Ah. Things were falling into place. Coulson took another long look at the young cop. "I assume you're not just talking about skin color? Or gender?"
Babyface shook his head. "No, although those two are an issue as well. But this group is not… They're conservative, morally speaking."
He was trying to be so polite about it, and Coulson couldn't blame him. Of course the kid was careful. He was talking to two federal officers, and he had no idea where they stood on these matters. Unprofessional as it might be, Coulson had to give him something. "I wouldn't call that conservative, son. I think the word you're looking for is homophobic. Transphobic too, probably. Am I getting warm?"
The poor kid's face was red as a beet when he looked up and nodded. "Yes, sir. I heard they roughed up a trans woman, calling her a… Calling her names. And that's not the only incident."
"Unfortunately, law enforcement in general still has a long way to go when it comes to inclusivity. But maybe this will encourage you." He waited until Babyface met his eyes. "I'm an FBI agent and pretty high up on the ladder. I'm also bisexual, and my boyfriend is a Secret Service agent. So all I'm saying is progress is being made. Blazing that trail won't be easy, but the more of us who do it, the easier it will be for the next generations. So hang in there, okay?"
Babyface's mouth had dropped open at that little speech. "Really? I would never have… That's… Thank you. I love hearing that. I am… I guess you figured it out already, but I'm gay."
"I suspected as much. And I won't lie to you. Being queer is not easy in law enforcement, but you can do this."
"I'll try to see what I can find out about that theft. Is it… Is it for something important? Is it worth taking a risk for?"
Coulson nodded slowly. "Yes. And you can't talk about this to anyone. And I mean anyone." He pulled a card from his pocket and handed it to the young cop. "Here's my card. Call me if you have any information about this, anytime. Night or day."
"Thank you. I will. I'll do my best."
"Oh, I know you will," Milan said, and Coulson had to suppress a smile.
"That kid was the sweetest," he told Milan when they were back in the car.
Milan chuckled. "Young, gay, and eager to please. Exactly how I like them."
Coulson grinned. "I figured as much."
Milan's face grew serious. "No worries, I won't act on it. I know I can't."
Coulson's smile faded as well. "That can't be easy for you, having to hide something that's important to you."
"It's not. Being a Dom is a big part of who I am, and not being able to step into that role is making me itchy and frustrated. But I'd never do anything that could harm my sister or the president in any way. Right now, they have to come first, and everything else will have to wait."
30
Butterflies were having a party in Rhett's stomach as he closed the door of his room. Round two. And boy, was he ready for it. What would Calix do with him this time? He looked back on that night they'd spent together as…special. Magical. It had been so much more than he could've imagined.
"I'm leaving!" he called out to Levar and Henley, who were in Levar's room, probably enjoying some postsex cuddles, judging by the sounds he'd had to drown out earlier. Thank god for noise-canceling headphones.
"Wait!" Levar called out.
A chair scraped over the floor, a bang against the wall, then an "Ow!" from Henley.
The door opened, and Levar appeared, still putting on a pair of jeans, his chest bare. "You didn't need to interrupt your postcoitus bliss." Rhett grinned and pointed at a hickey on Levar's shoulder. At least Henley had been smart enough to do it in a place that wouldn't show up on camera.
"I wanted to catch you before you left."
Rhett checked his watch. "You have two minutes, so talk fast. I don't want to miss my train."
"I don't even need that long. I just wanted to say… Have fun. I hope you'll have a wonderful time."
"Oh." Where had that come from?
"Henley talked to me after last weekend, and…he made me see I did you wrong by not supporting you and basically questioning your ability to make your own decisions. I'm sorry, babe. I didn't mean to hurt you…"
"Thank you. That means a lot to me."
"And I mean it. I know you had a good time last weekend."
Rhett had shared some of his experiences, though no details. They still felt too intimate, too fragile to talk about. "I'm nervous but also stupidly excited. I think tonight may be the night…something I've been waiting for, for way too long."
Levar stepped close, then leaned in and kissed him softly on his lips. "I love you so much, and I hope you'll have a night you'll always remember."
The nerves bubbled up inside him. "I'm not making a mistake, am I?"
Levar shook his head. "No, babe. Calix will make this a positive experience for you."
His tone held an edge as if Levar implied more, but Rhett didn't have the time to figure it out. "Thank you. I need to go."
"Have fun. Enjoy. Be safe."
Rhett rolled his eyes at Levar, but he was still smiling when he was on the train. He'd brought a book, and the journey went quickly, bringing him to Calix's doorstep an hour later. Before he'd even rung the doorbell, Calix opened the door for him. His hair was messy, suggesting he'd maybe taken a nap, but his smile was broad and made Rhett's stomach flutter.
"Hi," Rhett said.
Calix pulled him inside, kissing him while kicking the door closed with his foot. Rhett's bag dropped from his shoulder, and his jacket slid magically from his arms. That mouth, oh god, that mouth. Hot and wet and so eager to claim his. He gave in to the need to let Calix take the lead, wrapping his arms around the man's neck and melting against him.
"Sorry, didn't mean to maul you the second you stepped inside," Calix whispered against his lips later. Much later.
His lips swollen and throbbing slightly, Rhett smiled at him. "I'll never complain about you kissing me."
"No?"
"I have little to compare it to, but I think you're pretty good at it, so…"
"So are you. I could kiss you all day."
Calix's brown eyes burned into his, and the air between them crackled. Rhett swallowed. What was happening?
Calix stiffened and stepped back. He dragged a hand through his hair, making it even messier. "Let me heat up dinner."
Calix disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Rhett standing in the hallway. Had he done something wrong? Said the wrong thing? From one moment to the next, Calix had closed himself off. Sighing, Rhett picked up his jacket from the floor. Had something reminded him of Matthew? He'd respect his privacy and not ask.
"What's for dinner?" he asked, joining Calix in the kitchen.
Calix was peering into the microwave and didn't look at him. "Pasta Alfredo. I got it from an Italian deli."
"I could've cooked for us."
"Nah, that's okay. You don't always have to go through all that trouble."