Chapter 4 - That Old Feeling

Alex lay curled against Boone's side with one hand over the sniper's heart and his cheek pressed to the muscled chest beneath him listening to the steady heartbeat within. Boone was lying boneless underneath him, completely relaxed against the rumpled sheets and Alex smiled.

"Wow," Boone said, practically reeling from the hot burn of pleasure still coursing through his veins.

Alex smiled harder and turned his head, pressing his face into Boone's chest briefly before rising up on his elbow and staring down. "Good wow?" He asked only because he truly wanted to make the other man happy, even if only for a couple of hours.

"I think I've gone into shock."

The courier quirked a sharp dark brow in disbelief before sliding the expression to a smirk, pivoting his shoulder and lowering himself back down to the mattress. "Good wow," he whispered content in knowing that he was succeeding.

Their lips met sweetly and Alex slid even closer. He'd been completely honest with Boone when he'd said that he would wait as long as it took for the older man to be ready for whatever it was they were going to have.

It wasn't love, not yet anyway, but what was there was quickly becoming solidified into something almost tangible.

He would have been content just kissing him for the rest of the afternoon but Boone must have had other ideas. Without warning he shifted underneath Alex, twisting his hips and rolling them over in one fluid motion.

Alex found himself pinned beneath the sniper's solid weight while Boone slid one hand up his side, starting at his hip not stopping until he'd bunched the t-shirt Alex was somehow still wearing up under the younger man's armpits. Easy enough fix, the courier thought.

He wiggled just enough to slide his hands between himself and Boone, knuckles brushing against the thin trail of fine blonde hair that ran from just under Boone's belly button down to even better things. He felt Boone inhale sharply at the ghostly sensation but didn't dwell on it too long focusing instead on pulling the offending shirt off and tossing it somewhere over Boone's shoulder. "That's better," he said.

Boone stayed silent and ran his hand over the courier's bare chest, not stopping until he'd brushed his fingers up Alex's neck and buried them in his short dark hair. "Thank you," he said, rubbing a light circle against the spot right behind Alex's ear.

"For what?"

Boone hesitated for just a second before answering. "Everything."

The courier felt a blush rise over his face and opted to stay quiet rather than embarrass himself somehow. "Getting soft on me, Boone?"

He was answered with a grunt and a thrust of a still hard appendage below the waist which he took for a very strong statement of denial. "What do you think?" Boone replied, grinding himself against Alex.

Things progressed slowly but they definitely progressed. They'd broken apart long enough to untie their boots and toss them aside. Alex even took the time to pick up Boone's beret off the floor where it had fallen from his head and set it on the dresser for safekeeping. They came back together on the bed and as they kissed and touched they both managed to end up naked. Boone wriggled around until his pants and boxers slid down far enough for him to kick off and promptly thereafter disposed of Alex's, sitting back just long enough to get a really good look at the bare body below him.

The courier was something else.

His skin was still pale, even after days spent under the blistering Mojave sun his body was just barely faintly golden. Paper white or golden brown, Boone didn't care, Alex's flesh stretched over one of the sexiest bodies he'd ever seen. Boone didn't care what anyone else's opinion was on the matter The courier was one of the finest specimens of human he'd had the opportunity to ever see. Five foot nine inches of lanky lightly muscled blue-eyed Alex. "You're beautiful," Boone whispered just before he slid back down on top of him.

Unsure of just what he was supposed to be doing the sniper slid back down and pressed a tender kiss to the still healing gunshot wound the courier carried. Luckily Alex seemed to recognize the hesitation because he rolled them again, flipping their position back over so he straddled Boone's hips. His eyes flicked to the table next to the bed and he quickly leaned over, reaching for the drawer in the nightstand.

He didn't watch but Boone had a very good idea on what his lover was getting.

Sure enough a second later there was a bottle of something in his hand and the courier was staring down at him. Without saying a word Alex poured some sort of viscous fluid in his hand and that same hand promptly disappeared behind him. Boone frowned, a questioning look in his eyes.

"Can't just jump right into it," Alex said answering the look with one of his own. "Have to prepare."

No, Boone didn't know but it seemed logical. He knew the basic principles of what they were about to do and had just enough knowledge on the matter to understand one simple anatomical fact. Men didn't self-lubricate.

Simple as that.

Of course, watching the expressions that were crossing Alex's face was doing a great job of lubricating something else. He hadn't grown completely soft after he'd came the first time and now he was rock hard again, his dick leaking as Alex fucked himself with his own fingers, prepping himself for the inevitable.

The courier shifted above him, eyes flickering shut and hips thrusting forward as his fingers found something within him that made him dizzy. His cock brushed Boone's and both men moaned. "Fu-uck," Alex groaned, almost ready to deem himself prepared.

He needn't have bothered though because Boone decided for him, growing tired of waiting. With another shift of bodies the sniper was once again poised over him; hips nestled between Alex's thighs and hands on either side of his head.

Their eyes met and before Alex could reach down to guide the other man in Boone lived up to his occupation and had perfect aim. He rocked his hips forward and hit the bulls-eye on the first try, sliding in a few inches and groaning at the amazing amount of tight heat he'd just found. Alex's made a noise between pain and pleasure, tightened his legs around the lean hips between them and gasped Boone's name as the sniper pushed in another couple of inches. Alex clamped a hand on the back of Boone's neck as the sniper pulled almost all the way out then left half-moon crescents behind when he slammed in hard enough to make his balls slap the courier's ass.

Alex was pretty sure the scream he let loose would make one of the whores downstairs on the street blush and he was definitely sure that he'd never felt anything better. Boone pushed in and stopped just long enough for him to become accustomed to the intrusion then started a steady pace of fucking him into the mattress.

The courier's hands soon left the sniper's body and fisted the sheets around him white knuckling the faded cotton in a death grip, afraid that if he held on any longer his nails would end up leaving scars on Boone's back.

Not that the other man seemed to mind.

Alex had clawed and scraped across the expanse of muscle under his hands and Boone only seemed to thrust harder, somehow managing to strike deeper each and every time.

They rutted against each other, Alex moaning the sniper's name over and over again along with an impressive selection of four-letter words and Boone finding the flesh between the courier's neck and shoulder impossible to ignore. He licked and sucked and bit on the skin there, instinctively leaving his mark on what was his.

Alex wasn't sure how long he was going to be able to hold out. He'd been ready to pop while he'd been blowing Boone but had somehow managed to hold his initial release off and now that Boone was balls deep inside of him the tight bead of tension within his belly was quickly unwinding. Sparks of pleasure were ricocheting throughout his body, seemingly bouncing off of every possible surface, from the ends of his toes to the tips of his fingers. Flashes of light were shining behind his eyes and it was going to feel so damn good but he couldn't let it end so soon.

He needed it to continue for as long as Boone could hold out because even though at that moment he was one hundred percent in the moment there was a persistent semblance of doubt in his head telling him that Boone wasn't going to be into this after they were done. "Boone," he gasped, grasping the sheet once again and pulling hard enough to yank the corner off of the mattress.

The sniper grunted and leaned forward, smashing his lips onto the panting mouth beneath him.

Alex pulled away to take a breath and grasped Boone's shoulder at the same time that he pivoted, pushing just hard enough and twisting his body to roll them over, once again straddling the sniper's hips, letting gravity do the work of impaling himself to the hilt on Boone's very impressive length

His mouth gaped open and his head rocked back on his neck and Alex moaned louder than he ever had in his life. "Oh God, Boone," he cried, riding the other man and gasping with each breath.

The sniper reached forward and seized Alex's leaking member in his palm and stroked him in time to their rhythmic thrust. His hand was firm but gentle and Alex practically bounced on his dick, already seeing stars. Boone had to methodically take apart his rifle and put it back together in the back of his mind to keep himself from finishing too soon. He hadn't lasted long enough earlier and he was not going to have a repeat performance. Alex deserved better.

The inevitable eventually happened and both men choked out a gasp, tightening against each other as they both reached their limit. Alex choked on what sounded like a sob just before he shot across Boone's hand, splattering his seed on the sniper's belly while Boone had a mind-shattering orgasm deep inside the tight sheath he never wanted to pull out of.

Trembling slightly Alex looked down, unable to completely focus on the hazy picture of the well-satiated man below him. Boone was utterly unconcerned with the mess coating him as he lie splayed on the bed, chest heaving .The courier would have said something if he'd been able but his mind was shut down for the next several hours. He ended up basically collapsing on top of the warm solid body beneath him and sucked in a deep breath.

Both men stayed silent for a long while, afraid to ruin the peace of the moment.

Eventually Boone decided to be the asshole and he cleared his throat before stating the obvious. "We should shower and get some sleep. I don't know about you but I'm beat."

Alex licked his lips and nodded against Boone's chest, unable to care that he was tickling the sniper with his hair. "Okay."

"You have to get off of me first."

"Don't want to," he answered softly, barely lifting his head enough to look into Boone's eyes. "I'm comfortable."

Boone grinned and ran a hand through the courier's hair. "Me too but we're going to crash soon and I want to be clean when it happens."

Alex frowned, unwilling to acknowledge the fact that the sniper was absolutely correct. "You're no fun," he teased before sliding off. Boone slid out of him with and both men sucked in a breath at the sensation. "On second thought," he teased.

Boone's grin deepened and they kissed one last time before Alex got up and sauntered with as much flair as he could into the bathroom. He didn't hurt per say but his ass was definitely well used.

The tub was filling and the room filling with warm steam when Boone walked in and paused in the doorway. Alex looked over his shoulder at the other man and almost howled with happiness. He'd finally gotten Boone naked and he was not disappointed with what he saw. Where Alex was somewhat lanky and still thin Boone was solid and well-muscled. He wasn't overly bulky by any means but there was cut definition where Alex was smooth and flat. "Close your mouth," Boone said. "Wouldn't want you to start drooling."

A dark brow quirked up. "Much too late for that, Boone."

The courier stepped into the hot water and sat down, motioning for the other man to join him. Boone didn't argue. He moved the rest of the way into the room and stepped into the water, sitting down and resting back against the still cold surface with a sigh. Alex stood over him until Boone reached up and grabbed his hand, yanking the courier down into the water and pulling him back against his chest. Alex was trying really hard to not read too much into what was going on. He'd only wanted to enjoy himself and to give Boone a reason to finally drop his walls and he was afraid of romantic gestures. Boone was the last person he'd ever thought would welcome them, let alone hand them out but here they were, taking a bath together and Boone was holding him against his chest, gently rubbing a wet hand near the still healing puckered wound in his chest.

The same nag of doubt was still there, ever present, whispering to him that Boone was going to gather his senses at any moment and reject him. It wouldn't be the first time that Alex had hoped for something more than his partner at the time had been willing or able to give. He could count the number of serious relationships he'd had in his life on one hand and still have a few fingers left over and they'd all ended the same way. His boyfriend had decided he wasn't interested after all and had walked away. He was no stranger to heartbreak and he'd tried to steel himself from it this time but he couldn't deny the truth. As good as the niggle of doubt seemed to be it couldn't defeat the hope he felt for something more. Something real.

They reclined in the hot water for several minutes, simply appreciating the feel of another body against their own. Alex had reached for a wash cloth but hadn't scrubbed yet. He looked at it lying on the edge of the tub, still dry, when Boone spoke. The question was surprising only because the courier had never imagined the sniper to care. "Where are you from?"

Alex opened his mouth and sighed. His childhood wasn't something he wanted to talk about. "The Boneyard."

"Really?"

The courier nodded. "Have you been there?"

Boone nodded and Alex could feel it from where he had his head laid back against the sniper's shoulder. "A couple of times while I was still in the NCR. Not the best place to grow up."

"No kidding," he answered.

"Did you have a family?"

Alex glanced around the room, trying to think of the best way to detour the questions and failing simply because he kind of wanted Boone to know. "Yeah. Mom, Dad, brother and sister. The whole thing."

"Where are they?"

"Dead."

Boone shifted and reached for the wash cloth, soaking it in the cooling water. "Sorry."

Alex lifted and dropped one shoulder in a manner that said 'It's ok, I'm over it.'

"Were you close to them?"

"No, not really."
"Not even your brother and sister?"

Alex adjusted his position and turned in the water so he could look back at the man behind him. "Not really. Look, Boone, I appreciate you asking but…but it's hard okay?"

The look in Boone's eyes honestly surprised him. It was more than simple relaxed contentment. Something akin to affection mixed with a small bit of empathy. He really wanted to ask the sniper what he was thinking but once again the fear of ruining the moment gave him pause.

Boone shifted in the water and lifted a hand from the water, brushing a calloused thumb over Alex's high cheekbone. He almost looked like he wanted to say something but settled for simply shaking his head a little. "You kind of amaze me," he said.

Alex blinked, eternally grateful that the topic was dropped. "I do?"

Boone nodded and opened his mouth to answer but his words were cut off by a jaw-cracking yawn.

Alex smiled and reached for the soap. "We'll talk about it later. Let's get cleaned up and get some sleep."

Somehow they managed to bathe themselves and each other without another round of unbelievably hot sex but Alex still managed to get Boone to moan his name again. They climbed out of the water after it had become uncomfortably cool and after their skin had pruned. Boone grabbed a towel and reached for the courier, pulling him closer and rubbing him down, drying every inch he could see before wrapping his own around his waist and pulling the younger man back into the bedroom. They fixed the bed up to do for the night, each vowing to find new linens in the morning, climbed between the sheets and collapsed.

It had been one hell of a long day.

Boone settled in his usual position on his back, one arm bent behind his head and the other outstretched on the pillows next to him giving Alex the perfect opportunity to sidle up next to him, curling his leg over Boone's and tucking his head in the crook of Boone's shoulder. A second later the sniper's arm was around him, holding him almost protectively.

Both men took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, willing their muscles to relax and their bodies and minds to fall into sleep. Boone went first, sliding down the sleepy slope and succumbing to it within seconds. It took Alex a while longer to slow his mind down enough.

He lifted his chin, looking up at Boone's sleeping face. The sniper looked ten years younger with his face relaxed and the frown he constantly wore absent. The courier wanted to reach up and touch the smooth skin between Boone's brows but he held back, content for the moment to just watch the other man sleep.

It wasn't the first time that he'd been nearby while Boone was sleeping but it was definitely the first time he'd been close enough to reach out and lick the man if he wanted.

The hotel was quiet, as usual, and Alex eventually allowed his eyes to drift shut, his breathing evening out and his body relaxing completely. His subconscious already working on the dreams that would come but Alex wasn't afraid.

Author's Notes: Whew! I had trouble even starting this chapter earlier this week and then boom I sit down and write this in one sitting. Go me! I read through it a couple of times and ran spell check but it wasn't checked over as close as I usually do. I just hope it doesn't suck but I'm too tired to really care right now and it's late and I worked 10 hours today and I want to go take a shower and go to sleep.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I was going to respond individually like I usually do but I've been so busy this week that I couldn't find the time. Just know that I appreciate your kind words and knowing you've added this to your alerts and have taken the time to drop me a few words is awesome. =)

One chapter to go…

Xoxo

2/18 Update: I started to work on Chapter 5 but got stuck and then came back and re-read 1-4 and honestly, I don't think this needs anymore. They got together. The end. Time to move on to the next project.