But Brush Your Teeth First
The car was silent, the soft hum of the engine and the occasional sharp intake of breath from Luca, who clutched his shoulder, blood seeping between his fingers the only noise that filled the car. Alex gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles white, heart racing, mind swirling with unanswered questions. He stole a glance at Luca, who leaned back with his head against the seat, eyes half-closed but alert.
“I’ll have to dig it out.” He commented.
“What?” Luca turned his head to Alex, wincing.
“There’s no exit wound.” Alex answered. “I’ll have to dig the bullet out.”
“Oh.” Luca groaned.
Alex started to laugh. It was like a damn burst. He turned the car down another road to his apartment. He laughed, and then laughed again. There’s a bullet in my boyfriend. Someone shot my probably mobster boyfriend. Alex cackled.
“What’s so funny?” Luca asked Alex, he was confused. Alex simply looked at him and then went quiet.
What was funny?
It got quiet again as Alex pulled into a parking lot. They’d arrived home.
“Tell me the truth,” Alex demanded, breaking the silence. His voice trembled with the weight of all the questions that were about to follow. “Who was that? Why did they shoot at you?”
Luca exhaled slowly, the pain making him wince. “Alex, maybe the less -”
“I said tell me the truth!” Alex snapped, killed the engine. He ripped the keys from the ignition and slammed them into the cupholder. “You got shot, Luca! I just told you I loved you, and five minutes later, someone tries to kill you!” His chest heaved, breath uneven. “Tell me what the fuck is going on or so help me god I will leave you in this car to fend for yourself!” He placed a hand on the door.
Luca turned his head slowly, eyes dark and calculating. He studied Alex for a moment, as if weighing how much to say – what to say. “Not here.” He started. “Let’s get inside and I’ll tell you everything.”
Alex nodded and they both got out of the car. Alex with a huff and Luca with a groan and wince. The walk to Alex’s unit was somehow even quieter than the car ride. There weren’t even crickets. No hum from the lampposts. Nothing. It was like even the world wanted to hear what Luca was going to say.
“Sit in the kitchen. I don’t want blood on the carpet or the couch,” Alex said, locking the door and gesturing toward the kitchen. Luca nodded, his movements sharp and controlled. He checked the windows, then used his jacket to close the curtains and blinds, ensuring no one could see inside. Alex watched him, the tension thick in the air, and realized Luca wasn’t just closing the blinds—he was searching, scanning for any sign they’d been followed.
Luca could feel the heat radiating off of Alex. He was somehow more terrified of him than he was of any mobster he’d ever met.
“I’ll get my med-kit.” Alex went to his hall closet and grabbed it.
He’s pissed. Luca thought to himself as he sat in a chair in the kitchen.
Alex walked into the kitchen slowly, “Take off your shirt.” He approached Luca and held his hand out as Luca obliged. He tossed it into the sink. The questions started to flood back, building like a pressure cooker in his head. He didn’t know what question to ask first. Alex didn’t know what to do, how to start.
“What do you know?” Luca asked for him, when he saw the way Alex froze.
“Just rumors really.” Alex answered, shifting into paramedic mode. He saw the blood slowly running down the bullet hole in Luca’s shoulder. He went to action. “This’ll sting.” He said as he poured the isopropyl on Luca, not tenderly. He let his pettiness win.
Luca sucked in through his teeth, grinding them. Alex put on gloves.
“And this will hurt.” He warned. Luca was lucky. Alex could see the bullet; it didn’t go very deep and there wouldn’t be any real damage. He’d be tender for a few weeks, then there’d be a nice scar.
“What rumors – Ah! Fuck!” He groaned as Alex used his forceps to enter the gash and grab the bullet. Luca knew what rumors though.
“Sorry.” Alex apologized.
Alex didn’t mean the apology, not really. The bullet was small, but Alex’s hand was steady as he carefully maneuvered the forceps deeper. He was silent for a moment, focused on his task, but Luca could feel the questions radiating from him like heat off asphalt in summer.
“I’ve heard you’re connected,” Alex finally said, voice low but steady. “Mob ties. Whispers about the Moretti family. People disappearing, drugs, guns, the usual.” He extracted the bullet and he held it up to the light for a moment. He’d pulled bullets out of people before. But this was different. This bullet came from Luca. “Here, this is yours.” Alex dropped the metal nugget into Luca’s hand. “You’re more than just a club owner, aren’t you?”
Luca let out a long, ragged breath, the pain making it sharper than he intended. He slumped back in the chair, exhaustion catching up with him. “I didn’t want you to find out like this.”
“That’s not a denial.” Alex’s eyes burned with accusation as he began closing up the wound, the gentleness at odds with the fury in his voice. “How long were you going to keep it from me? Until someone put a bullet in your head?” He pulled the needle up and twisted, going back into the skin and repeating the steps.
Luca looked at Alex, trying to read the emotion in his face. He didn’t see fear—not anymore. Just anger and betrayal. “I wanted to protect you. If I’d told you it would have-”
Alex let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. “Protect me? Luca, the moment you invited me to your apartment, you put me in danger. I’m not stupid—I’ve seen the movies, heard the stories. Your enemies could’ve grabbed me as I left the next morning, thinking it was more than just a one-night thing.”
Luca winced, not from the pain in his shoulder but from the truth in Alex’s words. “It’s complicated,” he said, voice soft. “I never wanted this life. But it’s not easy to leave when you’re born into it. Not that I could if I wanted to.” Luca took a soft breath. “And I didn’t until…” His confession hung in the air.
Alex’s hands froze for a moment, the tension palpable. He’d finished the stitching. “So, what happens now?” he asked, grabbing a paper towel and some more isopropyl. “Is someone going to come looking for you? For us?” Alex wiped the blood off of Luca’s shoulder.
Luca sighed, thinking over different outcomes. “They think they’ve settled the score. They think I’m dead. For now, we’re safe. Eventually they’ll realize that I’m not dead. I’ll deal with that tomorrow.” He glanced at Alex, his expression unreadable. “But this… us… it’s not safe. It never was.” He didn’t want to worry him with the fact that his father – if he found out about this and eventually he would one way or another – would have to be old about their relationship.
Alex had finished the cleaning, threw the soiled paper towels away and stood crossing his arms in front of Luca. The anger still simmering beneath the surface. “Then tell me everything, Luca. No more half-truths. If I’m in this, I deserve to know.”
“Why not just kick me out? Tell me to fuck off?” Luca asked. “It’s the smarter option for you. Safer for damn sure.” He chuckled darkly.
Alex didn’t respond right away, mostly because he didn’t know why he wasn’t kicking Luca out on his gorgeous bubble butt. He just stared at him.
“Because I meant what I said earlier.” Alex broke the silence that had settled.
Sound returned to the world.
Luca nodded, resignation in his eyes. “Alright,” he said quietly. “But once you know, there’s no going back.”
Alex leaned against the counter; his voice unwavering. “Start talking.” He walked over to the table and grabbed the bandages and started wrapping up Luca’s shoulder as Luca did.
Luca told Alex about the Moretti family—how they’d built their empire, the debts, the power plays, the secrets he’d tried to bury. Each word felt like another wound opening, but Luca knew he owed Alex the truth. Alex just listened to the story in utter silence. He couldn’t believe half of what was being said. The other half he thought was only drama for the movies.
“Jesus, Luca,” Alex whispered, voice soft, as though the weight of it all was crushing him. “That's... a lot.”
Luca nodded, his shoulders sagging. “I know.” He'd never told anyone this before, and the relief felt strange—like a wound airing out.
“Have you ever killed anyone?” Alex's tone was flat, but the question hit hard.
“Only in self-defense.” Luca's voice was low, steady. The silence that followed was deafening. Sound left the world again. Luca waited for Alex to say something – trying to gauge his reaction, but his expression remained unchanged. “Is this the part where you run away?”
“I don’t know.” Alex said, glancing at the clock on the wall. I had been a few hours since the shooting and the adrenaline was wearing off. For both of them. “I’m too tired to do any running right now. Ask me again in the morning.” He stood up.
“I’ll head home.” Luca said as he started for the door.
“No,” Alex reached out and grabbed Luca’s hand, holding him from leaving. “I – uhm…I’d feel safer with you here tonight.” Alex admitted. He was scared that someone followed him home and would kill him the moment Luca left. “For both of us.”
“Okay,” Luca nodded, looking down into Alex’s hazel eyes. “got any extra blankets? I’ll sleep on the couch.”
“I’ll grab them.” Alex dropped Luca’s hand and grabbed them from the linen closet. “And here, this sweater is definitely too short for you, but it’ll hopefully keep the blood off my couch.” Alex handed him an old sweater and he made up a bed on the couch for the tall man and noticed he might not actually fit. Luca pulled the sweater over his head and it looked like a crop top on his taller abdomen.
“This’ll do.” Luca said realizing the same thing Alex had. “Good night.” He said after he crawled into the couch and covered himself with the blanket.
“Good night.” Alex echoed as he went to his bathroom. He was too tired to shower so he just washed his face and hands, brushed his teeth and crawled into his bed. Alex tossed and turned, unable to sleep. The empty space beside him felt colder than it should. He sighed, rolling over. “Luca?” he called softly.
“Yeah,” Luca answered from the living room, voice distant. “Can't sleep either.” Luca’s own mind was racing. How am I going to tell my father about all of this? What the fuck am I going to do about the Ricci’s. Those fuckers tried to kill me while I was with Alex. I want their fucking heads. Were a few of the thoughts that had ran through his brain.
Alex got up, padding to the door. “Come to bed.” Luca sat up in the dark and nodded. Alex turned, “But brush your teeth first.” He said.
“Yes sir,” Luca chuckled. He went to the bathroom and after brushing his teeth, Luca climbed into bed beside Alex, the mattress dipping under his weight. They lay back-to-back, silence settling between them until Alex shifted closer, giving a silent invitation.
Luca wrapped an arm around him, pulling him in gently. “Thank God,” he murmured. “I was laying on my shoulder. Hurt like hell.”
Alex chuckled softly, relaxing into Luca's warmth. “Good night, mio caro.” Luca whispered, kissing the back of his lovers neck.
“Good night.” Alex fell to sleep.
Let the anger return in the morning.
*****
Alex rolled over and saw Luca laying on his back, breathing slowly. He watched the rise and fall of his chest. The sweater he’d given him had bunched up somewhere which had caused it to be pulled tight across the man’s chest. Alex looked over the curve of Luca’s brows, the sharpness of his jaw, his nose. Alex was envious of the smooth olive skin the man had. No pores or blackheads. Lucky fucker… Alex thought.
How could this man - this beautiful, beautiful man…be a mobster? Alex thought to himself again.
Luca shifted, his head rolling over to face Alex – still asleep. Alex reached out to trace his finger along Luca’s face. Gentle, sure not to wake him. Then he noticed that Luca had a morning stiffy. A large, thick, morning stiffy. Alex’s mouth started to water.
Then he remembered he was still angry at him for lying. Angry at him for being a Moretti. For being, not only in the mafia, but the son of the mafia boss. Then again, it’s not like he chose to be a Moretti. What was that line from Shakespeare? “Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?”
Alex saw Luca’s dick twitch, distracting him from his thoughts. His mouth watered again; he could feel his hole start to itch. Alex’s hand started to snake its way from Luca’s face down south. He could still be angry at Luca and get a little something out of it. This was going to be for his pleasure first.
Alex crawled under the covers and slowly pulled Luca’s engorged cock out of his underwear and takes in a deep breath. The scent is intoxicating. He runs his tongue up the length and down the other side. Trailing a glistening line of wetness down to his balls. Alex takes one in and rolls it around his mouth, spitting it out and repeating the move on the other testicle.
Luca, still asleep, shifts. His cock bounces and hits Alex lightly in the face. Alex smirks and raises his head up and takes it in his mouth, creating a vacuum, adding an inch and another slowly and gently until the entire length is buried in his throat. His nose tickling with Luca’s pubic hair.
Luca moans in his sleep but still doesn’t wake. Alex starts to move up and down, tightening his throat and rolling his lips over the shaft. He flexes his tongue and runs one of his hands up Luca’s defined abs, giving him a light tap. Luca moans again and shifts his legs. Alex pulls off the cock and kisses up Luca’s thigh and returns to the balls. He loves Luca’s big, plump balls. Always full of that sweet, delicious Italian cum, no matter how many rounds they’ve gone.
“Ohhhh.” Luca moans audibly. “Mmm…” Alex takes Luca’s entire shaft back in his throat once again, in one swift motion. He starts humming, causing Luca’s dick to vibrate and sending a buzz through his entire body. Luca’s toes curl. “Oh, fuck!” He groans and rips the covers off of them, exposing Alex, cock in throat, and a smile in his hazel eyes. “Well good morning – uahahh – to me.” Luca moans through the pleasure.
“No,” Alex releases the cock. “to me. This morning is all about me.” He says, slowly crawling up Luca’s body and taking his lips into his. Their tongues meet and Luca reaches down, grasping Alex’s ass. “Mmm.” He moans into the kiss.
“Let me take care of you then.” Luca pulls away. Alex nods, a grin on his lips. “Stay like this, on your hands and knees.” He orders and crawls away, getting behind him. He pulls down Alex’s underwear and spreads his cheeks. Luca takes in the sight of Alex’s tight, pink, pucker. “Mmm, fuck.” He moans.
“Don’t enjoy it too much. This is supposed to be a punishment.” Alex commands Luca. Luca simply nodded and went in, tracing his tongue around the entrance. “Ohhhh…” Alex shuddered. Luca was a munch and a damn good one. He’d sent him into assgasm several times just from performing anallingus on him. Luca began lapping up Alex’s hole, shoving his tongue deep inside him. Depositing copious amounts of saliva and drinking in his juices in exchange.
“Mmm.” Luca growled into Alex’s pussy, continuing his task. He pulled the underwear down more and reached his hand between Alex’s legs, taking Alex’s cock in his hand. He began to tug, causing Alex to moan and writhe. His back arching, he collapsed into the pillow keeping his ass up for Luca to lick away at.
“Oh fuck Luca…I…” He didn’t know what he was going to say. The pleasure simply overwhelmed him as Luca’s tongue penetrated deeper, forcing words to escape to relieve the building pressure. He could feel his hole loosening and he felt that ache deep down in his center telling him it was time. “Lay down.” He barked, Luca pulling away from Alex’s now winking entrance.
“What?” He asked. Alex got up and walked around the bed, Luca sat on his knees. Wondering what Alex was planning.
“I said,” Alex approached the foot of the bed, Luca twisting to face him. “lay down.” Alex pulled Luca’s sweater off and pushed him down. Luca fell to his back, cock bouncing as he did. Alex tossed the sweater. “God that’s hot.” Alex commented at the sight of his boyfriend leaning up on his elbows. Luca flexed his cock. Alex bit his lip and crawled back onto the bed and swallowed Luca’s length.
“Fuuuuck…” Luca groaned, his head falling back. Alex made sure to coat Luca’s cock with plenty of saliva and then crawled forward. He straddled Luca and guided Luca’s cockhead to his hole, leaning back. “Oh, fuck Alex…please.” Luca grabbed Alex’s hips then ran his hands up his body.
“Eh – eh.” Alex grabbed both of Luca’s hands and pushed them above his head, pinning them their with one hand. He reached back and guided Luca’s cock back to his entrance. “Like I said, this is about me right now.” He leaned back and Luca’s penis popped into him, sliding deeper into him. Stretching his hole and rubbing his walls.
“Oh god, yes – yes sir.” Luca moaned, keeping his hands above his head as Alex steadied himself on Luca’s chest. “Fuck.” He thrusted up to meet Alex’s ass. Bottoming out and grinding into him.
“Fuuuuck….” Alex moaned in a whisper. He felt full. The ache in him starting to dull, but he needed more. He leaned forward, Luca slipping out of him until only two inches remained then he threw himself back and squeezed tight. “Fuck!” They both exclaimed at the pleasure. “Keep your hands up there.” Alex started to gyrate, to rock back and forth. Flexing and unflexing as he went. His hands ran up Luca’s abdomen, grabbing his toned biceps for balance.
“Oh god baby.” Luca writhed, pushing up to meet Alex’s rocking. Each time they collided they huffed with pleasure. “Alex…” Luca moaned.
“Luca…” Alex moaned. “Jerk me off.” He leaned back, balancing himself on Luca’s thighs as he kept bouncing up and down. Luca’s hand went down to Alex’s bouncing cock. “Oh god! “Alex nearly screamed as Luca flexed inside Alex and squeezed up and down Alex’s length.
“Alex, I’m close!” Luca announced, gritting his teeth, feeling the heat rise.
“Not yet!” Alex moaned. “Oh god Luca!” Alex bounced on Luca’s cock. “Not yet! Me first!” Alex told him.
“Alex, I can’t hold it. I’m gonna-”
“No!” Alex flew forward, keeping up his pace. His ass smacking against Luca’s thighs. “I said,” Alex placed a hand on Luca’s throat and gave it a light squeeze. “me first. Take a deep breath, bite your tongue, think of your grandma. But you don’t cum until I do.” Alex kept bouncing and squeezing Luca’s throat.
“Yes sir.” Luca nodded, a little afraid of the man bouncing on his cock. “I’ll hold – oh god – I’ll…” His words evaporated. It was taking all of his focus to not cum. Luca kept jerking Alex off while he kept bouncing and squeezing his walls around Luca’s throbbing cock.
“I’m close Luca.” He said. “I’m so close baby.” Alex moaned, feeling his orgasm building. He squeezed tighter and tighter on Luca’s dick as it thrust deeper into him each time he raised up and fell back down. “Luca I’m-” He came all over Luca’s chest. Another jet stream shooting out and landing on Luca’s face.
“Ah! Fuck!” Luca gripped Alex’s hips, digging his nails into the flesh. He pushed Alex all the way down and released his own seed into Alex’s anus. Alex shot another stream across Luca’s body. Luca licked the cum that had landed on his lips away. “Fuck I love you!” Luca growled as his cock pulsed, sending another volley deep into Alex.
“I love you too,” Alex said instinctively, his voice breathless. “Fuck, Luca!”
He shuddered, overwhelmed by the intensity of his release, collapsing onto Luca’s chest. Their breaths mingled, heavy and uneven, as Luca wrapped his arms around Alex, wincing at the ache in his shoulder. Their chests rose and fell in unison, the scent of sweat, sex, and skin lingering between them.
For a while, there was nothing but the sound of their breathing. Then Luca broke the silence.
“So… what now?” His voice shattered the fragile peace.
In the haze of ecstasy, Alex had almost forgotten the chaos surrounding them.
Almost.
“I don’t know,” Alex admitted, his voice quiet. He needed space to think—needed Luca’s distracting presence gone for a while, away from his gorgeous face and that damn magnificent cock.
“Well…” Luca sighed, brushing a hand through his hair. “I’m sure everyone’s wondering where I am. Fell on my phone last night—shattered it. Couldn’t check in, couldn’t tell anyone where I was.”
“I need to call off my shift,” Alex said, propping his chin on Luca’s abs, his fingers tracing circles on Luca’s chest absentmindedly. “I don’t think I could focus anyway.”
Luca gazed up at him, worry crossing his face. “What the fuck are we gonna do?” Alex asked again, as if the universe might offer an answer.
Luca sighed. “I don’t know. Think we can just stay here, fuck all day, and pretend the world outside doesn’t exist?”
“That doesn’t sound bad,” Alex murmured, a soft smile tugging at his lips. He slid off the bed, and Luca followed, standing close behind.
“How mad are you at me?” Luca asked, his voice soft.
Alex paused, exhaling slowly. “I don’t know how to answer that right now.” He walked to the bathroom and glanced over his shoulder. “Can we just shower? Let me think about it… after you’ve left?”
Luca leaned down, pressing a kiss to Alex’s forehead. “Sure. I’ll wash your back,” he said, spinning Alex around and giving his ass a playful smack, grinning when it jiggled.
“Let me wrap your wound first.” Alex went and grabbed some saran wrap then tightened it around Luca’s shoulder. He winced at the pain but kept a brave face.
In the shower, Alex tried to untangle the mess of emotions in his mind. Luca was the mob—a fact that should have terrified him—but it didn’t. Luca wasn’t just part of it. He was it. Did that make him a bad person?
Alex leaned into the hot spray, lathering shampoo into his hair while Luca’s hands roamed over his back, scrubbing gently. Each touch blurred the lines between right and wrong.
I love him. The thought struck with finality. I love him.
He wished, just for a moment, that it could stay simple—that it could be just them. No danger, no mafia, no lies. Just them.
As the water rinsed away the soap, Alex let out a shaky breath. Fuck.
They stepped out of the shower and dried off in silence. Alex broke it first.
“What are you going to do today?” he asked, unsure what kind of answer he even wanted.
Luca hesitated. His father had work for him, undoubtedly. But should he say that?
“Go about business as usual,” he said, keeping it vague.
Alex nodded, accepting the answer. He handed Luca a pair of elastic shorts and a T-shirt.
“These will have to do. The shirt’ll be more of a crop top, but it’s better than nothing.” Luca smirked, tugging on the shorts. Alex moved closer, unwrapping the bandage on his arm. “Let me check that before you go.”
“Thanks,” Luca murmured as Alex inspected the wound.
“It looks good. Just keep it clean and see whatever seedy, back-alley doctor you’ve got on payroll. I don’t want you losing an arm.” Alex attempted a joke, his voice light.
Luca laughed. “How do you know I have a seedy, back-alley doctor?”
“I’ve seen movies.” Alex chuckled, and Luca joined in, their laughter easing the tension for a moment.
Then Alex grew serious again. “You should go. I need to think. And I’m sure your underlings are worried about you.”
“My underlings?” Luca raised an eyebrow.
“Oh, are they employees? Got benefits? 401(k)s?”
Luca grinned. “Actually, most of them, yeah. I take very good care of my underlings.” Luca said slowly as he pulled Alex close, brushing a soft kiss over his lips.
“Go,” Alex said, pulling away before he could fall under Luca’s spell again.
“Fine.” Luca sighed, then paused. “I’ll leave.” His tone shifted, quiet and sure.
Alex frowned. “What?” He felt what Luca meant.
“If you want me to,” Luca said again, more serious this time, “I’ll leave. All of it.”
Alex didn’t know how to respond. He stood frozen, Luca’s words were heavy.
“Think about it,” Luca said softly. He kissed Alex’s forehead and walked out. Alex heard him gather his things, the soft click of the door closing behind him.
Alone in the silence, Alex sank onto his bed. “What the fuck am I gonna do?” he asked the empty room. He let out a frustrated scream, falling dramatically to the floor.
And then his phone rang.
