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Tendo wakes to Herc wrapping himself around him. It's still odd, going to bed with someone without the threat of an angry boyfriend or mother storming in. Odder still, going to bed with the same someone. The oddest part is how not odd it is that the person in bed with him is Herc Hansen. Everything else is strange, but sleeping with Herc? Easily the most normal thing since the Kaiju invaded. Maybe before that, too, but it's... four a.m. and it's only been an hour since they crawled under the blankets. He can't remember what day it is, let alone life over ten years ago.
He'd like to get back to sleep, while he has the chance, but OctoHerc has other ideas. A warm hand slides under Tendo's shirt and onto his belly, fingers slowly rubbing small circles across his skin. He shudders, silently cursing Herc for taking care not to tickle. Shudders again when Herc's calf slides over his knee and-
"Jesus! What the hell, Herc?" he whispers. Loudly. "What've I told you about putting your feet on me?"
Herc hums a question from somewhere by his neck. "Do it lots?"
"No, not, 'Do it lots.' I said- Ah, no, come on! How can your nose be cold?"
"You're not keeping it warm?" Herc rumbles, rubbing his cold nose on Tendo's ear and chuckling at the gasp he gets.
If someone had told him a few months ago that Hercules Hansen is playful, even downright sweet, he would have laughed himself sick. Because Herc? Is a lifer. Great at fighting Kaiju, all around good guy, if you look past Chuck, always there when you need him. But sweet? Not a chance.
Yet he is. Somewhere between taking off his shirt and wriggling free of his issue briefs, he loses the thousand yard stare and scrapes together a hell of a lot of goof.
The first time he smiled at Tendo, it was a drunken grin, Herc proud of himself for folding Tendo's clothes and, "optimizing organization," (Otherwise known as reorganizing all Tendo's clothes and making him late for meetings with Pentecost for a week because he hadn't had the heart to change things around) Tendo had only been able to gape at him.
Then it happened again, but without the drunken pride and invasion of privacy. Herc had just won the battle to take his pants off, caught Tendo watching him and beamed at him.
It's a regular thing now, Herc smiling, so much that Tendo forgets not everyone's seen it. When he remembers, it sparks a happy twist in his belly, like he's done something fantastic. Maybe he has, by tiredly dragging Herc back to bed with him and forgetting to tell him to find his own quarters next time.
"Tendo?"
"Yeah?"
"Just wondering where you went, mate." The hand on his belly isn't rubbing circles anymore, Herc's fingers buried in the hair there instead, carefully clenching and unclenching.
"Didn't go anywhere- just got to thinking."
"What about?"
"You, mostly. How we wound up here."
Herc hums a second time. It's just a sound to say he heard him, but he's plastered to Tendo's back, broad chest warm against his spine. and mouthing at Tendo's jaw, which sends it from Herc's body through Tendo's, lighting up everything on its way.
"God-"
"Aren't Catholics not supposed to take his name in vane?"
"It isn't in vane when you're doing that on purpose!" Tendo snaps, sort of. It comes out higher than normal and a little breathy, and Herc chuckles. From his body through Tendo's, things lighting up and taking interest despite the hour.
"Glad you noticed," Herc purrs, stretching and pushing his hips into Tendo's ass.
"You're worse than a teenager, you know that?" Fucking one track mind. He should have known. "Waking me up because you want sex..."
"Pretty sure you're not allowed the high ground on that, Choi. Besides, it's not my fault."
"Really."
"Mmhmm... You smell bloody good, you know? And you fit just right..." Herc's hand flattens, middle fingers skimming the waistband of Tendo's boxers, pulling him that little bit closer. "'Course I want you."
Oh, right. The cuddly side was a surprise, but Tendo ought to have expected the cavedog side of Herc- jealous, pleased with himself for finding something- someone- good (Look- I cleaned the cave), easily distracted and painfully happy when he gets attention. And he may, on occasion, rub off on Tendo's leg, but only in their quarters and only on Tendo, so it's not a big deal.
"Herc, it's four in the morning."
"Please?"
Fuck. He can say no, but then Herc will just take care of things himself, and he doesn't take the time to appreciate what he's got in his hands. And it's not as if Tendo isn't mostly hard already, which he'll have to ignore on principle...
"Fine," he sighs, knowing it doesn't sound anywhere near as grudging as he'd wanted and not caring a bit because Herc's already moving. "Have at it."
Sliding onto his back without Herc to keep him on his side, Tendo barely has time to get comfortable before a metric ton of grinning Hansen kneels over him, falling forward to plant his elbows on either side of Tendo's head and dive in for a kiss.
It takes some searching, the room too dark to get right to each other, but they get there, the kiss hot and messy, Herc whining in the back of his throat every time Tendo chases his tongue. He shivers when Tendo runs his hands down his back and groans when he grabs Herc's ass, drops flat when Tendo pulls him closer.
The sudden weight makes him huff, but he shakes off Herc's concern. It's nice, but not as nice as tugging one of Herc's hands over and licking it, knowing the low, rumbling moan is for him. That Herc's hard for him. Making little, cut-off thrusts against his hip because Tendo got him going. (Following Herc's example and sleeping naked was the best idea he's ever had.)
"That's gotta be more than enough," Herc complains, when Tendo doesn't let go after licking his palm. "C'mon, Tendo."
"In a minute-"
"Tendo-"
Chuckling, Tendo gives him his hand back and lets Herc get to business.
Herc's hands never seem as big as they do when he wraps one around Tendo's cock. A giant's hands, that's what he has, giant like everything about Herc.
Herc gives him a couple tugs but doesn't linger, quickly doing the same for himself so he can get to the good part. The best part- where Herc fumbles for a minute, then gloriously gets them lined up, hand spit-slick and warm around them as he slowly jerks them off.
(In the light, he looks ridiculous, twisted about because he's so much taller, but it's good even then. At night, when all Tendo has is the feeling of Herc's body all over his, breath panting into his neck because it's too hard to remember how to kiss, let alone where each other's mouths are, the drag of Herc's stubble; the sound of skin on skin, tempo set to how desperate Herc's getting, faster and faster the closer he gets, bitten-off shouts Tendo plans to hear in full one day, when this is over; the smell of Herc everywhere, sex strong and musky, like when Tendo wakes him with a blowjob, warm and good, it's the best thing on earth.)
It should be embarrassing how fast he feels the burn in his belly, but with Herc full-body shivering and fisting the pillow under Tendo's head, he can't feel anything that isn't good.
He comes with a whimper, clutching at Herc's shoulders and arching into him.
Herc doesn't take much longer, milking the last of Tendo's orgasm as he pulls himself into his own, sobbing quietly as Tendo vaguely recognizes the splash of come on his chest.
Herc flops down on his side, sighing happily as he scoots close again. "You're welcome."
"Excuse me?" Tendo slurs, mostly asleep and hoping Herc isn't as awake as he is articulate.
"You're welcome. For helping you get back to sleep."
"Fuck off."
Herc snorts, but he throws his leg over Tendo's and sneaks a lazy kiss. "No complaining tomorrow if you're sticky."
"I swear to God- yes, him- Hercules... Go to sleep."
"Yes, dear."
Tendo doesn't think about how tenderly Herc says that, because he doesn't hear it, asleep once more and deaf to the halting professions the bigger man works through each night, practicing so he won't stutter when he finally says, "I love you. Stay with me."