An Unlikely Reunion(18+)(Private)

[Sathenus]

 

Name: Vince Silverman

Age: 32

Appearance: - his body is toned but in no way built

Personality: Vince is loyal, but after spending ten years in prison finds it hard to connect to others and because of this can be quiet and withdrawn. When he is around someone he is comfortable with he is talkative, and outgoing.

Background:

When Vince was 16 he got sucked into the world of drug trafficking, and for awhile made a good life of himself doing so despite spending it more of a thug and having to watch his back all of the time. Unfortunately that only seemed to last for a little while, at 20 he was arrested on a bust and ended up going down being given a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. Nothing could have prepared him for exactly how he would be spending those next ten years, feeling more like a play thing for his cellmate but knowing that if he wanted to make it out of there without any problems it was very much necessary to just do as he was told. Regardless of whether or not he actually wanted to do so and as the years passed he fell into his routine and never argued or objected. Four months after his 30th birthday and he was finally released, leaving his cellmate and his old life behind him, though he did keep in contact with the man he had shared a cell with and had pretty much served with his body for the past ten years.

 

 

Vince was moving around his home preparing for his old cellmates arrival, it seemed weird to think that after two years of being a free man he would find himself thrown together with Seager again. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but things had certainly changed since they had last seen each other, for starters Vince was nowhere near as quick to do what he was told anymore preferring to have some say now that his life didn't literally depend on someone else. As if that wasn't a good change though there was also the fact that he was clean, he had stayed out of trouble for the past two years, made a good name for himself, and now had a place to call home.

 

It made him wonder what would come out of allowing his old cellmate to stay with him, when he had received the call a week earlier he had been surprised, sure they had stayed in touch after his release but he would have thought that Seager had someone else he would have called. Glancing towards the living room where he had originally considered having the other man sleep, despite the fact that at one point yes he had been more than friendly with him this wasn't like last time. They weren't a "thing" anymore at least not in his eyes, he had spent the past two years trying to tell himself that he had just done what he had to in order to survive, he had been young when he went in and not cut out for prison. Seager had been a beast really and someone who could easily keep any trouble away from him, already he felt himself get embarrassed about what had happened two years ago.

 

"It's not anything to be embarrassed about." he told himself defensively, he never talked about his life with anyone since his release, not about his past, and not about those ten years. He did have a few friends but he always managed to sway them away from that sort of conversation, of course since he did have a job now they were aware of the fact that he had a criminal record, but thankfully only people who absolutely needed to know did. His friends were not some of those people, and he had always planned to keep it that way, but he was aware that with his old pals arrival it wouldn't be quite as easy to contain especially since if he remembered correctly for the first few months at least you still had that prison mentally and depending on the person that could be for the rest of their life.

 

"Great." he mumbled, "I'm sure I am worrying about nothing, it will be kind of nice to see him again and hear what plans he has for himself now that he's a free man." he continued talking to himself in the empty home. It wasn't against him to do this, it helped him think straight and since he lived alone the sound was sometimes welcoming, which was one reason why it was not against him to have the TV on even if he wasn't watching it, just for background noise to stop himself from being driven crazy.

[ZX-MetalMonster]

 

Name: Seager Hertzmark

 

Age: 38

 

Appearance: Seager is a tall and bulky man who prides himself on his well developed build. With his dark though cold skin tone, raven black hair that is just long enough to be tied and stunning clear blue eyes it's difficult to determine his origins. His facial features are predominantly sharp and can be considered attractive despite the many hints of past fights still presiding on his face, such as his nose having been obviously broken at some point in the past.

 

Backstory: Having always been a man with impressive strength and fond of putting it to use he first worked as security and never became involved with shady business. However being the short tempered person that he is, accustomed to using force and intimidation he quickly found himself at odds with the law.

At the age of twenty two he was first locked away, though only for a few months, for battery and his behavior only seemed to escalate and become more extreme afterwards until he was given a much harsher sentence at twenty four for arson.

The first two years of his sentence seemed the longest but the last two were the most troublesome after the man he'd grown use to as his cell mate was let free. Having used the time to reconsider his own opinions and think over what to do with the rest of his life he decided to seek out this man right after being let out.

 

Personality: It's common for Seager to yell and be loud even when there's nothing irritating him and he's having a perfectly good day. This is only a manifestation of his crude and outgoing personality, however he can be more gentle and tame when he makes a conscious effort in certain situations and for certain people, though he doesn't always do a good job at it.

He is also a chain smoker and goes though packs of cigarettes especially quickly when he is frustrated or nervous.

 

 

 

Watching the sky turn dark while the bus slowly progressed to it's destination, Seager's eyes were unmoving and locked on the window, his attention fully divided between the landscape and the more turbulent images that were within his own mind while he thought things over. He was positioned awkwardly in his seat, spread out to purposefully take up more room than necessary and discourage anyone who might think of settling beside him and in doing so distracting him. This was his only method of preserving the free space because he had no belongings, not even a simple backpack to fill it with, the only possession he had with him were the clothes he was wearing and a small amount of money.

 

Not for the first or the last time, he questioned if there was any true sense in what he was doing or if this decision to seek out a man he'd only loosely kept in touch with for the past two years was solely made because of a need he sensed in himself but couldn't explain. He wasn't alone in the world, many miles away from the road he was travelling this evening and the place where he would arrive his childhood home waited and a family of people who would welcome him back into their lives in a heartbeat. It was only unfortunate that he feared these reminders of the past more than anything and couldn't as much as think of this far away place without considering the possibility of falling into old habits and finding himself back in the prison he'd just been freed from.

 

Seager expected something to shift within him and an incredible change to occur as soon as he'd stepped outside, however the feeling he'd expected wasn't there, or at least wasn't nearly what he'd hoped for. His senses were overwhelmed as everything grew more diverse and he was reintroduced to the proportions of a world beyond one ugly concrete building but simultaneously so many things were on is mind that it was difficult to process anything.

Despite not being the brightest person when it came to normal, peaceful human interaction, he was smart enough to know not to throw himself at his former cellmate the very moment they reunite, though a part of him wanted nothing less. The issue was that he had little idea how he was expected to act when meeting this man again, they'd become so close but were now in an entirely new environment where whatever connection they had didn't yet exist. The only thing Seager knew for sure was what he'd gone through in those two years that came after his cellmate was replaced by a stranger who couldn't become nowhere near as significant or dear to him, though it had taken him months to realize it. What he would have to figure out now was how to communicate to Vince the thoughts he'd become sure of since they'd parted and what he wanted from him

 

Stepping out of the bus and onto an unfamiliar street he could barely get a grip of where he'd ended up and which way he was suppose to go next to reach the house where he would be staying. Despite being disorientated he stood in place for only a fraction of a second before staying to wander through the neighbourhood and shortly after he felt certain he'd found the right place. Only now taking a brief pause, he breathed a heavy sigh and approached the door to alert the owner of the home of his presence with a knock.

[Sathenus]

Despite the fact that he hadn't been expecting Seager until later that night he hadn't gone out of his way to do anything that day other than make sure the house was clean and ready for company, he still hadn't figured out exactly what was going to come out of this. Surely there was some reason why out of all of the people that his old cellmate had chosen to contact for a place to stay it had been him, it just made him wonder what exactly it was about him that made the other man do so. It wasn't like they had kept in great contact with each other, if anything it had really only seemed like once every few months maybe a little more if they actually found something worth talking about. That wasn't very often, being behind bars meant not much really happened, and Vince's inability to really connect to other people made it hard for him to have anything news worthy to discuss himself.

 

It was thoughts like that which kept him occupied throughout the day, and as the sun started to set and the sky started to grow dark he finished cooking dinner figuring that it would be nice to have at least something for Seager to eat when he arrived if he was even hungry. Though Vince was in no way a chef he was at least skilled enough to be able to make food that was more decent than what they had been fed behind bars, though he honestly thought it wouldn't be to hard to do and that just about anyone could make something more decent. Stretching he sighed and yawned softly, he didn't really have anything to do tomorrow either and figured that he could spend the day home with Seager if the other man didn't have anything he would prefer to do.

 

The knock at his front door was what seemed to knock him out of his endless thoughts, glancing towards it he didn't move immediately to answer it but after a moment of hesitation he moved forward. Opening the door he was met with a familiar face and a small smile crossed his, "Hey." he said in a somewhat awkward greeting. It wasn't awkward because he was uncomfortable or anything along those lines, but it was awkward more of because he wasn't exactly sure what he should say. What exactly did you say to your old cellmate when they arrive to stay with you?

 

Moving aside he motioned for the other to enter the house, closing the door behind him once he had, "I just finished cooking if you're hungry." he added as he looked his old friend over. Not much seemed to have changed in the past two years, other than the lack of the obvious, but physical wise he looked very much like he remembered. "How was your travel?" he asked raising an eyebrow honestly a bit curious.

[ZX-MetalMonster]

Fortunately Seager wasn't insecure or the type to easily panic and simply shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants as a moment stretched before his old friend started to open the door. His former cellmates reluctance only served to make him more impatient and excited to see him again.

Observing the other man with a growing smile while he spoke awkwardly, Seager considered giving the smaller male a friendly embrace, as he thought would be fitting when meeting someone again after such a long time, but he took note of how he wasn't offered even a hand in greeting and decided against it.

 

-"Hey." He echoed back and stepped inside, finding himself indecisive between looking back at Vince to study his appearance more carefully and scanning the room he'd entered. One was familiar and seemed not to have changed and Seager hoped to become familiar with the other , he would still have to talk things over with his friend, but he hoped to stay with him for a long time.

 

-"There's not much to say about a bus ride..." Seager pointed out with a shrug and lingered awkwardly in place, not moving inside far from the door, suddenly too aware he was in a place that belonged to another man who must have his rules. He frowned softly for a brief moment, some things really hadn't changed when he'd walked outside earlier that day, perhaps they'd let him out and there was nothing keeping him in place but he was the same on the inside, standing still now paralyzed by the thought that he would step out of line even though in that moment such a thing was impossible.

 

-"I waited a while at the station... and it took a few hours to get here." Seager explained the uninteresting details of his travel so to reply the other man's question, however he wondered if his friend was asking for his thoughts opposed to the bland information he was giving him. If so then he simply didn't know how to reply, there was still far too much noise in his head, too many thoughts and feelings and he feared he would say a lot of nonsense if he tried to put any of it to words.

 

As he shifted and made an effort not to look uncomfortable Seager forced a more friendly expression onto his face and looked at his former cellmate again. "I was looking through the window for the entire trip... I didn't make any friends..." His lips formed a slight smile at his own joke and he hoped the small insight into what had taken all of his attention during the bus ride would mean something to his friend.

[Sathenus]

There was a nod in answer at hearing there wasn't much to say about a bus ride, that was true, but Vince had been interested all of the same. There was no missing the frown that crossed his old friend's face and he watched him for a moment, "There aren't any rules or anything if that's why you are looking like that, other than lock the door if you're leaving and no one else is here, or when the street lights come on just we don't forget to do so at night." he replied with a shrug. It was simple, and since he rarely used the backdoor to go into the backyard chances were that door was always locked, and in the rare instances it wasn't it just meant the backyard was in use.

 

It didn't surprise him about the wait at the station, or how long it had taken his friend to get here either and he just gave a small nod, it was when he spoke about staring out the window the whole time and how he didn't make any friends that made a genuine amused smile cross Vince's face as he laughed. "Yeah well it wouldn't be like you would want any of those guys for a friend anyways. What though? Didn't catch the eye of any girl at the station?" he question falling easily into place with his old friend and instantly feeling his body relax. The awkward moment just a minute early all but forgotten and he motioned for Seager to come further into the house and lead him into the living room, "Are you hungry? Thirsty?" he question as he perched himself on the arm of the couch and crossed his arms over his chest watching the older man.

 

There was kind of a sense of security having Seager here, even if things weren't like they used to be, of course Vince had jumped back into dating, or at least had given it a shot since his release. Of course he didn't try it with other girls after spending ten years locked up and with the man before him he found that coming out he was actually still geared towards men, weird how that worked out for him but there wasn't an ounce of complaint on his part. Though the few dates he had been on had been nice, and yeah he did have one or two serious relationships for a few months it never really lasted.

 

It didn't stop him from trying though, "I didn't really pick a place for you to sleep either, but I mean you have your options. The guest room would probably be the best option unless you really insist on sleeping here in the living room." After much consideration that day and not knowing exactly how long Seager was staying he wanted to make the other man as comfortable as possible with him. "The bathroom is down the hall and first door on the right, next to my bedroom, the guest room is just across the hall." he added that way Seager knew where the bathroom was when he needed it.

[ZX-MetalMonster]

Seager glanced back at the door when the matter of keeping it locked was brought up and nodded lightly though he wondered if the other man really didn't have another rule and would be accepting of whatever he does in his home. He was amused by how easily Vince read his thoughts but wondered if he was simply doing a lousy job of concealing hiw brief discomfort or if his former cellmate knew him much better than he thought. Beginning to feel less out of place in the house and around his friend he followed him as he moved to the living room, at first looking around the room curiously before walking by the other male to plant himself on the couch. He leaned back into the fabric that felt much softer and more comfortable than what he'd grown accustomed to and breathed a soft sigh.

 

-"What part of our decade long 'experience' gives you the idea I would be looking out for girls?" Seager laughed and with his head rested on the back of the couch turned to the side to observe his friend and most importantly his reaction to him bringing up their time together. Though they'd sorted out the rules Seager was still estimating what was allowed and what not when it came to the two of them, what things from the past he could mention and talk about.

 

-"Some food would be great... I haven't eaten anything the entire day." He continued deciding it's better not to create basis for another awkward moment by letting the silence stretch and studying his former cellmate too openly.

-"I'll take a look around and get myself familiar with your place, if you don't mind." Seager answered shortly though he did take note of where each room was when his friend spared the time to explain it to him. He knew though that he would memorize everything more easily once he simply looks behind each door at least once.

 

-"I wouldn't mind a proper bed but I like your couch very much as well so put me wherever you please." Seager wasn't sure if the other man preferred to put him in a separate room so perhaps he would be out of the way at times but he also considered he might be taking up too much space like that. His hand moved absentmindedly over the surface of the couch and he smirked slightly at himself, realizing how differently he was treating his former cellmate. It was for the most part out of necessity however, and while he hoped he wouldn't have to be commanding and harsh as he could become in the prison he was looking forward to coming to understand what significant changes had happened in those two years they were apart and approaching the other male more directly.

[Sathenus]

Vince laughed nervously rubbing the back of his neck when Seager asked about their past decade together would mean he was interested in girls, "Guys do funny things when locked up without a girl around." he replied not really sure what to think of it. Honestly that was really all he figured that decade was, he just assumed it was that his cellmate had some urges that needed to be taken care of and he just happened to be the closet one around. Now he wasn't so sure if that had been the case at all, 'I always just figure I was just something for him to use and got my ass protected out of it.' he admitted to himself before he heard his cellmate say that he was hungry.

 

"Let me go get you something then." he replied standing up and heading into the kitchen to plate some of the food he had made, putting some of the spaghetti into a bowl he grabbed a fork and returned to the living room handing it over to the other man. "I don't mind you looking around, it's not like you'll find anything you shouldn't or like I have something to hide. We already spent a decade together I really doubt you'll learn something about me now that you couldn't have then." he replied with a small shrug.

 

"The guest room is all yours then, no need for you to sleep here on the couch unless you absolutely want to." he added as he rested himself on the other side of the couch turning to face his old cellmate. He had no problem giving Seager the guest room, it seemed only fair to him if he was being one hundred percent honest, he wanted him to feel like it was his home as well.

[ZX-MetalMonster]

Seager gave a quiet nod to his friends reasoning, agreeing that for most prisoners doing anything with one another came from having no other choice, however the same didn't apply for him. He was astonished with himself though and wondered how he'd never given his cellmate even as much as a hint to his preference, though with all the things they'd been doing in prison it had been easy to assume any such explanation was unnecessary. Seager began to question now what the other man's opinion was of those ten years, since he'd just been welcomed into his home he felt sure Vince at least didn't hate him because of the things he'd done to him.

 

As the younger male headed for the kitchen, Seager followed him with his eyes but once left alone in the room allowed his gaze to drift off and take in the details of the new environment and so filled the brief time before his friend returned.

-"Thanks." He remembered to show some manners and offered the other a faint smile as he handed him a plate of food.

-"Come on now... you must have at least a couple of dirty little secrets? I don't think I would even react to a dead body in the closet any more... but I still will be disappointed with you unless you stun me at least once." Seager grinned as he challenged his friend and afterwards took a bite of the food only to pause for a moment. "I think I forgot this is suppose to have taste..." He joked and continued to eat, fighting against himself not to devour everything in a matter on a couple of minutes.

 

-"It's settled then, I'll take the guest room... though you should expect me to pass out on the couch every now and then." Seager pointed out with a small shrug. "If I end up taking up too much space feel free to move me around as you please."

[Sathenus]

He was aware of how Seager was watching him, and it made him wonder if his old cellmate had expected some other answer from him or maybe a different reaction in general. Vince wasn't sure if that was the case or not, and if it was what exactly it was he had been hoping for, shrugging he relaxed against the couch and allowed his eyes to drift shut. Having busied himself all day with preparing for his old friend to arrive he hadn't really had a chance to just sit around and relax, but it was nice to do so. Glancing over to him when he spoke he smiled and nodded, "Doesn't everyone have their dirty little secrets? I'm just saying you aren't going to find them by looking around." he replied.

 

Of course he had his secrets, some he wasn't so proud of, but it wasn't like he wouldn't share them with Seager eventually especially if he was actually going to be staying for awhile. Then again after ten years of sharing a cell was there really any reason for him not to be open about everything? Being drawn from his thoughts about the comment on the food he laughed, "Yeah the food is definitely better out here." he agreed with a nod. It had taken him awhile to get used to how different things were on the outside versus being behind bars, the food seemed to be the easiest thing for him to get used to. The space he had came next, the freedom to do what he wanted every day took him awhile and he still struggled with it, but what he struggled with the most was just how people handled themselves out here versus behind bars. It was something that most never really thought about but actually made a difference, not to mention connecting with others on any sort of level was hard.

 

Stretching he yawned before glancing towards his old friend, "I don't mind you crashing on the couch every now and then, I'd be lying if I said that I don't do it myself. Sometimes you are just that tired, or to comfortable to move, I get it." he admitted. And he didn't mind if Seager fell asleep on the couch, or decided that was where he wanted to crash, he wouldn't stop him from doing so. As far as Vince was concerned this home was now Seager's as well, he had every right to do what he wanted within it that he had the right to do himself.

[ZX-MetalMonster]

Though at first he'd only meant to tease his friend when questioning him about his secrets Seager now became genuinely curious after the other male agreed that he, like everyone, had things to hide. Seager wouldn't pester him about this any more than he already had though. Still having trust in the closeness they'd developed in the past he considered it was unnecessary to pressure his former cellmate, especially when they were meeting each other after a long time apart.

 

The more time passed in the two of them simply sitting and alternating between somewhat serious and light-hearted topics the more Seager relaxed and was beginning to feel like he was in his own space. He knew it was because of his friend, the way he treated him and was encouraging him to move where he liked and do what he wanted.

Having finished his food much faster than he'd expected he considered it was as good a chance as any to get himself more familiar with the house and so with little reluctance he stood up and headed to the kitchen to place the dirty plate in the sink. He was sure the other man would have nothing to say in protest and so only spared him a glance before leaving the room and put more attention into the new part of the building he'd just been introduced to as he walked. Perhaps it was due to how cramped his living space had been for more than a decade but the entire house seemed spacious to him and he began to wonder if this is where his friend has lived even before his time in prison or if it was something new.

 

Returning to the living room, Seager seated himself in the same spot he'd previously occupied and gave his former cellmate another careful glance. He'd noticed before how the other male was sinking into the couch and seemed altogether tired and it prompted Seager to wonder how the other man had spent the day and what his schedule must be like.

-"What do you do these days?" He tried to recall if his friend had already revealed anything specific to him in the small amount of information they exchanged after he'd been left alone in their cell but it seemed neither of them had mentioned work before, perhaps because that was simply unimportant to Seager while he was still imprisoned.

[Sathenus]

There was no objection from Vince as Seager got up to put his plate in the sink and take a look around, his former cellmate and now roommate had every right to look around the place he was going to be living in, and there was nothing to hide so he felt no reason to really pay it much thought. Letting his eyes slip shut he just relaxed against the couch, yawning a little as he stretched out, despite not really having done much today he was exhausted, he supposed it was more of the emotional strain he had felt today versus anything physical he might have done. It was nerve wracking waiting for Seager to arrive, but now that he was here there was a sense of calm that he hadn't even realized was missing.

 

Feeling the couch dip his eyes opened and he glanced over to where his old friend had settled once more, before he spoke asking him what he did theses days. For a moment he said nothing thinking of just how much to say, but if he couldn't be honest with the guy he spent ten years sharing a cramped cell with, then who could he be honest with? So after a moment he just spoke, "Depends, I date here and there but not really often. Have a job, even if it can be a troublesome, other than that I tend to stick to the house." Vince had been lucky enough to find a company that gave second chances to those recently released from prison, and thanks to Vince not having any extreme charges it made things even easier.

 

it then occurred to him just as his mind started to wander back in time once more that he had thought more about those ten years he had spent with Seager in prison today than he had in the past two years. He had honestly never thought that reality would come back up, but here they were, sharing a house now, and it seemed... almost dream like. What were the chances that after release you and your cellmate would find yourselves living together again? They weren't very high, even if they kept in touch after release, but at the same time he kind of already liked have Seager around.

[ZX-MetalMonster]

Having known when he would be let out Seager spent his last few months in prison thinking of how to accomplish everything he hoped for once he was free and finding a job was one issue that he was especially concerned with and thought of extensively. Despite having been sure that either his family or his friend would provide him a place to stay and most likely more than that he hoped to support himself and not rely on anyone. Having only the clothes he was wearing and a laughably small amount of money though he knew he would have to live off his former cellmate at least for a few weeks while he tries to find some sort of work.

 

-"Thank you for letting me stay with you. " Seager remembered to say with a smile, he suspected from how much effort the other man put into making him feel welcome that he wanted them to be equal, still he felt it was only polite to voice his gratitude. Some prisoners would bury their past as soon as they were free and he wouldn't have been astonished if his former cellmate had chosen to do the same and hadn't allowed him back in his life. This was perhaps what he was most thankful for, still having a friend who had become very significant to him.

 

For a moment giving himself more freedom than was appropriate Seager shifted closer to the younger man and began to stroke his leg, his hand drifting close to an area a mere friend would never reach for. "I'll look around and settle down... you should maybe take one of those couch naps, you seem tired." He advised having seen how the other took every chance to keep his eyes closed and relax against the couch. With a few seconds of delay he stood up and his hand slipped over the other male's knee before leaving his body as he walked away to search for his room.

[Sathenus]

Vince gave him a small smile at the thanks he received, "It's nothing really, I'll certainly enjoy the company, and I do like having you around." he replied though he was glad that Seager felt the need to thank him at the same time he knew he never would have turned him away. In fact when it came down to it part of him had actually missed having Seager around, even if he couldn't quite place it he knew it would be nice to have him back in his life, he was watching his old friend as he remained relaxed back against the couch. It was when he felt the hand on his leg drifting up closer to his groan and away from where it should have remained that he became overly aware of the fact that his old cellmate had inched closer to him apparently without him having noticed.

 

Blushing from the sudden contact and their closeness he listened as Seager spoke telling him that he would look around and settle down only to say that he should take a couch nap that he seemed tired. Of course he was tired, even if he probably hadn't done that much today, he knew that right now there was no arguing with his old cell mate as he got up and left his hand slipping back down his leg and over his knee before the contact was broken. Watching him go he remained still and silent trying to figure out what he should make of that, after two years apart the last thing he had expected was such a motion from his old cellmate. Then again maybe he was just over thinking it and thinking that there was more in the motion then there had been.

 

'It was probably nothing.' he thought to himself as he moved and stretched out on the couch deciding to take Seager up on that idea and take a small nap. He really was exhausted and it would be good for him, not to mention allow his old friend to settle into his new home without having to feel like he had to stick to him in any way. It didn't take Vince long at all to fall asleep, one arm resting over his waist while the other had been moved under his head almost as if acting like a pillow.

[ZX-MetalMonster]

Finding himself back in the hallway Seager thought back to the instructions the younger man had given him for where each room was, however it seemed he either hadn't paid enough attention or simply had too many things to think of and so found himself unsure of what door to reach for. It was fortunate though that he didn't have too many options and could find his way around simply by applying some logic to the layout of the rooms.

 

Stepping into the room that he still had trouble thinking of as his own space and would most likely need a long while to get use to, Seager scanned the space with his eyes and walked over to the bed. The chamber wasn't very big but to him it seemed just right and upon slowly lowering himself on the bed he discover that it was of course more comfortable than the couch and smiled softly to himself. He allowed himself to sink into the mattress as he settled on his back and closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath, again overwhelmed simply by being in another place than he had been that morning. He willed his mind to go blank though so he could for a moment simply feel and enjoy the peace, quiet and comfort of the room. For a moment, as this method seemed to work he considered allowing himself to drift off just as he'd advised his friend but eventually forced himself up instead.

 

After a short detour to the bathroom both to splash some water on his face to better keep himself awake and to explore this part of the house as well Seager returned to where he'd left his former cellmate. Seeing how he did indeed decide to get some rest he didn't pester the younger man but lingered by the door and for a long moment watched him. The progress he'd made in clearing his thoughts was slowly being undone as he began to remember, minor details from the past more vividly and new questions surfaced in his mind. Leaning on the door frame , he crossed his arms and a subtle smile formed on his lips as he became more sure that he wouldn't be caught observing his friend while he slept.

[Sathenus]

Vince’s dreams seemed oddly real as he slept on the couch, traveling back in time to those ten years he had spent sharing a cell with Seager, it was unusual of course. Having gone so long without thinking back on those times unless he was talking with his old cellmate to now dreaming about it, his unconscious mind seeming to replay certain memories before his eyes that felt more real than a dream should. Shifting in his sleep he turned so that he was facing the back of the couch, unaware that his shirt had slipped up a tad to reveal part of his lower back, mumbling something unintelligible.

 

He was only slightly aware as he slept of the feeling of eyes on him, but not aware enough for it to make him stir or wake him up as he fell into an even deeper state of sleep. He hadn’t realized just how tired he had been, but it seemed rather obvious now that he had really needed the rest, even if he felt like he had done absolutely nothing while waiting for his old friend to arrive. His dreams seemed to shift from one into another just as things started moving in the direction of more than a friendly conversation, it just sort of played out to him just how often their encounters had gone from just conversations when stuck in their cell to something more.

 

Don’t get him wrong that wasn’t all they did and it wasn’t all the time, but it was obvious to his unconscious mind that it was those moments that stayed with him the most, it was when they were doing such activities that had seemed to mean the most to him. For whatever reason that could be, after his release he had pushed those memories to the back of his mind and told himself he had just done what he had to in order to make it while there. But… deep down he knew that wasn’t necessarily true, maybe it had been in the beginning but the longer that it had gone on the more that it truly wasn’t the case and he did it because he actually wanted to.

[ZX-MetalMonster]

Having initial considered it would be awkward if his friend were to discover how he was observing him some time passed before Seager became more sure that nothing bad would come from him being caught beside his former cellmate. He believed he had good reason to seek out his company even while he was asleep, however he would have trouble explaining the emotion that was fueling this need.

 

Seager watched the younger man turn and after a moment of delay pushed himself from the door frame to walk closer to him, making sure his step was light and inaudible so not to disrupt his sleep. He reached out and his fingers drifted very gently along the other male's back in order to lightly pull his shirt back in place, though Seager was too glad to have a reason to touch his former cellmate and wouldn't be able to argue he'd done it only for his good or because he was looking after him.

 

Moving along, he seated himself on the very edge of the couch trying to take up as little space as was possible and shifted slowly to awkwardly lean on the back on the couch. Positioned like this, he breathed a deep sigh and as time passed his eyes drifted closed and he found himself more tempted to fall asleep than he'd expected. Perhaps the day had been more stressful for him than he'd though as well or perhaps it was simply because he couldn't decide what else to do with himself but his body felt heavy like it had in his room and he was unwilling to move. It was ridiculous though how he preferred to rest there on the couch where he had to be seated awkwardly opposed to on the large bed he'd been given where he could take up as much space as he needed.

[Sathenus]

A soft murmur fell from Vince's lips as fingers slid gently down his back, his body only barely aware of the touch and yet his body reacted to it anyways. In all honesty despite the motion probably having been completely innocent -as far as his unconscious mind was concerned- it had been awhile since he had a relationship with anyone that ended in more than just a goodnight kiss that his body reacted rather easily to it. That affected his dreams of course, allowing the memories to play out longer into more intimate moments between him and his former cellmate.

 

Of course that was going to be hard to come to terms with even despite the fact that he had been out for two years, coming to terms with the fact that his old cellmate was now his roommate wasn't that easy to accept. Most people would never reconnect with those they had met in prison, once you were released it was your chance to start over, and most wouldn't want any reminder of what had once been.

 

Slightly aware of the couch shifting his body instinctively moved to make more space, though it didn't wake him it did make him stir enough to where his eyes fluttered slightly.

[ZX-MetalMonster]

Having for now resisted sleep, Seager opened his eyes to watch his friend with a narrow gaze while the younger man moved automatically and shifted so to take up less space on the couch. A soft smile formed on his lips, he was thankful even though he knew the action wasn't a conscious one and now having more room he was allowed to fill he stretched to make himself more comfortable. This was perhaps not a wise choice though as the thought of allowing himself to drift off only became more tempting and appealing.

 

As another long moment passed by in pleasant silence Seager was growing tired and annoyed of forcing his mind to focus and catching himself with eyes blinking closed. A soft sigh signaled his defeat and he allowed himself to properly relax his breathing soon after growing steady and quiet. However rather than sink into dreams he lingered between sleep and conscious thought, partially still aware of the room around him even without receiving any sound from it to busy his mind with.

 

Seager still remembered the other male was beside him, close enough that with a small movement he could place a hand on him and touch his lightly, and this is what made the moment so familiar and assured him he had no reason to be anywhere else. Even with all of the bad things they'd both endured that he could not easily forget or ignore, there was something the cramped cell had created that was good, the closeness to his old friend that he'd grown accustomed to and now craved to have again.

[Sathenus]

Vince slept for a while longer before he started to stir, body having decided he had slept long enough on the couch and that it was now time to get back up and doing things. Rolling over he became conscious of a body very close to his, eyes snapping open and for a moment he was hit with a feeling of the past few hours being real and that he really was back in their cell, his breath had sped up but as he pushed himself up he became aware of the fact that they weren’t in a small cell, rather both stretched out on the couch. By the way his body was pressed to the back of it, it appeared as if he had moved over to allow his former cellmate to join him, ‘I don’t remember doing that… is it really that ingrained into me that I do it in my sleep?’ he questioned himself watching Seager’s calm face for a moment.

 

The older man seemed so peaceful, and it helped calm him as he relaxed back against the couch eyes going to the ceiling trying desperately to figure out what was going on with him. ‘Having him so close shouldn’t make me feel safe or comfortable. I thought I moved past this.’ Deciding that he really needed to get over whatever it was his body seemed to think he still had for Seager, after his release he had tried dating, but none could compare to the man he had spent a decade with, and it was embarrassing to think that his love life had taken a big hit. ‘We aren’t even a couple; it was just a prison thing. Lots of people have them when behind bars, that doesn’t mean anything when we get out.’ He tried to reason with himself not caring if his body wanted to argue with him.

 

As he watched the ceiling not daring to move out of fear of waking Seager he decided he just needed to get out there and start dating, after all he was sure that his old cellmate would agree with him when he said it had just been a fling, that they had both done what they had to in order to make staying there more bearable. For him it was preservation, not a lot of the other inmates would invoke Seager’s wrath so it seemed logical to bend over for him whenever he wanted it and be protected the rest of the time, as for Seager… well in that case Vince just assumed he was pent up after being locked up for so long. Then their conversation from earlier came back and it made him wonder if that was the case, of if his cellmate actually had a thing for him and that was why things went the way they did.

 

Groaning softly, he shook his head, ‘I am just overthinking this.’ He decided as he tried to focus on something else, it was easy for his body to relax when he was laying so close to his old friend. A sort of comfort and security he hadn’t realized he had been missing for the past two years came back to him, eyes on his sleeping friend. ‘Even now he’s just as attractive as he was two years ago… it’s like he didn’t change at all…’ he found himself thinking thoughts trailing off.

[ZX-MetalMonster]

As only a brief time passed in the two quietly resting close by one another Seager wasn't yet tight asleep when the other man began to move beside him and despite his friend's efforts not to disrupt his sleep he woke up soon after. Breathing a sigh and shifting slightly with a grunt he opened his eyes, still seeming tired and sleepy while his narrow gaze sought out his former cellmate. Perhaps it was because he'd already started to drift off when the other male had made space for him but their closeness was apparent to him only now and distracted his so thoroughly that rather than think things through he allowed himself a natural reaction and smiled fondly at his friend.

 

-"It seems I'm too used to having no space of my own... I like the room but I felt more comfortable here..." Seager gave the excuse for how he'd ended up beside the younger man and while he wasn't dishonest with him he didn't reveal the whole truth either. The reason why he liked it more on the couch wasn't because he liked the spot more or was so used to a small space that he couldn't adapt, he simply missed his former cellmate and now that they were in the same home he was eager to be around him whenever he was given a chance. He wondered though if the other man could come to understand this without being given a clear hint or if he was even picking up on how he was struggling not to fall into old habits and touch him inappropriately.

 

While Seager thought this over silence settled between them and he caught himself searching for a way to prolong it, finding the moment satisfying and comfortable rather than awkward. Knowing it wouldn't be simple or his friend to get up while he was still beside him, he staid in place and gave no sign that he planed to move out of the way. Feeling awfully confident he even allowed his eyes to meet the younger man's while he studied his face, the smile on his own growing wider as this happened.

[Sathenus]

Vince smiled when Seager spoke, “It’s okay.” He replied as he remained firmly where he was, partially because unless Seager moved there was really no way for him to get up, and also because he was comfortable and the closeness to his old cellmate was even more comforting than it probably should be. In all honesty he had to admit he would have been more surprised if he woke up to find him in his room instead of sharing the couch with him, but it also hadn’t quite sunk in with him just how much he had missed this type of contact even if it was innocent until now.

 

After spending the past two years trying to get his life on track he didn’t really have the chance to enjoy simple things, and his inability to really connect with others made dating almost impossible. Yet here he was, on the couch with his old cellmate and someone he had an extensive history with while one part of him enjoyed it the other felt like he needed to set boundaries. Despite what had gone on between them before things were different now, and Vince had to admit that he hadn’t thought anything like this would really come from letting the other move in and become his roommate.

 

Their eyes met and he was drawn from his thoughts seeing the confident smile on Seager’s face, of course that made a smile cross his own something that happened before he could consciously stop it. Shifting to get a little more comfortable he relaxed back against the couch again not minding how little space he actually had, ‘Guess my body his more aware than I am half the time.’ Resting his head on his hand as he watched Seager he finally spoke once more, “You know, even after two years you don’t seem to have changed a bit.”

[ZX-MetalMonster]

Seeing how his friend only made himself more comfortable and expressed no wish to get up or move away from him, Seager grew increasingly sure that it was safe to act out on the need to bring himself closer to the other man and treat him more like he had years ago.

 

-"It's the same for everyone..." Seager assured his friend with a soft laugh and wondered if his former cellmate was more conflicted than he seemed. It pleased him to know that there was at least a part of the other man that still accepted him as someone he wanted to be intimate with, even if only somewhat and in innocent ways such as this. What Seager's own body was pushing him to do wasn't as platonic though and all the rest of him was beginning to agree.

 

-"I'll take that as a compliment... though we were in prison, I doubt you've seen the best of me." Seager joked but having said this realized he was most likely wrong, if anyone had seen his good side in all those years he'd been imprisoned then it was his cellmate. He'd made up his mind from early on that the other man was significant to him only he hadn't bothered think about it enough to realize just how much and in which way until recently.

 

-"I think you've changed... though not by much I hope." Still gazing into the younger man's eyes, Seager's expression shifted and he looked more serious as he shifted even closer to him.

-"Maybe some things should stay as they were... we had each other back then, not everything was bad." There was little filter between what Seager thought and what he was saying, likewise he acted with little caution and placed a hand on his friend allowing it to move along his body until his arm wrapped around him lightly.

[Sathenus]

Vince didn’t say anything when the hand reached out and moved along his body at least not until it turned into an arm wrapped around him, “What are you doing?” he asked eyes locked on Seager. He might have accepted how close they were with each other, might have let the previous touches on his body go but this was something he had to put a stop to. They weren’t together and he didn’t want his former cellmate to get any ideas that what had once been was still possibly on the table, despite his love life being almost nonexistent he liked to think of himself as available and on the market, but the way Seager seemed to be treating him made it seem like his former cellmate thought of him as still his “partner.”

 

If they were still behind bars he wouldn’t have remotely objected to the arm around his waist, however, that wasn’t the case and he knew he had to set boundaries or he would only be encouraging him to continue to act this way. Shifting he tried to pull away as much as he could without putting himself into an awkward position where he ended up actually pressed against the older man’s side, of course he failed miserably and grumbled under his breath as he set his hands on Seager’s side in a way to sort of reestablish some sort of barrier.

 

“We’re just friends.” He said finally not meeting the other man’s gaze, in a way it almost pained him to say it but he needed to make that clear. Seager was a great guy, and he was sure that he would make someone really happy, and their time together certainly made his body ache in a way that actually made him want to throw himself at the other man but he couldn’t do that. ‘I have to stay strong about this and make sure he understands that it was just a prison thing, I might have accepted that I’m geared towards men but that doesn’t mean we are still together. It’s been two years after all.’ He reminded himself as he watched Seager.

 

It hurt him more than he should to have to push him away, but it was necessary to do so, he couldn’t let Seager get too comfortable and fall back into old habits. As much as he had to admit he enjoyed their time together, and everything they had done together intimately had been fantastic it just wasn’t part of his life anymore. He hadn’t thought it was part of Seager’s either but apparently he was wrong, it seemed almost as if his old friend had much more on his mind then just wanting to be close to him especially when he put everything together.

 

After a moment he thought it was necessary to defend himself a little better, “You’re a great guy, really, and that decade was something that I’ll never forget and not just because I was locked up. But… that was then, I’m not that same person.” He tried to explain himself but was sure no matter how he did so Seager wouldn’t take it that well, ‘It has to be done.’

[ZX-MetalMonster]

Seagers response to both the other man's words and the way he shifted trying to get away from him was slow, delayed while he debated with himself if he was in a position where he could push his luck any further. There was also the pain he felt at being rejected that distracted his from his thoughts and tempted him to become engulfed in what he felt opposed to considering the situation clearly.

 

He had room to debate with his former cellmate, to question what had changed, what made it impossible for them to continue something they'd both liked now that they were in another place, to ask for a chance to build a relationship again if his friend would give him nothing else. However Seager knew that having appeared after two long years he had had luck to have been allowed in the other man's life again, even as a friend, and in fear of loosing even that he gave in.

 

Forcing the smile from before not to fade from his face, Seager let go of the younger man and pushed himself up from the couch so not to keep him trapped.

-"It was only a touch..." He started but caught himself justifying what he'd done and took note of how his voice gave away that he was bitter and upset. Nothing good could come out of him becoming defensive or worse, rude towards his former cellmate and so for another long moment he grew silent and tried to further suppress what he felt.

 

-"I'm sorry though... it was out of habit." Seager explained and walk back to he door where he now thought he should have staid in stead on placing himself beside the other male. He only leaned on the door frame thought and folded his arms over his chest, hoping not to be forced to be alone with his thoughts when everything running through his head upset him more.

He waited for his friend to break the silence however his gaze was steady on the ground and he wouldn't as much as glance back to the couch.

[Sathenus]

Vince was aware of the change in Seager despite the other’s obvious attempt to keep the smile from earlier on his face, watching the other man as he was released and as his old cellmate got up so he was no longer trapped on the couch. Instantly he pushed himself up as well eyes watching his old friend as he spoke, instantly Vince felt bad for his reaction but he had to make it clear to Seager that what they had two years ago was not what they had now. They were just friends, plain and simple, or at least he thought it was.

 

If it really was that simple, then why did he feel so bad that Seager seemed disappointed? “You don’t have to apologize…” he murmured trailing off as his eyes moved to the floor, the last thing he wanted was for this type of reaction noticing that his old friend had moved towards the door to the living room obviously putting space between them. ‘I could have handled that better.’ His mind told him making him sigh as he put his face in his hands and for a moment just sat like that on the couch, finally he stood up and walked over to Seager placing his hand gently on the other’s shoulder.

 

Giving a small smile he spoke, “I’m sorry, I could have gone about that better. Things… are just different now.” He said his voice was gentle and his eyes showed he hadn’t meant any hard feelings. “I think I’m going to head to bed, but I’ll see you in the morning. Help yourself to anything in the house.” He added before slipping past his old friend and moving to his room, stepping inside he shut the door behind him a sigh instantly escaping his lips as he shook his head.

 

‘I shouldn’t feel guilty. It’s been two years, surely he didn’t think there was still a chance of there being anything between us right?’ Unsure of his thoughts he just moved over to his bed first slipping out of everything but his boxers and then climbing in, pulling the blankets up over his waist as he rolled onto his side placing his back to the door and letting his eyes drift shut. ‘We’ll just have to discuss things in the morning, if at all.’ He assured himself.