Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/ works/7115098. Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Underage Category: M/M Fandom: Rhett_&_Link Relationship: Rhett_McLaughlin/Link_Neal Character: Rhett_McLaughlin, Link_Neal Additional Tags: Fluff_and_Smut, Awkward_Teenage_Groping, Dry_Humpin'_and_Dick_Touchin' Stats: Published: 2016-06-06 Words: 5861 ****** Keys to the Kingdom ****** by MythicallySnappy Summary When Rhett finally gets the keys to the Omega, he takes Link for the ride of his life. Notes This was just an experimental little fluff fic that I kind of daydreamed about for a little while and I finally decided to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard, as it were). The guys talk about Rhett's first car, the Omega in GMCL38, The_Omega_Story. Make sure you check that out if you haven't already. Music always helps me set the scene when I'm writing, and a lot of this fic was inspired by UNKLE's 2007 album War Stories. It's a great driving album and I definitely recommend it for your next road trip. I've created a short playlist that should hopefully roughly follow along as the scenes change that you could listen to as you're reading, if you're so inclined. I'd also like to extend the BIGGEST of thanks to the best beta a girl could ask for, @amanderjean who is my biggest cheerleader, my candle in the dark, my life raft in a tempest. You're the best and I couldn't have done this without you! (And also shoutout to my BFF Sarah who occasionally reads this stuff as I write it.) See the end of the work for more notes [https://66.media.tumblr.com/ab8bd19715faae2f9793cc4d9843fe59/ tumblr_o8byioRUql1v09cyuo1_540.jpg] [img]      “Honey! The phone’s for you!” Link jerked awake, bleary eyed, as the trill of his mother’s voice echoed down the hall. He rubbed the crust of sleep from his eyes with a hearty yawn before wrenching himself out of bed, beams of bright sunlight catching the dust as it streamed in from his bedroom window.      “Coming!” he called out in return, his voice crackly and hoarse. He staggered down the hallway, scratching the small, fine patch of dark hair that had sprouted in the center of his chest, his boxer shorts barely clinging to his slim hips. “Who is it?” he asked as he rounded the corner into the kitchen. Sue smiled broadly as she held out the handset to the young man.      “It’s Rhett,” she said, placing a small kiss on her son’s cheek. He settled down onto a barstool, his elbows propping him up on the counter as he brought the phone to his ear, fingers intertwining with the long, coiled cord.      “Hey Rhett,” he said amid another stifling yawn.      “Wake up, dude,” Rhett said quickly. “What’re you doing asleep past noon, anyway?” Link smiled into the handset, ever amused at his eager best friend.      “It’s Saturday, man.”      “Well, put on some pants, brother. I’m comin’ to getcha.” Link rubbed his eyes again, sending his mother a thankful look as she slid a plate with slice of toast topped with peanut butter in front of him.      “Whaddaya mean?” he asked before taking a bite of his breakfast.      “It’s my birthday, you idiot. And I’ve got the keys to the kingdom.” Link winced, realizing he’d briefly forgotten his best friend’s birthday, even though the other boy had done nothing but harp on about it for the previous two weeks.      “Happy birthday, man,” he said hastily, his lips smacking together as he nibbled away on his toast.      “I’ll be there in five, dude. Don’t make me wait.” He heard the other boy’s phone clunk against the receiver and the line went dead. He slammed his own phone into its rest on the wall, the last bite of his sticky peanut butter toast wedged between his teeth as he bounded down the hallway toward his bedroom.      “Now where are you off to so quick?” his mother called out after him.      “Rhett’s got the Omega, ma!” he shouted back with his mouth full, picking a baggy pair of jean cargo shorts up from the floor and tugging them around his hips.      “Oh goodness,” he could hear his mother muttering from the kitchen. “They grow up so fast.”      He dressed in record time, running his fingers through his hair in a feeble attempt at styling his unkempt tresses as he brushed his teeth. He could hear the Omega coming before he even reached the front door, its incessant motor whirring loudly. Rhett blared the horn as he pulled up in front of the Neal household, waving frantically with a jubilant grin spread from ear to ear. Link leapt down the front steps, giving his mother a quick wave as he clamoured into the passenger seat.      “Happy birthday, Rhett!” she called out from the front door with a broad smile and a friendly wave.      “Thanks, Sue!” Rhett called back, his eyes twinkling as he sent her an exaggerated wink. She laughed loudly and even blushed a little as she watched the boys pull away.      “Now drive safe, ya hear?!” she yelled out after them.      Link beamed at his best friend behind the wheel of the Omega. He looked so natural, his left arm hanging out his window and the other hand resting on the top of the steering wheel, as the warm autumn daylight poured through the windshield, bathing the boy in a golden glow. Link smoothed his hands across the dusty dashboard, hot to the touch from the beaming sun. He’d been in the Omega before of course; Cole had toted the two boys around town a million times, but this— this was different. This wasn’t Cole’s car anymore, it was Rhett’s, and he didn’t look much like a boy anymore either. At sixteen years, he looked like a man— a man in control of his own destiny.      “I just got back from the DMV,” Rhett said, positively vibrating with excitement. “You shoulda seen me, Link. I reckon that instructor ain’t never passed someone so quick before.” Link grinned at his friend, his chest swelling with pride.      “I’m sure you killed it, bo,” he said, clapping his hand on the other boy’s shoulder.      “Oh and you shoulda seen Cole’s face when he gave me the keys,” Rhett said, his unrelenting smile never faltering. “I thought he was never gonna let ‘em go. He told me he’d kill me if I wrecked ‘er, but that ain’t gonna happen.” He flicked on his blinker and took a sharp turn onto the main drag of Buies Creek, the engine roaring ferociously.      “Where we goin’, Rhett?” Link asked still in awe of their newfound freedom— the freedom to go wherever they wanted, whenever they wanted. Even though the Omega was Rhett’s car, he felt a shred of ownership over the vehicle too— it was theirs— theirs to take wherever they’d please.      “Anywhere we wanna go, buddyroll.”      Before long they were out of the heart of Buies Creek and onto the long, meandering stretches of back road. The warm, October sun filtered through the ruddying foliage, casting a radiant orange hue over the trail they burned. It didn’t matter that they had no destination or that the motor rumbled so loudly that they had to yell over it to be heard. It didn’t matter that the Omega could barely break fifty miles an hour; both boys felt like they were flying every time they reached the crest of a hill and cruised down the smooth decline. The only thing that mattered was that they had a full tank of gas and one another for company.      Link couldn’t get over how good Rhett looked at the wheel; his easy hand motions as he spun the wheel around the tightest corners; the way his long, lean thighs flexed as he pressed into the gas pedal from beneath his loosely fitting shorts; his dark, arched eyebrows pinching together in concentration as he stared headlong into the beaming sunlight. He looked better than he’d ever seen him— his best friend for ten whole years. They slowly climbed the rolling Appalachian foothills, winding deeper and deeper into the thick of the woods, further and further from civilization as they knew it, Buies Creek and all of Harnett County in their wake.      They drove until the sun sunk behind the trees, low on the horizon, casting long shadows and flitting in and out of view as it disappeared behind the hills and reemerged from the other side in full, brilliant splendor. Link’s hand surfed through the air out the passenger window— it was cool between his fingers and he could smell the distinct aroma of leaves decomposing in ditches and along creek beds. But mostly— mostly he could smell Rhett, the faint scent of a teenage boy; soap and traces of yesterday’s cologne, the musk of sweat and that morning’s basketball practice all rolled into one alluring combination. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, feeling his stomach rise up into his throat as they rushed down another hill. He felt like gravity had no pull on them at all; weightless like astronauts barreling through outer space.      Dusk set in quickly, clouds painted in splashes of pink and orange and purple. Rhett pushed the gas pedal harder as they motored up the biggest hill yet, the engine of the Omega growling louder and louder as the turbine spun faster and faster. Link eyed his friend nervously. He knew the Omega was loud, but he didn’t reckon that any engine should make that kind of noise. Rhett seemed to know it too— he eased up on the gas and they puttered to a crawl as they finally reached the hilltop. Rhett swung the Omega onto the shoulder of the road, taking the key out of the ignition and plunging the pair into silence.      “Uhh, maybe we should let ‘er cool off for a bit,” Rhett said, wringing his hands together, keys chiming on the keyring around his finger. “Just in case,” he added as an afterthought.      “Good idea, brother,” Link laughed. The pair stepped out of the vehicle, and walked around to the front of the car. Link placed a hand on the hood, withdrawing it immediately with a hiss as he felt the searing hot metal beneath. “Shit, dude,” he said, blowing on his palm to cool it. “It’s freaking hot.”      “Aww,” Rhett said with a bemused smile tugging at his lips. “You alright, man? Did ya hurt yourself? Want me to kiss it better?” He laughed as he made a grab for Link’s wrist. Link’s stomach leapt into his throat again, clutching his scorched hand against his chest.      “I’m fine, dude! Give it up,” he said, with a forced laugh. “It just stings a bit, is all.” Rhett gave up his pursuit for Link’s hand, and turned his attention back to the Omega. He carefully lifted the hood, staring into the mechanics of the vehicle. He looked intently at one contraption and then another before letting out a heavy sigh and slamming the cover back down.      “I wouldn’t even know how to fix it if I tried,” he muttered.      “Hey, hey,” Link said, placing his tingling palm on the other boy’s forearm. “It’ll be fine if we just give it a rest for a little while.” Rhett’s warm skin underneath his hand was almost too much to bear. “And maybe we should take it easy on the way home.” Rhett turned his arm under Link’s hand, and in the blink of an eye his broad palm was pressed against own, their fingers loosely woven together. Rhett flashed him a winning smile, it tugged at the corners of his eyes and the apples of his cheeks.      “You’re right brother,” Rhett said. “Thanks.” Link shook his hand loose, a hot blush creeping across his cheeks. He ruffled his hair and turned his back to the other boy. He wandered over to the guard rail, internally coaxing his heart rate back down, equalizing his breath and wiping the back of his hand across his sticky forehead.      He gazed into the valley below them, the vibrant colors of the autumn leaves seemingly brighter on the peaks of every hill, especially in the rich rays of last light. He heard the scrape of gravel as Rhett appeared at his side, slinging one long arm over his shoulders.      “It’s pretty breathtaking, isn’t it, Link?” he asked, olive eyes dancing across the horizon from beneath perfectly arched, dark eyebrows.      “Beautiful,” Link replied. But he wasn’t looking at the sunset.      He coughed uneasily as he shrugged Rhett’s arm off, playfully jabbing his elbow into the other boy’s ribs. “So what are we gonna do ‘till the engine cools down, man?” he sputtered. “We ain’t just gonna stand around watching the sun set.” Rhett let out a jovial laugh.      “I guess you’re right, bo.” He looked around the little clearing around the Omega. “There ain’t much to do ‘round here, though.” He gestured toward the wall of trees. “‘Spose we could take a little hike through the woods.” Link swallowed hard as he glanced at the setting sun, low on the skyline.      “Alright,” he said, his voice cracking. “But I don’t wanna go in too far, Rhett. It’s almost dark.” Rhett laughed again, returning the other boy’s dig to the ribs.      “Whatever you say, ya chicken.”      Rhett lead the way into the thicket, their shoes crunching through the fallen leaves and slipping slightly on the slick moss beneath. They raced around towering tree trunks, a spontaneous game of cat and mouse. The boys leapt over half-collapsed barbed wire fences and balanced across fallen trees, arms outstretched and mischievously batting at one another, attempting to push the other boy off the balance beam. Cuts and scrapes adorned their ankles as they stomped through the thorny brush and thistles, but neither seemed to mind much, too preoccupied with the other to notice. The orange beams of light slowly faded away to a pale blue, until nothing but the pallid light of a waxing moon filtered through the sieve of the canopy. They routed themselves back toward the road— to the Omega— to their only concrete connection with the rest of the world.      The pair burst back into the clearing, out of breath and laughing all the while. Instead of lowering himself into the driver’s seat, Rhett sat down onto the hood of the car, his long legs outstretched on the gravel in front of him. He patted the empty space on the hood next to him, and Link settled in beside him. He jumped a little when their knees touched, but relaxed into the sensation, happy in that moment to be so close to his best friend. Rhett exhaled loudly and leaned back onto the car, his head propped up by the sloping windshield. Link followed suit, and found Rhett’s arm nestled comfortably underneath his neck. They stared up at into the heavens, stars twinkling brightly above them against the dark navy of the twilight sky.      “Gosh,” Rhett whispered, his voice teasingly close to Link’s ear. “There must be a million of ‘em.” Link hummed in quiet agreement, curling in closer to Rhett’s shoulder. Rhett’s fingers began to dance along Link’s arm, leaving an electric path in their stead. “One day,” he continued, “I’m gonna name one after you.” His voice was quiet and his tone was serious. Link gulped and pulled himself up on an elbow, looking down onto the other boy’s face. Rhett’s eyes were wide and reflected a sea of stars back at Link; he could almost see every single galaxy and nebula in the universe glimmering back at him.      “…Me?” he choked out. Rhett smiled from under him, just barely revealing the top row of his small, white teeth.      “Yeah, you,” he said, their eyes interlocked and shimmering. “Who else?”      Link couldn’t say why he did it, or what came over him in that moment. He leaned in and gently pressed his lips against the other boy’s, just softly enough to feel their warmth and the hint of moisture beneath his own. Link pulled back, a wave of panic washing over him like a stone plummeting to the bottom of a lake.      “I’m— oh gosh, I’m so sorry, Rhett,” he sputtered. “I dunno why I did that.” Rhett knit his brows together and lifted his hand to his mouth, two fingers dusting over his lower lip. Although his smile had disappeared, he didn’t look upset— just lost in thought.      And then, Link saw it, reflected in Rhett’s glassy, olive eyes; wide and unflinching. A streak of white light. A shooting star. Rhett’s smile returned, this time soft and subtle, as he reached his hand up around Link’s neck, pulling the boy’s face down towards his own. Their lips connected again, sweet and timid and curious and, oh gosh, it was thrilling. They mouthed gently at one another, until Link felt what could only be Rhett’s warm, pink tongue prodding hesitantly at the space between his lips. He parted his mouth, ever so slightly, and felt the other boy’s tongue brush against his own. Rhett’s hand slid up from his neck, his long fingers weaving into his hair. Link moaned softly into the kiss— he couldn’t quite grasp what was happening, he only knew that he was kissing Rhett— and Rhett was kissing him back.      Link’s heart beat ferociously in his chest when he finally came up for air. Rhett hadn’t moved— he just laid there, eyes hooded and rosy lips wet and glistening. Link shook his head, his jaw slack and a frog slowly climbing up his throat. He certainly hadn’t kissed any of his girlfriends like that before, and this wasn’t a girl anyway. This was Rhett. His Rhett, long and lean and athletic and talented and gosh, so, so smart. His best friend for as long as he could remember.      “Rhett— I— what?” he stammered. It was like he had a brick in his mouth, his tongue limp like a dead fish— useless. He had to turn away, feeling the fiery flush creeping up his cheeks again. He dropped his knees over the side of the car, feet dangling in the air as he buried his face in his hands— ashamed, afraid. He felt the Omega shift beneath him as the other boy moved beside him, a warm hand sliding up from his knee to the middle of his thigh. It took every ounce of Link's courage to look him in the eye, and when he did he was surprised to see the other boy looking so cool and collected— he would have looked completely unfazed if it weren't for the faint blush dusting the apples of his cheeks.      “Why’d you stop?” Rhett asked. Link was sure he looked incredulous— there was a million reasons why he stopped, but funnily enough, he couldn’t manage to think of even one.      “I mean— I just—“ he still couldn’t formulate a sentence, his tongue tied up as if it were still in the other boy’s mouth. “You’re my Rhett.”      “Yeah,” the other boy smiled, his broad hand giving his thigh a gentle squeeze. “I am.”      And then they were kissing again. Their hands found each other, fingers laced together in a tight knot. Rhett’s tongue explored the depths of Link’s mouth, swirling gently and colliding with Link’s like a tidal wave. Link could feel Rhett’s hand inching up his leg, sending a chill down his spine and causing the fine hair on the back of his neck and forearms to stand on end. His free hand cupped the other boy’s cheek, caressed his neck and smoothed down his shoulder through his thin, cotton t-shirt. Rhett's skin was hot— so hot he could’ve been on fire, a stark contrast to the impending chill of the autumn night air. Link pulled his mouth away again, this time without fear or shame, out of breath, panting heavily and his head spinning like a whirlpool. He’d almost given up on words— almost— until he spotted the fabric of Rhett’s khaki shorts pulled taut over the bulge underneath.      “You’ve, uh— looks like you’ve got a bit of a situation, there,” Link said, an eyebrow cocked high and a pointed canine sinking into his lower lip.      “Speak for yourself,” Rhett replied with a chuckle, leaning in to press a kiss into the side of his neck. Link let out a sharp gasp as Rhett’s hand moved another fraction of an inch up his thigh with a deliberate squeeze. He had a situation of his own, that much was sure.      “Oh gosh,” he muttered, half-way between embarrassed and amused, but still wholly immersed in the other boy. Rhett slowly slid off the hood of the car, lips pressed against Link’s again, tongue licking into him like he’d tasted something he couldn't get enough of. Suddenly the hand, creeping so dangerously high up his thigh, was gone, and he found Rhett’s knee pressing gently between his own instead. He accepted the other boy’s invitation, knees parting slowly, and Rhett’s hips filling the space between them, until he was pressed flush against the Omega and into Link’s core. Link groaned at the contact, his hips pressing into the other boy uncontrollably, drawn into his heat and the friction between them. Rhett untangled his fingers from Link’s hand, and slid both palms down over the lean muscle of his back, until his hands rested comfortably in the tiny dip of Link’s waist. The slight stubble of his face scraped against Link’s cheeks, making his skin tingle as their lips continued their frenzied exchange. The forest around them chirped with life, twigs snapping and toads croaking, a million orange leaves rustling in the cool breeze. Rhett pressed further into Link, their hips grinding against one another urgently. Rhett’s warm palms skimmed further down his lower back, fingertips kneading into the soft flesh of his shapely behind, causing Link’s breath to hitch in his throat, and his hips to arch clean off the hood of the car, held up just by his wrists tied around Rhett’s neck. He clung hard to the other boy, sure that he’d be flung into outer space if he didn’t hold on tight. Rhett set him back down softly, his mouth leaving Link’s to plant a wet trail across his jaw, until his lips reached his tender earlobe, hot breath wafting over the cartilage ridges and valleys of the shell.      “Let’s get in the car,” he whispered enticingly. Link let himself be pulled by the two hands on his backside onto his feet, the other boy coaxing him along the chassis of the vehicle. He knew this was going somewhere— somewhere he hadn’t been before, somewhere a bit taboo and most definitely profane, but he realized in that moment that he’d let Rhett take him anywhere— including into the back seat of the Omega.      Rhett’s broad hand protected the back of Link’s head as he lowered him backwards into the car, climbing right in behind him. The door clicked shut and the back seat of the Omega was a tangled mess of limbs, long arms and legs sticking every which way as both boys tried to fit their tall bodies into the compact space. Link’s knees latched on around Rhett’s slim waist, seeking the powerful press of friction between them. He gasped loudly when he found it, Rhett rocking his hips hard against him. The other boy’s hands were planted to either side of his head, effectively pinning him against the cushioned seat. Link didn’t mind though, the pressure between his legs was amplified and the boy above him groaned into his mouth as his hips resumed a steady thrusting motion. Link’s fingers toyed with the collar of fabric at the back of Rhett’s neck before slowly bunching the material into his hands, pulling the garment completely off. He tossed it aside onto the floor— or maybe the front seat— it didn’t really matter where. He slid his hands down the Rhett’s chest, his fingers brushing over the faint patch of hair between his pecs, a thumb swiping gently over the nub of his tiny nipple, before hooking his hands onto the sharp blades of his hips, pulling him in tighter— closer— harder.      Rhett didn’t hesitate to take Link’s shirt off too, hastily unbuttoning his flannel one-handed, exposing his chest and stomach. He growled and dove into the soft flesh of his neck, mouth grazing the sharp contour of his clavicles.      “Slow me down,” Rhett breathed, a playful smile dusting his lips. “If— if I’m going too fast.” He took one hand from beside Link’s ear to the narrow space between their exposed torsos, fumbling with Link’s belt buckle. Things were moving fast— possibly much too fast— and maybe just fast enough. Link’s eyes flashed, the jutting bump of cartilage in his neck plunging down as he swallowed hard. He gave his head a quick shake— no— keep going— don’t stop— and arched his neck to crash his mouth against Rhett’s again, hot-blooded and bruising. With Rhett’s help, he pushed his shorts down and off his feet, a sharp gasp escaping his lips as the other boy ground his groin against his again. With one less layer of denim between them, Link could feel Rhett’s arousal even more clearly; hot, rigid and thick. He grit his teeth together, thrusting upward into the other boy’s rocking hips. The way they rutted against one another was almost painful— almost— but gosh, it felt so good. Rhett seemed to feel it too, his liquid lust poured out of him in hot, humid breaths, lashing Link's neck like a tempest; his pupils blown, eyes black and roiling like a maelstrom.      It wasn’t enough. Link needed more— he needed to feel the swell and surge of the other boy; the ebb and flow of their bodies crashing together like the aftershocks of a tsunami on a shoreline. He tucked his thumbs into the waistband of Rhett’s shorts, pushing them down over his willowy hips, the trail of coarse caramel hair beneath his bellybutton becoming more and more visible. Link paused for a moment, realizing— dangit— that his fingers had hooked the boy’s underwear too, and he was about to fully expose his best friend. Rhett’s hips ground to a halt, his eyes bulging slightly at Link’s hands perched precarious and waiting for permission at his waist. Rhett brought his mouth down next to his own, not a kiss, but just enough so that their lips brushed when he spoke.      “Do it.”      It was more than enough assent for Link, and in a fluid motion Rhett’s khakis and boxers were pooled around his knees. His member bounced free— turgid and pink and with a thick blue vein throbbing rapidly down the length of his shaft. A quiet gasp escaped Link’s lips— he’d seen Rhett naked before, sure, but he hadn’t seen him like this— hunched over him and panting and fully, completely, enormously erect. Their lips collided at the same time as their hips; long, low, animalistic growls reverberating in their chests as they coasted on the crest of a wave of exaltation.      Rhett’s biceps flexed next to Link’s ears with exertion, his hips digging into Link’s beneath him, his hardened sex sliding up and down next to Link’s with impassioned mania; with the spark and vigor of a river of raging rapids. He ravaged Link’s neck with nips and bites, his lips leaving wet trails in their wake. Just when it seemed like too much— like Link was on the edge— almost there— Rhett would back off and slow his thrusts to a gentle caress, his lips curling into a teasing smile as he watched Link’s face contort in pained restraint.      “Rhett…” Link breathed, “c’mon, man.” Rhett pulled his hips up and off the other boy, biting Link’s earlobe playfully and purring softly into his ear.      “What d’you want?” Link’s hips lifted clear off the seat, desperately seeking out the flood of forbidden friction from the other boy’s arousal against his own.      “Just— don’t stop now, man,” he murmured. “C’mon, Rhett,” he said, fingernails digging into the other boy’s waist, begging, pleading for him to continue his tantalizing thrusts. “I need you. Please.” A husky laugh rumbled in Rhett’s throat.      “Okay,” he said, one hand frisking over the front of Link’s thin, cotton boxer shorts, eliciting a groan from the other boy. “You don’t have to ask me twice.” And before Link knew it, he was shimmying out of his underwear, kicking them aside to join his abandoned cargo shorts. When Rhett slid up against him again, his hot and hardened member pressed flush against his own, slick with sweat and a tiny trickle of precum, Link moaned again.      Link’s head swam in circles, caught up at the heightened sense of pleasure between his legs, the pressure of Rhett rocking up against him, the thrill of rutting up against his best friend without restraint. Rhett. Rhett. Rhett was doing this too, it wasn’t a fantasy, it wasn’t some distressing dream keeping him awake at night. It was actually Rhett, and he wanted this as badly as Link did. Link’s eyes travelled down the other boy’s torso to the twitching organ at his core. He sunk a pointed canine into his fleshy lower lip, eyes flicking back up to meet Rhett’s. Link’s hand slipped between their bodies, hovering hesitantly above their naked sex; unsure. Rhett swallowed hard and nodded; Link took a deep breath and took the plunge. He wrapped his hand around both of them together, hearing the other boy’s breath catch in his throat. His gasp turned into a guttural groan as he thrust himself into Link’s hand. Rhett felt smooth and slippery in his palm— velvety and hot and hard. He wasn’t sure how to maneuver his wrist, his fingers stretched wide around the both of them together. It was so unlike touching himself— tiny involuntary sounds escaped Rhett’s mouth with every upstroke until Link silenced them with the hard press of his lips against the other boy’s— breathing him in like he was precious oxygen on the way to the moon. Or the bottom of the ocean. It didn’t matter where. He’d let Rhett take him anywhere.      “Gosh, Link,” Rhett mumbled, his lips breaking their bond. Beads of sweat speckled his forehead and dripped down his temples. “I— oh wow, that’s— that’s so good Link,” he sputtered. Link felt it too— it was good, better than good, better than he’d ever felt in all of his fifteen years. Rhett’s breaths came out fast and heavy, his arms trembling, just barely holding his wiry body above the other boy.      Despite himself, Link slowed his pumping hand, bringing his palm up to Rhett’s heaving chest.      “Hey Rhett,” Link whispered, breathless. “Why don’t you— why don’t you sit down?” He unwrapped his legs from the other boy, and slid over, leaving a space beside him. Rhett sat on the bench cushion, both awkwardly facing forward for a split second, feeling a bit like two kids in the back seat waiting for a chaperone. Link broke the brief moment of tension by turning his knees toward the other boy, throwing a bare thigh over Rhett’s and leaning in to press another wet kiss against his lips. His hand found its way down the other boy’s chest, down to the pulsating heat between his legs. Rhett groaned again at the contact, his broad hand blindly sliding up Link’s shaky thigh. When his soft, wide palm wrapped around Link’s arousal, he felt like he was slipping down a gully— like he’d just been launched down into a thousand-foot chasm, completely at the mercy of the forces of nature— completely reduced a quaking puddle of goo like a jellyfish at the other boy’s touch.      Rhett kissed him like he meant to devour him— fierce and intense and fervid. Link was certain that his heart had never beat so fast; no game of soccer, not with all its paces up and down the field, would ever compare to the level of of exhilaration pumping through his veins at that moment. Rhett gripped him harder, and he let out a shout, not in pain, but in rapture, pure ecstasy, of the other boy’s warm hand slicking him up and down, up and down and, oh gosh, twisting his wrist at the head before rushing right back toward the base with a firm thrust.      Link knew he was close, teetering dangerously on the precipice of a waterfall— just moments shy of releasing with the force of a raging monsoon. Link’s free hand gripped Rhett’s bare shoulder, fingertips pressing hard into his skin as he pulled his mouth deeper into his own. His lips tasted sweeter than honeydew, wet and warm and his tongue dove into his mouth over and over again, exploring the depths of the moist cavern. Link’s palm squeezed Rhett’s shaft hard, and he felt it spasm under his hand at the same time as a low groan escaped the other boy’s throat.      “Oh shit, Link,” Rhett breathed, reaching his climax and releasing like a geyser in Link’s palm; spurts of hot, salty liquid gushing over Links fingers, onto their thighs and in little droplets over their abdomens. Rhett’s hand worked in double time on Link, pumping faster and gripping him harder and oh gosh, that thing Rhett did with his wrist was freaking incredible, until— yes— oh God yes just like that— a wave of relief crashed over him, sending ripples of pleasure down from the top of his head to the base of his spine, shooting like a jet through his core, just letting himself go in the most base and primal way possible. He shuddered as his come flowed out of him in a iridescent, pearly white stream, all over Rhett’s hand, all over his legs and his stomach and, gosh, he might’ve even gotten a little on Rhett’s chin.      It was over faster than it had started, their hands released each other and Link collapsed against Rhett’s chest, gulping back huge breaths of air. His eyes drifted closed, his ear pressed against the other boy’s torso, listening to the heavy thudding of his surging heart. Rhett buried his nose into Link’s hair, inhaling him in deep, pressing a chaste kiss onto the top of his head. They sat like that, naked and wrapped up in each other, for a while; maybe twenty minutes, maybe an hour. It didn’t really matter how long.      Rhett moved first, gently nudging Link out of his doze.      “It’s late,” he said quietly. “It’s probably past my curfew.” Link blinked a few times and let out a small yawn, eyes scanning the horizon to see that the moon had moved across the dark sky.      “Yeah,” he replied. “We should head back.” Rhett stretched his long body over the front seat, careful not to smear either of his or Link’s emissions onto the upholstery. He dug his hand around in the glove box until he found a small package of tissues and sat back down, offering a few to Link. The pair cleaned themselves off and slowly pulled their clothes back on, suddenly shy and self-conscious, despite the intensely intimate moment they’d just shared. Rhett got out of the car to get in the driver’s seat, while Link just lazily hurled himself over the cushioned backrest, plopping down into his spot. Rhett buckled up beside him with a heavy breath, running his hand over his short buzz. Link stared at his feet. Why were they acting like this after they had just spent so long rejoicing in the pleasure of each other? Link’s hands fidgeted nervously in his lap, chewing anxiously on his lower lip as Rhett turned the key in the ignition. The thunderous roar of the Omega blared again.      “Hey Link,” Rhett said, cocking his head to the side, a timid smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “C’mere.” He reached out and plucked one hand from Link’s lap, and tugged him flush against his side. Link curled into Rhett’s inviting warmth, letting his head rest gently on the other boy’s shoulder, their fingers entwined in a tender grasp for the whole ride home. Link smiled, his unease evaporating and a tide of calm content lapped over him.      As they pulled up in front of Link’s house, Rhett gave his hand a pointed squeeze and placed a delicate kiss on Link’s forehead.      “Happy birthday, Rhett,” Link said, unbuckling his seatbelt and leaning in to let their lips brush against each other one more time.      “Wanna go for a drive after church tomorrow?” Rhett asked, his eyes twinkling. A wide smile split Link’s face, like sunshine reflecting over the Atlantic at first light.      “Yeah, Rhett. I’ll see you tomorrow.” End Notes Thanks for reading! This work was a bit experimental for me... I really enjoyed writing it, especially after toiling for so long on a really long serial. It gave me a bit of a chance to try new things and test out a slightly different style. You can find me at @ratchetrhink on tumblr! I hope you enjoyed, and as always, kudos, comments, questions and critique are always highly appreciated. Thanks again! Please drop_by_the_archive_and_comment to let the author know if you enjoyed their work!