Chapter Text
One minute Eliot was in the middle of an argument with Sterling, and the next, Sterling was kissing him. Eliot was so stunned that it didn’t occur to him to push Sterling away. He didn’t kiss Sterling back either. He just kind of stood there and let Sterling kiss him.
When he finally came to his senses, he pushed Sterling away and then punched him. He didn’t say anything. He just stormed off, Sterling following behind him.
If they didn’t have to meet up with the rest of the team there was no way he would have let Sterling get away with following him like that.
“What happened to you, Sterling?” Nate asked when they met up with the team.
“What do you think?” Sterling retorted, glaring at Eliot.
“Eliot, what did Sterling do this time?”
“He’s Sterling.”
Nate sighed but left it alone.
They managed to finish the case without another incident, and Eliot tried to push the kiss from his mind.
It was easier said than done. For some reason, Eliot couldn’t stop thinking about it. He wished he knew why. It wasn’t as if he had been into the kiss or anything. He certainly hadn’t kissed Sterling back.
It was ridiculous.
A few days later, Sterling came into the restaurant while Eliot was helping out. He walked over to Eliot as if they were friends.
“What do you want, Sterling? I’m busy.”
“Well hello to you too, Eliot.”
Eliot ignored him.
“Fine. In spite of this lovely bruise decorating my face, I’m here to let you know that Olivia has no plans to visit me this weekend and that I have no plans this weekend.”
“So you aren’t doing anything this weekend. Just like every other weekend. Why would I want to know that?”
Sterling smirked and then walked off.
“What did Sterling want?” Hardison asked.
Eliot very nearly jumped. “I honestly have no idea.”
Except it didn’t take a genius to figure out what Sterling had been hinting at. Sterling was going to be alone this weekend and no one would be stopping by for any reason.
Sterling had kissed Eliot.
Sterling had invited him over for sex.
Eliot wasn’t really sure what to make of that. He still wasn’t sure what to make of the kiss either. Or Sterling.
Sterling had never given any indication that he was interested in men, and Eliot had been sure that Sterling disliked him as much as he disliked Sterling. Only now he was finding out that Sterling, at the very least, was attracted to him and wanted him to come over for sex.
Obviously Eliot wasn’t going to go. He liked women. And even if he did like men, he certainly didn’t like Sterling. He had never liked Sterling and nothing had changed except that now he maybe disliked Sterling a bit more because of that kiss. That kiss that wouldn’t leave him alone.
Eliot shook his head. The whole thing was stupid. He wasn’t going to go to Sterling’s place on Friday night and he definitely wasn’t going to think about Sterling kissing him anymore. He had already wasted enough time on the whole thing. He was done with it. He was going to put Sterling out of his mind now.
It was a Friday evening and Eliot hadn’t found a woman to spend the night with. It wasn’t that uncommon. He wasn’t always dating beautiful women despite what his team thought. He had other interests and other hobbies. Not that he was doing any of those tonight either.
It wasn’t even that he hadn’t had the opportunity tonight. He had just turned her down. He wasn’t sure why. She had been perfect. She had been exactly what he liked.
Sterling hadn’t specified what day Eliot should come over. He probably wasn’t expecting Eliot to show, but maybe he was hoping all the same. He wondered how far into the weekend they would have to get before Sterling gave up on Eliot.
Eliot may have thought about the entire situation some more. He wasn’t really one for talking, but he did kind of wish there was someone to talk to about this. He didn’t have anyone. He wasn’t going to talk to his old military buddies about this, and the entire team still hated Sterling. Eliot knew what their reactions would be if he told them about Sterling. Their reactions would be just like Eliot’s. And yet Eliot hadn’t told them.
He didn’t want the team to react like that. That surprised Eliot. Why should he care? None of the team hated Sterling more than he did. Even Nate didn’t hate him as much. They had some sort of mutual understanding. If Eliot had told them then they all could have gotten a good laugh at Sterling’s expense.
Eliot was out of his seat and out the front door before he was even aware that he had made a decision. He got on his bike and headed for Sterling’s house. He had known for a while now where Sterling lived, ever since Sterling had moved out to Portland actually. Nathan had made Eliot promise that he would never actually go to Sterling’s to kick the shit out of him. Eliot had promised and Eliot was a man of his word. If only Nate knew what Eliot was going to Sterling’s house for now.
If only Eliot knew what Eliot was going to Sterling’s house for now.
Eliot knocked on the door and Sterling opened it, dressed casually, which was something Eliot had never seen before. Sterling was in jeans and a t-shirt. He stared.
He should really get back on his bike and get the hell out of here because this was a mistake. But he couldn’t stop staring.
“Are you going to stand there all night or are you going to come in?”
Eliot moved past Sterling and into his house. “I don’t know why I’m here.”
“Can I get you a drink?”
“No.” Eliot might not know why he was at Sterling’s house, but he knew that he wanted to be sober for whatever was about to happen. People usually wanted the opposite, but Eliot wanted to make sure he was in complete control of all his faculties. He didn’t really know why.
“Do you mind if I have one?”
“No.”
“Well have a seat then. Try and get comfortable. You do know that we don’t have to do anything that you don’t want to do.”
Eliot snorted. “Like you could get away with doing something I don’t want you to do.”
“I did kiss you.”
“And I punched you because of it.”
“And yet here you are.”
“Is there a point to all of this, Sterling?”
“No. Of course not.”
Sterling disappeared into the kitchen to pour that drink that he wanted. Eliot knew that Sterling had been trying to make a point. Even after Eliot had punched Sterling for kissing him he was here, possibly about to have sex with Sterling. Sterling held some power over him now and Eliot didn’t like it.
Maybe that was why he was here. He wasn’t sure what had possessed him to get on his bike and come here, but maybe he really was here to have sex with Sterling so that they could put this all behind them. Then Sterling wouldn’t have power over him anymore.
But Eliot could walk out that door right now and never look back. If he wanted to. He and Sterling could still put this whole thing behind them. They could never speak of it again. Would Sterling still hold some power over him if he did that though?
He could find out. All he had to do was move. All he had to do was leave.
Sterling came back into the room, drink in hand. “I see you decided to continue standing. You’re really uncomfortable. Maybe you should just go.”
Eliot shook his head. “I’m not uncomfortable.”
“Then what are you?”
Eliot finally sank down onto the couch. “Confused,” he answered honestly. “Why the hell did you have to kiss me, Sterling?”
Sterling sat down on the couch next to him. Right next to him. Eliot considered scooting over but figured it was better if he stayed put.
“I kissed you because I wanted to, Eliot. I know how much you love your women but I thought there might be something there between us. Here you sit, so I must not have been completely off the mark.”
“I still don’t really know why I’m here.”
“Curiosity?”
“Maybe.”
Eliot didn’t like this. He wasn’t uncomfortable but he wasn’t at ease either. He still felt like Sterling had some sort of power over him here.
He could try sex with Sterling and then he could be done with it. People experimented all the time. Why shouldn’t he? If he didn’t enjoy it, which he probably wouldn’t, then he didn’t have to come back. He could be done with this.
“Are you still with me, Eliot?”
“I don’t know.”
How would they even start this? Would they just go to the bedroom and start having sex? Or should they stay on the couch and make out for a bit?
The decision was taken from when Sterling ran a hand along his thigh and leaned in close. “Tell me no, Eliot, and all of this can stop right now.”
Eliot heard the clink of glass as Sterling set his drink down but Eliot didn’t say anything. Sterling leaned in even closer and kissed him right below his ear. Eliot’s breath caught and he stayed perfectly still. He still didn’t think this was a good idea, but he wasn’t turning and running like he should. Why wasn’t he running?
Sterling kissed his way along Eliot’s jaw, slowly. Eliot shuddered beneath those lips. That was why he wasn’t running.
He wanted.
Eliot shuddered again, his dick growing full and heavy as Sterling nipped at him playfully. Eliot growled and turned his head, grabbing Sterling’s jaw in his hand and crushing their lips together.
They fought for control of the kiss. Their kiss was brutal and messy, a clashing of teeth, tongues tangling.
Sterling finally gave in, letting Eliot take control of the kiss. He was probably worried that Eliot would take off if Sterling tried to take too much control of the situation. Eliot didn’t think he would. He wanted this too much now.
This kiss became less brutal but no less passionate. This was familiar territory. This he could do.
Sterling’s hand slid beneath Eliot’s shirt and began rubbing over the bare skin, his other hand tangled in Eliot’s hair. Sterling broke this kiss and brushed his lips along Eliot’s jaw again. The hand in his hair tugged and Eliot went with the motion, unable to stop a groan escaping as Sterling found the one spot on Eliot’s neck that could make him do that.
How had Sterling taken control of the kiss again? More importantly, why didn’t Eliot care?
He knew now that he had been planning on having sex with Sterling the whole time. That was why he had come here tonight. He wondered what his team would think if they found out.
Then Sterling was kissing him again and he realized he didn’t give a fuck. He wanted to have sex with Sterling. He didn’t know why he wanted to have sex with Sterling, but there was no doubt it was what he wanted. So he needed to stop thinking about it and actually do it.
Despite his reluctance to break the kiss, he did so and tugged Sterling off of the couch with him. “Bedroom,” he growled.
Sterling smirked, so Eliot kissed it off his face as he walked him back to the bedroom. He eased them both down onto the bed without breaking the kiss. He rocked down against Sterling and was rewarded when Sterling groaned into his mouth, so he did it again.
He tugged at the hem of Sterling’s t-shirt and pulled it up. He couldn’t get it off though because they were still kissing. With a groan he sat up and tugged Sterling’s shirt the rest of the way up and off and then got rid of his too.
“I knew it would be like this with you,” Sterling murmured, watching him through heavy-lidded eyes.
He had never appreciated a man’s body the way he did with women, but Sterling was gorgeous. Eliot liked seeing him like this.
Sterling licked his lips and Eliot let out a shaky breath. Who knew that Sterling could have this kind of effect on him?
“Condom?” Eliot managed to ask.
Sterling reached into his beside drawer and tossed Eliot a condom and some lube. Right. He was with a man. He was going to have to use lube for this. He was going to have to actually prep Sterling if he didn’t want to hurt him, and that wasn’t what he wanted to do. Sure he usually wanted to kick Sterling’s ass, but this was different.
“You still good?”
Eliot gave himself a mental shake. “Yeah. Sorry. I’m good.”
He got off the bed and shucked his jeans off and then helped Sterling out of his. He stretched back out on top of Sterling so he could kiss him again.
Their erections brushed together and Eliot couldn’t hold back a groan. He wasn’t sure he had ever wanted sex this badly before.
“Roll over,” he ordered Sterling. Sterling started to and then paused.
“Are you having second thoughts now?”
“Don’t get me wrong, Eliot. I want this.”
“But?”
Sterling didn’t say anything but Eliot was pretty sure he knew what the problem was.
“What we do here stays here and it doesn’t change anything. Okay?”
Sterling nodded and then got onto his hands and knees and Eliot knew why Sterling had been hesitant. He was offering himself up to someone who hated him. No matter what this was, it was still intimate. Eliot could use this against Sterling.
Eliot wouldn’t do that. He wasn’t like that.
He popped open the cap on the lube and slicked up his fingers. He was about to stick his fingers into Sterling’s ass. What the hell had he been thinking?
“You can still back out if you want to.” Sterling was watching Eliot over his shoulder.
“This is weird,” Eliot admitted.
“Have you never done this with any of the women you’ve been with?”
“No.”
Eliot took a deep breath and then circled his finger around Sterling’s hole, gauging his reaction. Sterling sighed and then moved back against his finger.
Eliot smiled and pushed the tip of his finger in. He didn’t know how easily Sterling would be able to accommodate him and since he didn’t want to hurt him, he took his time. He slowly worked his finger in and out until it was all the way in.
“So I take it you’ve done this before.” Eliot was trying to distract both himself and Sterling as he added a second finger in.
“Not often, but yes.”
“Have you since…” Eliot trailed off. He didn’t know how Sterling was with the subject of his deceased ex-wife.
“No, I haven’t.”
“Have you been with anyone since?” Eliot asked and then silently cursed himself. “You don’t have to answer that. That just kind of fell out.”
He continued stretching Sterling but things were quiet and maybe a little awkward now. That was his fault.
“No,” Sterling whispered so quietly that Eliot almost missed it. He was surprised that Sterling had answered him. He was surprised that Sterling hadn’t been with anyone since his ex-wife. How was that possible? Eliot might hate the guy but now that he was in bed with Sterling, he could see how women would find him attractive.
He pushed a third finger into Sterling now determined to make this as good for Sterling as he could. But Eliot didn’t know what he was doing since he’d never been with a man before. He would just have to do his best.
“Eliot, you know human anatomy very well, don’t you? Even the organs that you can’t get to?”
“Yes. Why? Is there something I should be doing?”
“My prostate, Eliot.”
Eliot rubbed his fingers against Sterling’s prostate and Sterling let out a long, deep groan, so he did it again.
“Would you just fuck me already?”
Eliot pulled his fingers out of Sterling and wiped them on the sheets so he could open the condom and put it on. He coated himself liberally and then lined himself up with Sterling’s hole.
There were a couple of ways he could do this and he decided to push in all at once and then wait for Sterling to adjust. Sterling didn’t complain so he was probably okay with that decision.
He waited until Sterling’s breath didn’t sound so labored and then began to rock back and forth gently until Sterling growled at him. He laughed and began thrusting in earnest, making sure he was positioned so that he could hit Sterling’s prostate.
Sterling groaned and fell to his elbows, Eliot moving with him. He moved one of his hands from their death grip on Sterling’s hips to move around him so he could stroke him. That much at least he knew to do.
Sterling stopped him though, moving his hand down to his thigh and holding it there. “I want to try something,” Sterling informed him.
Eliot didn’t know what Sterling meant but he left it alone. He had never imagined sex could be this good. Sterling was hot and tight around him and every once in a while he squeezed around Eliot’s dick. Eliot never knew when it was coming.
Eliot was close and he didn’t think he would be able to hold it off. “Sterling,” he warned.
“Right there with you,” Sterling groaned and came without Eliot even touching him.
A few more thrusts and Eliot was coming into the condom. He pulled out, tied off the condom, tossed it into the trash, and then collapsed onto the bed next to Sterling, who was already lying on his back, eyes closed and panting.
Neither said a word for a few minutes as they both came down from their orgasms. The best orgasm of his life. He wasn’t ready to think about that just yet though.
“You came without either of us touching you. Have you ever done that before?”
Sterling didn’t answer him and Eliot wondered if he had heard him. He rolled his head so that he could look at Sterling. Sterling still had his eyes closed but he was gnawing at his lip.
“Never with a partner before.”
“Toys?”
“Yes.”
“You’ve never had a very attentive partner then.”
“It would seem not.”
It made him sad to think that nobody had ever been that good to Sterling, but at the same time it gave him a strange sense of satisfaction. It didn’t matter that he didn’t like Sterling, he never left a partner unsatisfied.
“I should get going.”
“You don’t have to.”
“And what? Are you planning on keeping me in bed all weekend?”
Sterling smirked at him.
It was tempting. It was so tempting. But Eliot still thought that this whole thing was a bad idea even though he had gone through with it. It had been a very good bad idea, but a bad idea all the same. He shouldn’t stay. It was still Sterling after all.
Eliot got up and got dressed.
“So you’re not staying then.”
“I don’t think we should do this again.”
“And why not? I know you enjoyed yourself.”
“That doesn’t mean it should happen again. Were you really planning on this happening again?”
“I wasn’t. Mostly because I wasn’t sure that you would enjoy the whole sex with a guy thing. Doesn’t seem to be a problem though.”
Eliot sighed. “Sterling.”
“Go then. We can pretend that nothing happened.”
Eliot nodded and left. Maybe now that he had fucked Sterling he would be able to forget about the kiss and this whole messy situation.
Eliot should have known better. After sex that good, how could he not think about Sterling? How could he not want to have sex with him again?
It was the middle of the day and he was with his team. It had been nearly two weeks since the encounter with Sterling and he was miserable. He wanted Sterling in a way he hadn’t wanted anyone in… well, forever. As insane as that was.
That was the problem. It was Sterling. If it had been anyone else this wouldn’t have been an issue. He hated Sterling though, and so did his team.
Did that really matter though? He could still hate Sterling and have sex with him. Liking someone wasn’t necessarily a requirement.
He had Sterling’s number in his phone and had thought about calling Sterling every day since that night they had had sex. And every day he had kept himself from giving into that urge.
Today was not going to end the same. Why shouldn’t he have sex with Sterling? They were both adults. If they wanted to have sex then they could have sex.
He pulled out his phone and sent a text message to Sterling. Any plans for lunch?
He hated texting but he wasn’t going to have a phone conversation about this even though he knew there was every possibility that Sterling would tell him to go fuck off. He also knew that because of the way they had left things it would have to be him that made the next move, not Sterling. So this was his move.
Eliot’s phone buzzed. I’m free.
Do you want to meet at your place?
There was no way that Sterling would mistake that for anything other than what it was. He just hoped that Sterling would say yes.
Meet you there in twenty?
I’ll be there.
Eliot grinned and began to head out when he was stopped by Hardison. “And where do you think you’re going?”
“Got a lunch date.”
“With who?” Sophie asked.
“Nobody you know,” Eliot replied. He was not ready to admit to the team that he was having sex with Sterling. Eliot wasn’t even really ready to admit it to himself.
He turned his phone off on the way out hoping that his phone was the only way Hardison had to track him. He hoped that Hardison would try and respect his privacy though. Then again, it was Hardison, so he really hoped Hardison had no other way of tracking him. He figured he was safe as long as his phone was off and he didn’t have his earpiece. Unless Hardison decided to start pulling up security footage or something.
Eliot needed to stop thinking like that or he wouldn’t have as much fun with Sterling as he had last time.
He was glad that Sterling had beat him to the house. He wouldn’t want to seem as desperate as he felt.
“So is this going to become a regular thing then?” Sterling asked as soon as he opened the door for Eliot.
“This is just sex.”
“Just sex,” Sterling agreed.
“Then yes.”
“Well all right then.”
Sterling let him in and they shed their clothing and kissed as they made their way to the bedroom.
It was just as good as Eliot had remembered.