The Gift of a Second Chance

Summary: Fury isn’t alone anymore.
Warning(s): Bondage; M/m; explicit sexual content; First time; Spoilers for Marvel’s Secret Invastion, The Marvels, and Avengers Endgame; AU

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So much had happened so fast, but it was years in the making. Fury... was exhausted. When he'd retreated into space after blipping back into existence, he'd felt lost and out of control and adrift. He'd lost two people who were extremely important to him because of their actions to bring back the half of humanity that was lost. He'd become estranged from others who were just as important to him because, for the first time in his life, he hadn't been able to cope with the events surrounding him.

He'd just managed to reconnect with Maria when she'd been killed and died in his arms. It hurt; he'd lost another daughter. But he hadn't truly had time to grieve her. Gravik had to be stopped.

Things had still been strained between him and Talos, but the fondness and love were still there between the two old friends, and he'd thought maybe, once everything was settled, they could repair their relationship. Except Talos had been shot by Gravik and had also died in his arms. G'iah had requested her father's body and, after everything that had occurred, that he had let occur because of his inability to cope after the blip, he hadn't had the heart to deny her. If it helped her come to terms with the fact, she was now an orphan, he'd accept not being able to say his own goodbyes. It wasn't the first time he'd been unable to say goodbye, after all.

In any case, they'd finally been able to overcome Gravik and rescue those who had been 'cloned'. Or, rather, G'iah had overcome Gravik. She was now powerful enough to rival Carol Danvers, and that was another headache for another time. After debriefing those who had been 'under' (for a very long time, in some cases) and making certain that they had all the help they needed to reintegrate into society, he was finally able to go home.

Varra wasn't there any longer. She'd been alone for so many years, and him just taking off into space without talking with her or bringing her with him had been enough for her to decide they should amicably divorce. She'd understood how shaky he was after the blip, but that he couldn't let her in to help him, she couldn't understand. And he understood that. So, they had remained friends, but she'd returned to her people and he was... Alone. Alone with the ghosts of everyone he had lost. Natasha, Stark, Maria, and Talos. He was beyond grieved. He couldn't cry. He was too numb. Pouring himself a glass of bourbon and then taking the glass and the bottle with him to bed, he drank himself to sleep.

***

Talos had died...or that was what he'd thought, at least. He didn't remember much, other than a sense of peace and right. Perhaps he'd truly been one with the universe.

And then he'd come back. Somehow, he wasn't sure how, he'd been brought back. He was reasonably sure his daughter had had something to do with it...but G'iah hadn't wanted to talk about it, and Talos had had the sense she needed him, so he hadn't pushed her to tell him exactly what she'd done.

Recovering from being pretty much dead had taken a little while, even if he hadn't been able to get a straight answer as to what exactly had happened to him. By the time he was cleared to go back to his normal activities, enough time had passed that his worry for Nick Fury had grown fully. G'iah didn't know what kind of state Fury was in... which Talos figured meant it wasn't good.

So as soon as he was able to, Talos took on the normal human form he wore, not wanting to risk drawing the wrong kind of attention now that the existence of the Skrulls was known to more people. He got in the car, and he drove to Nick Fury's home. Then, he parked outside and moved to the front door, ringing the doorbell.

After the one night of drinking himself to sleep, Fury had refrained from alcohol, or at least over-indulging in it. Lonely, grieving, and regretful or not... he was still a leader in Earth's defenses, and there were children who needed direction. (Kamala Khan was truly stepping up to the challenge. Thankfully her parents supported her fully.) If he couldn't drown his sorrow in alcohol, though, he had to crush it with something else.

That something else was work. He was always working. He lived off take-out and coffee and generally only came home to change clothes and make sure the bills were paid. Everyone knew that. It was why hearing his doorbell caught him by surprise. Who the fuck would be coming by to see him at this time of day?

Stalking to the front door, he pulled it open, intending to refuse whatever was being sold, only to be caught short at the sight of the form one of his oldest friends used to wear. "I don't know who you are, but coming here looking like that, you must want a beating..." he growled, expecting it to be a Skrull who had thought to use his friendship to their favor.

"Fury. It's me." Talos knew that Fury wouldn't be able to believe words alone and so he allowed his form to ripple...to change...bringing forth his true Skrull visage. It was taking a chance, maybe, if Fury wasn't alone...but based on everything that had happened, he felt it was more likely for Fury to be alone than not.

Fury glanced behind Talos, stepping out of the way so that the other man could step into the house before quickly closing the door. "How?" he asked, almost breathlessly, once they were safely inside, behind closed doors. He wasn't really as shocked as he could have been; after what he'd done to keep Coulson alive, he didn't doubt something had been done. But he remembered what he'd done to bring Coulson back (and that was really one of his regrets. Though he had convinced himself it was for the best, what had been done to his friend had been cruel and caused unforeseen issues). And then the answer to how didn't really matter. His grief bubbled up to the surface and tears began to slide down his face. All the people he'd lost and one of them was back. "You're... You're..." Swallowing hard, he stepped forward, enveloping Talos in a hug, pressing their foreheads together.

Talos immediately reciprocated the hug, wrapping his own arms around Fury and holding on tightly. "I don't know how," he admitted quietly. "I think G'iah...did something. But she won't go into details and perhaps it doesn't matter. What matters is that I'm here. I'm here," he repeated, tightening his embrace.

"I... I won't ask her. It doesn't matter, if you are okay..." Fury said, in a rough voice. "I thought I had lost you. Everything that went wrong because of me and that... " He began to shake, and his grip tightened.

Responding to the obvious pain and negative impact on Fury, Talos tightened his own embrace around his best friend. "You haven't lost me," he whispered. "I came here, to you, as soon as I was cleared to leave."

"Thank you..." Fury shook. "I missed you so...."

"I missed you too," Talos whispered. He didn't let go of Fury, but guided the other man into the main room, so that they could sit and talk. From the way Fury looked, he had the strong suspicion the other man wasn't sleeping.

Fury followed blindly, muscle memory allowing him not to trip over furniture and other items in his way. He was meant to be packing and heading back up to supervise the rebuilding of the station destroyed when Dar Benn had attacked, but that was the furthest thing from his mind. A tiny meow from the back of the couch reminded him.

"Oh... Cyclone... this is Talos. He's my friend..." he told the tiny Flerkin. The warmth and emotion placed on the last sentence indicated Talus was very special.

The tiny fur ball meowed again, then threw up his communicator. He had swallowed it in the hopes Fury would rest without letting himself be woken up. Maybe this Talos would have better luck.

Talos picked up the communicator and put it safely away, figuring he would let Fury have it back after the other man had rested. "It's good to meet you, Cyclone," he said seriously, treating the baby flerkin just like he did Goose...with a healthy amount of respect. He guided Fury onto the couch, taking the seat next to him. "When did you last have a proper meal? Or sleep?" he asked.

Fury blinked at the question. "Over a year of not seeing each other, and I'm not even sure how long it was before you were brought back, and that's what you want to know?" His voice was amused, but underneath was surprised fondness. All the things to find out and Talos was worried about him. "Probably longer than it should be. Universe is still spinning and sometimes, it feels like I'm the only one capable of seeing what needs to be done to keep it that way."

"You got any food in?" Talos paused before clarifying, "Proper, substantial food. I figure take care of one need and the next one can follow." He knew Fury well enough that he could see the bad shape the other man was in.

"There might be some rice... and chicken in the freezer. Frozen vegetables..." Fury had to think about it. "Take out menu is hanging on the fridge. We could Door Dash."

"I'll get the menu." Talos stood and headed through to the kitchen, then returned with the menu and sat next to Fury once more. "What would you like?"

"Number 9 with extra beef." Fury didn't have to look at the menu. He obviously ordered from there frequently.

Talos nodded and quickly made the order. "It shouldn't be long."

Fury just stared at his friend before shaking his head in disbelief. "I just can't..." He reached out, putting a hand on Talos' arm to make sure he was real. "How much did G'iah tell you about what happened...what's happening?"

Talos placed his own hand over Fury's and squeezed gently. "She told me enough that I knew I needed to come and see you as soon as I was considered healthy enough. I would have come sooner, but she was worried I might have a relapse."

Fury blinked at that. "I'm sure she also just wanted more time with her father. I think she felt as guilty as I did when you died," he said softly.

"Whatever you were told that had you rushing here, things should hopefully calm down a little. Carol took care of the Kree threat, Kamala is helping keep things stable here on Earth, along with all the other heroes I have no influence over, and I've been keeping an eye on some agents that can help do what Maria did, even if they won't reach her level..." He sighed. "I might be able to take the vacation Kamala's mother keeps chiding me to take." He snorted in faint amusement.

"To be honest, a vacation sounds like a really good idea," Talos said honestly. "I can tell you haven't been sleeping...that you haven't been eating properly. I'm sure it's not far off the mark to say that you haven't had the time to grieve properly."

Fury couldn't look his friend in the eye. "You wouldn't be wrong about any of it," he admitted. "I... It was easier to bury myself in work than face everything. Especially when the work I was doing was needed and important. Is needed and important."

"I'm not arguing that it isn't needed and important," Talos said. "But I will argue that it's no longer necessary for you to be the only one in control. You need a break."

"Oh. I won't argue against it. I can feel you are right. I just don't have anyone who can take over. Not yet..." Fury sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"It's all about delegating, isn't it?" Talos stood when the doorbell rang and left to answer it, returning a few moments with the food. He handed Fury's order to him.

"It is.... But at a certain point, the items needing delegating need a certain clearance that... I haven't promoted anyone to Maria's position. I just can't bring myself to do it. And she handled so much that I now need to take care of because I'm being a sentimental old fuck..." Fury sighed. "She'd be laughing her ass off if she saw me now...."

Talos sat close to Fury, shoulder to shoulder, and said quietly, "This is why you need to take that vacation. Take that time to grieve, so you can look at things with a clearer head."

"I.... Maybe I can bring in someone with a high enough clearance from another agency to temp for me... They'd at least know if something could wait for me to return and if it was an emergency that I had to handle immediately... Should something come up. Everett Ross was the same level as Maria for his agency," Fury offered hesitantly.

"That's a good choice," Talos said. "When you've had some sleep, you can make that call." For all that he sounded calm...almost conversational...it was very obvious that he wasn't going to take any type of no as an answer.

Fury took a deep breath before giving Talos a knowing and bemused look. "I don't really have a choice, do I?" He was smiling, to take any sting out of the accusation.

"No. I'd be a pretty poor friend if I stood by and let you work yourself into the ground. I'm surprised you're not there already," Talos admitted.

"I'm too much of a bastard to be put in the ground from overwork..." Fury snorted. He opened his container of food and began to eat, obviously very hungry.

"Bastard or not, I'm still going to make sure it doesn't happen." Talos began eating his own food.

They ate in mostly silence, focused on their food. It wasn't uncomfortable or awkward, though; they'd known each other too long and trusted each other too much to be bothered by the quiet. The companiable silence carried until they had finished eating and were cleaning up.

"...Guess my first order of business is calling Ross. See if he can hold the fort down while I take a week...." Fury pulled out his phone to do just that. To his surprise, the man answered immediately and agreed almost as quickly. He'd then made the arrangements with those who needed to know Ross was in charge for the week. By the time it was all set up and he had his week off, he looked a bit uncertain and caught by surprise. It had been way easier than he'd expected; almost as if everyone around him had been conspiring to get him to take off, and his suggesting it himself had given them the final piece needed to complete their plan.

"It... It makes me nervous when things are that easy," he muttered, shaking his head.

"If I was worried without even being here to see everything going on, I can't imagine those close enough to experience it firsthand weren't worried," Talos commented. "Now that's all taken care of, I think the next order of business is sleep."

Fury wrinkled his nose. "It's four in the afternoon... If I sleep now, I'll be up all night. I'd probably be up off- and-on all night anyway. I'm at that age that I'm doing things we used to tease our parents for doing when we were still young," he said ruefully.

"When was the last time you actually slept?" Talos asked directly. He didn't expect Fury to outright lie to him, even if he was well aware that his friend could avoid admitting the truth.

"I slept last night!" Fury declared truthfully, before adding on in a sheepish tone, "For two hours."

"I thought you might say something like that," Talos said wryly. "You should sleep now," he added. "I'm guessing your body needs it...and once you let go of those responsibilities, you'll probably find yourself more tired than you're expecting."

"You're not going to let me say no, are you?" Fury asked wryly. It might have come as a surprise to anyone who had worked with him; there were very few people with enough authority to order him around, and even those people got the rough side of his temper and knew he only obeyed because he had to (and if he thought their order was a stupid ass order, he'd disobey). A very, very few people could tell him what to do and get away with it. Talos was one of those.

"No." Talos smiled at him, even though he was entirely serious in his response. "I won't let you say no. You don't have to stay strong and in control right now. Let someone else call the shots for a change. At least until you can sleep properly through the night again."

Fury sighed. "Okay. I'll go take a nap. But only because you asked so nicely..." he grumbled, in what was a very conciliatory way. After everything that had happened, that his 'retreat' had caused, he felt like he owed Talos agreement instead of argument.

"Thanks," Talos said. "I'm not going to go anywhere. I'll still be here while you sleep," he promised. He might have offered to stay in Fury's room with him, but if he did that, the other man might not get the sleep he needed...and his goal was to help Fury get back at least some of what he'd lost.

"Okay... Make yourself at home, then." Fury motioned around the room before standing and heading to his bedroom. Figuring it would be easier to sleep (making Talos happy), he stripped down to his underwear, then crawled into bed. Somehow, he avoided laying on any of the numerous bruises and cuts that were still healing after the latest attack on Earth. (And at least he hadn't needed to be swallowed then thrown up by one of the kitten Flerkins).

Looking at Cyclone, Talos commented, "I'm sure you must be hungry as well." Figuring that Fury would have made sure he had food in for his flerkin, even if not for himself, Talos headed through to the kitchen to take a look.

Fury did have food for the Flerkin; some rather expensive food, at that. He took better care of the animal than he did himself.

Back in the bedroom, Fury had fallen asleep, but it was very restless. All the old wounds bothered him, and even if he could ignore the various aches and pains, his dreams tormented him worse. He tossed and turned. He'd left the door open so Cyclone could get in if needed; it made it possible to hear the tiny sounds of pain or distress when he made them, even if he didn't make many.

It didn't take long for the sounds to reach Talos' ears, and he cast a worried glance in the direction of Fury's room. Filling the flerkin's bowl, he gave Cyclone a gentle stroke and said, "I'm going to take care of him." He then headed to Fury's room, slipping inside.

Even asleep, Fury knew when someone entered his space. He tensed up, eyes shooting open. Within seconds he was aware and knew who was with him. "Is something wrong?" He relaxed slightly, preparing to get up.

"No. I heard you." And now that Talos was in the room, he could see the state Fury was in. "Do those wounds need checking over?" He hadn't asked Fury about any injuries earlier. Maybe that had been a mistake.

"Sorry I disturbed you..." Fury apologized, before looking down his body. "Most of them are healed. The ones that aren't have been taken care of best I can. You know how it is. Old wounds hurt worse in cold, wet, or when you're overtired..." His tone was sheepish, as he indirectly admitted Talos had been right.

"Should I take a look at those that aren't healed?" Talos wasn't bothered by Fury being naked. For him, there was nothing wrong with it...and it enabled him to see the state his friend was in anyway.

"If it helps you not fret and worry, feel free...* Fury wasn't overly shy and he had taken care of the wounds to the best of his ability, but he wasn't fool enough to think he'd done it perfectly either.

"Where do you keep your first aid kit?" Talos asked.

"Under the sink in the bathroom," Fury relaxed back into his bed with a weary sigh and closed his eyes, listening to his friend moving through his room in search of the kit.

It didn't take long for Talos to return with the kit, and he moved over to Fury's side, so he could begin checking his friend's wounds.

Fury opened his eyes again and watched his friend quietly. "Did you ever think we'd be here now? After everything? I.... I always thought I'd die in field. Instead, I've seen so many good men and women die while I hang on. And they get younger and younger each time..." he whispered, almost reflectively.

"My people were at war for a long time," Talos said quietly, as he began to check over the wounds. "I've seen too many people die...good people." He was silent for a few moments, beginning to treat those wounds he could tell weren't healing like they should. "I think I was dead, for a time, until G'iah brought me back. But it wasn't anything to fear. I felt...at peace."

"Do you regret her bringing you back?" Fury asked hesitantly. He couldn't regret having his friend back, but... "Peace seems so elusive sometimes. To have it...."

"No," Talos answered. "That kind of peace...I would forsake it again if it gave me the chance to return to those I care about. Those I love."

"I'm selfish. I'm very grateful to have you back, even if it meant you lost that peace," Fury said gruffly and cleared his throat. He didn't normally express his feelings, but when he did, he made sure he expressed them fully. It was clear in his tone that he was overjoyed his friend was back.

"I'm grateful to be back," Talos said honestly. "With G'iah and with you. You both are my family." His touches were gentle as he continued treating the wounds.

"You're all I have left... I can't..." Fury swallowed hard. "I don't want to live without you."

Talos shifted onto the bed and wrapped his arms around Fury in a tight hug. "I can't do anything about that happening before, but I'm going to do my best to make sure that never happens again," he promised.

Fury wrapped his arms around Talos and held tight. "I'll never admit it to anyone else and deny it if anyone says something... But it's been nice. Having you take charge and being able to let go...." He snorted softly, feeling a bit self-conscious.

"You think it might be something you need sometimes?" Talos asked quietly. "It wouldn't surprise me if giving up that control, even just temporarily, would help you relax a bit more."

"Maybe... I don't know that I'm ever fully relaxed, but I trust you more than anyone. So, I'm at least able to be less anxious letting go around you. I know I don't have to be fully on top of things because you would be. You'd let me know if I needed to be on point and wouldn't hide it from me. But you also aren't afraid to tell me when I'm being obstinate and taking over for no good reason." Fury smiled crookedly. "Does that bother you?"

"Not even a little," Talos answered. "It actually makes me feel good that you trust me that much. Especially when I know you have a hard time trusting anyone." He paused and then said, "Though I think we'll want to have a conversation about this, if it's something you want to try. But maybe we should do that after you've rested."

"Yeah... Okay..." Fury smiled, closing his eyes again. Now that his friend was insisting, he realized he truly was tired. He might not have difficulty falling asleep at all.

"Go to sleep," Talos encouraged gently. "I'll stay right here."

"I know..." Fury whispered, with all the trust he had in Talos. He quickly fell asleep.

As he'd promised, Talos didn't move, staying with Fury and keeping watch over the other man.

Fury slept for a few hours until it was time for supper. With Talos there, he slept peacefully. "Best sleep I've had in years," he admitted.  "Want me to order food? We can talk while we wait for it."

Talos smiled at the admittance, but all he said was, "Yeah, go ahead and order food. Tomorrow, we can get more substantial, healthy food."

"I think I remember your favorite from Anthony's. The chicken Parm, right?" Fury smiled as he began to dial.

"Exactly right." Talos smiled.

Fury quickly ordered, then motioned to Talos to follow him into the living room. "Food should be here in thirty minutes," he said, as he walked to the couch and sat with a sigh. "So, you got me to take time off.... I don't know where you were planning to stay, but I have room here..." he added, trying not to seem too hopeful, but failing.

"I'm glad you said that, because I was going to bring up us staying together." Talos sat close enough to touch Fury, shoulder to shoulder and thighs pressing against each other. The close physical contact was comforting, in a way...it felt good.

"Then it's settled. We have at least a week to relax and hide from the world." Fury smiled, leaning into Talos.

Talos wrapped his arm around Fury, holding the other man close. "I can make sure you actually take care of you. Not just Cyclone," he commented.

"Is that really what you want to do? Don't you deserve a break from being in charge and taking care of other people?" Fury asked uncertainly.

"I've had a break," Talos said. "I had to spend a long time recovering from being dead. Now that I'm physically able to, there's nothing I'd like better than to make sure my friend takes care of himself. Even if that means taking care of him," he said honestly.

"You really don't mind?" Fury couldn't help sounding sentimental at the knowledge. "If that will make you happy, then... I'll let you. You're in charge...."

Talos relaxed visibly at that and smiled at Fury. "Thank you. I don't expect to be in charge all the time, but I think it's needed right now."

Fury snorted softly, smiling. "Can't say you're wrong. I appreciate that you want to help me... Especially when I'm too stubborn to help myself."

"You're my best friend and I care about you. I love you," Talos said. "I'm more than willing to do whatever I can to help and support you."

"I... I love you too. I'm just so grateful that you are back..." Fury swallowed hard, blinking back sudden tears. Just then, the doorbell rang. Quickly blinking and wiping his eyes, he stood to go get the food.

Talos moved to collect drinks for them. There wasn't much apart from water and alcohol...but he didn't want either of them to have alcohol right now, so he poured them a glass of water each.

Fury noticed but didn't comment. He really wasn't much of a drinker normally, even if he'd overindulged in the early stages of his grief. He brought the food to the table and opened the boxes, before going to get plates and silverware. Just because it was take out didn't mean they couldn't use real dishes and utensils.

Once everything was ready, Talos joined Fury at the table and began to eat. "I figure, tomorrow morning, we can make a list of groceries and then go shopping," he said in between mouthfuls.

"Sounds good. I can show you the area," Fury agreed.

"I would like that," Talos said.

They ate in companiable silence. When they had finished, Fury began to clean up. It was already nearing eight. "Normally, I'd be checking my email and phone about now to see what fires I needed to put out," he finally said sheepishly. It was obvious he had no idea what to do next to relax.

"You got any games?" Talos asked. "Like card games? Board games? Chess?"

"I think I have some cards," Fury said uncertainly, going to look in the 'catch-all' drawer.

"If not, we could always watch a movie," Talos suggested.

"We could..." Fury said distractedly, "... Buuuut.... I found cards!" He smiled, holding up the deck.

Talos grinned and motioned to the table. "Let's play a few rounds of something, then."

Grinning, Fury sat across from his friend and they began to play. It occupied them for several hours.

Eventually, Talos knew they needed to call it a night. It was getting late...and he figured they were both getting tired. "I think it's about time we go to bed," he said out loud.

Fury was fighting not to yawn by this point and nodded. "Yeah. I might actually sleep..." He chuckled.

"Maybe it'll help better if I sleep with you," Talos suggested, aware that Fury had slept well when Talos had been with him earlier.

Fury paused. "It helped a lot when you stayed in the room with me." He paused, trying to choose his next words carefully. For all that he didn't tend to beat around the bush and was open and honest about how he felt about pretty much anything, he also knew what he had to say might be a big revelation and make Talos uncomfortable.

"I'll stay with you, then." Talos said the words without any hesitation. It was obvious that he was happy and willing to stay with Fury.

"Good..." Fury smiled faintly, the opportunity to say more passing. He didn't bring it up. He wasn't sure how to say what he wanted, and Talos was staying in his room with him. It would have to be enough.

"Do you normally prefer to sleep naked?" Talos asked. It didn't bother him; he just wanted to find out what, if any, boundaries there might be.

Fury blinked at that. "It depends..." he started out hesitantly. He might get a chance to say something again, if Talos reacted favorably to his answer. "If I'm sharing a room with a platonic friend, I wear pajamas. If I'm sharing with a lover or potential lover, I sleep naked...."

"And which category do I fall into?" Talos asked seriously, watching Fury closely so that he could read his friend's body language, as well as listen to his response.

"I... I'd like to sleep naked, if it didn't bother you that I want that..." Fury admitted quietly.

Talos smiled at the words, assuming the meaning behind his words. "It doesn't bother me. And I feel the same about you," he said honestly.

Fury visibly relaxed, his smile growing and all uncertainty and hesitancy disappearing at the words. "Do you want me ready for bed now?" he asked, in a flirty, teasing tone.

Talos' smile grew wider at the words, and he allowed his eyes to move appreciatively over Fury's body. "Oh, yeah," he said, voice turning slightly husky.

Fury shifted, reaching to tug his shirt over his head, keeping his eyes on Talos the entire time.

Talos smiled and moved forward, into Fury's personal space, reaching out and running his hands over the other man's chest. It was a bold move, but now that he was certain of Fury's feelings, there was no need for hesitation or holding back.

Fury shivered at the touch, immediately aroused. "Wanna help me out here?" His flirting sounded a bit rough, and he let his own hands roam over Talos' shoulders and chest, slightly frustrated that the other man was fully clothed.

Talos' smile grew wider, and he reached down to begin undoing Fury's pants. "Help me with mine?" His voice was growing husky with arousal.

Fury growled softly, then chuckled. "Thought you'd never ask." He grinned as he began tugging Talos' shirt free. Somehow, they worked well together; removing clothing without damaging it (or each other) in their haste. As soon as they were both naked, Fury was plastered tight against his friend, nuzzling, and kissing his neck and shoulders.

Talos groaned softly at the nuzzling and kissing, letting his hands roam over Fury's shoulders and back. He began pressing kisses to Fury's neck and shoulders.

Fury shivered again, moaning softly, and pressing closer still to the man he wanted to mate with. His arousal was impossible to miss.

"We should move this to the bedroom," Talos whispered.

"Yeah..." Fury breathed out, in a shaky voice. "...Good idea." Stepping back just enough they could walk; he reached out and took Talos's hand.

Talos gently squeezed Fury's hand, walking alongside him as they headed to the bedroom. His own arousal was obvious.

"So.... How you want to do this?" Fury asked in a throaty voice once they'd reached the bed. "Do you have a preference?"

"Depends if you still want me to be in control or not." Talos ran his hands over Fury's hips.

Fury thought about it. "Think I need to leave you in control," he admitted sheepishly. "If I take it back, even a little, I'll start doing everything you're trying to prevent, just from habit."

Talos nodded. "Where are your supplies?" he asked.

"Bedside drawer," Fury said gruffly, before leaning in for a quick kiss.

Talos kissed him back, lingering for a second or two, before he opened the bedside drawer.

"Uh... One of my neighbors got disgruntled with me a few months ago and thought the way to get even was by having a bunch of deliveries from an adult store sent to me at work..." Fury shrugged and chuckled. The drawer was full of unused toys and lube. "It was right after you'd died and I didn't feel like dealing with anything, so ended up keeping it all...."

"Anything you want to try out?" Talos asked, looking through the contents of the drawer.

"I'm game to try any of it. So... You pick. You're in charge..." Fury winked.  There was a vibrator, a plug, handcuffs, a paddle, and a blindfold.

"Well. We've got time to try all of them, if we wanted to." Talos picked out the plug and the handcuffs, although his eyes lingered over the blindfold and the paddle.

"That we do..." Fury agreed, before moving in for another quick kiss. Seeing where Talos' gaze had gone, he quirked a smile. "We don't have to wait for any of them either... If you want to use them."

"Maybe...but then again, I'd like to save some of the things for later." Talos kissed Fury, running his hands down the other man's arms. "I'm in no hurry." He shifted position slightly, easing Fury down onto the bed.

Fury let himself be eased, going where Talos directed. "Your wish is my command..." he breathed out, already becoming aroused just knowing he was able to make love with his best friend.

Gently pressing Fury against the bed, Talos kissed him a bit harder...a bit deeper...and reached for the handcuffs. He put them in place, making sure Fury was comfortable with the feel before he fastened the cuffs to the headboard.

Fury tested the cuffs slightly, grunting softly when they held. He trusted Talos. It was the only reason he didn't balk at having them on. He could feel his vulnerability and now dependency on Talos fully.

Talos waited, making sure Fury was comfortable. When the other man didn't indicate any distress, he pushed Fury's legs apart and began to firmly stroke his member, squeezing it lightly.

Fury whimpered, unable to keep from shifting, a feeling of helplessness coming over him. He kept his eyes on Talos's face, suddenly needing to not lose sight of the other man as he was fondled. His erection grew quickly and precum pooled at the tip.

"I'm here," Talos whispered reassuringly. He continued to stroke and squeeze Fury's member but stopped short of bringing the other man to release. He then reached for the lube and began to coat his member in it.

"You... You're here..." Fury repeated, almost wondrously. He'd thought he'd lost Talos...would never see him again. And now? Now the man was here with him in the most basic way possible. "...I love you..." he admitted in a shaky voice, full of arousal and need.

"I love you too." Talos' own voice was rough...hoarse with his own arousal. He finished coating his member in the lube, then grasped Fury's hips and slowly slid inside him.

Fury widened his legs and pulled his knees toward his chest so Talos could push in easier, groaning as he felt himself stretching around the other man. "It's good..." he breathed out.

"You feel good," Talos whispered, sheathing himself fully inside Fury. He then pulled out enough to allow him to make a harder, deeper thrust.

Fury grunted at the thrust and let out a tiny laugh before groaning more loudly. "You feel good... I've never felt so... So full. So... So good...." He moaned again, body shivering from the effort not to immediately release. He wanted this to last.

Talos could feel Fury surrounding him and he groaned loudly, kissing the other man. It had been such a long time since he'd been this intimate with anyone...and being this close and intimate with his best friend felt better than anything he could have ever imagined.

Fury gasped as Talos brushed over his prostate, clenching tight around him in response. "You... You keep rubbing there and I'm gonna come..." he whimpered.

Smiling, Talos kissed him again. "Even if you do come, it doesn't matter. We've got time," he whispered. "More importantly, we've got peace."

Fury smiled up at Talos, the words calming him slightly and making him happy. He returned the kiss eagerly. "Take as long as we want as many times as we want..."

"Exactly. And maybe next time, I can cede control to you." Talos began to thrust inside Fury.

Fury grunted, then groaned. "If it feels this good, you won't have any complaints from me. It feels so good having you in me moving so... so forcefully."

Talos smiled and kissed Fury, a bit more deeply and forcefully. "I can't imagine it wouldn't feel this good," he murmured. "This has been too long in coming. Now that we're together, I won't leave you again," he promised.

"Good. I won't leave either..." Fury looked into Talos' eyes. It was a promise. He'd left Earth after the Snap, unable to face how everything he'd done had failed and the world had suffered so long because of that failure. He'd left because, after five years of being gone, he'd felt adrift and out of place (he could sympathize with Steve Rogers so much better now). But his leaving had caused problems he hadn't been able to foresee and Talos, Maria...everyone left behind... had dealt with the brunt of it all while he pretended everything was fine.

He wouldn't do that again.

"Good." Talos relaxed obviously at the words, still moving gently inside Fury. He was close to his release, but he was in no real hurry to push either of them over the edge. Connecting in this kind of way was something he really needed.

Fury smiled faintly at the words. He'd hurt his friends deeply. He hadn't to meant to... Hadn't expected to break the way he had... But he'd hurt them. Hurt Talos. He could never apologize enough. Maybe, even though he needed to be controlled, letting Talos control what happened, and how long or fast or hard, would be what Talos needed to recover from Fury's inexcusable abandonment. "I could stay like this forever... Belonging to you... Giving you everything you ask...."

"I could stay like this forever too," Talos murmured softly. "I want to be with you. I need to be with you." He shifted a little inside Fury, unable to help moaning softly at the feel of the other man surrounding him. "We belong with and to each other," he whispered, his voice growing hoarse.

"With and to..." Fury agreed, his voice catching. He'd been hanging on the edge for so long, Talos moving just slowly enough that he didn't fall over but was kept hanging. "Gonna feel you all night..." he said, with a small, shaky laugh.

"That sounds good to me," Talos commented, gently squeezing Fury's hips. He began to move a little faster inside Fury, making gentle thrusts that got progressively faster and stronger.

Fury groaned loudly as the pleasurable feeling intensified. He was sensitive inside; every stroke and movement made by Talos was felt keenly. He felt like he was sparking inside; the only reason he hadn't combusted into flames because Talos hadn't decreed it. "Every..." He gasped softly. "...Every movement I make will remind me I belong to you."

"Good," Talos whispered, leaning in and pressing a deep kiss to Fury's lips. He moved one hand to Fury's member, beginning to stroke and squeeze firmly.

Fury's whimper of need would have embarrassed him if he wasn't so focused on offering every part of himself to his lover. He couldn't bring his hands down to tug and pull Talos closer, still handcuffed as he was, so he was wriggling and shifting as much as Talos would allow to put himself closer. He opened up as much as it was possible so Talos could take and take, and he wanted to give and give...needed to. "Please..." He was finally reduced to begging. "Please... Fuck me till all I feel, see, smell, or taste is you... And when I'm limp and unable to do anything but lie in a puddle under you... Keep fucking me till every cell in my body screams your name. Own me....please, Talos...."

Talos gave a quiet grunt of satisfaction at hearing Fury begging. He began to stroke the other man's member more firmly, even as he began to increase the force and speed behind his thrusts. His own member was quickly growing to full hardness inside Fury. It wouldn't take much to push him fully over the edge.

Fury was so close; he didn't know how he was keeping from spilling immediately. He only knew that Talos hadn't given permission, and he wanted his mate to control when he climaxed. He began to expel tiny, huffing sobs, as he'd finally reached a point of sensitivity that the pleasure was painful. His eyes became glassy as he began to drop from the sensations.

Leaning in, Talos began to kiss Fury firmly. "Let go," he whispered, able to tell that Fury was close to the edge. They both were.

Shuddering and letting out a soft wail, Fury immediately went into orgasm. His vision lost focus and his hearing faded with the rush of blood. He clenched tightly around his mate as his body tried to pull Talos deeper, the now reddened and sore looking muscle spasming around his mate's shaft.

Talos groaned loudly as his own release came over him at the same time, fingers gripping Fury tightly. Once the waves of his orgasm receded, he slumped over Fury and kissed his chest.

Fury shivered under his mate. His eyes were unfocused, and he was open mouth breathing, obviously not in control of any part of his emotions or body. He shifted slightly, as if to encourage Talos to keep thrusting in him, even though it was obvious he was sore. He wasn't too surprised to discover he was a little bit of a masochist. "Yours..." he whispered, in a shaky voice.

"Mine," Talos whispered, a note of satisfaction slipping into his voice. He'd been going for long enough that he was a bit sensitive as well, so despite Fury's 'offering', he didn't intend to carry on right now. Instead, he carefully withdrew from the other man and reached for the ointment and washcloths.

Fury kept his legs open and raised, leaving himself fully exposed. He asked uncertainly, "Am I allowed to lower my legs?"

"Yes. I just want to make sure I treat any swelling or soreness," Talos said. "Do you want me to take the cuffs off?"

Fury carefully lowered his legs, but rolled onto his stomach so Talos could more easily treat him. "When you are done... I can hold onto you then..." Fury admitted to the need.

"Of course," Talos replied, as he continued to carefully treat Fury with the ointment. "You'll be feeling this for at least the next day."

"Good..." Fury breathed out. "I need to feel that you are here with me... Not just see..." he whispered. "I thought... I thought I'd ruined and lost..." He swallowed hard.

"You didn't," Talos whispered reassuringly. "You didn't ruin anything. And you haven't lost me," he promised. "I'm here and I'm not leaving you. Not again."

"I... I believe that... Believe you... Just..." Fury shivered. "...Just need to physically feel it. I... I guess I was more broken than I even realized," he admitted quietly.

"Maybe you are broken. But it doesn't mean you can't be fixed," Talos said gently. "And I'm going to help put you back together again."

"Counting on that... Need you, Talos. I don't wanna go on my own anymore..." Fury swallowed hard, feelings he didn't usually allow himself to feel frothing to the surface. He still felt very vulnerable and submissive; having Talos treat him so intimately had kept him slightly dropped. "Am I okay enough? Wanna snuggle." Fury's voice was as small and vulnerable as he felt.

"Yeah. I'll take another look tomorrow in case there's still a bit of swelling. But for now, we're done." Talos carefully undid the cuffs, making sure the supplies were safely out of the way. He then stretched out alongside Fury, wrapping his arms around the other man, and holding him close.

Fury let out a soft but very obviously happy sigh as he pressed tight to Talos, wrapping his arms around the other man, and holding tight. "Afraid I'm gonna wake up and it'll be a dream. You won't really be here."

"It's not a dream," Talos whispered, his voice low and reassuring. "And I'll still be here when you wake up. I won't leave you," he promised.

"I love you..." Fury said, pressing a kiss to Talos's chest. "Still feels good... Even if I'm a little sore..." he added in a mischievous tone, before settling close and closing his eyes to sleep.

"Still feels good to me too," Talos murmured. "I love you too. Go to sleep now. I've got you." He closed his own eyes.

Soon, the only sound was peaceful breathing, Fury at ease for the first time in years.

The End