Autumn Leaves

[ibonekoen]

Contrelamontre Autumn Challenge (written in an hour and a half)

Title:  Autumn Leaves

Pairing:  Casey/Zeke

Fandom:  The Faculty

Rating:  PG-13

Disclaimer:  Nope, sorry, don't own them.  This is just for fun and because I like mushiness.  Thanks to TaroDragon for help with the leaves thing.  ^_^

 

Zeke is pretty sure he’s never seen Casey look more beautiful than he does right now. He’s pinned beneath Zeke amid a pile of orangey red, brown and yellow leaves. Zeke had been raking up the leaves in their yard and Casey had been taking pictures. Zeke had grinned mischievously and coaxed Casey to set his camera down, then he’d tackled him. They’d fallen into the leaf pile Zeke had just raked and they’d laughed and wrestled and tickled each other until they were both breathless.

Now Casey is pressed underneath Zeke, their lower bodies pressing together sinuously. He’s staring up at Zeke with half-closed eyes. He is breathing heavily and his cheeks are rosy. Leaves cling to his hair and woolen sweater. Zeke is suddenly filled with desire. It still amazes him, even after a year, that just the sight of Casey can create such intense feelings inside him. Sometimes he thinks he loves Casey so much, he might explode.

He’s never been very good at giving voice to his emotions, so he catches Casey’s mouth in an intense, bruising kiss that encapsulates all his love, passion and desire. Casey moans and wraps his arms around Zeke, returning his kiss with the same intensity.

Zeke has always been quite nostalgic when it comes to leaf piles. He has many happy memories of raking up piles of leaves with his father and then jumping into them. He’s never made love to anyone amid a pile of leaves, but he thinks that something about Casey and the leaves mix.

“I love you.” he whispers tenderly to Casey as he divests him of his clothes. Some of the leaves are a bit scratchy, but Casey doesn’t mind. He’s too overwhelmed by Zeke to care.

They lose themselves in their lovemaking, their world focus spiraling inward until nothing else matters but them. It’s moments like this that Zeke wishes he could bottle and save. The pessimistic side of him knows that what he and Casey have can’t last forever -- nothing good ever does -- and so he cherishes these moments all the more.

As Casey moves beneath him, his very being radiating confidence, Zeke finds it hard to believe that this is the same kid that a year ago kept to the shadows, tried to hide behind a geeky exterior. Even after a year, Zeke finds himself continually in awe of Casey. No longer a kid and finally out from under his parents’ thumbs, Casey has become a bright star. Zeke has finally managed to coax him out of his shell and he hasn’t been the least bit disappointed in the person Casey has become.

Zeke knows that Casey has helped him as well. Casey has taught him how to feel. Before he had gotten together with Casey, Zeke had kept himself apart from the others, never letting himself get too close to any particular person. He had always been on guard, hiding behind his tough guy act. He still isn’t sure how Casey had managed to penetrate that, but he had and he had awakened in Zeke something no one else had -- love. He had shown Zeke what it meant to give someone your heart, to truly be a part of someone.

Casey had gotten under Zeke’s skin. Now that he’s there, Zeke never wants to get him out.

“I love you.” he repeats, breathing softly into Casey’s ear. He presses his face against Casey’s neck, feeling Casey’s arms tighten around him as he thrusts into Casey. He hears Casey give a breathless gasp and feels his lover’s body shudder, then he moans, kissing Casey’s neck as he reaches his climax.

Afterwards, they cuddle in the pile of leaves, too tired to move. The air has started to get nippy -- or perhaps it’s been that way all along, they were just too preoccupied to notice -- and they wrap themselves around each other, their bodies seeking warmth.

“Maybe we should go inside.” Casey says as he lovingly strokes Zeke’s back.

“Mmm, yeah, might be a good idea.” Zeke says as he sighs contentedly. “I’ve got something for you anyway.”

“Oh really?” Casey says, intrigued.

“Mmm hmm.” Zeke lifts his head from Casey’s shoulder and stares at Casey for a moment, entranced by his blue eyes. Then he lowers his head, tenderly kissing Casey’s lips. Casey sighs against Zeke’s mouth, shivering delectably.

Eventually they untangle themselves and get up, throwing on their clothes. It’s far too cold to remain outside. They race inside and Zeke instructs Casey to make himself comfortable by the fire while he goes and gets Casey’s present.

Intrigued, Casey grabs a couple of warm, cozy blankets and lays them out in front of the fire, then stacks a bunch of pillows by the blankets, creating a sort of nest for him and Zeke. He quickly removes his clothes, then huddles down in the blankets.

Zeke returns and grins, seeing Casey amid the blankets and pillows. He carries in one hand a small square velvet jewelry box. Casey raises an eyebrow as Zeke sits down beside him. Zeke is suddenly shy and insecure, staring hesitantly at the box, then looking up at Casey.

Casey is patient, smiling reassuringly at Zeke. He knows that whatever is in the box is important to Zeke, so important that he’s afraid he’s going to screw up and so he’s afraid to open the box or open his mouth. Casey continues to smile reassuringly at Zeke, content to let his lover take all the time he needs to gather up his courage.

Finally Zeke licks his lips. “I’ve been trying for weeks and weeks to find the right time to give this to you.” he says softly. “And I’ve been trying to think of the right words to say. I’m not sure I’ve got them exactly right, but here goes.”

He clears his throat and Casey smiles at him again, waiting patiently. Zeke opens the box and Casey sees a gold ring nestled in velvet. The ring is beautiful, adorned with a pair of hands clasping a heart topped by a crown.

“This is a claddagh.” Zeke says softly, his voice wavering a bit. “It’s an Irish symbol for love, friendship and loyalty. The heart symbolizes my true love for you, the crown represents my undying loyalty to you and the hands signify our everlasting friendship.”

He swallows nervously and takes Casey’s right hand in his. His eyes meet Casey’s and he is startled to see his lover’s eyes are brimming with tears. He licks his lips and continue, “Worn on the right hand, with the tip of the heart pointing inward, signifies that the wearer’s heart is taken.”

He slips the ring, heart pointing inward, onto Casey’s ring finger and then smiles, raising his own right hand, to show Casey the matching claddagh ring on his own ring finger, heart pointed inward. “You are my heart, Case.” he says softly. “I know I don’t always say it, but I love you. From now until the end of time.”

Casey grins, blinking away tears. “Oh god, I love you too, Zeke.” he says, throwing his arms around Zeke’s neck and kissing him.

As Zeke lays Casey out in front of the fire and watches the shadows from the flames flicker across his lover’s skin, he thinks that he has never seen Casey look more beautiful than he does at that moment. He thinks too that he might just be the luckiest man in the world, to be loved by someone as special and unique as Casey.

And later, as he cradles a sleeping Casey in his arms, his fingertip tracing the claddagh ring on Casey’s finger, he whispers the only Gaelic phrase he knows, “Tá grá agam duit.”

He’s somewhat surprised to hear Casey sleepily mumble, “I love you too, Zeke.” before shifting in his arms, snuggling closer and going back to sleep. One corner of Zeke’s mouth curls upward in a half-smirk and he softly kisses Casey’s forehead before closing his own eyes and drifting off to sleep.