Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Jeremy sagged against the doorframe, shrugging off his coat with a groan that rumbled from his broad chest. The hem of his t-shirt had ridden up, exposing the soft swell of his belly—a warm, inviting curve Richard had been thinking about for hours. Jezza. Even exhausted, the man was a force of nature; his eyes half-lidded, greying curls wild and unruly, that warm belly spilling over his belt. Richard loved every inch.

“Long day, love?” Richard murmured, already closing the distance between them. His hands found the solid heat of Jeremy’s middle, fingertips itching to touch the exposed strip of skin. But not yet.  

Jeremy didn’t reply. He didn’t have to. Richard knew he’d driven through the night. A race against God, they’d called it. Richard hoped that Jeremy had gotten a few hours rest on the journey back to London, seeing as a member of the crew had driven, but he also knew what Jeremy was like. He’d more than likely spent the time analysing various shots and planning the voice over.

“Missed you,” Richard murmured into the solid wall of Jeremy’s chest.

Jeremy huffed a laugh, the vibration rolling through his broad chest. “I’ve only been gone a day.”

“James has been driving me crazy. He’s decided to re-organise his toolbox.”

“Again?” Jeremy exclaimed. They’d barely survived the last time. He carded a hand through Richard’s hair, blunt nails grazing his scalp in the way that never failed to make him shiver. "Should hide his bloody tape measure."

Richard’s laughter melted into a contented sigh as Jeremy pulled him in closer. The stress of the day—James’s relentless clattering in the garage, the silence of the house without Jeremy’s booming voice—seeped out of him like air from a punctured tire. He nuzzled closer, cheek now firmly pressed to the warm, steady rise and fall of Jeremy’s chest. The man smelled like summer, and the coffee that he’d no doubt gulped down during the drive.

“C’mere,” Jeremy grumbled, his voice heavy with fatigue but still impossibly warm. He hooked a big hand under Richard’s thighs, lifting him effortlessly—a feat that never failed to make Richard’s stomach flip.

His breath hitched as Jeremy carried him to the worn leather sofa, his grip firm and grounding. The familiar creak of the cushions, the way Jeremy’s belly pressed warm against his side as they settled made Richard smile. He curled into Jeremy like a compass finding north. Tracing circles over the soft cotton stretched across Jeremy’s middle, Richard could feel the gentle give beneath his palm. God, he’d missed this. Missed the way Jeremy’s body seemed to cradle him, all sturdy warmth and rumbling laughter.

For a moment, they simply breathed—foreheads pressed together, Jeremy’s exhales ruffling Richard’s hair. The late-morning sun pooled around them, gilding Jeremy’s curls and the soft curve of his cheeks. Richard’s fingers drifted higher, skimming the swell of Jeremy’s belly where it strained against his t-shirt.

“Missed you. Missed your hands.”

Jeremy’s chuckle reverberated against Richard’s temple. “Yours aren’t exactly idle, either,” he rumbled, as Richard’s palm moved to press firmly against the warm expanse of his belly.

“Have you been surviving on nothing but coffee?” Richard asked, a little cheekily.

“You’re one to talk. Bet you didn’t eat proper this morning, or yesterday. Too busy dodging Captain Slow’s lectures.” 

“He made a colour-coded chart for screwdrivers, Jezza!”   

His fingers splayed possessively over the warm curve of Jeremy’s belly, thumb dipping just beneath the waistband of his jeans where heated skin waited. “Should’ve at least stopped for a sandwich,” Richard chided gently. “This needs fuel, you know.”

“Just wanted to get home,” Jeremy mumbled.

“And I know you didn’t sleep a wink.” Richard tilted his head back, taking in the shadows under Jeremy’s eyes, the way his shoulders sagged into the couch.

“M’fine,” Jeremy muttered, but the protest died as Richard shifted, slotting himself more firmly against Jeremy’s side. He let out a low groan when Richard’s palm slid further beneath his shirt, warm skin meeting skin. “Christ, your hands’re cold,” he grumbled, but made no move to stop him. Instead, he leaned into the touch, his belly rising with a deep breath as Richard splayed his fingers wide over the soft curve. The cotton shirt bunched higher, baring Jeremy properly—the soft pudge above his hips, the trail of dark hair leading downward, the way his navel dipped like a secret.

Melting further into Jeremy’s hold; Richard's ear pressed to the steady thud-thud of his heartbeat. His fingers drifted up to trace the curve of his jaw.

“Hamster—”

“Look at you,” Richard breathed. The contrast always stole his breath—his frame fitted perfectly against Jeremy’s comforting heft, the way those big hands gripped his hips as Jeremy pulled him close. “All warm and sexy and mine.”

Jeremy’s eyes darkened, hands riding higher to grab Richard’s waist. “Cocky little shit,” he rumbled, but the way his gaze dropped to Richard’s mouth betrayed him.

The first kiss was a collision—Jeremy bridging the gap, one big hand fisting in Richard’s shirt, pulling him closer. Their lips met with the desperation of hours spent apart, Jeremy’s groan vibrating through Richard’s bones.

Jeremy’s tongue swept into his mouth—slow, possessive, hungry. The weight of Jeremy’s belly pressed against him, warm and solid, a grounding counterpoint to the dizzying heat of the kiss. Richard’s hips rolled instinctively, drawing a ragged curse from Jeremy’s throat.

Hands slid down to grip Richard’s thighs, hauling him fully into Jeremy’s lap eliciting a low, pleased hum. Richard straddled him, knees sinking into the soft cushions on either side of Jeremy’s hips. The shift pressed their bodies closer, and Richard was increasingly aware of his tightening jeans.

“God, Jezza,” Richard breathed, his voice trembling. His fingers trailed down slowly, from the solid plane of Jeremy’s chest to the warm, rounded swell of his stomach. Even clothed, it was a masterpiece—a testament to life lived fully, unapologetically.

With possessive reverence, Richard caressed the creases where fabric had dug into flesh during the long drive.

Large hands tangled in Richard’s hair—not guiding, just anchoring. Richard moaned, mapping a path until he found the warm overhang of Jeremy’s belly. He grabbed it—kneading the supple curve with reverent palms.

The answering groan was thunderous, one of Jeremy’s hands sliding down to grip Richard’s backside with rough urgency. “Bloody hell, Rich.”

“Just… let me… let me…”

He didn’t finish. Words dissolved into worship. He couldn’t take his hands off Jeremy.

“You’re insatiable,” Jeremy teased, but his voice cracked when Richard’s lips found that one spot on his neck.

“Insatiable for you,” Richard corrected, voice filled with arousal.

“Rich—” 

“Let me,” Richard whispered, drunk on the scent of Jeremy’s skin, the way his body arched into every touch. “This... you… God, Jez. Want to live here.” 

Jeremy’s laughter shook them both, deep and rich, his palms cradling Richard’s face as he pulled him up for a searing kiss. “My greedy little Hamster,” he growled, all heat and affection. 

The movement rolled their hips together again, drawing a ragged groan from both of them. Jeremy’s head thudded back against the leather, exposing the column of his throat, and Richard seized the invitation. He trailed kisses along warm skin, teeth grazing the pulse point as Jeremy’s fingers tightened in his hair.

“Bed,” Jeremy announced suddenly, hands already shifting under Richard’s thighs. “Now.”

Richard barely had time to cling to Jeremy’s neck before the world tilted, his legs instinctively locking around Jeremy’s waist. The strength in those broad shoulders, the way Jeremy’s belly pressed against him as he carried them down the hall left Richard’s pulse hammering.

“Christ, you’re insane,” he laughed breathlessly.

The bedroom door swung open with a creak James kept trying to fix, the sunlight was streaming through half-drawn curtains to stripe the pristine duvet, but Richard barely registered any of it. All he knew was the heat of Jeremy’s palms branding his thighs, the softness of that belly pressed flush against him, fingers tangling in the thick curls at the nape of Jeremy’s neck. As he clung to Jeremy, breathless and pliant, Richard’s arousal was a hot, insistent pressure.

“Jez—please—” Richard whined, grinding shamelessly, the friction of his cock against Jeremy drawing a ragged moan. “Need you… now.” 

Jeremy’s smirk was molten. “Impatient sod,” he replied, but there was no bite to it—only hunger. He carried Richard toward the bed, his gait steady despite Richard’s squirming.

Chapter Text

The garage was quiet now, save for the faint tick of cooling engine parts and the distant creak of floorboards overhead. James set the last screwdriver into its newly designated slot in the drawer, the metallic click satisfyingly precise. His colour-coded chart lay beside him; edges crisp in the afternoon light filtering through dusty windows. Normally, this orderliness would soothe him—the logic of it, the control. But today, his mind kept drifting. It hadn’t been the same without the big ape getting in the way and distracting him every five minutes.

Suddenly, Richard’s laughter. That bright, infectious sound, followed by the low rumble of Jeremy’s reply. James’s throat tightened. Jezza was home.

He paused in the doorway, watching them — Jeremy, broad-shouldered and tanned, cradling Richard against his chest like something precious. The sight punched the air from James’s lungs. 

God, Jezza. 

Even exhausted, the man moved with an obvious strength that made James’s knees weak. The way Jeremy’s arms flexed as he lifted Richard, the taut line of his spine as he carried him down the hall — James’s pulse thrummed in his ears. He’d always admired Jeremy’s physicality, the contrast of his softness and power. The strength in Jeremy’s broad shoulders and long, muscular legs was undeniable, his spine a taut, long line. That belly, warm and inviting, filling out his shirt… James’s own stomach fluttered, heat pooling low in his gut.

Richard’s breathy plea — “Jez — please”— echoed down the corridor, followed by Jeremy’s growl. James’s cheeks burned.

A floorboard creaked under his weight as he followed.

Jeremy’s head snapped toward the sound, stormy eyes locking onto James’s. For a heartbeat, time stilled. His mouth went dry.

“James.” Jeremy’s voice, rough but impossibly tender, curled around him like smoke. Richard twisted in Jeremy’s arms, hair mussed, lips kiss-swollen. 

“Join us,” Richard breathed, longingly. 

Jeremy set Richard down gently on the bed but didn’t release him, one hand pressing him into the mattress. His gaze never left James. “C’mere, you.” 

James hesitated. Touch was… complicated. A lifetime of stiff handshakes and careful distances. But Jeremy’s outstretched hand; big, warm, steady, unraveled him. 

Slowly, he closed the gap, Jeremy’s free arm wrapping around his waist, pulling him into the orbit of his warmth. James’s breath hitched as Jeremy’s belly pressed against him, soft and solid. 

“Look at you.” Jeremy brushed a thumb over James’s cheekbone. “All flustered over nothing.” 

James’s throat tightened. “I… I don’t know if I can—” 

“However you want,” Jeremy interrupted, forehead resting against his. “However we want.” 

Jeremy moved with deliberate slowness, big palm skating up James's old t-shirt.

"Easy, James," Jeremy reassured, "All the time in the world." His knuckles brushed the hollow of James‘s throat, as he carefully lifted the shirt over his head. Lips brushed his temple. "Just us."

James shuddered as his shirt slipped away.

"Christ, you're beautiful," Richard breathed.

Lips followed the path his hand had taken, Jeremy suckling a love-bite over James's fluttering pulse, tongue swirling around a nipple until James whimpered.

James watched as Richard squirmed beneath Jeremy’s anchoring hand, his lithe frame trembling while James let Jeremy undress him with unhurried reverence. His fingers worked James’s belt with ease, hands skimming the soft curve of his belly as denim pooled at his ankles. James shivered — not from the cool air, but from the way Jeremy drank him in.

“There you are.” Jeremy pressed a kiss to James’s collarbone. “Perfect.”

James’s breath caught as Jeremy brushed over the trail of hair below his navel, a large hand splayed possessively over his hips. On the bed, Richard whimpered, writhing under Jeremy’s other hand still pinning him down.

“Jez—god—let me see—”

Jeremy chuckled lightly, finally releasing Richard, his focus still on James.

Immediately, Richard surged upward, all restless energy, eyes blown dark as he reached for James.

“Look at you,” Richard breathed, fingers trembling against James’s chest. “All soft and—and flushed.” His own shirt hung open, revealing tanned skin. When he shimmied free of his jeans, James’s gaze instinctively dipped.  

Richard huffed a laugh, though his ears pinked. He guided James’s hand downward with surprising gentleness, his cock small but achingly hard. “It’s just me.”

James swallowed. “I know —”

“You’re perfect,” Jeremy interjected. His belly pressed warm against James as he reached out to cup Richard’s face. “Both of you. Christ.”

The contrast was dizzying — Jeremy’s sheer bulk surrounding him, Richard’s compact heat pressed close. James gasped as Jeremy’s nimble fingers found his nipple again, rolling it gently while his other hand slid between Richard’s thighs.

“That’s it,” Jeremy rumbled as Richard arched with a whine. “Want you both.” His teeth grazed James’s shoulder.

James turned his face into Jeremy’s neck, breathing in coffee and peppermint as Richard’s clever mouth found his shoulder, mouthing softly.

“Love watching you,” Jeremy confessed hoarsely. “Love the way you take your time.” His palm slid lower, thumb circling James’s navel. “What do you —”

The words dissolved into a groan as Richard shifted, kissing Jeremy with messy desperation.

James watched their tongues met, Jeremy’s big hand gently cradling Richard’s skull like he might break, and something primal uncoiled in his gut.

Jeremy’s t-shirt slid over his head as James’s careful fingers eased it upwards. The soft, hungry noise Richard made into Jeremy’s shoulder as James moved the fabric away, revealing the broad planes of his chest dusted with dark curls, was so obscene that James’s cock twitched and his breath caught. This was still new to them, and even though he’d seen Jeremy shirtless dozens of times over the years, on various shoots, seeing him like this made his heart skip a beat.

“Bloody hell, Jezza,” Richard breathed, palm flattening over Jeremy’s belly. “You’re gorgeous.” He pressed a kiss to the swell just below Jeremy’s sternum, fingers skating up to thumb a peaked nipple. Jeremy shuddered, his grip tightening in Richard’s hair.

“Cheeky bastard.” Jeremy’s voice cracked when James mirrored Richard’s touch on his other side.

James was tentative at first, hand shaking slightly, as he traced the edges of his nipple. “Sensitive?” He asked softly.

“Christ, yes.”

Richard grinned up at him, wicked. “You’re blushing.”

“Am not,” Jeremy grumbled, even as a flush crept down his neck.

Watching, fascinated, as Jeremy’s hips jerked, his belly quivering, James leaned in, needing to taste, salt and musk blooming on his tongue.

“Fuck,” Jeremy choked out.

Richard’s laugh wrapped around them, hands already working Jeremy’s belt. “Easy, big guy,” he teased, freeing the buckle with a snick.

James helped ease Jeremy’s jeans over his hips as Richard, honest to God, whined against Jeremy’s belly, nuzzling the softness spilling over his waistband.

“God, you’re perfect,” he muttered, lips trailing downward.

“Oi, watch it,” Jeremy warned, though his hands cradled Richard’s head with impossible gentleness.

James’s throat tightened at the sight, pressing a kiss to Jeremy’s sternum, feeling the steady heartbeat beneath. “You’re…” He tried to ignore the heat creeping up his neck. “You feel incredible.”

A palm cupped his cheek, Jeremy’s thumb brushing the corner of his mouth. “And you’re doing brilliant, love.”

“Stop hogging him!” Richard protested, nipping Jeremy’s hip.

Rolling his eyes, Jeremy’s smile still softened as Richard scrambled up to kiss James; messy and urgent, all tongue and teeth. Jeremy’s hands spanned both their backs, holding them flush against him.

Richard’s fingers hesitated at the hem of Jeremy’s boxers. “May I…?”

Jeremy’s gaze softened. “Course.”

Together, they eased the last barrier away. James drunk in every inch. Jeremy, fully bared, his belly, a testament to years of laughter and pints and shared meals, warm and inviting. Richard made a sound like a contented sigh, nuzzling into the curve of it as if seeking shelter.

“God, Jezza,” Richard breathed, lips brushing the softness.

Jeremy swatted lightly at Richard’s shoulder, but his smile faltered when James leaned in to press another open-mouthed kiss to his sternum. “Christ—!”

Richard’s laughter melted into a moan as James’s hand found his, interlacing their fingers over Jeremy’s hip.

Their remaining clothes fell away in a haphazard pile; Richard’s socks and Jeremy’s boxers kicked toward the hamper. They rolled around on the bed, a tangle of limbs and laughter, Jeremy’s bulk sinking into the mattress as Richard clambered over him.

"Look at you," Jeremy rasped, reverence thickening his voice. "Perfect. Both of you. My perfect..."

Jeremy’s voice trailed off, choked by a gasp as Richard’s mouth closed over the dip of his hip. James watched, wide-eyed, as Jeremy’s fingers carded through Richard’s hair, guiding, feeling. The air hummed with shared breath and the creak of bedsprings, afternoon light gilding the broad planes of Jeremy’s chest.

Eventually, Richard pulled back, lips glistening, and shot James a conspiratorial grin. “C’mon, Captain Slow,” he teased. “Don’t make me do all the work.”

James huffed a laugh, the sound dissolving into a moan as Jeremy’s palm slid up his thigh. “You’re… insufferable,” he managed, but he let Jeremy tug him forward, his spine curving instinctively over Jeremy’s broad frame.

“And you’re stalling,” Jeremy murmured, nipping at James’s earlobe, fingertips grazing the base of James’s spine, causing him to shudder, forehead dropping to Jeremy’s shoulder.

“Easy,” Jeremy soothed, pressing a kiss to his temple. “Just feel.”

Jeremy’s palm slid lower, fingers, gently squeezing his arse. Richard’s mouth was suddenly there too—hot and insistent—sucking a bruise into the soft flesh. The dual sensation unraveled James; Jeremy’s steady grip anchoring his waist, Richard’s teeth nipping higher, breath ragged against his back.

“That’s it,” Jeremy murmured reassuringly, cradling Richard’s jaw, tilting his face up for a searing kiss.

James watched their lips move—slow, filthy—Jeremy’s tongue sweeping into Richard’s mouth with possessive hunger. A whimper escaped him, hips jerking involuntarily.

It was electric—all teeth and hunger—until Jeremy gentled it, his large hands cradling Richard’s face like he was handling something fragile. “Easy, Rich,” he whispered, thumb brushing Richard’s swollen lip. “We’ve got time.” 

Suddenly Jeremy was reeling James in, a mountain of warm flesh and coiled strength, but his kiss was achingly soft. Jeremy’s tongue swept into James’s mouth, deliberate and slow, as if mapping every inch. James moaned, fingers sinking into the softness of Jeremy’s sides, anchoring himself against the dizzying heat. Jeremy’s thumb swept in slow circles over his stomach. “Let us take care of you, yeah?”

“Bloody hell, look at you two,” Richard breathed, already squirming between them. His hands roamed Jeremy’s belly, kneading the soft curve as he pressed open-mouthed kisses to James’s shoulder.

James’s breath hitched as Richard’s lips trailed lower, skimming the curve of his stomach. Richard’s smile softened into something tender, his fingers brushing James’s wrist in silent encouragement.

Richard pulled back, lips swollen. “Look at him, Jezza,” he breathed, pupils blown. “All wound up and trying to hold back.” His thumb brushed the head of James’s arousal, smearing precum in a slow, deliberate circle, James bit down on his lip, trying not to buck his hips. “Bet he’s been thinking about this all day.”

James’s cheeks burned. “I—I haven’t—”

“Liar.”  Jeremy nipped his shoulder. His belly pressed warm against James’s back as he reached around, hand covering Richard’s on James’s cock. Together, they stroked him—Jeremy’s big palm setting a relentless rhythm, Richard’s fingers teasing the sensitive underside.

“Christ—!” James arched, the slick heat of their joined hands, skin against velvet-soft skin, as they drove him closer to the edge. Jeremy’s breath hot on the back of his neck, grounding yet arousing all at the same time.

“It’s okay, it’s just us,” Jeremy reassured. “Want to feel you come apart.”

Richard shifted, kneeling between James’s legs, big eyes locked onto his, and he winked cheekily.

James’s stomach flipped.

The first swipe of Richard’s tongue along his length drew a broken moan. Jeremy’s hand fisted in James’s hair, holding him still as Richard took him deeper, throat fluttering around the tip.

“Look at him.” Jeremy rasped, lips brushing against James’s ear, thumb tracing his lips. “Sucking you like he’s fucking starved for it.” Jeremy’s other hand started playing with James’s nipples, eliciting another moan.

“Look at me,” Jeremy commanded, voice fraying at the edges. When James obeyed, Jeremy pressed their foreheads together. “So good for us. Perfect. Let go, love. We’ve got you.”

James’s hips jerked, torn between the heat of Richard’s mouth and Jeremy’s tender touch. The coil in his gut tightened dangerously. Richard hummed, vibrations rippling through him, and James’s vision whited out—back bowing as he spilled down Richard’s throat with a shattered cry.

As Jeremy held him through the tremors, he murmured nonsense against James’s sweat-damp neck. Richard crawled upward, kissing James deeply, and he could taste himself on Richard’s tongue.

The quiet stretched, syrupy and warm, until Richard squirmed against Jeremy’s hip with a frustrated whine. “Jezza,” he breathed, fingers flexing against Jeremy’s belly. “You’re still—”

“I know,” Jeremy murmured, pressing a kiss to Richard’s sweaty temple. His arousal pressed hot and heavy against James’s thigh, but his hands remained gentle, stroking his back. “Want you both to breathe first.”

The afternoon light caught the silver in Jeremy’s stubble, but his eyes burned dark, intent. James shifted beside them, trailing fingertips over the slope of Jeremy’s belly, the soft hair there catching in the sun. Still loose-limbed from his climax, he nosed at the strong curve of Jeremy’s shoulder. “Let us,” he whispered, the words muffled against warm skin. “Let us take care of you now.”

Richard’s breath audibly hitched at James’s words, his gaze flicking between Jeremy’s flushed face and the obvious strain of his arousal. “C’mere,” Richard murmured, tugging James closer until they bracketed Jeremy’s thighs.

Tentatively, James pressed an open-mouthed kiss to Jeremy’s inner thigh, relishing the taste. Jeremy jerked, a choked-off groan reverberating through the bed.

“Fuck’s sake—” Jeremy’s free hand tangled in James’s hair, tugging just enough to sting. “Both of you—Christ—”

James’s lips trailed higher, grazing the soft swell of Jeremy’s stomach, his tongue circling the warm hollow of his navel. So soft, so inviting – James knew he was going to be addicted to the feel of Jeremy’s belly beneath his lips.

Jeremy visibly shuddered, his breath catching as Richard also lavished attention on his belly—kisses feather-light, palms massaging the plush warmth with reverent hunger.

Hands flexed possessively in James’s hair. “Cheeky little—” Jeremy’s groan vibrated deep in his chest.

Richard crawled upward, straddling Jeremy’s hips. His thumbs circled Jeremy’s nipples, teasing them to peaks before leaning down to suck one into his mouth.

James watched, transfixed, as Jeremy’s stomach rose and fell beneath Richard’s writhing body, the soft flesh pressing slightly against Richard’s thighs.

“Love this—solid, proper, yours,” Richard murmured. James hummed in agreement, his cheek resting against Jeremy’s side, feeling Jeremy’s chest rise sharply, his fingers carding gently through Richard’s tousled hair.

“Bloody hell, you two,” Jeremy rumbled, though his hips shifted upward, betraying his need.

Richard chuckled, the vibration rippling against Jeremy’s skin, before he dragged his tongue slowly down the midline of Jeremy’s stomach. James followed suit, his lips softer, lingering—a contrast to Richard’s playful energy. Together, they mapped every curve, as if memorising him.

It was arousing, though James knew he couldn’t get hard again, watching the way Richard worshipped—kissing every inch, nipping playfully at love handles, murmuring filthy praise into the happy trail below Jeremy’s navel. When Richard’s tongue dipped into Jeremy’s belly button, drawing a ragged gasp, James huffed a surprised laugh.

“Sensitive there too?” James asked, fingertips circling.

“Shut it.” Jeremy’s cheeks flushed but he arched into their hands all the same.

Moaning softly, Richard pressed his cheek to Jeremy’s belly as if listening to the heartbeat beneath. “Want to drown in you,” he confessed, words muffled against skin. “Always wanted—Christ, Jezza—your weight, your warmth—”

“Fuck—” Jeremy’s voice fractured as James’s teeth grazed the dip of his hip, Richard’s palm kneading the plush curve of his belly with shameless adoration. “Christ, you’re both insatiable.”

“You love it,” Richard teased, nipping the fleshy part of Jeremy’s side before soothing it with his tongue.

James joined in, kneading the generous curves, thumbs pressing into the divot of Jeremy’s navel.

“Fuck—James—”

Wide-eyed, James watched, as Jeremy’s control frayed—the way his stomach quivered beneath their attentions, the dark flush spreading down his chest. He shifted closer, lips brushing Jeremy’s ear. “Look at Rich,” he whispered. “Utterly gone for you. We both are.”

Richard’s hips stuttered. “Can’t—fuck—can’t stop—” he babbled, his cock leaking as he rubbed against Jeremy’s belly. “Need—need—”

“Shhh.” Jeremy whispered and James watched as he reached for Richard, who was still trembling, soothing him. “I’ve got you.”

How Jeremy could manage that, when he was losing his own control, James would never understand. The way Jeremy instinctively reassured, and soothed, the way he kept perfect control over them, like it was effortless, amazed James. It was what made it easier for James to relax and give in.

“Jezza—you’re — fuck. So soft, so real.” Richard punctuated the words with a wet, open kiss to the sensitive curve beneath Jeremy’s ribs, and James hummed, his own lips trailing higher, tasting more of Jeremy. Needing more of Jeremy.

“Its okay, just breathe,” Jeremy murmured, hips rolling lazily as James’s hands skirted around his nipples. His hands stroked their hair, possessive and tender. “Good boys. Perfect—” 

Richard's cry splintered the air, his head falling forward against Jeremy's chest. James surged forward to capture the sound with his mouth, his hand joining Jeremy's to map the trembling muscles of Richard's stomach.

“Gorgeous,” James breathed. “Both of you… God.” He couldn’t tear his eyes off them.

“So are you,” Jeremy murmured, voice rough with affection. His free hand splayed possessively over Richard’s trembling back, keeping him close. “So desperate.” 

Richard whined.

His hips jerked helplessly as he rutted against Jeremy’s belly, cock leaving smears of precum over it, and James watched, wide eyed and in awe, as Jeremy’s stomach quivered with every thrust.

Jeremy’s breath came in ragged gusts, his chest heaving as Richard’s hips grinded against him, the slick friction of skin on skin drawing obscene, wet sounds into the humid air. James’s mouth was dry at the sight—Richard’s slender frame taut as a bowstring, his cock glistening and flushed, Jeremy’s belly glazed with the evidence of his desperation.

“Jezza—fuck, the way you feel—” 

Leaning in, James’s lips brushing the curve of Jeremy’s ear. “He’s right,” he murmured. “Look at you. All of you… so good for us.” His hand joined Richard’s, kneading the plush warmth of Jeremy’s side, thumb circling his hip. “Never seen Rich like this.” 

“Good,” Jeremy rumbled, arching into their hands. His belly pushed against Richard’s cock, Richard gasping as the softness enveloped him. “He’s gorgeous like this. Begging for it.” 

“Am not,” Richard protested weakly, even as his hips stuttered, his cock pushing into Jeremy’s belly.

James whimpered, agreeing with Jeremy. Richard was stunning — lips bitten raw, eyes blown black, sweat-slicked throat working around broken pleas. Jeremy’s other hand slid down to grip Richard’s hip.

“Go on, then. Let go. I’ve got you.” 

Richard’s breath hitched. He pressed a wet, trembling kiss to Jeremy’s bellybutton before grinding down harder, the slick friction of skin-on-skin drawing a broken sob from his throat. “Can’t—fuck—Jezza. I can’t—” 

James’s hand slid down to cup Richard’s jaw, tilting his face up. “You can,” he urged, voice low and fervent. “Look at him. He loves watching you fall apart like this.” 

Richard’s eyes fluttered open—and there was Jeremy, propped on his elbows, gaze dark and tender, his belly rising and falling with each steady breath. A sheen of sweat glistened on his skin, highlighting every curve Richard had worshiped. 

“Christ,” Richard choked out. His hips snapped once, twice—a frantic, shallow rhythm—before he froze, back bowing as his orgasm ripped through him. His release streaking hot across the rounded swell as Jeremy’s hands anchored him through the tremors.

Jeremy’s breath stuttered as Richard slumped against his chest, spent and trembling.

James’s gaze flicked up, pupils blown wide, his lips slick and parted. “Your turn,” he murmured, voice rough with want. Before Jeremy could protest, James’s hand slid lower, fingers wrapping around Jeremy’s neglected cock with no hesitation. Richard, still dazed, nuzzled into the crook of Jeremy’s neck, his own hand joining James’s, their fingers interlacing as they stroked him in tandem.

“Fuck—” Jeremy’s hips jerked off the bed, his thighs tightening.

Richard pressed open-mouthed kisses to Jeremy’s throat, murmuring ”So good for us, Jezza, let go—” while James laved attention on his collarbone, nipping and soothing.

Jeremy’s hand fisted in the sheets as his release tore through him, a guttural groan ripping from his chest. James watched, rapt, as Jeremy’s stomach clenched, his cock pulsing in their grip, stripes of white painting his heaving torso. Richard moaned softly, lips brushing Jeremy’s earlobe. “Beautiful. God, look at you…”

Shuddering through the aftershocks, Jeremy’s hands drifted to cradle their heads—James’s hair tangled in his fingers, Richard’s cheek against his shoulder. For a moment, the only sounds were their ragged breaths and the creak of the bed as they shifted closer, limbs interlaced.

“Alright?” Jeremy murmured after a moment, his breath steadying.

Richard nodded, cheek pressed to Jeremy’s chest. “Better than.” 

James hummed in agreement, sleep-soft and sated. “Suppose we’ll need to feed you now,” he mused, pinching Jeremy’s side lightly. “Keep your strength up.” 

Jeremy’s laughter shook the bed, rich and full. “Bastard,” he said, fondness dripping from the word.

“You moving then?” James asked after a while.

“I can’t. I’m dead. You’ve both killed me with your homosexualism,” Jeremy moaned dramatically.

“What were you doing then Jezza? Didn’t seem all that straight to me.”

“I was… pretending!”

“Really?”

Richard shifted, giggling slightly, wincing as he stretched.

Jeremy’s attention snapped to him instantly. “Sore?” 

“In the best way,” Richard assured, though he arched into Jeremy’s palm when it settled warm and grounding against the small of his back.

James watched through half-lidded eyes as Jeremy pressed a drowsy kiss to Richard’s temple—a gesture so unguarded it made his throat tighten. This was the Jeremy few ever saw: the man who’d grumble about sentimentality over a pint but would rearrange the stars if it meant his lovers slept easier.

Chapter Text

“Jez? Can I?” Richard nudged Jeremy.

Instinctively, Jeremy lifted his arm and let Richard snuggle closer. “C’mere.”.

They rearranged themselves in a tangle of sweat-slick skin, Jeremy in the middle, his palm stroking slow circles over Richard’s back. James reached for the discarded blanket, draping it over their hips with a contented sigh.

Closing his eyes, Jeremy sighed contentedly. His two boys wrapped around him, warm and fuzzy from the explosive orgasm earlier, he couldn’t imagine anything better.

“Urgh, Jezza, you’re all sticky!” Richard moaned, hand pulling away from Jeremy’s stomach.

“And whose fault is that?”

“Yours, obviously,” Richard replied cheekily, though his fingers lingered, tracing the mess he’d made with something like pride. “And as much as I enjoy you looking all ours, we should clean up.” 

“We?” Jeremy arched a brow, his arm tightening around Richard’s waist, keeping him anchored to his side.

“You’re both heathens,” James sighed, though his fingers trailed absently through the streaks on Jeremy’s belly, swirling patterns that made him shiver. “But he is sticky. And I’m not making you lunch when you look like that.” 

He shifted, stretching before sliding off the bed. “I’ll run the bath,” he offered, all casual efficiency, but Jeremy caught the way his gaze lingered—hungry, even now—on the sweat-sheened curve of Richard’s spine.

“Don’t start without us,” Richard called after him, but made no move to follow, too busy nuzzling the salt-damp hollow of Jeremy’s throat.

Jeremy laughed. “You’re like a limpet, Rich.” 

“Your limpet,” Richard corrected, nipping his jaw. “Sticky and clingy.” 

The bathroom door creaked open, steam curling into the bedroom. James’s voice floated out, warm and teasing. “If you two can disentangle yourselves, the bath is running.”

“But I’m comfortable,” Jeremy grumbled.

Richard sat up, straddling Jeremy’s thighs with sudden determination. “Nope. Bath. Now.” 

“Unbelievable,” Jeremy grumbled as Richard slid off him. “You use me as your personal canvas and now I’m the one being frogmarched to the tub—” 

“Frogmarched? You’d stay here all day if left unsupervised,” Richard retorted.

Sighing heavily, Jeremy stood up, his rounded belly brushing Richard’s shoulder as he stood.

Richard followed, stretching with a feline grace that made Jeremy’s gaze linger—the arc of his spine, the flex of his thighs, the way his tousled hair caught the lamplight like spun copper. 

“Enjoying the view?” Richard smiled cheekily.

James had already lit candles in the bathroom—vanilla and cedar—their glow softening the edges of the clawfoot tub large enough to accommodate all three, if they tangled just right. (They’d only attempted it once. And James had complained of cramp almost immediately.)

Steam curled lazily as James tested the water, his wavy hair framing his face. Jeremy’s breath caught, as it always did, at the contrast—James’s careful, methodical motions versus the hungry flick of his gaze watching them as Richard pressed close to Jeremy’s side, thumb stroking the soft swell of his hip.

“In,” James ordered, nodding at the tub.

“Bossy,” Jeremy muttered, but obeyed, groaning as the heat enveloped him. His broad shoulders filled one end, knees rising like islands.

Jeremy’s hand shot out, snagging Richard’s wrist. “Oi. C’mere,” he rumbled, tugging him backward into the water. Richard yelped as he stumbled, knees sloshing into the tub before settling between Jeremy’s thighs, with a sigh. He leaned back; spine pressed against Jeremy’s belly.

“Better?” Jeremy murmured, arms looping loosely around Richard’s waist, his palms splayed possessively over the taut plane of his stomach.

“Mmm. S’nice.” Richard tipped his head back, exposing the pale column of his throat, and Jeremy couldn’t resist brushing his lips there.

James lingered by the tub, eyes half-lidded as he watched them. The candlelight gilded his cheekbones, caught in the silver strands of his hair. Jeremy caught his gaze and smirked, nodding toward the water. “Join us, Captain Slow. Plenty of room if you don’t mind a few elbows.”

“Someone has to be the responsible one,” James retorted, but his voice softened as Richard reached out, dripping wet fingers curling around James’s wrist.

“C’mon. You’re missing the best bit,” Richard said, tugging gently.

James hesitated—always the calculated pause, the flicker of doubt—before sinking to his knees beside the tub. His fingers found Richard’s shoulder first, tracing the curve of it, then drifted higher to card through Jeremy’s hair, blunt nails scraping his scalp. Jeremy hummed, tilting into the touch.

“See? Not so bad,” Richard teased, leaning sideways to nuzzle James’s forearm.

“Hush, you.” James flicked water at him, but his hand lingered, cupping Jeremy’s jaw, thumb stroking the softness there. Jeremy turned, pressing a kiss to his palm, and James’s breath hitched—a sound so quiet only someone who knew him as well as they did would notice.

Steam curled around them, carrying the scent of soap and skin, the faint tang of candle wax. For a moment, the world contracted to this: the hush of water, the shared laughter, the way James’s thumb traced idle circles on Jeremy’s neck while Richard twisted his head, pressing a drowsy kiss to the curve of his jaw.

“It’s your mess, Hammond. Least you can do is clean it,” Jeremy grumbled, as he dipped a washcloth into the water, wringing it out before passing it to Richard.

Richard took it with a grin. The water shifted as he reached for the soap, turning to face him. Jeremy let his knees fall wider, bracketing Richard’s hips as steam curled off the surface of the bath. He watched through half-lidded eyes as Richard lathered the bar between his palms, the citrus-sweet scent mingling with cedar from the candles. Those expressive brown eyes widened as his soapy hands found Jeremy’s chest. The slide of his palms over Jeremy’s broad pectorals carried a teasing edge, fingertips brushing his nipples before moving deliberately downward.

"Love this," he murmured, as he massaged gentle circles into the softness. "Perfect.”

Jeremy huffed a laugh that caught in his throat when Richard’s hands slowed at the slope of his belly. Those clever fingers spread wider, sweeping over the pronounced curve with open reverence.

Heat that had nothing to do with the bathwater pooled low in Jeremy’s gut. He swallowed thickly, arms resting along the tub’s edges as Richard worked lower, thumbs dipping into the crease where belly met thigh. Next to them, James made a quiet noise - not quite a sigh - and Jeremy turned his head to find those bright blue eyes fixed on Richard’s roaming hands.

"Enjoying the show, Slow?" Jeremy teased, though his voice came rougher than intended.

James’s lips quirked as he leaned against the tub’s edge, wavy hair falling forward. "Merely ensuring he doesn’t miss a spot." But his gaze lingered on the way Richard’s fingertips dimpled Jeremy’s flesh, the soap leaving shiny trails across the rounded expanse.

Richard pressed a kiss to Jeremy’s throat, hands still moving in slow, worshipful strokes. "Could stay here forever," he mumbled against wet skin, palm cupping the underside of Jeremy’s belly tenderly. 

The honesty in his voice made Jeremy’s chest tighten. He shifted awkwardly, water sloshing gently.

James’s snort broke the moment. "Yes, do inflate his ego further Richard. That’ll end well." But there was no bite to it, his long fingers brushing Jeremy’s shoulder briefly.

"Christ, you two—"

"Shh," Richard murmured, uncharacteristically soft. He leaned forward against Jeremy’s chest, as he worked the cloth in widening arcs. "Just getting you clean, yeah?" But the way his hips pressed insistently into Jeremy’s thighs betrayed him.

A familiar clink of the shampoo bottle broke the moment. Jeremy looked over to see James now perched on the stool beside the tub, wavy hair haloed by candlelight. Without a word, James poured a dollop of citrus-scented shampoo into his palm, his gaze lingering on the way Richard’s hands kneaded Jeremy’s stomach.

“Don’t drown him while you’re playing sculptor, Hammond,” James said dryly, but his fingers were already sinking into Jeremy’s short silver grey curls, blunt nails grazing the bald spot at his crown with care.

Jeremy huffed a laugh, the sound dissolving into a groan as James’s palms pressed firm circles against his scalp. “God, that’s good,” he mumbled, hips shifting unconsciously, water sloshing against Richard’s chest.

“Careful,” James chided, though his eyes were dark, fixed on the way Richard’s hands mapped Jeremy’s body. His own fingers strayed, brushing a droplet from Jeremy’s shoulder. “You’ll flood the floor.”

Richard took advantage of the moment, sliding his hands higher to thumb at Jeremy’s nipples. "Look at you," he breathed, watching them peak under his touch. "All responsive and…" His voice trailed off.

“And what?” Jeremy asked.

"Sensitive," Richard murmured, thumbs making circles around Jeremy’s navel.

Jeremy would never admit how often he’d caught Richard staring—not with hunger, but with a quiet, awed reverence—when he thought Jeremy wasn’t looking. Now, under those attentive hands, he felt laid bare, worshipped.

“You’re enjoying this far too much,” he said to Richard, but there was no bite in it—only warmth.

“Course I am,” Richard said, unashamed. He dragged the soap lower, scrubbing playfully at the hair trailing beneath Jeremy’s navel.

“Thought this was about cleaning, not groping.”

“Multitasking.” Richard’s grin flashed, bright and wide.

Jeremy laughed.

The shampoo's citrus tang sharpened James's fingers worked deeper, massaging his scalp with surprising tenderness. Jeremy let his head loll back against the tub's edge, eyes drifting shut at the dual sensations. The contrast struck him hard — James’s precise, methodical motions as he rubbed his thumb over that one stop behind Jeremy’s ear versus Richard’s languid worship — and his chest filled with a fondness too vast to name.

The bathwater rippled as he shifted, knees bumping the tub walls. James’s fingers tightened briefly in his hair - not quite a pull, but enough to stop him. "Hold still," he chided, though his other hand drifted down to squeeze Jeremy’s shoulder. "Unless you want shampoo in your eyes."

Richard took advantage of Jeremy’s momentary stillness to press closer, water sloshing as he nuzzled the soft curve. Jeremy’s breath caught when warm lips brushed his damp skin. "Christ, you’re—"

"Adorable?" Richard supplied, grinning up at him through wet lashes. "Spectacular? Downright—"

"Needy," James interjected, though the corner of his mouth twitched. He poured clean water over Jeremy’s head, careful streams avoiding his eyes.

“Love you,” Richard breathed between kisses, lips trailing down Jeremy’s throat. “Love this—” He pressed an open-mouthed kiss to the crest of Jeremy’s belly, grinning at the choked sound above him. “All of you. Every stubborn, brilliant, gorgeous inch.”

James’s fingers brushed Jeremy’s shoulder, feather-light. “Let him fawn, Jezza. You know he’ll sulk if you don’t.”

“I don’t sulk,” Richard protested, twisting to glare at James. The movement pressed him flush against Jeremy’s stomach, and Jeremy bit back a groan, the heat in his gut sparking anew.

“You do,” Jeremy and James said in unison, sharing a smirk over Richard’s head.

"Hold still again," James whispered. Jeremy tilted his head obediently, watching through half-lidded eyes as James cupped more water to rinse the remaining suds away. The movement flexed the muscles in James’s forearm, tendons shifting under freckled skin. He worked with quiet precision, careful not to let soap trickle into Jeremy’s eyes.

James’s fingers combed through Jeremy’s now-clean curls, blunt nails grazing his scalp. Jeremy hummed, leaning into the touch. "You’re worse than the cat," James muttered.

The comparison drew a laugh from Richard. "He purrs like one too. Listen—" He ducked as Jeremy swatted at him, water sloshing over the tub’s edge.

“Oi!” Jeremy protested, but Richard was already smiling impishly.

“Mean it Jez, you’re gorgeous. All this strength, this warmth. How’d we get so lucky?”

Jeremy’s throat tightened. No one had ever looked at him like that—like he was a feast, a masterpiece. He dragged Richard into a kiss, rough, all teeth and urgency, his broad hands sliding possessively down Richard’s spine. 

“He’s right,” James interjected, leaning over to capture Jeremy’s mouth the moment it was free in a slow, searing kiss. “You’re perfect like this. Ours.”

“And we’re yours,” Richard insisted, voice breaking.

“He’s right, you know,” James said quietly, his thumb stroking the damp skin. “Always have been.”

Jeremy swallowed, suddenly aware of his body in a way that had nothing to do with self-consciousness—the solid weight of Richard between his thighs, James’s steadfast presence at his side, the way they touched him like he was something precious.

“You’re staring, Hammond.” Jeremy aimed for levity but failing miserably.

“Course I am.” Richard’s grin flashed, unrepentant.

Jeremy’s laugh was loud enough to echo off the tiles. “Perv.”

“Am not!”    

“You’re eyeing his cock like it’s second dessert.” James said lightly.

“Maybe it will be,” Richard replied. “After we properly feed this belly.” He patted Jeremy’s stomach affectionately.

“Come on then, out you get,” James said.

Richard groaned dramatically but stood. Water sluiced off Jeremy’s body as he rose after him, the cool bathroom air raising goosebumps on his flushed skin.

James was already holding out a towel—thick and warm from the radiator. “Here,” he said, voice gruffer than necessary. But his hands lingered as he wrapped it around Jeremy’s shoulders, knuckles brushing the swell of his stomach.

Richard shook his hair like a terrier and spraying droplets everywhere. “Oi!” Jeremy barked, but Richard just laughed, snatching another towel to wrap around his narrow hips.

James’s touch was deliberate, fingertips skating over the towel’s edge to trace the curve above. Jeremy’s breath hitched.

“Meant to ask, who won?” James’s breath was warm against Jeremy’s skin.

“Who won? Who won?!” Jeremy protested indignantly. “Me obviously! How could you think otherwise?”