topino | (no subject)

Joe just grins back, his eyes dark as he lets them wander on Nicky's body. Nicky has been checking him out a lot since he arrived, so he feels it's only fair he lets himself look too. Especially when Nicky turns around to go back to the kitchen.

"I don't plan on wronging you, Nicolo," Joe calls back and he sounds earnest before Nicky can even catch a look of his face, his gaze direct. "Maybe it won't work between us, maybe we'll argue, but that much I can promise." Joe can be petty too, as demonstrated by some of his e-mails, but when he gives his heart, he always plays fair.

The flush on Nicky's cheek is delicious and Joe wants to lean in and take his face in his hands to feel the heat there. He also wants to catch one of Nicky's earrings between his lips and see if the silver will be hot or cold against his tongue.

He's aware that Nicky has worked hard on dinner and he won't ruin it still, his eyes dark as he nods. "I am," he answers, his voice low. For more than just Nicky's cooking, though that's what he'll have right now.

"I hope we'll argue a little," Nicky confesses, serving the food on trivets on the table, cautious to keep it just out of reach so Joe doesn't burn himself. "I think I've started to like arguing with you, a little," he confesses, eyes bright as he makes his confession.

He doubts Joe will find that hard to believe, given how eagerly he'd replied to all of Joe's criticisms with arguments of his own. He can only imagine what that spark will be like when he and Joe finally tumble over the edge they've been hovering precariously on.

His eyes never leave Joe as he serves him the bruschetta and a generous portion of the lasagna, made with eggplant and a homemade tomato sauce he'd frozen months ago. "You look very handsome tonight," he praises. "I'm almost not sure I want you in that robe, after you went to such trouble to look so good."

That makes Joe laugh and he leans back in his chair, grinning toothily. "I think you can count on that," he says, his eyes bright with amusement. "I've enjoyed it too. Your responses to my emails were always so infuriatingly clever." He watches Nicky put more and more food onto his plate, his grin growing sly. "But if I feel like we're losing the spark, I'll be sure to send you a confrontational email."

He picks up his fork, his mouth watering at how good the food smell. "This looks incredible," he says, and then pauses when Nicky earnestly tells him that he looks very handsome. The look on Joe's face softens and he puffs his chest out a little, obviously pleased. "Thank you. I did make an effort."

He waits for Nicky to sit down before he can start eating, politely. "When you first came to talk to me at the Gallery, did you notice that it took me a full ten seconds to react to the fact that you'd just straight up started insulting me?" He smiles at the memory. "That was me being completely blindsided by how attractive you were." He can admit to this much, if they're being honest.

"I had to spend a lot of time being that clever to avoid you eviscerating me with your words," he admits, because Joe is wildly intelligent and clearly very cultured. Nicky might have put himself out there in the open, to be cut down, if he didn't take his time perfecting each insult.

He still thinks, now that he's met him, that sometimes he relies on the lazy insult, only because he's seen how handsome he is, and maybe his insults have grown a little more school-like.

"I don't even remember what I wore that evening, but I did know I wanted to look good," he admits. "I looked up a picture of you online," Nicky confesses, "and while I was still irritated with you, I knew I couldn't show up and look less than my best, not when you look so..." He gestures to Joe, as if that's going to say everything.

Joe was ruthless in his responses, in their initial exchange. He doesn't think he would be quite as mean knowing what he knows now, but he can and will gladly debate anything he disagrees with. "Exactly," he agrees, smiling. He too, had picked each word carefully to avoid displaying any weakness Nicky could take advantage of to debunk his arguments.

"You wore a crisp white shirt and a blue blazer." Yes, Joe remembers very well. "The lapels were darker, and a little shiny. It was a good look." He grins. "Jeans and sneakers. Like you'd tried, but not too hard."

He tilts his head to the side, amused by the revelation. "You had me at a disadvantage," he points out. "I googled you, and nothing came up." He considers Nicky carefully, his head tilted to the side. "When you came to the Gallery, did you plan on trying to seduce me?" He's curious to know whether Nicky's abrasive approach was premeditated, or if it was just what had ended up happening.

It takes Nicky a moment to think about the outfit, but once he does, he nods with a pleased smile. "It's one of the few good pieces of clothes I have," he admits, given that he's currently at dinner in a too-big fuzzy sweater, still wearing his apron.

The idea that he went to seduce Joe is a touch laughable. "Seduce you?" he echoes with disbelief. "I wanted to see in person what you were like," he admits, "the sketches you sent me got me very hot and bothered, but I didn't know if we would have a connection once we met."

"Besides," he says, eyes skimming over Joe's body, "I still stand by my initial assessment from that night. You're exaggerating," he accuses, poking his fork at Joe, before digging into the lasagna.

"I like this too," Joe volunteers, gesturing at Nicky's soft sweater. He doesn't mind the apron, even. It makes Nicky look domestic, and Joe appreciates that.

Nicky's disbelief makes Joe laugh, his eyes bright with amusement. "Well, a man can hope," he argues, arching an eyebrow at the mention of the sketches getting Nicky very hot and bothered. "That was the point," he admits, easily. "Very reckless, considering I had no idea what you would be like." He doesn't regret chancing it though, obviously.

He hums, leaning his chin on his hand when Nicky points at him and accuses him of flattering himself in his art again, smirking a little. "Well, I'll guess you'll find out very soon," he taunts, sounding quietly confident.

He starts on his lasagna too, taking his time to chew and savor it before he nods. "This is incredible." He bites into the bruschetta with a soft hum, appreciative. "Are you turning this into a competition, Nicolo? I think you might be winning, I'll have to try harder next time."

"I do keep a very low profile online," Nicky admits, and he's glad for it. He wouldn't have wanted Joe to only contact him and invite him to the gallery for his looks alone. It means so much more that he'd done so sight-unseen, taking a chance on Nicky as he had.

At Joe's promise, his heart beats loudly against his chest, at the thought of seeing Joe without his clothes on. He desperately wants that, and has ever since he sent those first few sketches, and is hoping now that a few weeks is plenty of time before it can happen.

"You're praising me for making Italian food, which I've known how to do since I was a child," he says dismissively. "I'm nothing to write home about for other foods, I promise."

Though Nicky is very attractive and Joe will readily admit that, he wouldn't have invited him at the Gallery for that reason alone. It had been his sharp mind and his confrontational words, that had made Joe eager to meet him and debate in person.

Joe chuckles, giving a small shrug. "I made you Shakshuka when I came to see you, so we both played into our strengths here. Perhaps next time we can try cooking something we never have, together." He would like that, following a recipe with Nicky in the kitchen, seeing if they can make it good.

He takes a sip from his wine, eating his lasagna with obvious pleasure. "So. I didn't peg you for a romance novel enthusiast," he teases, gently. He's not making fun of Nicky; the idea that this harsh man has a soft heart is very appealing to Joe.

"That you did," Nicky agrees, his whole face blossoming with warmth as he remembers that meal and how it had tasted so delicious, cooked from Joe's heart the way he had. It tickles him to know that Joe had been trying to impress him, too.

He cuts his pasta with his fork, eyes going a touch wider when Joe brings up the romance novels. He doesn't have any others on his shelf other than the ones he writes under his pen name, and he coughs a little on his wine when Joe brings it up.

"Are you one?" he asks back, trying to neatly avoid the question.

Joe tilts his head to the side, considering Nicky's reaction curiously. "Not really," he answers, easily. "I like a good love story in films or in TV shows." As Nicky might have noticed, Joe is a bit of a romantic. "But I don't necessarily look for romance novels. A lot of them are poorly written too, in my experience."

He smiles. "The author you have on your shelves still, my sister loves him. I read one of his novels on a plane once because I'd forgotten my own book." He taps his chin. "The one with immortal lovers? It was surprisingly good. I even teared up at the end, and blamed it on the awful plane Champagne." Joe is comfortable admitting this, though he does feel a little silly for it.

That gets a blush from Nicky, who hadn't expected to hear such things from Joe. "So you very much think that the work of Nicholas January is good," he assesses, hating that he'd agreed to that name, but it had been early in his career.

He slides his fork through the sauce, not sure if he should confess now or later, but Joe is probably going to find out soon. "You know, if you want, I could get the author to sign a book for you or your sister," he offers. "Maybe you could even take one from the shelf."

Why is Nicky blushing now? Is he ashamed that he liked these novels too? Joe smiles, taking another bite from his lasagna. "I mean, I've only read one of his novels and I'm not exactly a romance novel specialist, but I think he did a good job making his characters likeable and his world-building interesting. For what it's worth."

He takes a sip from his wine, his eyebrows arching. "Oh, you know him? She would like that, thank you." The second offer gives him pause. "That's very generous, but I wouldn't want to take one of your books, if you're a fan." Joe has books he values a lot, and wouldn't want to pass on.

Nicky can't help smirking, because it's too good an opening. "Well, I would say that I'm a fan, but I'm not a hypocrite. It would be very unfair of me to spend so much time accusing you of being so narcissistic and self-serving about your work only to preen and talk about my books so highly."

He relaxes into his chair, enjoying all the praise Joe's just given him. "Being an art critic doesn't make that much money," he admits. "I took up romance novels on the side to help with the money and luckily, they do very well."

It means that he can pick what art he reviews and rarely worries about his commission.

Joe tilts his head at the smirk, curious. It's an attractive expression to see on Nicky's face but he doesn't understand the reason for it yet. "Your books?" he repeats, surprised, and then starts grinning along, wider and wider, as Nicky explains.

"Nicolo di Genova, the famously harsh critic, writing sentimental story after sentimental story," he teases, amused but gentle about it. He puts his hand over his heart. "Well, your secret is safe with me."

He takes another bite of his lasagna, thinking about what a coincidence it is, that he happened on one of Nicky's books before he even met him, and enjoyed it. Destiny, perhaps.

"Is the money really good?" Joe inquires, making a show of considering it. "Perhaps I should take up romance writing as well, then. That way I would be able to pay for models, and not have to seduce them into sitting for me."

"My books," Nicky confirms, that smug smile easing into something more relaxed, but no less content as he gives Joe a pleased look, feeling delighted to find out that Joe had both read his books before and enjoyed them. He's not a romantic soul naturally, but he pours all his heart into his work.

"It's not a huge secret, I'm just a private person," he admits. "It's why I don't publish pictures of myself or go on tours."

He sips his wine as he studies Joe, glad this didn't ruin the evening, so maybe this next part won't either. "The money is fairly good, as I've been successful. I'm in the middle of writing a new series, actually, about a starving artist." But, before he can go on, there's Joe's comment to deal with. "...how many models have you seduced?"

"Then I'd be happy to have one for my sister." Joe grins, looking pleased that Nicky decided to share this with him. "And I'll have to read more of them. Which one would you recommend I start with?" He's not joking, he will read all of Nicky's romance novels if Nicky lets him. What better way to understand Nicky's heart?

"Still working on the first one, actually," Joe answers, lifting his glass in Nicky's direction. "I think it's going pretty well." He's never wanted to seduce another one of his models, really. That would have been unprofessional of him and he knows it.

He has to ask about what Nicky said he was writing, still. "A starving artist? Was that inspired by anything in particular?" Joe's tone is playful, as he doesn't truly think Nicky is writing something about him.

"I'll make sure to sign it and tell her that her brother is an incredible artist," Nicky praises, sipping his wine as he thinks about the books he's been working on over the years. "I think you already read my favourite," he confesses. "Maybe you can keep going in the immortal lovers one, at least, until my new series is released."

He's very excited about that one, for obvious reasons.

"Oh, you know. When I met an incredible artist who fought with me so passionately," he says blithely, like it's no big deal. "I went home and changed my protagonist in the latest. It's a very big scandal, you know, he's seducing someone he shouldn't in the book."

That, luckily, doesn't apply to real life, where Nicky is being very happily seduced.

"I'm sure she'll love that," Joe taunts, grinning. "And so will I." Especially considering how he met Nicky, and their whole debate around whether Joe's art was good or merely self-serving.

"There's more? You've got to let me borrow the sequel then, I want to know what happens to these two," Joe answers, and he means it. Even without having known that Nicky was the writer of that particular novel, he would have been interested in a sequel.

He leans back slowly, his eyes a little wide as he tries to register Nicky's words. "You went home after meeting me, and decided to upend the protagonist in the novel you are writing, to make him more like me?" he repeats, wanting to make sure he's understanding what Nicky is saying properly. That's... quite extraordinary, actually. Joe doesn't think anyone has ever done anything like this for him.

"Anything on my shelves is yours," Nicky guarantees, because he'd be happy to let Joe have anything he likes, especially since Nicky doesn't sit there and read his own work. They're promotional copies only, so he can see the cover, not so he can relive his best moments.

As for the new book...

"Well, I went to an art gallery and met the most handsome man I've ever seen with clever, charming eyes, and beautiful fingers," he lists. "I already knew the plot would be about art, because of my other job, but..."

He shrugs, as if it's nothing at all.

"You make an impression."

"Thank you, I'll let you know what I think of the sequel," Joe says, giving Nicky a sly smile. He'll get to be the critic, this time, and he fully plans to be earnest about it. He's not worried he will have to be harsh, however. The novel he read on the plane had been remarkably well-written and consistent, and he expects he'll only have nice things to say about the sequel as well.

Joe listens as Nicky lists compliments, a little stunned and for once unable to flirt back. "I'm the one that makes an impression?" he wonders, his eyebrows arched. He considers. "Okay," he says, taking a sip from his wine and patting his mouth dry with his napkin. "Okay."

Then he's standing up, leaning one hand on the corner of the table and putting the other on Nicky's shoulder, and he's kissing Nicky full on the lips.

Nicky hadn't expected to render Joe speechless, which means when he suddenly trails off and doesn't give him back a retort, he's starting to get worried that maybe he'd gone too far. Maybe he shouldn't have written a character based on him?

Maybe he should have kept things casual, or maybe...

Then, Joe is kissing him, which makes Nicky melt back into his chair before he greedily reaches for Joe, determined to take as much as he can when he has the opportunity in front of him, sliding his fingers through those perfect curls as he fights to surge up and meet Joe in the kiss. This has been a long time coming, something he's thought about for a week straight, and reality is still beyond his wildest expectations.

It's an awkward position to kiss someone, especially someone you haven't really kissed before, but Nicky is kissing him back eagerly and Joe frankly doesn't care. He shivers when gentle fingers slip through his hair and leans more of his weight on Nicky's shoulder to get a better angle and lick at Nicky's lips.

If the faint brush of lips they exchanged the week before was a shock to the system, it is nothing compared to this. Joe makes a low, pent-up noise at the back of his throat and breaks the kiss before he gets carried away, resting their cheeks together.

"I can't believe you seduced me by making me a character in one of your romance novels," Joe complains. He's obviously smiling still, his cheek staying against Nicky's before he leans up, keeping his hands on Nicky's shoulders. His eyes are hooded but soft, impossibly fond as he considers Nicky.

The only trouble with Joe doing this at dinner is that Nicky is only going to think about this for the rest of the night, and he really did have a good evening of dinner, dessert, and conversation planned. Joe's co-opted it all with those soft lips of his, and the maddening yet perfect scrape of his beard is only making it worse.

Honestly, it's making Nicky go a little crazy. "Seduced you with that?" he asks, turning to press a chaste kiss to Joe's cheek, since it's right there. "You haven't even read it. I might turn you into a cad," he teases, his breath still shaky and heavy as he hauls it in.

See, Joe has a plan here as well, aiming to make this the perfect second date. He's thrown it to the four winds in favor of this kiss which, imperfect as it is, he can't bring himself to regret.

He smiles at the kiss to his cheek, rubbing his beard against Nicky's cheek just a little in response before he steps back determinately, falling back into his chair. He feels a little out of breath too, almost unsettled by how much he enjoyed kissing Nicky, his face warm.

"You're not going to do that," he tells Nicky, confidently. He'll have more wine, though it won't help clearing his head. "You've said it yourself, I am a very charming protagonist." He arches his eyebrows. "So, what was that about my forbidden love story?"