above all (m×m) ✔

40) communication

This chapter is basically all sex talk and smut, so if that's not your thing, you can go ahead and skip it. It won't affect the overall plot or anything. :)

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"You're staring again." Brandon pointed out, his skin glistening with sweat when he pushed himself up from the floor. Without missing a beat, he lowered himself into another push up. With the white sleeveless shirt hitching up along every repetition, exposing a strip smooth skin, and the muscles in his arms flexing.. What else could Steven do but to stare?

"Shh, I'm enjoying the show." Steven murmured, a smirk spreading on his lips and crinkling the corners of his eyes. "You could make it even better by taking off your shirt."

"Steven." Brandon groaned. The skin on his arms flushed red, and Steven knew it wasn't because of the physical exertion. He flipped around on the mat, beginning a series of crunches. 

"We have a spare room, and we could turn it into a gym if you want to." Steven offered, his eyes still glued to Brandon's sweating torso.

"With a lock on the door, I hope." Brandon muttered. It made Steven laugh, and when Steven laughed, Brandon couldn't help but join him.

"I'm serious. Just say a word, and it's yours." Steven offered again, causing Brandon to fall flat on his back on the mat and turn to look at Steven. He wasn't wearing his glasses, so he could likely only see a silhouette of Steven, but Steven could read the astonishment on his face just fine. "It's your home too, and I want to make sure you feel at home."

"I already do, with a gym or not." Brandon hummed, then resumed his exercise. Steven let him do so in silence, thinking about other ways he could put that room in use.

He could come up with a few ideas, but one was above the others. Maybe, once he was officially done with his modeling career and they had moved Brandon in, Steven could pick up another project. Having something to plan and work on would do him good.

Brandon was laying on his back, kicking his legs up in turns. Then he was leaning on his elbows and toes, dipping his hips from one side to the other. Steven, who had never much enjoyed working out, was starting to see it in a new light. When Brandon sat up and wiped the sweat from his face with the hem of his shirt, revealing his toned chest and stomach, Steven was wondering if it was just to torture him. He licked his lips, which had turned dry all of a sudden. 

"I should.." Brandon began, but trailed off with a confused frown as he saw Steven standing up and making his way to him. Steven placed his palm on Brandon's chest, and gave him a light nudge. Brandon didn't resist, but instead laid down on his back, grinning up at Steven.

"You should do what?" Steven murmured. When Brandon opened his mouth to answer, Steven nibbled his lower lip and successfully shut him up. He kissed Brandon's jaw next, tasting salt on his skin. When he kissed the hollow under Brandon's jaw, Brandon gasped, then chuckled with a low, breathy voice.

"Steven.. Mmh." He mumbled, but despite his resistance, tilted his chin to the side so that Steven could grace his ear with his teeth next. "I really need to take a shower, I stink."

"I beg to disagree." Steven hummed, slipping his fingers under Brandon's shirt. The scent of fresh sweat was such a turn-on to Steven, who associated it with masculinity and, for the lack of other types of exercising in his rather unathletic life, sex. 

"Oh, so that's how it is then." Brandon said, a smirk spreading on his lips. It was gratifying to see how often he grinned, smirked or full-on smiled nowadays, compared to his previous tentative smile which only barely tucked up the corners of his mouth. He was less cautious with his movements as well, and he didn't hesitate to lift up his arms and loop them around Steven's neck to pull him closer.