Ever since Jamie gave Mason the pair of Cashmere socks he bought him, he has not taken them off.Jamie had left for the UK two weeks ago for a business trip, and Mason had missed him dearly, even though they had video calls as often as they could, and Jamie had regaled him with stories of the people he met and places he saw. While in London, he had found a store with Cashmere and got Mason a hat, scarf, gloves, and socks. He was, apparently, unable to leave them behind and gifted them to Mason in pretty wrapping when he arrived back home.Mason doesn't want to see their credit card bill when it comes in.His husband has always been like that, so he really should've seen it coming. The first big paycheque Jamie made on a project with an important, wealthy client, he'd put a portion of the money into their mortgage, then into their savings for retirement. With the remainder, he bought Mason a Rolex watch instead of something for himself. When Mason protested, Jamie shut him up with a kiss. "You're the only thing I want," he'd said. "Besides, I like spoiling you."Mason was showering when Jamie returned to their cozy house in the suburbs of Seattle, scaring the crap out of Mason when he exited the bathroom, expecting an empty bedroom, only to find someone standing on the other side of the door. After picking himself up off the floor, he has to wait for Jamie to finish laughing at him. In retaliation, he ignores the hello kiss in favour of silently getting dressed.He lasts all of two minutes before he caves.There's only so long he could withstand his pout and puppy eyes. Well, he's never able to say no to Jamie's puppy eyes, but he's particularly weak after being apart from him for two weeks. Jamie cuddles into him from behind and kisses the back of his neck, saying, "Sweetheart," in such a sad tone that Mason wriggles around to loop his arms around Jamie's neck and pull him into a kiss.With every step forward, Jamie has to take a step back until the backs of his legs bump into their bed, and he sits down on the edge. Mason straddles his lap as he tilts his head, deepening the kiss.Jamie flops back onto the mattress, pulling Mason down with him.Half an hour later, he's splayed out on his back naked, sweaty and satisfied with Jamie curled on his side, his head resting on Mason's shoulder as he slowly drags his feather-light touch up and down Mason's chest.Mason kisses the top of his head. "I missed you.""I missed you too." He tips his head up for another kiss, his hand sliding up Mason's chest and neck to cup his jaw. "I love you.""I love you too, even when you get me sweaty after I just showered.""Wanna shower again? I need to wash my 24 hours of travel off. You're always welcome to join me."Mason winces as Jamie wiggles his eyebrows. He doesn't know how Jamie can stand flights and layovers that long. Jamie's flight itinerary for his return trip was an hour and a half from London to Frankfurt, a three-hour layover, 12 and a half hours to LA, another three-hour layover, then three hours to Seattle. Yet he somehow still loves travelling. Mason knows that if given the opportunity and if Mason was joining him, Jamie would hop on another plane the next day."Wait," Mason says, a realization finally clicking into place. "How are you here already? You're only supposed to be landing now.""I was offered a seat on an earlier flight from LA.""And you didn't tell me? I would've picked you up from the airport."Jamie smiles and kisses the underside of his jaw. "I wanted to surprise you.""Well," Mason says dryly. "You certainly accomplished that."Laughing, Jamie sits up and tugs on Mason's hands until he relents and stands up, following him to their bathroom. Under the spray of the shower, Mason massages the soap into Jamie's aching muscles and washes his hair, relaxing his husband with every flex of his fingers.When they're out and drying off, Jamie walks over to his suitcase and pulls out a white tissue-wrapped package tied with a light blue ribbon. "Maybe this will help you forgive me for scaring you."Mason forgave him a long time ago, but he takes the package with both hands. "What is it?""Just open it."He does, unveiling the cream-coloured socks and matching dark blue hat, scarf, and gloves. They look so soft and cozy. He can't wait to wear them."They're pure Cashmere," Jamie says.Mason makes a squeak in the back of his throat as his husband reveals that he, once again, has bought him an expensive gift. He wants to tell him to stop spending his money on him, but he knows Jamie won't listen. He's making good on his promise to spoil Mason, despite Mason's attempts to convince him to buy things for himself, like that new art tablet he's been eyeing.Instead, he turns the gifts over in his hands, marvelling over the soft material and its warmth, before setting the hat, scarf and gloves aside to put away for the approaching colder months later. The socks he put on right away. He never realized socks could be so soft and comforting.From the corner of his eye, he can see Jamie watching him with a smile as he wiggles his toes.Mason frowns as he thinks about work on Monday. It's not that he has anything against it or Mondays- he actually really likes his job- but that he'll have to take off his new socks. Normally, his toes would get cold during the night when Jamie steals a little too much of the blankets and against the wood and tile floors in their house, but with the socks, his feet have been perfectly warm.The two of them didn't leave their house the entire weekend, so Mason hadn't had to take his socks off, but he'll have to tomorrow morning. His Cashmere socks are not leaving the house, and he's especially not wearing them in his work shoes."What's wrong?" Jamie asks, joining Mason on the couch with a bowl of popcorn."I'm going to have to take my socks off tomorrow."Jamie chuckles. "If I knew you'd like them that much, I would have gotten you two pairs.""No," Mason says, shaking his finger at Jamie. "You spend enough on me as it is.""Sweetheart, I'll never spend enough on you, even if I buy you the moon. I want you to be happy and warm, and content. I want you to have things that make you smile and laugh. Things that make your life easier. Things that make you give you comfort. I want to give you everything you want and provide everything you need. I want to take care of you because you're my guy, and I love you."
Mason tugs him in for a kiss. "I love you too."