Yeah well... that's it. This is the last chapter...
Not gonna write much here except have fun and please read the A/N at the end.
See you at the end of this chapter :)
Epilogue
"Careful with the box, baby," his mother called to him as she walked out of the door, a bag in hand.
"Yes, mom," Dean replied while lifting said box up from the ground to follow her out of the house. "Uhm, can we leave the food unwatched?" he asked as the front door closed behind him.
Mommy Reigns had been preparing dinner the whole afternoon. They would have braised meat tonight and the meat was in the stove now.
"The food will be okay until we get back, don't worry," she assured as she walked ahead.
Roman had left about an hour ago, heading back to the shop to help his dad with whatever and while he'd wanted to go with Roman, Patricia had asked him to help her with something at a neighbor's house.
It was his birthday today and after being woken up by the nice birthday blow-job that Roman had given him, there had been lots of hugging and kissing from Roman and Patricia and no kissing but a loving fatherly embrace from Sika and a nice and long breakfast together. But... no presents. Well, for the last months he'd sternly told them not to give him any presents, so it wasn't really a surprise. Also there would be a birthday party with his family in about an hour, including Seth, just as he'd wished for.
Though, to be honest, today, while sitting at the table and having breakfast, he wouldn't have minded ripping some presents open... because he'd never done that in his entire life. Ripping presents open. Well, until Roman had stepped into his life, he'd never had gotten any presents at all.
But then again his new life was the biggest present he could have gotten so... he was happy. More than happy actually.
After the breakfast he'd spent most of the day at the shop, doing the last repairs on the Camaro that now... huh, there was nothing to do anymore. The car was repaired and roadworthy and sitting behind the steering wheel, Dean had been torn between being proud and happy that he had managed to get the car back in shape and being deeply saddened that it was done now.
Surprisingly enough Sika had been only a little bit sad about it and as Dean had asked him if they would do a test run, Sika told him that they would wait until Dean had the driver's licence.
That meant three more weeks before the baby would finally be running proudly on the streets again.
And it also meant that once the Camaro left the garage, that Dean would have to find a new project. The hours at the garage, only him and the car... he needed that...
Walking on the sidewalk beside his mother, he let his eyes roam the neighborhood. It was early evening already and rather quiet since most people were still at work but there was always a certain amount of life left. People standing in front of their houses, talking to each other. The familiar barking of a dog. Laughter in the sunflooded air. Little kids playing. And they hadn't come even two houses far as one of the kids came running towards them, a five years old girl with caramel toned skin and dark curly hair, deep brown and always happily sparkling eyes. She seemed to be crazy about him ever since he'd gotten one of her toys out of a tree. His name was a squeal on her lips and putting the box down, he lifted her up, her arms wrapping around his neck instantly and she hugged him tightly while her sunny laughter lightened his heart up.
"Hey, Sam," he greeted her as she pulled back, putting her small hands on his cheeks while looking at him with a bright smile, before she placed a smack on his lips.
"Can we play tea time?" she asked hopefully.
Funny, wasn't it? That every time he held her in his arms... that he thought about how it would be to have kids someday? With Roman? Like a happy little family... They'd never lost a word about it. Hell, he'd had just turned eighteen... it wasn't something you were thinking about at that age, was it? Maybe someday... just maybe, if Roman wanted kids, too... then they could adopt a kid. Or two.
What the fuck am I thinking...?
Huh, well, maybe he was thinking, feeling like this because he had to live without a family for so very long? And yeah, he had a family now, the best family of the world actually but still...
"Maybe later, muffin. Gotta help mom now," he apologized, watching as a pout appeared on her pretty little face. Shifting his hold on her, he tickled her until the pout was replaced by bright laughter again. "That's my girl," he smiled, kissing her forehead before carefully setting her back on the ground.
Immediately she clung to his leg.
"Promise," she demanded, looking up to him with big eyes.
With a sigh, he smoothed a hand over her hair, nodding.
"Promise, muffin. But now you gotta let me go, okay?"
A pondering expression showed up on her face. Cute. Simply cute. But then she let go of him, running back to her mom who waved at them smiling.
"Sam loves you," Patricia smiled, waving back at Sam's mother.
"Yeah, seems like she does," Dean replied quietly.
"And you love that little girl, too."
Not a question but a statement.
"I... yeah, she's cute and smart as a whip."
With that he bent down and picked the box up and as they continued their way, she hooked her arm behind his.
Again a barking breached the warm air, the source of it shooting over the street in front of them. A rather small brown dog, chasing a cat. A sad smile tugged at Dean's lips as he watched the scene because the dog reminded him a little of the street dog that used to come to the shop every day ever since Dean had started to feed him. A not even knee tall, brown and shaggy mutt with floppy ears. The tip of the right ear was missing. And he was limping on the right hind leg. In the beginning the poor little creature had been very shy but after a few days it seemed that the dog understood that Dean meant only too well and started to trust him enough that in the end he'd allowed Dean to touch him. And then the dog started to trust Roman, too. For about two month the dog came to the shop, staying as long as Dean was there, too. One day Dean decided to make him a little shelter in the backyard of the shop which little guy accepted immediately and so it happened that the repair shop had its own dog. For Dean it had almost been like having his own dog. Even on Sundays he'd been heading to the shop to feed him. Huh, he'd grown so attached to the little guy that somewhere along the line he'd started mentioning the dog as he. From the neutrum dog to Mox.
That was how he'd named him.
Mox.
But Mox hadn't been showing up for three days now and he really started to worry about the little rover. What if he'd been hurt and was lying somewhere? Like, Mox was a street dog and on the streets there were enough dangerous things for a small dog.
"I wonder where Mox is," he murmured, his gaze fixed on the dog that sat under a tree, barking its displeasure about the fact that the cat was sitting high up in a tree out into the world.
"Don't worry, baby, I'm sure Mox is doing good," Patricia soothed him. "A street dog knows how to survive. I'm sure he'll come back soon."
"Yeah. Yeah, I hope he does."
He really, really hoped that Mox was okay and that he would come back soon. He missed the wee dude. A few times he'd thought about taking the dog home with him but he didn't want to ask Mommy and Daddy Reigns if he could keep the dog. They had done so much for him already that bothering them with it felt wrong to him and so he settled for Mox the shop dog.
His mind was still revolving around Mox as they reached their destination. Patricia had told him that she had promised their neighbors to take care of their house for a while and it was that cute little house with the apple tree in the small front garden and the white wooden fence. The house front had a new white paintjob, he noticed, just like the fence and the porch. The lawn looked as if it had been mowed a day or two ago. A picture perfect family home.
He was still taking in the image as Patricia already walked up the three steps to the door, unlocking and opening it. With her hand on the doorknob she turned around to him, beckoning to him to follow her into the house and he did, only reluctantly though, because he'd rather lie down on the lawn now spread-eagled to let the sun shine down on him.
When he stepped into the house, the faint scent of paint crept into his nostrils. And... fresh paint. It smelled of fresh paint in here.
"Put the box on the table in the kitchen," she told him, gesturing towards a door on the left side of the hall. "I'll be back in a minute."
Nodding, he walked over to said door and into the room. The kitchen wasn't very stylish but it also wasn't frumpy. Rather inconspicuous and straight-lined and obviously not new but well-tended and tidy. He sat the box on the table and took another look around, wondering when the owners had left and how long they would stay away, because although it smelled of paint, it didn't look as if someone was actually living here.
His gaze stopped at the box he'd been carrying, making him frown lightly as he wondered what was in it. Whatever it was, it was pretty heavy and the muted sounds he's heard while carrying it hinted that it wouldn't take a trip to the ground well.
With a sigh he scratched the back of his neck, perching on the table. He wondered where Roman and Daddy Reigns where right now. Fact was, no matter where they were, Roman was too far away for Dean's taste. He puffed a snort at that. If someone had told him a little more than half a year ago that he would ever be so attached to someone, hell, that he would so utterly and helplessly be head over heels in love that he couldn't even stand being a few hours separated from that one person, he'd probably flipped them the bird.
But here he was, missing Roman like a lovesick puppy.
Roman. Ro... His Ro, officially and without a doubt.
Huh, Superman had made him a soft. That oversized teddy bear.
Roman's eighteenth birthday had been two months ago and it had been a perfect day. Calm and full of family. Roman had gotten a new car from his parents, a pick-up truck and they had been driving around for a few hours, with Seth in the backseat and food that Mommy Reigns had given them, obviously afraid that her three boys could starve on their ride. Stopping here and there. Sitting on the truck bed, chatting, eating sandwiches... A family dinner in the evening. With Seth.
Huh, the little shit really had become family for him. His brother.
His life had taken a clean U-turn ever since Roman had stepped into his life, going from officially being in hell to having an actual life, one that, if someone asked him, could not be any better.
His stepfather would be rotting in jail while he had a perfect place to live and the love of his life at his side. He had a mom, a dad and a little brother. And soon he'd be out of school and work fully at the car repair shop, knowing that when he was done with the apprenticeship, that he wouldn't have to look for a job because hey, it was his dad's shop, wasn't it? He didn't have to worry about money.
He had everything he needed and more. Love. There was love wherever he turned to.
There were still nights when the nightmares came. Sometimes he would wake up, soaked in sweat and shaking but most of the times it was Roman who called him out of it. And every time Roman would whisper calming words to him, would give him soothing kisses and wrap him up in his arms to hold him tight, keeping the nightmares from coming back. It didn't happen as often anymore but Dean knew that it would probably take a long while until the nightmares stayed away for good.
At school he was still the freak but people looked at him differently now somehow because, hey, he was hanging out with the guys of the football team. A smile that bordered on baring his teeth flew over his lips. Pathetic fuckers, all of them who had done their part on making his life a hell at school, too. Now they were scratching at his leg to get attention. On Seth's, too. He huffed and shook his head.
And then... Seth. Seth was special. Too damn intelligent for his own good. Pretty little fucker. Smart as a whip and admittedly it wasn't always fun talking to him because Seth always said what he was thinking and that included things you probably didn't want to have your nose dunked into. So to speak. Seth didn't back down and that made disagreements difficult every now and then because, nope, Dean also didn't back down. That inevitably led to butting heads. Also Seth was a master in outtalking someone. Dean wouldn't want it any other way though. Seth... over the time he'd learned to read Seth. The little shit. His brother. Loyal as hell. And fuck did he love him.
Speaking of love...
There was a smile growing on Dean's lips as his mind immediately jumped back to Roman. He could even feel Roman's lips on his forehead, placing a sweet little kiss to the scar before leaving with his father. It had been a nice breakfast, them sitting at the table together with freshly baked muffins, bagels and pancakes...
And then the wakening call Roman had given him… holy shit.
His mind wandered off, visiting the very vivid memory of this morning's waking up, gracing him with a tingling warmth in his chest and belly. The second he'd broken through the surface of sleep, his body had already been burning and his heart had been beating fast...
There was a fire in his belly and between his legs... and a surge of lust that rolled through him, hitting him unprepared. The moan it drew from his throat was broken, breathless... and eventually he managed to open his eyes, he finding Roman lying between his legs, the plush lips wrapped around his aching cock while the grey eyes were fixed on him with a gaze so intense and loving that for a moment he forgot how to breathe at all.
Arching up from the bed while Roman bobbed his head in just the right rhythm, Dean brought a hand down to the black hair, his fingers diving into it while his other hand blindly searched the headboard, holding onto it to anchor himself somehow. Teeth... grazing the sensitive flesh... that talented tongue swirling around the head of his cock... the wet heat sucking, swallowing him completely...
The fire in him grew, the heat flowing through his veins and too deeply lost in the sensation he couldn't do anything but bucking greedily into Roman's mouth, moaning helplessly as he pushed against the headboard and tugged at the back velvet between his fingers. Too soon he passed the edge and with a low groan he came, the sight of Roman drinking down all he had to give sending extra jolts through him.
Roman crawled up his body then, claiming his lips in a slow and thorough kiss that stole the bit of breath he had left. He tasted Roman and his own cum and it was too fucking intoxicating. A soft and loving good morning, baby boy was whispered against his lips as Roman broke the kiss, the taste of those words sweet...
Shifting a little, Dean adjusted his jeans that suddenly was becoming uncomfortably tight. Yeah, great, Ambrose. Sporting wood while having your mom coming back any second was one of the fucking worst moments. He should think of something off-putting... but how the hell was he supposed to do that when his mind kept showing him Roman deepthroating him?
Oh fuck, yeah...
Ugh, fuck no! Nope! Fuck. This. Shit.
Slipping from the table, he walked a few steps, again adjusting his jeans while doing his best to think of unsexy things. Like doing the laundry. Or mowing the lawn for granny Rosenberg from the other side of the street. Or... granny Rosenberg naked. Walking around the table in what had more of waddling than walking actually, he somehow managed to change the program of his mental cinema. Imagining granny Rosenberg naked did the job. Soon after, the embarrassing boner was gone. Thankfully before Mommy Reigns was back.
Speaking of Mommy Reigns...
Walking back into the hall, he took a look around, listened into the quietness. Nothing. A deep frown etched into his features.
"Mom?" Dean called, again listening for a hint where she might be. But it was only quietness that greeted him. "Mom!" he called again, this time louder as worry settled in his guts.
She'd said she would be back in a minute...
Fuck, he didn't even know where she went to. The cellar? Or upstairs? Maybe she was out in the yard because wasn't that a typical thing you did when looking after the house of your neighbours? Taking care of flowers and stuff?
"Mom?" Dean called once more while his eyes roamed the hall and in the following quietness he tried hard to catch a sound that gave him a hint where she was at.
It wasn't the sound of steps that caught his attention but a rhythmical light clicking that seemed to come closer. Like fingernails on a hard surface.
For a long second Dean wasn't sure if his mind was playing tricks on him... as a dog appeared in the doorway to the next room, not stopping there though but quickening its steps as it noticed Dean and the barking almost sounded happy. Could barking actually sound happy? Well, obviously...
He was kneeling down before he actually knew that he was, holding his hand out to the wee dude.
Wee dude...
It took him another moment before his brain finally caught up. The dog wasn't even knee tall and brown, its fur was sticking up in ten different directions. A shaggy mutt... the tip of the left ear was missing and the dog was limping...
That couldn't be, right? No way...
"Mox?" he said quietly and in wonder while the dog licked his hand and then limped closer, putting its front paws on his knees while wagging its tail hard, stretching up to probably lick his mouth. "Mox..."
This was Moxley. His Mox. Clean though and he was smelling of Aloe... but fuck, yes, this was his Mox.
Tears stung in his eye as he scratched Mox behind the ears and the tiny tongue licked his chin. Tears of relief and because Mox was okay and for a moment he even forgot the confusion about why the dog was here in this house at all.
"Good boy, Mox," he murmured as he lifted him up, holding him like a baby. "You scared me, dude. Where have you been?" A short bark and a playful pawing at his chin. "I'm glad that you're okay," he added and yes, his voice was a bit tearstained. And because he was so happy and Mox was definitely not a walking flea circus at the moment, he pressed a kiss to the dog's head. It was now as he pulled back that he took notice of the bow around Mox' neck for the first time... A red bow. Frowning he stared at it. What the hell was this all about? "What are you doing here?" he mumbled, his gaze flicking up to the doorway through which the dog had come through.
Roman... was standing there... leaning against the frame with his arms crossed over his chest and a pleased little smile dancing on the kissable lips. The grey eyes were shining bright with affection. And Dean's heart, it did a flip in his chest. Because Roman was here when just a moment ago he'd wished Roman would be here and because Roman was here... like a surprise... or like a part of a surprise...
"Mox wants to celebrate your birthday with you," Roman said, pushing away from the frame to walk over to him and the pleased little smile grew, so full of warmth and love.
And Dean's heart did another flip and fuck did he want, did he need a kiss...
Absentmindedly scratching the soft dog belly, earning himself another doggish kiss, Dean met Roman half-way, shifting his hold on Mox a bit to get a hand free that immediately found a home in the black mane to tug him in and steal the needed kiss from the plush lips. Lips which parted willingly for him, welcoming him. The kiss was sweet and slow but full of that heat and the need that was ceaselessly smoldering between them. Mine. Yours. With every day that passed the bond between them was becoming stronger and it was rooting deeper... if possible. He felt an arm circling his waist and a hand cupping the back of his head to hold him close as the kiss went on.
"What's going on here?" he asked confused as the kiss ended eventually, much too soon for his taste but there was never a kiss lasting long enough for him anyway.
Kissing Roman forever. He wished he could to that. But then there were those annoyingly necessary things like breathing and stuff. And so, because kissing forever was not possible, he did what he could do and stole a quick peck from his man.
Roman rested their foreheads together, the finger in his hair brushing back and forth a bit in a tender caress. Mox struggled a little in his hold and Dean felt a paw at his chin, heard a quiet woof but Dean couldn't put Mox back down now, because it would have meant to let go of Roman.
No way.
But...
"Ro, why are you here?" he wanted to know because his brain refused to provide a logical explanation for it. "Why is Mox here? What...?"
... the hell was going on? After days of being gone missing, Mox was suddenly here in this house and not only the small rover was here but also Roman, in a neighbor's house and...
Roman took Mox out of his arms, putting the little rover back down to the ground. Dean watched as the Mox parked his butt on the ground and brought a hind paw up to scratch himself behind the ear before shaking himself and trotting over to the door through which he'd come in, vanishing in the room that, from what Dean could see, was the living room.
"You should follow him," Roman suggested, nodding his head towards said door.
And suddenly Dean's belly tingled. Nervousness. And also... anticipation. His feet began to carry him over to the door on their own accord, step by step and with Roman at his side who was here when only a few minutes ago Dean had thought that he was at the shop with Daddy Reigns and there had to be a reason, like...
"Happy birthday!"
The little chorus of three voices and a barking that underlined the joyfully called words welcomed him the very second he stepped into the room. Mommy and Daddy Reigns and Seth were standing there around a coffee table on which a three little presents were sitting and there was Mox, sitting in a dog basket that was placed right in front of the table. The room was decorated with a birthday garland and paper streamers.
Surprise caused him to falter in his steps as his eyes jumped back and forth between the three pairs of eyes which were looking at him with affection and the dog and the presents. He stopped walking, opened his mouth to speak... only that nothing came out. Arms circled his middle as Roman stepped up behind him, clasping his hands together over Dean's belly while resting his chin on Dean's shoulder.
"Happy birthday, Captain Solo," Roman rumbled, the low voice all soft and loving.
The tingling in Dean's belly became an utterly sunny bubbling while his heart did somersaults as a wave of pure happiness flooded him, drowning the confusion for the moment. Picking the presents up from the table, Seth and Mommy and Daddy Reigns came over to him and Roman let go of him as Seth spread his arms to hug Dean.
"Happy b-day, bro," Seth said quietly, pulling Dean into an embrace that was not only firm but also holding a message.
Friend. Brother. I'm glad that you're here.
His own arms pulled Seth against him tightly in a silent: and I'm glad that you're here with me, bro.
There were moments when he still had a hard time to just say what he was feeling. Still. Even after almost half a year of healing and living and it made him wonder if he would ever change.
Seth held a present out to him as they parted after a moment. It was a rather light and box shaped, wrapped up in dark blue gift wrap paper and white ribbon. Simple but beautiful and it was probably silly to think like that but now that he held it in his hand, he felt sorry to open because... this was his first birthday present ever. But presents were made to be ripped open, right? Almost carefully he peeled the ribbon off and slipped it over his head, leaving it hanging around his neck like a necklace, before he brushed his fingertips over the dark blue paper that felt rough and smooth to his touch at the same time, making his heart jump in his chest a little more. He could feel the eyes of his family rest on him in silent waiting as he did that, felt Roman's arms loop around his waist again, resuming their place from just a minute ago. A kiss was being breathed to the edge of his jaw.
Seeking Seth's eyes, Dean said just above a whisper: "Thank you."
Seth nodded, his happy expression dimming a bit as he seemed to understand how much this little gift meant to Dean.
Dean's gaze dropped back to the present as he felt the edge where the wrapping paper was sealed with sticky tape. Hooking his nails under the paper, he ripped it open, letting the pieces of paper fall to the ground where it fell victim to Mox who lunged at it with a playful bark. It was a simple grey box that appeared from under the blue wrapping and in it Dean found... a leash and a collar.
"You'll need it for Mox," Seth stated.
"I uh... for Mox?" Dean murmured, taking both items out of the box.
"Yeah, you can't let your dog run around without a collar and the dog trainer said that it'll take some time until you can go out with Mox without him being leashed," Roman explained.
"My dog..." Dean whispered and finally his brain kicked in, understanding or maybe better accepting the facts. "I can keep him...?"
"Yeah, you can keep him," Roman affirmed. Dean didn't even have words for what was just happening in his belly because happy bubbling was by far not the right description for it. Tears stung in his eyes because this was his dog. He... he had a dog. His fingers closed tightly around the leash. Mox was his dog now. "But the collar and the leash aren't Seth's only present," Roman added. "He got Mox the basket and some basic equipment like a feeding dish and stuff. Also Mox has spent a few days at the vet for a check-up. He's in good health and well-fed, thanks to you."
So that was the reason why Mox hadn't been at the shop for the past days.
He wanted to kiss Seth and he wanted to kiss Mox and...
"Thanks," he said instead, his gaze finding back to Seth who smiled brightly at him. "Thanks, bro." And then he looked at Mommy and Daddy Reigns, being greeted by an equally bright smile. "Thank you for allowing me to keep him."
"Mox has been your dog from the first second on anyway," Daddy Reigns chuckled. "The two of you belong together, no doubt. So where but with you should the dog be? And now..." He took leash and collar out of Dean's hand, replacing it with another small present, much smaller actually than Seth's had been. "... it's time to open your mother's and my present, son."
He'd told them not to give him a present, hadn't he? Yes, today he'd wished that he'd gotten some presents but then again he still did not want them to give one because they had done so much for him already and...
"Will you stop overthinking this and just open it?" Roman laughed softly, proving once more that he could tell what was going on in Dean just by holding him in his arms.
More and more paper fell to the ground as Dean tugged the wrapping open, layer after layer because it was wrapped up thickly. What he found then left him speechless. He wouldn't have had enough breath to speak anyway since the breath he just drew got stuck in his throat.
It was the key of the Camaro.
Blinking slowly, Dean stared at it and shook his head lightly no because... no.
Somehow he managed to draw in some air after a few seconds and holding the key out to Daddy Reigns, he said: "Thank you, dad, but I uhm... it's your car. I can't accept that."
Putting a hand on Dean's outstretched one, Sika squeezed it lightly and gently pushed it back to Dean.
"I bought that car because I wanted to restore it together with my son," Sika began. "But Roman never had any interest in restoring cars and I didn't want to talk him into helping me getting it back in shape, you know? And then you became a part of our family. You're my son, Dean, and I know the time that you've spent on restoring the Camaro was important to you and the time we worked together on that car was important to me. I never planned on keeping that car for myself anyway. I've always wanted to give it to my son and that's what I'm doing right now. Even a blind man can see how much the Chevy means to you and Patricia and I, we want you to have it. It's your car, Dean."
His chest ached. It ached in a good way, but still, it made breathing difficult and his eyes burned even more, the tears which had been lingering in his eyes already threatening to fall now. Closing his fingers around the key tight enough that his knuckles went white, he stepped out of Roman's embrace and closed the small distance to Daddy Reigns... for an embrace. They had hugged before. But not once in those six months had it been Dean who'd initiated an embrace because despite being loved by this family and knowing that Sika thought of him as his son, Dean had never dared to just do that.
"Thanks, dad," he whispered as Sika closed his arms around him, turned his face to Patricia as he felt her hand brush over his hair. "Thanks, mom."
At a loss of words here, he didn't know what else to say but thank you. Thank you, with all my heart and he hoped that they could hear it in his voice how grateful he was. He'd barely stepped away from Sika, when Patricia kissed his cheek, her eyes telling him that she understood. It was her thumb brushing over his cheek right afterwards that made him aware of the tears which were running down his face.
Dean turned away from the group and hunched down to pat Mox' head and the dog put his forepaws on his knee, stretching up to lick his face... licking the tears away which escaped his eyes. He wasn't able to bite them back again. It was okay to cry, he knew that it was, yet this all was too overwhelming and fuck... fuck... he couldn't deal with it...
From the corner of his eye he saw Mommy Reigns hand the third small present over to Roman then, telling Sika and Seth to help her in the kitchen and the two men followed her. A moment later he and Roman were alone in the living room.
"Dean?"
Roman spoke very quietly, slight worry mingling into the gentle voice.
"I'm... I uh... I'm okay," Dean replied, his voice thick with tears as he wiped his cheeks dry with the back of his hand.
It was of no avail because the tears refused to stop falling.
Sometimes this new life he was living was much too good to be true, like this all was just a dream and he would wake up eventually. There was still a trace of a constant fear coursing through him that one day Roman might simply stop loving him and find someone else. Losing Roman and this family would mean that he lost his life...
There were sounds coming from the kitchen. Mox was half-growling, half-barking quietly as he battled the torn wrapping paper that was lying on the floor. A soft rustling, then steps, heading to the table and back to Dean, again a rustling as Roman hunched down beside him, holding the collar in his view.
Dean took it and opened the clasp, putting the collar around Mox' neck, only now noticing the tag that was attached. Mox was engraved in it. With a shaky smile, Dean brushed his thumb over it, feeling the slightly rough texture, before turning it around... hesitating as his eyes swept over the address that was added on the backside.
"It's the wrong house number," he frowned, glancing over to Roman who looked at him with glowing eyes and the softest of smiles.
Lifting his hand to Dean's face, he wiped a few tears away with gentle fingers, before holding that last present out to Dean.
"Open it," Roman just said, laying a hand on Dean's knee, squeezing it lightly.
Warmth seeped through the fabric of Dean's jeans. Calming, both the touch and the warmth, making him aware of how much his heart was tumbling in his chest and of the oddly nervous feeling in his belly.
The present was about as big as the one from his parents but it wasn't wrapped in paper. It was a simple black box with a silver ribbon around it. His fingers were trembling a little bit as he tugged the ribbon off slowly, the nervous feeling in his belly getting stronger as he opened the box.
A key. Like... a front door key.
Again he looked up at Roman in question, brows furrowing as he tried to figure out what that key could be meaning.
"It's the key to this house," Roman stated softly but wasn't his voice trembling ever so slightly?
And why would Roman give him the key to this house as a birthday... present...?
Oh.
And suddenly things fell in place like a puzzle being solved. Roman and Daddy Reigns leaving earlier without him. His mom asking him to help her at a neighbor's house. Mox being here and Roman appearing suddenly in the hallway. The wrong house number on Mox' dog tag.
No way...
No. No, he was wrong here, had to be. That just couldn't be.
"Ro, I..." he breathed, his gaze jumping back and forth between affectionately gleaming grey orbs. "This key..."
"Is the key to our house, baby boy," Roman finished the sentence for him, suddenly looking nervous, probably because he had expected a different reaction from Dean.
Dean, who was staring at Roman with wide eyes now. Dean, who wasn't breathing because he had forgotten how to breathe at all while his heart ran a mile a second.
"Our house..."
Not even a breath because Dean had no breath left. He would be living in his house with his Roman and his Mox from now on. His own little family in his own home. Happy... it wasn't even close to how he was feeling. There was no word for it but it sent a shiver down his spine and made his whole body prick, made him feel light. Made him feel as if he was flying.
The key of the Camaro in one hand and the key of the house in his other, Dean dipped his head forward as more tears rose to his eyes, blurring his vision, and he screwed them shut. Finally able to breathe again, he drew a deep breath and what left his mouth again was a weird mixture of a stifled sob and a little laughter. His name was being whispered as Roman gently pulled him in and he buried his face in the crook of Roman's neck while his own arms wrapped around the broad frame, tugging himself closer, breathing deep and heavy breaths which sounded awfully wet now.
"Dean..." Roman murmured, cradling his Dean's head and holding him tight. "Did I do something wrong?"
Something wrong? He wanted to laugh because Roman had just told him that this was their house now and was thinking now that he'd done something wrong but again only this weird sound left his throat. This man was unbelievable.
Superman. Big gentle teddy bear. Too good for this world fool...
"Gosh no, I'm happy..." he somehow managed to bring over his lips as he inched as close as he could even get to Roman, trying to drown in his love's embrace. "I love you, Ro. God, I love you so much..."
Dean knew that he was trembling, his voice did, too, and he fucking didn't care because Roman was holding him safe and his world... it was perfect...
x
Four hours later it had become quiet. The night had arrived, engulfing the world outside in a velvety cloak of darkness. The air was mild though and cleaning. Light and sweet. The dimmed lights in the living room created a warm, comfortable mood in the room.
It was calm. Peaceful.
Every now and then a light shiver ran through him, leaving goose bumps all over Dean's body in its wake while fingertips kept travelling in feather light touches up and down his arms, as fingers combed through his hair and soft lips left loving kisses of his skin.
They were sitting on Daddy Reigns old lazy boy, close to the open patio doors and Dean was resting between Roman's legs, his back cushioned by the broad chest. It was like being completely engulfed by Roman. The massive frame behind him, strong arms holding him and the thick thighs framing him. He inhaled his love's familiar, beloved scent, felt his warmth... it all gave him the perfect feeling of security.
His head had found a home on Roman's shoulder and while he gazed out into the yard that was barely illuminated by the sparse light of the living room, he listened to Roman's steady breathing, focused on the faint beating of the other man's heart. With a sigh he turned his head a little until he felt a stubbly cheek against his temple and snuggled a bit deeper into the embrace. Mox was running trails out there with his nose buried in the grass and chased moths.
His mind briefly flicked back to that moment in Roman's room at that night after Roman had been beaten up by chief goon and his men...
"Would you rather want to live in an apartment or a house?"
"What? Uhm... well, I've always wanted to live in a house with a yard and a dog. Why are you asking?"
Back then he'd been wondering what had made Roman ask that because after all they had more or less just found to one another. Well, now he knew. Here they were now, in their own little house with a nice little yard and their own dog.
After Roman had given Dean the key, it had taken Dean about ten minutes until he managed to stop crying and Roman's shirt had been soaked with his tears of happiness. Afterwards he'd claimed Roman's mouth in a kiss that had held enough good and strong but unvoiced emotions, that they ended up with Dean straddling Roman's lap and already interested southern regions. Luckily neither their parents nor Seth came back before they had come up with enough off-putting things to think off.
Even now Dean was still trying to wrap his head around this now, around what had happened. And once more... around that it was reality that he'd found this family. Or rather that they had found him and had kept him despite everything.
"Hey, Captain Solo," Roman rumbled, skimming his fingers once more through unruly blond locks. "Where are you?"
"Been thinking about tonight," Dean hummed, contentment tingeing his voice.
Been thinking about how damn lucky I am.
"Are you happy, baby boy?"
Baby boy... every single time Roman called him that, it did something funny to his belly. He couldn't put a label on it, all he knew was that it was something good and that he wanted to hear it till his last day.
"Yeah," he sighed. "I couldn't be happier."
It was the truth. He couldn't think of anything that could make him happier than he was right now.
Their little celebration had been just like Dean always wanted it to be. Family. The purest form of it. The food Mommy Reigns had prepared had found its way from the house of family Reigns senior to the house of family Reigns junior for a nice family dinner at their very own table.
It had only been a dinner... yet it had been more. In a way this dinner had been symbolic for the start in their own life together.
The celebration had been a calm being a big family kind of sitting together with desserts, lots of talking and playing with Mox.
Nothing special... but special beyond words. At least to Dean.
"Do you need anything?" Roman wanted to know, pressing his lips to Dean's temple.
"Got all I need," Dean replied hushed, lifting a hand to bury his fingers in the dark mane.
He loved touching the black velvet.
Fuck, he loved touching Roman.
After drying Dean's tears, Roman had shown him around the house that was already completely furnishes. Not with new furnishing though but who cared? Dean for sure not. Important was that this old furniture had made it possible to move in today.
"Dean?"
The caresses faltered, but only briefly. But it matched the careful way Roman had said his name, as if there was something lying on his heart and he didn't dare asking.
"Yeah?"
"Today, when I got our stuff from our room..." Hesitation. It made Dean frown and he was about to ask what was wrong, when Roman spoke again. "I found your duffel bag... with all that stuff in it..."
Shit...
"I love you. I... I don't know whether that packed bag gives you some kind of a sense of..." Roman fell silent again, probably fishing for the right word, not finding it though. To be honest, Dean had no word for it either. The bag had been hidden in the back of his side of the closet and behind a bunch of clothes, out of sight. Waiting there just in case it was needed. Just... just in case... he had to leave. Out of a reason he didn't want to think about. Somehow this bag had been a Plan B. A scaring, bad Plan B. "Dean... I want to spend my life with you. You are my life, you hear me? You're stuck with me and you don't need that bag, except... except you..."
... had it prepared because you're not sure about us.
Roman didn't say it aloud but the way his voice dropped to barely more than a whisper and the almost scared note it was holding said it all. A pang of guilt hit Dean as he imagined how Roman must have felt finding that bag. Even more after getting them a house. Reaching for Roman's wrists, he pulled his love's arms around himself tightly.
"God, Ro, I'm so sorry," he apologized quietly, pressing back against the other man while turning his head enough to press a kiss to Roman's cheek. Roman's eyes closed at the contact but there on the handsome face was relief written. "I... huh, sometimes I think that I've gotta be dreaming, you know? That I'll wake up one day in my old room and all this was just a dream. And I... I know that I should've known better but I've always been... I've been scared that one day I wouldn't be allowed anymore to stay with you or..."
"I promise it's not a dream, baby boy. This is as real as it can. We're here, you and me and Mox and that's how it'll be forever, okay?"
Dean's eyes found back to Mox who was just jumping as high as his little legs made it possible to catch a moth.
"You and me and Mox," Dean whispered, tasting the words on his tongue.
"Dean? No more packed bags, yeah?" Roman demanded softly.
No. No more packed bags. It wasn't necessary anymore, was it? This house was another promise and a more than visible proof for Roman's devotion. For his love.
"Yeah," Dean agreed. "No more packed bags."
Sometimes Dean thought that it was an unfair deal for Roman because Dean had nothing to give him in return except his love. How could he ever make up for everything Roman had given him, done for him and...
"I can hear you thinking too much again, baby boy," Roman said just above a whisper.
Instead of saying anything, Dean shifted around until he was straddling Roman's lap. Gentle silver orbs looked at him, glowing with pure love. They always did. Always... Those eyes which never ceased to touch is very core, calling his heart to run fast and his belly to tingle with all those sweet and precious feelings.
Hands found their way under his shirt, tenderly stroking his sides while his own hands found a home on the broad chest and in the black mane as he leaned in. His name was whispered longingly, nothing but a breath on those plush lips that Dean breathed away as he sealed his lips over Roman's.
Intoxicating. Every single time.
Those lips parted willingly for him, welcomed him. Tongues... meeting half-way in a familiar dance. He loved those kisses. Sweet and slow, worshipping. It was bestowing Dean a sweet ache in his chest, still did even after all the time now, causing goose bumps to flare all over his body. It made him forget how to breathe. A kiss so innocent but it unleashed a need for more and with a hum he rolled his hips slightly, drinking down the little growl Roman was gracing him with. The big hands on his sides slipped down to his ass, squeezing it demandingly.
It was Mox who made them part as the dog jumped onto the lazy boy and wiggled his way between their bodies, gracing them with a doggish kiss.
"The kid wants attention, darling," Roman chuckled, shaking his head lightly.
Again it were those eyes which drew Dean in with their soft glow as they gazed at each other in amused silence. The lush lips slightly parted... the handsome features smooth, savoring.
Beautiful...
Mine.
"I love you, Ro," Dean breathed, combing his fingers through the long hair.
"And I love you, baby boy," Roman replied, the low voice heavy with so many emotions that it caused Dean's heart missed a beat. A smirk tugged at the kissable lips then. "How 'bout we christen our new bed before your birthday is over?"
Roman bucked his hips a bit to underline his words, causing the need for more in him to jolt throughout him, itching a gasp from his throat that was silenced immediately as Roman claimed his mouth again in a kiss that held enough heat to set him on fire in a blink.
Superman had shown him how to fly... and right now he was flying, safely held the man who owned his hear, floating in the sky high above the clouds... and with a wonderful view at his future. A future together with Roman. And yes, it was beautiful and golden like the rising sun and it had just begun...
- End -
A/N
Guys, that's it. The journey is over. I want to thank all of you who have joined the boys and me on this trip and stayed with us until the end. Thanks for reading my wordbaby and thanks for leaving me your thoughts.
Just thanks, guys. Big time. I love you all.
And maybe we'll get to meet the Broken boys again in a sequel. The plot-bunny is there in my story yard, let's see how fast it'll grow ;)
I hope you will leave me a whole lot of feedback that helps me getting over the fact that my baby will leave the house today *ugly sobbing*
See ya again soon :) *hugs*