Chapter 15 #2
He nodded. “I watch a lot when the baby is asleep. It’s something to do while you’re working, and when we’re not playing cards and such.”
“Oh, I hadn’t thought about that. Well, we’ll have to watch something together. Find a show…preferably not one about dragons.”
Everyone stopped—the ladies, Hayden, and Daniel—and they all looked at each other.
Then suddenly the four of them were just laughing hysterically—all of them howling with sheer amusement, little Jacks looking at them and every now and again and flapping his arms.
Of course, as soon as Jacks got hold of Daniel’s bacon and snatched it, that was over.
“Hey, that’s mine,” Daniel teased. “You’re supposed to ask nicely before you steal somebody’s bacon.”
Jacks shot him a sweet, adorable little grin that made him cackle. “Da!”
“There you go. That’s right. Always ask first—even your daddy.”
Hayden waggled his eyebrows before going to grab him another plate, heavy on the bacon. “You’re so good with him. He hasn’t tried to bite you even once today.”
“I think actually Rita and Denise explained to him that wasn’t very nice.” Not to mention the fact that it was still pretty damn early in the day.
Jacks blew a raspberry, made grabby hands at the bacon, and then started watching the float with Sesame Street on it. He gasped, little mouth making an ‘o’.
Ah, all babies loved Sesame Street . And Daniel understood why. It was the perfect thing.
Hayden laughed. “Who is that Jacks? Is that Elmo?”
Jacks squealed and waved his little arms in time to the song that they were playing on the Sesame Street float, which was a pretty neat trick for a baby that age.
By the time the parade was over, though, Jacks was drooping again. Daniel changed him and gave him a bottle so he could go down for his nap while they watched the dog show and cooked.
Apparently, Rita and Denise were football fans, but Hayden wasn’t. So the ladies compromised by turning the little flat-screen TV in the kitchen on to the ball game.
Daniel loved how this was so much of a family. It wasn’t the kind that he was used to, but it didn’t matter. It was perfect.
Except that there were dragons, and that he wasn’t going to think about it because he’d already said it.
Hayden came wandering in after a little while and put his arms around Daniel, resting his chin on Daniel’s head. “Is there anything I can do? Jacks is so asleep that I don’t think he needs me out there watching over him.”
“I think we’ve got it well in hand.” Denise said. “Why don’t you and Daniel go watch the dog show? Daniel made rolls for us. They’re proofing now. “
“Daniel, I knew you were a man of many talents, but that’s amazing. Bread is hard.”
Daniel laughed because the ladies had both rolled their eyes, but he knew Hayden didn’t cook a lot. He could assemble food, and it seemed he was a champion griller, but not much of a cook.
“I can do that. I’ve been useful long enough.” Daniel untied his apron. “What group is on now?”
“I think it’s the working group. All the big dogs.”
They moved out to the main room quietly just so they didn’t wake up Jacks and snuggled on the couch together, Hayden pulling down a blanket so they could cuddle up.
Sure enough, they were on the dogs like the Great Pyrenees and the St. Bernard, which would be the kind of dogs they needed here, if they were going to have one.
“Have you ever thought about having a dog?” Daniel asked.
“I have, but I thought I’d wait until Jacks is a little bit older. He needs to know that not everything is a dragon and therefore they’re more fragile than we are.”
“But what, you were just going to throw him at me when you thought I was human?”
“I wouldn’t have let you get hurt, love.”
“Uh-huh. I see how you are.” He poked Hayden’s ribs.
Hayden rolled his eyes. “I know, I’m a terrible, terrible dragon.”
“You’re a great dragon, I’m just not sure you’re a great boss.”
“Harsh. How am I as a lover?’
Daniel reached up to stroke Hayden’s cheek. “You’re amazing, and I wouldn’t trade you for anything.”
“See, that’s much better. That’s what I want to hear.” Hayden kissed his hand.
“Never let it be said that I don’t know how to please.” He bared his teeth at Hayden as if he was being sarcastic, but honestly he wasn’t.
“Don’t make me bite you,” Hayden growled, and Daniel tossed his head.
“I’m not scared of you. I can take it. I managed to not go crazy when you turned into a giant fire-breathing dragon. I’m fine.” He offered Hayden a wild grin. “Hell, I even had sex with you again. Some people wouldn’t have sex with a giant lizard.”
He waggled his eyebrows at Hayden, who glared, the look fierce but completely and totally adorable.
“You know, I could just chicken-fry you right where you are.”
He shook his head. “No, no, no, you could barbecue me, maybe. But chicken frying requires batter.”
Hayden bared his teeth. “How about roasting?”
“Now, roasting? That would work. Totally, totally. You could roast me.” He leaned forward so no one else could possibly overhear. “In fact, if you did it while I was riding, it would be like roasting me on a spit…”
Hayden’s eyes went wide, and he lunged forward, tickling Daniel, fingertips digging into his ribs and making him howl with laughter.
“Careful you’ll wake up the baby,” he warned.
“If the baby wakes up, it’s your fault. You said that…that thing. That’s awful.” Hayden couldn’t stop laughing in between the words. “Absolutely terrible.”
“I love a good pun. Or a bad one, for that matter.”
“And I love a good ride.” Hayden raised his eyebrows, waggling them like mad.
He took Hayden’s face between his hands, leaned forward, and kissed his dragon softly. “Happy Thanksgiving. I am so glad I’m here with you, and Jacks, and everyone else. But you… I’m glad I’m here with you .”
“Oh, sweet mate.” Hayden’s arms wrapped around him and tucked him in close. “I’ve waited for you for millennia, and I’m so glad that I found you. I’d stopped looking. I just assumed it would never happen to me, that I would never have a family, a love, and now... now I just do.”
Daniel nodded because he wasn’t going anywhere. No matter what the challenges were, this little boy needed to be taught, and to be adored, and to be cared for. That was important. He understood that.
More than anything, he realized that he and Hayden were building something amazing.
He may not grasp it all right now, and he may not believe some of it even. But Daniel got it on a soul level, and that was the important part. He was so gone, he was so fucked when it came to this man or this dragon or whatever, and he loved his life.
So he just kissed Hayden on the nose, then on the mouth, smiling all the while.
When he heard, I’m glad I’m here too. With you, he knew he was ensnared. Completely.