Eight
Roman froze in his spot when he heard those words; it was already starting.
"Dean?" he said softly.
His boyfriend turned around, eyes widening at the sight of him. "Roman? You're home!"
"Yeah. The school is being thoroughly checked for the "goat" so we were given the day off. How do you feel?"
"I feel okay. Why?"
"Well, we never talked about last night. You were staring at those kids and-"
"I'm fine. I was just mesmerised about the whole thing."
"Dean, that was a messed up thing they did."
"It was… quite the show. They were welcoming me… into their family."
Roman growled then, pulling him so hard into his arms that their chests collided. "I'm your family, dammit! Me! Not a bunch of crazy kids from the underworld."
"A part of me is from that world."
"But all of you is mine. You're my soulmate. Not his. Mine. And I will not let you go, Dean. I've loved you for so long that I-"
"They're my family, Roman. Like it or not."
The doorbell rang interrupting their conversation.
"We'll continue this later," Roman told him. "I think they're here."
"Who?" Dean asked.
"My family."
"I think it sounds romantic," Naomi squealed.
Roman smiled at her enthusiasm. He was grateful for it; heck, he needed it. "Thanks, Nao."
He had called his family down to discuss what he had planned to do for Dean on his way back and to his delight, everyone was on board including Jimmy.
"I'm our teach!" Jey announced, putting his orange juice down.
"Guess the rest of us are the students then," Jimmy commented. "I think we can pull this off. I know Nia and Tamina will be down for this." Roman's two other cousins had gone out with Dean to buy some takeout.
Joe, who had just met them, was enthusiastic too. "I don't mind. I think it sounds nice. Especially after all the things your mother has been saying about him… I'd be happy to."
"Thanks, you guys," Roman replied. "I have a rough idea of what I want and how I want it to be. Mrs Ambrose will be making Dean's favorite breakfast and I'll be placing a card telling him where to go."
Jey stroked his chin. "So it's like a trip down memory lane?"
"Yeah basically."
"Sounds great. Can't wait."
"So what are you starting with?"
"I've gotten permission from the school to use the classroom and the gym. So can you guys be there by say eight?"
Jimmy pouted. "It's a Saturday, Uce."
"Oh Jimmy, shush!" Naomi teased. "We'll be there, Ro."
Roman grinned cheekily at Jimmy. "I knew I could count on your wife."
"Of course you would," his cousin concurred.
The image of last night's event came to his mind again. Roman sat up straighter. "There is something else. As you guys probably know, tomorrow we will be two weeks ago from the red moon. Dean's already transitioning as we speak."
"What do you mean?"
Roman shared with them about the children and the burning surroundings including Dean's reaction to it. "He said they were welcoming him into their family."
Joe shook his head. "I'll work on it."
"I have no idea how to act, to be honest. I don't want to lose Dean to the dark side but as it is, I'm not sure how I'll be able to stop it. I just hope that this trip down memory lane is enough. Otherwise, I'm not sure what else to do to reach him."
"So you'll just let him go?" Jey asked.
"Never."
"I'm sorry I spoilt your sleep last night," Dean apologised while Roman and him sat on the couch watching Carrie on television later that night after dinner. "I'll make it up to you tomorrow."
"It's okay," Roman replied, shoving some popcorn in his mouth. "Besides, you're paying for it already."
Well, in a sense it was true, Dean silently acknowledged. He had to sit through a horror movie with Roman for at least half an hour more. And as always, he had been hiding and peeking from behind his boyfriend's shoulder on and off. "Maybe we can do something tomorrow…"
"I've got something on so…"
This was a first. "Oh. When did you plan this… thing?"
"Uh… just last week."
This wasn't like Roman: planning things without asking Dean if he had any first. "Roman-"
"It'll be a fast one."
"How fast?"
"A couple of hours. Then we'll go out."
"Where will you be going?"
"Out."
"I know you're going out but-"
His words died in his mouth. On screen, Carrie was starting her revenge on everyone in the hall. Dean hid his face behind Roman's shoulder, clinging on to him as if it were for his dear life.
Roman squeezed his waist in response.
"How can you watch this?" Dean asked.
"It's fun," Roman answered.
"Fun?!" Maybe that's why Roman didn't seem to have any fear at all, Dean guessed.
"You wouldn't understand."
"I watch porn for fun and it really is!" Just this afternoon, he had watched some interesting content involving doctors and nurses in an empty ward.
"Hmmm you wanna try out what you watched?" Roman's warm breath was near his cheek.
The auburn haired man felt his member reacting. Fuck. "N-no."
"Your loss."
Dean couldn't tell if Roman was offended or teasing him. It wasn't that he didn't want Roman; he did with everything in him. But the doubts were starting to come back.
It was probably in the heat of moment that Roman kissed him that morning. They had been through something traumatic and then they locked lips.
Dean couldn't help but think maybe Roman had let his emotions get the best of him.
The next morning, Dean woke up to an empty bed with a note "See You Later" on the side of the bed; a mixed feeling of dismay and glee filled him. It was the darndest thing.
Then he remembered: two weeks until the red moon would be present.
Another uncommon thing happened too: the alarm had rang, waking him up from his sleep. Odd. He didn't set any alarm last night.
Oh well. He could always do something to pass the time until Roman returned from wherever he was.
After a quick shower and change of new clothes, he bounded down the steps to find a plate of waffles with cream and chocolate shavings and a mug of chocolate waiting for him on the dining table.
Beside it, there was a card with the words written: to be opened after breakfast...
So he ate his breakfast, enjoying every bite and sip. This was definitely his mum's cooking or Roman took the recipe from her and made it for him. Either way, Dean was loving this.
Once he washed the dishes and put them away, he opened the card and found other words scribbled: today is the day to learn something new. See you at the beginning!
Dean frowned and flipped the card; there was an address to Lakeview Elementary School.
Roman? Dean couldn't help but wonder.
Nonetheless, he grabbed his leather jacket and car keys off the dining table before getting into the car and driving off towards the destination… back to Lakeview.
What was his boyfriend up to? This had to be from Roman; it had his blueprints on it.
Two hours later, he was standing in front of the school, staring at the building. Oh the memories of this place. The card stated to go to the old classroom Roman and him used to study in.
Yep. Definitely Roman. But what or why? Shrugging to himself, he went to the stated venue.
When he entered inside the classroom, he found the blackboard had the words written Air, Land and Sea: Famous People.
Jey - who was sitting at the teacher's desk with a two books and apple on it - had a fake moustache on and cleared his throat. "Ambrose, you're late!"
"I… uh… I'm sorry?" Dean apologised. "I had no idea-"
"Take your seat. We don't allow tardiness in this class."
"What?"
Dean found the rest of Roman's family sitting down and writing something on pieces of paper.
And then there was Roman himself, who was doing the same thing too, at his usual seat.
Nostalgia hit Dean then.
"Ambrose, your partner's Roman. Pick a person and start working on the project. It counts as forty percent of your final grade."
Dean rolled his eyes and sat down beside Roman.
"What the hell is going on here?" he said to Roman. "Did I just walk into the Twilight Zone? Why did you call me-"
"Ambrose!" Jey called out. "No talking unless it's related to the project!"
"Are you serious?" Dean huffed before he diverted his attention to his boyfriend. "Let's do Captain Smith."
"Captain Smith?" Roman puzzled.
"Yeah. He's the captain from Titanic. I like him. I liked how he went down with the ship."
"Sure." Roman continued drawing the image of a pirate on the scrap paper.
A small smile spread on Dean's face. Oh, Roman… the things his boyfriend did for him. "Or… how about we uh… work on Blackbeard?"
Roman looked up with a smile then. "Really?" he said.
"Oh sure. I'm all for despicable rogues," Dean replied.
"Okay. Blackbeard then."
"So it's Roman right?"
"Yeah. Roman Joseph Reigns."
"Dean Ambrose."
"Do you have a middle name?"
"Jonathan. Hey. How about that? Both our middle names start with J."
"Yeah."
"So… why pirates?"
"I like to pirates, cowboys… they're fun to watch on screen. I hope that I'll have the chance to recreate fantastic stories like that on the big screen."
"What are you? A some Hollywood big shot's kid?"
"No. My goal is to be a director one day."
Dean's heart sank; oh how life was going to change for them.
Fuck.
"Dean… stop it," Roman lightly scolded him. "This is supposed to be fun."
"It is?"
"Come on, babe. Work with me here."
"Why are you doing this, Roman?"
"Because I want you to remember all the greatest parts of my life since I moved to Lakeview." Roman leaned closer, his grey eyes gazing adoringly at him. "Number one: meeting Dean Ambrose."
Dean's breath got caught in his throat once more. "What's number two?"
"Alright, princesses! I want you to climb over that wall and carry those medicine balls to the other end of this gym!" Jimmy yelled. He was dressed in a white polo t-shirt and running shorts with a whistle in his hand. Dean couldn't help but think how he bore a resemblance to their gym teacher. "Last one has to do thirty push ups," Roman's cousin concluded.
Dean gave Roman, who was standing beside him staring at Jimmy, a quick glance. "Wait… what-"
"Are you ready? On my whistle!" Pweet! "Go!"
Roman's family were an enthusiastic bunch, every one of them running for the wall and climbing over it. Naomi had to have been a ninja before; she climbed the wall like one… with finesse, overtaking Jey.
"Dean?" Roman said softly.
"What?" Dean replied, eyes now on Tamina jumping down to the other side.
"I can't climb that wall."
Dean's heart melted; his mind had a rough idea of what happened that day. "Don't worry; I'll help you."
The auburn haired man pulled Roman to the side of the wall while a few were struggling and pretended to be tired as they walked past Jimmy. He nudged Roman to play along and the raven haired man followed his lead.
"Ambrose! Reigns!" Jimmy boomed.
The two men froze in their place.
"Go and carry those medicine balls. What are you waiting for?"
Grinning, Dean pulled Roman towards the red medicine balls, grabbing one each and running side by side to the end of the gym.
"What…" Dean panted a little. "What moment is this?"
"Number two: first day of sixth grade; gym class... when I knew I was in love with Dean Ambrose."
Dean felt his head spinning. That was exactly when he knew? "So… where should I meet you for number three?"
"Can't."
"Why not?"
"I'm meeting Bray."
Dean waited in the bedroom of Roman's house with anticipation.
The things Roman had gone out of his way to recreate these special moments was overwhelming; there was no way this was out of pity or things meant a lot to the raven haired man and he wanted Dean to know it.
When Roman finally entered the bedroom, Dean smiled at him.
"As I recalled," Roman began as he walked over to him. "You were angry that I was not at home when you came over to see me."
"How can I be angry? This is all so beautiful," Dean confessed.
"Could have sent me a text message to say that-"
Sheer joy running through him, his soul elevated, Dean jumped on Roman, causing both of them fall on the bed. They started to kiss passionately, hands all over one another. "I love you, Roman," Dean declared between rain of kisses on his boyfriend's face. "Fuck. I love you."
Then he pulled Roman's t-shirt off and claimed his lips once more.
"Dean?" the Samoan man broke the kiss. "Are you sure you want this?"
"Yeah I do. Do… do you?"
"I want you, Dean," Roman reciprocated, pulling him down then for a long kiss.
Dean didn't need to ask what number three was either: the first time they made love.
Dean was up before Roman, already changed when his boyfriend woke up. That had been their most passionate lovemaking as far as he could remember.
A part of him wanted to take his boyfriend rough until he had him begging beneath him. And not in a romantic way-
Fuck.
This red moon stuff was messing with his thoughts now.
"Hey," he greeted his boyfriend whose beautiful eyes were now open.
"Hey," Roman greeted him, sitting up.
"Thank you for this, Roman. I don't know what to say."
"I was contemplating about number five which was us finally becoming a couple but I didn't want you beating Bray up."
Dean laughed at the memory of throwing punches at Bray Wyatt - once their nemesis, now their friend - when he tried to sweep Roman off his feet, trying to take him away from the blue eyed man. "Wait. Shouldn't it be four?"
"Three was when you said you loved me and four was when we first made love."
"You." Dean was quiet, trying so hard to remember what he had said. "Roman, you know you can do so much better than me. And honestly, I have no idea why you love me so much but I'm humbled to call a guy like you mine. That is… assuming you still want me."
His boyfriend was staring at him wordlessly. Dean was starting to get nervous. Why was he so quiet?
A happy smile filled with tenderness and warmth broke across the grey eyed man's face. Dean melted; Roman had the most beautiful smile. "Always."
Roman was pleased with how the day turned out.
Dean had responded to the whole thing the way he hoped he would, he mused to himself as he fixed them sandwiches with fries for dinner that night.
He heard Dean whistling. "I made your favorite-"
His words died in his mouth when he found Dean standing near the kitchen entrance, leering at him. "Hell-o." He took small steps towards Roman holding his gaze. "Made my favorite what?"
Instinctively he knew that this was not his Dean. Roman felt his skin crawling at the way his long time love looked at him. "Sandwich."
"I'm not hungry for sandwich."
"Oh? What are you hungry for?"
"You."
If Dean was Dean, that'd made his heart flutter and Roman would have picked him up and carried him to their bed before making sweet, sweet love to him. But this was not Dean; Roman could feel it. "Well, there's always later."
"I want you, Roman."
"Another time, Dean. Can we eat in peace for a moment? It's been a long day."
"You will do it with me when I ask you to!"
"Are you serious? I'm not doing it with you just because you ask me to."
"Worked the first time, didn't it? You remember how it went. We reenacted it just now. Of course, you gave it up easily-"
"Stop it!"
"Why? Because I spoke the truth, darling?" Dean's smile turned sinister. "Clock is ticking, Roman. You can kiss all this goodbye because once I've embraced me, you better start packing because I'll come and find you."
This did not sit well with Roman who stood in front of his boyfriend toe to toe upon hearing those words. "I don't do well with threats, Dean."
"Who's threatening you? I merely wish to find you so that you can provide me with endless pleasure as my slave."
Roman clenched his fists. This wasn't Dean, he reminded himself. This was not the same person he had grown up with. It was this stupid destiny-
"Wanna punch me, darling?" Dean taunted him. "Two more weeks, Roman."
"Two more weeks, Dean. Then you'll see how right I was about us."
"Right?"
"That your father and Seth's so called destiny can't overtake our love. Believe that."
"Sure," Dean scoffed.
"Oh and Dean? Tell your business partner I want to have a word with him face to face. And I don't give a fuck if he comes as a goat or a man. He better be here tomorrow or I'm going down there to find him."
A/N Thank you for those who have read and reviewed. They motivate me and make my day :-) This goes out to you guys: dana, stingerette, june and nashike!
