Chapter 234: Brent is learning self control
The meeting ended and it felt like all the tension left the room in a breath. Everyone was groaning and stretching as they attempted to relax, some getting up to leave right away. Esper Times was one of the few that moved quickly out of the room. No doubt it was to make sure the other Lieutenant, his wife Guide Times, hadn’t given birth to her child.
Brent rolled his eyes, but didn’t stop him. Over half of the people in the room were Espers so their overreacting at a pregnant woman was to be expected. That it was one of their own? Way worse. Brent had learned that in his first few weeks here, and hadn’t stepped on that anthill again.
At the meeting they had hammered out a few more details, and Sergei had actually fielded a few calls and texts from S Classes that Rhys had directed towards him. Brent was a bit surprised that he upheld his end of the bargain, but he was on his best behaviour and in an incredible mood.
Kellen had proposed, not Rhys. There were very few things that could ruin his good mood right now.
Brent didn’t want to be the one who burst his bubble, so he didn’t. He also had no need to. Brent wasn’t like the rest of his family in that regard. He did not share a general contempt for other people’s happiness, and he was glad that that was one of the few traits that he had inherited from his grandfather.
It seemed to be a trait that his mother had, and for whatever reason, they had manipulated his genes enough that he didn’t get it like the rest of his siblings. A small blessing, but one nonetheless.
Brent wasn’t one of the people who was itching to get out of the meeting room. He didn’t have anywhere important to go. He was confined to the Guild building, so where the hell could he go? Back to his apartment? Back to the Woods’ apartment? To celebrate Kellen? He loved the guy, but that didn’t really seem like something he should do, nor could he do.
He knew that while Kellen’s parents were happy and proud for their son, the waterworks were about to turn on and Brent was terrible with people who were crying. Kellen was worse, but Brent didn’t like it either.
So, he weighed his options. The meeting was over, the Espers were dispersing, and Brent could either stay here for longer, or go back to his apartment and maybe get some take out.
Brent turned to the man who had been at his side when he woke up this morning, watching him as if he was trying to imprint every inch of his skin into his memory.
"Do you want to go back to the apartment?" He asked him and Sergei stared at him silently. Brent stared in return. He knew that Sergei was looking at him like he was ridiculous, but so what? Just because he had come here mostly to see Brent and do a teeny tiny bit of work at the same time didn’t mean his opinion didn’t matter. It still did.
"We can do whatever you want." Sergei said and Brent scoffed, rolling his eyes.
"That wasn’t what I asked, Sergei. What do you want to do?" He asked and watched as something flickered across his gaze before it was gone. An idea. A thought, but it was gone before Brent could even catch it.
"What I want to do is irrelevant." He said instead and Brent felt his face scrunch up in annoyance.
"Is this going to be a partnership or a dictatorship? Hmm?" Brent knew it was harsh, but he was annoyed. He was asking him a genuine question, concerned about if he was being too bossy or taking up too much, and the man didn’t give him a straight answer. Just diverted to whatever Brent wanted to do. That was the last thing that Brent wanted.
He wanted a partnership. He wanted a man obsessed with him. He wanted to feel loved and know that he was loved in a way that he had never felt when with his family, and damnit, he’d had enough time to think and ruminate on this in the last, god, few months that now that he was faced with Sergei and Kellen and Rhys’ love story, he knew what he wanted. If Sergei was going to be hesitant and annoying, Brent might just snap.
Where was the Captain that could make decisive decisions in the face of the protests of his people? Where was the Captain that hadn’t balked at the insane quote that Kellen had written up and had instead nodded and signed on the dotted line? Where was the man who had slowly, carefully lured Brent into his life until Brent had fucking snapped?
Brent glared at the man and Sergei, ever the smart man, sensed something was wrong. He opened his mouth, hesitated, before he closed his eyes and sighed. When he opened them again he looked...sheepish? Brent had no idea what to do with that information, but thankfully, Sergei didn’t leave him confused for long.
"I was just wishing that I could get another coffee, but I didn’t want to pester you. You can’t go to the ground level, so it didn’t seem far for me to mention my own desires." Brent blinked, some of his anger dissipating. Brent still frowned, but now he at least understood why the man was being considerate right now.
"Then tell me that, dumbass." Brent muttered, annoyed, and watched as Sergei’s eyes creased at the corners as he smiled.
"Mm. I’ll make sure to do that. I’ve been so busy observing you that I forgot that you might want to hear my own thoughts. Forgive me, Brent?" It wasn’t even a question. Of course Brent would forgive him when he said cute shit like that.
Brent reached for him with his hand, cupping his cheek for a moment before he slid his hand back further and pulled him over, bringing their lips together in a quick, chaste peck. Did Brent want to pull the man over and push him onto the desk before them and climb on top of him? Make a mess? Make a scene? Yes, he did, but after their first night they were being on their best behaviour. Sergei’s suggestion, and Brent might be a horny man, but he wasn’t someone who would go against another’s wishes.
So, he was holding back.
That didn’t mean he could get what he wanted while still playing by the rules.
"You could have just told me you wanted to get something from the cafe. I could have just asked for something in return. Like...a coffee or a pastry or some other kind of drink." Brent scolded him lightly, their lips threatening to brush at the distance he was speaking to him. In fact, one of Sergei’s piercings was a little closer than Brent had predicted and it did rub against Brent’s lips as he spoke.
Brent felt how Sergei trembled at the slight contact, his breath shaky as it washed over his face.
"I...apologise. I hadn’t considered that. I was too worried about you getting in danger to consider other options." Sergei admitted before clearing his throat. "Is it...okay for me to do that?" Sergei asked, his gaze meeting Brent’s.
Brent rubbed his thumb and forefinger against the short hairs on the back of Sergei’s neck. It was a gentle touch, but an intimate one. Sergei’s face warmed, his body shivering. Brent snorted softly.
"I’m not about to hold you back from getting your caffeine fix, Sergei, so don’t even think that I would." Brent chuckled. "I just demand payment if you’re going somewhere I can’t. I think it’s a fair fee. I wouldn’t ask you to do something out of your comfort zone." Brent was teasing him, but he felt that this was just enough of a tease that it was okay.
From the dark look that crossed Sergei’s face, he might not agree.
"If you tease me, Brent, I might do something I promised myself that I wouldn’t." Sergei murmured and Brent felt a little thrill run down his spine as Sergei’s eyes drifted down to Brent’s lips, and then lower. They stopped at Brent’s throat and now it was Brent’s turn to pause, his body shuddering.
"Just get some fucking coffee." It was Zaria who interrupted, giving the couple a disgusted look. "Any more of this and I’m going to throw up. All of you new couples are disgusting." She retched, hand on her stomach as she shook her head while leaving the meeting room.
Brent almost felt embarrassed that he’d gotten up to something so...couple-y in front of so many people but when he glanced over at the older members of the group, they had rather tender expressions on their faces. There was no anger, not annoyance, just open affection.
That almost made it worse.
"Just go get your coffee." Brent murmured, finally blushing as he realised what he had done. "I’ll go wait at the apartment. If you get me something, anything is fine. Just as long as it’s not tea. That’s all I’ve drank for the last little bit and I need something different. No offense, Henry." Brent slid his gaze towards the fellow Guide who let out a warm laugh.
"None taken, Brent." He said warmly. Sergei composed himself quickly, and it was a little annoying to Brent that he was able to do so so quickly. He wanted to ruffle him more. Bother him more. Make it harder for him to compose himself.
What Brent wanted was the man gasping, his chest heaving. His eyes dilated and wide with pleasure, his gaze unfocused. He wanted those pretty, pouty lips and bruises from Brent’s attention, and Sergei’s body wound up tightly and almost ready to break because of Brent’s teeth, tongue and lips.
He wanted the man naked, kneeling, his lips-
Brent cut himself off, knowing that if he imagined any further he would be the one in danger, not Sergei. Sergei asked him to wait, so Brent had to wait. It was his own fault that he enjoyed the pleasure of touching another. Maybe...Maybe he could sneak in a quick jerkoff between when Sergei was getting coffee and when he got back.
Brent rose to his feet, his gaze thoughtful. He better get moving now if he wanted to attempt it. He knew he’d be a quick shot. It had been a while since he had touched himself, but he also knew that Sergei would be quick. He would have to rely on the fact that the baristas wouldn’t be.
Maybe he would get lucky and there would be a line. That way he could take his time imagining what he would do to Sergei once he got his hands on him. How he would mold his pretty, tatted skin with his hands. Nibble, lick, suck it all with his mouth and teeth and lips.
Brent coughed. Yeah, he really needed to touch himself and get rid of these urges. For now, at least. If he wanted to be able to negotiate Sergei into snuggling with him again on the couch, he couldn’t do it with such a painful erection. He’d only been half hard yesterday, so maybe his limit was two days at the most.
He’d been fine when Sergei hadn’t been here, but now that he was? Yeah, he was going to have to work this into his schedule.
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