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Phillip walks into the little cafe that he visits at least once a week, tucking his helmet under his arms as he gets in relatively short line. He can see the baristas’ faces all but light up when they see him. He notices that Price is out at the counter this morning, too, which is always a pleasant surprise.
“Hey Graves! Same as always?”
“You know it. Go ahead and add that apple cinnamon coffee cake, too. Smell reminds me more of home than this place usually does.” Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Price go into the back of the little coffee shop.
“I swear, the more you compliment his baked goods, the redder he gets every time,” Garrick says, shaking his head.
“Part of the fun, no?”
“Price is also stubborn as fuck and you look around John and I’s age, Graves.”
“Thank god for my mother’s genes,” Phillip chuckles. “I’ll just have to show him otherwise, won’t I?” he muses as Garrick slides him his coffee cake, bacon & egg croissant, and his caramel latte and he slides a slip of paper to Garrick along with the usual tip. “Give that to him for me. Don’t tell him it’s from me though.” The younger veteran nods and tucks the slip of paper into his apron pocket as Phillip walks away to his usual window seat. Phillip hums in thought as he nurses his latte and nibbles at the coffee cake, savoring every bite.
He wonders how much of an adrenaline junkie their dear Captain was.
- - -
Phillip races along the highway, taking in the adrenaline rushes from the narrowly missed scrapes on turns. He loves when he can race along the vast expanse of highway without worrying about anybody else. Although, that wasn’t quite true. The kiddo was testifying today and he’s on the edge of being late.
He slows down to the speed limit when he gets to the city edges and quickly parks his bike in front of the courthouse, walking through security quickly and practically running to the courtroom. He gets there and quietly takes his reserved seat behind the kiddo he was supporting today.
“You came!” she whisper-shouted.
“Of course I did, kiddo. Wouldn’t miss this for the world,” he whispers back. It was hours before the day’s proceedings are over and the kiddo is clinging to Phillip’s legs while her parents are talking to him. Before he leaves, he drapes a soft blanket over the kid’s shoulders like a cape, calling them ‘little superhero’. The giggles are still audible until he starts up his bike and slides his helmet on.
- - -
Phillip pulls the cover over his bike and locks the garage door before heading inside. He slips off his jacket and hat, hanging them on the hooks by the garage door. He slips off his boots before unstrapping his holster before changing into his thinner pajamas. He slides into bed before he checks his phone and sees the notification for a text from a new number. He quickly saves it as ‘Captain Price’ and texted back.
Price: Who is this?
You: Wouldn’t you like to know, darling? I need to know your measurements and address so i can send something to you
Price: Why?
You: I mean, unless you don’t want me to take you for a ride on my bike
You: I have it on good authority you like speed
Price: Bold of you to assume I don’t already have gear
You: Fair enough
You: When are you free?
Price: My shift tomorrow ends at 1700
You: See you then, darling
- - -
He keeps his senses alert as he always does which is why he notices when there’s a voice beginning to rise in volume in front of him.
“- even make my drink right! Damn kids!” And the cup is slammed down on the counter hard enough that the contents go splashing out of the cup onto MacTavish, who freezes and Phillip can see the instant the other veteran is thrown into a flashback.
“MacTavish,” he says, on the verge of wanting to yell. He sees Garrick bringing a cup of ice water and ice cubes to help bring MacTavish back from the explosion that had ended his military career. He carefully climbs over the counter, helping Garrick set MacTavish down on the floor of the coffee shop, and carefully starts tracing ice cubes on the younger veteran’s burn scars to help bring him out of his own head. MacTavish blinks and slumps against Garrick, who nods at Phillip.
He stands up and locks onto the patron who had splashed MacTavish.
“It would do you well to show some goddamn respect for a special forces soldier. Do I make myself clear?” Phillip displays the Marines crest on his jacket prominently as he climbs back over the counter to drive the point home. “You sent him into a flashback, to the explosion that nearly killed him. You see that decal on the window?” He points to the Shadow Company ace on the window. “That means that the owner and all the employees are veterans or active duty. You would do well to keep that in mind next time you decide to throw a fit. Now, get out.”
The older man scurries out the door, figurative tail between his legs and Phillip relaxes as he kneels back down to the discharged sergeants’ sides.
“Thanks,” the Scot whispers.
“No need, he caused you distress in what’s supposed to be a safe place for you. Nobody deserves to have that taken away.”
It’s why Shadow exists in the first place.
- - -
Phillip starts his engine back up when he can see Price walking out of the shop, locking up and slips his helmet all the way back on, holding on to the one he has for passengers. Price turns toward him when he revs his engine and Phillip smirks at the look of awe on the retired Captain’s face.
“Oh, she’s a beauty,” Price says as he’s offered the extra helmet. Phillip is so happy he installed a comms system into the helmets so that he could hear Price once he slipped it on. Phillip’s breath catches in his throat when Price’s arms snake around his middle. He kicks up the center stand and starts rolling through the city streets. Once they get out to the empty highway, Phillip kicks the speed up and leans down to get faster, bringing Price leaning down, too.
He quickly turns to the exit, leaning toward the road and tempting fate when they get to the spot he wanted to take Price to and he just laughs as Price yelps and his arms tighten around him. He carefully rolls to a stop as they get to the spot and they get there just in time to see the gorgeous colors the sun paints in the sky as it sets on the horizon, the purples and pinks and reds. But Phillip’s favorite are the orange-reds that look like an aura around the sun, bleeding into the other colors but still a clear boundary between them and the horizon.
“Gorgeous…” he hears from Price.
“It is, isn’t it?”
Phillip slips off his helmet and sets it on the handlebars so that the camera he’s attached to it captures anything that happens. He kicks down the stand and stands up, offering his arm to Price as he slips off the bike as well.
“Graves?”
“Surprise, darling,” Phillip purrs as Price lets go of him. Phillip walks to the railing and he hears Price following him. “Garrick told me that you’re stubborn, so I figured I would tell you outright. I think you are incredibly attractive, and I would like to be in a relationship with you.”
“Why me? Why not someone closer to your own age?”
“Price, I’m 42. I’m not getting any younger.”
He turns to face the Captain and carefully cradles the back of his head and leans in to kiss him. And, oh, how Phillip just wants to lose himself in the man in front of him. He wants to deepen the kiss, he wants to never have to breathe again, he wants. But he controls himself and pulls back and away. Price doesn’t respond for almost thirty seconds. “I’m sorr-”
His apology gets cut off by Price pulling him back in, and Phillip relishes in the force and passion in the kiss. When they separate, they’re taking in as much air as possible. They lean their foreheads together and laugh in the last of the sunlight.
“My place?” Phillip suggests, getting a hum and another kiss from Price.
As they’re riding back home, Price’s hands are teasingly tracing the lines along his muscles. Price rests his helmet on Phillip’s shoulder and the quiet growls coming through the comms system send shivers down his spine. As soon as they’re off the bike in the garage and the door is closed, Price is on him and they’re taking off each other’s clothes and panting for air as they sloppily kiss each other. Phillip grinds himself on Price’s thigh, desperate for any sort of friction and wanting the Captain inside him.
“Impaitient, aren’t you?”
“I’m clean. Please, Price,” he whimpers, grinding against Price’s hands as he slips his hand underneath his boxers and slips two fingers inside and Phillip whines at Price’s thumb playing with his dick.
“Good thing I am too. And call me John.” He shivers as Pri- John takes off their boxers and picks up Phillip and lays him on his back and gently teases him.
- - -
Phillip wakes slowly, warm and comfortable, burrowing into the warmth holding him and the steady heartbeat pounding away under his ear.
“Good morning, love.”
Phillip just grumbles and throws his arm over his eyes to block the sunlight coming in through the window.
“Five more minutes.”
“Of course, love. We have all the time in the world.”
Phillip melts when a hand starts rubbing against his scalp. If Phillip was a cat instead of man, he would have been purring at the sensation. He slowly forces his eyes open to see his room and a familiar face in front of him, with a soft smile and looking almost angelic in the early morning sunlight.
“There you are, darling.”
“Morning, John,” Phillip whispers as he stretches out his morning stiffness as John presses a gentle kiss to his forehead, his beard tickling his nose, and he sneezes. There’s a moment where it feels like time freezes.
“That, is adorable, Phillip. You sneeze like a little kitten.”
“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, the old marine veteran sneezes like a kitten,” Phillip grumbles, used to the light-hearted jest. He looks at Price to see genuine adoration in his eyes and Phillip realizes he’d meant what he’d said and he can feel his skin get hot. He feels like his blush would be visible even though he doesn’t visibly blush very often outside of physical exertion and sunburns.
“How does breakfast sound, dear? Waffles, eggs, and sausage?”
“I’ve got all of the stuff, so that sounds good. I don’t want to get up though, we’re warm and comfortable.”
“Alright, we can stay in bed for a little longer.”
Phillip wraps his legs around John’s waist and his arms around his solid chest and leans into the vibration of John gently laughing at his sleepy clinging.
- - -
Gaz: So…
Gaz: How’d it go?
You: thanks for the tip
You: [picture sent]
Gaz: told you
- - -
Years later, when Garrick and MacTavish get engaged, they get sent the first invitation for their wedding. They dress in suits reminiscent of their old dress uniforms, colors and cut matching while their fingers have matching bands on them from their own discreet ceremony. Price drags him into the slow dance after the newly-wedded couple’s first dance and Phillip just relaxes into his husband’s strong heartbeat and gentle hands holding him as they dance the night away.