When Memories Turn Into Nightmares

Cade stared at the key for a long time before focusing his attention back on Zarek. Even with the shameless flattery, that man wasn't any less weird. Maybe the key to the safe, but he didn't know where that was. But why would he be given the key? Usually people with a safe would want to open it themselves, so maybe it was for something else. A diary? A treasure chest? "What's this?"

Having already turned around, Zarek looked at him over his shoulder. "Oh. Yeah, I had another box installed today, just for you. That's the only key, so make sure you don't lose it." He nodded over to a small, grey safe in a corner which seemed bolted to the floor. The man walked over to the bottom of the stairs, brushing at the first two steps with more than a touch of annoyance.

A safe installed just for him? That was probably an exaggeration, but the guy seemed rich enough to afford something like that, and intolerant enough of weapons inside to spring for it. Cade shrugged and went over to open it, lifted his coat and shirt to take off the waist holster, and slipped it all in. Still going without his 9mm, even if it was supposed to be a safe place, made him feel naked. After a few seconds hesitation, he took off his ankle strap and deposited it. Once that was safely locked away, he went after the other man.

"Alright, I'll bite. What happened?"

With an exaggerated sigh, the Arabian stretched his arms out in a disbelieving gesture. "He was walking on the carpet with boots on. Then he went and put beer on my living-room carpet as well. Can you believe this guy?" He raised his eyebrows as he started up the stairs, before adding, "Stoyan Pentele does ring a bell, doesn't it?"

Oh no. How did Stoyan find out about Zarek? How did he find his way there? As far as he knew, Stoyan wouldn't care to do the research it would take. He started up after the guy. Spilled beer? An accident, or was Stoyan making a habit of pouring beer down people's pants? "Why was he here?"

Stopping at the top of the stairs, the other man grimaced momentarily. "I don't know if I should say this, but... alright. He came here to tell me to stay away from you. I must say Stoyan laid it on pretty thick when it came to your bad sides..." He sighed, and eventually shrugged. "Although even if he's right, it doesn't change anything as far as I'm concerned. No one's perfect. The bit he said about being able to make you kill me worries me more."

Cade paused two steps below and blinked through his confusion. After a moment, he shook his head and moved up past Zarek. Nice to know Stoyan did care to some extent. Voice stoic, he responded with a quiet, "what reason would I have to kill you? Stoyan likes to shoot his mouth off and he rarely means what he says. Forget about that."

An arm casually wrapped over Cade's shoulder, guiding them both into the living-room. "You thirsty?"

"Yeah." He quirked a brow as he studied Zarek. What kind of bad sides did Stoyan try to exaggerate? More importantly, what was with the white clothes? Though, anyone who would complain about the way that unbuttoned shirt exposed the man's chest would have to be completely insane. Cade brought a hand over to run his fingers over the man's skin. "You know, where I come from people wear the same outfit all day long. Imagine that."

That was apparently taken as an invitation. Less than a second later, the Arabian lips wrapped over his. The wet kiss was drawn out and unrelenting, but not too forceful. As it eventually ended, the older man smirked. "Your friend touched me, so I had to shower. I didn't bother to dress back up." Zarek sighed contently and delved a hand in under Cade's shirt, pulling them together.

The embrace had dulled the shock of hearing Stoyan touched Zarek. As much as he cared about Stoyan, it bothered him on some level. After trying to fight back the possessiveness he was feeling toward Zarek, he lowered his head to place a few experimental kisses on the man's neck and shoulder. With that body exposed, it was getting much too hard to resist. "How did he touch you?"

Moaning softly, Zarek brought his free hand into the hair of his companion. As he curved his neck, his tongue reached Cade's ear and gave it a long lick. "Not at all like this..." He chuckled lightly, moving his groin up against the other's thigh. "He's not that strong. I just grabbed his wrists until he gave that bit up."

"I guess I should apologise for my friend. I'll get right to that." Unfortunately that was all too easy to imagine. The only thing that stumped Cade was the motive. Pushing the mystery aside, he slowly started moving lower, tasting the collar bone, down to the chest as he undid the couple buttons that happened to be fastened on that white shirt.

Hands soon found their way to take a solid grip of his fleece, and it was pulled up and off soon after. As one of the hands went on to start unbuttoning Cade's shirt, the other lifted his chin. "How about we skip the drinks and head off for the bedroom? The beer will still be here after."

With a very faint smirk, Cade straightened up and pulled his host into an intentionally rough kiss. He let it draw out while he removed the man's white shirt completely and then pulled away to go on ahead. "Thank god you stopped me. I was ready to do you right there on the spot. Wouldn't want to soil your carpet."

The other man was following right behind him, and grumbled half-jokingly. "The next one that soils one of my carpets will end up with a snapped neck." The American caught him flexing his muscles and rolling his shoulders on the way to the bedroom door. Stopping behind his guest, he let one hand continue opening the dark purple shirt while the other worked the entry code panel.

Cade almost noted that he liked necks snapping, but decided to keep that little tidbit to himself. He didn't understand that whole carpet thing anyway. Hardwood floors were so much better. For a little while he watched the man's hand, wondering what it was about Zarek that had him so excited. He had been with so many women and a few men, but this was different.

He intercepted the hand and idly flicked his tongue over the tips of the fingers. "Aren't you worried I'll memorise that code?"

Groaning lightly, Zarek moved his hands onto the half-uncovered torso. With a little laugh, he leant closer to an ear. "Don't underestimate me, Cade. If you think I've got a static code, perhaps I should warn you right now about the presence of false floors..." He dealt with the last few buttons before tugging at the shirt.

"If I know there are false floors, I could easily avoid them." It thrilled him to hear Zarek talk like that. There weren't many people he'd appreciate receiving threats from, but something about the Arabian's sinister tones turned him on. He moved up closer and brought his lips briefly to the lobe of the man's ear. After eyeing the knot in Zarek's pants, he shook his head. "Sit down."

The older man chuckled, lazily resting his chin on Cade's shoulder. "You know, you're so busy underestimating me, you've forgotten all about that 'bedroom' bit again." With a little sigh, he moved his hands to unfasten the American's belt buckle.

Now what was he talking about? Cade stopped his companion's hands, and nodded toward the room. Maybe he was just in a limit-pushing mood, but he wanted to know how much bossing around he could get away with. "Go on ahead and sit down. This time I'm not going to be the first to be naked."

Leaning casually against the wall, Zarek tossed his head back with a hiss, letting his black locks fall backwards. He lifted a foot to rest its sole against the wall behind him, before grinning mischeviously. "Want my pants off first? Alright... but you'll be on your knees when you take them off."

Cade shrugged and wandered off a bit to feint interest in a painting on the hallway wall. He couldn't remember being so amused before sex with Spence, but there was no surprise there. Spence would never allow him control - not even delusions of control. "Alright then, get that door open. But the joke's on you; I've been intending to get on my knees from the beginning."

With a stretch and a poorly faked yawn, Zarek pushed away from the wall and faced him. Smirking lightly, he gave the American body a long once-over. When he finished, the Arabian eventually concluded, "I'll wait with that until your pants are on the floor."

Casually turning from the painting to consider that option, Cade took a decisive step towards Zarek and then stopped again. It seemed he'd reached the limit of bossing around and was facing subtle retaliation. What were the options? Obey and risk losing control or disobey and risk whatever his oddball would think up next? The choice was obvious.

He placed a hand on the Arabian's hip to pull the man close and started calmly working at the knot of Zarek's pants. He spoke in his best I-dare-you-to-refuse tone. "You first."

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This is a collab, written together with Chlover. You can find her author profile here: http://original.adult-fanfiction.org/authors.php?no=26260

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riddlestar: Look at that, a quicker update! There's no way we'll manage to update as often as we did early in the fic, though. But hope not to take three weeks again.