The weight of the jersey wasn't what got to Malik Carter. He'd worn it for three years now -- same number, same colors, same pressure to be everything this program needed. What got to him was the weight of expectation. His coach called him Prime, teammates called him Cap, and the sports blogs called him the future.
6'4", 225. Black skin that glistened under the stadium lights, strong hands that could drop a dime from fifty yards out. Quarterback. Leader. The one they said would go pro if he could just clean up the turnovers and stay focused.
But lately? Malik felt the walls closing in. His girlfriend -- cheer captain, gorgeous, the kind of girl he was supposed to be with -- barely spoke to him these days unless it was about parties or appearances. His agent kept calling about endorsement deals. His father's voice echoed in his head every time he threw a bad pass.
Control the game, son. Control yourself.
And tonight, he was trying. Trying like hell to stay locked in as the summer heat baked the field.
That's when he noticed him.
Jaden Brooks.
New blood. The transfer who came in with more hype than anyone Malik had ever seen. Wide receiver. Fast, sure-handed, already drawing NFL scouts to campus. But Jaden wasn't loud. He didn't strut. He didn't talk trash like some of the other transfers did. He showed up, kept his head down, and worked.
Malik noticed that too.
6'2", 210. Dark brown skin, sharp jawline, eyes that stayed focused ahead -- like he was running from something. Or maybe toward something. Nobody really knew. Word was Jaden had come from a juco after things went south at his first D1 school. Family stuff. A girl who broke his heart. Nobody asked for details, and Jaden didn't offer any.
What Malik did know was this: when Jaden ran, the world seemed to tilt just a little. When he leapt for a pass, when his muscles flexed as he cut on a dime -- it wasn't just athletic. It was art.
But that didn't mean anything. Malik didn't have time for distractions.
They went through drills, the sun dipping low, casting long shadows on the field. Malik hit Jaden on a slant. Clean catch. Then a deep fade. Jaden brought it down like it was nothing.
No celebration. No flex. Just a nod, quick and cool, before jogging back to the huddle.
And the crazy part? Malik found himself wanting to see that nod again.
By the end of practice, Malik was exhausted -- body aching, mind spinning. The guys filtered into the locker room, loud and wild like always, but Malik stayed quiet. Sat at his locker, helmet by his feet, towel over his head.
When he finally looked up, Jaden was across the room, unlacing his cleats. The noise seemed to fade. Malik took him in -- the way his back moved as he bent forward, the way sweat traced the lines of muscle on his arms.
But he didn't stare long. Didn't want to make it a thing.
Not yet.
Not when he didn't even know the dude beyond the routes he ran.
Not when he still had a girlfriend, even if that relationship felt like it was running on fumes.
Not when he didn't know what the hell this pull was he kept feeling when Jaden was near.
Malik grabbed his bag and stood, forcing himself to look away. He caught just a flicker of Jaden glancing up -- not a smile, not a smirk. Just a look. Like maybe he'd felt it too.
But no words.
Not yet.
Malik sat on the edge of his bed, elbows resting on his knees, head bowed. The hum of the AC was the only sound in the room. His dorm was dim, just the streetlights casting pale stripes through the blinds.
He hadn't meant for the night to end like this.
Taylor:
She'd come by after dinner -- looking good like always, skin glowing, hair pulled back the way he liked. She kissed his cheek, sat on his bed, scrolled her phone while he changed out of his practice gear.
But when he tried to pull her close, her body stayed stiff. When he leaned in, she turned her face, dodging his mouth.
"Not now, Malik. I'm tired. And you're probably exhausted too. Why do we have to do this every time?"
The words stung more than he let on.
So they sat there -- two people who used to light each other up, now just passing time. She left after half an hour, with a peck on the cheek that felt like a handshake.
Now here he was, alone.
And the heat in his chest wasn't about her.
It was about the thoughts that crept in when he let his guard down.
He'd grown up in locker rooms. Spent years around dudes -- the late-night hotel rooms where everyone had their own phones or the same porn on TV, bating side by side like it was nothing. Showers after practice where towels stayed low or dropped altogether. The slaps, the jokes, the casual way everyone's body was just... there.
It never meant anything.
Except now, the memories of those moments clung to him longer than they should.
He didn't picture faces. Just heat. Skin. The weight of another body. A hunger he didn't want to name.
And the dreams -- random, blurred, faceless. But always the same edge. Always waking up hard, frustrated, feeling like his body knew something he wouldn't admit.
Malik rubbed a hand over his face, leaned back, stared at the ceiling.
Across the quad, Jaden sat on the windowsill of his room, cracked the window open, let the heavy night air wash over him. His dorm felt too small most nights, too tight.
Coming here was supposed to be his clean slate. No more mess-ups. No more parties that got too wild. No more trusting the wrong people.
No more her.
She'd been everything once -- his first, his anchor. But she didn't want to live this life anymore. Didn't want to chase him around schools, watch him grind, wonder if he'd end up in the league or just another guy who couldn't get it together.
She left after a fight that still echoed in his head -- her voice sharp, tears in her eyes. He hadn't called since. Neither had she.
And his family? His mom checked in sometimes, but the rest? They were tired. Tired of the drama that followed him from town to town.
So now it was just him.
And the game.
But the nights made it harder.
Like Malik, Jaden had grown up in the world of athletes -- the unspoken things that came with it. Group bating sessions like it was no big deal. Locker rooms where nobody hid anything. Just bodies and banter and release.
And it hadn't meant anything.
But lately, those memories hit different.
And the dreams -- like Malik's -- came in flashes. No faces, no names. Just hands. Mouths. Heat. Need.
Jaden closed his eyes, drew in the warm night air, tried to let it go.
But it was always there, waiting.
Malik's phone buzzed on the nightstand.
Taylor: I'm sorry I was cold earlier. Just stressed. Let's talk tomorrow.
He stared at the screen, thumb hovering over the keyboard. Then set the phone down.
Across the quad, Jaden sat back on the bed, letting the night close in around him.
Neither knew how close they were to seeing in daylight what haunted them in the dark.
It started with film study.
The coaches paired them up -- QB and receiver -- told them to work on timing, to study defenses together, to get in sync before the season opener.
So they met late at the facility, just the two of them in the darkened film room, glow of the screen lighting their faces, the quiet hum of the projector filling the space between them.
At first, it was all business.
Malik pointed out the reads. Jaden nodded, asked sharp questions, took it all in. They rewound plays, broke down coverages, worked like professionals.
But as the hours passed, the walls dropped a little.
"Damn," Jaden said, leaning back, rubbing his face. "I forgot how long these sessions can drag."
Malik smirked. "Welcome to D1 life, bro."
Jaden grinned, tired but genuine. "Yeah. But I'll take this over the bullshit I left behind."
That opened the door.
Malik hesitated, then leaned back too, stretching his arms over the chair. "What happened? At your last school."
Jaden stared at the screen for a long second, the paused play frozen on the wall. Then he let out a slow breath.
"Got caught up in the wrong stuff. Bad scene. Girl I thought was my forever? Walked away. Can't even blame her. I wasn't who I needed to be."
Malik nodded, felt something shift in his chest. "I feel that. My girl -- Taylor -- it's like... I don't even know who we're supposed to be to each other anymore. But everybody expects us to be perfect, so we just keep pretending."
Jaden glanced at him, really looked at him. "That shit gets heavy, huh?"
"Yeah." Malik's voice was low now. "Heavy as hell."
They sat in that silence, the kind that wasn't uncomfortable, just real.
Malik turned off the projector. The room went dim.
"You lift late?" Jaden asked after a beat.
"Sometimes. Helps clear my head."
Jaden stood, grabbed his bag. "Let's hit it."
The weight room was empty except for them, the clank of iron echoing in the vast space. They lifted hard, no talk at first -- just grunts, breaths, the rhythm of bodies pushing through the burn.
Malik spotted Jaden on the bench, close enough to feel the heat coming off him, close enough to smell the clean sweat on his skin. His hands brushed Jaden's wrists as he helped rack the bar, and the contact was electric, even though neither flinched.
They switched. Jaden spotted Malik, watched the muscles in his arms flex, watched the vein in his neck pulse.
When Malik sat up, breathing hard, their knees bumped. Neither moved.
"Damn, Cap," Jaden said, smirking. "You trying to make me look weak out here?"
Malik laughed, real and warm. "Nah, man. You hold your own."
They grabbed water, sank onto the floor, backs against the weight racks.
The talk got deeper.
Jaden spoke about the weight of family expectations -- his mom back home holding it down, the brothers who stopped answering calls when his name hit the news for the wrong reasons.
Malik opened up about his dad -- a man who loved him but never let him forget that love came with standards, with pressure, with the need to be perfect.
And then the talk turned to the loneliness of it all.
"How you got everybody wanting a piece of you," Malik said, voice rough, "but at the end of the night, you still feel like nobody sees you."
Jaden's eyes locked on his.
"I see you."
The air between them changed. Thickened.
Neither looked away.
Neither moved.
And then, like they both felt the edge of something they weren't ready to cross -- Malik dropped his gaze, rubbed the back of his neck, let out a breath that felt like it had been trapped for years.
Jaden pushed to his feet, offered a hand to help Malik up. Their palms met -- firm, strong, lingering just a second too long.
"Good lift," Jaden said, voice low.
"Yeah," Malik said, heart racing. "Real good."
They left together, quiet now, but something between them had shifted.
Neither of them knew exactly what it was.
But it was there.
And it wasn't going away.
It was late -- later than Malik usually stayed up. But after that lift, after that talk in the weight room, his mind wouldn't rest.
So when Jaden texted -- "You up?" -- the answer came quick.
"Yeah."
"Come through."
Malik didn't think twice. Threw on a hoodie, slid into his slides, and made his way across the quad, the night air thick and warm.
Jaden's dorm was small -- bare walls, just the essentials. A few workout bands hanging from the closet door. A single framed photo of his mom and little sister on the desk.
He had the window cracked, letting in the sounds of the campus settling down.
Malik stepped in, shut the door behind him.
"Yo," Jaden said, nodding him in.
"Yo."
They sank down -- Malik on the old couch pushed up under the window, Jaden on the floor, back to the wall, knees up.
At first, it was easy talk.
Plays they wanted to try. What the defense was showing in practice. Who on the team was slacking.
But like before, the talk turned.
"You ever feel like we're all just... performing?" Jaden asked, voice low, picking at a loose thread on his shorts.
Malik looked at him. "Every damn day."
Jaden let out a breath. "I don't even know who I'm supposed to be half the time. Got family wanting one thing. Coaches wanting another. Fans, teammates, hell -- even myself. It's like I'm playing all these parts, but I don't know which one's real."
Malik rubbed his hands together, stared at the floor. "I know exactly what you mean."
He hesitated. Then said it anyway.
"I don't even know if I want the life everybody thinks I want. The girl, the spotlight. It's like... I'm going through the motions. But at night, when I'm alone... it don't feel right. None of it."
Jaden lifted his head, eyes dark and serious. "Same."
The room was quiet except for the faint noise from outside -- distant voices, the hum of the streetlights.
Malik leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "Lately, I've been... thinking about shit. Shit I never let myself think about before. Like, remembering those late nights with the team. The dumb locker room stuff. The group bating. The showers. Back then it was nothing. But now... I don't know. My mind keeps going there, and I can't figure out why."
Jaden's jaw worked, like he was deciding how much to say.
"I been having dreams. Not about anyone specific. Just... situations. Heat. Skin. And I wake up, and I don't know what to do with it. It fucks with my head, man."
Their eyes met.
Neither looked away.
The air between them felt thick, like the room had gotten smaller.
Malik's voice dropped. "You think it's just stress?"
Jaden shook his head slowly. "If it is... why does it feel like it's been waiting to come out for years?"
Malik sat back, exhaled hard, his pulse thudding in his ears.
Jaden got up, crossed the room, and sat next to him on the couch. Close. Close enough that their legs touched at the knee. Neither moved.
Neither spoke.
Just sat there, the weight of the moment settling over them.
And for the first time, neither of them felt like they were performing.
The room was quiet, but not the kind of awkward quiet that weighed down the air. It was the kind of quiet that let two people finally breathe without pretending.
Jaden sat close on the couch, their legs pressed together from knee to thigh. And slowly -- like he didn't even think about it at first -- his hand moved, resting on the thick muscle of Malik's upper thigh. Not too high. Not crossing a line. But not casual either.
Malik's breath caught, but he didn't flinch.
Jaden's fingers spread a little, the warmth of his palm sinking through the fabric of Malik's shorts. He wasn't squeezing, wasn't groping -- just holding, like that simple touch was enough to say all the things they hadn't found words for yet.
Malik let out a slow breath, leaned his head back against the couch.
"This is... different," Malik said, his voice low, but steady.
Jaden smirked, thumb brushing lightly along the fabric, feeling the flex of Malik's muscle beneath it. "Different how?"
"I don't talk to people like this," Malik said. "Not about real shit. Not about what's in my head."
Jaden nodded, his eyes steady on him. "Yeah. Me either. But it feels good, don't it?"
Malik glanced at him, a small smile tugging at his mouth. "Yeah. It does."
Jaden's hand stayed right where it was. Comfortable. Sure.
"You ever think maybe that's what we've been missing?" Jaden asked. "Just... someone who gets it. No judgment. No act."
Malik nodded, his throat tight. "Yeah. I been missing that for a while."
They sat like that, the weight of the moment settling in.
Then Malik shifted, sat up straighter. "I should probably head out before I crash right here."
Jaden's grin deepened. "Ain't no rule against that. Couch is yours."
Malik laughed, shaking his head. "Nah, man. If I stay, I ain't gonna sleep. My mind's already doing too much."
He stood, and that's when it hit -- Jaden's eyes dropped, unintentional at first, but once they saw it, they couldn't look away.
Malik's gym shorts did nothing to hide the long, thick print stretching down one side. Heavy. Veiny. The kind of outline that left no questions about what he was working with -- easily eleven inches, thick like his forearm, shifting slightly as he adjusted his stance.
Jaden's eyes widened just a little, then he smirked, shaking his head.
"Damn, Cap," Jaden said, chuckling low. "You walkin' around like that? Explains a lot."
Malik's ears went hot, but he grinned, playful now. "Man, shut up. Like I got control over that."
Jaden leaned back, still grinning. "Hey, I'm just giving props where props are due. You out here blessed as hell. Walkin' around like you ain't packin' a whole damn baseball bat."
Malik laughed, shaking his head, feeling the heat in his face but not minding it. "Don't gas me up."
Jaden raised his hands like surrender. "That ain't gas. That's facts."
Malik clapped a hand on Jaden's shoulder -- solid, firm, lingering just a second longer than normal. "You wild, bro."
Jaden looked up at him, smile easy, eyes still dark with that thing they weren't naming yet. "Yeah, well. Somebody gotta keep you humble."
Malik smirked, stepped back, hand dropping. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yeah. Tomorrow."
And when the door closed behind him, Jaden sat there for a long minute, hand flexing like it could still feel the weight of Malik's thigh under it, the heat of him lingering in the room.
Practice the next day felt good.
Malik and Jaden were on beat -- crisp routes, tight passes, a rhythm that felt like they'd been playing together for years. And beneath it, both of them felt the weight of what was building between them. Not tension. Not awkwardness. Just that unspoken pull, stronger than ever.
Later, Malik sat in his dorm, phone in hand.
⸻
Malik: You free tonight?
Jaden: Yeah what's good?
Malik: Come through. Need to talk.
The knock came.
Jaden stepped in casual, but his eyes were sharp -- open.
"Me and Taylor... we're done," Malik said as soon as the door shut.
Jaden sank onto the desk chair. "Damn. For real?"
Malik nodded, exhaled. "Yeah. It was time. Should've been done."
"You good?"
"I don't know. But I feel like I can finally breathe."
They talked -- really talked.
About women. About expectations. About masks. About the pressure of being what everyone else needed and forgetting what they needed themselves.
It was easy. Good. Healthy. For once, neither was performing.
And then -- that soft buzz.
Malik paused. "Yo... what's that?"
Jaden froze, face shifting from open to caught.
"Shit," he muttered.
Malik watched him, curious. "That your phone?"
"Nah," Jaden said. "It's... a plug. I wear sometimes. Helps me focus. Nobody knows. Remote must've glitched."
Malik blinked, mind racing. His voice dropped. "You serious? You wear that shit at practice?"
Jaden smirked, part embarrassed, part bold. "Sometimes. Keeps me grounded."
Malik's curiosity burned hot. "So... you take dick or something?"
Jaden nodded, guarded but honest. "Yeah. But I don't tell people. People don't get it."
Malik nodded slowly. "Let me see."
"Malik--"
"Ain't nobody coming in. I locked the door. I ain't judging. I just wanna see."
Jaden swallowed, heart pounding. But something in Malik's voice made him trust.
He lay back, lifted his legs, bent at the knees.
Slid his shorts down just enough.
The matte black plug sat snug, base capped with a pink diamond tip that caught the low light.
Malik's breath hitched. His body reacted, thick, long, heavy, his print stretching his shorts tight, impossible to miss.
Jaden caught it, saw it, and everything shifted.
Malik tried to ease the heat. "I ain't gonna lie -- I like cock rings when I'm with girls. My homeboy put me on. Shit hit different."
Jaden grinned, breathless. "Yeah? Looks like I ain't the only one with secrets."
Malik laughed low. "Guess not."
And then --
"Can I?" Jaden asked, voice breaking with want.
Malik hesitated, heart pounding so hard he felt it in his throat. But then --
"Yeah. You can."
Jaden knelt slow, sure. His hands steady as he eased Malik's waistband down just enough.
Malik's length dropped free -- thick, long, heavy, dark, veins raised, head swollen with need.
"Damn..." Jaden whispered, eyes dark with hunger.
And then his mouth was on him -- warm, wet, taking him in deep, deeper than any girl ever had.
Malik groaned, head falling back, hands gripping the edge of the bed.
"Fuck..." he breathed. "Bro... damn... that's crazy..."
Jaden hummed low around him, the vibration making Malik shudder.
"You good?" Jaden asked, pulling off just enough to speak.
Malik's breath hitched. "Hell yeah I'm good. Keep goin', man... that shit feel insane..."
Jaden grinned, then went back down -- slow, steady, working every inch, his tongue tracing veins, his throat taking Malik deeper, swallowing him like he was made for it.
Malik couldn't believe it -- no girl had ever sucked him like this. No hesitation. No holding back. Just hungry, focused, like Jaden needed it.
The pressure built fast. Malik's groans got louder.
"Jaden... fuck, I'm close..."
Jaden didn't stop. He went deeper, gripped Malik's thighs, and when Malik finally broke -- body shaking, seed spilling down Jaden's throat -- Jaden took it all.
Every drop.
Malik stared down at him, breathless, heart hammering, mind blown.
Jaden wiped his mouth, looked up, eyes dark but soft.
"That good?"
Malik let out a breathless laugh. "Bro... no girl ever sucked me like that. And none of `em ever swallowed like that, either."
Jaden smirked. "Glad I could show you something new."
And just like that -- everything changed.
The room stayed thick with heat. Malik was still catching his breath, head spinning from what had just gone down. Jaden wiped his mouth, but he didn't pull away, didn't break the eye contact.
Malik leaned forward a little, elbows on his knees, looking down at him.
"Yo... you ever done that before?" Malik asked, voice low, still ragged.
Jaden hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah. Once. Back at my last school."
Malik raised an eyebrow, curious. "Yeah?"
Jaden sat back on his heels, eyes dark but open now. "Yeah. Was with a homeboy. We kept it low. We'd hook up sometimes, cool about it. But my ex... she found out. Set us up to get caught one night. Made sure word got out. Shit blew up. That's part of why I left."
Malik let that sit, nodded. "Damn. That's cold."
"Yeah. Learned to keep my business tight after that."
Malik watched him, eyes lingering now -- really seeing him. The strong build, broad shoulders, abs tight even in the low light, that fat ass, those thick thighs. Everything about him solid but smooth.
"You got other shit you into?" Malik asked, curiosity burning hotter.
Jaden smirked, that edge back. "Yeah... I like lace. I like role play. Shit that's a little wild. I don't really tell people that."
Malik let out a breath, eyes dropping for a second to the curve of Jaden's ass under the fabric of his shorts, imagining it all. His heart thudded harder.
"Damn..." Malik shook his head, grinning now. "I ain't gonna lie... after what you just did, I'm sittin' here thinkin' I wish I could be that plug right now."
Jaden laughed low, leaning closer, voice a little rough. "You don't gotta wish. Your wish is my command, bro."
Malik froze for a second, that nervous heat rising in his chest. But his curiosity, his want, drowned it out.
"I ain't got no condoms," he said, voice quiet.
Jaden shrugged, that hunger in his eyes. "Then it's raw. You good?"
Malik's throat went dry, but the yes came anyway. "Yeah. I'm good."
They moved fast but unhurried. Jaden turned, peeled his shorts down slow, showing Malik everything. That fat ass, round and firm, his hole tight, flexing with anticipation.
Malik's breath hitched. He gripped himself, guided his length to Jaden's entrance, heart pounding in his ears.
The first push -- heat, tightness, that overwhelming grip. Malik groaned deep, hands finding Jaden's hips, steadying himself.
"Shit..." Malik gasped. "You tight as fuck."
Jaden grinned over his shoulder, breathless. "All yours, bro. Take it."
And Malik did.
He sank deeper, slow, feeling every inch swallowed, the heat, the squeeze, the way Jaden took him like he'd been waiting for it.
Once he was buried, the rhythm built -- slow at first, then faster, deeper, harder. Malik's groans filled the room, Jaden's soft moans pushing him on.
Malik gripped tighter, filled him fully, hips slapping against that fat ass, the sound raw and wet.
"Fuck..." Malik breathed. "This shit crazy..."
Jaden pushed back into him, wanting it all, needing it all.
"Give it to me, Cap..."
Malik lost himself in it -- in the feel, the sound, the way Jaden took every inch. When he came, it was with a groan that filled the room, his body shaking, his seed spilling deep inside Jaden, raw and hot.
Jaden gasped, loving the heat, the stretch, the fullness.
After, they lay there, breathless, sweaty, spent.
Malik pulled Jaden close, hand resting on his hip, both of them quiet, catching their breath.
Jaden grinned, still dazed. "You good?"
Malik laughed low, heart still racing. "Better than good. You?"
Jaden nodded. "More than good."
They stayed like that until their stomachs growled, and they ended up ordering takeout, bodies still tangled on the bed, laughing, eating, everything between them changed for good.
Malik woke to soft sunlight spilling through the blinds, cutting stripes across his chest. The room felt still, the kind of stillness that made the night before feel like a fever dream.
For a moment, he lay there, staring up at the ceiling, the weight of what happened settling on him in waves.
The way Jaden had taken him in, deep, hungry. The way Malik had filled him, raw, tight, the sounds Jaden made that still echoed in his ears.
And beneath it all -- the way it hadn't felt wrong.
His heart pounded as he sat up, sheets twisted at his waist, skin still warm where Jaden's hands had gripped him.
The room was empty.
Jaden was gone.
For half a second, Malik's stomach knotted -- not regret, not panic -- just that flicker of wondering if maybe it hadn't been real.
But then his eyes landed on Jaden's hoodie draped over the chair. The takeout containers stacked on the desk.
It happened.
And now?
Malik scrubbed a hand over his face, let out a long breath, grabbed his phone from the nightstand. His thumb hovered over Jaden's name, mind racing.
Say something, fool.
Malik: Yo. You good?
A beat later --
Malik: Bruh... did that really happen? lol
Malik chuckled under his breath, slipping on his sweats and slides, slinging his gym bag over his shoulder. His heart was still racing, but it felt good. Real.
As he headed out, his phone buzzed.
Jaden: Yeah bro. I'm good. You?
Malik: Yeah. Just makin' sure I ain't trippin.
Jaden: Nah. We good.
Jaden: I didn't wanna make it weird. I figured I'd let you sleep.
Malik: You solid for that.
What Malik didn't know was at that exact moment, Jaden was sitting on the edge of his own bed, staring at his phone, heart beating fast as hell.
Jaden had woken up early, head spinning, body still buzzing from what they'd done.
Part of him felt good. More than good. But there was that edge -- that nervous energy he couldn't shake.
Don't let it be like last time.
He thought about how it had all blown up before -- how his ex set him up, how word spread, how fast things went left.
That wasn't gonna happen here.
But still -- that fear tugged at him.
The difference now?
Malik wasn't acting weird. Malik was texting. Malik was making sure they were straight.
And that eased Jaden's chest just enough.
Malik's phone buzzed again as he crossed campus, heading to the facility.
Jaden: I'll see you at practice. We're good, bro. Solid.
Malik grinned, heart still thudding, but in a way that felt right.
And as he hit the locker room, pulling on his gear, all he could think was --
Yeah. We solid. And I want more.
The sun was high by the time practice kicked off, but Malik felt like he'd been up for hours, heart still beating out the rhythm of the night before.
Jaden was already out there warming up, and when Malik jogged onto the field, their eyes met -- no weirdness, no hesitation. Just that quiet, unshakable bond that had formed between them.
From the first snap, it showed.
Malik was locked in. Jaden's routes were clean, sharp, like he could read Malik's mind. The ball left Malik's hand, hit Jaden's chest like it had nowhere else to go.
Everything clicked.
Even the coach couldn't miss it.
"Carter! Brooks! Whatever you two been doing, keep that shit up! Best timing I've seen all week!"
Malik smirked, breath coming easy. Jaden grinned back, gave him that look -- all trust, all solid.
Teammates started cracking jokes between drills.
"Damn, y'all synced up like a couple."
"Y'all got that QB-WR bromance goin' strong!"
Malik just laughed it off, but inside? That pull was real, and deeper than anyone out there could see.
By the time practice wrapped, the heat of the day matched the heat building low in Malik's gut.
The bond wasn't just showing on the field. It was everywhere.
They showered, dressed, grabbed food. The kind of easy hang that felt natural now -- but beneath the laughs, beneath the film study, beneath the quiet moments -- Malik's mind kept drifting.
To the night before.
To how it felt.
To wanting more.
That night, they linked up again -- no plan, just natural.
Jaden sprawled on Malik's bed, hoodie off, T-shirt clinging to his chest, shorts riding low on his hips.
Malik sat on the edge of the bed, elbows on his knees, heart thudding. He didn't want to dance around it anymore.
"Yo..." Malik started, voice low but steady. "You said you like lace."
Jaden cut his eyes at him, smirking. "Yeah. You keep thinkin' about that?"
Malik rubbed the back of his neck, grinning despite himself. "I ain't gonna lie. I have. I'm just... curious. What that look like. What that feel like."
Jaden sat up a little, eyes dark, hungry. "You really wanna see?"
Malik swallowed, nodded. "Yeah. I do."
Jaden's grin deepened. "Alright. You just say the word, Cap. I'll show you."
Malik stared at him a long second, heart pounding. "I'm sayin' it. Show me."
Jaden sat back on the bed, smirk playing at his lips, heart racing at how Malik's voice had dropped when he said it.
"Show me."
Without breaking eye contact, Jaden peeled off his hoodie, then tugged his tee over his head -- revealing what he'd hidden underneath.
A black mesh lace one-piece -- a lingerie bodysuit that hugged him tight, high-cut at the hips, hugging that fat ass, sheer fabric teasing brown skin beneath. The floral pattern ran up his chest, straps thin over his shoulders, the mesh clinging to every line of muscle.
Malik froze, his mouth parted, eyes dragging over him slow, heart thudding hard.
"Fuck..." Malik breathed. "You wore that for me?"
Jaden's smirk deepened, part bold, part nervous. "Yeah, Lik. Figured if you asked, you were ready to see it."
Lik.
The way Jaden said it hit different. Intimate.
Malik stepped in, hands sliding over the mesh, feeling the heat of Jaden's skin through it, the softness of lace, the strength beneath.
"You look insane in this," Malik muttered, voice low and rough. His grip tightened, pulling Jaden in.
Jaden's breath hitched.
Malik turned him, bent him over the bed, his body taking over -- no hesitation.
"You want it?" Malik asked, breath hot at Jaden's ear.
"Yeah, Lik... I want you."
Malik tugged the lace down slow, watching it slide over that fat ass, those thick thighs. His length heavy, hard, thick, ready.
And when he pressed in -- raw, no barrier -- Jaden gripped him tight, heat and depth wrapping around him.
"Shit..." Malik groaned, sinking in deep, holding him firm.
"Fuck, Lik... you fill me so good..."
Malik's rhythm built -- slow, savoring it, then harder, deeper. He pounded into him, his need taking over, his dominance showing.
"You mine right now," Malik growled, voice rough, hips snapping forward.
"Yeah... I'm yours..." Jaden gasped, pushing back, the lace bunched at his thighs, clinging, driving Malik wilder.
The room filled with the slap of skin, the groans, the moans, the creak of the bed beneath them.
And when Malik broke, it was with a deep, raw groan, his seed spilling deep inside, his body shaking from it.
Jaden gasped, taking it all, loving every inch.
Later...
They sat on the bed, eating takeout, bodies still warm, Malik's arm draped across Jaden's shoulders.
Malik poked at his food, quiet at first, then spoke.
"I like the way you respect me, Jaden. On the field. Out here. Even though we're close. Even though I'm fucking you."
Jaden blinked, caught off guard.
"Why wouldn't I?"
Malik shook his head, voice steady. "Just... my girl didn't. Not after. She thought because she had me that close, she could talk down, throw shade, treat me less. And I ain't lettin' nobody make me feel that again."
Jaden was quiet a beat, then nodded slow. "You won't. Not with me."
Malik met his eyes. "That's why I'm here. Why I want this. You see me. And I see you."
Jaden let out a breath, the weight lifting from his shoulders. "So... we're continuing this?"
Malik smirked. "If you want it. I want it. I wanna see where it goes."
Jaden smiled, real and soft. "Yeah. I want that."
And they leaned in, shoulder to shoulder, eating, quiet, solid -- knowing whatever came next, they were in it together.
Weeks passed like a blur.
Practice after practice, night after night. On the field, they moved as one. Jaden ran routes so clean defenders barely touched him. Malik threw like his arm was made for it, ball finding Jaden's hands like it had nowhere else to go.
Off the field? They chilled almost every night. Film study, food runs, quiet hangs that always ended in tangled sheets, whispered words, bodies slick with sweat and need.
Their bond tightened. No weirdness. No regret. Just real.
Game day.
First of the season.
They wanted it bad.
Coach wanted it at home -- a chance to show their crowd what this team was made of. Stadium packed. Noise so loud it shook your chest.
Malik took the field locked in. Jaden lined up, hungry.
And they dominated.
Jaden showed out -- two touchdowns, breaking tackles, crowd on their feet. Malik lit up the defense, every throw crisp, clean, deadly.
When the final whistle blew, the scoreboard told the story. They won. Big.
That night, the locker room buzzed with celebration -- music, laughter, teammates hyped.
But Malik and Jaden slipped out early.
Back at Malik's place, the door barely clicked shut before Malik grabbed him, pulled him in, mouths meeting, all heat, all need.
Jaden gasped, already pulling his hoodie off, letting Malik back him toward the bed.
Malik didn't slow down. He wanted him. Needed him.
"Lik... fuck..." Jaden moaned as Malik tugged his pants down, no pause, no hesitation.
Malik pressed in raw, the tight heat of Jaden swallowing him deep.
They moved together like they had on the field -- rhythm perfect, unstoppable.
Jaden moaned, clung to him, body trembling as Malik took him hard, deep, owning every inch.
"Mine," Malik growled against his ear.
"Yours, Lik... all yours..."
And just as Malik's groan filled the room, just as his body tensed, spilling deep inside Jaden --
The door creaked open.
"Yo Malik, y'all see my--"
A teammate froze in the doorway, eyes wide, mouth open.
Malik's heart stopped.
Jaden gasped, burying his face against Malik's neck.
The teammate stared, blinked, then backed out fast, the door slamming shut behind him.
Silence.
Then Malik started to laugh, breathless, shaking his head.
"Well... guess we really here now."
Jaden laughed too, chest still heaving. "Yeah... no hiding after that."
They collapsed together, breathless, bodies tangled, knowing everything just changed -- again.
