Azrael had never considered himself the sort to go on dates. Dates were for people who came from a good past, had a good grasp of how relationships worked, and generally cared for that sort of thing. The closest thing he’d had to a date in the past had been getting a few drinks at the local bar with someone. That wasn’t so much a date as it was Azrael trying to convince the person he was with to take their clothes off for him.

He’d thought Jacob had been kidding about their first real kiss and conversation having been a date. The next night he met with Jacob, however, he learned that the man had been dead serious. Upon arriving on the corner where Jacob had told him to meet him, he found himself standing near a movie theater. When Jacob arrived a few minutes later, apologizing profusely for being late, he led Azrael into the theater. They ended up watching a late-night double feature, though Azrael couldn’t remember too much about the movies afterwards. He’d been too distracted by trying to watch Jacob’s face in the flickering light of the screen without getting caught.

The next night had almost involved going to a restaurant, but Azrael had steered him away from that. What happened instead was a walk around the block and into an art show. Art wasn’t normally something Azrael had any interest in, but he was surprised when he saw how much attention Jacob was paying to each piece he came across. While he still had no interest in the art world after the show, he’d still enjoyed himself. It had been fascinating to watch how intrigued Jacob had been and to hear his opinions on each display.

It was only the third night, when Jacob dragged him out to the outskirts of town for a nighttime game of paintball, that Azrael realized he was being courted. The idea would ordinarily have made him laugh, since he considered himself about as romantic as a dull stone. Yet he found himself being charmed by Jacob’s insistence on treating him to various events, if only to find out what stuck. It was also a good excuse for the two of them to do something together, whether it was watching movies, or rolling around in the dirt and sand to avoid balls of paint flying at their face.

Azrael had done his best to make sure he didn’t allow his inhuman speed or reflexes to show during the paintball game. It had been awkward at first, since he was used to either moving with vampiric speed, or only at the languid speed of mortals. After the first round, he found himself getting into the flow of things, enjoying himself rather than trying to make sure he didn’t move just a little too fast. It helped his nerves that he allowed himself to cheat when Jacob wasn’t looking.

Pleased with himself, he grinned from his place in the passenger seat of Jacob’s truck. “That’s so much more fun when it’s not real bullets.”

Jacob rolled his eyes. “I’m so glad I can show you a good time without risking your life.”

They were both covered in paint, sitting on beach towels so as to not stain the truck. They had played a few rounds, half of which had been against each other, and the other half as part of the same team. The rounds where they’d been against each other had been brutal, with both men eager to peg one another with paintballs rather than the rest of the enemy team. The protective gear had taken the worst of the beating, but they were still smeared and spattered all over with multicolored paint.

Azrael chuckled. “Is that you admitting you’ve been trying to take me on dates then?”

“Trying? I thought I was taking you on dates,” Jacob grumbled.

“You do realize I’ve never been on a date before, right?” Azrael asked.

Jacob raised a brow. “Seriously? Not even one?”

“Not one. I’m not exactly the type that inspires people to try to wine and dine me,” Azrael said.

“Well, maybe I should try that next then,” Jacob replied.

Azrael didn’t even want to try faking both drinking and eating around Jacob. “You don’t have to do anything fancy to spend time with me Jacob. The past few nights were the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”

“Not missing your parties?” Jacob asked.

Azrael snorted. “I’ve been to some fancy parties and I’ve been to some not so fancy parties. You wouldn’t be able to hear yourself think at the not so fancy parties, let alone talk to me. And the fancy ones are just a bunch of rich people getting together to feel good about how rich they are. I’d rather talk to you, and I don’t want to put you to sleep.”

Jacob reached across the cab of the truck to take Azrael’s hand in his. “So, does that mean I’ve done good?”

“You know, the last person who asked something like that when they treated me to something just wanted to know if they were getting some action,” Azrael told him with a snicker.

Jacob rolled his eyes. “If I wanted to get laid, I would have just taken you to a bar and got you drunk.”

Azrael squeezed his fingers. “I’ve had a great time with you so far, okay? No one has ever tried to take me out on a date before. And hey, it’s a lot more than we ever did as kids together, right? Hell, that was more than I’ve ever done before.”

“Not an art show person, huh?” Jacob asked.

“Never been to one before I went with you, at least not sober. And I’ve never been to a paintball game before either, so you’ve got firsties on that too,” Azrael told him.

“And here I thought paintball would have been right up your alley. I was a little worried about the art thing, since you didn’t seem all that interested,” Jacob said with a frown.

Azrael shrugged. “It’s not my thing, but it was obviously your thing. I enjoyed it because you were fun to watch.”

“Like you were watching me at the movies?” Jacob asked with a smile.

“You noticed that, huh?” Azrael asked as his cheeks flushed.

Jacob hummed. “I did, but I was too polite to say anything.”

“But suddenly you’re not that polite?” Azrael asked.

“Well, I was going to offer you a chance to make up for it by coming to my place tonight and watching a movie on my couch,” Jacob said lightly.

Azrael glanced at him. “And am I supposed to pay attention to the movie?”

Jacob grinned. “I leave that up to you.”

Azrael laughed. “Well, aren’t you the perfect gentleman?”

When they stopped at a light, Jacob looked at Azrael with a frown. “All joking aside, I mean it. I’m not expecting anything out of you.”

Azrael smiled at him, “Jacob, that’s sweet, and I mean that without making fun of you, really. But if we go back to your place, where I’ve got you all to myself, I can’t promise I’m going to behave. I’ve spent the past few nights with you, getting to know you all over again, and loving every minute of it. If you’re offering the chance for me to get to know you in an entirely different way, I’m going to say yes without hesitation. Not because I’m horny, not because you’re some dude I want to screw, but because it’s you. Stop worrying so much, you could never offend me.”

“That both made me feel better and turned me on a little bit, is that weird?” Jacob asked.

Azrael shook his head. “Nah, I think that’s about what I was aiming for. If not, it’s close enough to make me happy.”

They drove in comfortable silence after that, their fingers twined together. Azrael barely gave a thought to what Alexandre expected of him as they pulled up in front of a modest apartment building. Jacob had moved not only apartments, but up an income bracket. The apartment building was far better maintained than the first one he’d been holed up in, and in a much better neighborhood. It was the sort of place Azrael wouldn’t have looked at twice as he passed, and he would have been less wary if he’d been walking through the neighborhood at night as a human.

He followed Jacob up a couple flights of stairs to the apartment he was staying in. The door swung open to reveal a furnished living room with a connected dining room, and an open doorway that led into a kitchen. There was a hallway to the left that Azrael imagined led to the bathroom and the bedroom. There was a light jacket thrown over one of the dining room chairs, and a few pieces of art on the wall. He smiled when he spotted a familiar book on the table next to the couch.

Azrael picked the book up, showing it to Jacob. “Didn’t take you for the romance book type.”

Jacob snatched it back, looking a little embarrassed. “We all have our guilty pleasures.”

“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, after all you’ve been taking me on actual dates,” Azrael said with a chuckle.

Jacob snagged Azrael by the wrist and pulled him in close. “I’ve been taking you on dates because I like watching you smile. You’ve always looked your best when you laugh.”

Azrael shifted against him. “You certainly know how to be charming.”

Jacob bent his head, kissing Azrael’s lips gently. “You bring it out of me.”

The words made him smile into the follow up kiss, warming the center of his gut. In just the last few days, he’d been happier than he’d thought possible. Just spending time around Jacob again had brought a measure of joy to Azrael’s life that he’d once thought lost. Jacob had been the perfect companion through everything, and Azrael hadn’t missed the stares the two of them had received. If it wasn’t his hair or height commanding attention, Jacob’s strong features and striking eyes tended to draw appreciation. He hadn’t missed the approving glances, or downright stares, that were aimed at Jacob as the two of them spent time together. It had produced an odd mixture of pride that Jacob was only there for him and jealousy of anyone who looked at Jacob.

“Someone just had a really interesting thought go through their head,” Jacob murmured.

Azrael scoffed. “You don’t know that.”

“I do now,” Jacob said.

Azrael rolled his eyes. “That’s the oldest trick in the book.”

“And you still fell for it,” Jacob pointed out.

Azrael reached up, running his fingers over the drying paint on Jacob’s forehead. “I hope you’re not too attached to the upholstery on that couch of yours.”

Jacob looked down at himself, and then over at Azrael. “I guess we’re pretty messy still, huh?”

Azrael could sense the suggestion lurking in Jacob’s mind, and decided to take mercy on him. “Maybe we should take a shower?”

Despite his reluctance to push anything on Azrael, Jacob didn’t hesitate when the offer came his way. He nodded, taking Azrael by the hand and leading him down the hallway into the bathroom. The room was clean, featuring a white floor and walls, with light blue accents along the tiles. There was a tub in one corner, with a shower curtain adorned with cartoon wolves prancing and frolicking all over its surface.

Azrael stared at the curtain, snorting, as Jacob busied himself with getting the water running. “Cute.”

Jacob looked at him, testing the water, then at the curtain. “What, don’t like it?”

There was no way he would admit his true thoughts. “I said it was cute. It, uh, fits you.”

“I’m allowed to like cute things,” Jacob told him.

Azrael nodded. “Yes, yes you are.”

Once the water began streaming from the showerhead, Jacob turned to him. “Planning on getting in with your clothes on?”

It was said playfully, but Azrael could hear the dare that lay beneath it. Hooking his fingers under the hem of his shirt, he pulled it up and over his head. Watching Jacob’s eyes, he tossed the shirt away, using his feet to pull off his shoes. One good thing about the kind of living he’d made as a human was that it had kept him in good shape. His vampiric state had preserved his body in the same state, and he had yet to gain the paleness that would inevitably come with age. He had no shame in pulling off first his jeans, then his underwear and socks, with Jacob watching eagerly.

It was an unusual experience, undressing in front of the man who’d once been his best friend watching him with interest. It left him a little nervous, but it had done nothing to curb his excitement. His arousal stuck out before him as he motioned to Jacob to do the same. The larger man shook himself, hurriedly undressing. Azrael smiled as he watched Jacob pull his clothes off with an eagerness that was barely contained.

Azrael’s brow rose slightly in appreciation when Jacob was finally done, drawing up to his full height. He was pretty sure there wasn’t an ounce of fat on Jacob, at least not visible to the naked eye. His sun-kissed skin had a healthy layer of coppery red hair, leading from his chest directly down to his groin. Azrael would have made a comment about drapes and carpet, but his eyes fixated on the hard cock standing at attention from Jacob’s body.

Without a word, Azrael stepped forward and eagerly pressed himself into Jacob for a kiss. The two of them fumbled into the spray of the water, barely managing to close the curtain behind them. Azrael couldn’t help but push Jacob against the wall, his hands running over Jacob’s naked body. His fingers traced the lines of muscle as Jacob’s tongue slipped into his mouth just as eagerly. He ground against him, rubbing their cocks together, eliciting a shiver of pleasure.

“Not going to get much bathing done like this,” Jacob commented.

Azrael grunted in agreement as he reached between them, wrapping his fingers around both of their cocks. The water ran between his fingers as he pumped slowly, letting the tips of his fingers explore the full length of Jacob’s cock. Jacob’s breath was harsh in his ear as both of them watched Azrael jerking their cocks simultaneously.

“After,” Azrael said hoarsely.

He supposed there should have been some sort of foreplay, or at least some sort of lead up to the moment. He would have almost apologized for being so hasty, but he could feel the need vibrating in Jacob just as much as it was in himself. They’d both enjoyed their time together, they had their innocent dates and learned that they loved being around one another. It had all taken a sharp turn into overwhelming need the moment their clothes had come off. Azrael had wondered if perhaps there would be fumbling or awkwardness once they were naked, but now he found that all he wanted was to feel Jacob’s body as he came.

Azrael began to lower himself slowly, giving Jacob time to stop him. When he glanced up, he saw nothing but desire in the man’s gaze. Jacob had wanted to treat Azrael to a few genuine dates, to wine and dine him with the courtship he thought Azrael deserved. That in itself would have been enough for Azrael. What sealed the deal for him was the fact that beneath all that romance and sweetness, Jacob wanted something physical just as much as Azrael did.

Running his tongue along the length of Jacob’s cock, he kept his gaze locked on the man’s face. Jacob’s eyes narrowed to slits as Azrael’s tongue circled around the weeping head. Azrael gave a happy hum as he wrapped his mouth around the tip and began to slide forward. Maybe he wasn’t giving any build-up but just wanted to feel Jacob cum, so be it. Azrael needed the rawness of lust and release to complete the past few days. He knew he’d end up cuddled up on the couch with Jacob later, both of them as happy with that closeness as they would be in a few moments, and as they had been on their dates.

A rumble came from deep within Jacob’s chest as his cock slid into Azrael’s throat. Strong fingers dug into Azrael’s hair. Jacob didn’t push Azrael down, but Azrael could feel the temptation in Jacob’s twitching fingers. He slid his mouth back, making sure to move his tongue along the blunt head with a teasing swipe before diving forward once again. Jacob’s cock was more than enough to fill his throat as he went as deep as he could, letting his muscles squeeze and work before drawing back again.

With his free hand he reached between his legs and began to stroke his own cock, keeping the movements slow, not wanting to get off before Jacob did. He could taste Jacob on his tongue each time he slid forward, Jacob’s fingers ever so slowly increasing their grip on Azrael’s hair. Azrael worked his way into a steady rhythm, never taking his eyes off Jacob’s face.

Jacob never took his gaze away from Azrael, watching every moment. His lips were parted as he panted in pleasure. The muscles of his stomach flexed, seeming to tighten with each move of Azrael’s mouth. He was now barely standing, leaning heavily against the wall.

Azrael didn’t need Jacob’s hoarse warning to know the man was about to come. Jacob’s cock swelled in his mouth, beginning to pulse. Jacob let out a low noise, his hips losing their fight to remain still with a push forward. Jacob poured down Azrael’s throat, moaning as he unloaded. Azrael didn’t move, letting Jacob have a moment of pure pleasure as the taste of him splashed over his tongue.

To Azrael’s surprise, Jacob had barely finished his orgasm before he was picking Azrael up off his knees. Azrael grunted when he was shoved against the wall, the hand around his cock knocked away. It was followed by a whimper when he watched Jacob drop to his knees before him and take him into his mouth without hesitation. Pleasure poured out from his groin, his orgasm rushing to meet him. He’d already been so close, the experience of feeling Jacob in his mouth and then the man coming bringing him to the edge.

Azrael threw his head back when he came, giving a shout that was far less reserved than Jacob’s. He could feel the strength leaving his body even as the ecstasy filled him. His legs shook as Jacob swallowed him down, giving his own eager moan. For a moment, everything was gone from Azrael’s mind but the pleasure of Jacob’s mouth and throat, and the ecstasy of his orgasm.

When he recovered, he found he was held up by both the shower wall behind him and Jacob’s arms around him. Both of them were heaving for breath, but he knew Jacob’s flushed cheeks and grin were mirrored on his own face. They bowed their heads together, nuzzling each other as they tried to regain their strength.

“So, about that movie,” Jacob finally managed, earning a laugh from Azrael.

“I think laying down would be a good idea,” Azrael said with a smile.