and let Copper squirm for a moment with his own thoughts and speculations on whether or not Matt regretted inviting him. The blonde gathered the empty bottles and walked back to the kitchen, setting them on the counter. He grabbed two more, popped the tops off, then came back and handed one to Copper, drawing a little closer and raising a brow. “Not a chance, you worrywart,” he said, chuckling softly and clinking the neck of his bottle with the neck of Copper’s. “I would’ve kicked you out by now if I found you less than delightful,” he teased. “You’re gonna make new memories, and you’re gonna have a hell of a lot more fun here than you ever did back home. I’m not gonna let you flop here,” he said, with a cheeky grin.

“Still better than mine,” Copper replied when Matt said he’d hired an interior decorator.  And he laughed too, adding, “You know, you could have taken all the credit for this place, and I never would have known, though I guess if you came to my place and were just like, ‘I don’t know,’ I might have figured it out.”  Then he smirked, saying, “And maybe me inviting you over to help me decorate is just a guise, a pretense to get you to my place?”  Although he was mostly kidding, there was truth to that too because Copper definitely wouldn’t mind spending more time with Matt, even if all he could do was look.  However, it definitely seemed like he might be able to do more than that when he responded to Copper’s comment about the shower and bath.  Immediately Copper blushed, and it felt suddenly hot in here.  Did Matt mean what Copper thought he did?  He definitely hoped so, and Copper quipped, “Let’s see, do I mind cozying up to the hot Adonis hockey player while we’re both naked?  That’s a definite no,” though he was still feeling flustered when Matt went into the bathroom and turned the bath on.  Was this actually about to happen, or was Matt just teasing him.  Please let it be the first one, Copper thought, mentally crossing his fingers.

Copper knew he’d been a little too intense just now, but luckily Matt took it in stride, and he also seemed to understand what Copper was saying.  This made him feel more relaxed about talking about it (that and the second beer Matt supplied), and he blushed when Matt said that his ex was an idiot for letting him go.  “He just found someone better,” Copper said quietly, clinking the neck of the beer against Matt’s before taking a slug of it.  “Would have been nice if he told me instead of being with this guy for six months, but hey, it was a fun surprise catching them in our bed.”  He couldn’t keep the bitter sarcasm out of his voice, but Copper definitely didn’t want to bring the mood down, so Copper focused on the good.  “But if that all hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t be here with you now, so maybe this is just how everything is supposed to be.  A smirk on his face, Copper replied, “So you find me delightful, hmm?” chuckling softly.  “Luckily I feel the same way about you.”  They were sitting closer now, but Copper found it very comfortable.  Matt smelled really good to Copper right now, and it was honestly just his post-practice musk, but whatever it was, it was really doing it for him right now.  Yeah, Matt was definitely hot as hell, and Copper would jump on that (and him) in a heartbeat.  But more than that, he was glad to have finally made a friend.  “Thanks, Matt,” he said quietly.  “You’re...actually my first friend here.  I might seem all confident and flirtatious, but the truth is that I’m super awkward, especially around hot men, so the fact that I’m being so smooth right now must mean that you put me at ease because you are most definitely the hottest man I’ve met here.”

[copperxgalileo]

powerhaus97​:

Matt laughed at Copper’s dick joke and nodded, wrinkling his nose a bit. “Fair enough! I agree with you, there.” It was his own not-so-subtle way of saying he batted for the same team. It’s not like Matt hid it– in fact, he was quite likely the only openly gay player out on the ice. That kind of thing brought attention, and attention brought that gay diversity money. Matt’s face was plastered on all kinds of LGBT publications, and had product endorsement contracts coming out of his ears. Rainbow hockey stick tape had never been more popular.

Copper could even see it with how lavish Matt’s place was. Matt chuckled and walked over towards Copper, handing him one of the beers as the man sat down. It was funny to see him nearly choke when he told Copper about his “friend’s” situation, and grinned broadly when he added he wished he’d been living here at the time to see it. Matt knew he was a good looking man, but it didn’t hurt to hear it, especially from someone he found quite attractive, too. “Here, c’mon. I’ll give you a tour of the place,” he said, tilting his head a little. Matt walked ahead and pointed to the brick hall by his front door where they’d just walked in. There were a few photos on the wall and one of his Winter Classic jerseys hung up as well. At the hall, there was a door. “That’s the bathroom there. Help yourself to anything you need. There’s a shower, a hot tub– I need one of those after a long night of practice– all that jazz. My bedroom is here on the other side of this wall,” he said, walking back towards the living room. One of those long nights of practice had been tonight, and the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to get in that tub and relax. Maybe Copper would wanna join him, but he’d wait a little bit before jumping right to that. He pointed to the glass walls from which his California king-sized bed was visible, as well as his closed closet. “I have a small office in there with my laptop and whatever else… Living room needs no introduction, kitchen’s here, and just behind this wall is the dining area,” he said, giving Copper a quick little tour around. “If you get hungry or anything please, make yourself something– and make me something while you’re at it,” he joked with a chuckle.

“Actually, all jokes aside, I think I’m gonna order somethin’. What do you like to eat?” he asked, grabbing his phone and flipping through his GrubHub app. “Anyway, yeah, I’ve been here for a few years now, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I mean… I had a similar living situation in LA, but after I had a…” Matt wrinkled his nose before continuing. “…A bit of a messy break up… I couldn’t stay there anymore. I forget where you said you’d moved from. Are you liking it here?”

Copper hadn’t needed Matt’s confirmation about his relationship status because he already knew who Matt was.  Maybe he hadn’t before coming to Chicago, but Matt was kind of a big deal around here.  Honestly Copper admired Matt and appreciated what he was trying to do.  It actually meant a lot to Copper because he knew how much some kids needed people like Matt, out and proud people; he knew how much visibility mattered.  But these were things Copper didn’t know how to say, so he just kept them to himself.

Matt had a really good laugh, and Copper was especially glad that he had been the one who’d drawn it from him.  And he liked the way Matt reacted to his flirting.  The man wasn’t simply tolerating it, he seemed to like it, and that was definitely a big boost to Copper’s ego.  He kept pace with Matt as they went around the apartment, continually impressed not just by the size but also the decor.  “You’ve really made this place your own,” Copper said.  “Mine is so...Spartan, I guess you could say.  I haven’t really felt up to decorating or personalizing it yet.”  Honestly Copper was generally in a low mood these days, though right now he was enjoying his time with Matt.  When they got to the bathroom, Copper grinned mischievously at Matt and asked, “Are either of those things big enough for two?”  While he hadn’t truly been serious, just flirting harmlessly, Copper also wouldn’t say no if Matt offered because, well, he wasn’t crazy.  More seriously he said, “I might actually need that shower though because I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but I kinda smell.”  He was still a bit sweaty even, and Copper felt gross.

Once the tour was over, Copper stated, “You have a really great place, Matt.  Maybe sometime you could come to mine and give me some pointers.  I just don’t have an eye for these things.  My dad did, and now I find myself wishing I’d paid more attention.”  He hadn’t exactly meant to bring up his dad, and Copper quickly downed the rest of his beer, wanting to drown out those thoughts.  “And I wouldn’t say no to another one of these,” he said, grinning at Matt.  “And as long as what you order has at least something vegetarian, I’m in.”  Listening to Matt talk about his past, Copper clenched his fists, feeling a surge of anger that he thought Matt would probably notice.  “Why do some guys have to suck?” he seethed.  “They take and they take and give you nothing back.  I’m really sorry for whatever happened with yours, but honestly, that guy didn’t deserve you.”  As soon as he was finished speaking, Copper knew he might have gone overboard, and he owed Matt an explanation; after all, he didn’t even know the situation between Matt and his ex.  Just because it was messy didn’t mean the guy had screwed Matt over necessarily.  “Sorry,” Copper apologized, “I went through a bad breakup before coming here too.  It’s actually why I came, most of the reason at least.  I couldn’t stay there where everything I used to love was tainted.  It was like living in the ruins of a once great city, only remnants of what once had been still left.”  Chuckling anxiously, Copper assumed, “You probably regret inviting me in AND offering me both your shower and to stay the night.”

[copperxgalileo]

powerhaus97​:

Matt chuckled when Copper greeted him, feeling bad for the guy. He looked like he’d been trying to get in for the past… well… who knows how long? He wrinkled his nose when Copper confirmed his suspicions and gave a slow nod. “Yeah, he’s kind of a dick. Building could be burnin’ down and he wouldn’t give a shit til morning,” he said, which wasn’t making the situation any better, but Copper hadn’t been the only one to need a key so late at night. “Happens to the best of us, honestly. That’s why I keep a spare key in my car now. But anyway, don’t sit there lookin’ all miserable, come on in,” he said, offering Copper a cheeky grin.

Turning to face his door, he pulled the keys from his pocket and unlocked the door. He pushed it open and glanced over at Copper again, beckoning him with his hand this time. “Come have a beer. You can crash on my couch or something if he really doesn’t text you back, cause sleeping on the hall would suck, man,” he said, not really waiting for Copper to refuse him before walking inside. Matt leff the door open for Copper and padded into his lavish apartment. He tossed his duffel bag to the side, promising himself that he’d take care of its contents in the morning.

The sandy blonde walked to his refrigerator and pulled two beers out, setting them on the kitchen counter between the kitchen and his living room. There was no way he was gonna let his new friend sleep out in the hall, and he wasn’t so tired from practice that he couldn’t chat with him and maybe get to know more about him. Matt popped one of the beers open and took a sip. “At least you’re not butt ass naked. That would be infinitely worse, I feel. Naked as a baby and locked outside your apartment. Not gonna say it’s happened to me, but it’s happened in this building to someone at some point,” he said with a quiet snort.

Laughing, Copper said, “I think calling him a dick is a little unfair.  I mean, I actually like those, so it feels a little insulting to dicks everywhere.”  Maybe it was a dumb joke, but Copper was so tired and frustrated.  Honestly he’d been hoping that Matt would invite him in.  Not only was the man very, very nice to look at (Copper honestly didn’t know men like him existed in real life), but Copper also didn’t like the idea of having to camp here outside his apartment for God knows how long.  On the other hand, he didn’t really know Matt that well yet, and while this might be the chance to change that, Copper hoped that there wouldn’t be any awkward silences.  But there was no way Copper was going to sit out here when his hot neighbor was offering to let him pass the time in his apartment.

Walking into Matt’s apartment, Copper was struck by how grand it was.  Copper’s was nice too, very nice - family money afforded him a lot of luxuries - but Matt’s had it beat, at least to an extent.  “I guess this is what the money from being a major hockey playing stud buys you,” he remarked, looking around the place.  Copper was surprised when Matt offered to let him sleep crash there if he didn’t hear back from the super.  “Really?” Copper asked.  “I mean, I’m definitely not gonna say no, and the couch does look comfortable.”  He looked at it, not sure if Matt’s place had more than one bedroom.  And yeah, he’d be lying if he said he hadn’t been wondering about Matt’s bed, but Copper truly didn’t expect to be sleeping there with the hockey player.

Copper took the other beer from Matt and popped it open, taking a drink as well as he listened to him talk, nearly choking on his beer as he heard what Matt had to say.  Coughing a little, Copper remarked facetiously, “Yes, I’m sure that was most definitely not you.”  Maybe it wasn’t, but it definitely sounded like that’s what Matt was getting at, and either way it was a nice image as Copper openly admired Matt’s muscular form and wondered what he looked like naked.  “If it had been you, I would be bummed that I wasn’t your neighbor yet when that happened,” he went on, smirking at Matt and taking another drink.  “I would have let you hang out in my apartment for sure in that case,” he added, though Copper would have let Matt hang out there regardless.  He moved over to the couch, sitting down on it and looking around.  “This place really is amazing,” he told Matt.  “I mean, my apartment is really nice too, but yours has it beat.  I’ll have to have you over sometime so you can see it.  You know, when I’m not locked out.”

[copperxgalileo]

powerhaus97​:

It was a long day of practice. The beginning of the 2020-2021 hockey season was still a few months away, but Matt Bettenhaus still showed up for practice daily. He was getting older, which meant he had to work a little harder than the younger guys at keeping up his physique and keeping his skills sharp. It was late, however, and it was time to turn in for the night. The next day, he could rest and spend the day soaking in a hot, salt water bath from sun up to sun down if he wanted to. Matt entered the lofty apartment building and took the elevator up. On occasion, he’d get recognized on his way to and from, but for the most part, his neighbors were also prominent people of the city, or otherwise just rich enough to know the value of privacy. He was just glad he didn’t need to worry about having to take photos with people every time he ran into them.

As he reached his floor, he pulled his keys from his pockets and adjusted the heavy duffel bag that was slung over his shoulder, but noticed someone else was out on the hall. He smiled when he recognized his newest neighbor, Copper. Then, he chuckled to himself when he realized Copper was standing outside of his own apartment with an expression that Matt could only assume meant one thing.

“Let me guess… youuu... locked yourself out, didn’t you? Which sucks, but it sucks doubly that the front office is closed,” he teased, his baritone voice filled with mirth at the situation.

@copperxgalileo

Although Copper hadn’t come to Chicago under the best of circumstances, he was trying to make it work.  It wasn’t easy when you lost your job, your ex cheated on you with your brother, and your dad died all in a six month period, and he just couldn’t stay in Maine after that.  His sister had promised to look after their other dad, and that same dad himself encouraged Copper to go, to find whatever it was he needed to move on from this.  So that was how Copper had found himself in Chicago, specifically the gay mecca known as Boystown.  He figured what better was to get over his ex and his brother’s betrayal than to be around a lot of hot men who happened to like other men.  Plus it was where his dads met, so Copper liked the idea of being there where their love story began just after it had ended decades later.

But things weren’t perfect.  Not only was it taking Copper longer than he expected to get settled and adjusted, but he’d come home from going for a run only to find that he’d locked himself out of his apartment.  “Fuck,” he hissed under his breath, shaking his head angrily.  How could he have been so stupid?  Thinking that maybe he could force the door open somehow, he started jiggling the handle, trying to shoulder the door open, etc etc etc, but nothing was working.  Even worse, the front office was closed, and calls to the superintendent yielded no results.  Eventually he just sat down and leaned back against the door feeling utterly defeated.

This was how Matt found Copper.  He was his across the hall neighbor, and he was hot as fuck.  That was the first thing Copper had thought when he’d met the man, but Matt also turned out to be a pretty cool guy, though Copper still didn’t really know him.  “Hey man,” Copper greeted him, and did he seriously have to look so damn good when Copper was not at his best?  Wearing just an old sleeveless shirt and some gym shorts, sweaty, his hair a mess, Copper knew he had definitely looked better, whereas Matt looked perfect.  Life just wasn’t fair.  Standing up, Copper laughed bitterly and replied, “Yeah, I did.  Stupid, stupid me.  I can’t believe I did that.  And as you probably know, the front office is closed, and I called the super, but it just went to voicemail.”  He ran his fingers through his sweaty hair, shaking his head.  “I guess I’m gonna camp out here for now,” Copper decided glumly.