Chapter Text
Noel awoke with a grumble, squinting as a ray of the late afternoon sun shone in through the crack in the curtains directly into his eyes. Rubbing his face, he shifted himself up on the couch to stretch and glance around the room. Apart from the sounds of the city filtering in through the windows, the whole apartment was silent, and he remembered that Oscar and John had planned to go out for groceries. That just left Arthur, who had finally managed to convince Noel to take a nap after staring at case files throughout the night and day, only stopping when he needed to make more coffee. As much as he was tempted to get back to it, he needed to stretch his legs, and padded down the hallway in his socks to search for Arthur.
He didn't have far to search however, as he found him in the room that he and Oscar shared, putting away their laundry. It seemed as though he'd already folded away their shirts and undergarments into the dresser, and was hanging their button-ups in the closet.
In the preceding months, Noel kept finding himself impressed with Arthur's independence despite his lack of sight, no entity within to guide him any longer. He managed to do most things without assistance and denied the help for several others. Everyone was quite adamant, however, that he not do any cooking, despite his repeated protests.
Noel leaned gently on the doorframe, observing how meticulous Arthur was handling their clothes. He watched as slender fingers adjusted collars, smoothed creases, straightened lapels - he couldn't help but grin seeing the pride Arthur took in his task. He really had taken to doing most of the housework, between helping him and John with cases where he could. Noel could tell how it affected Arthur to have not gotten his sight back after John received his own body. He wasn't ignorant to the melancholy that came over Arthur whenever he had to face his new limitations, but damned if that man was ever gonna be held back from the determination of providing for his partners however he was able.
His thoughts were truncated when Arthur had seemingly finished hanging everything but then he paused for just a moment before reaching out to two shirt sleeves, one of Oscar's and one of Noel's. Arthur stepped even closer to the closet while bringing the fabric up close to his face, then took a deep inhale. He let out a comforted sigh, breathing in again, and Noel noticed in the afternoon glow that his partner's cheeks were becoming pink. As he held his face into the fabric, he couldn't help his thighs squirming together - subtly, even though he wasn't aware of being observed. His breath hitched slightly while he clenched his hands, causing the sleeves to wrinkle.
Noel's eyebrows had raised in response to the scene, and he must've shifted in place because the old wooden doorframe creaked loudly, Noel cursing it silently. Arthur's head shot up in the direction of the noise, listening for anything further. “...Charlie?” he inquired, his voice low. His heart always gave a little jump when he heard his real name in a place where he felt safe enough to drop the façade he'd had to build.
Well, the jig is up, no sense pretendin’, Noel thought. He casually announced “Hey, darlin’,” while moving just past the door. Arthur quickly turned back to the closet, doing his best to straighten the sleeves he'd mussed, pretending as if he hadn't been the one to do so. “Charlie…I hope you had a pleasant nap,” trying his hardest to also sound casual.
Nuh-uh, you're not gettin’ away that easy. He smirked and clicked his tongue. “It was good, it was good. Seems as though I woke up at just the right time, though, ‘cause it looks like I caught you with your hand in the cookie jar, in a manner of speakin’.” He took the moment of Arthur's stunned silence to close the door behind him before making his way into the room. He relished seeing the blush spread to Arthur's ears as the man glanced in the direction of the door when it closed, being very familiar with that action by this point. A rule they'd set within the polycule to indicate there was intimacy happening within.
Noel closed the distance between the two, running his hands over Arthur's shoulders from behind, and earned a shiver for his efforts. He turned him around gently and placed a palm on his lower back, letting him know, “If ya think I smell so good, all ya gotta do is ask, sweetheart.” Arthur finally looked him in the face, raising a tentative hand to Noel's taut chest before latching on and shoving his face into the crook of his neck. He breathed Noel in, the pure & raw scent of him; black coffee, his smoky yet sweet cologne, the lingering vestiges of his last smoked cigarette. Arthur sighed with a shudder, an unspoken comfort washing over him, not having to settle for a faint whiff on a shirt sleeve.
Noel smiled down at the action with a light chuckle before kissing the top of his sandy hair, placing little pecks while moving down to his ear and settling at the spot just under it, a weakness that all three of them had taken advantage of at many an opportunity. It had the reputation of causing Arthur's legs to go weak, and this time was no exception. The man's lanky but lean frame against him nearly buckled, clutching onto Noel's shoulders to keep himself steady. “nnh-Charlie, you bastard, you know wh-aat that does to me…”
Charlie was already kissing lower towards his jawline, chuckling darkly against his heated skin, “Exactly…” The tone was teasing, almost sing-song. He began sucking lightly down his tender neck, tonguing across the scar there before getting to the curve of his shoulder. Arthur was already breathing heavily now as Charlie's deft fingers undid the first couple buttons of his shirt, revealing more of his shoulder to allow him to mouth and nip across the freckled skin. This elicited needy whimpers from his partner, typical of moments like these. Arthur couldn't help but press his hips into Charlie's, who can feel the half hard erection growing against him. Charlie leaned in, so close their noses touch before whispering, “Geez, Arthur, you're soundin’ so desperate. I bet you wanted to take advantage and climb on my lap while I was sleepin’, didn't ya?” Before a response could be made, he pressed his lips to Arthur's hard enough to bruise, who moaned into his mouth at the sudden, passionate contact.
Arthur's hands darted down to hastily unbutton Charlie's shirt, who pushed his hands away without breaking the kiss. He tried again, this time attempting to undo Charlie's pants, finding himself denied once more. He made a noise of protest, separating their lips, panting and giving a look of frustration. Charlie grabbed his wrist, scolding him lightly, “You are just hellbent on wrinklin’ all our clothes, aren't ya? So, what do I do with you?” He moved over to the bed, pulling Arthur with him and sat him down on his knee facing him. The man's eyes were blindly searching his face, curious as to what was going to happen before Noel pulled him in for a brief kiss with tongue, then grabbed a fistful of Arthur's hair and yanked his head away from him. Arthur gasped, his tongue barely out, trying to chase the kiss but hissed at another tug on his scalp. He whimpered Charlie's name, unable to resist grinding on the muscular thigh beneath him.
Noel's hands trailed down to unbutton Arthur's shirt further, smirking when he saw that the blush had spread to his chest while he kissed faded scars. He danced his fingers along the man's frame, feeling his curves, the outline of his hip bones. Observing Arthur's face becoming increasingly lost in desire, lips parted and glistening, he couldn't resist catching those lips in another kiss, deeper this time, exploring. The hands that were rubbing Arthur's hips suddenly gripped them firmly, pulling him closer and began to relentlessly rock his partner against his pelvis.
Arthur whined in his throat, unable to stand how unbearably hard he was already, and begged against Charlie's lips, “I…I’m already so close-...pl-please, Charlie, before I....…t-take them ah-offff…please!” As if to make his request clear, he tried to unbuckle his belt himself, yet was impeded by the man catching his wrists and pinning his arms behind his back, holding them in place deftly with one hand. The other grabbed Arthur's chin, finally breaking their hungry kiss. “Ah, ah, ah,” he teased. This didn't stop Arthur from wildly rutting into Charlie's now obvious erection, however; if anything, that small act of power just spurred him on further.
Grinning smugly, Charlie leaned in to his lover's ear, licking the rim and murmuring huskily, “Already? Geez, so sensitive today...my scent got you that riled up?...” before biting the lobe, earning him another half-broken outcry. “But you don't wanna make a mess of your clothes, do ya~?” He grabbed his hips with enough strength to prevent Arthur from moving. “Actually...ya know what? I think havin' to do laundry again is a fair punishment,” he mused.
Arthur let out a choked sob, nearly in tears, pleaded and tried to buck his hips to get any friction against his aching prick, even clutching at Noel's shoulders to gain leverage.
“Ask me nicely, sweetheart~”
Desperate and willing, Arthur breathily repeated “please” again and again, overlapping and fragmented, overcome with need.
Noel smirked, pleased with how messed up Arthur looks, flushed & hair falling across his forehead, mouth open, panting. After waiting a moment longer - what felt like ages to the man begging before him - he released his grip and allowed him to resume rocking, chuckling low at the dazzled relief on Arthur's face. He was honestly surprised that didn't finish him off right then and there.
He reached up to press two fingers to Arthur's exposed tongue, who greedily started sucking them deep. “Good boy~”, Noel cooed, receiving a thrilled, muffled moan in his partner's throat.
From his other hand's position on Arthur's hip, he started to run his thumb across the head of his - no doubt dripping - cock. Arthur keens at the ultra sensitive contact, gasping around Noel's fingers, drooling.
“There ya go, sugar. Come for me.”
Arthur shuddered & tensed up, forgetting to breathe for a moment before freely moaning, spilling into his trousers. Charlie gently moved his hand to cradle Arthur's jaw, so he could watch every reaction and emotion on his face as he fell apart.
No longer able to hold himself upright, Arthur practically collapsed against Charlie's chest, catching his breath, which just led to him inhaling his scent again, the act that got him into trouble in the first place. Charlie chuckled again, warmly this time, rubbing his back until he could sit back up. The afterglow didn't last too long, however, as Arthur was already pouting at Charlie for making him come in his clothes and opened his mouth to reprimand him, but his response was cut off as they heard the front door open. The muffled sound of keys and paper bags, and Oscar thanking John for helping, carried through the walls.
Charlie smirked at the fresh blush on Arthur's cheeks as his eyes widened and glanced down where he knew there was undoubtedly a wet spot on the front of his trousers. He shot Charlie a flustered glare before he climbed off his lap and moved to the door quickly so he could sneak across the hall to the bathroom. He opened the door and immediately ran into John's solid frame, looking up, yet again caught with a blushing face. His hand caught in another cookie jar.
John looked between the two, still dressed, reading the situation as Noel continued grinning. "I got him started for ya, John.”
Arthur stammered, “I-I was about to take a shower…” explanatory but also suggesting. With no words needed, John grabbed his wrist and led him that way, no hesitation.
Charlie casually moved across the room as they left and positioned himself behind the door, unbuttoning his shirt as he did.
As Oscar rounded the corner, he watched as John pulled Arthur into the bathroom. He called down the hallway after him, "You're supposed to help put them away, too, John!” but the exasperation fell on deaf ears, the man too goal oriented to register the complaint.
Oscar wandered into the bedroom, looking to get answers and see what Charlie was up to. “Charlie, what's…” he stopped short, briefly confused when he didn't see him. The door closed behind him a moment later, causing him to jump slightly. Oscar turned to see Charlie waiting and poised, immediately reading the intent on his grinning face, unable to finish his protests, “Charlie, I haven't even put away the groceries y-!” before the man descends on him, embracing him with desire and lust in his actions.