Pacey set the box down on the counter and looked around the small room, one eyebrow lifting skeptically. "This is where you're going to live?"

"What?" Danny looked around. "You don't like it?"

"Well," Pacey shrugged, barely masking his smirk, "I'm just wondering if all the cockroaches are going to be chipping in on the rent."

"You're really funny."

Brushing off the counter, Pacey hoisted himself up onto the tile surface. "Seriously, man, how did you get Emily to agree to this?"

"I didn't."

"And so why are we moving your stuff in here?"

"Emily and I agreed on something else." Danny lifted the box in his hands, setting it next to Pacey before resting his hands on top of it. His ringless left hand resting on top of his right. "It's for the best, I guess. But it goes a long way toward explaining why someone who just got very profitably bought out of a restaurant he loved is now living in this…"

"Shithole?"

"That'll work." Danny sighed and closed his eyes, his head tilted back. "But, shithole or not, it's mine, so get off your lazy ass and help me haul the rest of my stuff up."

"You neglected to mention the fifteen flights of stairs and the non-working elevator."

"I thought you liked a challenge."

"Yeah. Right." Pacey jumped down, leading the way out the door and down the stairs. "Just don't think I'm doing this for free."

"You had to pick the hottest day ever, didn't you?" Pacey rested on the landing, pulling his shirt over his head. His body was slick with sweat, his hair darker than normal as it clung to his face. "Is this another part of my challenge?"

"Just be glad Emily got most of the books."

"Except for the seven boxes of cookbooks you had me lug up."

"Hey, that's only half of what I used to have." Danny smirked and hefted his box. "Come on, you lazy bastard."

"You're carrying a box of pillows. I have a box of…rocks, as far as I can tell."

"I'm an old man."

"You're an asshole." Pacey followed him up the stairs, setting the box just inside the door. "Just tell me you have beer."

"You're not old enough to drink."

Pacey ignored him and moved to the refrigerator. He opened the door, careful to make sure it stayed on its duct taped hinges. "This is really classy, Danny. And I really mean that in the most sincere way possible."

"Yeah, right, kid." Danny set his box on the counter and walked around, standing slightly behind Pacey. Reaching around him, his bare arm brushing Pacey's, he grabbed a bottle off the shelf. "Help yourself."

Pacey followed the bottle with his eyes as he reached in for a beer of his own, watching as the golden liquid disappeared into Danny's mouth, his adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed. Licking his lips as his eyes drifted further south, he stared at the dark threads of hair that curled above the edge of Danny's sweat-soaked t-shirt. "How much more?"

"Not much." Danny set his beer on the counter and leaned against it, watching as Pacey ran his own sweating bottle over his forehead. "Another load or so."

"And by so, you mean…?"

"About seven more trips. Plus the bed."

"You got the bed?"

"I got a bed." Danny rolled his neck, then reached down and tugged off his shirt, wiping his forehead with it. He trailed it down his neck then over his chest, scrubbing at the dark hairs there. "You think you can last that long, Witter?"

"Yeah." He downed what remained of his beer. "You?"

"Oh yeah. Now, get your ass in gear."

"You've just got a thing for bossing me around, don't you?"

"Oh yeah." Danny finished his own beer, leering at Pacey. "Gets me all hot and bothered." He headed for the door. "Now get to work."

"Are you going to clean this place?" Pacey wiped his forehead, leaving a trail of dust and grime on his skin. "Or open a window?"

"Quit your bitching." Danny grabbed his shirt off the counter and rubbed his face with it. "It's hotter outside than it is in here." Tossing it into a corner, he grabbed the box at his feet and carried it into the bedroom.

Pacey flipped Danny off before turning back to the bookcase he was assembling. "Have you ever actually read any of these books?"

"Nah, kid. I just thumb through the Playboys and consider myself an intellectual." He half growled the sentence as he came back into the room, sneering at Pacey.

"Right. That's what I meant, that you're an idiot." Pacey pulled a stack of books from one of the boxes and glared at Danny. "Or maybe I meant that I wondered if you'd read any of these and we could have a fucking discussion that wasn't centered around bread. Or fish. Or weird ass mushrooms you need a pig to find."

"Are you complaining about everything I taught you, you little shit?" Danny slammed his box onto the ground and kicked it out of his way. "What would you be doing right now if it weren't for me? Bumming around the docks, hoping some misguided rich widow would pick you up to be her cabin boy?"

"Well, it would sure as hell beat being locked in this fucking tiny room with you and listening to you bitch and smelling you sweat." Pacey shoved Danny, his hand finding bare flesh, slick with perspiration. He stopped, his anger high as he stood his ground. "Why the fuck is it so fucking hot?"

His hand found slick, bare flesh again as Danny pressed against him. The kiss was hot and liquid, salty as Danny's tongue pushed into him, moving over his lips, tasting sweat as he tasted skin. Pacey groaned and slid his hands down Danny's chest, finding his hips as he rocked forward, feeling Danny's cock hard against his.

Then suddenly it was over, as if the bell had gone off and they'd returned to their corners, both of them panting heavily. Pacey licked his lips, a different kind of warmth heating the room. He ran the back of his arm across his face and shook his head, feeling sweat drip down his back.

Danny turned and headed for the kitchen. "Beer?"

Pacey nodded, following at a slower pace. "Yeah. A beer sounds good."

Danny sat at the table, straddling his chair as he played with his beer bottle. He glanced over at Pacey then back down at his drink. "We're not going to talk this to death. You kids do that too much as it is. We're just going to act like it didn't happen and finish unpacking all my shit."

"Right." Pacey took a long pull from his bottle. "Didn't happen."

"And it won't happen again."

"Not a chance."

Danny nodded and stood up, turning his chair back around. "All right then." He finished his beer and dropped the bottle into an empty box. "You finish up the bookcase. I'm going to work on the kitchen."

"Right." Pacey stood as well, moving over to the kitchen sink. He turned on the faucet and ran his hands under the cold water before cupping them together and lifting the collected liquid to his face. Danny watched him as he repeated the gesture, this time dousing his hair. Rivulets ran down his neck as he reached behind him with wet hands and grabbed his shirt from where it dangled from his back pocket, pulling it over his head and running it under the steady stream.

With a flick of his wrist, Pacey snapped off the water then wrung his shirt out, using the damp cloth to towel off his naked torso. He straightened and passed it under his arms, lifting them, his muscles standing out in high relief. "Much better." He grabbed his beer off the counter and saluted Danny with it. "I'll be in the living room if you need me."

As soon as he left the room, Danny blew out a long, slow breath, reaching down to adjust his cock, painfully pressed against his denim shorts. He glanced over his shoulder as Pacey bent over, grabbing another box. Adjusting his cock once more, he shook his head and moved to shut the kitchen door.

"Fuck." Danny spat out as the second plate smashed against the floor. He kicked the shattered pieces on his way to the refrigerator, pulling out another beer. He stood in the cool air, his head tilted back as he sent the liquid down his throat.

The back of Pacey's hand brushed Danny's stomach as he reached into the open door. "Having trouble in here?"

"Dropped a plate."

Pacey grabbed a beer then headed for the kitchen counter. Hoisting himself up, he leaned against the cabinet. "Don't you have a fan? Air conditioning?"

"I have a fridge." Danny turned to face him, not leaving the rectangle of cool air.

"What's left to unpack?"

"Nothing much. A little bit here. The bedroom. And whatever's left in the living room." Danny moved, shutting the fridge before pulling the freezer door open. He fished out a bottle and set it on the counter next to Pacey.

Sweat glistened on his tanned skin, glittering against the dark hairs on his chest. Danny opened the bottle and raised it to his lips, taking a quick shot of vodka. Pacey's eyes followed the line of Danny's throat until he lowered the bottle and held it out to Pacey.

"Drink?"

Pacey's long fingers wrapped around the bottle. Danny released it slowly, his tongue licking the last taste of alcohol from his lips.

Closing his eyes, Pacey took the shot, letting the liquor burn, ice cold down his throat, a thick shiver running along the length of his spine. His slow sound of pleasure lengthened as Danny's hand, still cool from the bottle, rested on his leg, just above his knee.

His eyes still closed, Pacey's lips parted, his tongue wetting the suddenly dry skin. The muscles in his body tightened as Danny's hand moved higher, slipping under the fabric of his shorts. "What…" He cleared his throat and took another shot. "What are you doing, Danny?"

"Nothing." His hand moved and he moved, putting distance between them. The doorbell rang and he pushed out of the kitchen before Pacey could even make it down from the counter.

Carrying the bottle with him as he walked into the living room, Pacey sank down onto the floor and leaned back against the couch. Danny paid for the pizzas then shut out the blistering air as he closed the door.

Sitting across from Pacey, Danny set the boxes between them, opening one and fishing out a slice. "It's too hot to eat," he stated, belying his words as his tongue slid out and captured the end, the sauce threatening to drip free from it.

"That's what the vodka's for," Pacey said, setting the bottle beside the pizza box.

"That's not what the vodka's for."

Taking a piece of pizza, Pacey stretched out one of his legs to alleviate the painful constriction of his shorts against his erection. "Tell me about the new restaurant."

"Italian bistro. Smaller, but a higher class clientele. No more rich college students paying their tabs with daddy's money."

"You excited?"

Danny took another slice, his tongue chasing after an errant strand of cheese. He ignored Pacey's heated gaze, his loaded question. "I risked a hell of a lot to get Civilization where it is. Nothing else'll be the same."

"If it meant so much to you, why did you leave?"

"Why did I leave it, Pacey?" Danny's eyes narrowed slightly, the heat in the room seeming to multiply. "Or why'd I leave you?"

"The restaurant." Pacey reached for the bottle and took a long shot, setting it down between them again and reaching for a slice of pizza. "You don't owe me anything."

"You're right, kid. I don't." Danny set his pizza down and reached for the vodka. "If anything, you owe me. I gave you a vocation, I taught you everything you know."

"Not everything."

"Everything important."

Pacey smirked and shook his head. "Not everything."

Danny moved suddenly, shoving the pizza box out of the way, straddling Pacey's legs. His bare chest was tantalizingly close to Pacey's face as he looked down at him. His hand smoothed over Pacey's neck, tilting his head back. He nodded slowly as he leaned in. "Everything important."

Pacey stared, wide-eyed, as Danny's mouth came down toward his, watching hungrily as his lips parted. "Danny?"

"Fuck." Danny rolled off of him, laying on his back on the grimy floor and staring up at the ceiling, one hand draped over his forehead. "Fuck."

Pacey reached over, resting his hand on Danny's flat, bare stomach. "Danny."

"What, kid?" He practically growled the words, not looking in Pacey's direction.

"I'm not…I mean, I don't…"

"Don't what, Pacey?" He sat up and turned, his eyes hot as he closed the small distance between them. His hand reached out, pressing against Pacey's shorts, outlining his cock. "Don't what?" His hand moved, stroking lightly. "Don't like this?"

Pacey groaned softly, shaking his head. "I don't like guys."

"Yeah?" Danny leaned into him, licking Pacey's lips. Pacey moaned again, his mouth opening, his tongue darting out toward Danny's. "I don't either."

"Then why are you…" He stopped as Danny's hand undid his fly and moved past the zipper to smooth over the cotton of his boxer-briefs. "…doing this?"

"Because, Pacey." Danny moved back, lowering his lips to Pacey's chest and licking on hardened nipple. "I want it. And you want it."

"I don't," he protested weakly.

Danny pulled his hand away from Pacey's cock, moving it to the waistband of his boxers. Pacey's hips instinctively rose off the floor as Danny tugged the material down his legs. He stared Pacey in the eye as he wet his lips. "Tell me to stop." Still holding Pacey's gaze, Danny kissed his stomach then moved his mouth lower, his tongue tasting sweat as he licked the smooth skin at the juncture of Pacey's thigh.

Pacey shook his head, unable to speak as Danny's mouth moved, his tongue sliding up the length of Pacey's cock. He groaned, sliding down onto the floor as he reached down to clutch Danny's short hair, his hips thrusting upward as Danny's mouth closed over him.

His body arched off the floor, only his shoulders and the heels of his feet touching the ground as Danny's hands slid underneath him. Danny massaged the firm skin of Pacey's ass, his mouth moving over the younger man's cock, pulling tight over the smooth head.

Pacey's fists hit the floor hard, his whole body trembling in anticipation as Danny's fingers slid over his skin. His breathing shattered over and over as Danny's mouth moved, his fingers moved. He eased back to the floor, his hands lifting to Danny's hair again, burying his fingers in the thickness.

Danny moaned around his cock, his finger pressing hard to the Pacey's tight muscle. Pacey gasped, his body tightening painfully as he felt his orgasm rush through him, felt the pressure of Danny's mouth increase, sucking hard on the sensitive tip. Pacey's body shuddered hard, tremors running through him as he tried to speak, his voice breaking as he begged Danny to stop.

Danny pulled away slowly, watching Pacey's body jerk as he eased his cock free. His hands stroked Pacey's legs, his thumbs gliding over the hair-roughened skin of his inner thighs. "You want me to stop?"

Pacey shivered and pulled away from his touch, reaching for the vodka. Danny sat there as he drained a third of the bottle then reached for his shorts, pulling them up around his still semi-erect cock. Finally he took a deep breath. "Stop."

Danny nodded once and got to his feet, grabbing a box and carrying it into the bedroom. The air hung thick in the room as Pacey downed more vodka, staring after Danny. He dropped the box on the mattress and moved past the open door, leaving Pacey alone.

"You want the last of this?" Pacey held up the bottle by the neck, his eyes traveling down Danny's back.

"You can have it, kid."

Pacey shrugged and walked into the bedroom. "You sure?"

"Yeah. I'm fuckin' positive."

"Okay." Pacey put his hand on Danny's shoulder, turning him around. Their eyes locked as Pacey upended the bottle, letting the last of the liquid run down Danny's bare chest. It tangled in the dark hair, paths fractured and impeded by the thick mass. "I'll finish it off."

His tongue touched Danny at the shoulder, sliding down along the trail of Absolut to Danny's nipple. He hissed as Pacey's mouth closed over the hard tip, his teeth barely grazing it. "What the fuck are you doing, Witter?"

Pacey sank to his knees, continuing along the stream of liquid to Danny's shorts, the waistband wet against his skin. "I decided that I didn't want to stop."

"Well, I want you to." Danny shoved Pacey away, ignoring him as he fell back on his ass. He grabbed the box off the bed and disappeared into the bathroom. Pacey got to his feet and sat on the edge of the mattress, then lay back on the bed, closing his eyes.

He opened his eyes at the sound of Danny's footsteps, turning his head to face him. He caught his breath as Danny approached, tossing his shorts to the side. "Danny," he breathed.

"Shut up, Pacey." He straddled him again, his hand on Pacey's chest. "Just shut the fuck up. Your mouth runs and if you keep it up, I'm going to realize that I need to get you the fuck out of my apartment before I do something I've never done before and am scared shitless about doing."

"You've never done this?"

"The protégés that I fuck are female, Pacey." He ran his hands over Pacey's shorts, his cock pressed against Pacey's through the fabric. "Not that I fuck all that many of them."

"Me and Karen?"

"So far?" Danny moved off of Pacey's body, lying beside him. Pacey shifted slightly so that they were face to face. "I've only fucked Karen."

"But that's going to change." It was half question, half assurance. "Isn't it?"

Danny's hand ran along Pacey's side then moved to his back, pulling him forward. Pacey lay on his stomach as Danny slid off the bed, slipping between Pacey's parted legs. His hands massaged Pacey's inner thighs, moving up under the material to his ass.

Pacey's cock ground against the mattress, his breathing growing harsh as Danny increased the pressure of his touches, his fingers constantly brushing against his balls, slipping up to his tight muscle. He tensed every time, his breath catching with every movement. Pacey whimpered as Danny's hands disappeared from his flesh, guiding his shorts off his body. The soft sound melted into a moan as he felt the cool burn of lubrication on his ass. His stomach and cock tightened, growing harder. Danny's fingers smoothed the lube over his skin, one finger slowly piercing the tensed muscle.

"God…"

Danny thrust slowly, waiting until Pacey's body relaxed slightly before slipping another into him, his strokes lengthening. He heard Pacey's breath shudder as a third finger pushed inside. Growling hungrily, Danny shifted his position, his hand thrusting harder, faster, filling Pacey steadily.

Sweat soaked the mattress as Pacey ground down against it, whimpering as Danny slowed his movements, protesting weakly as he stopped. Danny ignored him, reaching for the condom he'd brought from the bathroom, ripping it open and sliding it on his cock. Pacey turned his head to watch, his blue eyes dark as Danny rubbed it along the smooth trail of lubrication.

Closing his eyes, Danny pressed his cock against Pacey's ass, the tip hard against the tight muscle, slowly pushing forward. Pacey buried his face in the mattress, his hips rising upward, his legs parting further. Danny's pace was torturously slow as he pressed his body against Pacey's, his cock surrounded by hot, tight flesh.

Danny groaned as he felt Pacey's ass against him, his cock buried inside. He sucked on the firm skin of Pacey's shoulder, his tongue bathing away salt until he heard Pacey's muffled voice.

"Danny," he panted softly, his body thrusting lightly against the mattress. "God. Please, just…god." His body ground against Danny's, the amazing pressure filling him like a slice of heat throbbing through his blood. "Don't stop."

"You like it?" Danny purred against Pacey's skin, his thrusts smooth and shallow. "You like my cock inside you?"

"Yes," Pacey panted, nodding.

"How long have you wanted this, Pacey?" Danny's own voice was raw.

Pacey didn't respond, too busy thrusting into the mattress with each of Danny's strokes. They were longer, harder, deeper now, pushing into him and filling him. He could feel Danny's hard breath against him, searing the sweat on his back. He managed a low, guttural groan as his cock throbbed, the bare mattress wet beneath him.

The rough silence was filled with the sounds of sex, flesh against flesh, sucking and licking; broken only by Danny's soft moan as his body stiffened, freezing as his orgasm pulsed hard, sending a shudder of pure pleasure through Pacey's body.

Danny pulled away slowly, barely free of Pacey's body before the younger man rolled onto his side, his hands moving to his own cock. One wrapped around the base as the other slid along the shaft, the motion a quick blur until Pacey bit his lower lip to keep from crying out as he came all over the mattress.

Danny pulled on his shorts then leaned against the bathroom door, watching Pacey as he dressed. "Let me ask you a question, kid."

Pacey looked up, his blue eyes dark and unsure. "What's that?"

"You planning on telling Audrey about this?" He averted his gaze, looking out the window at the brick building across the alleyway. "I mean, I've heard her give you shit about your 'boy crush'."

"No. No plans to tell her." Pacey looked around for his shirt, stopping when he realized it was in the other room. "What happens now?"

"You go back to Capeside, I go to work tomorrow." Danny shrugged. "We're not some great romance, kid."

"I didn't think we were." Pacey could feel the heat of his blush stain his cheeks as he glared at Danny. "But I was planning on spending the night in this rathole since I can't catch a train back to Capeside until tomorrow and I want to know if it's going to be an issue."

"You mean now that I've had a piece of your ass, can I control myself?" Danny laughed and shook his head. "Get the fuck over yourself, kid."

"Stop calling me that."

"Stop acting like that." Danny snapped. "You can sleep on the couch." His eyes went to the stained mattress. "Or maybe I'll let you have the bed." He pushed off the door and walked into the kitchen, grabbing another beer out of the refrigerator. He snapped it open, the cap skittering across the floor, stopping a few feet and several swallows later.

Pacey walked into the room stiffly, his eyes guarded. "I'm going to take a shower." He grabbed his duffel bag and shouldered it, the strap scraping across his bare skin. "Then I think it'd be best for everyone if I found a hotel for the night."

"Just fucking stay here, Pacey." Danny slammed the bottle onto the counter. "Jesus. All you fucking Capeside kids feel like you've got to dissect everything, don't you? There's nothing more to say here, Pacey. Okay? I fucked you. You got off on it. Doesn't make you gay. Doesn't make me gay. Just means we wanted to fuck." He drained the rest of his beer.

"I've never looked up to anyone in my life." Pacey's voice was quiet. "I mean, I've been jealous and envious of a lot of people, but there's never been anyone that I looked at and really wanted to be like them." He watched Danny shift nervously. "Until you."

"You don't want to be like me, kid." His voice was softer this time. "Trust me." He gestured at the apartment. "This is what being like me gets you."

"You were the first person that made me believe in myself."

"What about those ex-girlfriends you told me about?"

Pacey dropped the bag and moved to the counter, sitting on the stool opposite Danny. "They wanted me to be something better so that it was easier to be with me. You just wanted me to be better."

"Maybe I wasn't so altruistic, Pacey." Danny smirked. "After all, you did end up on your back in my bed, so to speak."

Pacey shrugged. "I'm going to miss you."

"I'm gonna miss you too, Pace." Danny smiled slightly and shook his head. "Jesus, Doug never told me you were such a romantic sap."

"Doug doesn't know everything about me."

"Yeah? Well, given what just went down in the bedroom and the lifestyle you've spent a long time accusing Doug of, that's probably for the best." Danny sighed and shook his head. "Go shower, kid. And there's no reason to get a hotel. I promise to be on my best behavior tonight."

"Does that mean you will be fucking me again? Or you won't be?"

Danny's smile curled the corner of his mouth. "Kid? That's completely up to you."

7/20/02