It's been a full six weeks since Cullen first met Dorian. Five weeks since their first date, and a month since that night they stayed up all night talking, Dorian pouring out his soul to Cullen.

Dorian confessed that he and his father had a very strained relationship. His father had been trying to force him into an arranged marriage with the heiress of another wealthy family, to solidify the Pavus empire. Dorian wanted none of it. He had no plans to marry a woman and produce an heir just to please his father. To be forced to smile and laugh publicly with some woman he didn't love at his side, while he screamed on the inside. No, that just wouldn't do for Dorian.

Cullen's hatred for men like Halward Pavus only deepened after that night, but his heart softened for Dorian. He realized that Dorian wasn't quite the spoiled, rich brat he originally assumed he was.

After that night they saw each other often. Dorian had literally nothing else better to do, so he showered Cullen with as much attention as he could. He would show up at the precinct with coffee and donuts, and on weekends he planned picnics at the park and long walks along the riverside. When Cullen could get away they'd go out for dinner and drinks, and Cullen learned to expand his palette beyond just burgers and fries.

Tonight Cullen decided to give Dorian a little surprise. He invited him over to his apartment but didn't tell him why. Cullen spent all afternoon in the kitchen preparing one of his favorite home cooked meals, lasagna. He was hardly a chef, but there were a few dishes he cooked well, when he had a reason to cook for someone other than himself. He hadn't yet told Dorian that he possessed this talent, and smiled inwardly at himself as he carefully set the small dining table with two place settings, and lit the candles he had purchased.

Minutes later there was a knock on the door.

Cullen quickly checked himself in the mirror, pushing one unruly blonde curl back into place and straightening his shirt before moving to open the door.

"Right on time I see," Cullen said, smiling warmly at Dorian, beckoning him to enter.

"Yes, I find that fashionably late is so passé these days," Dorian said with a chuckle. "Here, this is for you," Dorian said blushing, handing Cullen a single red rose.

Cullen accepted it happily, giving Dorian a peck on the cheek. "Thank you."

Cullen went to grab the new vase he'd purchased, and soon had the rose adorning the center of the dining table. Dorian followed and took in the scene before him. "Oh my, what's the occasion?"

"Well, it's been six-weeks since we first met," Cullen admitted with a blush. "I decided it was time we had a romantic, candle-light dinner. Just the two of us."

"Take out or delivery?" Dorian asked.

Cullen laughed. "Neither. I cooked."

"You cook?" Dorian said, surprised.

"I'm not a five-star chef, but I do know my way around the kitchen," Cullen admitted. "I made my best dish, lasagna. It should be just about ready."

Moments later they were seated at the small table, Cullen serving Dorian a piece of the freshly made lasagna while Dorian was pouring two glasses of wine.

Cullen raised his glass in a simple toast. "To us and the best six-weeks I've had in a very long time."

Dorian smiled. "To us."

Cullen looked expectantly at Dorian as he began to take his first taste of the lasagna. Dorian actually moaned. "Mmm this is ... good!"

Cullen blushed at the praise. "Good, I'm glad you like it. It's my mother's recipe."

Cullen was amused by how eagerly Dorian dug into the rest of his meal, washing it down with the red wine.

"That was absolutely marvelous Cullen," Dorian smiled. "I'm going to have to insist you cook more often."

"How...are things with your father?" Cullen asked, pouring them each another glass of wine.

"Still strained," Dorian admitted with a sigh. "I do wish he'd see reason. I am never going to marry Livia. I would have thought I had made that abundantly clear by now."

Cullen nodded, and reached out to take Dorian's hand. "I'm sorry you have to deal with that. At least my family accepted long ago that I may never marry or have children. I guess it helps that I have several siblings so the Rutherford name will go on, with or without me."

Dorian squeezed Cullen's hand. "I wish my father had had the foresight to produce more than one child, then I wouldn't be in this predicament in the first place."

Cullen then got up and cleared the table, putting away the rest of the lasagna. He then took the wine and moved to the living room. He and Dorian sat next to each other on the couch, and Dorian moved closer, putting his head on Cullen's shoulder, wrapping himself around Cullen's arm. "Is this...ok?"

"Yeah, that's fine," Cullen said smiling, squeezing one of Dorian's hands.

They had been taking everything very slow, not even sharing a first kiss. Yet. Neither of them wanted to rush into anything. They focused their time on getting to know each other. Cullen still struggled with his emotions, not wanting to risk his heart. He'd been through heartbreak before and it left him overcautious.

Yet here he sat next to a man that, until about five weeks ago, he'd hated. Well, perhaps he hadn't hated Dorian specifically, but he'd hated what he thought Dorian was.

Over the past few weeks, as Cullen got to know Dorian as a person he began to realize that he had developed feelings for him. He was both happy and terrified at that. Happy that his heart had healed enough to allow him the chance to develop feelings for someone again. Terrified that Dorian wouldn't have the patience to go as slow as Cullen needed to, or worse, break his heart.

Feeling Dorian's head on his chest, his arms hugging his arm, made Cullen's heart flutter. Without even thinking, he turned and kissed the top of Dorian's head softly.

Dorian shifted and looked at Cullen, hope, instead of sadness, reflected in his storm-grey eyes. Cullen reached out to caress Dorian's cheek, tracing his thumb over his cheekbone.

"Dorian," Cullen said quietly. "I...I very much enjoy your company. I am starting to care about you, more than I thought possible."

Dorian looked so happy at the declaration, tears threatening to crest in his eyes. Those beautiful, expressive eyes. "Oh Cullen, I'm so glad you allowed me to court you. I fell for you the moment we met. I care about you...so much."

Cullen took a deep breath. "I know I've been holding back. I'm...still scared of where this is headed. I had my heart broken once. It nearly broke me. I need to be...sure, before I can give my heart away again. Can you continue to have patience with me?"

Dorian nodded. "Yes, Cullen. As long as I can spend time with you, I'll wait as long as you need me to."

Cullen breathed a sigh of relief, placing a chaste kiss on Dorian's forehead.

They spent the rest of the evening cuddled together on the sofa, watching television in companionable silence.