The Jade Dragon, chapter 7

The Other Shoe Dropped
Summary: So Vane thought things were going good…? Idiot.
Warnings: Poor Miguel.
Author Notes: Since no one's squeeing, I thought I would give you something to squee about.1

--2

“You’re being an idiot,” Imrad pulled him aside in the parking lot to hiss at him.3

“Mind your own business,” Vane snarled back.4

“No. You’re making a stupid mistake and over a damn girl.”5

“Don’t you talk about Leo like that,” Vane fumed. “You have no idea what she and I discussed—”6

“I don’t need to know, I can guess,” Imrad interrupted. “You two playing nice but have nothing solid decided tells me she’s thinking about it. And Vane, she may be thinking about whatever it is you told her but I shouldn’t have to tell you that if she hadn’t considered you as a potential boyfriend before, thinking on it now will get you no where.”7

“You’ve been talking to Marcus, haven’t you?” Vane muttered with annoyance.8

“What’s he got to do with this?” Imrad blinked. “Vane, Leo aside, Miguel has been the closest friend to you after me. Shit, he’s probably a better friend to you than I am. He’s a good person and we both know it so why are you doing this to him?”9

“I’m not doing anything,” Vane lied stubbornly.10

“Ugh, you lying shit.”11

“This is what I want,” Vane insisted, trying to stand firm.12

“Ahh,” Imrad growled, “so this is about something else, is it? Gods! Why do you have to be so dramatic?”13

“You and the rest of them are the ones being dramatic,” waving a hand in the group’s general direction behind himself. “I’m the one who’s been on a single track since the beginning.”14

“Single track, my arse,” Imrad hissed. “Any idiot can tell what’s in your eyes when you look at Leonora is no where near the expression you have when you look at Miguel.”15

Vane’s mouth snapped shut. He glared and remained belligerently silent.16

“Stuff it, you drama king. Go get your head screwed on correctly and then we talk.” With a glare of his own, Imrad turned away.17

Scuffing his shoe on the pavement Vane frowned hard, back still turned to the rest of the group so he had a few moments to himself. This was getting ridiculous.18

Think semi-finals, he told himself. Think smiles and cuddles and Leonora wearing the necklace and a relationship his aunts and uncles would coo over, a lady they’d say he looked cute with. Think her gentleness despite being strong and trained in martial arts. Think how funny it would be when his friends might tease him about how he shouldn’t get into fights with her.19

He sighed, running a hand through his hair, the other dipping into his pocket for a smoke. But once he pulled it out, he thought better of it; Leonora wouldn’t want to kiss him if he had cigarette breath so he might as well start weaning himself off now.20

“You taste like smoke after you’ve had one,” Miguel said softly, startling him. He stiffened, Miguel walking slowly around to face him, expression annoyed but contained. “I saw you reach for it but put it back. But it made me think about what you taste like after you’ve had one.”21

“Don’t think about it,” Vane muttered, feeling heat rise in his cheeks. The words were partly meant for himself, since the reminder had him recalling a few incidents himself.22

“Why not?” He seemed genuinely curious instead of challenging. “You enjoyed them, I could taste that too.”23

Vane swallowed, unable to think of a reply to that. He ought to feel guilty of the kisses he’d accepted when Miguel had pushed a little too far but the only guilt he felt was for taking from Miguel and giving so little in return. Annoyed, he frowned at Miguel, “I always stopped you.”24

Miguel nodded but smugly pointed out, “But never immediately.”25

Lonely. He had been lonely, waiting and never noticed. Then a thought startled him: that maybe Miguel felt the same, waiting for that which would never come. He glanced up at Miguel, “You really shouldn’t talk about that.” Then he realised what he’d said and added, “And it’s not happening again.” 26

When the Spaniard took a step toward him, presumably to prove to him it really would, Vane quickly backed away, glaring warningly. He trotted over to where Leonora was chatting with Katie and Jordan, “You ready to go?”27

“Hm? Oh, sure.” She traded cheek-kisses with Katie, “See you later, dear.” He led her away as she waved to the others.28

Vane could feel Miguel’s gaze on his back.29

When he got back from dropping off Leonora, he shut the engine off on his bike and coasted it down the driveway instead of riding it in, so the noise wouldn’t draw attention. Feeling all kinds of silly he jumped the garden fence to come in the back way just in case. He would not put it past Miguel to be waiting for him in the front sitting room. 30

Crap, what if the guy was sitting outside his very door?!31

He peeked around the corner; all clear. Dashing in, Vane slumped against his door and breathed a sigh of relief. This was all past ridiculous.32

With another sigh, he pushed off and went to get a shower. He needed an early night, planning to go to work out at the rink the next morning. All through his ablutions all he could think about was how quiet Miguel had been through the rest of lunch… and how dangerous he’d been afterward in the parking lot.33

It made him think of those kisses Miguel had mentioned; the ones that tasted of smoke. 34

He went to brush his teeth and refused to think on why.35

The pounding on his door startled him, head popping up from the sink as he was rinsing his mouth. No way. He finished up, wiping his mouth, and contemplated ignoring the summons.36

“I know you’re in there,” Miguel said firmly through the space of the door jamb, as though reading his mind. From the clarity of his speech and lack of volume, Vane guessed the guy had leaned in close to the crack of the door to speak. “Open up, Vane!”37

Miguel glanced back at the bathroom and contemplated a plan to let Miguel in but run back to lock himself in there. Then growled to himself at what he was being reduced to. His temper flared and he marched up to the door, snatched it open and snarled,38

“Go away.”39

“Did you give her your necklace?” Miguel demanded, stalking in as though Vane wasn’t blocking the way, forcing him to move or he would be trampled. “You did, didn’t you? Why am I even asking…?”40

“So now that your question is answered, you can go,” Vane snapped, scowling.41

“I’m not going anywhere,” Miguel replied, frowning as came to a stop in the middle of the room and turned around. “Shut that door before people start coming out to watch us.”42

Conceding, Vane closed it. “What do you want?” He caught the look on Miguel’s face and pointed at him, “Never mind, don’t answer that.”43

He stood his ground and folded his arms, “What I want is for Leonora to give you the necklace back.”44

“Why would you say something like that?” Vane’s voice rose. Argh! Why wouldn’t Miguel just go away?!45

“I don’t want you to belong to her is why!” the intruder insisted.46

Vane threw his hands up and began to pace his room in his frustration, “Why does that even matter to you?” He pointed again, “Never mind, don’t answer that! I don’t want to hear it.”47

“Maybe you do need to hear it,” Miguel hissed at him, “Because kisses and gropes and concern for your well being aren’t blazing working!” He shadowed Vane’s footsteps, following on each lap and irritating Vane further, “You know that I—“48

“Shut up!” Vane snarled, waving an arm at him, “Just shut up! You know why I gave her the necklace.”49

“She’s not wearing it.”50

“She’s thinking about it!” 51

“So you’re not together, are you?” Miguel smugly challenged.52

“So what?!” He wanted to tear his hair out!53

“Do you even know where you stand with her?” Gesturing at Vane, he demanded, “At all? Any kind of reciprocation after the last damn year you’ve spent pining under her nose?”54

“Not yet,” Vane insisted, tone implying it was just a matter of time. “I’m waiting.”55

“So am I!” With a unintelligible noise of disgust, Miguel exclaimed, “I’m blazing waiting for her to decide my fate, do you realise that? There’s more than just you in this balance!”56

Vane skidded to a halt and rounded on him. “I love her!”57

Miguel flinched at the words, closing his eyes a moment. And when they opened, the angry hesitance had disappeared. With bright intensity, he looked straight into Vane’s eyes and told him, “Maybe you don’t know what I feel for you, or you wouldn’t have said something like that to me.”58

But the worse part of it was, Vane did know and had said it anyway. He almost cringed at his own callousness but really, Miguel should accept it. He looked away, breaking eye contact, “I think we both know where we stand.”59

“I think we’re still learning that,” came the belligerent reply. Vane opened his mouth to retort but Miguel was faster, “You don’t know where you stand with her any more than I do with you.”60

Vane snapped his mouth shut. The denial in his head not the least bit inclined to be voiced.61

They stood in silence and stillness for a long moment before Miguel murmured, “You said the same thing about yourself with regards to Leonora not too long ago.” He silently stepped closer, “About there not really being much of a chance.” Another step. “And yet you are trying one last time. You’re putting it all on the line.” He shifted a little nearer again, inches away now but Vane refused to back away, chin tilting stubbornly upward. “It’s quite… inspiring. Actually, perhaps I should try a little last ditch effort of my own.” 62

With that, both hands lifted and cupped Vane’s face, angling his chin and…63

Hot.64

Possessive. Demanding. Yearning.65

Vane’s mind went blank. He could taste emotion in that kiss, and felt fingertips slipping over his jaw trailing a hum along his skin, down his neck, over his shoulder. The stroking kept going, over Vane’s chest to reach down and around so Miguel could pull him closer than ever, flush against each other. 66

A rich, heavy and thick douse of molten lava slipped downwards from Vane’s mouth and into his belly; want. A desire so thick he could feel its demands racing over his skin, sense it in each touch, in every breath, as Miguel kissed him.67

He couldn’t gather his thoughts but it was so good that he wanted… more. Just a little, he leaned forward and as he tasted the flavours of the emotions in the kisses he thought, Miguel. It jolted him a little, some semblance of reality flitting back but the kisses were so drugging. And he was so alone.68

Perhaps just for a few more..?69

He opened his mouth when an insistent tongue swept over his lips, groaned when it dipped into his mouth and tangled with his own. Gently, aware he was taking selfishly from this, he pressed closer and Miguel gave a short whine, a gasp tangling in the sound because it was so unexpected. Yet Miguel gathered him closer, angled his head and deepened the kiss, Vane accepting it because there was no other way… it had been so long.70

Kisses, any kiss he’d ever received had never been this good, a little part of Vane’s mind said.71

And then he realised that in the closeness of their embrace, the kiss had gotten a little out of hand. His hands had tangled in Miguel’s clothes, he leaned against the other heavily now. They had become aroused and he could feel Miguel press his hardness insistently against his leg, the friction from Miguel’s own leg also teasing at him and he realised with a jolt where this could be going. There would be expectations…72

With snarl and gasp Vane wrenched himself free. “No!” he snapped, backing away.73

Miguel stood staring at him in blank loss, arms still suspended in the air where he’d been holding Vane, the expression on his face so acutely confused that Vane knew this was it or he would never get away. He stumbled as he turned and made for the door.74

“Vane? Vane!”75

“No!” he repeated, flinging the door open and dashing away. Footfalls thundered behind him, the gait familiar and too similar to his own. He refocused on his own pace, pouring concentration into going faster. 76

Desperately he sought to put distance between them, something, anything, because while that kiss had been beautiful no doubt Miguel would want something else, something undoubtedly more. It wouldn’t be of the ‘more kisses’ variety either and that other kind of ‘more’ was not something he was prepared to discuss or consider and… damn it, Miguel remained almost the same distance behind him! 77

Vane dashed out on the front yard, making for the pavement. He ducked a tree as he short cut across the grass than over the driveway, disappearing into the foliage but still Miguel remained determinedly behind him. He realised with panicked surprise that Miguel was doing just as he, not saying anything and focusing on closing the distance between them just as fervently as he was trying to open it.78

“Leave me alone!” he gasped. Miguel pounced and Vane went down hard, arms curling to protect his head and face as he fell from a flat out run down onto the grass. They rolled together with their momentum and Vane tried to turn that inertia into a push off to get up and keep going… but Miguel latched on hard and he hit the ground once more. “Let go!”79

“Never,” Miguel panted. He held on tight, pinning Vane with his weight, “I am not going to let you get away from me, Vane.” He subdued the struggles against his grip with his larger hands, longer arms and bigger body. “Stop that! Talk to me!”80

“I don’t want to talk to you!” Vane insisted, doubling his efforts, panting and frustrated and finally Miguel wrestled him over and sat on his stomach. Pinned and humiliated he turned his head to one side and refused to look into Miguel’s eyes, “I don’t want… I don’t want you.”81

“You’re a terrible liar,” Miguel wryly chuckled, catching his breath as he leaned forward, pinning both of Vane’s hands to the ground on either side of his head. “And you cannot honestly mean that, given the way you kissed me. Given the way you responded to me.” His voice lowered as he bent his head to pant the words over Vane’s skin, “You accepted me, let me into you.” He nuzzled a sensitive ear, making Vane shudder, “You tasted me as much as I tasted you. You know how I feel, don’t you? You know.”82

I don’t want to know. Vane struggled again but Miguel hadn’t loosened his grip at all, almost expected him to fight every step of the way.83

“I’m not going to tell you how you feel, only you can decide what you want for yourself.” His breath, warm and harsh from exertions, fanned out over Vane’s skin making little shivers scatter, raising goose bumps along the way. “But damn it, Vane. No one can kiss… no, no one could make love like that without meaning it.” He swallowed, still panting. “And you did, you know,” his voice dropped and he pressed a fleeting kiss to Vane’s neck, “you made love to me with your kisses.”84

Vane swallowed, clenching his eyes shut when Miguel pressed his nose into the sensitive hollow behind Vane’s ear.85

“And since I can’t tell you how you feel, I’ll tell you how I feel. It might not be what you want to hear but I need for you to hear it.” Miguel swallowed, was so close that Vane could hear him as he did. His lips traced over Vane’s ear, making Vane shudder, then whispered gently, quietly and tenderly, “Vane, I love you.”86

TBC