They were taking a much-needed break after judging that where they stood would be safe from the vampires. Jason stuck a hand under the waterfall then took off his hat to run his wet fingers through his hair. The cool water felt good on his sweaty body. He turned to check on Salim and found the Iraqi rubbing his hands.
“You cold or somethin’?” Jason asked him. Salim glanced up and stared for a moment before ducking his head and shaking it. Jason cracked a grin. “Givin’ your mouth some rest, I see.”
“I was just thinking how strange it is to see you without your hat,” Salim informed him. “I thought it might be glued to your head.”
“Like I ain’t heard that one before,” Jason snorted. Salim smiled and Jason returned it, feeling warmth in his chest. “Seriously, what’s up with your hands?”
“I learned the hard way that the vampires burst into flame if exposed to sunlight.”
“Let me see,” Jason insisted. Salim hesitated but something in Jason’s eyes must have moved him, as he held out his hands for the young marine. Jason studied the other soldier’s hands, running his fingers along the injured skin. He only had the most basic medical training so there wasn’t much he could do.
He shouldered off his backpack and looked around until he found some cloth he could use as a makeshift bandage. He stuck the cloth under the waterfall then came back to Salim, methodically wrapping each hand.
“That feels good,” the older man noted. “Thank you, Jason.”
“You ain’t much good as a sword if your hands are too fucked up to even wield one,” Jason said with a shrug. He finished the wrapping and ran his fingers along the bandages to make sure they were secure. “Flex your fingers,” he instructed, and Salim did. “Now make a fist. How’s it feel?”
“Bad,” Salim admitted, “but a little better.” He wiggled his fingers as a demonstration.
“You ain’t FUBAR yet,” Jason agreed, grinning at the other man. The Iraqi responded with a puzzled frown.
“I’m not what?”
“Fucked Up Beyond Any Repair. Or sometimes it’s Beyond All Recognition.”
“I’m guessing that’s an American thing.” He was smiling as he said it, and the way it made his features soften gave Jason that warm feeling again. Jason realized too late he was still holding onto Salim’s hand and let go.
“Think we rested enough. Let’s move on.” He grabbed his hat and settled it back on his head with Salim taking up his weapon again. Jason tugged the brim down a little to hide the tint of red that had risen on his cheeks. He felt Salim’s eyes on him and turned to briefly catch the other looking at him before Salim turned away and headed forward. Jason would swear that the older man was blushing, too.
Jason didn’t bring it up, though. He wasn’t sure he was ready to face what it meant.
They were spending an afternoon together, sitting with their heads tilted up toward the sun. Jason let out a sigh and got to his feet. Salim watched his friend stretch out his limbs and felt the disappointed sink that came with knowing Jason would be leaving for the day.
“You busy tomorrow?” Jason asked him. “I might swing by and see ya.”
“I’d like that. Come by whenever you like.” That got Jason to smile and the sink in Salim’s chest felt a little lighter. Jason gave him a little salute and turned to go. “Jason, wait,” Salim called to him on impulse. Jason obediently paused and turned back to face him.
Salim’s heart pounded hard in his chest. He was already questioning whether he should really be doing this. But he knew how he felt about Jason, had been feeling about the younger man for a while now. Salim stepped closer, keeping his focus on Jason until the man’s features blurred in his vision.
And then he kissed the American’s lips. So careful and soft, just enough for Jason to feel it. Jason sucked in a breath and Salim instinctively pulled back thinking he would get rejected, but Jason’s hand reached to latch onto his arm and pull him in again. Jason added pressure to the kiss, making it feel almost demanding. Salim gave in to the demand without hesitation. His lips were firm now as they moved against the marine’s. After a moment he felt something solid bump them and cracked his eyes open to see he had somehow backed Jason against a wall.
Jason pulled back a little. He hadn’t released his grip on Salim’s arm yet. “That was a hell of a first kiss,” he observed.
“Th-thank you,” Salim gulped, not knowing what else to say. Jason’s sigh was one of content this time.
“I kinda forgot what I was doin’.” Salim almost reminded him but then stopped, his lips moving into a slow smile.
“It wasn’t important,” he said instead, and leaned in to kiss Jason again.
Warm, calloused fingers brushed against his bare skin. Jason let out a puff of air against the older man’s lips. Salim’s hands grew bolder, wandering up to the marine’s pecs and brushing just under the nipples. Jason fought hard for patience but the more Salim touched him, the more he wanted to be touched.
Salim’s hands reversed course down to Jason’s hips. They caressed the bone, circling around to find the zipper on his jeans. It was pulled down and his fly opened. He could see Salim looking and couldn’t resist lifting his hips a little to give the man a better view.
“Already?” Salim questioned, rubbing Jason’s bulge with the heel of his palm. “I’ve barely done anything, jarhead.”
“Believe me, I noticed.” Salim chuckled and gave him a peck on the lips. He rubbed the bulge again and when Jason lifted his hips, he slid the jeans off and down to the younger man’s knees. Jason took it from there and kicked them the rest of the way off.
“Boxers,” Salim noted. “I was expecting you to go commando.”
“Disappointed?”
“No.” Salim’s eyes gleamed at him. “Something for me to look forward to.”
“Smooth,” Jason smirked. Salim’s smile grew warmer in response and he kissed Jason again. His hands were on Jason’s legs now, caressing up and down his thighs. He spread them open and Salim fit himself in between. We’re finally fucking getting somewhere, Jason thought.
Jason reached out to grip onto Salim’s shirt and pull up. He got it all the way to the man’s armpits before Salim had to take over. The man finally shirtless, Jason could run his hands over that broad chest freely. Heat pooled in his gut and his cock grew a bit more impatient in the confines of his boxers.
“Jason,” Salim gulped. He took the younger man’s hands and gently guided them off his body, pushing them into the mattress off the bed. Jason was a little startled by the jump in arousal at being pinned down. “I need you to hold still.”
“I want to touch you,” Jason argued.
“Let me touch you first, jarhead.” Salim moved his hands down to the hem of Jason’s shirt. As his hands grazed up Jason’s body he pushed the material along. When it got to his armpits, Jason lifted his arms up to help but Salim made an impatient click with his tongue. “Jason, please, hold still.”
“I was just takin’ my shirt off.”
“Letme do it.” Salim pulled the shirt off over Jason’s head but instead of slipping him out of the arm sleeves, he guided Jason’s arms over his head and did some complicated twisting so the shirt bound him.
“What the fuck, Salim?” Jason’s heart was pounding hard in his chest. This was an unexpected turn and his cock was betraying how turned on he was by it. Salim gave him a little nudge with a knee.
“I had a feeling you wouldn’t mind.”
“So what, you want me to just lay here and look pretty?” Salim leaned over him, a hand resting against Jason’s side. He was so close their noses were almost touching. Jason’s eyes dropped half-closed in a clear invitation.
“Youare pretty,” Salim agreed. He caressed Jason’s side, his knee pressing against Jason’s crotch just enough. “You are so lovely, Jason. I especially like that flush on your cheeks.” He pressed a kiss to one cheek. Jason turned his head to catch the lips with his and he let out all the desire he felt in that kiss.
It struck him that he never would have allowed anyone else to tie him up like this. But down in those catacombs, he and Salim had forged a strong trust between each other. They fought side-by-side and saved each other more than once. Jason felt utterly safe with the other man. Safe enough to be vulnerable.
“Salim, I… I want you to fuck me.”
“I’m sorry, Jason, but I’m not interested in fucking you.” Jason stiffened but Salim soothed him with another kiss. “I’m going to make love to you, slowly, erasing any other lover you’ve had before me.”
“Oh.” Jason swallowed hard, his blush more pronounced on his cheeks. “Yeah. I like that idea better.”
It’s an AU where Jason is a Cactus Nymph and Salim is a Date Palm Dryad. It’s so adorable and this scene was too precious not to draw. Definitely give it a read if you haven’t. Thank you for the lovely fics! ❤
(I just liked this fanart so much and I was missing the AU, so here’s the last part of Oasis from Jason’s perspective!)
All the other nymphs were excited to dance and blossom; Jason just wanted to dance. He enjoyed the freedom of it and how he could throw his whole body into each movement. He was never as graceful or beautiful as his fellow nymphs but he didn’t care. He preferred to be chaotic and wild.
Unintentionally his eyes searched for a date palm dryad, heart skipping when he spotted two. One he knew was Salim and while Jason didn’t recognize the other, there was no question this was Zain. Jason turned his attention back on Salim. The dryad would be watching him dance; the thought made Jason’s heart race and nervous energy buzzed through his body.
Jason only ever danced to enjoy himself before. This time as he threw himself into the beat, he was revealing himself to Salim. This is me: I’m a chaotic mess. I’m sharp and angry and I’m not pretty like the flowers. But look at me, see me, want me. He hadn’t blossomed; he was too scared to show such an obvious sign of his feelings.
At the end of the dance, to no one’s surprise Merwin immediately claimed the blossoming Joey as his partner. Jason rolled his eyes in Nick’s direction.
“Every fuckin’ time we dance, I swear. Why don’t Merwin and Joey make it official already?”
“Don’t ask me,” Nick shrugged.
“And who the fuck are you blossoming for, anyway?” Jason demanded. He plucked at one of the flower petals on Nick’s shoulder. “Better not be that beech again, traitor. You remember how pissed that spruce was last time.”
“Excuse me.” Jason’s heart jumped in his chest when he recognized the voice. He felt a blush rise on his cheeks as he stared at Salim. Did he see me? Did he like it? “I just came over to tell you how much I enjoyed the dance.”
“Thanks,” Nick smiled. He held out his hand. “I don’t think we met. I’m Nick.” Salim introduced himself and Jason felt his friend’s eyes on him. He pointedly looked away. He had accidentally let Salim’s name slip and Nick hadn’t allowed him to forget it since. The other two were still talking about the dance.
“This time, I saw something special,” Salim concluded. Jason gritted his teeth and his needles slid out from his skin. Well, great, Salim was attracted to the blossoming flowers like all the other dryads. Speaking of dryads, another one was headed their way.
“Fucking hell, that spruce is comin’ this way,” Jason grumbled. “I warned you, Nicky. I’m out of here before he starts goin’ off.” Inside, he was a little glad the other dryad showed off and gave him the perfect excuse to escape.
He didn’t get too far before Salim was calling his name. Jason whirled to face the dryad, letting his needles grow out even more. “Fuck off, Salim. Go flirt with the pretty flowers.” Salim blinked at him in stunned confusion, and then slowly his lips moved into a smile.
“Actually, Jason, I find needles to be much more interesting.”
“You makin’ fun of me?” Jason fumed.
“No.” Salim drew close, much closer than any of the other nymphs or dryads did once Jason’s needles were out. Then Salim was touching him, and Jason could only stare in shock. “When I said I saw something special at the dance,” Salim explained, “I meant you.”
Oh. The nervous excitement buzzed through Jason again. Hedid see me. Jason knew he was blushing again and he didn’t care. Salim saw his chaos, touched his needles, and was still here. Jason swallowed and tentatively kissed the dryad.
He didn’t know how to express what he was feeling, so he did it in the most natural way he could: he let himself blossom. It was just a single flower but it was enough. Salim saw it and lit up in a smile. He caressed the petals with his free hand, cupping Jason’s cheek with the other and bringing their faces closer for another kiss.
Jason retracted his needles so he could get closer. Salim’s bark had its own sharpness; not just any nymph would be comfortable feeling that against their skin. Jason was, though, and another flower blossomed as he instinctively called out to Salim to be his partner. Salim’s lips moved to Jason’s cheek, his jaw, a hand encircling the nymph’s waist.
Jason continued to press close, holding on tight to Salim’s strong bark. Accepting the sharp edges just as Salim accepted his.
“Chicken?” Salim repeated in confusion. There was a game involving chickens now? Americans were so strange.
“Yeah, it’s kinda like a dare,” Jason explained. “You do somethin’ that could potentially scare or hurt you, and the first one to pull back loses.” Ah, well, that was something Salim was familiar with. Though they didn’t call it “chicken”, he and his friends had dared each other to do some pretty dangerous stuff in his youth.
“And what potentially scary thing are you wanting to do?” Salim wondered.
“We hang out.” Salim had to frown. How was that scary or dangerous? “First one to fall in love loses,” Jason added.
“Fall in love,” Salim repeated slowly. He felt like he missed something. “With… each other?” Jason nodded. Well, Salim could see how that would seem dangerous because of the views on homosexuality, but why would Jason think of such a thing? “All right,” Salim agreed.
He and Jason were good friends and had forged a very close bond while they were down in the catacombs, but Salim couldn’t see it becoming more than that.
Over the next few days they took turns going to each other’s houses and taking walks outside. They had friendly arguments of American football versus the rest of the world, they watched each other’s favorite movies and listened to music. Salim began to look forward to the times when he could see Jason again. He told jokes hoping to see Jason smile or hear him laugh. He felt lighter and happier whenever Jason was around.
One day as they were watching something on television, Salim had the urge to reach out and take Jason’s hand. Holding hands with a good friend was common practice, and yet that wasn’t on Salim’s mind. No, he simply wanted to feel the strength and warmth, to brush his thumb along the callous Jason built up in his years of military service.
“Oh.” Salim sat up a little straighter when it hit him. “Oh…. I… dammit.”
“Ha!” Jason slapped his thigh. “I make you happy!”
“I can’t believe you remember that stupid chicken game,” Salim complained, blushing. “You don’t feel the same way?”
“Why do you think I wanted to play this in the first place?” Jason replied with a mischievous smirk.
“Wait, but you…” Salim was trying to make sense of this. Jason was in love with him this whole time? Or, he had feelings and wanted them to be love, and used this game as an excuse? “Since when?” Salim finally asked.
Jason scooted closer and rested his hand over Salim’s. “Let’s just say there was never a chance of me winnin’ the game.”
