16. Skye

Skye couldn't help feeling conflicted as he drove the Newport to Cincinnati with River in the passenger seat next to him. They were on their way to a funeral for someone that they truly cared about, the person who had been most important in River's life since he was a child, and he knew he should be feeling sad, but he couldn't keep the smile from his face. And yeah, that made him feel a bit guilty. But when he looked over to see that River was smiling, too, some of that guilt dissipated.

"It's okay to be happy, Skye," River told him, blushing. "I'm happy, too."

Skye's smile widened as he reached over to take River's hand. And when their fingers intertwined this time, he wasn't confused, just breathless at how wonderful it felt to have River's soft, strong hand in his, right where it belonged. "I feel like we shouldn't be going to a funeral with smiles on our faces."

"Yeah." River squeezed his hand, and almost as if on cue, his smile faltered. "Honestly, I can't stop thinking about how much Aunt Jodi would have loved to see us together, and she'll never get to now." He sighed and turned his gaze towards the window. Through the reflection Skye could see a tear slide down his cheek. "I miss her, Skye. I miss her so much it hurts to breathe sometimes."

"I know, Riv," Skye said, softly, squeezing his hand again. "Me, too. She was an incredible woman." Skye wished he could say more, do more. He knew River would be hurting for a long time, even if he wasn't showing it. Losing Jodi was devastating, but what did you say when your best friend lost the only family they had left? There were no words that would make it better, easier. Just love and support. That's all he had to offer, and he hoped it would be enough to help River through the grieving process, however long that took.

River looked back at him. "I'm really glad you're here, though. Making this drive by myself, honestly I don"t know how I would have done it. Thank you for coming."

"Of course." Skye wished he could reach over and plant a kiss on River's forehead, but that would have to wait. Honestly he was still reeling from the fact that River was his boyfriend now. His boyfriend. How on earth did that happen? How did he get so lucky? River actually liked him back. River loved him back. For real. This was real. They were together. Part of him was convinced it was all a dream.

He knew he needed to focus on the funeral right now, and on River, and helping him grieve, but at least now he knew where he stood. At least he could support him as a boyfriend now, and not just as a friend. He knew he could hold River, and kiss River, and take River's hand in his, and know that it wasn't platonic, and that River wanted him to do those things, just as much as Skye wanted to do them. Well, he was pretty sure at least.

"Hey, Riv," he asked, clearing his throat.

"Hmm?" River turned to look at him again. Skye kept his gaze on the road but continued to hold River's hand.

"I don't know if this is the right time to bring this up, so if it's not, just tell me, but, as far as physical boundaries go, I mean…I know sex is off the table for a couple of reasons, and that's fine. I get that, and I respect it, but…I uh…" he slid his hand out of River's now and used it to rub the back of his neck. This felt awkward as hell, but he knew he needed to say it. "I mean, is there anything else that you don't want me to do, or…" he glanced over at River, who was biting his bottom lip in that way that made Skye want to pull it free and nibble on it, his blue eyes dancing with humor, and Skye relaxed.

"I'm fine with mostly everything. As long as you aren't touching my crotch, or trying to take my pants off, we're good."

"Can I touch your ass?" he asked, just to make sure. River flushed and nodded, and Skye grinned. "Okay, I think I can manage that. Let me know if anything changes." He reached over and took River's hand again, planting a kiss on it before resting both of their hands against the seat once more.

"Speaking of my ass," River said, the word sounding strange on his lips, "it's kind of hurting. And by kind of, I mean a lot. Can we stop somewhere soon so I can get up and walk around for a bit?"

"Sure, angel." Skye kissed his hand again.

River flushed. "You've been calling me that for years. Why?"

"Don't like it?" Skye glanced at him.

"No. I do like it. I like it a lot, actually." He shrugged. "Just not sure I deserve it."

"People don't deserve pet names, Riv. I call you angel because you are the best person I know," Skye told him. "You're my angel. And you gotta stop thinking you don't deserve shit. Or that you aren't worthy of good things. Cause you are. Sure you're a mess, but so is everyone. I know what those bastards did to you in high school made you think less of yourself, made you feel like you aren't good enough, but I'm telling you you are, okay? What they did is a reflection on them, not you. You are not less worthy or less loveable, or less anything because of your past. And you don't have to be perfect or have it all together to be worthy of love. I'm no scholar but isn't that what the Bible teaches? Isn't that what you told me our freshman year? That we're all created in God's image? Fearfully and wonderfully made exactly as we are? Not perfect, but good. So how can you view yourself as less worthy or deserving than anyone else? As far as I'm concerned you are the most worthy person in the world."

River stared at him for a moment before he wiped his eyes. "Can't believe you are the one giving me Bible lessons."

Skye grinned. "I do overhear some of those sermons you've been listening to online. And I have read the Bible on occasion."

"Was that because you had a crush on me, or because you were genuinely curious?" River smirked at him, and his eyes twinkled.

It was Skye's turn to smirk as he pulled into the gas station and parked the car. "A little bit of both. I wanted to understand why it was so important to you, because you are important to me." He turned off the car. "And it wasn't a crush. Crushes are for high schoolers. I was and am, head over heels in love with you."

River smiled and unbuckled his seat belt. But instead of getting out of the Newport like Skye expected, he scooted across the center seat and pressed his lips to Skye's. River kissed him hard and long, pushing himself up on his knees, his hands on either side of Skye's face. Tilting Skye"s head just right, he deepened the kiss, and Skye felt River's warm, wet tongue sliding along his lower lip. He moaned and opened for his boyfriend. River slid inside, slowly, hesitantly at first, but then he was kissing Skye harder, sucking on his tongue. Heat flooded Skye's body, causing his cock to throb in his jeans and press painfully against his zipper. River tasted like peppermint, and mocha, and Skye couldn"t get enough. His hands gripped River's waist as their tongues danced, and he felt his boyfriend's fingers running through his hair briefly, before he pulled away, both of them flushed and breathing heavily. River smiled dreamily at him, his eyes hooded.

"Wow." Skye closed his eyes and let out a deep breath, resting his forehead against River's. "If I keep reading the Bible will you keep kissing me like that?" He rubbed his hands up and down River's sides, smiling. His cock was still throbbing, but he ignored it, elated that they had this. Because this, right here, River's hands gripping him tightly, River's full, warm lips on his, was everything.

River chuckled. "Worth a try, right?"

Skye chuckled, too, and placed a kiss on his forehead.

"I need you to know something," River said, gazing into Skye's eyes with the utmost sincerity. His fingers played with the blond waves falling over Skye's forehead.

"What's that?" Skye asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"You don't need to change anything about yourself for me. Not now, not ever. No matter what we call each other, I will never ask you to be someone you are not for me."

Skye swallowed and tears stung his eyes. God he loved this man. "Thank you." River gripped his face and kissed him again, long and hard, stealing Skye's breath away before pulling back.

"Same goes for me, you know. I'd never ask you to give up your faith because we were together."

River smiled. "Ready to go?"

"Um, give me a minute?" Skye said, gesturing to his obviously tented jeans, and River looked down, then bit that full bottom lip again and blushed. "Oh," he said, "sorry."

Skye couldn't help the laugh that escaped him. "Sorry? Don't ever apologize for turning me on, Riv. You just gave me the best kiss of my life. I just need a second to cool off, that's all."

River blushed again and smiled, as Skye adjusted himself in his pants, glancing at River. "Stop looking at me, it's not helping," he said with a smile.

"Why don't I get out? Then you won't have me here tempting you and I'll have more time to move around."

"Good idea," Skye said. He rested his head back against the seat once River was gone, pressing a hand against his aching cock and using his other hand to run his fingers through his hair. God, that was one amazing kiss. If it had lasted much longer he might not have been able to stop himself from coming in his pants like a fucking teenager.

The winter air bit at his skin as Skye headed inside a minute later, and he shivered. He caught up with River and they browsed around a little bit to give him a break from sitting. He grabbed a coffee to take on the road and then they got back in the car.

But as soon as River sat down again he winced, and even though he didn"t say anything, Skye could tell by the way he kept adjusting his seat cushion that he was having trouble getting comfortable.

"You okay?"

"No," River admitted. "I haven't had to sit for this long since my tailbone started hurting and it's not happy with me. And we've still got an hour left to drive."

Skye chewed on the inside of his cheek and glanced behind him. "What if you laid down in the back?"

"What?" River sounded startled.

"You could lay down and take the pressure off your tailbone."

River looked behind him now, and there was that lip biting again. He hesitated before saying, "Okay. That does sound better. But I feel like an idiot, having you chauffeur me to my aunt's funeral while I lay in the back seat ‘cause my butt hurts."

Skye grinned. "I don't mind. Except that I don't get to hold your hand."

River blushed again and this time Skye called him on it. "You're cute when you blush." He reached over and stroked River's cheek, which just made his boyfriend flush an even brighter shade of red as his eyelashes fluttered and he glanced down. "God, you're gorgeous." Skye couldn't help it. He slid across the seat just as River had done earlier, lifting his boyfriend's face and pressing his lips to his. And this time, he heard River moan as he slid his tongue into his mouth, tasting, licking, sucking. His cock was getting hard again and he knew driving with a hard on wouldn"t be fun, but he didn't care. He couldn't get enough of River. God, he felt so good. Those luscious lips, that stubble under his palms, the feel of River's wool coat grazing his wrists as their tongues tangled and their knees knocked together in the confined space.

"Fuck," he said, pulling away and gazing into River's eyes. They were lust blown, his lips swollen and wet and his face flushed yet again. He looked wrecked. And insanely hot. "So fucking gorgeous," Skye said again, his voice raspy. "I could do this all day."

"Damn," River whispered, his breathing labored. "And I thought the last kiss was incredible."

Skye smiled widely. "There's plenty more where that came from, angel." He pressed his lips to River's again and this time River moved back to his knees, hovering over him, taking Skye's face in his hands and dominating the kiss. Skye's hands were on his waist, and they were both moaning now, River's fingers running through his hair as they sucked and nibbled and licked on each other's tongues and lips and jaws.

"Shit," River gasped, and Skye chuckled because his friend was cursing more and more and it was strange, but kind of awesome at the same time. "We have to go. This is so not cool, Skye. We're on our way to a funeral, and we can't be late because we're making out in the car. And we definitely can't show up with hickeys."

Skye chuckled. "Sorry. You're right. I'll behave. You get in the back seat and it'll be easier."

River smiled and gave him one last peck on the lips before climbing out of the front seat and into the back. He took his coat off to use as a pillow, and lay down across the back seat.

"Good?" Skye asked, looking in the rearview mirror. He couldn't help smiling. He hated that River was in pain, of course, but he did look pretty stinkin' adorable curled up in the back seat of the Newport. And Skye found that he, once again, felt right at home taking care of River.

"Mmmm," his boyfriend murmured, which Skye took as a yes, and pulled out of the parking spot and back onto the road.

A moment later he heard soft snoring coming from the back seat and his chest filled with warmth.

"River," he said, as he reached over the seat and nudged his friend awake an hour later. "Wake up, sleepyhead. We're here."

River moaned and rubbed his eyes. "Already?" he said with a yawn.

"It goes by a lot slower when you're driving," Skye said with a smirk. "Come on." He reached for his door handle and climbed out, and River reached forward over the seat and grabbed his seat cushion before joining Skye outside.

"Wow," River said, looking around at the full parking lot. "I knew she was active in the church and the community, but I didn't know there would be this many people here. There must be fifty cars, Skye, and I don't recognize most of them." Tears filled his eyes again and slid down his cheeks. Skye reached an arm around River's shoulders, pulling him close and planting a kiss on his temple.

"She meant a lot to a lot of people, it looks like," he said. And then his eyes caught sight of something on the church lawn, and it almost took his breath away.

"Wow." He let his arm fall to his side once again as River wiped away his tears. "I don't think I've ever seen that before." Across the lawn of the church were doors, all painted a different color, but together they made a rainbow, and across them were the words All Are Welcome Here. "Guess I don't have to worry about whether or not they'll accept our relationship," he said, a sense of peace washing over him. He'd never felt so unafraid, so free to be himself in a religious setting, and it was overwhelming for him to feel that kind of acceptance.

River smiled softly and took his hand. "This is the church I grew up in, Skye. They and Aunt Jodi taught me that no one has to choose between their faith and their sexuality. We are who God created us to be. Fully loved, and fully accepted. And as long as we honor and respect each other, I believe our relationship is honoring to Him, too."

Skye turned to him and squeezed his hand. "Let's go pay our respects to Aunt Jodi," he said. Then he placed a chaste kiss on River's temple and they walked into the church hand in hand.