EIGHT MONTHS LATER

"Leo, I swear, I will drag you out of this lab kicking and screaming!" Jemma's voice was quite clear even on the stairs leading to his lover's work room and Grant grinned. "This is the first real vacation time we've had in over a year!"

"Hey, we had vacation time just three months back," Grant said by way of greeting as he held the door open for the engineer and the bio-chemist.

"Doesn't count," Leo told him, eyes sparkling with mirth.

"Why not?" he asked good naturedly. "There was sun, there was sand and there was sea. Hell there was even palm trees. What part of that is not a vacation?"

"The unexploded volcano and the killer robots," Jemma told him firmly. She faced the monitor in the hallway "Engage lab lockdown," she said clearly.

"Verify," came the response.

"Verified, engage." Leo confirmed the order with the computer and the lights went dark. "Hey, Jem," he caught her up in a hug. "Have a good week. Give your folks a wave for me."

"Sure, she grinned "I'll see you in a week!" With that she was gone Grant grinned at the younger man. "Looks like it's just you and me," he said "What are we going to do with ourselves?" He felt a thrill of satisfaction when Leo evaded his grasp easily and dodged out of reach. The lessons he'd been giving had paid off. Maybe it was a weird response but the fact that Leo felt confident enough to refuse him was something that made him happy.

"I," the engineer announced "am going to finish tidying my bunk and you're not allowed to come or we'll miss our ride."

"How is me watching you make a bed gonna make us miss our ride?" Grant asked.

"You were planning on watching?" Leo asked archly.

"Well, no," he admitted and took a step into the other's personal space only to be stopped by a firm hand on his chest.

"I want this break," Leo told him "And that is why you're going to go and pack the car up and you're not going to distract me from packing," he leaned up, planted a kiss on the corner of Grant's mouth and was gone in a whirlwind of energy that made Grant aware of the slight age difference between them. He was too old for the engineer but he'd be dammed before he gave him up. He turned towards the landing ramp only to come face to face with an avenger.

"Agent Barton," he greeted the other man, hoping his start of surprise had gone unnoticed. If the amused smirk was anything to go by, it hadn't. Who was he kidding anyway? You didn't get the name Hawkeye if you didn't catch all the little details.

"Agent Ward," he was greeted "I'm looking for Coulson."

"In his office," Grant told him. Curiosity compelled him to offer "I can take you up if you want. Don't know how well you know this thing."

"Pretty well," Barton said easily "But I'll take the help where it's offered." The walk to Coulson's office wasn't a long one and the two men were silent. The office door was open and, although Grant stopped, Barton sauntered in as if he owned the place. Coulson was standing at the window and he turned at the entry of the archer. Something softened in his face and he stepped into the embrace that was offered with no self-consciousness whatsoever. Grant immediately felt uncomfortably like an intruder as he witnessed what was clearly meant to be a private moment.

"You're dismissed, Agent Ward," Coulson said when he saw the agent shift uncertainly "Have a good week." He pulled away from the archer to stand by the door "You've earnt it," he added. As she door swung shut, Grant very clearly heard Barton say in a voice that sounded like whiskey poured over gravel "You said not your office sir. This is not technically your office." The door closed off anything else he might have said and Grant decided it was for the best. Some things he didn't need to know about his superior officer.

THIRTY-SIX HOURS LATER

"Your family is nice," Grant told the engineer. He'd been instantly accepted, despite his obvious awkwardness in the face of a situation he didn't know how to handle. Mrs. Fitz had cried, he remembered and Leo's father had shaken his hand, clearing his throat roughly.

"Sorry about that," Leo smiled "I don't see them very often and, mum, she gets a bit emotional when I do make it home."

"Where do they think you work?" Grant asked him curiously. Lying was an unavoidable part of their job and he wanted to know how the younger man had dealt with it.

"I didn't want to lie," Leo shrugged "Mostly I tell them I'm a rocket scientist working for the government and that kind of covers it. It didn't feel right to tell them anything else and it's not technically a lie." Grant felt a smile pull at his face and he took the two steps necessary to pull the engineer into his arms.

"I love you," he whispered and leant into the kiss he was rewarded with.

"I love you too," Leo answered him although he blushed as he said it. Grant hoped he never lost that blush.

"So," he drawled, glancing at the single bed "I guess we're going to have to sleep close tonight. Hope that won't be a problem," he leered dramatically and Leo shook with laughter in his arms.

"Let me see," he teased "Sleeping close to you… hmmm, nope, no problem over here." They were close enough to the door that he could reach out and flip the lock over.

"Did I say sleeping?" Grant asked as he propelled them both backwards to the bed that, contrary to what was normal, was getting smaller every time he looked at it. They really would be sleeping closely. When he judged them close enough he pushed them down in a tangle of limbs and manfully suppressed the yelp when his elbow glanced off the bedside table. "It's sweet that we're in your old room," he said "But I think you outgrew this bed a while back, let alone adding me in here." He recognised the look on Leo's face and smiled fondly. The engineer concentrated so intensely on his problems and the tiny frown he wore was almost cute. Okay, it was definitely cute.

"I have it," Leo announced and rolled of the bed to start pulling off his clothes. Well, there was a plan Grant could get behind. He lay and watched until the other man gestured impatiently at him. He was halfway through his shirt buttons and the sight of pale skin and softly defined muscle was driving Grant insane. Leo was naked first but instead of letting Grant look at him like he wanted to he started pulling at the older man's clothes, making tiny impatient noises. Grant let himself be manhandled until he was leaning back against the headboard and Leo slung his leg over him until their hips were aligned. He ground down and at the slide of skin on skin Grant caught his breath.

"Leo," he murmured, reaching to hold the other man's hips. He adjusted them both until the friction was perfect and bucked upwards. Leo made a cut off whimper and his hands gripped at Grant's shoulders. They breathed each other's air for a moment but Grant couldn't resist for very long and pressed his mouth to his lover's. Leo kissed like he was drowning and Grant was the air that he needed for his very survival. He kissed with such focus that to be at the center of his attention was almost humbling. It was tempting, so tempting, to take hold and buck up against the sweet heat until they both came gasping the other's name but he had something else planned for tonight and apparently so did Leo. The engineer leant over and rummaged through his bedside drawer until he had lube and condoms he placed on the table. Grant raised an eyebrow. "How long have they been there?" He asked and Leo shifted slightly guiltily.

"About four hours," he admitted "I snuck up during dinner and put them there. It's just, on the bus we never have time or privacy and we hardly ever get off the bus and I really want you," he finished in a rush and Grant swept his fingertips over the blush that was there again.

"I want you, too," he murmured "What did you have in mind?"

"I want you in me," Leo said decisively and Grant stilled.

"Are you sure?" he asked "We can do it the other way round if you want." Leo looked confused.
"I thought you'd…" he trailed off.

"Only want to top?" Grant asked "There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you, babe. Ok, I don't usually bottom but that's out of habit really. If you wanted, you could top."

"Maybe another time," Leo decided "I want it this way first. I want you in me." Grant nodded and smoothly reversed their positions. Or at least he was aiming for smooth but the bed was small enough that he lost his balance slightly and knocked his elbow again. He didn't feel any pain, though, when he looked down at his lover. Leo was beautiful and he was going to do this right. With that in mind he bent to the task of driving the younger man wild.

He used hands, lips, occasionally even teeth and had the younger man moaning beneath him. When he finally reached for the lube he was as blindingly hard as his lover and he gritted his teeth at the feel of heat wrapping around his fingers. He slicked and stretched the other man until he was sure he was ready, scissoring and twisting his fingers until Leo was gasping.

"Please, now. Grant now!" he demanded and Grant couldn't resist. He rolled on the condom with unsteady hands and eased himself into the engineer, taking it as slowly as he could. When he was fully seated Leo bucked his hips and Grant took that as a signal to move. He pulled back and pushed forward, creating a rhythm that went faster and faster until he adjusted his angle slightly and grinned in triumph when Leo cried out in pleasure beneath him. After that they were in free-fall and he came instants after the younger man, gasping out his love into the other's mouth.

It was a moment before he could catch his breath and when he did he stared into Leo's eyes.

"I love you," he whispered.

"Love you too," Leo whispered back and the world was perfect.