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John clasps his hand on Henry’s shoulder, “Thank you, Henry. Thank you for not leaving me.”
In contrast to the majority of Henry's actions during his captivity in the Swan, the smile he shares with John is authentic. Despite all the deception and mind games, Henry’s fulfilled by John’s relief.
“You’re welcome, John.”
There's a prolonged stare, and Henry takes the opportunity to lean in, stopping inches from John’s face. His hand tightens on Henry’s shoulder, eyes offering no answer, but he doesn’t push him away. That was good enough for Henry.
Pressing his lips to the edge of John's, Henry's hand goes around the back of his neck. John remains oddly still, even having had his leg recently impaled by a blast door. Holding eye contact, Henry's thumb moves gently along the base of his neck, and John finally inches forward so subtly that Henry could question if he was imagining it. This time, Henry’s brushing his lips against John's before sealing the moment with a proper kiss. John undeniably leans into it, bending slightly to accommodate Henry.
The reciprocation gives Henry goosebumps, and he barely pauses for a breath before he’s back to John, parting his lips as if to set a trap. John takes it, and tilts his head to deepen their kiss. This weakens Henry, and he grates his hips forwards, eliciting a groan from John.
“Too much?”
He takes a moment to answer, and Henry feels proud in his undoing of John Locke, “Sorry, it’s… my leg.”
Henry nods, running his thumb along John’s neck one last time, “Let’s get you more comfortable,” Henry keeps his hands on him for support as they shuffle towards the couch.
“I’ve got you. Easy, easy…” While settling John onto the couch and elevating his leg on the far end of it, Henry is under Locke's watchful eyes. He joins him, scooting onto the edge of the couch by John’s hips.
“If you don’t mind me asking,” John raises his head to meet Henry’s eyes, “If that’s what you wanted from me, why didn’t we just stay on the floor?”
Henry leans over him from the side, letting John rest his head back, “You were just caught under a huge door, I wasn’t sure if you’d reciprocate.”
“I might’ve.” John’s face brightened, and Henry decided the conversation had run its course. He had an erection that was only getting worse the longer he took care of John.
Henry's hands push down on Locke's shoulders, prompting him to respond by placing his own hand on the back of Henry's head, pulling him into another kiss. Henry Gale could have melted into John right there. Fell down on top of him and pleaded for the man to play with his hair and kiss him sloppily - but Ben Linus was eager, and would take what he wanted from John now that they were where he wanted them.
John's mouth leaves Henry's to explore his cheek, and he realizes that even John's softest actions have an impact on him. John moves from kissing across Henry's jaw to his neck and behind his ear. Henry shudders, closing his eyes and leaning into each press of John’s cracked lips. John pauses at Henry's covered collarbone, and his free hand slips under the worn orange shirt.
Mumbling a hurried 'I got it,' Henry pulls off the shirt, letting John continue his gesture. He plants tender kisses on Henry’s shoulder blade, making him stir. Henry is surprised when John's teeth lightly tug at his skin, adding more to his arousal than he'd admit.
Longing for more intimacy, Henry gently repositions John's hips to settle atop him. Despite his carefulness, it's obvious that John is hurting.
“I heard once that a little stimulation does wonders for distracting the human body from pain.” Climbing onto John, their erections envelop, prompting an immediate bucking of John's hips. John's eagerness sends a flush of heat beneath Henry's skin, and as arousing as it is to imagine John taking the reins, he needs to ease the pace.
“Let me.” Henry's hands lie on John's chest, with his thumb caressing his nipple through the white cotton shirt. He starts grinding slowly against John’s bulge, and Henry had never heard such a guttural sound from John before. He pulls Henry’s head down, rolling his hips as their lips collide.
John is barraging Henry’s bottom lip with rough, quick kisses, and Henry is just trying to keep his cool enough to not get too messy with each thrust.
His strength and intensity creates a sensation between Henry's thighs, each kiss kindling a fire in Henry's abdomen that intensifies the friction against his length, plunging him into a near ravenous desire. John felt big through his pants, as one would expect, and Henry fought with himself on undoing John’s belt and using him to get off right there; but showing that kind of animalistic approach wouldn’t work as Henry Gale. Especially now that John was ravishing Henry’s mouth, and groaning into it with each deliberate thrust of Henry’s hips.
“John…” Henry pulls back from the intense kiss, but can't stop rocking against John to help get a sentence out, his cock aching with the momentum they’ve built up. “May I?” Henry’s hand trails down John’s stomach, tugging at his belt. John nods, too caught up to bother speaking. So Henry loosens his buckle, squirming away to lower John's pants and leaving him in his briefs. John reaches to try and do the same for Henry, but he’s already made quick work of his own pants, taking them off completely and throwing them to the floor.
Having two fewer layers intensifies the sensation of their lengths pressing together, and Henry’s breath hitches. To compensate, John takes the lead and rolls his hips up a few times, accompanied by grunts. A noticeable damp spot of pre-cum is forming on Henry's briefs, and the pulsing from his shaft to the tip begs for more contact. In a hurry, Henry is pushing John’s boxers down to expose a cock fitting for such a burly man. It was thicker and more veined than Henry's, and the sight made his skin prickle.
In both an act of gratification and selflessness, Henry repositions himself to the floor, taking John in his mouth and ignoring the insistent throbbing from his own erection. John reaches out to Henry as he moves away, and Henry takes John’s hand in his own. John squeezes it as Henry swirls his tongue over his tip.
“God, Henry,” hearing John growl his name only motivates him more, and Henry accommodates more of John into his mouth. The feeling of John’s pulse on his tongue is too lewd, and Henry reaches down to keep palming himself.
“Look at me, John.” The positioning makes it easier for Henry to lock eyes with John as he mouths at his cock. His intense gaze sends shivers down John's spine, apparent by the way he thrusts up during eye contact. John was mesmerizing like this. Sweating and grunting, Henry wonders when he was last given this kind of attention.
John withdraws his hand from Henry's, and both hands find their place in Henry's hair, exerting pressure, as if the way Henry was sucking him off wasn't enough already. He gave John a couple good more laps of his tongue, and retreated up, wiping the mix of drool and pre-cum off his mouth.
“Is it working?” Henry asks as he gets off his knees, repositioning back on top of John.
The skin crinkles around John’s eyes, possibly he didn’t understand, or maybe he was too dishevelled to properly hear, “Huh?”
“Your leg, does it hurt?” John just shakes his head in response, and Henry smiles. He begins undressing his own briefs, uncovering an erection so hard it’s flush against his stomach. Henry leans forward, and the sensation of their bare selves pressed together makes him weak in the knees. His own cock being pressed up against John’s solidifies the differences in size, and he has to buck forward to cover the whole length.
As if reading Henry’s mind - or being fed up with only receiving - John wraps his calloused hand around both of them, holding with just enough pressure to make Henry pant.
Once John starts stroking them in a rhythm, Henry lets his upper body land on John. With his free hand, John locates Henry's cheek and directs his face to meet his own. Kissing while John pumps them together feels indescribable, like two forces simultaneously melting Henry from the inside out. It was more passionate than the other kisses. John was flicking his tongue against Henry’s own, and a tightening in Henry’s gut gets him squirming on top of John. Sensing this, John picks up his pace, and Henry huffs right into John’s mouth.
Blood rushes to Henry’s ears, and it’s too difficult to kiss back any more. John doesn’t retreat, and Henry whimpers against his lips while he releases all over John and his hand. Henry’s head falls to the side of John’s while he catches his breath, but John continues to stroke them together. It feels amazing for Henry, who lets his eyes shut while John helps himself finish. He feels John’s body tense as he grunts out an obscenity and finishes.
Their breathing is loud and heavy, and John releases his grip, letting his arm fall off the side of the couch. Neither of them say anything, and after a few moments, John’s regained enough composure to turn his head towards Henry. It’s an awkward angle, but John manages to plant a soft kiss against Henry’s upper lip. The tenderness is one he'd never been afforded, especially not after being fucked.
Ben lets this picture linger for longer than usual, blinking slowly as he pulls himself out of the fantasy. Instead of intertwining with John, Ben was alone in his medically-renovated room. His favourite pyjama set was due for a wash now, too.