Chapter 2

The waves crashed against the shore in the background. Seth's fingers still held a strand of Roman's hair curled around them. He could make out Roman's features clearly even though shadows of the night shifted across his face. It was obvious that Roman was thinking hard about his offer.

Roman's hands were locked behind Seth's back, resting on the small of his back. His keen brown eyes searching Seth's face for something.

" You know what you're asking right?"

Seth untwirled the hair from around his fingers and used his now free hand to caress along the side of Roman's neck. " I do."

A sharp inhale from Roman. " If we do this, I think you should know that I'm leaving at the end of next week."

Seth's fingers came to an abrupt stop on Roman's collarbone. He definitely didn't expect Roman to be leaving so soon. He leaned in and kissed Roman briefly on the lips. " All the more reason not to waste time right?" His tongue flickered out and licked Roman's bottom lip tasting the last remenants of the fruity champagne.

" Seth..." His name came out low, in an almost pleading tone.

Seth teased him by passing his lips against Roman's in response.

" Damn."

Seth could barely keep himself from smiling. He loved the sound of a sexually frustrated Roman.

He took a step back and grabbed Roman's hand. " C'mon."

They started walking back down the beach holding hands. Seth noting that the grip that Roman had on his hand was rather tight. He glanced up at Roman who was staring straight ahead and then he looked back down at the sand. He didn't really want to think about Roman leaving next week or Roman leaving at all, truth be told. But it just seemed a bit unfair that now that he had finally come to a place where he had forgiven the guy after all of these years, he didn't have the time to make something of it.

" You okay?" He felt Roman's arm around him, pulling him against the solid body.

" Yeah." Seth slipped his arm around Roman's firm waist.

Roman rubbed his arm. " Cold?" He chuckled. " I do recall you getting cold quite easily."

" If I say yes would you take off your shirt?" Seth grinned cheekily.

Roman laughed. " Maybe I should've brought along my football jacket."

" Maybe you should have." Seth said as they were now walking in the carpark towards his car.

" You did look good in it." Roman said as Seth pulled out his keys to unlock the doors.

Seth tried hard to control the blush that was spreading up his cheeks as Roman walked around to the passenger side of the car. Roman still remembered that after everything. Even though he wasn't making the smartest decision right now as he drove his car on to the highway, he could still feel that fluttering anticipation in his belly. It was almost like high school all over again, except that this time he knew exactly what he was getting himself into.

Seth let Roman into his spacious apartment. He flipped on the light which revealed the sparsely furnished place.

" I don't have much stuff yet. I just moved in barely a month ago." Seth said as he sat his car keys down on the kitchen counter.

" No, it's cool." The living room and dining area was empty except for a red bean bag chair up against a wall. However the kitchen seemed full furnished with a refrigerator, stove top, wall oven and microwave.

Wordlessly, Seth laced his fingers through Roman's and led him down the hall into his bedroom, saying a silent thank you that he had cleaned up his room before he had left.

Moonlight was streaming in through the window and everything was illuminated in a blueish silver light. Seth's bed looked to be queen sized. Just the perfect size to fit both of them.

" So what do you do?" Roman asked as he toed off his shoes and then cleverly pulled off his socks with his toes.

Seth took off his shoes and socks as well. " I'm a graphics designer."

" That's sweet. I really want to be a personal trainer." Seth took his hand once more and led him to the bed. " I hope that I get to do that when I move."

Seth sat on the bed and Roman sat next to him. He didn't want to be reminded that Roman was leaving. " I hope so too."

A nervous silence fell between them. Seth was thinking that they would get back to his place and they would be getting it on instantly like rabbits. He glanced around his room for the television remote. He had the television at the foot of his bed. Maybe they could watch some television and relax before getting it on.

" What are you looking for?" Roman's hand cupped the side of his face.

Roman's face was impossibly close to his. The tip of his nose brushing against Seth's cheek. " I was looking for..." Seth didn't get a chance to finish his sentence as Roman's mouth covered his in a soft kiss. Roman's lips were always soft but held this firmness that Seth couldn't explain as he felt the butterflies fading away and being replaced with warm desire.

Seth found himself being pushed down on his back and Roman came with him, their lips still kissing. Roman was here, in his bedroom and on his bed. His hand was underneath Seth's shirt, feeling warm against his skin. The scent of Roman's cologne invaded Seth's nose as their tongues slid against one another.

Roman shifted a bit so that now he was in between Seth's legs, pressing their hips together. Seth eased up on the bed to give them more room to spread out. Roman was still eagerly kissing him as if he couldn't get enough but his hands were already unbuttoning Seth's pants. Seth reached down and pulled up the hem of Roman's shirt. Roman got the hint and finally pulled away from Seth's lips to remove his shirt. As he dropped the shirt on the floor, Seth nearly gasped out loud. The tattoo had continued all the way up to Roman's shoulder and onto his chest taking up the whole of one pec. It was a beautiful masterpiece. Seth traced his fingers over it feeling the ridges from the tattoo. Roman allowed him to explore it without commenting. Seth pulled off his own shirt and then leaned forward.

Roman gasped as Seth's lips closed down around his nipple. He whined when Seth's tongue lapped against it. His hands were already pushing through Seth's hair unintentionally freeing it from the hair tie. Seth was making him so damn hard, that he needed to free himself from the confines of his pants but he didn't want to take a second away from what Seth was doing to him. So he decided to bare with his cock pushing against the zipper of his jeans for a little while longer.

Seth was kissing across his chest now and down his torso making random licks across his naked flesh. It was so different from their first time. He didn't feel rushed and he was a lot more comfortable in who he was. That was the thing that Seth had that he didn't at the time. Seth had already accepted himself and who he was. While on the other hand Roman was going to great lengths to make sure that his parents didn't find out.

Eventually Seth's lips made it down to the waistband of his pants. His nimble fingers undoing the button and fly of his pants. Thank God. Roman got himself into a kneeling position as Seth tugged his pants and underwear down to mid thigh.

" Well someone's glad to see me." Seth remarked. His eyes fixed on Roman's erection.

" Yeah... I... oh fuck!" Roman lost all trains of thought as Seth sucked him into his hot wet mouth. They hadn't performed oral sex on each other during their first encounter so this was a completely new sensation to him. And holy shit, wasn't Seth's mouth talented? He started to thrust into Seth's mouth while his hands grasped the back of Seth's head. " Oh fuck baby..." Seth did this thing with his tongue that Roman couldn't even explain but it made his cock throb and his toes curl.

" Oh shit!" Roman roughly pulled Seth off his cock which made the other man yelp. " Sorry. But you were going to make me cum."

Seth smiled and licked his lips as he watched Roman discard the rest of his clothing. He then got up and shimmied out of his tight jeans. The taste of Roman's precum on his tongue. It didn't taste too bad to be honest.

Seth had barely stepped out of his jeans when Roman pulled him back on to the bed. His mouth eagerly attacking Seth's neck. Seth's hands slipping down Roman's bare body. It felt so good in his hands. He had been almost scared to touch him during their first time. But this time, his hands explored Roman's flesh liberally. Down his back, across his waist and even cupping Roman's ass a couple of times.

Their cocks were pressing against each other as Roman kissed him once more. " You got stuff?" He asked through a particularly hot kiss as he bent his head to suck the flesh of Seth's neck into his mouth.

" Yeah." Seth stretched his arm out and clawed across to the bedside table and pulled opened the top drawer. He didn't keep many things inside there. He pulled out the bottle of lube and a condom.

Roman eyed them as he made his way down Seth's body . It was his turn now. Seth hissed and bucked his hips when Roman took him into his mouth. Roman had to use his hands to hold down Seth's hips as he sucked him down to the base.

" Ro..." Seth stretched out the last syllable of Roman's name for as long as possible. He could feel Roman's tongue wrapped around his cock along with the tight suction. This was way better than anything that he ever daydreamed of as a teen. Roman sucked him for a little while more, stopping before he couldn't control his release anymore.

Roman popped the cap on the bottle of the lube and was about to coat his fingers in it when Seth's stopped him.

" I just want you." He locked his legs around Roman's waist.

" Are you sure?" Roman asked as he tore open the foil package that contained the condom.

Seth nodded. " Yeah." He declined to mention that he had hours of fun with his personal toy the night before. His dating life was almost non existant really and the toy helped to meet certain needs.

Roman rolled the condom on and then coated his shaft liberally with the lube and then applied some to Seth's entrance.

He leaned over Seth as if he was waiting for his permission to start. Seth reached up and wrapped his arms around Roman's neck and pulled him down into a kiss. " Go ahead." He whispered into Roman's ear before lightly sucking on the lobe.

Roman reached down between them with one hand and positioned himself and started to push in. He loved hearing those little gasps and sighs as Seth's ass took him in. Seth was nice and tight but not painfully so. When he finally bottomed out, he kept his dick inside of Seth to get accustomed to it before pulling back out to the tip and then pushing it back in.

Seth whimpered as Roman pushed his knees up to his chest and started to fuck him with long, hard strokes. Seth closed his eyes and bit his bottom lip. He felt Roman rocking him into the bed every time that he pushed into him. The sound of his balls slapping against his ass was turning him on too. He need to feel more.

Seth sat up a bit so that his legs rested on top of Roman's thighs. Roman getting the message, pulled him so close that their chests were touching. Roman felt even deeper in him in this position. Seth placed his arms around Roman's neck. Roman gently brushed some of Seth's hair off his face before he resumed fucking him. This position was so initimate . He could feel Roman's breath against his neck. Hear his soft sighs and pants. Roman's dick fulled him and satisfied him. He could get used to this. Seth leaned forward and rested his head on Roman's shoulder. God, how he wished that Roman was staying and that he could fuck him like this forever. His fingers scrambling for purchase on Roman's damp back as his climax approached. It just wasn't fair that now that Roman had grown up and came out to his parents that he wouldn't get the chance to be with him. Seth squeezed him a bit tighter.

" Oh god Rome!" His cock jerked and spasmed as Seth's seed coated both bodies.

Roman kissed him sloppily on the lips. His euphoric bliss taking over. " I'm cumming babe." Seth felt Roman shudder against him as his seed was emptied into the condom.

Roman panted against him a bit to catch his breath before rolling off of him. Seth regretted Roman leaving his body but he supposed that he couldn't stay there forever. Seth slowly got off the bed and walked slowly to his adjoining bathroom. He carefully cleaned himself up and then went back out to the bedroom.

" You can use the bathroom, if you'd like." He offered.

" Thanks."

Seth sat on his bed admiring Roman's naked body as he walked away. Damn, he just felt something for Roman that he just couldn't shake off.

When Roman came out of the bathroom he found Seth stretched out on the bed watching television. He began to feel a bit awkward. Should he leave or did Seth want him to stay? Seth saw him and eased up on his elbows looking at him expectantly. Roman decided to take a gamble and joined Seth on the bed. He realized that it was the right decision when Seth kissed his cheek and then rested his head on his chest. Seth then eased one leg over Roman's so that it rested between his own. Seth's arm gently resting across his waist. Cuddling. That's what they were doing. Roman's right arm went around Seth's body so that his hand rested on Seth's bare hip.

He felt comfortable there with Seth. He wasn't really watching the television but he appreciated the closeness. Summer had been a big mess. Coming out to his parents. Subsequently being kicked out and having to go stay with his cousin. Surprisingly Jimmy didn't even raise much of an eyebrow at him and told him that he could stay as long as he wanted. But being out now felt weird. Usually at college he had gotten to know the guys before he got physical with them so he knew that they were into men before hand. But now, how the hell was he suppose to approach a strange guy cold turkey? It was a bit weird and uncomfortable. Odds on chance were that the guy was straight. So he didn't bother to work up the nerve most of the time. But with Seth, he knew where the bi-coloured haired man stood. Added to that Seth was comfortable with himself and that in turn made Roman get comfortable with himself also.

A surprise kiss was placed on his lips bringing him out of his thoughts. Seth was smiling down at him. His pretty wavy hair framing his handsome face. He cupped Seth's face and brought his lips down to meet his once more.

When Roman woke up the following morning it took a while for him to remember where he was. His clothes had been folded up neatly and placed at the foot of the bed. Oh right. He was at Seth's.

He got out of bed and pulled on his boxers. As soon as he stepped into the hallway he smelled food cooking. In the kitchen he found Seth in a pair of grey sweatpants hanging on his hips. Seth heard him approaching and turned around and smiled at him.

" Good morning."

" Good morning." Roman eased up behind Seth, wrapping his arms around his waist. " Smells good."

" Thanks." Seth gave him a quick kiss on the lips and then turned his attention back to the stove. Roman decided to hold on to him for just a little while more.

It was time for him to go. He had to get to his job at the cafe and Seth had to go to work. His back was up against the door but he couldn't seem to go through it. Although that was mainly due to the fact that he and Seth were engaged in an intense liplock for the past few minutes. He seriously couldn't get enough of his sweet mouth. Seth's lips and tongue were addictive. With Seth's hands crawling up his back underneath his t-shirt, he could safely assume that Seth found him to be the same way as well.

Seth sucked Roman's bottom lip and released it with a wet pop. " Ro..." A plaintive whine in the back of his throat.

Roman captured Seth's lips in a hot kiss. " What is it?"

He felt Seth's fingers pressing hard into the skin of his back. " I don't want you to go."

Roman's fingers splayed across Seth's ass giving it a soft squeeze. " I can come back over when work's over."

Seth's tongue flicked out and licked Roman's neck and he gasped. " That's not what I meant." Hazy, beautiful brown eyes meeting Roman's drawing him into their depths with him barely being conscious of it.

Seth's thumb stroked the spot on Roman's neck that he had licked. " I don't want you to go to New York."

" Seth..." He didn't know what else to say. He couldn't deny that being with Seth felt good. Really good. That they had undeniable chemistry. And if he was in a better place he would've stayed. But he wasn't in a better place. He felt like shit on the inside and he needed to get away and go find himself.

He stroked Seth's cheek tenderly with the back of his hand. " I can't give you what you want. What you deserve."

Seth shook his head defiantly and then kissed him. " But I want you." The words softly whispered against Roman's lips. So close that he could feel them touching him. " I've always wanted you." He confessed even quieter.

Roman took Seth's head between both of his hands. He could see that Seth was being genuine. That it was plain that Seth had feelings for him. He would be a liar if he denied that the feelings weren't returned on his part as well.

" Seth," Roman hoped that his words came out right. " I can't give you me because I don't even know who I am." Immediately disappointment filled Seth's eyes and Roman felt like shit." You deserve somebody who's comfortable in who they are and who they want to be. And I can't give you that." He kissed Seth's forehead. " I would love to be with you." Seth's eyes lit up. " But now is not the right time." And the light vanished. But he could see that Seth was slowly accepting his words.

Seth eventually nodded his head. " I understand." He moved Roman's hand that was cupping the right side of his face and kissed the palm of it. " You have to find you."

Roman nodded. " Yeah."

Seth sighed and then suddenly grabbed Roman's head with force and kissed him hard on the lips. " I hope you find what you're looking for out there."

I hope so too Seth. Roman thought to himself as he fingered his seatbelt. The plane was taxing down the runway. He had went to see Seth last night before he left. Unfortunately Seth had some coworkers over so Roman didn't want to stay. When he handed Seth what he wanted to give him, he was surprised when Seth jumped into his arms and kissed right there on his front step.

He had given Seth his high school football jacket. He had been sorting through his belongings at Jimmy's, deciding what to take and what to give to charity when he came across the jacket. When he saw it, all he could think about was Seth wearing it on prom night. He was the only one who deserved to have it.

Seth and him never seemed to have had the odds in their favour for a relationship, he thought as the plane lifted off and started to ascend through the clouds. Maybe there was a reason for that. Maybe whoever was in charge of fate had decided that there might be someone better out there for him. But he couldn't imagine anyone being better suited to him than Seth. He was an amazing guy and Roman was certain that he deserved someone just as amazing as he was but unfortunately Roman knew that he was not that person. As the plane leveled off in the air and Roman unbuckled his seatbelt, he hoped that one day he would find someone who thought that he was amazing as well.

THE END

A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed. As some people have correctly guessed, this is the prequel to " Latch". It didn't really intend it to be this way but these things just happen and I go with it.