21. Volt
Volt
“Anything look good?” Volt asked, coming up behind Wallace to nestle that deliciously bouncy ass and curvy shoulders against his front. He nibbled at Wallace’s neck as he peeked over his baby’s shoulder.
Wallace made an affirmative hum as he scrolled through the options on the chefbot’s screen.
It was pulling recipes from the internet, with attached pictures, based on the ingredients in Prism’s kitchen.
Volt tried to keep it stocked with things that Magnolia and Wallace liked, but as someone who didn’t eat himself, he had to take their word for it that he was getting it right.
He was pleased when Wallace scrolled back to the top and selected a prepared soup from the freezer and a hearty sandwich with the fresh ingredients that Volt had ordered for the week.
Volt pulled him back as the chefbot whirled into motion. Pincers, blades, and glove-like hands popped out in front of its two working faces, simultaneously chopping a tomato, warming the soup, toasting the bread, dicing an avocado, and washing the lettuce.
“Soup and a sandwich?” Volt asked, his velvety cheek rubbing against the stubble on Wallace’s neck. They hadn’t had time this morning for Wallace to shave, and Volt was enjoying the contrast.
“Yep,” Wallace answered with a happy hum. “The cheeses you ordered this week look tasty. Thank you for taking care of me, Daddy.”
Volt could feel himself grinning. Both because he’d gotten it right—with the benefit of daily pictures of Wallace’s lunches to guide him—but also because he knew that Wallace worried about his weight, or at least what people might think about it, but he didn’t seem to be as concerned about it now.
“Of course, baby. Daddy loves taking care of you.”
Wallace leaned back, letting Volt take more of his weight as they swayed together. Almost like dancing, but more about being close.
These were the little moments that Volt lived for. The ones that he’d never been quite able to put a name to, but had been missing from all of his relationships before. Cuddling in the kitchen. Lazily watching the chefbot.
No big events or fancy dates, just being in each other’s presence.
And Wallace loved him!
He still couldn’t get over that fact.
Maybe it was time for him to finally open up to Wallace about some of the other things he’d been thinking about over the past few weeks.
There was a lot he’d been thinking about.
His identity. His role at Prism. Their relationship.
And money. Always money. It pulled at him and stressed him out, but maybe if he talked with Wallace about it…
It was terrifying to contemplate, but after the bank yesterday, he was almost ready to take Wallace up on his offer for a loan.
And if Wallace loved him, really loved him, that shouldn’t change anything, should it?
Volt took a few more steps back, pulling Wallace with him, and settled into a chair with Wallace on his lap, just where he ought to be.
Wallace giggled—that would never get old—and curled up against him, sideways so he could loop an arm around Volt’s neck.
“So, what’s this about not letting me visit your apartment?” Volt asked, his voice teasingly light.
He wasn’t sure why he’d started that way. In fact, he hadn’t even known he was going to say it, when he was gearing himself up to share some pretty personal things.
“Oh!” Wallace blushed, eyes darting away.
“Nothing, Daddy. Just, uh… I’m having some work done on the apartment so it’s not, uh…
I mean, it’s not a good time to come over right now.
Maybe in a few weeks.” He looked up hopefully, like his cuteness would somehow make Volt overlook the fact that he was obviously lying.
Volt’s eyebrows narrowed. Was he supposed to ignore that? They were both supposed to trust each other, right?
And Volt was thinking about sharing some pretty big stuff.
He wasn’t sure why this was sticking at him just… What was Wallace hiding?
“Work?” he asked.
“Yeah, uh, like remodeling,” Wallace nodded brightly, though something was still off. “There’s, like, dust and equipment and stuff all over the place. Paint fumes, you know?”
Was that true? Why would Wallace be lying about it?
But then, if there were dust and paint fumes in the air—which might minorly annoy Volt’s sensory inputs but could potentially make Wallace sick—why hadn’t Volt heard about it before?
“Should you be staying there while they’re working?” Volt asked.
Wallace blushed and squirmed again. “I’m fine, Daddy. I’ve stayed here on some of the worst nights. I just… didn’t want to bother you with it.”
Now Volt didn’t know what to think. If Wallace was lying about this… why? What did he have to hide? Another lover?
The thought was sickening, but also so outlandish as to seem impossible. Wallace was introverted to the bone and had been miserable in all of his past relationships, so there was no reason for him to seek another one out. Plus, Wallace loved him, right?
But if Wallace really were getting his apartment remodeled and struggling with dust and fumes, why hadn’t he come to his Daddy with the problem in the first place? Volt would have been happy to have him over more often.
“You should have told me,” he said, harsher than he meant to. “That stuff’s not good for you.”
“Sorry, Daddy.” Wallace truly did look sorry. “I don’t even think about things like my apartment when I’m with you, and when I’m not with you I’m usually thinking about work and my father and… The workers are really only there while I’m at work anyway.”
Volt didn’t like it, but there wasn’t really anything he could do, was there?
Wallace searched his face. “I should have told you, Daddy,” he finally said. “I should have come here and let you take care of me.”
“Yes, you should have,” Volt told him sternly, though he still felt a little off. A little jittery, though he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.
They’d agreed that they weren’t going to be Daddy and boy all the time. They could be boyfriends, too. And boyfriends didn’t always have to solve each other’s problems. Or even tell each other about remodeling work in their apartments if their minds were somewhere else.
“Turkey club sandwich and lentil soup,” the chefbot announced, interrupting Volt’s thoughts to deposit the items on the table in a series of quiet clanks and thuds.
“Thank you,” Wallace said automatically, which at least caused Volt’s lips to twitch upward.
It was a chefbot, without even a glimmer of the spark of sentience. Yet Wallace had thanked it anyway. It was just too cute.
The chefbot, not programmed for niceties, trundled away to stand still in its accustomed spot.
Wallace turned on Volt’s lap toward the table. He blew on the soup, tasted the edge of a spoonful, which was apparently too hot, and then abandoned it for a bite of sandwich.
“Do you want dessert?” Volt asked, eager to change the subject.
“Oh! You mean your amazing brownies?” Wallace looked longingly in the vague direction of the chefbot.
“Maybe if I still have room after I eat all of this. Though now I’ve got tarts on the brain.
Er…” He turned toward Volt, looking concerned.
“Not that we need to go get them or anything. They just sounded good when Magnolia was describing them.” Wallace deposited a sweet kiss on Volt’s cheek.
“Thanks for trying to get them for me yesterday.”
Now Volt was the one who was lying. Or at least half lying.
“Uh, I actually kind of forgot. The place was open, but the bank took longer than I was expecting, and then there was the whole thing with Colton, and then the cutest sub on the planet told me he was in love with me…” He smiled up at Wallace, wanting to get this whole day back on track.
He’d woken up so happy. He didn’t want to think about anything awful.
Wallace, pleased, rewarded him with a smooch.
“I am in love with you, Daddy,” Wallace told him, those beautiful brown eyes shining.
“And I am completely and hopelessly in love with you, too,” Volt admitted.
He let the joy of those words fall over him and wrap around him. Just speaking it out loud had his circuits fluttering, and hearing it back from his baby boy was like nothing on earth.
Volt brushed their lips together, letting their breath mingle in a sensuous dance.
Wallace’s eyes fell closed, and he whimpered as Volt teased, eager for every touch but letting Volt choose how each would happen. He was the perfect submissive, not just giving up control but making it a gift every time.
Time fell away as Volt licked at the corner of his mouth, then nipped at his bottom lip, never deepening their kiss but spinning their souls together.
Wallace’s hands clenched at Volt’s shirt, whispered cries of “Daddy!” falling from his lips… just as his stomach rumbled.
Volt chuckled. “I guess I have to let you eat, huh?”
Wallace shrugged, wriggling his ass on Daddy’s lap. “I’m not going anywhere,” he answered sassily.
Volt grinned, loving that new confidence in his sub. He never would have said something like that a few months ago.
“Nope, but you can eat while you’re here,” Volt told him, bodily turning him back toward the table.
Wallace gave a rueful grin—he loved being manhandled—and obligingly turned toward his soup to take a bite. “Mmmm… I really don’t know how this soup is so good. I should get the recipe from your chefbot and send it to mine.”
With a thought, Volt found the recipe and sent it to Wallace’s email. “Done. You can download it when you’re ready.”
“Oh! Thank you, Daddy.” He took another bite, humming happily. “So, what happened at the bank?” he asked casually. “I assume you’re keeping some financial stuff from Magnolia, but is there anything I can help with?”
Volt stiffened, hands locking into place on his sides where they’d been stroking, but he forced himself to unclench. He’d like to think that Wallace wouldn’t have noticed—it had been seventy milliseconds—but of course, Wallace probably had.
“You don’t have to tell me, of course,” Wallace added, then quickly took a bite of his sandwich.