Work Text:
Declaration
by nancy
"Mind some company?"
Adam smiled and motioned the younger man inside. "Not at all. Everything all right?"
Awkward, Brennan nodded and leaned against the desk, looking down at Adam as he answered, "Yeah, just wondering how you were doing."
"Sore," Adam informed him ruefully. He rolled a shoulder and continued, "I wasn't swimming for all that long, but my body seems to think I did. Maybe I should take you and Jesse up on your workout offers."
"Well, it is an open offer. You know, whenever you want."
Frowning at the continued unease in Brennan's voice, Adam asked, "What's wrong?"
"Are you going to date Christina?"
Startled by the blurted question, Adam leaned back in his chair. "I don't know. It's a definite possibility though, why?"
Brennan flushed but said, "Because I don't want you to."
Adam sighed and contemplated Brennan a moment as he thought about where this was coming from. Granted, Christina wasn't the most trustworthy in the past, but, while she might still have some questionable work decisions, Adam knew she wouldn't betray him or MutantX. If only because she needed them too much. "She's trustworthy, Brennan, I would never expose us to someone who wasn't."
Straightening, Brennan said impatiently, "I know that. That's not the reason I don't want you to see her."
Mystified, Adam looked up at him and asked, "Then why?"
In answer, Brennan pulled Adam to his feet and hauled him close for a kiss. Shocked, Adam didn't do anything at first. Brennan's arms wrapped around his waist and one hand cupped the back of his neck to hold him in place. Adam opened his mouth to breathe and found it filled with Brennan's tongue.
Heat ran through him in such a way that Adam felt weakened by it. What he'd felt upon kissing Christina in that vault was nothing in comparison, revealed utterly as a longing for things past, things comfortable. This wasn't comfortable, this was need and want, mixed together in the intense young man devouring his mouth like a last meal. Adam clutched at Brennan's broad shoulders, trying vainly to keep his world steady.
When Brennan pulled away, Adam couldn't stifle a soft moan of disappointment, his eyes opening reluctantly.
Dark eyes stared down at him with tenderness and lust, a heady mixture, as Brennan breathed, "God. If you could see yourself."
The hot whisper sent a shudder of need through Adam, but also brought him back to reality. "Brennan, we can't..."
Brennan put a finger over Adam's lips, silencing him. "We can. You know we can. The others won't even blink. It's up to you now, you know where to find me."
Stunned, Adam watched the other man stride from the room, then sunk into his chair because his knees just wouldn't hold him up any longer.
* * * *
Waiting anxiously in his room, Brennan wondered for the thousandth time what had possessed him to do what he had. But he knew the answer. He just couldn't take the thought of Adam going after someone who would use and hurt him again. Couldn't bear that Adam would choose someone else again and again when Brennan was right there, wanting him, needing him and loving him as he did, for over a year.
He'd waited vainly, hoping that Adam would pick up the clues that he kept dropping, but it had never happened. All the time spent in the lab together. The streak of protectiveness that he just couldn't stop, even when it irritated the older man and amused the others. The way he always looked to Adam to make the world a better place.
So now he sat on his bed, book in hand with his eyes glued to the door. When the knock came, Brennan jumped out of his skin, dropping the book and sending a spark into the paper. Cursing, he stomped out the flames then kicked it out of the way before rushing to the door. When he opened it, Adam was getting ready to leave. "Wait! Sorry, I ah, you startled me."
Adam's eyes took in his snug t-shirt and jeans and licked his lips as he answered, "That's...fine. Ah, can I come in? We should talk."
Fuck! Brennan thought, though he showed no outward sign. This was it. The polite kiss-off, minus the kiss. "Sure."
Stepping back to let Adam through, Brennan hesitated then shut the door with a shrug. Adam probably wasn't going to be around long enough for it to cause interest in the others. When he turned around, Adam was eyeing the blackened book curiously. Meeting the older man's gaze, Brennan shrugged ruefully and repeated, "You startled me."
Chuckling softly, Adam said, "I see. I've been thinking about what you said and have just one question."
"What?"
"How long have you...?"
"A little over a year."
Adam seemed stunned at that revelation and didn't say anything.
"But don't worry, because I won't let it affect our friendship," Brennan hurried on. "I haven't ever let it affect that or how we work together."
"And the friction over how I run things was...?"
"Was just that. I didn't get it. I do now," Brennan answered honestly.
Nodding slowly, Adam closed the distance between them. Brennan watched, mouth dry with anticipation as the other man reached up to cup his face. A thumb brushed over his lips and he caught it between his teeth on the return trip, then sucked on it lightly.
A shudder ran through Adam as he whispered, "I haven't done this in a long time, Brennan."
"I never have," Brennan admitted.
Adam looked at him sharply. "Never?"
Brennan leaned down, stopping only when their lips were almost touching to say, "Never loved anyone like this before, Adam, definitely not a guy. It has to be love for me, has to because the rest of my world is filled with violence."
Adam seemed to melt at his declaration and his hand slid around Brennan's neck to pull him the rest of the way.
When their lips met, Brennan knew that all the time of waiting was over. Adam loved him just like he wanted Adam to love him. He smiled against his lover's lips and deepened the kiss.
end