Forever, Right NowSeries: Infinity Smashed
Summary: You be forever, I’ll be right now.
Word Count: 1200
Notes: Freebie. Takes place immediately after
Tucked. Here there be domesticity and porn. Kinda kludges and replaces “Habits Made” and “Habits Broken.”
By the time they’re done celebrating, it’s late and they’re tired. When Grey reaches for her keys, Bob mumbles, “Forget it,” and she falls asleep in his arms, forgetting her morning alarm until it goes off before dawn.
Bob burbles indignantly but doesn’t move. Grey reaches to turn off the clock radio.
“Hell time’s it?” Bob mumbles into the pillow.
“Four. I run.” She disentangles herself to reach for her clothes.
Bob keeps his face in the pillow. “You’re crazy.”
Grey pats him and heads out, leaving coffee as an apology.
She’s had the same routine for years: wake, stretch, run, shower, shave, breakfast. There’s comfort in the rhythm of her steps and pulse, the way her body wakes up and cooperates with itself, despite the wear and tear. It wipes the cobwebs from her mind and muscles. Depending on the time of year, she gets to see the sun rise.
She’s been too injured to run before, so expects the sluggish resistance. New is the pull in her hips and thighs, the lingering languor. It feels good.
She should feel guilty, but she doesn’t. She knew what she was getting into, she made her choice, and now her body sings. Between breaths, she hums snatches of old songs. This won’t last, but it doesn’t have to. Right now, there’s the crisp pre-dawn air, the gravel under her shoes, and the memory of waking up with Bob’s arm over her.
When she returns home, pleasantly winded and sweaty, she finds Bob finishing off the coffee, dressed, shaved, and reading the paper. Not awake yet, but getting there.
“Morning,” he says without looking up. “Bathroom’s all yours.”
“Thank you.” Grey kisses his cheek, which she’s done before, but Bob jolts and watches her go. Grey’s barely in the bathroom for a second before he follows her in with a gleam in his eye and slides his hands around her hips.
“You look good,” he says.
Grey looks down at her knee brace, the gym shorts, the old Barbarian Barbara T-shirt. There’s nothing special about any of it. She gives Bob an inquiring look, but he’s busy kissing the bites he left on her shoulder and saying, “You smell fantastic.” Some parts of him wake up faster than others.
“Shower,” Grey reminds, tapping out on his shoulder. Bob sighs but lets her shoo him out. “Read the paper for me?” She likes his voice like this, soft and rough from waking up.
She leaves the bathroom door cracked so she can hear Bob read off articles while she showers, shaves, and dresses. When she comes out knotting her tie, Bob twines it through his fingers.
“You look good like this too.” He tugs her down by the tie and buries his face in her neck. “Smelled better before you showered, though.”
“Work.” But Grey doesn’t tap out.
“I don’t need as much warm-up as you do.” Bob’s wrapped her tie around his hand to hold her in place, and his voice is velvet. “We can still make it.”
He hasn’t tightened his grip yet, and there’s a question in his eyes. Grey swallows and squeezes yes.
“Good.” Bob fumbles behind Grey for a towel, rolls it, and tosses it on the floor for cushioning. “Drop.”
Grey kneels and reaches for Bob’s belt, but Bob stops her, holds her chin and tilts it up for a second to smile down at her.
“What?” Grey asks, and he lets go.
“Nothing. Just thinking you’re pretty on your knees.” He nods. “Go ahead.”
Grey sucks him off on the bathroom floor, and Bob pets her hair and talks through it in a voice that roughens and breaks the further along he gets. He gives plenty of warning before coming, but Grey just squeezes yes and takes it.
She’s about to stand when Bob puts a hand on her shoulder.
“Don’t swallow yet.” His hand moves to her mouth. “Open.”
Grey does and Bob slides his thumb in to open her mouth further and pet her tongue. He smiles at what he sees, makes a pleased, possessive sound, and heat surges through her.
Bob must see it; he chuckles and pulls out so she can swallow, grabbing a washcloth to clean up with. “Come on, if we hurry we can still make it in time.” He glances down and grins. “If you’re good, I’ll have you for lunch.”
She knows Bob is teasing, but she can’t help imagining it. Bob smirks at her expression, pats her cheek, and strides out the door.
They make it in time, Bob acts professional and restrained all shift, and the sound of his voice makes her crazy. She’s on the Comm floor the moment Darlene shouts, “First shift, clock out! I don’t care where you go, long as it ain’t here,” even though the other comboys eye her uneasily.
Bob smiles innocently as he adjusts his laptop bag. “No overtime, boss?”
Grey can’t grab Bob and drag him to the car. She has to keep her hands to herself until they arrive at her apartment and drag him to the bedroom instead. He cackles when she does it.
Bob stays the night again, sitting up in bed to play some indecipherable game on his laptop. Grey falls asleep with an arm over his belly, watching the letters and punctuation symbols do battle, and his clattering keyboard follows her into dreams. When she wakes up a split second before four, he’s curled against her back, arm tucked around her waist like he’s always been there.
When the alarm goes off, he groans and buries his face in her neck. “You’re crazy, but I’ll give you today.”
Grey squeezes Bob’s hand, gets up, and goes to put the coffee on.