Pairing: Kent/Chandler

Rating: R

Author: Claddagh

Summary: The morning after

Disclaimer: Not mine…or are they? No. Really. They're not!

Note: I'm not really happy with this fic, but I'll post it anyway. I hope you enjoy, please comment!

The first thing that Joe became aware of when he awoke was the warmth radiating along his right side and the light pressure on his arm and chest. The second thing he noticed was the soft feeling of another person's skin against his own and the gentle brush of hair on his neck and chin.

His eyes flew open and were immediately greeted by a sight that made Joe's heart speed up and his breathing quicken.

The pale and slight form of Emerson Kent was laid comfortably next to him, curled against his side like a cat, with his head resting on Joe's chest . The young man was still asleep, his angled features relaxed and his curly dark hair dishevelled in a way that made him look much younger than he did when it was securely tamed and styled for work.

Joe's cream sheets covered both men up to their mid chests, and he didn't need to check, he knew that they were both naked under there; he could feel the smaller man's body pressed tightly against his own.

Suddenly the DI couldn't breath for the memories of the previous night assaulting his brain. Hands and lips roughly running over pale skin as it became exposed inch by inch once Joe in his worked up state had figured out how to undo the button's of Kent's shirt. Feeling the slender body arch up against his as he was laid on the bed sheets, the high pitched whimper that the young man couldn't hold in once Joe had begun to gently kiss and bite the uncovered chest. The quiet sounds of discomfort and pain that quickly turned into cries of pleasure echoing in Joe's ears once he began to move, and the few seconds they had laid with their foreheads touching, breathing the same air after their climax, when both men were completely at ease and sated.

Joe exhaled harshly, coming back to the present and shuffling his body until he was able to sit up in the bed without disturbing the sleeping Kent. He looked down at his junior officer, breathing hard, shocked at what he had done. He'd been attracted to the kid for months now, since way before the case with the Krays, but he'd never thought of acting on those thoughts.

It would be inappropriate and impractical to have a relationship with someone you work with, especially someone of lower ranking status than yourself. That had been Joe's argument thus far, but the situation had changed very quickly and it was a little late to be rationalising what they had done.

He quickly swung his legs over the side of the bed, noticing with a grimace that he was indeed naked and both his and Kent's clothes were strewn hazardously across the room. He would pick them up once he'd figured out what he was going to do.

Pulling on a T-shirt and underwear he stood up from the bed and took one last look at the sleeping form in his bed, (who had now moved so that he was cuddling a pillow as a replacement for the warm body previously there) before he walked into the kitchen and immediately began to make himself a strong cup of coffee.

He lent against the counter, both appalled at himself for giving in to the hunger he'd felt for Kent, but at the same time elated, knowing what they had done and how the young man had completely submitted to Joe, allowing him to do whatever he pleased.

What had happened would affect their work however he looked at it, and he didn't think he could look at Kent without remembering just the way he tasted, and the exact pitch of the cry he gave when he came. Once they'd kissed neither man had a second thought and instead were too caught up in the moment to have many thoughts at all, never mind second ones!

No matter how long he stood there, drinking his coffee and thinking about all of the possible ways that this could go horribly wrong, Joe couldn't bring himself to regret last night. He gave a tiny smile, remembering every detail, every touch. Then, downing the last of his coffee and washing the cup up, made his way back into the bedroom, hesitating momentarily in the doorway to observe the peaceful form in the bed. Kent was still curled up hugging the pillow as if it were Joe, his face pressed into the material while his naked chest rose and fell slowly with each breath he took.

Joe walked to and sat down on the bed, looking down almost adoringly at the DC, Without conscious thought his hand reached out, moving forwards until it met the soft, messy curls on top of Kent's head, gently stroking the strands, before moving down, running along the chiselled cheekbone and the exposed neck. Joe then trailed the tips of his fingers down the bare arm on top of the covers until it came to the young man's hand, which he slowly entwined with his own.

He felt the long, thin fingers twitch within his own as the young man began to stir, letting out little groans of protest. After a while Kent's eyes finally opened, revealing the gorgeous chocolate colour.

For a second the young man had no expression on his face, though his eyes looked slightly like that of a rabbit caught in headlights. Joe quickly squeezed the fingers encased within his own and gave a reassuring smile.

Kent glanced at their joined hands before tentatively smiling back.

They didn't need words, and the only sound that could be heard in Joe's bedroom was the gentle breathing of the two men as they reunited their lips and the normal early morning city sounds drifting in through the open window.