Hazel trudged into the commons and melted into the arms of the first person he saw. "Hold me. I need to be held."

Jacob raised his eyebrows but smiled bashfully and tugged him to the couch. "It would be my pleasure to hold you, love."

He laid back and Hazel climbed on top of him to nuzzle in and complain with a whine, "We need to do this more. I miss you a lot and we live together."

The Brit took a hit of his cart and smirked. "I wouldn't be complaining. You can stay here as long as you like, I don't think we've cuddled by ourselves since... Since the trial." He wouldn't let himself stew in the misery anymore but it was still easier to pretend it had never happened than to admit it did.

Hazel leaned up and peppered kisses over his heart. "You're so brave. I wanna be brave like you someday." It started beating even faster and he frowned. "I'm sorry."

Jacob held his face and smiled weakly. "You just took my breath away is all. What's the matter?"

"You ever feel like you'll never be able to love without being afraid of losing everything?" His breathing got shaky and he wrapped his hands around Jacob's wrists so his hands would stay when he hid his face in his chest. "I'm afraid this is going to go away one day, but I don't want it to. I get afraid of someone getting cancer, I freak out every time there's a fight even if I'm not involved cause all it takes is one thing to destroy everything I love."

Jacob could feel his tears dampening his shirt, he could feel Hazel trembling and couldn't help his surprise. He seemed so happy-go-lucky all the time and aching to love on the nearest person... He'd never suspected it was out of fear that made him so desperate to marinate in everyone's affection.

"I don't wanna be alone again."

Jacob felt his throat closing up at that. If anyone could understand being alone and lonely, it was himself probably. Maybe. But he had to try to comfort Hazel. "You won't, I promise." His lips found his forehead and his thumbs the tears to wipe them away. "I'll never leave you alone. I'd rather drive you nuts than leave you miserable and wishing for company." Hazel leaned up to look at him in wonder as he muttered surely, "I'm in love with you, Hazel. I love you."

He recoiled, a small smile lighting up his face. "Really?"

Miffed, Jacob sort of wanted to slap him. "Did... you not know that?" Then his annoyance turned into guilt. The polycule always told him how incredible he was to have as a boyfriend, but had Hazel been somehow left out?

Hazel shrugged shyly. The action looked a bit silly on a man so built he could break Jacob in half like a twig, but it was also pretty cute. "Well... yes. I dunno. I guess I thought you more platonically loved me or something."

Jacob pushed him up to crawl onto his lap and straddle him. His brows furrowed and he traced the growing warmth in his cheeks with his lips. "We've laid together many times. I trusted you to keep watch over me. I trust you right now to tell me what I've been doing wrong."

Hazel melted.

He giggled and swooned and pushed into his lips for more kisses. It was so much like Steven Jacob had to pull back to double check. "I gaslight myself. You're just so handsome and sweet. I feel like I don't compete."

Jacob burst out laughing. "When was the last time you looked in a mirror?!" It simpered quickly though and he tapped over his chest. "It's all in here that I'm positively smitten with, but I can't deny the way I salivate when you walk in a room. I guess, in a way, I thought maybe..." He blushed and dropped his eyes fast, ignoring Hazels humiliated groan.

"I'm so, so sorry!" He whispered. "You were giving me this look and you're just so emotionally open and it's admirable." A grimace came over him and he sighed. "I'm so sorry."

Jacob kissed Hazel and he didn't even need to put his back into it. He truly did adore this man, he was handsome and kind, what more could one ask for? He was so cheerful, he tried his very best to love as hard as he could and Jacob admired that.

He was also admiring how Hazel was rapidly getting harder and how warm to the touch he was even through his clothes as his arms wrapped around him. His fingers dug into his sides and Jacob squirmed, giggling because he was stupid ticklish suddenly.

Hazel pulled away breathless and grunted, "You're making it worse."

"You're tickling me," Jacob gasped, locked in by Hazels strong hands and flustered by the fact that he couldn't have escaped if he tried.

He couldn't escape this gentle giant if he tried.

"Bullocks," He muttered, a glow coming to his cheeks as his body started to respond to a brand new fantasy.

As much as he tried to shove it down, he couldn't get his head straight over it: what would it be like, he wondered restlessly, to be unable to escape Hazels gentle sweetness? To be held down forcefully and made to endure the steady power Hazel exuded as his hips—

Jacob buried his face in his hands and Hazel laughed joyously, trying to pry them away. "What's wrong?" Jacob just grumbled and buried his face into his neck instead. He knew what this feeling was, he knew where it stemmed from and what trauma the desire was feeding off of. "Baby—,"

"Ugh, Hazel you're making it worse!" Jacob exclaimed passionately, digging his nails into his shoulders. "You're making it so much worse."

Hazel grabbed his hips and pressed his thumb in to further hold him in place and giggled when Jacob squeaked. "You're so cute! You're like a squeaky toy!" He shifted and grinned. "Why are you twitching against me? It's distracting and not helping my boner issue."

"Not an issue," Jacob corrected quickly. He was so bashful suddenly. Damn Hazel for flipping the script! He'd been so steady and serious... He wanted to hide his face forever but he toughed it out and leaned back looking everywhere but Hazel because he knew he was blushing so hard he looked like a total lovesick fool. "Does this prove my point?"

Hazel beamed at him. "Oh my stars." Then he bit his lip and brushed his fingers over his cheeks, pleased when Jacob whimpered under his breath with his eyes shut tight. The tables had apparently turned so he decided to experiment.

He kissed both cheeks and drifted down his neck, taking his time with aching kisses that had no aggression behind them. He just loved to love, he'd needed to today but people were busy or sleeping. Hazel was more than happy to have the opportunity to show Jacob how much he loved him, but he was worried he'd get overwhelmed by all the mewling he was doing. Adam always said Jacob held onto his masculinity as a life-raft and could sometimes deny affection because of it, especially if the roles reversed suddenly. He could get a little bratty.

That wasn't an option! Hazel needed this, he loved it and he wanted Jacob to stay. He hardly ever got time to have him to himself with him being The Hot Topic. He held on tighter and then thinking better, wrapped his arms around his waist. Jacob moaned weakly and Hazel could feel how hard his cock was straining. Did he like to be held down? Hazel couldn't remember. They'd fucked countless times over the years, they'd kisses ten times as many. "You like being held down?"

He could feel him wincing his embarrassment as he nodded. "By you, I think."

Hazel swallowed and sunk his teeth into the juncture of Jacob's neck. He never bit too hard unless it was Adam, but for Jacob he sunk them in even softer. It was more than enough to know he was there, but not nearly enough to sting and burn.

And Jacob's hips bucked as a wanton and gritty, "Fuck, oh my god," fell from him.

Hazel pulled back and looked at him to gage his face and found his it taught with excitement and nerves. He looked kind of like he was panicking as he gripped his shoulders. "Are you okay?"

"Who fucking knows, honestly?" He replied a bit jaded. "Just don't stop."

Hazel chuckled but forced him to look him in the eye. "Fix your attitude."

Jacob made what Hazel could only call a bratty little face and huffed his annoyance. "Why? Connie and Jasmin are brats all the damn time. What if I wanna turn to be unreasonable?"

Hazel tipped his head to see the slight marks he'd left behind. "It's all parallels around here, I like it."

Jacob looked confused until he picked him up and manhandled him onto his shoulder and into the basement. Both ran hot, and the air down there was cool. For the first time in a while, Hazel wanted to be just a tiny bit mean.

He dropped him and pinned him right after, kissing up the length of Jacob's neck until he hissed and tested Hazels strength. He didn't budge, but he did squeeze tighter as he darted his tongue out to taste him and giggled. "Why is your heart beating so fast?"

"What is it Connie's always saying?" He recalled breathlessly. "Big strong man who can toss me around?"

Hazel grinned and pulled up to stare at him. Jacob blushed and broke eye contact first. "What?"

"You're cute!" Hazel exclaimed whimsically. "I love to look at cute things!"

"Ugh." He couldn't deny he started to leak when Hazel kissed over his forehead and told him how pretty he was. It was unbearable: he loved to hate hearing it, but Hazels voice was so smooth it was casting spells on him.

"Relax," He murmured, biting down again even softer. "Let me have your attention, just for a little bit." Hazel grabbed his legs and hooked them around him so he could push up his shirt and explore further.

Jacob sucked in a sharp breath and whispered, "Your hands are warm."

Hazel giggled and flicked his tongue over a nipple, enticing a whine of frustration he ignored. Lavishing attention on Jacob was rewarding, his sounds were getting louder and higher pitched. Mixing it with praise seemed to officially take him down for the count. "You're doing such a good job, baby," Hazel told him sincerely. "I love you."

Jacob's gasp rasped into his chest. "W-wait you're gonna make me embarrass myself!"

That sounded even lovelier than edging him. "That's one of my favorite things, don't threaten me with a good time." He did it to Anna all the time, it was easy and fun because she was so cute when embarrassed. Then he got to give her baths and cuddle her.

Would... Jacob let him do that? Like Steven, Hazel longed to take care of him. He'd been through so much, he had to be tired. Maybe he'd accept a meal in bed with his special blanket and milk?

The bass in his voice brought Jacob's to a soft purr as Hazel's hands found their way to his ass to squeeze and ground against him until Jacob was panting underneath him and gripping at his shoulders. "Fuck, p-please don't stop!"

Hazel quirked a brow as Jacob pushed against him harder and started to shake. "Are you saying 'Please don't. Stop' or 'Please. Don't stop'?"

Jacob keened and pulled Hazel in for a blissed out kiss, his nails digging into his arms. "Close..."

Hazel rumbled, feeling a mixture of pride and adoration. "The freckles make this cuter, you're such a good boy." He pinned his arms again and laughed at Jacob's dazed grin, but it didn't last long.

Hazel couldn't resist pulling back to watch Jacob's eyes go wide and then shut. He grunted, hips stuttering in a way Hazel hadn't gotten to see before. Flushed and humiliated, he turned his head to hide the all too obvious fact that he was rather easy to please when helpless to a man much bigger than he.

Hazel glanced down and raised his eyebrows in surprise: Jacob had came so much a little was spilling down his stomach. The wet patch was too freaking precious not for Hazel to tease him about it. "You made a mess just from grinding? You really are a cam boy somewhere in there."

Jacob scowled but it melted away into a starry eyed stare. "Dammit, Hazel."

He laughed and pulled off of him to throw his dreads up in a ponytail. "I'm not even done," He confessed shallowly. "I just realized I'm Jacob-starved, so I'm gonna break your back in the shower. And then I'm gonna snuggle you and rub your blanket on your cheek until you fall asleep."

The bashful roll of Jacob's eyes and the little giggle had Hazel smothering it with another kiss as he lifted him bridal style and stumbled toward the stairs.

Jacob realized why he was so shy around Hazel that it made their interactions seldom. At first he'd been stupidly gaslighting himself about there not being enough room in his heart for him. Between Anna, Adam and Steven being his Mains and him clearly loving them so fucking much, and then the rest just as hard, it made him feel like he would just be taking up extra space.

But no, he'd been lying to himself. The truth of the matter was that he was completely submissive to him. He had not an iota of charm or aggression that could make him resist Hazels big, gentle hands touching him in any way.

But maybe that was okay. He could submit for the plot. He could ease his way into being taken care of, one experience at a time.