Page 178 of Pistols and Plush Toys

“Stay with me,” Nikolai said between kisses, voice weathered.“Please–please.”

Elliot didn’t know if he was asking to stay in this moment or to stay in Nikolai’s house, but it didn’t matter.

Tears slid down his cheeks as he whispered,yes, yes, yesagainst Nikolai’s mouth.

The hand on his hip tightened, dragging him in suddenly, rougher, and the spiraling heat toppled. Elliot moaned as all the sparks inside him spilled over, and he started to come. His whole body pulsed with the pleasure of it and his hips kept going, frotting against the fur, spilling everywhere as it rolled through him.

Nikolai made a rockfall sound as he started to come. Elliot kissed him breathlessly, their tongues sliding against each other as the pleasure moved through them.

Then the hot sparks fizzled down to a warm contentment. Elliot sighed, body relaxing.

The quiet swirled around them. Nikolai's hand found its way to Elliot’s hair, smoothing down to the nape of his neck, and Elliot practically purred.

It was a sticky mess between them, and Max would need a thorough washing. Right now Elliot couldn’t feel bad about it. Couldn’t feel guilty or afraid.

“You make me… very happy,” Nikolai said quietly after a while. His voice was deep and smooth. “Thank you for wanting to stay.”

They were still laying side-by-side on the pillow. Elliot smiled at him so wide his cheeks hurt. “You make me happy too.”

The hand on the back of his neck squeezed affectionately and Elliot let out another soft sigh, eyes falling shut.

“I will get up and clean Max after you sleep,” Nikolai murmured.

“I can do it,” Elliot protested, though he couldn’t even manage to open his eyes.

A quiet chuckle. “No, you sleep,” Nikolai said. “I’m having to get up anyway.”

Elliot made a disgruntled noise but otherwise didn’t protest. He was just so comfortable, and the noise in his head had quieted as Nikolai’s hand kept carding through Elliot’s hair. It was lulling him to sleep.

Minutes passed.

Just as Elliot started to drift away, he felt Nikolai finally get up. Nikolai pressed a kiss to his forehead and then moved off the bed. Moments later, Max was lifted away and a warm, wet cloth began wiping Elliot down.

Elliot hummed happily, then managed to make a questioning noise as the covers were tucked up around him.

“I’m will be back, ?????,” Nikolai said, voice low. A hand brushed through Elliot’s hair. “Sleep.”

If anything came after that Elliot missed it, because he was warm and cozy and already dreaming about tomorrow.

Chapter 30: Nikolai

Soft fur brushing Nikolai's jaw roused him from sleep. It felt early, though with the shades drawn he couldn’t tell whether or not the sun was up yet. He blinked awake, letting his eyes adjust.

Then he tuned into the gentle sound of another breathing.

Elliot.

Nikolai’s breath caught.

Elliot was snuggled up into his chest, a stuffed animal smushed between them, which was the thing tickling Nikolai's jaw. It wasn’t Max, because Max had been washed and was sitting in the bathroom drying, but Nikolai thought it might be Apricot. Sheep was larger and more plush than the giraffe toy.

It didn’t surprise him that after everything that had happened yesterday Elliot had reached for his oldest friend.

They would need to talk about it all today.

Nikolai wasn’t naïve enough to think that Vitale’s death hadn’t affected Elliot. Beyond the complicated process of moving on from abusive relationships, Nikolai had killed Vitale in front of Elliot. Elliot had witnessed the graphic violence of it all much too closely.

It wouldn’t be uncalled for if Elliot was sad or angry or even scared of Nikolai now that the dust was settling. Vitale had been his whole world for so long. Turbulence, abuse… it came with its own kind of predictive comfort.

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