The night of their two-hour marathon sex, Micah emerged from the shower to Alistair's bedsheets already in the wash and the bed having been remade. And, as per their agreement, Micah slept the whole night through on Alistair's three-thousand dollar mattress, counting sheep and not thinking about Benny.

Not thinking about Benny at all.

He worked the following evening, so he slept in and, sleepily, watched Alistair dress for work. Specifically, his mouth watered at the sight of Alistair's slacks sucking in his juicy ass, which was covered in lace once again. That day, his dress shirt was pinned down by stays on his upper thighs.

Lennon does that too, Micah thought, but Alistair's looks better coupled with lace panties.

"Are those comfortable?" Micah asked, stretching his arms over his head.

Alistair looked up from where he was threading his belt through the loops on his slacks. He pulled the belt taunt and buckled it as he said, "My underwear?"

"Yeah."

"I wouldn't wear them if they weren't," Alistair said. He finished the look with a watch and a simple, gold band necklace. "I'll be back by six."

"I'll be gone by four," Micah said. Alistair arched a brow. "Work until one."

"Ah. I'll be asleep when you get back."

Micah grinned, one raised knee swinging to and fro. "Are you gonna be wearing your lace panties and nothing else?"

Alistair cackled and wagged a finger at him. "Panties? Do not call them that. Ever."

"You're pretty little pink lacy panties? Why shouldn't I call them your pretty little pink lacy—AH!"

Micah felt once again self-conscious in the living area where he knew Alistair's security system was. He wanted to try the espresso machine, but opted to spare himself the guilt of breaking a thousand-dollar device by instead ordering a latte from a cafe down the street.

He spent all day and all of work imagining Alistair with his ass in that snug pair of pink lingerie on top of those bedsheets, fast asleep. And he spent all that time trying not to work himself into a tizzy when he was supposed to be chatting with customers, flirting with customers, and amping up their tip pool as a result.

He thought he was starting to understand Alistair's expectations, though. So when he returned from work, he was quick to toss all his clothes into the wash and disappear for a shower in Thee Guest Bathroom. And then, clean as a whistle, Micah padded across the dark apartment to the bedroom threshold.

Alistair was under the sheets.

But Micah's imagination was running wild. He needed to know—not even to do anything nefarious! He just wanted to see for himself what Alistair wore to bed.

Which led him to Alistair's bedside.

Alistair, fast asleep and hugging his pillow, slept with his sheets up past his shoulders and the heat on high. Micah reached past the mattress to where the corner of the sheet hung and, ever so slowly, raised it.

Inch-by-treacherous-inch inked foliage revealed itself and curved down his obliques. Micah ducked his head to the side, peering into the darkness.

"What're you doing."

"Jesus Christ!" Micah swore, tripping and falling back so fast his head hit the wall on the way down.

Alistair, barely awake, burst into laughter as Micah rubbed at his sore head, hair still wet from the shower.

"Fuck! That hurt!" Micah cried.

Alistair glanced up at the clock on his nightstand. He turned over, still chuckling a little, and said, "I'm not into somno right now."

Micah went red. "I wasn't gonna—! Whatever. I just wanted to see what you were wearing."

"Underwear." He glared at Micah over his shoulder, eyes judgmental and assessing. "You took a shower?"

"Yeah, I just got back."

Alistair sighed. He threw the sheets aside, exposing all of him. Plain, opaque black underwear and all. "Get over here then and go to sleep."

Disappointed on behalf of his pink pantie fantasy, Micah joined him. Micah settled in, a little too hard for either of their likings, but Micah ignored it. Alistair ignored it, even as spooning put Micah's erection squarely along the seam of Alistair's asscheeks.

Micah tried not to move.

He barely even breathed.

"How are you so fucking hard right now," Alistair said at last, breaking the silence.

Micah groaned. "Bootcamp has primed me to be ready at any moment," he joked, which earned him a scoff. "What even made you get into lingerie anyway?"

Alistair hesitated.

Micah lifted his head a fraction. "When did you start?"

"When I was eighteen, probably," he said. He glanced back at Micah in the dark. His profile was silhouetted by the street lamps outside. When Alistair nestled his head back into the pillow, Micah followed suit. He let Alistair maneuver his arm higher, hand between Alistair's pecs. "I didn't seriously get into it until Olly, though."

Micah said nothing.

"Mens' lingerie sucks ass usually. Olly knows their way around it."

"Got it," Micah said. "It looks good on you."

"Flattering me so you can put your dick to some use?"

Micah scoffed. He turned his face into the pillow and said, "I'm going to sleep."

Alistair kept shaking his ass until Micah latched his leg over Alistair's waist to hold him still. Alistair snickered evilly into his pillow.

Through the night Micah and Alistair would drift apart like Pangaea performing a Pro Gamer Move by creating the Atlantic Ocean. Micah awoke with his arms and legs splayed, his leg pinned down by Alistair's like they were in a WWE match.

They both startled awake to an alarm. Alistair started slapping around the bed, only to realize his phone was at Micah's nightstand. After all, Alistair had started sleeping on that side anyway before Micah arrived.

Micah accidentally hit snooze.

"Fuck," he swore, rolling into his pillow.

"Sorry," Alistair said, gruffly, as he rolled out of bed. The blankets tugged after him.

"It's fine," Micah grumbled.

Alistair disappeared into the bathroom and shut the door. A moment later, he started pissing. A moment after that, the shower started up.

Micah pried one eye open.

He'd been wondering ever since he moved in whether or not Alistair and Olly had truly gone to London together. Logic told him no, but Alistair's now frequent mentions of the sub had Micah questioning things.

And, just as he'd done for Kennedy and Benny, he'd memorized Alistair's passcode from watching him waste time on his phone between episodes of Suits.

Micah reached for Alistair's phone and typed in the code. It worked.

"Oh, fuck yeah," Micah whispered in triumph, biting his lip as he swiped through Alistair's home screens. No games, stock bullshit, and streaming platforms. Limited social media. Grindr.

Micah opened his texts and glanced at the bathroom door. The shower was still running.

Alistair named all of his messages, which made finding Olly a simple and easy task. Above that, though, was an even more recent conversation.

Kennedy? Micah thought, brow furrowing. He opened it to the latest discussion. Just a few simple lines that started with Kennedy saying: "Micah SOSed me."

"What does that mean," Alistair replied.

"Something serious happened." Followed by, "Lmk if you need space."

"We're fine. Thanks for the offer." Kennedy reacted to this with a thumbs up.

Confused, Micah swiped further up, scrolling, scrolling, and then with great speed when he realized they'd been talking since before Alistair moved to New York.

Kennedy: Did my uncle get you the info?

Alistair: Yeah thanks

Kennedy: I myself like Greenwich

Kennedy: You should live in Greenwich

Alistair: We'll see

Kennedy: People pay good money to hear my opinions. You should listen to them some time

Alistair: 🖕

・・・・・・・・・・

Kennedy: Whole friend group knows you two fucked

Alistair: Already?

Kennedy: Yeah 🙄🪩 We literally talk about everything get with the program

Alistair: So they know we talk

Kennedy: I didn't say that

Alistair: So they WILL know we talk

Kennedy: I didn't say that either

Kennedy: Anyway

Kennedy: A word of advice Micah does meet cutes

Alistair: Wtf is a meet cute

Kennedy: You don't know what a meet cute is???

Alistair: No

Kennedy: Spontaneous unexpected meetings with cute strangers

Kennedy: I'll prove it to you

Alistair: I'm not asking for advice

Kennedy: Yes you are

Alistair: Well I'm not paying for it

Kennedy: 🙄🖕✨

Kennedy: Ask Benny to help you move furniture and he'll ask Micah to help because he literally can't do a thing without Micah around and then I'll orchestrate something to get Benny to leave early

Kennedy: It'll probably be for a date he always dips for a sexy lil date

Alistair: Wtf

Alistair: What are the exact odds that Benny will ask Micah

Kennedy: 95% if you don't ask anyone else to help

Alistair: I'm only doing this because I need to know your success rate

Kennedy: Keep telling yourself that 😌💅🎀

・・・・・・・・・・

Alistair: So that worked

Kennedy: No fucking way

Alistair: YOU'RE the one that said it would work why are you asking surprised

Kennedy: 🪩💃🦅 [Sent with the Echo Effect]

Alistair: Wtf stop dancing all over my screen how did you do that

Kennedy: We don't talk about that

Alistair: Heard

・・・・・・・・・・

Alistair: He's not answering any of my texts

Kennedy: Wtf don't text him???

Alistair: Well he's not answering my calls either

Kennedy: Stop calling him??? Wtf is wrong with you

Alistair: I'm being a human being

Alistair: I need to see him again

Kennedy: Awww

Kennedy: Ummm I'll think of something

Kennedy: Micah nixed my plan

Alistair: You fucking told him

Kennedy: No I pitched a party idea and he turned it into a lecture 🙄🧑‍🏫🍎

・・・・・・・・・・

Kennedy: So anyway now I need to introduce you to Theo and Lottie to get you into the party

Kennedy: They weren't able to attend cuz of work stuff

Alistair: Theo and Lottie?

Alistair: I know them already

Kennedy: Wtf you do

Alistair: I declined their invite

Kennedy: Wtf why would you do that

Kennedy: Micah's gonna be there

Alistair: I'm not into parties

Kennedy: It's fine he'll see you and you two will leave within, like, fifteen minutes

Alistair: I don't believe that

Kennedy: How long did you two spend at the matchmaking party again?

Kennedy: 🤨🤬🫵 [Sent with the Slam Effect]

Alistair: Wtf how did you do that to my screen

Kennedy: ANSWER THE QUESTION!

Alistair: Okay point taken

・・・・・・・・・・

Kennedy: [Unsent a message]

Kennedy: [Unsent a message]

Kennedy: [Unsent a message]

Alistair: [Unsent a message]

Alistair: [Unsent a message]

Kennedy: [Unsent a message]

Alistair: Here

Alistair: Where are you

Kennedy: You ruin my makeup you get me late

Alistair: You can't seriously have expected your makeup to survive that

Kennedy: I pay good money to have makeup survive THINGS 👏 LIKE 👏 THAT 👏 😤🤬👊

Kennedy: Just for that I halfassed Micah's costume enjoy

Alistair: Asshole

Kennedy: Have fun 🤗

・・・・・・

Kennedy: They know

Kennedy: Micah's pissed he's seeking revenge

Alistair: Wtf revenge how

Alistair: Why would you tell them it's barely been 24 hours

Kennedy: I mean he thought it was hot

Kennedy: But he's still seeking revenge

Alistair: [Reply to "Wtf revenge how"] Answer.

Kennedy: I can't say

Alistair: What part of intel don't you understand

Kennedy: Idk I'm not a PC girlie 🙄🤓🧑‍💻✨

Kennedy: I'd recommend keeping your distance [Alistair reacted with a Thumbs Up Emoji]

・・・・・・

Kennedy: RELINQUISH HIM

Alistair: What

Kennedy: HE MUST FACE THE FIRES OF HELL AND FEEL MY WRATH 🔥☄️🔪

Alistair: Wtf?

Kennedy: 🔥🔥🔥 [Sent with the Echo Effect]

Alistair: Seriously how do you do that

Alistair: Okay I see what's happening now

Kennedy: WHERE ARE YOU HIDING HIM

Kennedy: WHAT CLOSET WAS HE IN? I'M COMING OVER

Alistair: He's not here Benny checked every closet

Alistair: He's crying for you get over here

Kennedy: Already omw

・・・・・・

Alistair: Am I still on Micah exile

Kennedy: No he already achieved enlightenment

Alistair: Wtf does that mean

Alistair: So you know where he is

Kennedy: No I'm honestly getting worried

Kennedy: I don't think he wants to see me but he might talk to you

Kennedy: BUT DON'T CALL HIM. NO TEXTING.

Alistair: Then how tf do I talk to him

Kennedy: He's still sharing his Google Calendar with me so I have his work schedule

Kennedy: He's off at one tonight [Alistair reacted with a Thumbs Up]

・・・・・・

Kennedy: Have you been in contact with Micah

Alistair: Wtf I didn't know I was allowed to make contact yet

Kennedy: Wtf yes?? Man get with the program

Alistair: Oh my god

Kennedy: Do you know where he's staying?

Alistair: No

Alistair: I gave him an opening to ask to stay with me but he didn't take it

Kennedy: No fucking way

Alistair: What

Kennedy: You can't just say shit like that to him

Alistair: I just said he didn't take it

Kennedy: Don't make contact

Alistair: Why not

Kennedy: He's gonna think you're clingy

Alistair: I wasn't THAT obvious about the offer

Kennedy: It doesn't matter

Kennedy: If you make contact it has to be strictly on business if you know what I mean

Alistair: Understood

Kennedy: Do you?

Kennedy: Do you really understand 🤨🫵🍆💦

Alistair: Yes this is kind of my forte

Micah was still reading past the end of the shower, the end of Alistair's shaving, the end of Alistair opening the door. The florescent mirror light split across the scene of Micah in the dark, hand over his mouth, staring at Alistair's phone.

Nerves frozen by shock, Micah's thumb didn't even lift as his eyes did, slowly, to meet Alistair's eye.

He'd never known Alistair to be afraid or stumble. But in that moment, Micah thought he was witnessing the man's soul escape his body and float to the heavens. He'd gone sheet-white, and this was evident even with him being backlit by the bathroom light.

"You—" Micah started.

Alistair lunged forward. His nail scraped Micah's palm in the speed and force he used to grab his phone and flee. "No. I'm not talking about this."

"You've been getting dating advice from Kennedy about me," Micah said. He didn't know where he was going with his accusations, but they were chasing Alistair away.

Alistair whirled on him. His eyes didn't quite meet Micah's. "It was not dating advice," he said. "I don't date anyone, and that includes you. Whatever you thought you saw—"

Micah threw the sheets back to stand.

Alistair staggered back, looking like if he'd had a gun, he would've shot it. He jerked his hands up between them, though there was an entire room dividing them now.

Micah froze.

He didn't know what to do. He knew they shouldn't be in the same space right now, but his only exit was barricaded by Alistair.

And Alistair seemed too unstable to do anything but watch Micah from a distance.

At last, Alistair moved again to reach for a shirt inside his closet. He shrugged it on, haphazardly, and went to the foyer. One jacket and workbag later, Alistair was out of the flat. The door locked on its own behind him.

Nearly a full minute later, Micah regained the ability to move.

In the dark of Alistair's bedroom, the clock barely ticked past 6:45 in the morning. And Micah, clad in nothing but boxers, slapped his hand to his forehead. His sanity crumbled with a feeble, "Oh my God."