TW: Alcohol, Dry Humping, Slight Angst

~Chapter One: First Kiss

Alex coughed and blinked a couple of times, his throat burning from the strong alcohol. Sparkles* raised his empty shot glass triumphantly, accompanied by cheers from the rest of the table. Alex slumped back against the back of the booth, feeling sour about his loss. It should have been an easy win, Sparkles* had bet he could drink five shots of rum faster than him and Alex had taken the bet without hesitation. Now he'd gotten a dent in his pride in front of his friends, undoubtedly it would lead to taunts and jokes over the following week, though usually it was soon forgotten. Although he got a proud smile from Ross across the table so at least he wasn't laughing at his demise.

"Okay since I won, I get to punish you," Sparkles* stated, causing Alex to sigh with the hope it wouldn't be more liquor. The victor grinned smugly and squinted his eyes, thinking about what could be a suitable penalty for losing. Gaze moving across the table, from Alex to the others and the empty glasses and back to Alex again, Sparkles* deliberately made them all wait.

"I want you... To kiss Trott!" Sparkles* said with a grin, pointing at the confused brunet. Alex laughed nervously and stared at Sparkles*, not sure if the singer had been serious or not. He was drunk but not that drunk, especially not drunk enough to do it in front of people. Chris made a disgusted face and waved his hands in front of his face.

"No way, no way! Pick Ross instead!" Chris exclaimed and Ross gaped at him with betrayal in his eyes. Sparkles* looked amused at the three suddenly very awkward men, pleased with his choice of punishment. Parv leaned towards Alex, pouting and smacking his lips together as to imitate a kiss, attempting to annoy him. It worked and Alex could feel his cheeks heat up, fortunately the dim lighting in the bar concealed it for the most part.

"Yeah sure. Smith you kiss Ross, properly." Sparkles* said, crossing his arms.

"What!?" Ross shouted, but the demanding look on Sparkles*' face made him accept his fate. Alex shuffled out of the large booth, there was a buzzing feeling in his stomach and he was pretty sure it wasn't caused by the alcohol. Giggles accompanied him as he took the two steps to Ross' side of the table. They locked their gaze with each other and Alex could to his surprise see determination in Ross' blue eyes. Ross stood up, making it easier for Alex to step in close.

"Okay let's do this," Alex said and Ross replied with a quick nod. This was not unusual, kisses were often shared between the group of friends, for dares, for shocking factor, in drunken haze, so there was no reason for Alex to feel nervous. Sam was still sitting trapped beneath them and huffed discontent when Alex gripped Ross by the shoulders taking a deep breath to prepare himself. His eyes darted to Ross' lips and the dark-haired man licked them unconsciously. The feeling in his stomach was suddenly much more prominent and Alex swallowed hard. Shouts from their friends asked them to hurry up, causing the dark-haired man to flip them off with his finger. Alex gave him a quick smile, looking into Ross' eyes before getting it over with.

His lips were wet and tasted like beer, cheers burst out around the table, but the sound was filtered out together with the other noises in the bar. All of Alex's senses were focused on the man wrapping his hand around his neck and pulling him closer. Alex would later tell himself and others that he'd tried to resist it at first, but the truth was that Ross dragged him down into that swirling pool of desire with ease. Thoughts clouded with liquor they forgot about the others for a second, the heat of their bodies contributing to the intense sensation of lips against lips. A kick on Alex's shin made him pull back like he'd been stung, pushing Ross away from him. Sam coughed discreetly and Alex realised everyone was staring at him and Ross with various degrees of confusion. Giving Ross a quick apologetic look, Alex shuffled back into his seat sheepishly. His eyes caught Chris' for a second, the brunet smirked and winked at him, confusing Alex at first before it became clear to him why Chris had been protesting so violently earlier. Alex's mutter of 'little shit' was abruptly cut off by Ross' loud laughter and suddenly Alex was lost in his thoughts again, unable to focus on anything but those pink lips he'd been kissing earlier.

~Chapter Two: Loving Kiss

The chilly Bristol wind caused Alex to put his hands inside his pockets, at least he was lucky it wasn't raining. Ross was walking next to him, it was maybe quarter to seven and they had just left the office. Trott had stayed behind to do some extra editing and Ross was happy his friend hadn't minded them leaving. Since Alex and Ross didn't live too far from each other they'd chosen to walk home together, the first time they were truly alone together for weeks. Ross looked over at the bearded man, they hadn't said anything but he didn't mind, they were comfortable enough with each other's presence for conversation to be unnecessary. Alex pulled up his shoulders and noticed Ross staring at him.

"You cold?" Ross asked.

"Nah, s'not that bad. Should've brought a scarf or something though," Alex replied with a reassuring smile. Ross shook his head, just because he was used to running around in the forest he wouldn't let Alex act tough.

"Here have mine," Ross said, stopping and unwrapping his scarf, his hoodie covered his neck enough anyways. Alex tilted his head forward to let Ross put the scarf around his neck, already seeming less frozen as he straightened himself again. Ross hands were still holding onto the ends of the scarf, keeping Alex close to him. Hot breath contrasted the cold air and Ross licked his lips, wishing he could frame this moment. He swallowed and looked up at Alex, drawing in a long breath before he started speaking.

"When we were out with Area 11 and those guys... And you know we – Was it, I mean did you?" Ross stumbled over his words. He hadn't planned to ask this, hadn't wanted to make things awkward and now that's exactly what was happening. He bit his lip nervously, looking at the bearded man in front of him with the hope that he would understand what Ross meant. Alex chuckled and turned his head to the side, shaking it in disbelief, crinkles appearing in the corner of his eyes as he did that flustered smile Ross loved.

"You're asking if I..." Alex said as he turned his eyes back to meet Ross'.

"Liked it." Ross continued quietly. Alex was so close, and Ross felt his cheeks heat up. It was like the bar all over again, except this time they were alone and sober and Alex's hand cupped around Ross' jaw instead. The bearded man mumbled a muffled 'Maybe' before his mouth pressed carefully against Ross', wary not to be too quick and savour the moment.

The cold didn't bother him anymore when Ross tugged at the scarf ends, pulling him even closer. A warm feeling grew in Ross' chest as his lips moved slowly against Alex's, he felt happy, maybe even euphoric. Alex rubbed his thumbs along Ross' jaw gently, appreciating being able to touch his face without hesitation. Eventually they pulled away reluctantly from each other. Flushed faces and swollen lips were the results of their kiss and Ross couldn't help but grin.

"I liked this one even better," Alex said, moving one hand down to squeeze Ross' cold fingers, still clutching at the scarf. "But not as much as I like you."

~Chapter Three: Passionate Kiss

Ross walked into the office raising his hand to greet Alex. He'd thought that he was early in but apparently Alex had arrived even earlier. From the likes of it his friend was just on social media so Ross didn't feel too guilty about having stopped to buy a coffee on the way to work. They had a quick small talk about the weather and what they planned to accomplish during the day before Ross went to his own desk. On his keyboard was a dark pink envelope with nothing but his name on it and Ross picked it up, slightly confused.

"What's this Smith? Something from the PO box?" Ross asked, looking over at Alex.

"Maybe?" The bearded man replied and shrugged, seemingly just as confused as Ross. Curiosity made him want to open it though so Ross sat down on the sofa, grabbing a "letter opener" they had lying around for just that purpose. Alex leaned out from his corner, looking at Ross and the letter expectantly. Ross opened the letter in a less than careful fashion and pulled out a card, letting out a chuckle when he saw the front. It had a picture of a bull with the caption "I'm horny for you" except someone had squeezed in a B in brackets between the last two letters.

"Open it! What does it say inside?" Alex asked excitedly. Ross looked up at him with amusement, opening the card.

"You're eager to know aren't you," he said teasingly, but his grin disappeared as soon as he started reading. Ross could barely make it to the end before he started blushing furiously, hiding his face in his hand. He couldn't fucking believe it, how could he have forgotten about Valentine's Day.

"Alex Smith, you're a massive twat." Ross groaned, shaking his head. If he had ever thought Alex was even slightly innocent any beliefs were shattered now. He tried desperately to shake away the images that the words in the card had projected on his mind but it was incredibly hard, especially when he felt Alex's warm hand on his shoulder.

"The front wasn't your handwriting," Ross said as he tried to calm himself down, not wanting to look up and show Alex exactly how much it had affected him.

"No I got Kim to do it," Alex replied softly, moving his hand towards Ross' jaw.

"Fuck you," Ross muttered, looking up at Alex.

"Yeah that's what the card describes," Alex said with a smirk, leaning in close. Ross swallowed and looked up at Alex's blue eyes. His pupils were blown wide with desire and Alex bent down, pressing his lips hungrily against Ross'. The taste of Alex's mouth made Ross feel dizzy and crave for more, grabbing his neck and pulling him closer. The world was spinning around them, revolving around their desperately moving lips, hands seeking something to hold on to, whether it was the nape of a neck, the hem of a shirt or just a shoulder to dig into. Alex straddled Ross lap, letting him lean heavily against the backrest, their lips still touching. Ross parted his lips and Alex immediately responded by sliding in his tongue into Ross' mouth, the sweet taste of chocolate prominent against his own tongue, of course he'd stolen his Kinder.

Sliding his hands down Alex's chest, Ross grabbed the bearded man's hips and pulled him closer, inadvertently causing him to grind down on the growing bulge in his jeans. A moan slipped past Ross' lips, muffled by Alex's who noticed and repeated the movement, wanting Ross to make that sound again. Well aware of their coworkers in nearby rooms they still didn't hold back as they rubbed their bodies together, the risk just increasing the excitement filling their veins. The friction between their clothed erections caused Ross to feel pleasure coil at the base of his spine, building gradually towards that tipping point. Except he wasn't the only one and it didn't take long before Alex's movements became erratic. His breaths were hitched and he was forced to pull away from the kiss, resting his forehead on Ross' shoulder. Ross' hand on his arousal was enough for him to come with a loud groan, a dark patch staining his light trousers.

Ross was still bucking his hips impatiently and once Alex had calmed himself down he resumed the rhythm from earlier, smirking as he ground down on Ross. The dark-haired man hung his head back, biting his lip and groaning with lust. He was too immersed in the pleasure to notice when the door to the office opened.

"Fuck... I should have snoozed longer shouldn't I," Chris said, his expression a mixture of disgust, shock and amusement. Alex was quick to his feet, looking like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. If Ross' face could have gotten any redder it would, he tried his best to cover his crotch with his hands, his mind still hazed and slow.

"I – Uhm... Hi Trott," Alex said but the brunet just shook his head and closed the door again. Ross got up on his feet, the tent in his jeans still making him aware of its presence.

"Guess we'll have to finish this later," Alex said quietly, looking at Ross with a smirk.

"Fucking hell Smith... I need to sort this out," Ross replied, gesturing towards his groin.

"I won't say anything to Trott," Alex said as he sat down by his desk.

"I think it's already too late mate," Ross chuckled as he disappeared out the door, sneaking down the corridor towards the men's toilet. It wasn't the most pathetic wank he'd had but close, and when he came down from his high he cursed Alex Smith and how stupidly attractive his friend was.

~Chapter Four: Flirty Kiss

The confrontation with Chris had been inevitable. Of course he'd noticed the fleeting touches when they pass each other, hand holding between recordings and abruptly broken kisses as soon as they realized they weren't alone. He hadn't accepted Alex excuse that technically it was his fault because he was the one prompting Sparkles* to make him kiss Ross in the first place.

"Look just, keep it down okay," Chris said when they discussed the topic.

"We're not even a thing Trott," Alex replied, spreading out on the sofa in their office, taking up most of it.

"Didn't seem like that when I saw you getting hot and bothered in here the other week," Chris said with a smirk.

"Yeah but we're not a thing okay?"Alex made a half-hearted smile back, trying to ignore the sudden flood of images in his mind, reminding him of that event. He didn't feel like telling Chris about Ross' words later that day, about how they should stop before anything else happened, that they needed to be rational and not mess things up. What had hurt the most was Ross' expression when he said that he couldn't be more than a friend to Alex if they were to continue working together. He'd tried to be professional about it, with a nod and a clench of his jaw, accepting his fate. But Alex couldn't ignore the way his stomach still buzzed whenever he heard Ross laugh or how his eyes lingered on Ross a second longer than they should.

"Okay no need to get so defensive," Chris laughed and changed the topic to something else, to Alex's relief. They didn't get far into their conversation about Pokémon though, suddenly interrupted by the door being opened by Ross. Alex forced himself to smile and raise his hand in a greeting but Ross didn't see it. He was busy talking to Kim, leaning casually against the door frame.

"... like it when you try it properly," Kim said smirking, their conversation carrying over from the corridor.

"Oh I bet I would really like it," Ross replied with a cheeky tone and a grin. Kim slapped him on the arm and laughed.

"I don't know what you're on about but I'm talking about food," she giggled and Ross joined in. Neither of them had acknowledged their coworkers in the sofa, but Alex was thankful because Ross' laughter caused a lump to appear in his throat. He was the one supposed to make him laugh like that, not someone else.

"Well I look forward to tasting it," Ross said sincerely.

"Thanks, and I look forward to tasting more of you." She replied. Then Kim took everyone by surprise, mainly Ross, by grabbing the front of Ross' shirt and pulling him down for a kiss. Despite being shocked at first Ross pretty quickly settled his hands on Kim's waist, drawing out the quick peck into something more serious. The lump in Alex's throat turned into a feeling of repulse and he turned his head away, not wanting to look at the couple any longer. Kim pulled away and winked at Ross before heading down the corridor.

"I'll – uhm see you at 7 then," Ross called out after her, a sheepish grin plastered on his face. Chris whistled quietly when Ross walked past them towards his desk, blushing quite a bit. Smith turned his head to Chris, giving him a pained look.

"As I said, not a thing," he hissed, too quiet for Ross to hear.

~Chapter Five: Stolen Kiss

They'd been out drinking again with some other guys from the office and Alex had realised too late that he and Ross had the same path home from the pub. They walked in silence, Alex slightly ahead, trying not to make it too obvious he was hurrying home. Ross didn't try to catch up to him, he'd known Alex long enough to know that this was his behaviour when he was upset and didn't want to talk. Still after a couple of minutes Alex turned his head to talk over his shoulder.

"So did you like it then?" Alex asked and Ross looked at him perplexed.

"Like what?" Ross asked back, not really sure what Alex was on about.

"Oh you know, your date with Kim," Alex said, there was a hidden bitterness in his voice.

"It was okay, she's a great cook." Ross replied. He'd complained about not liking Asian cuisine so Kim had offered to cook some Malaysian dishes for him to try.

"Did she enjoy tasting more of you?" Alex teased but the cheekiness in his voice wasn't reflected on his face. Ross frowned and took a few quick steps to catch up with Alex, grabbing him by the shoulder.

"What's the matter Smith? Be straight with me," Ross said sternly, turning Alex to face him.

"I thought you said you couldn't date anyone you work with and now you and Kim? I thought it wasn't about me!" Alex replied, no longer disguising how upset he was. He'd told himself over and over that it was the circumstance, it wasn't the right time, Ross would've wanted it really. But if it didn't apply to anyone else and just Alex, then it must be him. Ross raised his eyebrows and smiled amused, not really sure if Alex was joking or not.

"Wha- Are you nuts?" Ross asked and Alex felt his heart drop. Perfect, now Ross thought he was stupid as well. Alex swallowed hard and looked down at his shoes, he could hardly fuck this up more now.

"I just thought, you know sinc-" Alex begun but the rest of his sentence was lost against Ross' lips. At first Alex tried to resist but he was quickly lost in the pleasure of the kiss. It was so comfortingly familiar but at the same time such a shock. Ross pulled away briefly and chuckled at the sight of Alex's still surprised expression.

"Nothing happened Smith, it was one date, nothing more," Ross said quietly, reassuring Alex slightly.

"So you're just friends then" Alex replied, looking at Ross through his eyelashes and making the other man's heart flutter with affection.

"Smith..." Ross whispered, caressing Alex's cheek with his thumb. "It's you I want, I need."

Alex kissed Ross desperately, pouring out all his emotion in the touch, relief, affection, desire. Everything he'd held back during the last couple of weeks were now gone, Ross' words in their place. Ross pulled Alex closer, wanting his body close and safe, ignoring any promises he'd made to himself when he broke it off. He knew now that being distant from Alex just showed him how much he needed him, and this time he wouldn't let him go.

"D'ya wanna... Uhm – stay at mine?" Ross asked when they stopped, rapid breaths creating mist in the cold air. Alex's eyes lit up and he blushed slightly when he realised the implications of the offer.

"Yeah, sure, that'd be great," Alex said with excitement in his voice, planting another kiss on Ross' lips.

"Okay I think that's enough kisses for now," Ross giggled and grabbed Alex's hand, leading him towards his flat.

Credit to Owlpig on Ao3