Fireproof

Dave and Klaus shuffled into the cabin; their shoes tracking in mud and all manner of undesirable things onto their floor and the rug just inside the front door. They had the freedom of being fully transparent about the looks on their faces ( tired and stunned ) because the kids and Ben were currently at Nora and Alyssa’s place. The couple apparently thought they owed them this at least.

Klaus was pulling clothes off of his sweaty, sticky body a few feet inside, nearly twisting an ankle as he attempted to wigging out of his shoes without bending over or loosening them. Dave was behind him, barely registering the almost injury - patient enough to wait until they got into their bedroom before starting to strip.

A few moments later they were standing next to the bed naked; Klaus sauntered up to his fiance, wearing only the emerald engagement ring which had surprisingly lost none of it’s beauty throughout it’s highly unorthodox journey to get to Klaus’ finger. He wrapped his arms around Dave’s neck and they both cringed at the unpleasant smells that became more potent as their bodies touched.

“God, you’re such a handsome bastard…” Dave skimmed his thumb over the side of his Fiance’s face, smearing the mysterious brown marks in a trail down to his jaw, despite the mess- his cheeks were full and healthy and his eyes were big and bright. Dave couldn’t get enough of the way he glowed, the way the sharp angles of his features softened under a nourished lifestyle.

***********************************************************************************************

“I’m gonna blow your mind…” Klaus pushed a slightly surprised Dave backwards onto his makeshift bed.

Kenzie and Ben were with Vanya and he had insisted that Dave come over - the thought made his stomach do backflips in anticipation. They hadn’t been dating for very long, Dave still actively having to remind himself, understanding the way he became very annoying, very quickly with the way he couldn’t stop telling people about his boyfriend.

Klaus’ bedroom was a small cramped area with a full size mattress and box spring on the floor with no frame. Lots of hanging lights and clothes hanging everywhere along with random art scattered around the walls. The bed looked cozy with a heavy old worn out comforter and pillows - a few normal pillows with mismatching cases along with a unicorn pillow, a rainbow poop emoji plushie and a fuzzy blue body pillow.

Klaus moved on top of him, this was nothing like the first time, this time he kissed him desperately, more forcefully, like he couldn’t stand to not be touching him, like he was about to explode with need. Dave obliged, the feelings very much mirrored, heat and desperation for every single electric touch shot through his veins.

However, even through the flames that seemed to spark, sudden and hot - Dave’s mind wondered, it wondered to the still visible boot print that blossomed over his partner’s ribs - it traced over the yellow and black bruising still spreading down the right side of his face that trailed down his shoulder and the painfully noticeable weight loss. He cringed.

Klaus didn’t seem to notice and was tugging off Dave’s shirt and urgently undoing his pants, his hands seemed to be shaking and uncoordinated. He palmed Dave and he had no choice but to let his head fall back with a moan.

He inhaled and attempted to catch Klaus’ hands in his own, “Sweetheart - Hey, Klaus, look at me.”

Klaus’ eyes were wide and distracted, Dave suddenly couldn’t tell if he was aroused or if he was on the verge of a panic attack.

“Yeah, what’s up?” Klaus said through a shaky exhale.

Dave let him go and reached up to stroke the side of his face, careful not to press against the bruising. Close up, in the dim lighting he looked green, sickly with pronounced cheekbones and a flushed neck, “Klaus, I think you need to take it easy.”

His face scrunched up in response, “What? No - No, I’m fine-” He laughed breathlessly, “I’m a big boy, I can take it, I promise.”

“I don’t want you to ‘take it’. You look like you’re in pain - Seriously, Klaus - you know, I’m fine with just being here - we don’t have to push it.”

Klaus rolled off of him with a pronounced wince and sharp inhale as he landed uncomfortable on the bed, swinging his legs off and leaning strangely to the side to accommodate his ribs, “Fantastic.” He said sarcastically.

Then he started laughing, Dave wasn’t sure at what but it wasn’t a joyful laugh, more like a forced cackle that escaped his throat through force, “Isn’t it so stupid- “ He talked through the unerving giggles, “There were so many times during our long ‘will they won’t they’ phase where I thought a dam was going to break and we were just going to have wild animal sex and now we’re finally dating--” He cringed, “And I can’t even fuck you.”

“Klaus.”

“--I’m just saying! It would be so stupid to lose you because I can’t even… Do the one thing that I’m good at.”

Dave studied the other man, this was still new to him, Klaus was still new to him but it still hurt to see the way he deflated against how Dave’s eyes scanned over the marks on his skin. “Klaus--” He began hesitantly, “Did you have a bad night? Is that why Vanya’s got Kenz’?”

Klaus swallowed, staring at the floor. He nodded.

“Ah.”

“Look, I get that, this is something you’re more used to than I am - and maybe it’s something that you use to cope but I don’t want to put you in pain. I’m an easy man to please - “ He tried to smirk to lighten the mood, “I just want to be here with you.”

Dave reached out and gently rubbed Klaus' un-battered shoulder, the other man leaned into the touch.

“I’m sorry…” He finally admitted.

“Hey, don’t apologize. Come here - “ Dave flattened out the pillows and leading Klaus to lay gingerly onto his back.

He sighed and rolled his head back against the soft surface, closing his eyes. Dave used the rainbow poop emoji pillow to prop himself up on his side and he leaned over, tracing soft kisses up Klaus’ neck and over his tender face until he got to his lips. They kissed slowly and softly for a while until Dave cut it off by stroking his finger’s through Klaus’ hair.

“You wanna talk about it?”

Klaus shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut and shifting sideways against Dave’s chest - the other man responded by simply pulling an arm around him. Gingerly avoiding his injuries and ghosting touches along his side.

“I just wanna - I want - I don’t want you to go anywhere.”

Dave layed down, letting his boyfriend press against him as comfortably as he could, he responded only by dragging a blanket over them and pulling him tighter to his body.

*********************************************************************************************

“God, you stink so bad, right now.” Dave added, his face breaking into a grin.

They both broke out into loud relieved laughter and Klaus let his head fall against Dave’s shoulder, they swayed back and forth to an invisible rhythm. “You don’t exactly smell like a box of roses yourself, Katz.”

“Come on, sexy - “ He gently slapped Dave’s ass and pulled him towards the bathroom.

Dave stared at his bare body in the mirror while Klaus turned on the shower head and adjusted the temperature. He was covered in dirt, maneuer, and possibly rotting food but he couldn’t help the smile that just wouldn’t fade from his face especially as Klaus moved behind him and wrapped his arms around his middle, pressing a kiss against his neck.

His hands wandered up and down his torso, ignoring the marks and the stench - Dave found himself following his fiance’s hands as he explored over him affectionately. He liked the way their bodies contrasted in the bathroom lights - their bodies were built differently and he found himself lost in the visual of Klaus pressed against him.

In those fluorescent lights everything seemed so visceral and real - his body felt real and he had the freedom to love the way it looked when Klaus’ hands palmed over him. He turned away from the mirror to face the other man and kiss him slowly. It didn’t smell great but they both pushed past that in favor the familiar sweet taste of their partner’s lips.

When the shower was heated up they both sighed as they got under the stream, the hot water barreling against the muck and grime they had accumulated over the course of this fantastic day. Klaus wasted no time in lathering up the loofah, he turned Dave around and started scrubbing the lavender scented bubbles over his skin. He methodically turned his fiance around in the water and washed away the dirt, rubbing in small foamy circles over Dave’s skin.

Dave was thankful that he was used to this now, he was used to how comfortable Klaus was in these moments and the way he loved to take care of him here - he wondered if he had always been like that or if this was something he reserved just for Dave.

He obediently lowered his head back when he heard the pop of the shampoo bottle. A moment later Klaus’ fingers were working their way through his hair, scratching at his scalp and tugging through his curls. He sighed, feeling his eyes rolling to the back of his head in contentment and leaning backwards against the other man for support.

He was lost in the sensations when Klaus pulled him around to face him under the water - his eyes scanned over his exposed body with a soft smile. When their eyes met again, Klaus exhaled slowly, “You’re beautiful.”

*******************************************************************************************************

“I’m so glad you’re home - I’m about to throw hands with this pigeon that’s been eyeing me the ENTIRE way here and I need you to back me up on--” Klaus stopped just inside of Dave’s bedroom as he caught a glimpse of bare ass.

“Shit! Sorry!” Dave was standing near the closet and he grabbed the clothes that were on the floor around him and covered up his crotch and back clumsily. He still had his back turned to the other man, his head down.

“Sorry - Sorry, I’ll be ready in just a few.” He stuttered out, still not looking at his partner.

Klaus tilted his head, a small smirk on his face, “Honey, your bits and baubles aren’t going to offend me.”

Dave huffed out a nervous laugh, “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” He didn’t drop the dirty shirts from around his waist or turn around.

”I find it hard to believe that the soldier firefighter man has never stripped in front of another man, even if it was in the boys locker room with all the other manly men pretending not to look at each other’s junk.”

“I mean, yeah, I guess it just seems different with you, you know? I don’t want to..” He trailed off.

Klaus took a step forward, his eyes scanned over Dave’s tense shoulders and the slight way his shoulders seemed to be shivering, his skin was dark around his neck, smeared with something black. “Did you - Did you just get back from an all nighter?”

Klaus felt bad that he didn’t know this, they were still pretty new as a couple and he found himself worried about the separation between them as they balanced their relationship between two apartments. Moments like these concerned him the most, feeling like he didn’t have the whole picture, getting the idea that something was wrong but he didn’t know what or how to help.

“Yeah.” He finally admitted, turning around with a sheepish expression on his face, dark soot outlining where his mask had been. He looked exhausted, hsi hair was smokey and dull and there were lines of sweat still visible through the darkened skin, trailing down his neck. “Sorry - I usually change in the bathroom - I keep forgetting that other people have a key now.” He said, attempting to push humor into his voice.

Klaus cupped his hands over his heart, “Sweetheart - You want some help with that?”

“What?”

“Let me help you clean up - You look exhausted.”

He didn’t answer so Klaus just continued, taking a cautious step toward the other man, “Look, I get that we haven’t fucked yet - I promise I won’t peek.”

Dave looked down towards the floor.
“There’s nothing wrong with your body, even in this context.” His voice was deep, serious and to the point as he spoke.

Dave tilted his head curiously towards his boyfriend.

A few moments later he added in a lighter tone, “Plus you’ve seen me naked - you remember that, right? When I suavely pronounced my love to you after murdering a man and sobbed into your shoulder, that time I bled all over your bathroom? Charming, I know.”

Dave huffed, his shoulders relaxing slightly, “Yeah - Okay.”

Klaus clapped and danced forward, finally getting a better look at Dave’s face - he clasped their hands together causing him to drop the shirt covering his ass. “Come on... “ Klaus led him into the bathroom and seated him on the toilet while he started a bath. Dave watched him with cautious amusement.

When Dave finally lowered himself into the hot water covered in a ridiculous amount of bubbles (Where did he even find those? Did he just keep them everywhere he went?), his taut, painfully strained muscles melted into the steam. He sighed, closing his eyes and gently gathering the bubbles around his body.

He jumped when he felt a wash rag stroke across his face, his eyes snapped open and he found himself a few inches from Klaus’ face. His expression was soft and nurturing which Dave only saw from him on certain occasions, with Kenzie but if any of his siblings were near it would be tainted with a performing twinkle in his eyes.

“Sorry.” Klaus continued to wipe away the grime, washing away at the sweat clogging his pores.

He was so exhausted after the night- a work filled with danger and life threatening consequences kept him on his toes but it left him drained. Left him unable to put on a face. He closed his eyes, relishing the way Klaus touched him and worked through his knotted muscles.

Dave felt pliable and limp when Klaus finally placed a palm on his shoulder and turned him around. A moment later his boyfriend’s fingers were moving through his hair, rinsing out the smoke and then washing out the curls methodically, letting his nails scratch softly against his scalp.

He drifted away.

When he woke up, Klaus' arms were draped over his shoulders and he was rocking back and forth, still on his knees just next to the tub. Dave wanted to say something but he didn’t know what and he certainly didn’t expect for Klaus to cup his jaw and hum tenderly.

“You’re beautiful.” He breathed and pressed a sweet kiss against Dave’s cheek.

*************************************************************************************************************

Dave grabbed Klaus’ face and kissed him in earnest. They had been under the shower for a while now and time was slipping past them as they tried to get the mess from their engagement off their bodies and it took both of them to do so but now the space between them seemed tense, impatient and primal.

Dave stroked his hand over his fiance’s hand, noting the emerald glint on his finger that so perfectly mirrored the eyes of the man he loved.

Klaus bit his lip and smirked, their eyes opened and they stared for several moments before, without conversation needed, they were shuffling quickly out of the shower. Klaus nearly ate it as he stumbled out of the tub and Dave caught his arm, helping him over the edge.

They dried off in a mad dash, leaving the towels crumpled damp on the floor. Klaus made it to the bed first, plopping down onto his back and scrambling backwards as Dave fished in the bedside drawer and tossed lube and a condom onto the bed next to him.

He crawled on top of Klaus and was immediately pulled into a hungry kiss that left him desperate and breathless, after an entire evening of keeping their hands off of each other the fire was immediately ignited between them and they took advantage of the rare opportunity where they didn’t have to be quiet or hide under the blankets.

Dave pressed Klaus’ wrists down against the blanket causing him to growl and squirm underneath him. Before he grabbed the lube or the condom or moved forward, he raised up, admiring the way Klaus was splayed out beneath him. He leaned down and sucked a red mark on to his fiance’s collarbone.

Klaus whined impatiently.

“I love you so much… I need you..” Dave growled the words getting lost in another sparking kiss.

Klaus rolled his shoulders back and laughed, he closed his eyes and repeated blissfully, “I love you so much…”

**********************************************************************************************************

“Holy shit…” Klaus murmured with a soft giggle of bliss. He raised his arm up and exhaled, catching his breath. He closed his eyes, feeling the way Dave laughed as he crawled back into bed and curled around his side. He laid his head on Klaus’ chest comfortably with his hand palmed against his stomach, steadying the rapid rise and fall.

Dave hummed against his skin and inhaled deeply, a moment later his fingers are trailing up and down Klaus’ arm, staring at the way his skin is contrasted in their darkened bedroom, the way the soft blush spread around his neck and cheeks.

He watched as Dave’s palm spread over his chest and trailed back down his body - the intense fire and electricity was gone, spent up and used in an evening of desperate passion and now his touch felt like an anchor as his mind floated above the clouds. They were finally living in the same apartment and for the first time in forever he felt secure in where he was, safe.

“God, you’re beautiful.” Dave’s voice lilted through the room.

Klaus almost winced at the sound of the words, instead he audibly laughed and shook his head.

Dave continued, “You know I’m thankful, right? I’m so, so grateful that you’re here with me. Hm… Never deserved this…” He mumbled into Klaus’ skin.

A painful lump formed in the back of Klaus’ throat and he swallowed hard, looking up at nothing - unable to watch the way Dave was gazing at him. “You’re a -” His voice broke and he abandoned the thought as tears began to fill his eyes. He blinked against them - he didn’t cry after sex, that wasn’t something that happened.

He wanted to curl away from everything and cry in peace but Dave’s weight was still holding him on his back and at the sound of a choked inhale, he leaned up on his elbow, a hand coming up to touch Klaus’ damp cheek.

“Sweetheart…” He moved over Klaus’, who was too focused on not sobbing as a wave of unfamiliar emotions broke over him to do anything. He pressed a soft kiss against his collarbone, which sent a sudden shiver over his body.

“You’re so kind…”

He kissed him on the shoulder, “Make my life so bright.”

“Please don’t…” Klaus choked out, having to press his eyes shut.

He reached up and pulled his fingers through Klaus’ messy hair, watching him critically, “You drive me crazy, sometimes I want to touch you so badly I can’t stand it.” He pressed his lips against Klaus’ jawline then nuzzled into his neck.

“I’m such a lucky man.”

Klaus shifted to his side, curling up and shoving his face into the pillow; he wasn’t actively crying but tears were falling out of his eyes and he couldn’t stop them. He didn’t understand why Dave’s words hurt so badly - possibly because he felt like he meant them and that was more terrifying than anything Klaus had experienced.

Dave cuddled around him, rubbing his back and kissing lightly down his arm, as if he was just knowingly working Klaus through this embarrassing emotional outburst. “Shh, it’s okay.”

“Shit…”

Dave was holding him tighter, curled around his body like a safety net letting the other man cry gently into the pillow, his fist tight around the corner of the comforter. He sighed as the trembling in his shoulders began to lessen and the tears started to subside. The feeling of his partner’s fingers stroking gently through his hair, the feeling of his breath against his neck bringing him back down from whatever fit he started having.

“I love you, Klaus.”

“Next time - “ Klaus started weakly, his voice spent, “Just slap me.”

“I mean.” Klaus tried again, “Just don’t let go.”

He chuckled against his shoulder. He didn’t say anything else, just held him through the rest of the night.

*********************************************************************************************************

Klaus giggled and curled up against Dave’s side, resting his head against the other man’s chest with a contented exhale. “Need another shower…”

“Hm, It can wait ‘till the morning.” Dave stared at the ceiling and lazily drew circles against Klaus’ shoulder.

They went silent for a while, simply existing together while their breath evened out, Klaus thought that Dave had dozed off until he spoke again, seemingly out of nowhere, “Thank you.”

Klaus glanced up, “Hm?”

“For saying yes.”

He was met with an audible scoff, “Did you think I was going to say no?”

“I don’t know, maybe. I’ve never asked anybody to marry me before.” He grinned.

“That’s good to know.”
Klaus was silent for several moments before he spoke again, “Why did you want to marry me?” He asked seriously.

“Because I love you.”

“Well, yeah, I get that. I love you too.” He leaned more on his back, still laid out over Dave’s arm. He waved a hand as he spoke, “And I want to marry you because, of course I do - I don’t think there’s anyone else in the world for me and there’s no one else I want to raise Kenzie but--”

He made a face, “You’re ‘David Katz’--” He began with a dramatic bravado, “You save people, fight for the good ol’ US of A, treat every living person with kindness and still make it home in time to make spaghetti and meatballs and help with homework..”

He laughed, “I mean, I try but at the end of the day I’m still a washed up child star who cries in the bathtub and is scared of the dark. I’m just saying there’s a certain amount of settling down you’re doing to my settling up.”

Dave rolled his eyes. “You’re still my hero.”

“I want to marry you because you’re my partner and there’s no one else I want to spend my life with and I want to be proud of that because I’m proud that you're mine.”

When he continued to speak his voice was low as he absently stroked Klaus’ face, “And because sometimes, even now, you joke and act like you’re unlovable or annoying - You like to shit on your dad while repeating the bullshit rhetoric he placed on you.” “

“I’ve seen you look at your body and cringe at it like it’s an embarrassing old memory you have to carry around. I want to marry you, Klaus, because it’s my job to remind you that those things are not true, and even if that takes the rest of my life that’s what I’m going to do.”

The sound that came out of Klaus’ mouth was a cross between a whimper and an affronted duck. “Christ on a cracker, David, can you just ask me to suck you off like a normal guy? Jeez...”

Dave giggled and rolled over, burying his face in his fiancé’s neck.