Page 215 of Piece Us Together

“I figured you could go buy a really nice kitchen set. Maybe one for here,” I told him. He’d been thrilled and thankful. Then I said, “Then I thought maybe you could move in so you could use it whenever you want.”

Maison had choked on his coffee.

I’d tossed him his last present then, too. His dog tags. I’d stolen them while he was sleeping. He hadn’t even noticed. He frowned at them for a moment, seeming to be torn between confusion and unease, the latter likely from me being able to steal them in the first place. Then he noticed the house key between the two slabs of metal.

His eyes had darted to Nolan, then to me. “Are you sure?”

I would have laughed if I didn’t know just how serious he was. “I’ve never been more sure.”

“We’re so new,” Nolan whispered. “We’ve barely started.”

“I know.” I had grinned at the two of them. “Isn’t that amazing? We’ve got so much time left. I want to spend as much of it as I can with the two of you.”

They looked at each other again before shrugging almost at the exact same time. It was Maison who said, “I guess we’re moving in then.”

There had been a lot of kissing after that. A lot.

Then it was time for the Hawkeye series, which Nolan made sure to time perfectly in our ongoing marathon since it’s the perfect Marvel watch for Christmas. We watched the first three episodes before it was time for me to shower, dress, and head out to my sister’s. Maison had been self-conscious again about them not coming anymore. I’d kissed him quiet, then given Nolan the order to do whatever it took to keep him happy and distracted.

My mom interrogated me endlessly about them. My sister demanded pictures - which of course I only had one of, a picture Carter had taken of us the night before and texted to me after. None of us had been looking at the camera when it was taken. I looked unbearably in love, but they thankfully looked about the same. My sister still had to point it out though. Then the picture was passed around. Then my dad squeezed my shoulder and told me he was glad I’d found happiness before making a dad joke about stopping at two so I leave some men out there for therest of the world. My two nieces hadn’t cared in the slightest, they just wanted their presents and for me to sneak them treats before dinner. My brother-in-law at least had some sympathy and got me some relief by making a small problem in the kitchen into something dire that needed my mom, sister, and dad to solve.

It was good to see them.

It was even better to come home to my boys.

My boys who, within a minute or so, I notice are up to something. Nolan can’t stop looking at Maison while Maison can’t seem to get himself to look at me even once.

I walk toward them as I unwind the scarf from my neck, not caring that my socks get wet from the snow my boots tracked in. I eye them both before focusing in on Maison. He’s absolutely the one up to no good.

“Did the two of you break a rule while I was gone?” I ask without taking my eyes off Maison.

“No, sir!” Nolan says quickly. “We were good!”

“Maison?” I ask.

“It’s just. So. Like.” He runs a hand through his hair. Then he rubs the back of his neck. Then his forehead. “So, I have one more thing. I couldn’t give it to you earlier, not before you had to leave. It’s a - a gift, I guess? I don’t know. It’s stupid to call it a gift, really. I mean, that’s pretty full of myself, to consider it a gift. It’s not really gift, okay? It’s like - it’s just a thing. A thing you’ll enjoy. Or I hope you’ll enjoy? It’s not a gift. I mean - it’s not like I’m going to tie a fucking bow around my - yeah, no, um - it’s more of like an action, really? And we don’t even have to - I mean, you don’t have to accept it, really, if you don’t want-”

I step forward and wrap my fingers around his throat. His blue eyes dart to mine, wide with fear. “Just say it, kitten.”

He blurts, “I want to bottom for you!”

Oh.

Oh fucking hell.

I grin at him, my chest buzzing with something electric. “Is that so?”

His face goes bright red, but I don’t let him look away from me. He shivers at the forced eye contact. “Yeah. Yes.”

“That just might be the best gift you could give me, sweetheart. If you’re sure?”

“I’m sure,” he breathes. “I trust you.”

And I was wrong before, becausethat, that trust - that’s the best gift he could give me.

“But it can’t hurt!” he adds before I can respond. He swallows hard, his throat moving beneath my palm. “It has to - please don’t let it hurt, okay?”

“Okay, kitten. I’ll be nice and sweet. I promise.” I use my grip to bring him in for a quick kiss that’s just a little bit dirty. “Can I use my tongue on you?”

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