Two GUYS are KISSING (eeeew, kissing) in this chapter! *gasp* If you don't like that: RUN!!!
"You didn't have to do that," Cedric said and watched the tiny dog licking Ian's ear. "Taking him with you, I mean."
"I know," Ian answered in a light voice, giggling and putting the puppy down again. "But he might be your sister's and then it all would have been very complicated if they had brought him to the animal shelter."
"But does he really need five toys?" Cedric sounded quite unsure. It was the same tone he had used when they strolled the aisles, buying everything necessary for the furry ball. Now, sitting in Ian's little kitchen, he didn't look any more convinced than back in the shop.
"Don't listen to him," Ian cooed to the little dog shaking it's head wildly with a stuffed goose nearly as big as the whole dog between it's teeth. "Sure you need them all."
The puppy tripped over it's own paws and rolled around on the floor, growling, still attacking the stuffed animal.
Cedric felt his face light up with a smile.
But he wasn't watching the puppy.
His eyes drank in the sight of Ian laughing with sparkling eyes, rubbing one hand unconsciously over his flat belly while he watched the antics of the little fur ball.
Then his phone rang and with a sigh he answered to tell his mother everything that had happened.
An hour later, he was still pacing the wonderfully soft dark carpet in the living room, Cedric's stomach began to gurgle from all the wonderful aromas coming in from the kitchen and tickling his nose.
"That's so sweet of you to stay at a hotel and give us some room in the honey moon phase," his mother said for at least the seventh time and Cedric had to admit that it hurt more and more every time. "And we will call you if we hear anything about your sister," his mother promised.
She had adapted to the couples plural the day she met that man on her journey around the world. He couldn't remember her saying "I" once since he got the call that his mother was to marry again as soon as she was back in England.
It had been the fifth time for her, saying "I do", and the third time for her new husband.
Rubbing his tired eyes when getting back to the kitchen, Ian patted his shoulder blade.
"Everything's ready for eating. Come sit!"
With a grateful little sigh, Cedric fell rather ungraceful on one of the chairs at the little kitchen table for two.
Ian put a perfectly looking rib eye on his plate and set it on the table in front of him.
There was a bowl with potato wedges from the oven and another one with veggies.
"This tastes like heaven," Cedric said after they ate for a while in silence.
Ian grinned, taking a sip from his beer bottle.
"You need the energy. Tough times ahead."
"Thanks for reminding me," Cedric muttered, taking a sip himself but felt an answering smile tug at the corner for his mouth when he met Ian's ever cheerful eyes.
After the meal, they helped together to clean up the kitchen. Ian let the tap fill the sink with hot water and started to put everything into the bubbles that Cedric piled up beside him.
When the dog zipped through between them, Cedric stumbled and the bowl he was holding broke into pieces on the tile floor.
"I'm so sorry," he told Ian, crouching down immediately and gathering the big shards in his hands.
"Christ," he yelped nearly in the same moment when one of the pieces cut his thumb and all the shards tumbled to the ground again.
Cedric pressed his eye lids together, to hold in the stupid tears threatening to fall with burning and prickling.
"It's okay," Ian said in an amused tone and suddenly two big hands where holding Cedric's face.
That was too much and Cedric was unable to hold the tears back. He wasn't able to remember when someone touched him so lovingly and to his utter shame he started to cry while he held his hurt thumb in the other hand.
"It's okay," Ian said again and shifted them around until he sat leaning against one leg of the kitchen table, Cedric gathered in his arms.
And suddenly it felt okay to Cedric to just be overwhelmed by everything that happened in the last few weeks and mounted into this suckfest of a day.
"I think I got blood on your shirt," Cedric hiccuped a while later, trying for a watery smile.
"Want to be blood brothers?" Ian grinned with an arched brow.
Cedric joined his chuckle.
"And please tell me what I owe you for the bowl. It's a good porcelain, so I should inform the home contents insurance for them to take care of it. But I could always..."
He was silenced when Ian's lips made it impossible for Cedric to go on.
His eyes widened in shock and he made a weird little sound, but a second later he found himself reciprocating the soft press and tender movements until his eyes closed like Ian's.
"Believe me now that it's okay?" Ian asked with a smirk in his voice, leaning his forehead against Cedric's.
Lost for words, all Cedric could do was nod. His lips still tingled and his heart beat fast. It was the first happy drum roll it gave on this day.
He wanted to kiss Ian again, badly.
"Why don't you go take a shower and I clean up here and then we can hang and watch some telly?" Ian asked, nudging Cedric's nose with the tip of this.
Excitement raced through Cedric from the loving gesture.
"Okay," he croaked, fairly certain he just fell in love.
Yay, they kissed! Are you excited?
Photo: Just some eye candy for everyone who enjoys it or is currently trying to refrain the sugar candy. Guys and dogs. Seems to be a thing.
Anyways, have a great day and see you tomorrow :-)