#i've been playing with more free indirect discourse

[dudefrommywesterns]

Title: Aw, C'mon

Ship: Mike x Bill Baker

Words: 970

Description: Mike is trying, and failing, to write an essay. Bill interrupts.

Mike spun their pen between their fingers. The ideas for this essay simply weren’t coming. Across a sheet of lined paper they’d scribbled vague concept after vague concept but none stuck. What about? No, that’s overdone. Then, there could be– that’s a stretch. On page 70…would that make a long enough essay? 

A knock at the door. 

“Come in,” Mike said, not looking up from their paper. 

The door opened. 

What was that term? Their professor said it at least twice…maybe it was in their notes. Where had they put their notebook? They spun their pen again. 

A scrambled bit of speech hit their ears. Oh, that’s right, someone had come in. What did they want? 

“You study too hard,” Mike heard finally. They looked up and found their boyfriend Bill, peering over their shoulder. How long had he been like that? 

“Mm, no, I never do enough.” 

They turned back to their scribbles. Now that their head had cleared, they realized it was an incomprehensible mess. They crumbled the paper and threw it in the trash can. They pulled out another piece. 

Bill tapped their shoulder. “What’s goin’ on in that pretty head? Hm?” 

“Nothing,” Mike complained. “Not a damn thing.” 

“I doubt that,” he said, with a chuckle. “You do more thinking than anybody.”

That was hardly true. Or, if it was, most of their thoughts were more useless. 

“Not any useful thinking.” 

Bill’s breath warmed their neck, causing a shiver down their spine. Why did he have to get so close? How could they do any thinking now? 

“You’re the smartest person on campus,” Bill said, without a hint of exaggeration or comedy. 

“You have to say that,” Mike said. “You’d be a terrible boyfriend if you didn’t.” 

“Doesn’t make it a lie.” 

No, but…

“It makes it biased.” 

“You know I’m not the only one who thinks that.” 

“Junior too?” Mike joked. 

“Sure. Your professors, too. If they don’t, they’re wrong.” 

Mike scoffed. “Are you trying to give me a pep talk or an inflated ego?” 

He wrapped his arms around their middle. They could smell his cologne…warm, a bit like amber…a knockoff of something… The fabric of his sweater warmed them, even through their blouse. He was soothingly, addictingly, warm. Mike’s skin, prone to chill, craved him. 

Essay. Due. Next week. Five pages. Handwritten. Still no topic. 

This boy was not about to tank their grade. 

They stared down at their new blank page. They closed their eyes, trying to imagine their finished essay. 

Lips ghosted their neck. Their eyes snapped open. What was he trying to do? Why was he here? 

“Bill,” Mike asked gently. “What do you want?” 

“You,” he said simply. 

That much was clear. 

“What do you want with me?” they pressed. 

He pressed his lips to their neck, as if to answer their question. 

“Take a break?” he asked, almost insisting. 

“Don’t you have homework?” Mike asked. 

“I’d rather study you.” 

Smooth. Real smooth. 

They rolled their eyes, fondly. “You don’t study hard enough.” 

“You, I do. Quiz me.” 

His lips brushed their ear. Mike waved their hand, like swatting a fly. 

“Unless you have an idea for my essay, the door is over there.” 

“Maybe a break’ll give you inspiration.” 

He moved away from their neck and sat on their desk. Boy, he looked pretty today. The smile playing at his lips, the dark green of his sweater. He was such an enticing distraction. 

Essay due…next week…

“Baby,” Mike pleaded, “Please go, I gotta write five pages.” 

Bill glanced at their blank page and pointed out, “Looks like you aren’t getting any done.” 

That was true. They hadn’t gotten a single useful word in the last hour. They had to, though. They had to write this paper. 

But Bill, oh, look at him. He leaned in, and their eyes got caught on his lips. They looked soft, plush. Did he want a kiss? He sure looked like he was begging for a kiss. 

“Aw, c’mon,” he teased. 

No, not that tone. Not the one that would annoy them if it was anyone else. It was adorable when he did it, somewhere between coaxing and pestering. 

“Kiss me,” he repeated, in that same tone. 

Oh, they wanted to. How often did guys look at them with such gentle eyes, pleading to be kissed? They knew now why everyone told them to stick to books and keep from boys. 

“C’mon.” 

They put down their pen, and he leaned in closer. What was the point in resisting? Their essay could be written later, Bill was right here, right now. 

They pulled him into a kiss by his shirt collar. When their lips touched, they knew it was the right choice. They’d needed that kiss. 

Right after, came another kiss, much gentler. And another, and another. 

“You’re bad news for my grades,” Mike said, after they pulled apart. 

He smiled his world-ending smile, the one with teeth showing and eyes glittering. They could care later, when he wasn’t smiling at them like that. 

He slid off the desk, and came behind them again, engulfing them in a hug. They had no frame of reference, but they were sure that Bill’s hugs were their favorite. 

He took a deep breath. 

“How about we hug for a while?” he suggested. “I don’t know about you, but I could use a hug.” 

It amazed them that he could, so genuinely, want and need to be close to them. He genuinely seemed to desire their affections. 

“Okay,” Mike conceded. “Just a little while.” 

Mike stood, and he pulled them into his chest. They rubbed their face into his sweater, relishing in its softness. When they looked up at him, he’d closed his eyes. He hummed in contentment. Their heart swelled, and they squished themselves against him. Comfy, cozy, just right. 

#i've been playing with more free indirect discourse #typewriter dings #b.b. #self ship #self shipping community #last art/fic for a bit i promise #i've been oddly motivated