20. River

When River got home from work that day, the condo was dimly lit and there was soft music playing. The table had been set for two with candles in the center and wine glasses at each place. Artificial rose petals lay scattered across the tablecloth. A smile formed on his face as his cheeks heated.

Wow. Skye was really going all out for their first Valentine's Day together. Warmth settled in his chest as he slipped off his winter gear and went to find his boyfriend in the kitchen.

Skye stood in front of the stove, and when River reached him he slid his arms around his waist, nuzzling his neck. "Hey, handsome," he cooed.

Skye smiled and flushed. "Hey, angel." He turned slightly and gave River a kiss on the cheek. "Dinner's almost ready. I set up the table but we can eat in your room, if that's more comfortable."

"No, I want to sit at the table. It looks so beautiful. I think I'll be okay with my seat cushion." River placed a kiss on Skye's lips. "I noticed you changed." He let his gaze roam over Skye in his dark wash jeans and the gray sweater that he loved so much, and he smiled.

"I remembered you liking it," Skye said with a blush and a smile of his own. "Besides, it's comfortable."

"You do look cute." River gave Skye another kiss, this time a little bit longer.

"I should get back to the food before it burns," Skye murmured, once they pulled away. He had one hand on the spoon he was using, still in the pan on the stove and the other hand wrapped around River's waist, their foreheads pressed together.

"Okay." River grinned. "I'm gonna go change, too." He slipped away from Skye and disappeared into his bedroom, and Skye laughed when he came back in pajama pants and a T-shirt.

"No need to get all dressed up on my account, angel," Skye chuckled.

River laughed, too. "This is more comfortable for me. Jeans are tighter. They put more pressure on my tailbone when I sit."

"It's okay, Riv, really. It's cute," Skye said. "Come on, dinner's ready."

They made their way over to the table and Skye dished their pasta onto their plates as River sat down with his cushion underneath him.

"Skye, you know I can't have alcohol," River said, gesturing to the wine glasses.

"I know," Skye said. "I wanted to use them anyway." He winked and then went into the kitchen, returning shortly with sparkling grape juice, chilled from the refrigerator. River smiled as Skye filled their glasses, then lit the two candles, the flames casting shadows over his handsome face. God, he really was beautiful.

"Thank you for doing all of this," River said, reaching across the table to take Skye's hand. "It's incredible."

Skye squeezed his hand back. "You're incredible, angel," he said sincerely.

River kissed him, and they ate their dinner mostly in silence, speaking now and again about each other's work. When they had finished eating, River stood up from his seat, blew out the candles, and took Skye's hand. Skye stood and let River lead him over to the sofa where River gestured for him to sit.

Skye

Skye sat, somewhat confused when River didn't sit down next to him, his eyes widening when River lowered himself onto Skye's lap, straddling him. River's eyes met his, and he was lost again in their blue beauty, his heart thundering. When River's lips met his, and he felt his soft, strong fingers running through his hair, he slid his arms around River and kissed him back. The heat went straight to his groin, and his heart rate skyrocketed. This was as intimate as they had ever been. River in his lap, their hands discovering and exploring each other. Their mouths moving together in perfect synchronicity. He pressed his hands against River's back and drew him closer, and River pushed himself up slightly to get a better grip on Skye's mouth, angling his head and sliding his tongue inside, letting Skye bite at his lower lip.

Skye heard the moan that escaped River's lips and he found himself reaching to slide his hands under River's shirt when his boyfriend pulled back suddenly, his breathing heavy as his gaze fell towards his lap. His cheeks flushed and tears filled his eyes as he started to shake, sitting back on Skye's lap.

Skye's gaze followed River's and his breath caught. Because there, clearly visible underneath River's pajama pants, was a partial erection.

"Holy shit," Skye breathed.

"Kiss me." River's voice was earnest, and he pressed his lips to Skye's once more, feverishly. Moments later Skye felt something twitching against his stomach and it was him that pulled back this time. They glanced down again and River had tears sliding down his cheeks at the sight of himself, now fully hard. Skye gripped River's cheeks in his hands and looked into his eyes, even as tears filled his own. "Are you okay?" he asked. River was flushed, but was smiling as wide as Skye had ever seen. Fuck it was beautiful.

River nodded, resting his forehead against Skye's as the tears continued to fall. "Surprised," he said, "and a little overwhelmed, maybe, but…" he cried harder now, clinging to Skye.

"I just didn't know…I never thought that…if I would ever be able to…" and he cried even more tears of joy, and even laughed. "God, I love you so much, Skye. I'm so crazy about you, and now my body is actually allowing me to show it. And it feels so good. I just hope it keeps doing it."

Skye looked down and smiled. "So far so good," he said, and River laughed again.

"I meant in the future, idiot."

"I know," Skye said, smiling. "But we have this, River. This moment. This victory." And he looked at it again because he couldn't believe that he'd finally gotten his boyfriend to this point, after everything they'd been through, everything River had been through. This was so huge. And seeing his body on display like this, it wasn't erotic in the sense that it normally would be, it was just fucking beautiful.

"Skye, you're staring," River said, with a smile, and another laugh.

Skye blushed. "Sorry." He looked back up at his boyfriend. "It's just so perfect." He rested his hand on the back of River's neck and brought him in for another kiss, and another, and another. They continued to kiss until their lips were sore and swollen, and their hands were tired from running them along each other's arms and down each other's chests, and through each other's hair, and they both had marks on their necks from where the other had kissed and sucked, and they would glance down every once in a while, and smile because River's erection hadn"t gone anywhere.