Chapter Fourteen #2
“Then what are we waiting for?” Robin was having a great time.
He enjoyed being with Dean, but what shocked him was it had nothing to do with the sex.
He loved every minute he spent in Dean’s house.
Sharing lunch, untangling the lights to go on the tree, trying decorations in different places and asking Dean’s opinion, playing with Loki when the kitten got too interested in the goings-on…
It had to be one of the best days ever.
Dean was right about one thing. By the time they had covered the wooden posts with lights, starting from the bottom, winding them around and around until they reached the top, it was time to switch them on.
Dean had attached the wires to the underside of the porch, snaking them through two little holes, one on each side of the door.
Then he’d gone inside to insert the wires into their transformers.
“Are we ready for the switch on?” he called from inside.
“Totally. Hit it.” Robin caught his breath as the hundreds of colored lights burst into life. “Oh man, that looks awesome.” Dean joined him, standing beside him on the porch.
He grabbed Robin’s hand and tugged him along the path to the sidewalk. “We have to see what it looks like from the street.”
They stood facing the house, and that familiar festive warmth crept through Robin, the tingle of anticipation he always got as Christmas drew closer. He spied the Christmas tree with its covering of tiny white lights through the window.
“I love it,” he said quietly.
Dean’s hand came to rest on his shoulder. “So do I.” He paused. “Do you have to go home soon?”
Robin shook his head. “I told them I’d be out for dinner, but I promised I wouldn’t be home late.” He was wondering how late he could push it.
“So if I suggested we watch a movie, and maybe eat something later?”
Robin loved that idea. “Have you got a movie in mind?”
“I think in the circumstances, it had better be something Christmassy.” Dean grinned. “It can be your choice.”
Robin couldn’t think of a better way to end his day. Well, except for making out on the couch, should the opportunity present itself.
One particular region of his anatomy was definitely off limits.
Dean had never enjoyed decorating his house so much.
The tree looked wonderful in the corner, all lights and sparkle. It was always the same. Once the tree was up, that holiday magic was back. But Robin being there was the icing on the cake.
Or maybe that should be the angel on top of the tree?
He glanced across to where Robin sat beside him on the couch, now and again absently reaching into the bowl that contained the popcorn, his eyes focused on the TV screen.
Dean had been surprised by Robin’s choice of movie.
He’d never heard of Let It Snow, but the moment Robin had found it on Netflix, Dean knew that was going to be the movie.
It was okay as movies went, though Dean suspected it was aimed at a younger audience than his thirty-two years.
Robin clearly loved it, and that was fine in Dean’s book.
What he liked even more was that Robin sat closer to him now than he had been at the start of the movie. He’d casually moved closer in increments, and that was all kinds of cute. Dean decided to make it easier for him.
He picked up the remote and paused the movie. Robin jerked his head to stare at him in obvious surprise. Dean stretched out his arm. “Wanna cuddle while we watch?”
Oh my God. The light in Robin’s eyes was beautiful to see.
“I’d really like that,” Robin said shyly. He scootched over, closing the remaining gap between them, and snuggled against Dean, his head on his chest.
Great as it felt, it wasn’t going to work.
“Isn’t that kind of awkward for watching the movie?” Dean patted his thigh. “Put your head here. You can stretch out on the couch and get comfortable, and I get to hold you while you watch.”
Robin smiled, shifting his position until his head rested on Dean’s thigh. Dean laid his hand on Robin shoulder, stroking it.
Robin’s happy sigh was better than any Christmas movie.
There was no putting it off any longer. Robin had to go home.
Dean helped him into his coat and walked with him to the front door. “I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a wonderful day.”
Robin smiled. “Me too. All of it.” Judging by Dean’s beaming smile, it was the right thing to say.
“With such a perfect day, there’s only one way to end it.
” And before Robin could inquire what that was, Dean pulled him into his arms and kissed him.
Robin locked his arms around Dean’s neck and deepened the kiss, desperate to hold on to what remained of the day.
Dean made a low noise of appreciation, sliding his hands lower to cup Robin’s ass, molding him against Dean’s body.
“You are not helping,” Robin ground out.
“I can’t help it,” Dean murmured. “I start kissing you, and I don’t want to stop there.” With obvious reluctance he released Robin, and opened the front door. “Text me when you get home?”
Robin smirked. “It’s a ten-minute bike ride. I don’t think I’m gonna get lost or ambushed, do you?”
Dean chuckled. “I wasn’t suggesting it from the safety angle. It was more of a ‘let me know when you’re in bed so I can say good night’ sort of suggestion.”
Robin could deal with that. “Okay then.” God, this was hard.
Dean sighed, then closed the door again, before taking Robin’s mouth in a lingering kiss. “Fuck, you’re addictive.”
Laughter bubbled up out of him. “Ditto. But if I’m late back, they’re not gonna be happy the next time I go out. And we can’t have that, can we?”
Dean laughed too. “I’m finding it most amusing that of the two of us, you’re the one acting more mature.” He opened the door again. “Good night, baby.”
Robin caught his breath. “For the record? I loved it when you called me that while we were… upstairs. I love it even more now.”
Dean took hold of his hand. “About what we did… upstairs. I can’t wait till we’re upstairs again.”
Robin couldn’t resist. “Maybe next time we might try it downstairs.” He bit his lip. “As long as you remember to close the drapes first.” He stepped outside, grabbed his bike, and wheeled it down the path to the sidewalk where he paused to look back at Dean’s very festive house.
Dean mouthed Goodbye and then Thank you.
It was all Robin could do to stop himself from blowing Dean a kiss. He’s thanking me? Dean had brought Robin’s fantasies to life.
But now it was time to go home.
Robin had almost finished his breakfast when his phone buzzed on the table next to his plate.
Dad chuckled. “Someone’s popular. It’s only eight o’clock.”
“It’s probably Ryan,” Mom commented. “Say hi for us.”
“’Kay.” Warmth barreled through him when he saw it was a text from Dean. Robin picked up his phone and opened the message.
I still haven’t put up Santa and his reindeer. If you want to come over, you could help me blow him up. We might find something else to blow too.
Okay, Robin was pretty sure his cheeks were bright red.
“Earth calling Robin.”
He glanced up to find his dad regarding him with obvious amusement. “Huh?”
“Where did you go to?”
Robin frowned. “Excuse me?”
“You were lost in your own little world just now.” Dad’s eyes twinkled. “That must be a really interesting text.”
“It’s from Ben.” The lie sped up his heartbeat. “He’s wondering what I’m doing now.”
Dad helped himself to more coffee. “He could always come here, you know. You don’t have to go to his place. And I’m pretty sure a PlayStation is mobile.”
Mom cleared her throat. “Maybe Robin doesn’t want to be around us. He spends all week with you. He doesn’t have to spend the weekend with you too.”
Robin’s chest tightened and his stomach roiled. “I’ll stay home.”
To his surprise, Dad frowned. “No, you go out. Your mom is right. You work hard all week, you did your chores yesterday… You deserve some downtime.”
“Are you sure?”
Dad nodded. “Hey, if I’m allowed to relax on the weekend, so are you.” He smirked. “Only, you can clear the table first.” When Robin lurched to his feet and started piling up the dishes, Dad laughed. “You might wait till I finished though.”
“I thought you’d want that last piece of toast,” Mom added.
Slow it down. Act natural.
Yeah right.
Half an hour later, he was walking his bike up Dean’s front path. Dean opened the front door with a grin. “Wow. It seems like ages since you were here.”
Robin rolled his eyes. “Please, tell me you’ve got something for blowing up Santa. I don’t think I’ve got that much breath.”
Dean laughed. “I have a compressor. Save your breath for more important tasks.”
It didn’t take a genius to work out what that meant. Not that Robin was about to complain.
He followed Dean into the house where a large box sat in the hallway.
Dean pointed to it. “Santa is in there. The first thing we’d better do is check there are no holes in him.
Not that I think there are mice in my garage, nibbling away at him.
” He glanced quizzically at Robin. “Where are you today? Ben’s again? ”
There was that tightness again in his chest. “I didn’t actually say as much, but yeah, I let them think that.”
Dean’s eyes were warm. “Something’s wrong.”
“I feel guilty, is all. I hate lying to them.”
Dean walked up to him and laid his hands on Robin’s shoulders. “Do you want to stop coming here? Because soon, we’ll get a whole weekend together.”
Robin’s heart sank. “I don’t want to stay away,” he whispered.
Dean cradled Robin’s head in his hands. “I don’t want you to either. I loved spending yesterday with you. And I’m not only talking about having you in my bed.”
The memories of lying beneath the comforter with Dean had warmed Robin late into the night. “About that… Can we…?”
Dean stilled. “Can we what?”
Robin took a breath. “Can we go upstairs, get in bed… and snuggle? Just snuggle?”
Dean’s eyes sparkled. “Sure we can. And if we need to take another nap, so be it.” Then he smiled. “Only, we haven’t said hello properly yet.”
Robin was all for that. He stood on his tiptoes, cupped the back of Dean’s head, and pulled him down into a kiss that warmed him both inside and out. It didn’t take long for Dean to deepen the kiss, and Robin opened for him, wanting more.
God, I need this. It was more than kissing, more than feeling Dean’s gentle hands on his neck, his shoulders.
It was… reconnecting.
Dean broke the kiss, his breath quickening. “Remind me again. Why are you here?”
Robin grinned. “I thought I was here to blow something.”
Dean laughed. “I thought you wanted to snuggle.”
“Who says we can’t do both?” To Robin’s mind, it sounded like the perfect way to spend a Sunday morning. They’d get around to blowing up Santa eventually.
Maybe.