Liminal Spaces
Something that, as usual, started as a joke and turned into something semi-serious. Note that one (1) dick is mentioned and also butt, but there is no actual smut. For the Corbulo AU, Lasky is 28, John is 29.
------------
He just couldn't help it. He was going to see John's butt in the showers anyway, and so long as he didn't stare, it wasn't a problem, right?
You just keep lying to yourself, Tom.
He turned to continue the conversation with his friend, but as soon as he looked up, every thought process he had came to a screeching halt.
John had just finished pulling on a pair of bright blue lace hot pants.
Tom quickly turned back, pretending to rinse his face again. He'd seen John in underwear before, but it hadn't been anything as racy as that. And for some reason, seeing the ODST's backside in lace was hotter than seeing it bare; maybe it was how he could see pale skin through the lace, or the way that they rode up just enough to show the curve of each cheek, or...
"Fuck me..." he muttered quietly to himself.
"What?"
Thomas started, and looked up. John was buttoning the fly on his black cargo pants, not a centimeter of blue lace in sight.
"Huh?" Was all Tom could say in response. John smiled gently and started to come over, and as he did, Thomas became acutely aware that he was more than halfway hard.
"Thought I heard you say something." John shrugged. As he ambled closer, Tom's mind frantically searched for a solution to his growing problem.
"Uh...no, nothing important," He quickly reached over and turned the shower almost all the way to 'cold'. "Water got too hot." Thomas shivered as the heat vanished, and leaned on the chest-high metal stall barrier for good measure as John came to a stop on the other side, one eyebrow lifted slightly.
Oh shit...does he know? He can't possibly know...
"I thought you looked a little pink in the face." John smiled, and Tom could have passed out from relief. "Thought maybe you liked me or something."
Tom's heart jumped before he realized John was just making a casual joke...it had to be a joke...
Tom scoffed as casually as he could, now that his dick had calmed down, then straightened up and turned the water off completely.
"Yeah, sure. Meet me in the mess for coffee in a bit?" Without being asked, John handed him a towel. Thomas took it without a second thought, and scrubbed his hair dry as John shrugged.
"I'll wait. You weren't done with your story."
It would have been a sweet gesture, Thomas thought, if it wasn't just John being his usual considerate self. They didn't see each other often, so it made sense he'd want to catch up before they went thier separate ways again.
Before one of us or the other ends up dead...
A peculiar, painful ache pulsed in his chest, and Thomas stuffed that thought back into the hole it had crawled out of. He and John were here, now, and if this was all they ever had, he'd take it.