Chapter 1

Eric Delko mumbled something unintelligibly and lazily turned over, flopping one arm around the waist of the body next to him. He snuggled further into a deep the pillow and after a deep sigh completely relaxed and started to drift back off to sleep.

Ryan Wolfe felt the arm wrap around his waist and he smiled to himself. He was still pleasantly groggy and sleepy and he snuggled closer to the warmth by his side. He stretched languidly and then flopped down again.

His body was too tired and his mind was yet too sluggish and he just wanted to stay in that stage forever. He was awake enough to appreciate the warmth of Eric’s body next to him yet asleep enough so his OCD wasn’t pushing at him to get out of bed an do something, anything, useful.

He relaxed and allowed himself to float into the blisfull warmth of Eric’s body, the feeling of love that always overwhelmed him when they were in their bed together and the soft beat of Eric’s heart beneath his ear.

He shifted slightly and smiled at the small burn he could feel at the small of his back. He blushed furiously as he thought about the events last night even as he smiled at the good kind of soreness in his muscles. He frowned a minute later, it certainly wouldn’t feel so good anymore when he was at work.

The thought of work made him wake up more fully and he groaned slightly as he realized that he was well and truly waking up now. He didn’t want to wake up, not yet, he tried to hold on to the feeling of drifting for just a little while longer, but the tighter he clung to it, the quicker did the feeling fade.

Sighing to himself he cracked an eye open and resigning himself to the fact that he wouldn’t be getting back to sleep any time soon, he got up from the bed. Eric made a grab for him, but in his still asleep state the arm merely flopped back down upon the bed.

Ryan smiled affectionately and leaned down to kiss Eric’s temple before making his way into the bathroom after grabbing a clean boxer short from his underwear drawer. He took a nice, hot shower and dried himself off with one of the nice, fluffy towels. He slipped on the clean boxer short and stood in front of the sink.

Ryan checked his appearance in the mirror, running a hand through his hair and splashing some water over his face. He still had about two hours before he had to go into work and he sighed as he put his each hand on a side of the sink and leaned forward.

He closed his eyes, feeling the tiredness overwhelm him. The caseload at the lab had been huge lately, they handled cases as fast as they could but sometimes it felt like they were trying to solve forty cases at the same time, it was simply exhausting. At the same time he was still trying to deal with finding out that Horatio and Rowen were getting married. They’d already told Eric, Alexx and Speed.

Speed had been thrown off completely, he’d had no idea that Horatio and Rowen were even interested in each other that way. Alexx had simply smiled and congratulated them in her all-knowing way. Eric had been slightly surprised, but not as completely blown away as Ryan had been.

Then again, his lover had had the chance to get used to the idea of Rowen and Horatio together. And apparently Rowen had tried to find out if Horatio would be opposed to the idea of children through Eric.

Ryan didn’t really know what to think about it however. He knew that Horatio made Rowen happy, he’d seen the evidence first hand. And he could tell that Rowen made Horatio happy too. It was just so… weird.

Horatio and Rowen were two completely different people. Horatio was calm and Rowen was hysteric. Horatio was cool control and Rowen was chaos and havoc wreaking. Horatio thought before he acted and Rowen dove in head first, damn the consequences.

But when he thought about it like that, they were perfect for each other. They complimented each other, where one was lacking the other balanced it out. Rowen smiled even more these days if that was possible and Horatio definitely seemed to have adopted a slightly more relaxed posture. Even though he still kept the same intensity at work there was definitely a brighter spring to his step.

There were rumours about the boss seeing someone and when Rowen had heard a few from DC, who’d been hitting on her when she was looking for Ryan, she’d only strengthened them. Shocking the hell out of everybody she’d kissed Horatio right in front off the crime lab.

It seemed unthinkable that the private and slightly mysterious Horatio Caine would kiss anyone in full public view. But he’d simply smiled through the kiss and kissed her back. Ryan hadn’t known if he should laugh or freak out.

He’d compromised, laughing out loud with Eric and Speed and freaking out alone afterwards.

He’d come to terms with it, mostly though and the more he saw Rowen and Horatio together the more he found himself smiling. He’d never seen Rowen look happier and he’d definitely never seen Horatio looking this happy either.

He sighed and pulled away from the sink. He looked at himself in the mirror for a while. Yeah, he could deal with it, he could deal with everything that made Rowen happy like this. He smiled.

He left the bathroom and made his way back to the bedroom, where Eric was still lying in bed, awake this time. The Russian Cuban gave him a hurt look. “You showered without me?” Ryan chuckled. “You were sleeping.”

“Hmm, yes I was.” And with one hand he grabbed Ryan, who’d walked over to the nightstand on his side of the bed, and pulled the younger man into bed with him. Moving swiftly, Eric, pulled the younger man closer and rolled on top of him, resting his weight on his hands, positioned at each side of Ryan’s head.

Smiling he swooped down for a kiss, letting his tongue linger in Ryan’s mouth and softly dancing with Ryan’s own tongue. The Cuban swallowed the small whimper that emerged from Ryan’s throat and he pulled away from his lover’s mouth to suck gently at Ryan’s collar bone.

The younger man arched up into the caress and moaned. He laid his hands on Eric’s chest and pushed him away. “I’ve already showered today. I don’t want to get all sweaty and in need of another shower.” The younger man said plainly and Eric laughed, releasing his lover. He nuzzled into the side of Ryan’s neck before rolling off of him.

“I should just take you right here and then, that would teach you to shower without me.” The older man said teasingly and Ryan laughed, letting his body sink into the matress for a minute longer. Finally, sighing again he stood and got dressed.

TBC