Chapter Text
The sun hung high over the city streets, baking the asphalt and making the metal of the parked cars glint like glass. Summer in the 1930s always smelled of tar, sweat, and exhaust, and today was no exception.
Sam adjusted his hat against the glare as he waited on the corner. He wasn’t sure why he’d agreed to meet Paulie this early, of all days, but there was something about the man, reckless, cocky, impossible to ignore, that made him nod when he probably should’ve said no.
Paulie’s car pulled up. He leaned out the window before the car even stopped, grinning.
“You made it, huh?” Paulie called. His voice carried over the street, warm, dangerous.
“I’m here,” Sam said, trying to keep his tone casual, though his pulse had picked up.
Paulie threw the door open before Sam could move. “Get in. I’m not waiting all day, and I got a route to run.”
Sam slid in next to Paulie, who immediately nudged him with an elbow.
“So, you gonna sit there stiff as a board, or we gonna make this interesting?”
Sam rolled his eyes, trying to sound unimpressed. “I’m perfectly capable of sitting still.”
Paulie smirked, leaning closer. “Sure you are. I can tell by that frown you’ve been thinking about me all morning.”
Sam tried not to let the corner of his mouth twitch. “Only because you took so long.”
The car rumbled to life, and the city blurred past. Paulie kept one hand on the wheel, the other brushing casually against Sam’s arm, just a brush, teasing, but enough to make Sam swallow hard.
“You know,” Paulie said, eyes glancing toward Sam, “I’ve been thinking… we make a pretty good team. Don’t you think?”
Sam raised a brow. “A good team for what? Getting into trouble?”
Paulie laughed. “Exactly. Trouble. That’s where the fun is. And I like the idea of getting into it with you.”
Sam felt the heat rise in his cheeks. He looked out the window, pretending to be interested in the city blocks whizzing past. But every now and then, he stole a glance at Paulie, the way the sunlight caught his sharp jawline, the way his grin hinted at mischief, the way his eyes sparkled when he knew he had Sam rattled.
“I hate you,” Sam muttered, finally, voice low enough for Paulie alone.
“Love you too Pal,” Paulie shot back, smirk widening.
They drove like that, the city noise fading into the hum of the engine and the taut electricity between them. Words, looks, and small touches danced around each other, playful, flirty, testing boundaries, teasing in a way that made every moment feel charged.
By the time they pulled up to the first job of the day, a minor delivery for Salieri, the tension was almost unbearable. Not just the city heat, not just the mission ahead, but the quiet, electric weight of the way they fit together, like two halves of a storm waiting to collide.
Paulie opened his door first. “After you, partner,” he said, bowing exaggeratedly.
Sam stepped out, heart thudding, aware of every look, every brush, every unspoken promise lingering between them.
The day had just begun. And already, Sam knew: there was something new about Paulie.
The crates were finally loaded, the engine humming beneath them as Paulie guided the car back through the city streets. Sam’s hands rested in his lap, but his mind was elsewhere, tangled and restless.
He kept stealing glances at Paulie, who drove with that easy confidence, one hand draped casually over the wheel, the other tapping a rhythm on the dashboard. There was something magnetic about the way Paulie moved, the way he took up space without trying, the way his grin could disarm anyone in an instant.
Sam shook his head slightly, as if trying to clear it. Focus, he told himself. This is just a job. A delivery. Nothing more.
But his chest felt tighter than usual. His stomach fluttered at the faint brush of Paulie’s sleeve against his arm when he shifted in the seat. And the way Paulie’s eyes caught the sunlight, damn, it wasn’t fair.
He leaned back, staring out the window, trying to make sense of it. Feelings. Could it be… feelings?
Sam blinked, trying to dismiss the thought. He wasn’t supposed to care about anyone. Loyalty was to the family, to the work.
And yet, he couldn’t shake the way his pulse raced whenever Paulie laughed, the way he noticed the smallest gestures, a glance, a tilt of the head, the curve of a smirk. His stomach tightened, and he realized with a jolt that he hadn’t thought about anyone like this before.
Is this… attraction? Or something more?
Sam exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. He didn’t have the answers. He wasn’t even sure he wanted them. But the awareness of it, that Paulie made him feel things he hadn’t allowed himself to feel in years, was undeniable.
And as the city blurred past, Sam felt a strange, unsettling thrill. This was dangerous. Risky. Reckless.
And maybe, he realized with a shiver, that made it irresistible.
The car slowed to a stop at the corner of the warehouse district. Sam’s hands clenched in his lap, and he forced himself to look out the window instead of at Paulie. But Paulie wasn’t fooled.
He tilted his head, eyes narrowing with a grin. “You’re awfully quiettoday,” he said, voice casual, teasing. “Usually, you’ve got somethin’ smart to say.”
Sam cleared his throat, trying to mask the sudden heat in his face. “Just… thinking.”
Paulie leaned back slightly, one arm resting along the seat, giving him plenty of space but not enough to be casual. “Thinking, huh? About me, maybe?” His grin widened, sharp and mischievous.
Sam nearly choked on his own breath. “I-what? No!” he said, a little too quickly, too loudly.
Paulie chuckled, a low, amused sound that made Sam’s stomach flip. “Careful, Sam. You’re blushing.”
Sam looked away, biting the inside of his cheek. “I’m not…”
“You are.” Paulie’s eyes glinted, teasing. “See? Can’t hide it from me. I’ve got my eyes on you.”
Sam groaned softly, leaning against the window to hide his flustered face. Why did he have to be like this?
Paulie laughed, nudging Sam’s shoulder gently. “Relax. I’m not gonna bite. Unless you want me to.”
Sam’s heart skipped. He opened his mouth to reply and then quickly shut it again, words failing him entirely.
Paulie caught the hesitation, smirk growing wider. “Damn right. Thought so. You’re thinking about it… about me. Don’t worry, I like a challenge.”
Sam swallowed, cheeks still warm, trying to regain some composure. “Maybe… you’re imagining things.”
Paulie shook his head slowly, eyes teasing, full of certainty. “Oh, I’m not. Trust me. But don’t worry, we’ll figure this out. One way or another.”
Sam didn’t answer, just watched the city blur past, his pulse pounding a little too fast, the tension between them sharper than the summer heat.
Later it was the kind of afternoon that didn’t ask for anything. No rain, no fog, no tension. Just the usual hum of traffic and heat off the pavement. The world moved slow, and for once, Sam and Paulie weren’t in a hurry.
They’d finished a pickup job for Salieri that morning, nothing flashy, just a few crates, a few words, and nobody dead for once. Now they sat outside a corner diner, the one with checkered floors and a radio that always played a half-second off-key.
Paulie leaned back in his chair, chewing on a toothpick. “You ever notice, when the city ain’t shootin’ at you, it’s actually kinda nice?”
Sam sipped his coffee. “That’s ‘cause when it’s quiet, you forget who owns it.”
Paulie snorted. “Yeah, but we ain’t owned right now. Not ‘til the next phone call, anyway. So I say we make the most of it.”
Sam glanced at him. “How? You gonna marry the waitress?”
Paulie grinned. “She’s married to the cook. I respect that. I was thinkin’ smaller. Like, you, me, a walk by the river, maybe grab a bottle. Pretend we’re decent people for a few hours.”
Sam sighed, but he was smiling under it. “You always thinkin’ ahead, huh?”
“Somebody’s gotta. Tommy’s too busy bein’ a hero.”
They laughed, easy and familiar. A couple of men sitting in the sun, pretending the world was theirs.
They ended up by the water after all, not because of some plan, but because that’s where the car took them when neither wanted to go home yet.
The breeze off the river was warm and smelled like steel and summer. Sam skipped a rock that sank instantly.
“Guess even the river’s got no sense of humor,” he said.
Paulie chuckled. “Maybe it’s tired of our jokes.”
Sam hurled another rock. It skipped once… twice… splashed miserably on the third. Paulie laughed, loud and free.“You’ve got to feel the stone, the angle, the wrist… the poetry of it.”
“Poetry, huh?” Sam muttered, tossing a third stone poorly. It sank immediately with a pathetic plunk. “Yeah, real… poetic.”
You’re doing it all wrong,” Paulie said, strolling over. “Here, let me show you.”
Sam glanced up, eyebrow raised. “I don’t need a lesson.”
“Sure you don’t,” Paulie said, stepping behind him. Before Sam could protest, Paulie reached forward, placing a hand over Sam’s, guiding the stone in his fingers. “No, like this. Feel it. Angle your wrist just right. That’s it… perfect.”
Sam froze for a fraction, aware of Paulie’s chest so close behind him. “I-Hey, I can do it myself.”
Paulie chuckled low, voice almost in Sam’s ear. “I know you can. But you’d be wasting your talent… and besides, I like being helpful.”
Sam’s jaw tightened. He threw the stone and it skipped three times, skimming the water like Paulie had promised. Sam shot a quick glance up, half-expecting Paulie to be impressed. Instead, Paulie’s grin had widened.
“Three skips? Not bad,” Paulie murmured, leaning slightly closer, brushing against Sam just enough to make him shift. “But you know… I could help you do five.”
Sam stiffened, trying to sound casual. “I… don’t need your help.”
Paulie’s lips curved into a teasing smirk. “Sure. If you want, we can… keep practicing. I’ve got all afternoon.”
Sam felt his chest tighten, aware of how close Paulie was. He tried to step back, but Paulie mirrored him, just enough to block his escape.
“Paulie…” Sam muttered, voice low, flustered.
Paulie grinned, leaning just a little closer, letting his hand linger on Sam’s shoulder. “Relax. It’s just me.”
“Yeah… just you,” Sam said, trying to sound casual, but his voice betrayed him.
Then Paulie tilted his head, brushing his lips briefly against Sam’s in a daring, teasing move. Sam froze, heart pounding, unsure what to do.
Paulie whispered, soft and low, “Stop pretending you don’t want this.”
Sam’s hands clenched the stone. He swallowed hard, cheeks burning. “I… I-”
Paulie didn’t give him a chance to finish. He pressed closer, lips meeting Sam’s fully this time. Sam stiffened, instinctively resisting, then slowly, reluctantly, melted into the moment.
The stone Sam had been holding clattered to the ground. The kiss escalated fast, shuffled footsteps and harsh grunts followed their way over to the car and into the backseat.
The air was hot and heavy with lust. Sam was gritting his teeth, breathing hard, his usual calm replaced by sudden, raw affection.
Paulie chuckled. “Finally showing what you want!”
Sam reached out to cup Paulie by his cheek, moving up to kiss him again, but Paulie ducked, grabbed his wrist and forced it back up over Sam’s head, locking it together with his other wrist. They were both panting, faces red, breaths raw from the almost aggressive kissing. .
For a moment, they froze, chests heaving, the river running quietly beside them, as if nothing had happened.
Then Paulie sneered, voice low and dangerous. “You’re a bratty bastard, Sam. Don’t think I’ll forget this.”
Sam, breathing hard, chest tight, muttered, “I… won’t.”
The tension didn’t vanish. It lingered like smoke, hot and dangerous. Neither moved, both knowing this was just the beginning
“Goddamn it, Paulie!” Sam moaned as Paulie started kissing his neck.
“Here I thought you were a tough guy!... sounding more like a girl to me” Paulie shot back.
Sam moved his arms out of Paulie's hand and shoved hard, wanting to take control, but the cramped space worked against him.
Every shove, every twist pressed them closer together. Paulie’s chest against his he could feel his heartbeat in his, their knees tangling on the bench, making it almost impossible not to grind against each other.
Sam's eyes widened when Paulie reached down between his legs to open his trousers. “You’re crazy!” Sam growled, breath ragged, hair sticking to his forehead.
“And you love it!!” Paulie shot back, leaning in, sneaking his tongue into Sam’s mouth who instantly began sucking on it, making Paulie disoriented and forget what he was doing.
Sam took this as an opportunity, and lifted his knee up between Paulie’s legs, moving it teasingly slowly against him, which made Paulie groan, breaking the kiss.
The tight, chaos pressed them together, every touch sparked heat they couldn’t deny. Sam’s hands reached out to open Paulie’s pants, trembling slightly, and Paulie’s smirk widened.
“Go ahead Sam,” he whispered, low and dangerous. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Sam’s breath hitched, cheeks burning. He took out both their cocks and started pumping them together.
The slick noises, and their heavy breathing filled the car like a symphony.
Paulie leaned closer, lips brushing his ear as he whispered, “You’re so desperate Sam.… fuck!..... I knew... I knew it would take nothing for you to whore yourself out to me… . mhm so good for me…. I’ve known for a long time…. the way you’ve been looking at me, with those horny eyes…. so pathetic”
Sam’s jaw tightened, trying not to let the words get to his head, but his body betrayed him. Every insult sent heat crawling down his spine. He tried to hide how obviously it turned him on, but Paulie’s grin just made it worse… which made it better.
The car rocked as Sam’s movement increased with Paulie’s dirty talk.
“Admit it, tough guy,” Paulie murmured, his breath almost damping near Sam’s ear. “You’d like it if I fucked you whenever and whereever it pleased me yeah?…. In the bar…. in the meeting room right in front of Tommy and the boss… Hell you’d probably love to suck one of them off while I took your ass from behind…. What about a balcony? huh? Letting everyone know what a slut you are for me! ”
Sam’s head snapped to the side, trying to look away, muttering, “Ah Paulie… yes! I’m your… yours…. fuck!... don’t stop!”
Paulie cut him off with a low laugh, capturing Sam’s cheek and moving it back to force eye contact: “You are my what?,” he said simply.
Sam’s jaw fell slack. The tension snapped.
“Your uhn! slut! I'm yours, all yours”
Neither could fight the heat in the backseat any longer. Paulie pressed in fully, lips brushing Sam’s, catching him halfway between resistance and surrender. Sam’s hands gripped Paulie’s shoulders, chest rising, heart hammering.
Paulie smirked against his lips, hand sliding along his shoulder, holding him tight, daring him to resist.
The world outside, the river, the sun, the quiet city, didn’t exist. There was only heat, chaos, and the undeniable fire between them, raw and dangerous.
Paulie pulled back just enough to look Sam in the eyes, breathless, smirk still in place.
Sam’s hands shook, heart hammering, cheeks burning, voice barely audible. “You… are… insane.”
“And you like it,” Paulie murmured, pressing him closer.
The backseat rocked with their struggle, hands tangling, breaths sharp. Outside, the river sparkled in the sun, indifferent to the chaos and fire burning inside the car.