FQWL: First day anniversary
Apr. 10th, 2013 03:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
moonshadowsOne year to the day since he'd moved into the cul-de-sac, Jack woke up and smiled. Beside him, Robert was sprawled over the tangled covers, pillow crooked and clutched in his arms, dim sunlight through the blinds casting lighter and darker stripes across the skin of his back, one foot dangling off the edge of the bed.
He never would have expected his life to turn out like this when he and Amanda had said farewell to the house she'd grown up in.
Jack leaned over and kissed the vividly-blue flower tattooed onto Robert's hand.
"Morning, sunshine," came the muffled half-awake greeting.
It still made Jack blush. Not because it was an endearment, but because Robert had explained the choice in almost the same way Damien had, once: You made me wake up. You brought me back from being walking dead. Because of you, I opened up and... - he'd glanced at the tattoo on his hand - ...flowered. You get me up ungodly early in the morning. You're my sunshine, Jack. You're my life.
"Morning, Robbie," he teased back gently.
Robert groaned. He only endured the saccharine nickname first thing in the morning, when he wasn't awake enough for his natural cynicism to kick in. The instant he raised his head from the pillow to pout, Jack kissed the expression off his face.
"D'you know what today is?" Jack murmured as the kiss ended, scruffy Italian prince smiling sleepily at him.
"Too early for that, sunshine."
"One year ago today..." Jack kissed the tip of his nose. "...our eyes met across the Coffee Spoon."
Robert propped himself up on one elbow. "Shit. Anniversary of the day we met? We need to do something special. Commemorate the day the best thing to ever happen to me walked into my life and gave me shit over a game he didn't even follow."
Jack grinned. "We should go back. Sit at the bar drinking Cokes and watch the game. Invite Neil to the wedding."
"And then come back to my house and not have sex?" Robert joked.
"That's not special," Jack protested, blushing again. "We do that all the time."
Robert leaned over and kissed the tip of Jack's nose. "We could commemorate the day we didn't have sex by doing things in bed that aren't sex."
Jack blushed harder. "Rob...I...uh..."
"Hm?"
"The day you told me you liked me, and we kissed..."
"Yes?"
"...that was my first kiss," Jack finished in a whisper.
Robert sat up in disbelief. "That was your first kiss?"
"I've never done...anything..." Jack sat up and leaned against Robert's shoulder. "If I haven't done it with you, I haven't done it."
"My unicorn," Robert murmured, kissing the top of Jack's head. "Okay. Tonight, we go to Jim and Kim's and invite Neil to the wedding and then you let me take you home and I give you a taste of what you've been missing."
"I won't say no to that," Jack said quietly.
Robert grinned. "Jack, you waited how long for me to be ready? You looked past my checkered...past. And now you tell me I'm your first everything? Don't feel bad about that. All it means is that you are going to reap the benefits of my ill-gotten experience. You've done so much for me, sunshine. Let me do nice things to you."
Jack lifted his head and found himself kissed tenderly.
"I can't argue with that," he murmured as the kiss ended. "Now...what do you want for breakfast?"
===
"I still think we should have done breakfast in bed tomorrow," Robert grumbled halfheartedly as Jack stacked their empty plates on the tray.
He got kissed for that.
"Who says we can't do breakfast in bed tomorrow, too?" Jack asked innocently.
"Don't you dare," growled Robert. "If anyone's getting hand-fed breakfast tomorrow, it's going to be you!"
Jack kissed him again. "Okay."
He was almost to the door before Robert's arms slid around his torso, experimental goatee scratching against the back of his neck.
"You tricked me, sunshine," Robert murmured.
"Like you weren't going to do that anyway?" Jack teased lightly.
"I was, but it was supposed to be a surprise. Like you making me breakfast the first time was a surprise."
Jack swayed slightly, melting under the gentle force of his Italian prince's love.
"Just leave breakfast to me tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay," Jack murmured, sounding dazed.
Robert laughed softly.
===
They walked around the neighborhood, hand in hand, enjoying the mild weather while Jack told the story of his first day. They went to the park, where Brian and Daisy were, and chatted a bit.
"It's only been one year?" Brian asked, scratching his hair. "Huh. Feels like a lot longer than that. You're still coming to the cookout tomorrow, right? First one of the season!"
"Would be weird if we didn't," Jack laughed. "It is being held in my backyard."
That got Brian laughing, too. "That it would! Everyone in your backyard and you're not even home! Whatcha making this time?"
Jack grinned. "What else? My famous fried ravioli and homemade marinara."
"And chocolate-chip cookies," Robert added. "We made those together last year, remember?"
"We did." Jack smiled, warm and tender, and Robert smiled slowly back.
"You two are just too cute," Brian announced. "Well, we'll see you tomorrow. Looking forward to it!"
=
Mat looked up as they entered the Coffee Spoon, his face breaking into a broad smile. "Hey! I was just thinking about you!"
"Me, him, or both of us?" Jack asked with a grin of his own while Robert exchanged a complicated handshake/fistbump greeting with the darker-skinned man.
"You, Jack. Did you know that today is one year to the day from the first time you came in here?"
Robert collapsed onto an ottoman, giggling.
"I was indeed aware of that," Jack deadpanned. "It's also the day I met Rob - in your shop, no less - so we're sort of commemorating that by retracing my footsteps on that day."
Mat looked delighted that he wasn't alone, rather than disappointed that his news wasn't a surprise. "Cool beans! So, Chai Antwoord and Right Said Banana Bread?"
"Sounds good to me," Jack said, taking a seat on the couch where he could lean forward to hug Robert. "How about you, Rob?"
Robert tilted his head back to smile up at Jack. "I had some ungodly strong black coffee that day to help wake me up, but I'd rather have something as sweet as you are."
While Jack blushed, Mat grinned. "I've got just the thing," he declared. "Don't go anywhere."
A handful of minutes later he came back with two slices of banana bread and two mugs.
"It's like a gingerbread latte," he explained as Robert accepted his mug with a murmur of thanks, "but with a splash of tangerine."
"It's perfect," Robert said, beaming. "Jack, try this."
Obediently, Jack accepted the mug and sipped. "It's good," he declared warmly. "It's like Christmas and summer combined."
Mat looked ecstatic. "Rock on! Well, I'll let you guys commemorate or reminisce or just be cute. See you at the cookout tomorrow? Well, I guess it would be weird if you weren't there, since it's in your backyard and all."
"We'll be there," Jack assured him while Robert giggled again.
They sat on the couch for a bit, Jack feeding Robert bits of banana bread with his fingers and blushing, Robert reaching up to blindly offer Jack bits as well and also blushing as Jack ate them out of his fingers.
"We went back and did some unpacking after this," Jack murmured as he leaned forward to hug Robert. "But after that it was grocery shopping. I think we can skip straight to that and then make cookies, what do you think?"
"Can we eat some hot again?"
Jack kissed the top of his head. "Of course."
Robert tilted his head back for an upside-down kiss. "Then what are we waiting for?"
===
Strolling down the aisles of the grocery store was a slow, intimate experience. Jack pushed the cart, remembering the first time he'd walked these aisles, exploring the store and mapping out where various things were as he and Amanda gathered the things they'd need to make fried ravioli and chocolate chip cookies. Now it was Robert grabbing things from the shelves, and almost a year of shopping together meant Jack didn't have to specify brands. Soft, gentle kisses were exchanged every time Robert placed an item in the cart, and they went through the self-checkout once they had everything and a pint of strawberries just because. Robert scanned and paid while Jack packed their purchases into reusable shopping bags, and then arm in arm they went back out to the car.
"This is when I crossed paths with Craig and realized he lived in the cul-de-sac," Jack said as they put the bags in the trunk. "He was jogging with River strapped to his chest."
Robert snorted. "Not like he can do that anymore with how big she is now."
"Yeah. That treadmill was a really good investment, I think. I miss him on our morning runs, but..."
"Perils of having a kid," Robert said. "Plus, it means we can take a break to kiss and not feel awkward about it."
He laughed as Jack got into the driver's seat, blushing.
The first thing they did when they got back to Jack's was start the marinara sauce cooking in the crock pot. Cookies were next, a double batch, and they fed each other the occasional cookie still melty-crisp and hot from the oven. When the last sheet was out and cooling on waxed paper, Robert piled half a dozen cookies each on a pair of small plates and Jack poured two glasses of cold milk. Then they adjourned to the couch, where they watched a movie and fed each other molten chocolate goodness.
"We had sandwiches for lunch," Robert murmured as the credits started to roll. "But that was the second day."
"We did. And chips. Amanda and I had sandwiches the first day, too." Jack nuzzled Robert's shoulder with a quiet laugh.
Robert turned to kiss his temple. "What's so funny, sunshine?"
"When I made your sandwich, I drew a heart with the mustard and then had to spread it around with a knife."
That startled a laugh out of Robert, the light and carefree one that made Jack's heart sing.
"Really?" he asked, teasingly affectionate. "You fell for me that fast? You're a sap, Jack."
Jack kissed the hollow of Robert's cheek. "And when did you fall for me, Rob?"
He hugged Jack a bit tighter. "When I came out and you were doing my dishes. Reminded me of Marylin, always putting up with my shit and treating me better than I deserved. That was the kindest thing anyone had done for me in a long time."
"But it wasn't..." Jack trailed off.
"Wasn't anything special to you, I know. Because you're the goddamn sun, and it's in your nature to share your warmth freely. But I was living in darkness, and that was my dawn." He paused for a moment. "I'm sorry I yelled at you, that second day. I was scared by how much I cared, scared you'd hurt me like Joseph."
Jack hugged him tighter. "I hope by now you know I would never."
"I know." Robert nuzzled Jack's hair. "Thank you for putting up with me."
In response, Jack lifted his head and they shared a very eloquent kiss. When it ended, Jack nuzzled Robert's neck with a contented sigh.
"Question," he said lazily. "You don't have to answer."
"Shoot."
"The night before the cookout, did you go to Jim and Kim's?"
Robert sighed. "Yeah. And took some guy home. Tried to use him to forget you, but it didn't work. Shooed him out in the morning and started drinking. You know I was a mess, Jack. I drank because I was sure you wouldn't want anything else to do to me, and showered hoping you'd look past everything and care anyway."
That led to another long, eloquent kiss, and when it ended, it was Robert who nuzzled against Jack's neck.
"You saved my life, sunshine," he said quietly. "I hope you know that."
Jack kissed the top of his head. "We saved each other, Rob."
"You're a goddamn unicorn, Jack."
Smiling, Jack threaded his fingers between Robert's. "There's just one problem with that. I thought unicorns were supposed to be attracted to virgins."
"They also cleanse impurities and toxins," he countered. "And I know you can't resist cleaning up a mess."
To be sure of his victory, he kissed Jack's neck, turning the other man's brain to mush.
"Let me make the sandwiches this time," he murmured, taking Jack's incoherent moan as agreement.
=
"So what did you do after lunch on your first day?" Robert asked as he handed a sandwich-and-chip laden plate to Jack, along with a can of Coke.
"Unpacked," Jack answered dryly. "And after our lunch, I had a meeting with Hugo about Amanda's schoolwork."
Robert frowned. "So what are we doing after lunch?"
"What did you-"
"Laundry after our lunch," Robert interrupted. "And we've already done that."
Laundry and drinking, Jack suspected. "I was going to say, what did you do after you saw me in the Coffee Spoon?"
Flushing, Robert took a bite of his sandwich.
"Went to my thinking spot," he answered once he'd swallowed. "Did some whittling."
"Then that's what we'll do. We can get subs somewhere and pack drinks in a cooler, spend the afternoon whittling and eat dinner watching the sun set over Maple Bay before we go watch the game at Jim and Kim's."
Slowly, Robert smiled. "I'd like that."
===
Neil looked up in surprise as they took seats at the bar. "Where's your third Musketeer?" he asked as he poured them both Cokes and added flavored syrups to them.
"It's the anniversary of the day we met," Jack explained, smiling at Robert.
"We're commemorating the day our lives forever changed," Robert added, smiling back. "Also, we're getting married in June and you're invited."
"You- Congrats, you two!" Neil beamed at them. "I'll be honest, Robert, I never thought I'd see you happy again until Jack started tagging along. You're sure you want me at your wedding?"
"You're the closest I had to family for a while," Robert answered quietly. "And maybe we would have gotten together eventually anyway, but meeting here sort of...kick-started everything."
"We're going to have a Victorian wedding," Jack said. "I'm not completely sure what that's going to entail, but it's bound to be more interesting than your average church event."
Neil nodded. "Okay, okay. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't flattered. I'll be there. Just let me know where and when."
Robert smirked. "Knowing Damien, you'll probably get a hand-delivered engraved invitation."
=
The game wasn't one that either of them had anything invested in, so they picked opposing teams and jokingly trash-talked each other, spinning bullshit stories and exchanging kiss 'penalties' every time points were scored. When the game ended, they tried to settle their tabs only to discover that Neil refused to take their money.
"Seeing you two so happy was worth what the soda cost me," he insisted. "Consider it an engagement present."
"Alright," Jack said, but Robert scowled.
"This isn't over," he told Neil in a threatening growl. "Queensbury will hear of this."
Neil smiled. "What're you going to do, Robert?"
"I'm going to slide an envelope full of non-sequential, unmarked bills under your door and run away."
Neil and Jack both laughed, while Robert's scowl melted into a grin.
"Seriously, though, thank you. This was a fun evening, but we have to go commemorate the night we didn't have sex by not having sex."
"I'm not going to ask," Neil laughed. "You two go have fun."
Robert grinned at Jack. "I'm gonna go home. You heading my way?"
Jack fluttered his eyelashes. "Are you hitting on me, sir?"
"Not at all." Robert offered him one arm. "I'm just asking if I can walk you home."
Still fluttering, Jack did his best Arm Candy impression. "Only if it's your home."
Laughing, they walked out into the night.
=
When they got to Robert's door, they stopped.
"I don't kiss and tell, Jack," Robert murmured into Jack's ear. "So, are we doing this, or what?"
Suddenly nervous, Jack licked his lips. "Yes."
"If you're not comfortable with anything, just say stop. Okay?"
Jack nodded and squeezed Robert's hand.
As soon as they were inside with the door locked, Robert grabbed Jack by the front of his shirt and kissed him with more ferocity and passion than Jack had ever experienced before. He'd been restrained, Jack realized. All the times they'd kissed had been sweet, Robert holding himself in check, a tiger on a leash. Now that wild beast was loose and Jack found himself pressed against the front door, hands in Robert's hair, kissing desperately back because he'd never experienced anything like this before and he didn't know - knew academically, but didn't know - where it was leading, but he wanted to go there so very badly.
Robert's hands were on the front of Jack's pants, blindly unfastening them while Jack frantically used one foot to hold his shoe down so he could pull the other foot out of it, kicking his legs free of his pants as they fell. He didn't have the brainpower to feel embarrassed at standing in front of Robert with an erection straining against his briefs because his scruffy Italian prince was kissing the side of his neck, sucking, teeth scraping, and Jack felt like his brain was going to start sizzling like a steak on Brian's grill.
Then, thankfully, Robert's mouth retreated and he tugged Jack's hand, leading him slowly and with many kisses to the bedroom where Jack pulled his shirt off and gasped at the feel of Robert's tongue against one nipple. His legs gave out and he sat, collapsing onto Robert's bed, obeying the hands urging him to scoot back and only vaguely aware that his underwear was being removed. Robert's lips traced a teasing path up one thigh, over Jack's hip, skirting his nipple, and to his jaw.
"How are you doing?" he murmured, goatee scratching by Jack's ear.
"Feels good," Jack gasped, clearly struggling to form even those two words.
Robert groaned. "Oh, Jack, I've wanted to do this to you for so long. But that was selfish. I wanted to enjoy you. But now...now I just want you to enjoy it. Anything you want me to do, tell me. If you can," he finished with a soft chuckle. "Do you want me to slow down?"
"No," Jack breathed, turning his head in search of Robert's lips. "Want more. Please."
For a moment, Robert was struck dumb. Then a smile spread across his face, incongruously gentle for the situation, and he lowered his lips to Jack's for a kiss that started tender but quickly turned desperate and broke, Robert lavishing scratchy kisses down Jack's throat while one hand teased his nipple. Jack arched his back, voicing little needy cries as Robert kissed down his stomach, teasing hand now on Jack's thigh while the other hand gently tormented the other nipple.
Then, finally, the trail of kisses reached the hot and aching center of Jack's attention and he gasped, hands clutching the sheet as if without them, he might fly off the bed and into space. Robert kissed a ring around the base of Jack's penis as if he were saying mine, mine, mine with every soft touch. Then he lifted his head, admiring the look on Jack's face for a moment before laying a kiss on the head of his penis, gentle as a butterfly's wings. The broken gasp that elicited made him smile, and with his tongue extended he lowered his head again, breathing down Jack's shaft before licking up from the base.
Jack's breath hissed in sharply, only to be exhaled as a moan that somehow sounded like Jack despaired of ever being satisfied. That, more than anything, caused Robert to slide his lips over the head of Jack's dick, licking to moisten that velvety-soft skin as he sucked and bobbed. The sounds Jack was making had him almost painfully hard, but this wasn't about him. This was about Jack, deflowering his unicorn, making sure the first sexual experience of his life was the absolute best Robert could make it.
So Robert bobbed and sucked, tongue gently probing all the sensitive places, fingers teaching Jack things he'd probably never done to his balls or stroking the bottom part of his shaft when his mouth was focused on the head. Concentrating on technique helped dampen his own need somewhat, but it came rushing back when Jack gasped his name.
Humming smugly, Robert slid Jack in deeper, feeling the tickle of pubic hair against his lips. A final cry and Jack was done, shaft pulsing against Robert's tongue as he sucked and swallowed, caressing Jack one last time with his tongue as the man sighed in helpless satisfaction.
If he was any judge, it would be about five minutes before Jack scraped his brain back together enough to talk. Quickly, Robert freed his own member and rubbed one out into a tissue before stripping the rest of the way and laying down next to his pleasantly-exhausted unicorn.
Sure enough, a handful of minutes later Jack shuddered and rolled over to press his cheek against Robert's chest.
"Was is good?" Robert teased gently, kissing Jack's hair.
An inarticulate groan was his only answer.
"Worth waiting for, I hope," he murmured.
Jack flung one arm over his chest in a possessive improvised hug.
"I'm all yours, sunshine."
Jack made another sound, but it wasn't entirely happy. Robert caressed his cheek with the backs of his knuckles.
"Jack? What's wrong?"
"I don't think I'm gonna live up to your beach dream," came the muttered response, the words muffled against Robert's chest.
That's what he was worried about?
"Jack," Robert said with maybe just a hint of pout in his voice, "I was trying to do something nice for you. You're not supposed to worry about pleasuring me, you're supposed to be enjoying having gotten your first blowjob."
The arm around him tightened. "But..."
"No. I'm saving your butt for our wedding night."
That made Jack giggle. "What about your butt?"
"Wedding. Night."
Another giggle. The silence turned comfortable and Robert turned slightly to embrace his boyfriend.
"Tonight is all about you, sunshine. I love you and I want you to be happy. If you're going to worry about me, save it for tomorrow."
"But-"
"What did I say about butts?" Robert teased.
"I feel guilty not giving back," Jack said quietly. "You said you didn't want to take, you wanted to share. I love you, and I want to share, too."
Robert laughed. "We'll share next time, I promise. And I'll teach you. Okay?"
"Okay," Jack said meekly.
"No more worrying?"
Jack lifted his head to kiss Robert gently. "It was amazing, Rob. More than worth waiting for. How do you feel about it?"
"Happy," Robert whispered. "Oh, Jack, you make me so happy and finally, finally I was able to give back."
"And are you going to still be happy in the morning?"
The kiss Robert gave him was slow and sweet. "As long as I wake up next to you, sunshine."
Jack smiled, so brilliant it took Robert's breath away. "Rob...that's the only way I want to wake up for the rest of my life."
Meltingly content, warmed by each other's bodies rather than the covers, they let sleep claim them. One year ago, they never would have dreamed their lives could ever turn out like this. Now, they couldn't imagine their lives any other way.
He never would have expected his life to turn out like this when he and Amanda had said farewell to the house she'd grown up in.
Jack leaned over and kissed the vividly-blue flower tattooed onto Robert's hand.
"Morning, sunshine," came the muffled half-awake greeting.
It still made Jack blush. Not because it was an endearment, but because Robert had explained the choice in almost the same way Damien had, once: You made me wake up. You brought me back from being walking dead. Because of you, I opened up and... - he'd glanced at the tattoo on his hand - ...flowered. You get me up ungodly early in the morning. You're my sunshine, Jack. You're my life.
"Morning, Robbie," he teased back gently.
Robert groaned. He only endured the saccharine nickname first thing in the morning, when he wasn't awake enough for his natural cynicism to kick in. The instant he raised his head from the pillow to pout, Jack kissed the expression off his face.
"D'you know what today is?" Jack murmured as the kiss ended, scruffy Italian prince smiling sleepily at him.
"Too early for that, sunshine."
"One year ago today..." Jack kissed the tip of his nose. "...our eyes met across the Coffee Spoon."
Robert propped himself up on one elbow. "Shit. Anniversary of the day we met? We need to do something special. Commemorate the day the best thing to ever happen to me walked into my life and gave me shit over a game he didn't even follow."
Jack grinned. "We should go back. Sit at the bar drinking Cokes and watch the game. Invite Neil to the wedding."
"And then come back to my house and not have sex?" Robert joked.
"That's not special," Jack protested, blushing again. "We do that all the time."
Robert leaned over and kissed the tip of Jack's nose. "We could commemorate the day we didn't have sex by doing things in bed that aren't sex."
Jack blushed harder. "Rob...I...uh..."
"Hm?"
"The day you told me you liked me, and we kissed..."
"Yes?"
"...that was my first kiss," Jack finished in a whisper.
Robert sat up in disbelief. "That was your first kiss?"
"I've never done...anything..." Jack sat up and leaned against Robert's shoulder. "If I haven't done it with you, I haven't done it."
"My unicorn," Robert murmured, kissing the top of Jack's head. "Okay. Tonight, we go to Jim and Kim's and invite Neil to the wedding and then you let me take you home and I give you a taste of what you've been missing."
"I won't say no to that," Jack said quietly.
Robert grinned. "Jack, you waited how long for me to be ready? You looked past my checkered...past. And now you tell me I'm your first everything? Don't feel bad about that. All it means is that you are going to reap the benefits of my ill-gotten experience. You've done so much for me, sunshine. Let me do nice things to you."
Jack lifted his head and found himself kissed tenderly.
"I can't argue with that," he murmured as the kiss ended. "Now...what do you want for breakfast?"
===
"I still think we should have done breakfast in bed tomorrow," Robert grumbled halfheartedly as Jack stacked their empty plates on the tray.
He got kissed for that.
"Who says we can't do breakfast in bed tomorrow, too?" Jack asked innocently.
"Don't you dare," growled Robert. "If anyone's getting hand-fed breakfast tomorrow, it's going to be you!"
Jack kissed him again. "Okay."
He was almost to the door before Robert's arms slid around his torso, experimental goatee scratching against the back of his neck.
"You tricked me, sunshine," Robert murmured.
"Like you weren't going to do that anyway?" Jack teased lightly.
"I was, but it was supposed to be a surprise. Like you making me breakfast the first time was a surprise."
Jack swayed slightly, melting under the gentle force of his Italian prince's love.
"Just leave breakfast to me tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay," Jack murmured, sounding dazed.
Robert laughed softly.
===
They walked around the neighborhood, hand in hand, enjoying the mild weather while Jack told the story of his first day. They went to the park, where Brian and Daisy were, and chatted a bit.
"It's only been one year?" Brian asked, scratching his hair. "Huh. Feels like a lot longer than that. You're still coming to the cookout tomorrow, right? First one of the season!"
"Would be weird if we didn't," Jack laughed. "It is being held in my backyard."
That got Brian laughing, too. "That it would! Everyone in your backyard and you're not even home! Whatcha making this time?"
Jack grinned. "What else? My famous fried ravioli and homemade marinara."
"And chocolate-chip cookies," Robert added. "We made those together last year, remember?"
"We did." Jack smiled, warm and tender, and Robert smiled slowly back.
"You two are just too cute," Brian announced. "Well, we'll see you tomorrow. Looking forward to it!"
=
Mat looked up as they entered the Coffee Spoon, his face breaking into a broad smile. "Hey! I was just thinking about you!"
"Me, him, or both of us?" Jack asked with a grin of his own while Robert exchanged a complicated handshake/fistbump greeting with the darker-skinned man.
"You, Jack. Did you know that today is one year to the day from the first time you came in here?"
Robert collapsed onto an ottoman, giggling.
"I was indeed aware of that," Jack deadpanned. "It's also the day I met Rob - in your shop, no less - so we're sort of commemorating that by retracing my footsteps on that day."
Mat looked delighted that he wasn't alone, rather than disappointed that his news wasn't a surprise. "Cool beans! So, Chai Antwoord and Right Said Banana Bread?"
"Sounds good to me," Jack said, taking a seat on the couch where he could lean forward to hug Robert. "How about you, Rob?"
Robert tilted his head back to smile up at Jack. "I had some ungodly strong black coffee that day to help wake me up, but I'd rather have something as sweet as you are."
While Jack blushed, Mat grinned. "I've got just the thing," he declared. "Don't go anywhere."
A handful of minutes later he came back with two slices of banana bread and two mugs.
"It's like a gingerbread latte," he explained as Robert accepted his mug with a murmur of thanks, "but with a splash of tangerine."
"It's perfect," Robert said, beaming. "Jack, try this."
Obediently, Jack accepted the mug and sipped. "It's good," he declared warmly. "It's like Christmas and summer combined."
Mat looked ecstatic. "Rock on! Well, I'll let you guys commemorate or reminisce or just be cute. See you at the cookout tomorrow? Well, I guess it would be weird if you weren't there, since it's in your backyard and all."
"We'll be there," Jack assured him while Robert giggled again.
They sat on the couch for a bit, Jack feeding Robert bits of banana bread with his fingers and blushing, Robert reaching up to blindly offer Jack bits as well and also blushing as Jack ate them out of his fingers.
"We went back and did some unpacking after this," Jack murmured as he leaned forward to hug Robert. "But after that it was grocery shopping. I think we can skip straight to that and then make cookies, what do you think?"
"Can we eat some hot again?"
Jack kissed the top of his head. "Of course."
Robert tilted his head back for an upside-down kiss. "Then what are we waiting for?"
===
Strolling down the aisles of the grocery store was a slow, intimate experience. Jack pushed the cart, remembering the first time he'd walked these aisles, exploring the store and mapping out where various things were as he and Amanda gathered the things they'd need to make fried ravioli and chocolate chip cookies. Now it was Robert grabbing things from the shelves, and almost a year of shopping together meant Jack didn't have to specify brands. Soft, gentle kisses were exchanged every time Robert placed an item in the cart, and they went through the self-checkout once they had everything and a pint of strawberries just because. Robert scanned and paid while Jack packed their purchases into reusable shopping bags, and then arm in arm they went back out to the car.
"This is when I crossed paths with Craig and realized he lived in the cul-de-sac," Jack said as they put the bags in the trunk. "He was jogging with River strapped to his chest."
Robert snorted. "Not like he can do that anymore with how big she is now."
"Yeah. That treadmill was a really good investment, I think. I miss him on our morning runs, but..."
"Perils of having a kid," Robert said. "Plus, it means we can take a break to kiss and not feel awkward about it."
He laughed as Jack got into the driver's seat, blushing.
The first thing they did when they got back to Jack's was start the marinara sauce cooking in the crock pot. Cookies were next, a double batch, and they fed each other the occasional cookie still melty-crisp and hot from the oven. When the last sheet was out and cooling on waxed paper, Robert piled half a dozen cookies each on a pair of small plates and Jack poured two glasses of cold milk. Then they adjourned to the couch, where they watched a movie and fed each other molten chocolate goodness.
"We had sandwiches for lunch," Robert murmured as the credits started to roll. "But that was the second day."
"We did. And chips. Amanda and I had sandwiches the first day, too." Jack nuzzled Robert's shoulder with a quiet laugh.
Robert turned to kiss his temple. "What's so funny, sunshine?"
"When I made your sandwich, I drew a heart with the mustard and then had to spread it around with a knife."
That startled a laugh out of Robert, the light and carefree one that made Jack's heart sing.
"Really?" he asked, teasingly affectionate. "You fell for me that fast? You're a sap, Jack."
Jack kissed the hollow of Robert's cheek. "And when did you fall for me, Rob?"
He hugged Jack a bit tighter. "When I came out and you were doing my dishes. Reminded me of Marylin, always putting up with my shit and treating me better than I deserved. That was the kindest thing anyone had done for me in a long time."
"But it wasn't..." Jack trailed off.
"Wasn't anything special to you, I know. Because you're the goddamn sun, and it's in your nature to share your warmth freely. But I was living in darkness, and that was my dawn." He paused for a moment. "I'm sorry I yelled at you, that second day. I was scared by how much I cared, scared you'd hurt me like Joseph."
Jack hugged him tighter. "I hope by now you know I would never."
"I know." Robert nuzzled Jack's hair. "Thank you for putting up with me."
In response, Jack lifted his head and they shared a very eloquent kiss. When it ended, Jack nuzzled Robert's neck with a contented sigh.
"Question," he said lazily. "You don't have to answer."
"Shoot."
"The night before the cookout, did you go to Jim and Kim's?"
Robert sighed. "Yeah. And took some guy home. Tried to use him to forget you, but it didn't work. Shooed him out in the morning and started drinking. You know I was a mess, Jack. I drank because I was sure you wouldn't want anything else to do to me, and showered hoping you'd look past everything and care anyway."
That led to another long, eloquent kiss, and when it ended, it was Robert who nuzzled against Jack's neck.
"You saved my life, sunshine," he said quietly. "I hope you know that."
Jack kissed the top of his head. "We saved each other, Rob."
"You're a goddamn unicorn, Jack."
Smiling, Jack threaded his fingers between Robert's. "There's just one problem with that. I thought unicorns were supposed to be attracted to virgins."
"They also cleanse impurities and toxins," he countered. "And I know you can't resist cleaning up a mess."
To be sure of his victory, he kissed Jack's neck, turning the other man's brain to mush.
"Let me make the sandwiches this time," he murmured, taking Jack's incoherent moan as agreement.
=
"So what did you do after lunch on your first day?" Robert asked as he handed a sandwich-and-chip laden plate to Jack, along with a can of Coke.
"Unpacked," Jack answered dryly. "And after our lunch, I had a meeting with Hugo about Amanda's schoolwork."
Robert frowned. "So what are we doing after lunch?"
"What did you-"
"Laundry after our lunch," Robert interrupted. "And we've already done that."
Laundry and drinking, Jack suspected. "I was going to say, what did you do after you saw me in the Coffee Spoon?"
Flushing, Robert took a bite of his sandwich.
"Went to my thinking spot," he answered once he'd swallowed. "Did some whittling."
"Then that's what we'll do. We can get subs somewhere and pack drinks in a cooler, spend the afternoon whittling and eat dinner watching the sun set over Maple Bay before we go watch the game at Jim and Kim's."
Slowly, Robert smiled. "I'd like that."
===
Neil looked up in surprise as they took seats at the bar. "Where's your third Musketeer?" he asked as he poured them both Cokes and added flavored syrups to them.
"It's the anniversary of the day we met," Jack explained, smiling at Robert.
"We're commemorating the day our lives forever changed," Robert added, smiling back. "Also, we're getting married in June and you're invited."
"You- Congrats, you two!" Neil beamed at them. "I'll be honest, Robert, I never thought I'd see you happy again until Jack started tagging along. You're sure you want me at your wedding?"
"You're the closest I had to family for a while," Robert answered quietly. "And maybe we would have gotten together eventually anyway, but meeting here sort of...kick-started everything."
"We're going to have a Victorian wedding," Jack said. "I'm not completely sure what that's going to entail, but it's bound to be more interesting than your average church event."
Neil nodded. "Okay, okay. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't flattered. I'll be there. Just let me know where and when."
Robert smirked. "Knowing Damien, you'll probably get a hand-delivered engraved invitation."
=
The game wasn't one that either of them had anything invested in, so they picked opposing teams and jokingly trash-talked each other, spinning bullshit stories and exchanging kiss 'penalties' every time points were scored. When the game ended, they tried to settle their tabs only to discover that Neil refused to take their money.
"Seeing you two so happy was worth what the soda cost me," he insisted. "Consider it an engagement present."
"Alright," Jack said, but Robert scowled.
"This isn't over," he told Neil in a threatening growl. "Queensbury will hear of this."
Neil smiled. "What're you going to do, Robert?"
"I'm going to slide an envelope full of non-sequential, unmarked bills under your door and run away."
Neil and Jack both laughed, while Robert's scowl melted into a grin.
"Seriously, though, thank you. This was a fun evening, but we have to go commemorate the night we didn't have sex by not having sex."
"I'm not going to ask," Neil laughed. "You two go have fun."
Robert grinned at Jack. "I'm gonna go home. You heading my way?"
Jack fluttered his eyelashes. "Are you hitting on me, sir?"
"Not at all." Robert offered him one arm. "I'm just asking if I can walk you home."
Still fluttering, Jack did his best Arm Candy impression. "Only if it's your home."
Laughing, they walked out into the night.
=
When they got to Robert's door, they stopped.
"I don't kiss and tell, Jack," Robert murmured into Jack's ear. "So, are we doing this, or what?"
Suddenly nervous, Jack licked his lips. "Yes."
"If you're not comfortable with anything, just say stop. Okay?"
Jack nodded and squeezed Robert's hand.
As soon as they were inside with the door locked, Robert grabbed Jack by the front of his shirt and kissed him with more ferocity and passion than Jack had ever experienced before. He'd been restrained, Jack realized. All the times they'd kissed had been sweet, Robert holding himself in check, a tiger on a leash. Now that wild beast was loose and Jack found himself pressed against the front door, hands in Robert's hair, kissing desperately back because he'd never experienced anything like this before and he didn't know - knew academically, but didn't know - where it was leading, but he wanted to go there so very badly.
Robert's hands were on the front of Jack's pants, blindly unfastening them while Jack frantically used one foot to hold his shoe down so he could pull the other foot out of it, kicking his legs free of his pants as they fell. He didn't have the brainpower to feel embarrassed at standing in front of Robert with an erection straining against his briefs because his scruffy Italian prince was kissing the side of his neck, sucking, teeth scraping, and Jack felt like his brain was going to start sizzling like a steak on Brian's grill.
Then, thankfully, Robert's mouth retreated and he tugged Jack's hand, leading him slowly and with many kisses to the bedroom where Jack pulled his shirt off and gasped at the feel of Robert's tongue against one nipple. His legs gave out and he sat, collapsing onto Robert's bed, obeying the hands urging him to scoot back and only vaguely aware that his underwear was being removed. Robert's lips traced a teasing path up one thigh, over Jack's hip, skirting his nipple, and to his jaw.
"How are you doing?" he murmured, goatee scratching by Jack's ear.
"Feels good," Jack gasped, clearly struggling to form even those two words.
Robert groaned. "Oh, Jack, I've wanted to do this to you for so long. But that was selfish. I wanted to enjoy you. But now...now I just want you to enjoy it. Anything you want me to do, tell me. If you can," he finished with a soft chuckle. "Do you want me to slow down?"
"No," Jack breathed, turning his head in search of Robert's lips. "Want more. Please."
For a moment, Robert was struck dumb. Then a smile spread across his face, incongruously gentle for the situation, and he lowered his lips to Jack's for a kiss that started tender but quickly turned desperate and broke, Robert lavishing scratchy kisses down Jack's throat while one hand teased his nipple. Jack arched his back, voicing little needy cries as Robert kissed down his stomach, teasing hand now on Jack's thigh while the other hand gently tormented the other nipple.
Then, finally, the trail of kisses reached the hot and aching center of Jack's attention and he gasped, hands clutching the sheet as if without them, he might fly off the bed and into space. Robert kissed a ring around the base of Jack's penis as if he were saying mine, mine, mine with every soft touch. Then he lifted his head, admiring the look on Jack's face for a moment before laying a kiss on the head of his penis, gentle as a butterfly's wings. The broken gasp that elicited made him smile, and with his tongue extended he lowered his head again, breathing down Jack's shaft before licking up from the base.
Jack's breath hissed in sharply, only to be exhaled as a moan that somehow sounded like Jack despaired of ever being satisfied. That, more than anything, caused Robert to slide his lips over the head of Jack's dick, licking to moisten that velvety-soft skin as he sucked and bobbed. The sounds Jack was making had him almost painfully hard, but this wasn't about him. This was about Jack, deflowering his unicorn, making sure the first sexual experience of his life was the absolute best Robert could make it.
So Robert bobbed and sucked, tongue gently probing all the sensitive places, fingers teaching Jack things he'd probably never done to his balls or stroking the bottom part of his shaft when his mouth was focused on the head. Concentrating on technique helped dampen his own need somewhat, but it came rushing back when Jack gasped his name.
Humming smugly, Robert slid Jack in deeper, feeling the tickle of pubic hair against his lips. A final cry and Jack was done, shaft pulsing against Robert's tongue as he sucked and swallowed, caressing Jack one last time with his tongue as the man sighed in helpless satisfaction.
If he was any judge, it would be about five minutes before Jack scraped his brain back together enough to talk. Quickly, Robert freed his own member and rubbed one out into a tissue before stripping the rest of the way and laying down next to his pleasantly-exhausted unicorn.
Sure enough, a handful of minutes later Jack shuddered and rolled over to press his cheek against Robert's chest.
"Was is good?" Robert teased gently, kissing Jack's hair.
An inarticulate groan was his only answer.
"Worth waiting for, I hope," he murmured.
Jack flung one arm over his chest in a possessive improvised hug.
"I'm all yours, sunshine."
Jack made another sound, but it wasn't entirely happy. Robert caressed his cheek with the backs of his knuckles.
"Jack? What's wrong?"
"I don't think I'm gonna live up to your beach dream," came the muttered response, the words muffled against Robert's chest.
That's what he was worried about?
"Jack," Robert said with maybe just a hint of pout in his voice, "I was trying to do something nice for you. You're not supposed to worry about pleasuring me, you're supposed to be enjoying having gotten your first blowjob."
The arm around him tightened. "But..."
"No. I'm saving your butt for our wedding night."
That made Jack giggle. "What about your butt?"
"Wedding. Night."
Another giggle. The silence turned comfortable and Robert turned slightly to embrace his boyfriend.
"Tonight is all about you, sunshine. I love you and I want you to be happy. If you're going to worry about me, save it for tomorrow."
"But-"
"What did I say about butts?" Robert teased.
"I feel guilty not giving back," Jack said quietly. "You said you didn't want to take, you wanted to share. I love you, and I want to share, too."
Robert laughed. "We'll share next time, I promise. And I'll teach you. Okay?"
"Okay," Jack said meekly.
"No more worrying?"
Jack lifted his head to kiss Robert gently. "It was amazing, Rob. More than worth waiting for. How do you feel about it?"
"Happy," Robert whispered. "Oh, Jack, you make me so happy and finally, finally I was able to give back."
"And are you going to still be happy in the morning?"
The kiss Robert gave him was slow and sweet. "As long as I wake up next to you, sunshine."
Jack smiled, so brilliant it took Robert's breath away. "Rob...that's the only way I want to wake up for the rest of my life."
Meltingly content, warmed by each other's bodies rather than the covers, they let sleep claim them. One year ago, they never would have dreamed their lives could ever turn out like this. Now, they couldn't imagine their lives any other way.