Disclaimer:

I do apologise for the delay in getting this next chapter to you. Thanks to the vagrancies of free email services, I found that I had to find a new home for my email, as subdimension was shut down earlier this month. You should be able to reach me at this new address, and I hope that I will be able to update this story in a more timely fashion. Now, to the obligatory disclaimer:

The following story is the next installment in an on going series about Stephen Gately from Boyzone and what I imagine to be the story behind the beginning of his relationship with Eloy de Jong from Caught in the Act. I have no contact with either person, nor know any of the members of either group.

As with many of the stories here on nifty, there are explicit scenes within this storyline and if you are wondering whether you should be reading this, don't go on. However, should you wish to continue, please enjoy this chapter and write me to tell me what you think of it.

Cheers,

Musicfan

Eloy waited impatiently in the departure lounge at the airport, annoyed with the news that his plane was delayed. Heavy fog in Gdansk had kept the incoming flight from taking off, which meant an indeterminate amount of time until his flight could leave for London.

He paced restlessly, unaware of looks of annoyance that greeted his back and forth movements. It seemed that inadvertently, events had conspired against him. He gave a sigh and stared out the window moodily. It felt as it every moment lost was that much less time he had with Stephen. Eloy resented the delay, his whole being yearning to be already in London and with Stephen.

The time crawled as he waited, but move along it did until he saw a plane pull up to the gate. Passengers began to disembark in a seemingly endless stream. To Eloy, it felt like they would never stop coming out. Eventually, the last person left the departure gate, thus allowing the ground crew to board and ready the plane for the flight to London. Time began to move again as they finished their preparations, allowing the attendants to board their new passengers.

Eloy waited in line, eager to be underway. After handing his ticket to the woman, he walked down the ramp and boarded the plane. He had booked himself a first class seat, wanting to spoil himself with some well-deserved legroom. Too often he had to sit in coach, crammed into a seat meant for someone half his size. It was at times like that when he envied Stephen's smaller stature, since he didn't have that kind of problem. He knew that Stephen would prefer to have his problem, and he grinned to himself as he sat down, musing about their differences.

The flight attendant in his area smiled back at him, thinking he was flirting with her when his thoughts were all turned inwards, rather than the world around him. She brought him a drink, which he thanked her for, being his usual courteous self. The rest of the passengers were just as eager to take off, and they boarded quickly, getting to their seats and stowing their bags in record time.

Eloy silently wished the plane to go faster as it moved in it's pondering way towards the runway. By this point, every small delay was a personal insult, and he thought that by wishing it so, he would be able to move things along.

Finally they were off, the wheels retracting into the body of the plane as it gained altitude over the city. He looked out the window, seeing his homeland shrouded in fog as the insidious element overtook the coastline. He was thrilled that they had actually made it out despite the fog, and settled back for the short hop over to London. He drummed his fingers against the arm of his chair until the business man in front of him turned and glared over the back of his seat. Eloy apologised, only realizing for the first time how much he was communicating his restlessness. He settled back in his seat and closed his eyes as he tried to imagine his meeting with Stephen . . .

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For all the delay he experienced in Amsterdam, he got through London's Heathrow airport fairly quickly. It wasn't until he picked up his bag and went through to the doors that he realized he didn't know where he was supposed to go. He cast about for some reference from Stephen and couldn't come up with anything. He opened his overnight bag and felt around for his mobile, knowing that Stephen must have left him a message of some kind.

Sure enough, Stephen's voice was one his mobile messages, telling him about the arrangements for the hotel. The tone of amusement in his voice when he told Eloy what name to pick up the tickets at the hotel was clear and Eloy grinned, knowing well how much that would tickle him. With a chuckle he shut off his mobile, not bothering to ring Stephen back. He would be in London soon enough. He picked up his bag and hailed a cab for the journey into the city, tossing his bag onto the seat beside him as he sat back with a sigh.

London seemed to be experiencing the same weather as the rest of Europe, though Eloy mused that rainy overcast days were probably normal here. The taxi driver quickly made headway against the afternoon traffic, cutting down tiny side streets and over to the side of town where the hotel was. Eloy was impressed with his skill and gave him a sizable tip as compensation for his service.

When he got out, the doorman backed up a pace, startled by his height when he finally stood up. He smiled at the man who quickly opened the door to let him through. A quick survey of the lobby told him that it was a quiet hotel, and perfect for the weekend plans. He crossed the faux oriental carpet to the reception desk where he asked for the keys to his room.

"Welcome, Mr. Carr," the receptionist said with a smile. "Can I get someone to help you with your bag?"

"No, that won't be necessary," Eloy said, trying to make an effort to keep his accent less heavy than it could be at times.

"Right then," she said. "Your room is on the 10th floor. That would be up the lift there and down towards the end of the hall. Second before last."

"Thank you," Eloy said gravely, picking up his bag and carrying it over to the lift. He pushed the button, glancing idly about as he waited for it to arrive. It was a modest hotel, with a café off to one side of the lobby where people were gathered having afternoon tea. The sound of the bell brought his attention back to the lift, which opened before him. Stepping inside, he pressed the button to his floor and waited for it to rise. He could feel his stomach clenching in excitement. Stephen was just a few minutes away from him, and already he was trembling with excitement.

It felt to him that he had to be on the slowest elevator on the face of the planet. Though it was only going up a few floors, it seemed to Eloy to be taking its time doing so. When the doors slowly opened onto the correct floor, he impatiently pushed through as soon as they were wide enough for him to do so. A glance at the room numbers told him that the assigned hotel room was to his left. Hefting his bag onto his shoulder, he made his way down the hall. Opening the door with his key, he entered and closed the door quietly. He found he was trembling with excitement, the knowledge that he was so close to his lover a sweet torture. He had the urge to fling the door back open and knock on the door next door, but he restrained himself from doing so. He was going to take the opportunity to freshen up from his trip, as he had been in meetings in the morning and wanted to wash before meeting Stephen. He was glad he had packed the night before as the meeting had gone longer than he had thought he was going to, and he had been able to just head to the airport rather than go home and pack first.

Tossing the bag on the bed, he unzipped the pocket and pulled out his cologne and bathroom kit. He made his way to the bathroom where he ran the water. Taking off his shirt, he hung that on a hook and washed. The office where he had been meeting with the television personnel had been extremely hot and he had been perspiring. Not enough to be objectionable, but enough for him to be uncomfortable. He felt better once he was able to put on some cologne and change shirts. Now that he was finally here, he felt curiously reluctant to meet Stephen. He frowned at himself in the mirror, trying to analyse why. Staring into his reflection, he knew that he was nervous. That Stephen might have changed his mind about meeting. What if Stephen wasn't in the room next door, having thought twice about it and thinking that it was best that they not get together?

He knew he was being ridiculous, but he honestly felt insecure about coming face to face with Stephen again. In a lot of ways, he knew that Stephen could feel the same at times, but when he compared the two of them, he wondered sometimes what Stephen saw in him. There had been so much that had gone wrong for him over the last few years that he was unable to believe that something like this could be going right. Stephen was so very good looking, so sweet and funny, that he couldn't understand why Stephen was interested in himself.

Giving himself a mental shake, he dismissed the negative thoughts. Reminding himself that this weekend was Stephen's idea, and that he had been so eager to make arrangements, it was crazy to think that Stephen would have changed his mind in the meantime. Picking up the discarded shirt, he stuck it in a side pocket of his bag before pulling out a t-shirt. Pulling it over his head, he pulled his gold chain out from under the collar. Running a hand through his hand, he knew that there was nothing else he could delay, and he really didn't want to, other than the moment of indecision in the bathroom.

He looked at the bag, and decided to leave it behind, in case someone saw him entering the room. He could always come back for it later. Nodding one last time in the mirror above the desk against the wall, he pocketed the room key and opened the door just enough to peer down the hall. There was no one in sight, so he opened it wider and stepped out, closing it softly behind him. It was mere moments to the door next to him, and he knocked tentatively.

A few moments later, though it felt like forever to Eloy, the door opened, revealing the face of his lover. Stephen smiled and reached out to tug on his hand, drawing him inside. Eloy followed obediently, struck speechless by the sight of Stephen standing in front of him. Once they were past the door, Stephen pushed it shut where it closed with a satisfying click.

"Hey handsome," Stephen said, smiling up at Eloy. "Come give me a smooch." He held open his arms and Eloy eagerly stepped into his embrace, leaning down to kiss Stephen. The restlessness of the day finally dissipated, reassured by the strength of Stephen's response. The kiss lingered, Stephen's arms reaching up to snake themselves around Eloy's neck. When Eloy finally pulled back to look down into Stephen's eyes, he found that he was clasping the younger man tightly in his arms.

"Zusje," he croaked hoarsely, his throat having closed up in response to the intense emotion he was feeling. "Stephen. Zusje, ik mer..."

"Shhhh," Stephen whispered softly, stroking his fingertips against Eloy's lips. "I know. You don't have to say anything at all. I know, baby." His eyes were shining with unshed tears as he reacted to Eloy. He pushed himself back and shakily pushed the hair back off his face. "Whew!"

"Ja," Eloy agreed, grinning as Stephen broke the intensity of the moment. "I think I agree." They stood staring at each other for a long moment before Stephen grabbed his hand and pulled him further into the room. Eloy barely noticed their surroundings as he followed Stephen into the room. Stephen brought him over to the sofa where they sat down without another word.

Perching next to Eloy, he turned to stare at his lover. "How was your flight?" He asked, knowing it was a really inane question, but needing a moment to get his breathing back to normal. He fought the urge to grab Eloy and drag him to the bed. There was more to their relationship than sex, and he felt the need to examine every inch of Eloy, making sure that he was okay after the last few weeks he had had.

"Goed, once it got off the ground," Eloy said, relaxing back into the cushions and following Stephen's lead. He went on to tell Stephen about the delays and how he had thought he was never going to get there.

"Well, that's done with, isn't it?" Stephen said with a grin. They were both more relaxed after their intense greeting. Stephen felt like he needed to pinch himself that the time was here and Eloy was sitting beside him. He reached out and stroked Eloy's cheek. "And how are you doing, hon?" He could see the signs of strain around Eloy's eyes, and a gauntness to his face like he hadn't been sleeping well.

"Better, now that I'm here." Eloy replied, leaning into Stephen's touch. "It's been so long, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, it has," Stephen acknowledged. "We have to do something about that." With that comment, he knew that he had made the decision that come what may, he wanted to spent as much time as Eloy was willing to give him. Their separations had grown too painful to bear.

"Mmmm, I agree." Eloy said, enjoying the feeling of Stephen's warm hand against his cheek. He had been a little frightened by the intensity of their greeting. It felt like his wasn't truly alive until he was with Stephen again. Before, he had had the distraction of performing, which had given him a similar feeling when he had experienced the adulation of fans at performances. Seeing the concern in Stephen's eyes as Stephen took in the changes in his appearance, he felt a warm spread through his chest, healing the hurts of the last few weeks. "How about you? How was your trip?" He asked, trying to keep their conversation to a normal level.

"A short taxi ride across town," Stephen said with a grin, his eyes crinkling up in merriment. "Not so arduous a commute as yours."

"What time did you get here?" Eloy asked as Stephen scooted closer. Of it's own volition, his arm wrapped itself around Stephen's shoulders as he held him close to his side.

"About 3 hours ago," Stephen said. He had been busy during that time, going out shopping and picking up some supplies for the weekend. He had emptied out the room's mini bar and put his purchases inside. Then he had watched some television to pass the time until Eloy arrived. He leaned into Eloy's embrace, sheltering under his arm and leaning his head against Eloy's chest. "I puttered about and just watched the telly until you got here."

"That doesn't sound too bad," Eloy mused, enjoying the smell of Stephen's hair as he brushed his lips against the top of the other man's head. A sense of security filled him as he felt Stephen's hand creep across his chest in a hug. He tightened his own embrace before reaching down and tilting Stephen's head back for another long drawn out kiss.

When they both pulled back slightly from that kiss, he stared down into Stephen's eyes. "So what now, love?"

"Up to you, baby. You hungry?" Stephen asked. Eloy mutely shook his head. "Want something to drink? I have some wine, if you'd like?"

"Maybe," Eloy said doubtfully. Getting wine would separate them and he didn't want that just yet. He preferred them to stay where they were. "No," he decided. "I just want to sit here for a bit and hold you."

"That works for me, baby," Stephen said softly, moving up for another kiss. His hand crept up so he could run his fingers through Eloy's hair. His eyes were closed when they parted for a second time in as many minutes, and he sighed happily. "God, I've missed this."

"Ja, me too." Eloy said heartfully. "It always seems to me that life isn't right unless you're in my arms."

Stephen gave him a surprised look. "Yeah?" Eloy suppressed a laugh at the boyish delight on Stephen's face.

"Ja," he said, giving Stephen a kiss on the nose. Stephen made a face at him and tilted his head so that their lips touched lightly. They held the kiss like that for a moment before Stephen couldn't resist the temptation any longer and parted his lips in an invitation. Eloy felt himself respond to the overt invitation in more ways than one as he deepened the kiss by licking Stephen's lips and brushing his tongue against the younger man's teeth. Stephen opened his mouth wider, allowing Eloy to French kiss him.

How long the two of them kissed, neither knew. By the time they parted again, Eloy found himself stroking Stephen's hair and breathing heavily. He stared into the other man's eyes, once again fascinated by the colour change he saw there. Stephen's eyes had darkened to a deep blue, and unconsciously he licked his lips in a very seductive way as he stared up into Eloy's eyes. He reached with a trembling hand touched Eloy's face, lost in the moment.

"Come here," Eloy said, reaching down to pat his lap in an invitation. Stephen didn't need to be urged further as he knelt on the sofa and moved over to straddle Eloy's lap. This put him at eye level with Eloy who reached around his waist to support him. "I need to do that again," he said softly.

"Yeah," Stephen said in response, leaning in to kiss the man in front of him. "So do I," he whispered against Eloy's lips before becoming the aggressor and thrusting his tongue insider Eloy's mouth. Eloy moaned in response and pulled Stephen closer, his fingers digging into Stephen's back. They traded taking the lead, with first one, then the other exploring each other's depths. Eloy's hands drifted lower, cupping Stephen's buttocks and kneading the muscles there while Stephen ran his hands up and down Eloy's chest. When their kiss broke this time, Stephen pressed his weight down on Eloy's lap, brushing his erection against Eloy's crotch. He was shaking from the need to do more, but he also wanted more than just sex with Eloy. He wanted to communicate his deep need for the other man. He opened his mouth to articulate it and nearly lost control when Eloy ran his tongue into the inside of his mouth. Sucking Eloy's tongue inside, he moved his own in circles around it, keeping the sucking pressure up as he ground his hips against Eloy's.

They slid sideways on the sofa as Eloy submitted to Stephen's pushing. He ended up on his back with Stephen over him. Stephen supported the bulk of his weight on his arms while he rested his legs on top of Eloy. When he pulled back from their kiss this time, he trailed his lips across Eloy's cheek to his ear.

"I love you so damn much, baby," he whispered with all his being. "I love kissing you. I love touching you. I don't ever want to be separated from you like that again, baby." Eloy wrapped his arms around Stephen's shoulders and pulled him tight against his chest as he listened to Stephen's pleas. "You turn me on so much, baby. I love the way you smell. I love the way you taste. I want you so fecking much. I want to make love to you. Can I do that?" He sucked on Eloy's ear as he heard the man groan beneath him. "Is that what you want, darling? For me to make love to you?"

"Ja," Eloy whispered raggedly. "I love you, too, Stephen. I want you. I need you. I need to make love to you. To show you how much I want you. Please make love to me. Please..." he lost his voice towards the end of his comment, the emotional response he felt closing his throat.

Stephen propped himself up so that he could stare deeply into Eloy's eyes. They paused that way for a long moment, communicating more than they could say in words. Eloy lovingly brushed Stephen's hair back, running his finger from the curtains to trace Stephen's ear. His finger trailed down Stephen's neck, stopping for a moment at the collar of Stephen's dress shirt before lightly stroking across the pulse point on his neck and finally resting his palm against Stephen's chest. Stephen didn't move, waiting to see what Eloy would do. Eloy could feel the steady beat of Stephen's heart in his chest, the warmth of his skin through the thin cloth. He then lifted his fingers to trace Stephen's lips again.

Stephen smiled, acknowledging the mutual need they had. After another long moment he pulled back and took Eloy's hand in his. Bringing it to his lips, he kissed the fingers one by one before moving to stand up. He held onto Eloy's hand and pulled him up from the sofa. Holding hands, they walked without saying anything else to the inviting bed at the other end of the room. Stephen stood for a moment, looking up at Eloy before tugging on the t-shirt and pulling the shirttails out of his jeans. For his part, Eloy unbuttoned Stephen's shirt, lovingly pushing it off the smaller man's shoulders. Stephen shivered, the hairs rising up on his arms as the shirt pooled at his waist and wrists.

"Make love to me, kindje," Eloy urged, feeling the need to let Stephen lead the way. Stephen's smile widened in response and he pushed Eloy's shirt up his chest before leaning forward to suck on a nipple. The sharp intake of breath in response to his action was reassuring, letting him know that he was going the right way. He eased his arms out of the confining shirt, letting it hang by the part that was still tucked into his dress pants. He helped Eloy out of his shirt, running his hands over Eloy's bare chest. Nipples hardened in response to his touch and he marveled at his lover's reaction. He gave Eloy a glance from under his lashes as he considered how he wanted to proceed from there. It looked like Eloy was prepared to let him lead the way, so he stopped his hand just above Eloy's waistband and pushed the man slightly on the stomach, urging him to sit down. Eloy acquiesced, not only sitting down on the end of the bed, but reclining all the way.

Stephen crawled on top of him and gave him a kiss, rubbing his own bare chest against Eloy's. As their nipples came in contact, his contracted, becoming hard nubs of excitement. He felt powerful, being in control of what they did. All thoughts but making love to the man before him fled his head, and he concentrated on doing the job properly. He spread his legs so that he could brush his erection against Eloy's jeans, feeling an equal hardness against his own. He toyed with Eloy at this point, rubbing them together while he stared down into Eloy's eyes. Eloy couldn't help but respond by thrusting his hips as high as he could, begging implicitly for more contact. Involuntarily, his arms reached for Stephen's chest, stroking the hair around the nipples before tracing it's pathway down to where it disappeared into Stephen's trousers. He gave Stephen a look of entreaty, asking for permission. Stephen smiled and nodded, his face shadowed by the lamplight behind him. With the nod, Eloy undid the button on Stephen's trousers and pushed them down, along with the white underwear underneath. He couldn't go too far because Stephen's position precluded pulling them down completely. But he was able to expose Stephen's buttocks, which he stroked lovingly, running his fingers down between the cheeks and pulling them apart, stroking the sensitive skin inside.

Stephen shuddered in reaction, his hands on Eloy's chest trembling. He submitted to Eloy's attentions, enjoying the way Eloy's fingers delicately traced the puckered anus, stretching down to stroke the hair on the underside of his exposed scrotum before making their way back up and along the outside. He continued the pattern of movement while Stephen closed his eyes, enjoying the sensations it caused. He could also feel himself getting hard and hot, and knew that it wouldn't be long before he began to leak in response. He was amazed at his instant response to Eloy's touch. He felt so incredible as he enjoyed the increasingly bolder advances from his lover. He responded by pulling down the zipper of Eloy's jeans and reaching to stroke the hard penis inside. Eloy gasped involuntarily, startled by Stephen's action.

"More please," Eloy begged when Stephen hesitated, debating what to do next. Stephen smiled and leaned forward for another kiss. "Don't you go away," he whispered softly against Eloy's lips. Eloy nodded mutely and he stood up, pulling his trousers down around his feet. Stepping out, he stood in front of Eloy, a smile on his face.

Eloy watched him intently before dropping his eyes to survey Stephen's body. The hair he had been toying with ended in a dark forest around Stephen's erection. Seeing where Eloy's gaze lay, Stephen reached down to touch himself, wrapping his fingers around his penis. He began stroking, enjoying the startled look on Eloy's face as he did so. Wetness pooled into his hand, a sign that he was more than ready to continue. Giving himself one last stroke, he knelt down at Eloy's feet and buried his face against Eloy's open jeans, nibbling the underside of Eloy's penis while he tugged off the other man's shoes. Eloy hissed in response, assaulted on two fronts as Stephen started stroking the now bare feet. When he raised his head from Eloy's tented erection, he smiled before placing Eloy's feet in his lap on either side of his penis. Then he pulled down on Eloy's jeans, tugging the rough material off the older man's hips. Eloy used his feet to stroke Stephen's penis, trying to be careful not to be too rough as he moved up and down, and over the wet head. He had to pause while Stephen removed each pant leg, and he stopped altogether once Stephen took one and sucked on his instep. The feelings that elicited made him gasp in surprise. Stephen was enjoying the reactions he was getting as he kissed his way up Eloy's calf and thigh, allowing Eloy's other foot to slide between his own legs and stroke him.

He rubbed himself against Eloy's foot, making tiny bites against the thigh of the other leg before reaching Eloy's erection. Nuzzling the testicles, he sucked lightly, creating a red mark on the sensitive skin. He rubbed his face against Eloy, inhaling Eloy's musky scent. It turned him on even more, which he hadn't thought was possible. During this time he had let his hands wander, reaching below to stroke Eloy and thrust a finger inside Eloy while he sucked on the base of his penis. Eloy tried to stick the toe of his foot inside Stephen and he moved to let him do so, enjoying the feeling of it entering him. He squeezed his muscles in response and Eloy grasped his head, moaning. Licking the semen that was beginning to leak out of Eloy's penis, he moved to take the organ in his mouth, sucking at the hard muscle. Hands held his head down as he sucked, moving his tongue around the sensitive edge lovingly. He came up for breath and moved, pulling himself off Eloy's foot. His butt tingled nicely and he decided that he'd rather have the real thing. Moving quickly, he straddled Eloy's hips and hovered above the erect penis as he leaned to give Eloy a deep kiss. Eloy was shaking in reaction, waiting for his next move. He figured that Eloy was wet enough for what he wanted, so he positioned himself accordingly and sat down, the tip of Eloy's penis resting against his anus. Still staring down at Eloy he let his weight drop, feeling the slight pain, as he had to stretch and accept the hard penis that entered him.

He impaled himself on Eloy's penis, enjoying the way it curved slightly and scraped inside. He sat for a moment, getting used to the size again. Then with a smile at his lover, he pulled himself up before sitting back down again, enjoying the friction as they moved together. He did this slowly, time and again, allowing Eloy to stroke his own erection while he moved up and down. He licked his lips, enjoying the feeling of alternating emptiness and fullness as Eloy filled him again and again.

"Feel goed?" Eloy asked, amused by the expression on his lover's face. Stephen looked ecstatic, clenching his muscles as he lowered himself back down and holding the pressure as he moved back into a kneeling position.

"Yeah," Stephen said, pausing only to give the man beneath him a kiss. "I've missed this."

"Mmmmm," Eloy agreed, enjoying the feeling of Stephen tight around him. "Me, too." He reached up to tweak Stephen's nipple sharply, eliciting a gasp as he did so. Running his fingertips down Stephen's hot chest, he stroked the penis in front of him, hoping to make Stephen ejaculate at the same time he did. They had tried this before, with varying success on their synchronicity. But Eloy always felt better when Stephen came first, because it showed that he enjoyed it so much. Stephen was panting from the combination of Eloy's attentions and his own exertions. Sweat prickled on his brow and he could smell the musky scent of their exertions wafting around them.

"Oh God," Stephen gasped, feeling himself close. He kept to the slow deliberate movements with extreme effort, feeling Eloy match his movements. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on the feeling of Eloy's head penetrating him and then filling him completely before retreating until it was just outside his entrance. Knowing that he was going to come at any minute, he pushed to let Eloy stroke him further, clenching his sphincter muscles tight as he let his weigh fall one last time, Eloy's penis pushing against his contracted muscles.

Eloy gasped, enjoying what Stephen was doing and feeling close himself. Stephen's last push was enough to send him over the edge and he let himself ejaculate once he had fully entered Stephen's tight anus. The involuntary grasping of his hand on Stephen's erection was enough of an encouragement for Stephen. He arched his back as he ejaculated onto Eloy's chest, feeling a warm rush of fluid inside of himself at the same time. He shuddered in reaction, overwhelmed.

When he was done, he collapsed onto Eloy's chest, huddled against the other man, who wrapped his arms around his lover's trembling body and held him close. Eloy murmured words of love in Dutch to Stephen as they allowed their breathing to slow down, with Stephen gradually stopping his shudders. Eloy brushed the sweaty hair off his lover's face looking down at him. As his eyes passed over Stephen's back, he thought that the position Stephen was in had to be painful, as he was doubled up while still straddling him. Eloy moved his hands to gently raise Stephen up, eliciting a moan of protest from the tired younger man. The moan turned to a gasp as Eloy helped him stretch his legs out and lie back down again. Once they were settled again, Eloy wrapped his arms around Stephen and stroked his hair and back, still whispering words of love to him.

"I love you, Stephen." He whispered into Stephen's ear.

"I love you, Eloy," Stephen said, filled with the need to respond to his lover. He looked up with a tired smile before moving to rub his cheek against Eloy's. "I love you so damn much. Thank you."

"Danke, zusje." Eloy replied. He hugged Stephen close as he settled back down again. "I can't begin to say how much." He gave a satisfied sigh, completely satiated for the moment.

They lay quiet for a long time, listening to the sounds outside their hotel window. The late afternoon sun slowly receded as the room grew darker, but neither of them were in any hurry to move. Eventually, Stephen slid off onto the bed, but they stayed touching. He was enjoying this moment, not thinking of anything in particular and letting random thoughts drift in and out of his head.

Eventually it was Eloy who had to disturb their peace with the need to go to the bathroom. He apologised as he extricated himself from their tangled limbs, pleading the need to use the toilet. Stephen rolled onto his back, which gave him a good view of Eloy's rear as he paced over to the bathroom door. Eloy didn't bother with a light or the door when he went and Stephen smiled as he listened to the homey sounds of his lover in the bathroom. Once the water was running, Eloy made his way back to the bed. From there, he urged Stephen to move so they could climb in under the sheets and curl back together again.

Stephen drifted off immediately, comforted by the warm presence beside him. Eloy listened to him breathing softly, almost scared because he couldn't hear any noises coming from Stephen other than the occasional sigh, or when there was some random movement. He kept on having to put his hand on Stephen's chest to reassure himself that everything was alright. He knew he was being silly, but he couldn't help himself. Eventually, though, the stress of the day got to him and he nodded off, wrapped around Stephen.

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