Unfinished Business

The chicken had gone cold, the glaze dulling as it clung in thick streaks to white porcelain plates. Candle wax pooled in heavy drips down their holders, the flames trembling with every faint draft that passed through the dining room. Eli sat slouched at the head of the table, shoulders bare, his lean body gilded by the soft amber glow. The air smelled faintly of rosemary and smoke, but no one was eating. Nathan's chair was still pushed neatly under the table.

Twenty minutes passed. Eli's fork rested untouched beside his plate. The quiet hummed around him, heavy, stretching thin like a thread about to snap. Finally, he pushed back his chair, the legs scraping against polished wood, the sound jarring in the stillness. He didn't bother clearing anything.

Barefoot, Eli padded through the hallway, his joggers slung low on his hips, fabric soft and worn, the drawstring untied and swaying with each step. His torso was bare, pale skin catching the dim light as he passed framed photos and closed doors. Ahead, a harsh rectangle of light spilled across the hallway from Nathan’s home office, too bright and clinical against the shadows.

The door was slightly ajar. Eli leaned on the frame, arms crossed, watching Nathan hunched over his desk. The soft, rhythmic clack of keys echoed sharply in the quiet house, each press like a reminder that Eli had been forgotten again.

Nathan didn't look up.

"You said you would be done by seven," Eli said softly, his voice smooth but edged.

Nathan's fingers didn't falter on the keyboard. "I am sorry babe. I just need to finish this report. I swear it's the last one."

Eli slipped inside, pushing the door closed with a quiet click that seemed to seal them off from the world.

"It is always 'I swear it's the last one,'" he murmured, voice low, almost lost in the hum of the computer. His eyes drifted over Nathan hunched at the desk, and a swell of memory and frustration pressed against his chest. He could not remember the last time they had actually sat down and eaten together in the same room, the last time Nathan had even looked at him across a table instead of at a screen. Hell, he could not remember the last time Nathan had really been present, when they had been alone and touching, truly connecting. Eli understood that Nathan's work was important, that the long hours, the reports, the deadlines were what kept their life comfortable, even luxurious, but without Nathan there, without him actually joining in, everything else felt hollow. The dinners, the evenings, the quiet luxuries they had built together were empty if Nathan was not there to share them.

Nathan's sigh was tired, fingers pausing for the first time. "Can we not do this now?"

"No," Eli said. His voice was calm, but the weight in it pressed heavy, impossible to ignore. "We are doing this now."

He crossed the room slowly, each step deliberate, letting the tension coil in the air between them. The faint scent of Nathan's cologne mingled with the bitter tang of stale coffee lingering on the desk. Nathan finally looked up, and the sight of Eli standing there shirtless, every line of lean muscle outlined by the soft office light, collarbones sharp and shoulders strong, made his throat bob.

Eli came around the chair and slipped both hands onto Nathan's shoulders, palms warm, fingers digging in with a firm, deliberate rhythm. Nathan closed his eyes for a moment, tension draining out of him despite himself, a soft sound escaping his throat. Eli leaned down, his lips hovering at Nathan's ear, the heat of his breath brushing over sensitive skin, and for a heartbeat, the hum of work, the pressure of life, and the quiet loneliness of the evening all vanished, leaving only the sharp, urgent closeness of them.

"You missed dinner," Eli murmured, his breath warm against Nathan's skin. "Again."

Nathan's jaw tightened. "I said I'm sorry. I'm just behind on work."

Eli's fingers drifted down over his chest, gliding over the thin cotton of his shirt. His touch was slow and teasing, tracing muscle and bone, slipping lower with each pass. Eli pressed himself against Nathan's back, his bare chest warm, his scent clean and faintly sweet.

"You're behind because you forget what's important," Eli whispered, his mouth brushing against the curve of Nathan's neck.

"Eli..." Nathan started, but the word dissolved when Eli swung a leg over him and sank into his lap.

Nathan's hands shot to Eli's hips, startled. "What are you-"

Eli silenced him with a kiss. It was not gentle. It was deep and hungry, wet and unrestrained, their tongues colliding in a tangle of heat. Eli kissed him like he wanted to devour him, like he had been waiting all night for this moment. Nathan groaned into his mouth, caught off guard by the ferocity, his hands tightening on Eli's waist. Eli's lips moved with a punishing rhythm, slick with spit, claiming him completely.

When he finally pulled back, he hovered close, their mouths still brushing, breaths mingling.

"You've been ignoring me for far too long, husband," Eli whispered, his voice a velvet threat.

Nathan groaned softly, already hard beneath his sweatpants, his body betraying him. Eli rolled his hips deliberately, a slow grind that dragged another sound from Nathan's throat.

"You think you're stressed now," Eli murmured, lips grazing Nathan's ear. "Wait until I'm done with you."

Nathan did not protest. His laptop screen glowed behind them, cursor blinking uselessly, work forgotten. Eli reached for the hem of Nathan's shirt and tugged it upward, stripping it over his head in one smooth motion and tossing it aside. His hands roamed Nathan's bare chest, nails grazing skin just enough to make him shiver.

Eli pushed aside the cold mug of coffee on the desk with a lazy sweep, his eyes locked on Nathan's as he sank down onto his knees between his husband's legs. The air shifted with the movement, the tension thickening, heat coiling low in Nathan's gut.

"You have five minutes to come to your senses," Eli said, his voice low and deliberate as his fingers traced the outline of Nathan's cock through the thin fabric. His lips curved into a smirk. "After that, I'm taking control."

Nathan's head tipped back, breath catching. He could not speak. His body was already trembling with anticipation.

Eli tugged his sweats down with unhurried precision, fingertips grazing sensitive skin. He looked up as he leaned in, holding Nathan's gaze as he wrapped his lips around him, slow and deliberate, tongue swirling in a teasing rhythm. Nathan let out a strangled sound, his hips jerking despite himself. His fingers slid into Eli's hair, gripping tight, the other hand bracing hard on the desk edge.

Eli worked him with skill and patience, sucking him deep, his hand steady around the base as he dragged every sound he wanted out of Nathan's throat. The sight of his husband unraveling beneath him, head tipped back, lips parted, made his own cock twitch with need.

When Eli climbed back into Nathan's lap, skin flushed and slick with sweat, Nathan was already undone, eyes dark and heavy with desire. Eli kissed him again, slow and languid this time, his tongue teasing Nathan's as he reached into the drawer beside them. He took his time finding the lube, moving like he had all night to play with him. He poured it into his palm, the slick sound filling the dim room, then wrapped his hand around Nathan's length, stroking him slowly. Nathan's hips twitched helplessly, his breath breaking.

"Watch me," Eli whispered, his eyes locking onto Nathan's. "Do not look away. Watch what you've been ignoring."

Nathan's gaze was glassy and fixed, his pupils blown wide, as Eli positioned himself and sank down onto him with a sharp gasp. Nathan groaned, head falling back, fingers digging into Eli's hips as his cock buried deep inside. The chair creaked beneath their movements, the sound of wet skin and shallow breath filling the small office.

Eli started slow, rolling his hips, savoring the stretch. His movements grew sharper, faster, each thrust a mix of punishment and forgiveness, his nails dragging down Nathan's chest. Nathan groaned helplessly, words lost, reduced to incoherent gasps as Eli rode him with relentless rhythm.

When release came, it was with Eli tightening around him, head thrown back, a broken cry escaping his lips. Nathan's grip bruised Eli's hips as he spilled inside him, a raw groan ripping through his chest.

Silence settled over the room, broken only by their ragged breaths, the closeness of their bodies making the air feel charged and alive.

Nathan leaned forward, breath warm against Eli's skin, voice hoarse. "I am shutting down this computer for the rest of the night. Starting now."

Eli pressed a soft kiss to his jaw, lips curved. "Good. Because I am not done with you yet."

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