Somehow, the arrangement seems to clear up the bad blood between them. It’s like a fresh start, he thinks, if it weren’t for the fact that there are obvious benefits. Still, he almost can’t believe it—his proposition, when Austin had explained it, had been one night. He’d reacted on gut instinct, not willing to give up the bare scraps he’d found.

He’d be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy their night. Sure, they’d both been drunk and tired from a long work week, but that was no excuse for their enthusiasm. It hadn’t been that long since his last fling, and it shouldn’t have been groundbreaking—except it was. They’d both known exactly what to do; Austin had known what to say, and that bit of knowledge had shaken Leo to the core.

He’s still not sure how long they took, considering they weren’t particularly interested in checking their watches. All he knows is that he hasn’t felt that relaxed and sated in a long time. Maybe even since their relationship during school. He had been so excited when Austin invited him up, shaken to his core when Austin made the first move. It wasn’t what he was expecting. What he had hoped for, sure, but he wasn’t under any illusions about Austin’s reservations.

To have that hope crushed after one night had been hard. He’d taken the bus home, zoning out, trying Austin’s phone a second time, thinking maybe the man just wasn’t awake yet. The short driving he received in answer made him tense in his seat. He had bit his tongue, shooting back a request to call later, mind already racing with possibilities. Did Austin regret it? Had he been too tired and drunk to remember? Was he maybe just busy, occupied with a prior commitment he didn’t have time to tell Leo about?

He had thrown himself into his room when he got home, fully aware he was moping, barely taking the time to fish his underwear out of his jeans pocket and throw them in a hamper. He had tried to play a game on his phone, telling himself he was being pessimistic for no reason, but all that had done was make him depressed.

As soon as Austin had explained, in as many words, it was one night, he had panicked. He’d shut down. All he knew was that he finally had something good and he wanted to pursue it, hoping he hadn’t just shoved the man away again. He’d proposed something wild, sure that Austin wouldn’t accept—after all, the man barely wanted to be friends, why would he want to be friends with benefits?

But he did, and Leo was floored by the acceptance. He lay on his sheets afterwards, wondering what would happen at work on Monday. He feels like he’s finally on solid ground.

***

HE’S NOT SURE WHAT to expect. It’s Monday, and the second week of their team-ups. They have one week after this one of working together and then the entire group will re-form, finishing up the last few touches before the editing and polishing phase. He knows that he’ll have at least four more weeks in the studio before he’s no longer needed every day. Four weeks is a long time to spend having an office affair, he thinks, even if it’s not technically a romantic one.

When he gets in, the office is already open. Katie is at the front desk, going about her opening business, and Rowan is making tea in the lounge. Leo is thumbing through his script, pencil and highlighter in hand, thinking about how to score the pages. He’s walking with his nose stuck in the papers when he bumps into someone, off-balance and tipping back on his feet.

“Oh, sorry—” he starts, looking up, embarrassed. It’s Austin.

“No worries,” the man smiles easily, courteous as he walks around Leo and into the lounge.

It’s kind of anticlimactic. Leo almost expects some sort of whispered confession—a threat to keep things professional even, or a promise to talk later. Instead, it’s like nothing has happened.

Except that’s not quite true. He did notice the way Austin is wearing a high-collared shirt, scarf still strung around his neck even though the office is warmer than the late fall weather outside. He’s hiding his marks, Leo thinks, a small ball of pleasure forming in the pit of his stomach. It makes him secretly pleased to know he’s responsible for them.

He moves on, settling in one of the team rooms, practicing his lines in solitude. He’s no longer worried about his relationship with Austin; he knows where they stand now. It’s easy to stay away, secure in the knowledge that their understanding will remain. He feels like he can relax at work, move around in his own circles without having to constantly try to prove himself.

He’s recording himself as he reads through, trying out a different inflection, when someone knocks on the door.

“Come in.”

“Hey. Why are you hiding?” Lina asks, amused.

“I’m not. I’m practicing,” Leo explains, waving his script. Lina looks at him suspiciously, taking a seat nearby.

“Did you get home all right on Saturday?”

“’Course,” Leo says quickly. Maybe a little too quickly. He can see the gears turning in Lina’s head, and he clears his throat, trying to think of a way to distract her. “What about you? Good weekend?”

“Fine. Austin’s in already.”

“I know.” Crap. Too much information? “I saw him when I got in.”

“Are you avoiding someone?”

“No, of course not. I’m just practicing, Lina,” Leo says, raising an eyebrow.

“If you have a problem, you can always tell me. Or Katie. We take arguments pretty seriously—it’s important to us to have a good atmosphere.”

“I know,” Leo says, smiling, “and I don’t have a problem. Everything’s perfect.”

More than perfect now. Lina still waits a minute, as if she thinks he’s going to break down and tell her something, but he just waits patiently. She finally gives in, sighing, collecting herself from the chair and rising to leave.

“Okay. Well, don’t be a stranger. You’re always welcome in the project room.”

“I know. Thank you,” he calls after her, waving his script.

He gets the distinct feeling she knows more than he’s letting on. He just hopes no one else can tell just how close he and Austin actually are.

“Not helpful,” he mutters to himself, flushing and crossing his legs. “Stop thinking about him.”

Somehow, knowing that he can call Austin at any given moment—regardless of whether the man is actually free—gives him a small thrill. His mind wanders, replaying little moments and touches from the night as if it’s a greatest hits reel.

I bet you’d like to be recorded, wouldn’t you?

He groans, letting his head hit the table, feeling the soreness radiate from the spot. Don’t think about him, he repeats, the mantra cycling through his mind. Yet somehow, all the images his brain conjures are of Austin leaning over him. Austin smirking, pulling at his briefs, tapping his hips as if he wants to play music with his bones.

“This is frustrating,” he mutters, palms pressed to the tabletop. Sure, we’re on better footing. I keep telling myself that, but then I get a second to think and I doubt myself. Can I honestly just be casual?

“What?”

His head jerks up so quickly he feels it twinge in his neck. He winces, rubbing the spot, heart skipping and pounding painfully. Austin is somehow managing to look completely normal, a pen stuck behind his ear and poking out from a black curl.

“Nothing. What—um, what’s up?”

“Our slot,” Austin smiles quickly, tapping his tablet. “Are you ready?”

No. Definitely not, Leo thinks, pulling himself closer to the table to hide his lap under it. He’s having a hard time concentrating. He is so very hopelessly distracted.

“Sure. Where are we starting?”

“You had a rewrite, yes? We can go through those, just so I can take notes on how to adjust the visual.”

“Okay. I’ll start,” Leo says, glad to have some sort of work to put his mind to.

Professional, he reminds himself. It’s part of their arrangement. Professional at work. He can do that. It should be simple now that he knows he can look forward to Austin; he’s patient, and he knows he can wait if he’s got a guaranteed reward. Yet there’s always something tiny that happens during the day and derails his entire comfortable train of thought.

They get through the script without incident, and Leo feels proud of himself. Not that his...attraction...has simply disappeared. He still feels it like static on his skin, the invitation hovering there and waiting for acceptance.

“You know who I met the other day?” Leo asks, suddenly remembering, in between sips of water during a break. Austin raises his brows, smirking.

“Shouldn’t you be quiet during breaks?”

“I’m not recording today,” Leo snorts. “Sorry. Tough break for you. I ran into James.”

“James...”

“He was in a club with you in college.”

“I was in several,” Austin laughs, resting his chin on his hand. His eyes are bright, the blue electric in the dim room. Leo has to take a bigger sip of water before he continues.

“Um, so, he was the one that used to wait outside for his friend. A—”

“Alan,” Austin realizes, awe and excitement filling his face. “I ran into him the other day!”

“You’re kidding.”

“No, I did. He told me they finally got together!”

“About time, right?”

“Definitely,” Austin laughs, “I remember how Alan used to hang onto his arm, and James always tolerated it, even held it out to let Alan grab on!”

“Right? Plus, they just worked. I mean, James is so stoic and Alan, well, he was always animated when I saw him.”

“They really are perfect,” Austin smiles.

“I’d like to hang out with them both again,” Leo muses, thinking we could go on a double date, but then he realizes the fallacy. We’re not really dating. He bites back the comment, feeling his joy drop a little.

Austin doesn’t seem to notice his change in mood. He’s looking down at his tablet. Leo worries at his bottom lip, considering, but decides not to say anything. He can figure out what the rules are after work. He’s not about to be the one that drags their arrangement into the light of day.

“Well, I’m glad we ran into them. Alan was a good friend. I always regretted not getting to know him better.”

“That is good, then. We get a second chance.”

That strikes home. They both draw back a little, nervous and unsure. He can tell the tentative chemistry they have is evaporating—not quite gone, just less than before. He’s so afraid of it, Leo thinks, noticing Austin straighten in his chair and force some of his excitement away.

He knows it’s partially his fault. He made a stupid mistake. Still, it’s been nearly five years and they’ve lived so much more of their lives apart than they did together. He thinks he’s made a good case for getting a second chance. Either out of stubbornness or fear, though, Austin isn’t about to take a second chance. Their night after the bar proved that.

Not that he’s going to turn down a casual relationship with Austin. He’s definitely attracted to the man.

“Sure,” Austin finally says, quiet as if he’s contemplating something, “a second chance.”

They finish their session after another hour and Leo follows Austin back to the project room, a little less worried than he was before. The others are milling around, apparently in the middle of a break.

“Leo! How are you?” He doesn’t know the man. Josh, he reminds himself, surprised that he remembers him after his introduction on Saturday night.

“Good. How’s it going in here?”

“Great. Great. Hey, are you busy this weekend?”

Well, that was...subtle, Leo thinks, proud that his poker face doesn’t slip. He is acutely aware that everyone in the room is paying attention, even if they’re pretending to work or talk.

He is especially aware that Austin is in the room. We didn’t say anything about outside relationships, he thinks. Austin is probably having the same thought, by his estimation. He could technically say yes. In fact, it would probably help things, proving that he is completely fine with their status being just what it is—friends with benefits.

Except he knows all too well how reluctant Austin is to enter any sort of relationship. He knows that even if the man isn’t letting on or even realizes his own feelings, he probably is investing more than he says in their relationship. Saying yes to anyone else could break whatever they have beyond repair, finally proving that Leo can’t be trusted.

“Yeah, sorry. Doing some cleaning around the apartment and checking out other places,” Leo says, smiling. It’s the truth but it’s also a careful misdirection. A gentle letdown. He could clean anytime; he’s using it as an easy way for the both of them to back out.

“Oh, that sucks,” Josh says, looking no worse for wear. Somehow, he seems to take it in stride, as if he expected it. “Hey, my brother lives in a place by Gold Plaza; I can give you a contact there for a referral.”

“That would be great,” Leo says, relieved that it ended well. The atmosphere in the room seems to dial back, interest lost in the exchange.

He glances at Austin as Josh writes down the information, curious. Austin isn’t paying attention, but he seems to feel the scrutiny, looking up from his computer. He doesn’t shy away from the eye contact, a small smile crossing over his lips before he turns back to his work.

Leo feels his heart practically soar out of his throat. He has to rub a hand over his mouth to try and squash the stupid grin threatening to take over. He knows he shouldn’t be so pleased by their friendly interactions now but somehow, he is. It’s like his greatest failure has been patched up, the leak repaired, not quite the same but perfectly functional.

He spends the rest of the work day in a fog, good mood lifting him above everything else. It’s like there are no problems in his life anymore; Austin has forgiven him, even if he doesn’t realize it yet, and they’re working towards something better. Something lasting. It’s honestly the best Monday he’s ever had.

***

“ARE YOU GOING OUT FOR lunch?” Katie asks, half distracted by her computer.

“I don’t think that would work. I don’t drive,” Leo explains, watching her efficiently sort through emails.

As he talks, Rowan passes by with Austin. They’re both carrying coffee in hand, looking tired but accomplished. Taking a break, he thinks, which is good for them.

“I really wanted sushi for lunch,” Katie mutters, clearly disappointed. “Can’t leave, though—our client’s bombarding us.”

“I can drive,” Austin offers, stopping by her desk. “I need a break, and I’m ahead on work.”

“You’re always ahead,” Rowan murmurs, sipping his coffee. He pauses, considering. “You should take Leo, though. I’m sure the entire office will give you orders if you let them know where you’re going.”

“Sure,” Austin says, eyes flicking to Leo before quickly darting away.

It feels impossibly good that Austin is no longer avoiding Leo. His glances aren’t distraught or displeased any longer; instead, they’re nervous and excited. Austin avoids his eyes because he doesn’t want to stare too long; not because he can’t stand to look at him. Leo grins, rocking back on his heels.

“Sure. I can help carry things,” he offers, as innocent as he can possibly sound.

"Great,” Austin says, clearly distracted as he fumbles for something to say, “Um—I’ll just—let me grab my wallet—”

“I’ll see if anyone else wants something,” Leo says easily, winking at Katie, and then he leaves to check the project room.

He’d be lying if he didn’t say he’s excited. It’s silly—just a daytime trip, the two of them running off to buy lunch. Somehow, though, it makes him happy. Nervous. It’s one of the first times since Austin slipped that they’ll be alone together. Not that I’m expecting a grand gesture, Leo thinks, I’m just curious to see what happens.

As soon as he has orders written down—Don’t forget the chopsticks, one of the animators tells him—he joins Austin outside. His car is already started and pulled up to the back door, waiting for Leo to climb in.

“Let me guess—everyone wanted something,” Austin smiles, watching Leo maneuver the seatbelt over his jacket.

“It’s like they haven’t eaten in years,” Leo laughs, shaking his head. “I hope it doesn’t take too long for them to get the order together.”

“It won’t,” Austin says, smiling. “They’re usually pretty quick.”

Leo takes the time to watch Austin as they drive, pondering the other man from the side. Cheekbones, dark eyelashes, the smooth slope of his nose. He’s beautiful, Leo thinks. He remembers saying so one day in college, proud of his description, but Austin hadn’t reacted the way he thought he would. I’m not beautiful, he had said, how can I be beautiful? I’m just a clumsy, average man. Leo had made it his purpose to dismantle Austin’s image of himself, working brick by brick, doing everything he could to change it. At the beginning, it had worked—he’d managed to affect a small revelation—pushing Austin towards second-guessing himself less. But they’d ended too soon, and all of his work had fallen into disrepair, apparently knocked down by Austin in the meantime.

He hopes he gets the chance to work at it again.

“You know, I’m glad you grew your hair out,” Leo says. “I knew it would look good.”

“So you told me, over and over again,” Austin laughs, the sound carefree and relaxed. “In my defense, I just didn’t know how to do it properly.”

“It would have looked good no matter how you cut it,” Leo says, “and regardless of whether you actually styled it. Hell, you could probably roll out of bed and it would look fantastic.”

“Thanks,” Austin laughs, shaking his head. He’s flushed the tiniest bit, rose red dusting his cheeks. It looks soft and wonderful.

Leo is torn between the desire to touch and the knowledge that they are technically very much in ‘work hours.’ Do I risk it? He wants to. He likes the way Austin is smiling, bright and relaxed in the driver’s seat.

His body seems to make the decision for him, and he reaches for Austin’s face, carefully brushing fingers across his cheek. It feels hot to the touch. Austin inhales sharply—he doesn’t draw away or shut down, though; instead, his eyelids flutter and he leans into the touch.

“This isn’t safe,” Austin mutters, turning the car too early, and Leo blinks as they pull into a nearly-empty parking garage. Austin drives all the way to the back, parking in a corner, and then he’s unlocking his seatbelt.

Okay, Leo thinks, shocked but pleased. It’s not what he expected, and he certainly didn’t plan for it to happen, but he’s not angry. His fingers push his own seatbelt away as he climbs over the center console, laughing and hitting things as he goes, leaning into Austin as he moves.

How can kissing someone feel so good? It’s almost too simple and ridiculous, the way he starts to lose thought and concentration when Austin’s mouth is pressed against his. He can taste coffee and brown sugar, the bittersweet concoction sticky on his tongue.

He doesn’t really care that his hair is almost brushing the roof of the car. There’s no space and the air is rapidly heating up, too tiny for the both of them. Nothing could matter less—not when Austin’s hands are slipping into the tight sleeves of his back pockets, stretching the jeans over Leo’s skin. He feels like his pants are going to rip and he imagines what it would be like, getting back to the office and making up some useless excuse for why they’re destroyed.

He starts pulling at Austin’s pants, hands easily slipping between their bodies, thinking ahead. Before he gets too far, though, Austin’s hands tap against his chest, cautioning.

“What?” Leo asks, waiting.

“I don’t—um, I don’t have extra underwear,” Austin laughs, both amused and frustrated.

“Well. I don’t need any since I’m wearing jeans,” Leo murmurs. “You can wear mine.”

That lights a fire somewhere inside of Austin. The man almost shoves him upwards, tearing at his clothes to get them off as fast as possible. Leo laughs, throwing their clothes into the backseat, sure that Austin has cleaned well enough that it doesn’t matter where they fall.

“This is a bad idea,” Austin breathes between kisses, even though his hands are still gripping Leo close. “Someone could see us.”

“Probably still wouldn’t be the worst thing they’ve seen around here,” Leo says, unconcerned, lowering his body. He’s straddling Austin carefully, legs already sore from the insufficient space.

When he settles, flush against Austin and heated, the other man’s head hits the headrest so hard the car rocks minutely. Leo laughs, stuttering on the sound because he’s just as sensitive.

“Do you have anything in here?” he asks, hand working between them to pull at Austin. Leo feels heavy and wet and Austin hisses, blinking at the roof of the car as if the answer is written there.

“It’s—hard to answer, when you’re doing that,” Austin manages, choked.

“You can talk,” Leo replies simply, hips twitching with the need to move. “So?”

“Glove box, if anything,” Austin says, breathing heavily.

“How appropriate.”

“Bad joke,” Austin breathes. He clearly doesn’t care that much, though, more interested in what Leo’s doing.

Leo pulls back for a moment to check the glove box, trying to keep his body away from the rest of the car. He smiles to himself, imagining Austin cleaning the vehicle with an embarrassed expression at a car wash.

He finds what he’s looking for. The bottle is tiny and probably unused but it works for his purposes.

“I can’t believe you keep this stuff in your car,” Leo smirks, waving it in Austin’s face. “What were you planning on doing?”

“Better safe than sorry,” Austin reminds him, squeezing his eyes shut for a second when Leo sits back over his legs. “If I meet someone, I don’t like leaving things up to chance.”

“Fair enough,” Leo says, flinching when the substance is cold in his hand. Even when it was in the car? Seriously? He leans against Austin, levering his weight as he reaches his hand around his body.

“Are you sure you want to—”

“Yes.”

“Kind of fast,” Austin mutters, making only a cursory attempt to caution him. “You think they won’t notice when we get back?”

“I hope they do,” Leo says lowly, leaning up to speak in Austin’s ear. The man pauses, hand pressing on Leo’s lower back, and then he pulls him in by the hair.

There’s nothing more intimate, Leo thinks, than sex in small spaces. Every sound is magnified, bodies crammed against each other, the air heavy with the scent of their bodies. Everything seems so much closer. Not comfortable, he thinks, but it definitely bears repeating. He lowers himself onto Austin without a second thought, fully prepared for the burn it gives him. He hisses, instinctively gripping Austin’s shoulders tightly. He is unwilling to slow down, though—they literally don’t have time, and he’s also too keyed up to consider taking it easy. He wants a pain he can feel for the rest of the night, lingering when he lays on his bed and thinks of it.

The first time he pulls himself back up, he bumps his head on the roof of the car. Austin laughs a little and Leo growls, slamming his body back down just to hear the laughs curl into a groan. Austin’s blue eyes are clouded when he opens them, unfocused as they take Leo in. The car rocks around them and Leo smiles, moving faster, working through the dull pain lingering at the back of his mind.

“Someone’s walking by,” Austin warns him, barely coherent, eyes darting to the sidewalk. Leo knows better than to listen—the sidewalk is more than twenty feet away, and they’re parked in a dark corner. Still, he decides to take the opportunity.

“Really? I wonder if they’ll come investigate,” he says, rocking faster. Every movement chafes despite their sweat-slick bodies; he feels oversensitive and tender. Austin stares at him, gaze locked on him.

Leo purposely makes every moan louder, crying out as if he wants to scream. He pulls himself further every time, just up to the point that he’s threatening to lift off Austin, dropping with enough force to bruise. He wants it to be messy and rough, chasing the elusive high in as little time as possible.

Austin seems to appreciate his work—his nails carve a patchwork on Leo’s back, twinging stripes raising with every touch. Leo barely notices it happening, too invested in moving as much as he possibly can. He knows his energy will burn out as quickly as it’s bursting forth, the racecar pace they’re going at collapsing under its own weight. He doesn’t need to go on longer, though; that’s not what they’re trying to do. It’s not a test of endurance; it’s a test to see how fast and high they can get in one shot.

Somehow, with Leo’s body bent at an awkward angle and the car rocking dangerously, Austin manages to pull himself up far enough to bite Leo’s neck. He gasps at the contact, spurred on by the action as much as he can be with the little energy he has left.

Come on. Closer, he thinks, nothing left in his mind but the blind determination to push them both to the end. He adjusts himself, pulling Austin’s hand towards his body. The man doesn’t have to be instructed—he knows what to do already, making Leo sigh in pleasure when his hand circles around him perfectly. Good, he thinks, thoughts and words tangling in his head in a messy web. It’s not until Austin’s other hand curls over his neck that he realizes he’s talking.

“There—yes, there, faster—” word a single breath, gasped out in the midst of his movements.

By the end of it, Austin is pushing up as much as Leo is pulling himself down, bodies meeting each other in desperate heat. Austin gives in first, energy and need spent in a brilliant moment. He’s still breathing heavily as Leo chases him into blindness, moving as fast as he can until Austin’s hand curled tightly against him draws everything out of him as much as the feeling of being full does.

“I don’t even want to get back into my clothes like this,” Austin says, voice rough.

“You have wipes,” Leo points out, jerking his head towards the glove box. “You’ll be fine. Anyway, we only have a few hours left at work.”

“Do you regularly do this?” Austin asks, half amused and half disbelieving. Leo bites back his smile, pulling his hand through his hair to push it from his face.

“No. Just enough to know it’s good.”

“I guess so,” Austin agrees, eyes closed as he relaxes into his seat.

Leo watches him for a moment, pondering. We could probably be great, he thinks. We’ll run through everything we could possibly do in short time. Although I get the feeling that Austin won’t be vulnerable around me for a while.

“Come on,” Leo finally says, pulling himself back over the center console. “We still need to get lunch.”

“Shit.”

“It’s fine. I placed the order over the phone before we left. Should be about ready now.”

Austin turns to look at him, suspicious and glaring. It’s surprisingly not hostile, though. More...disgruntled.

“Did you plan this?”

“’Course not,” Leo snorts. “I just thought we’d end up making out in the parking lot for a while. What kind of crazy person plans to have sex in a parking garage?”

“You would,” Austin raises his eyebrows. He catches the wipes Leo throws at him, rolling his eyes.

“Hurry up,” Leo says. “Or we’ll be late.”

“It’ll be your fault,” Austin points out, cleaning up.

“You didn’t stop me,” Leo smiles. Thank goodness.