Chapter 24 - Together
Three months later
Dex
I’m completely exhausted from moving all my stuff into Leon’s apartment yesterday, and now I have to host a party. This sucks balls and not in a fun way.
Yesterday was moving day and Leon insisted on hiring a truck and getting Ryan and Mark to help me with the move, instead of paying professional movers for the job.
He decided this since we know strong hockey players and we wouldn’t need it.
While I appreciate that they did, in fact, carry most of the stuff upstairs, I still had to physically pack all my stuff, instead of watching a moving company pack everything for me while I would have sat down and sipped on mimosas. I know, I’ve become really spoiled.
Not to mention that apart from hosting a small get-together for a few of our friends as a sort of housewarming party for me moving into the house in a few short hours, we’ve been unpacking all morning.
Leon arranged the guest bedroom in advance for me and made it into a home office with an extra wardrobe for the overflow of clothes.
That’s really the main thing I had in terms of personal belongings apart from the furniture, but I left most of it behind when I sublet the apartment to a Chinese student for the remainder of the lease.
We did swap sofas though, once Leon got permission from his aunt Lacey to do so, since mine was much nicer.
The living room looks a bit crowded now, but we’ll make it work.
I’m not even going to mention that the desk in my home “office” looks like it’s been planted in the middle of a greenhouse. The things I do for love…
I met Aunt Lacey on video chat shortly after Leon and I got back together and I was instantly in love with her.
She has such an amazing mind and retains all of Leon’s lightness while being an introvert like me.
I can’t wait to officially meet her next summer when she comes to visit.
Speaking of Leon’s family, we also went back to Kingston and had another go at lunch with Leon’s parents a few weeks ago.
It was still awkward, to say the least, but Leon’s parents were very warm with me.
I managed to have a long, heartfelt talk with Doctor Sciend, which I can now freely call Charles.
He explained why he had to go and stop the sessions back then and I more than understood.
If my spouse were going through something like that, I would drop everything else as well.
I explained in turn why my feelings were so strong and we hugged it out in the end.
I almost cried when I realized I still got to have my surrogate father in a way, over sixteen years since I lost him.
And this was even better, since we could get to know each other in a personal environment, rather than a professional one.
After everything went so well, I’m more and more convinced that we will end up buying our own house in Kingston one day.
Commuting to the office a couple of days a week shouldn’t be so bad, but I’ll need to make partner at the firm first, while Leon will need to see how that would work for him.
I know his job can be very hands-on at times.
Maybe we will buy this apartment first from Lacey.
I’m sure she won’t mind selling as long as we keep it in the family.
We’ll have the money for it in no time, seeing that we’re both not paying any rent.
I offered to pay rent, but neither Leon nor Lacey would hear of it, so we’re just splitting utilities.
To be honest, if I had known, I might have moved in sooner.
Leon asked me almost two months ago, but I put it off for a bit.
I wanted us to be in a stronger place in our relationship, despite knowing that this is it for both of us.
When I think of Leon, all I see is forever.
It also took a while to sublet my apartment due to the high rent, but I was definitely not going to keep paying every month while I lived with Leon.
Technically, there would be no financial loss, but I’m still happy I managed to get everything sorted.
So I moved yesterday, just in time for Christmas.
We’re driving up to Kingston for Christmas Day since most of Leon’s clan will be meeting at his parents’ house, but Christmas Eve is all ours and I have activities planned.
I know I’m not really great at the emotional stuff, but I’m going all out in a few days for Leon.
The past two months, whenever I was at my place, I was secretly practicing my cooking.
While I could barely make toast before, I can now spruce up a pretty decent roast. Which is what I’ll make on the day, along with simple but delicious cookies, decadent hot chocolate topped with a small mountain’s worth of mini marshmallows.
Then I plan on taking all the blankets out from the cupboard and the galaxy lamp Leon used on our camping trip and try to recreate that night, but with Christmas movies as well.
I really want to give us a better memory, even if that night will likely forever live in my top five, but with a better ending this time.
Right now, I’m dreading having to host a party, even if it’s for like five people.
Leon is busy in the kitchen making a platter of snacks while I finish sorting my new wardrobe and move to put my bathroom products in the en-suite.
A smile blooms on my face when I realize I can officially call this now my en-suite.
Or rather, ours. Because I’m not afraid of this anymore.
I’m happy to say Leon and I are what we were always meant to be, which is together.
I feel a hand on my lower back and jump in surprise.
“Leon, Jesus, you scared the shit out of me!” I almost shout, with a hand on my chest while trying to calm my now racing heart.
“I didn’t know you were a scaredy cat.” Leon teases me.
“You were all the way in the kitchen and I didn’t hear you come in. How are you so silent when you normally trample through every room?”
“Hey!” He yells in indignation. “I do not trample.”
“You’re right, you stampede. Or bulldoze.” I say with a wide grin.
“Jerk.” He mumbles, but takes my body in for a giant hug and I melt against him.
“Ryan texted, he’ll be here in thirty.” He says with his face buried deep in my hair.
“Wait, that’s early! I thought people weren’t due for another two hours.” I sound irritated because of Ryan’s past crimes. Well, just the one, but still.
“They’re not, but he’s coming early to help set up. I told him that’s ok.” He says as he starts to slowly kiss from my ear to my collarbone, heating me up in the process.
“Well, you should have asked me. What if I had plans for us in the meantime?”
“Did you?” He asks in a low voice.
“Maybe I did.” I whisper while biting his earlobe and I get rewarded with a moan.
“I need to rinse off anyway. Plenty of time for plans if you join me in the shower.” He says back as he starts unbuttoning my jeans. As if I could ever refuse him.
I always feel great after a good shower fuck, but it takes it out of me slightly.
I want to curl up in bed and nap right now, but Ryan is due any minute.
Thanks fuck he’s late and we had time to dry off after we took our time in the shower.
There’s no better sight than a hard, dripping wet Leon and I had him inside me in under five minutes.
Since our weekend away, I’ve only topped him twice more.
He doesn’t seem to want it often, but when he does, I’m more than happy to oblige, even if I prefer the feeling of being the one getting fucked.
Or made love to, I guess, since Leon doesn’t really fuck. Not how I was used to, anyway.
The snacks are ready and the wine is chilling, so I take a seat on the couch next to Leon while I put my laptop on the coffee table in front of us.
The cuddle time with him is always the best and I love the fact that he’s somehow even more affectionate after sex.
It’s the type of care I never had in my life before meeting him and I honestly don’t know how I used to live without it.
It baffles my mind that I thought I was happy at the time, when I was just surviving, moving through the motions but not really living. With Leon, all I ever feel is alive.
“I wonder if something happened. Ryan is usually early to everything.” Leon tells me from where he’s stretched on the couch, with my body half draped over him.
“I’m sure he’s fine, with the snow coming down outside, traffic is probably heavy.” I say back as I snuggle in deeper. Maybe I can get a ten-minute nap in before we have to officially start hosting.
“Don’t know, he’s usually super early. But you’re right, it’s probably just traffic. Hey, did I tell you about my cousin Carter moving back to New York? I think I can get him a job with Kaylee.”
He’s telling me about Carter in his beautiful voice and I can feel myself drifting off to sleep.
I’m incredibly warm and comfortable in his arms. This is all I need.
A lifetime of Leon holding me and talking to me, even when we’re old and grey.
I could never tire of his stories and sunny disposition.
I’ll make sure he never tires of me either.
I wasn’t lying when I said I plan to make all his dreams come true. He deserves it all.
I’m in that fuzzy place just between being awake and asleep when I hear a knock on the door. I groan as I open my eyes and find Leon lovingly staring me down and realize he stopped talking a few minutes ago.
“Creep.” I whisper softly with a smile, but I’m enjoying the attention.
Leon chuckles softly and kisses my forehead. “It’s like looking at a painting in real life. I could look at you forever.”
I feel my cheeks flush and know I’m likely blushing. Damn Leon and his sweet, sweet words. I open my mouth to say something, what I don’t know, when a second knock comes from the door. I groan again as I bite down on Leon’s shoulder.
“I love you.” He whispers as he gives me a peck on the lips and moves to go to the door.
“Me too.” I say as I right myself, sitting on the couch like a normal person and going to open my laptop.
I don’t really have to work today, but I want to check on some accounts quickly, since I was off yesterday with the move.
I know I can trust Charlize and Preston though, they’ve been amazing and I’m excited knowing we’ll add a third to the team soon enough.
Past Dex would have felt uneasy at having to adjust to another person, but since Leon came into my life, I’m more open to new experiences and interactions.
While I’ll always be an introvert, having Leon and Macy in my life has only made it feel brighter.
I think I can even call Charlize and Preston friends now, along with Richard, even if our relationships are still mainly on the professional side.
It’s liberating to exchange personal details here and again with work colleagues, since it’s gotten to the point that everyone in the office is familiar with the name Leon.
If it’s not finance, he’s all I seem to talk about.
I start checking over the accounts to make sure they match when I hear the front door click open and turn to see Ryan walking in with a small pink box just behind Leon, when he boldly declares, as if for the whole world to hear, “I’m in love!”
Here we go.