Bed of Wild Roses

Sean sighed contentedly, pulling his blanket tighter around his body. He smiled, basking in the warmth around him. It was getting more and more difficult to get up in the morning. And he never felt truly rested. At least he usually did not. He actually felt kind of okay today. And it was Friday.
He only had to make it through the day and escape into the weekend. With another little smile he opened his eyes, automatically searching for his alarm clock. The smile gave way to a frown.
Oh, right. He had smashed it yesterday. He probably should buy a new one. As soon as he managed to go out and get some shopping done. Whihc might prove difficult with Karl around. He did not feel comfortable with leaving the other man alone. Not at all.

"Bloody fucking hell!" The grimace he made actually hurt as he tried to massage the cramp out of his calf. He had not had a cramp for weeks. Why now of all days? "Ouch!" He rubbed his head, cursing his clumliness. After all he had only been sleeping in this bed for what, six or seven years now? Of course he would still manage to bang his head on the headboard. What time was it anyway?

"Damn, damn, damn, damn...." Sean forced himself off the bed, hopping ungraciously around the room, desperately trying to get his legs into his jeans. For some reason the task seemed to be beyond him today. "Oh fuck."

The slight knock on the door was swallowed by the sound of Sean's ass hitting the floor. Why did it always have to be him?

"Sean?" Karl's muffled voice asked through the door, "Are you allright? I heard something strange."

"No." Sean whispered, ignoring both the renewed knocking and the pain running through his body, "I'm fucking not okay."

"Sean?" Another tentative knock preceeded the creaking of the opening door.

Sean let himself fall back onto the carpet, stretching with a half-pained grin.

"Breakfast is ready." Karl said, peeking in and apparently not the least bit baffled by Sean's strange behaviour. "Don't you think it's time to get up? Evie's already at school."

"Evie's what?" Sean yelped, jumping to his feet, entangling himself even further in the legs of his jeans in the process. "What time is it?"

"Almost nine." Karl crossed his arms in front of his naked chest, scrutinizing Sean through the open doorway.

"Almost nine?" Sean blinked rapidly a few times, his brain finally noticing that Karl was still dressed in nothing but a pair of sweatpants. Way too form-fitting. At least in Sean's opinion
"Why didn't you wake me?" He asked, blinking again. Damn. Somehow the image of a half-naked Karl had burnt itself into his retina. He suppressed a groan, ignoring th strange look Karl was suddenly giving him. Sean sighed, waving dejectedly at Karl.

"Never mind. I'm getting up now." Damn. He winced, awkwardly pulling his zipper up. Things seemed to be getting up indeed. And for some reason his treacherous memory insisted on filling in the sweatpants-obscured parts in his vision, replacing the dark fabric with the memory of firm, naked flesh, with the tantalizing shadows of only hinted-at muscles and strong thighs.

He blinked owlishly at the delectable vision Karl presented. Surely he was imagining the soft, fragrant smell of spring flowers and the fresh scent of lush forest leaves after the rain? There was no way Karl could still be smelling of the forest.

"Sean?"

"What?" He snapped, taking a step back. The skin on his elbow seemed to be on fire, where Karl had touched him.

"Maybe you should go back to bed," Karl suggested, "I could bring you some tea and,"

"No!" Sean squeaked, cradling his still burning arm to his chest. "No." He repeated, his voice firmer and steadier than before. "I think I've slept enough. Tea would be nice, though." He added, smiling grimly.

"Of course." Karl grinned at him. That grin. It should be forbidden. "I'll get the water started again."

Sean nodded quietly, collapsing onto the bed as soon as the door had clicked shut after the other man. Sweet heavens. He would never survive with Karl in the house. He had to find some place where he could be sure that karl would not disturb him. Maybe he should just spend the rest o the day hiding inhis study. Or walking the woods. Or what ever. As long as he just managed to stay away from temptation. Temptation like Karl's lips, Karl's scent, Karl's legs, Karl's grin or the way Karl's eyes lit up when he smiled. And the rest of Karl. And somehow thinking of that had not exactly made his problem any smaller. Quite the opposite in fact.

With another sigh he glared into the direction of his treacherous cock. How could Karl have missed such an obvious erection? His jeans were more than just uncomfortably tight.

"Oh damn." He whispered, dropping his arm onto his face, effectively shielding his eyes from reality. Unfortunately his mind decided to be stuck on reality.
"Down boy." He groaned as an image of naked Karl returned. "I know you have decided not to notice," he told his cock, glaring balefully down at the engorged organ, "But that," he pointed at the door, "Is a male you're lusting after. And I most definitely have a problem with that."
Especially since Karl was the first person to provoke such a reaction in him since Abigail's death.

"Sean?"

Oh hell. Karl was knocking again. "Yeah?" Sean scrabbled to pull a pillow over his lap. Way to be inconspicious.

"The tea's almost ready." He could almost hear Karl's hand hover over the wood. "Do you want me to bring it up?"

"No!" Sean managed to choke out, immensely grateful that Karl seemed content with talking through the door at the moment. "I'll be down in a few."

He held his breath, waiting. "Yes!" The floorboards were creaking. Karl was on his way downstairs again. Oh sweet salvation. If only he had enouhg time for a shower. He threw the pillow onto the floor and yanked his trousers down. Time to take care of the problem before he went down to face Karl. Or even worse, before Karl came looking for him again.

"Gods..." A broken moan fought its way past his lips as his hand finally closed around his aching erection. This was pure bliss. Now he only had to manage not to think of Karl.