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Name's Aiden Wolfe. Happily married and just looking for work, living life as it comes. Not much else to say, but ask away if you're curious. [For the Seven Nation Army roleplay. Note: this is not Toby Kebbell.]

[aidenwolfe-sna]

I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You {Tag; Tegan}

Reaching out worriedly to settle a hand atop Aiden’s own, Tegan felt the pinprick of self-doubt turn to a needling concern over Theodore’s wellbeing. The former hitman, the addict from the alleys, the cocky, smarmy young man who had a tendency of blowing things up without entirely intending to at times…was crying. Or about to cry. It was an injury Tegan could feel sing in his bones, prickle at his nerves, and cut him deep. He could no more heal this than he could heal something fatal. Not without giving up all of himself in the process, and wasn’t that what marriage was about?

This was something he’d given Aiden in the hopes it’d be enough. To make him happy, to give him a sense of wholeness. More than mere marriage, it was–an identity. A sense of self he could mold as he saw fit. A fresh start beyond a little golden ring and a house in San Francisco. More than a marriage and a family and a dog.

Tegan gave Theodore; Theodore.

Because Tegan believed in him and knew he was so much more than explosions and mistakes orchestrated by the harsh hand life had dealt him. And maybe Tegan hadn’t gone down the same path as Aiden; maybe he’d been more subdued by the system that turned against him. Maybe he’d just been more broken than explosive…

But they had similar origins, and Tegan wanted to give Aiden a means to grow as he had–if not in the same way. An oak couldn’t grow like an ivy, after all, and Aiden had never been subtle or submissive. He was–stronger, Tegan felt, in a lot of ways, than himself.

He just needed to be given a little bit of sunlight.

“I do,” Tegan aid hoarsely, feeling choked by more than the knot in his tie, “I’m just sorry it took me this long.” He squeezed Aiden’s hands and pulled them up to kiss them.

“Happy belated anniversary, or early Christmas…Thanksgiving?” he tried weakly, wishing he knew how to make light of this. He’d never been great at that.

“You’re Theodore Wolfe,” Tegan added hoarsely. “And I love you, new life, old life, and everything besides.”

Aiden held Tegan’s hand against him like it was the anchor for the storm going on inside him. And he was, as he always had been. Somehow, the two street urchins had wound up in a nice house together. They even had a dog and 2.5 kids. All they were missing was the white picket fence - and that was a damn good ways from where they had begun it all. It was a miracle, really, and Aiden reveled in it as he held Tegan’s hand. 

A new life, or a new identity to go with his new life. It wasn’t erasure of the past, he told himself that. It wasn’t burying who he was and pretending as though he’d never been that person. No, this was more like…giving that person a chance to see it through life. To make it there, somehow, to the other side of everything on his own. 

He’d been taking night classes in computer programming, the kind that didn’t ask for background records or previous conviction rates. He actually had a knack for it - which amused him as he’d hated math when he was in school. But with this, he could do something more than just a few night classes in between the times he played piano and sang. He still didn’t know what he wanted to be when he finally must pick whether to grow up or not, but this…this meant options. 

Putting the folder aside, he flung his arms around Tegan and squeezed him tight. “I love ya too, Tegan,” he said, keeping his grip around him so that he didn’t lose the grip he had on himself. “How…How did ya do all ‘f this? Why? Tegan, ya sentimental, ‘an’some devil…”

He pulled back to look at him, his face now alight with a smile that set off a single tear sparkling in the light of the room. “I can’ thank ya enough fer this…”

[teganwolfe-wcw]

Given that San Francisco’s layout didn’t really lend itself to a white picket fence [the rolling hills, for example, the clustered houses, and urbane dwelling places, you know], truth be told, the Wolfe pack was doing exceptionally well. One was a chemist and a financier, on the cutting edge of tomorrow with drugs he intended to use to change the world for better. Another had helped him get there–whereas before he would’ve squandered his life making poor-quality medicine for a firm as ruthless as its former head. That man who’d helped achieve a better tomorrow was backed by the true hero–an antihero whose heroics lay not in his actions of former jobs, but in the actions of a man who was himself despite all odds; jobs or otherwise. He was a wonderful dancer and maker of macaroni; his piano playing and singing had stolen Tegan’s heart.

Aiden was, for all intents and purposes, the only reason Tegan found a reason to move along.

Wrapping hesitant arms around Aiden, relieved and thrown out of his concerned daze all at the same time, Tegan buried his face against Theodore’s hair and smiled shakily–half-sobbing, really, and half-laughing. “I–it was hardly me, Jadis had the connections…most of it was–is–legal, I just…helped fine-tune the details. Theodore Aiden Wolfe; model U.S. citizen, I..” he quieted, rubbing Aiden’s back tenderly. “Just wanted you to have this. American dream be damned; Teddy, you–are the love of my life.” He pulled back to stare at Theodore simultaneous with his husband’s movement, long face fond.

“You’re my dream,” he said firmly, though his voice stayed, as it almost always did, reserved and quiet. “Being yours is thanks enough.”

[aidenwolfe-sna]

Aiden couldn’t quite let go, at least not yet. He kept hands on Tegan, as though to make sure that this wasn’t a dream; that his life hadn’t pulled a number on him, wouldn’t take it all away. No, he wanted to keep Tegan, just as he wanted to keep this new record. He wanted to start again, to do something, to build something more from his life. Services for others were all well and good, but he did have acts he wanted to do...as soon as he figured out what those acts were.

“Ye’re th’ love ‘f mine, did ya know tha’?” Aiden asked with a laugh. He held up his hand to show off the ring resting upon his finger. “See tha’? Only one ‘ve ever ‘ad--only one I wanted t’ ‘ave. Ya charmer. Ya swept me off mah feet. Didn’ give me no warnin’.”

But the laughter died to a comfortable quiet, a caring quiet. The kind of quiet one only gets after being married for so long. “Loo’, Tegan...I really ‘ppreciate this. I can’ even pu’ ‘t into words, ya’ve stopped me cold ‘n mah tracks...Thank ya. Thank ya so much.”

And with that, he reached for Tegan’s hand, so that he could hold it in his. Give it a squeeze. “’ll make ya macaroni ‘n’ cheese. Special celebration.”

[aidenwolfe-sna]

I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You {Tag; Tegan}

Reaching out worriedly to settle a hand atop Aiden’s own, Tegan felt the pinprick of self-doubt turn to a needling concern over Theodore’s wellbeing. The former hitman, the addict from the alleys, the cocky, smarmy young man who had a tendency of blowing things up without entirely intending to at times…was crying. Or about to cry. It was an injury Tegan could feel sing in his bones, prickle at his nerves, and cut him deep. He could no more heal this than he could heal something fatal. Not without giving up all of himself in the process, and wasn’t that what marriage was about?

This was something he’d given Aiden in the hopes it’d be enough. To make him happy, to give him a sense of wholeness. More than mere marriage, it was–an identity. A sense of self he could mold as he saw fit. A fresh start beyond a little golden ring and a house in San Francisco. More than a marriage and a family and a dog.

Tegan gave Theodore; Theodore.

Because Tegan believed in him and knew he was so much more than explosions and mistakes orchestrated by the harsh hand life had dealt him. And maybe Tegan hadn’t gone down the same path as Aiden; maybe he’d been more subdued by the system that turned against him. Maybe he’d just been more broken than explosive…

But they had similar origins, and Tegan wanted to give Aiden a means to grow as he had–if not in the same way. An oak couldn’t grow like an ivy, after all, and Aiden had never been subtle or submissive. He was–stronger, Tegan felt, in a lot of ways, than himself.

He just needed to be given a little bit of sunlight.

“I do,” Tegan aid hoarsely, feeling choked by more than the knot in his tie, “I’m just sorry it took me this long.” He squeezed Aiden’s hands and pulled them up to kiss them.

“Happy belated anniversary, or early Christmas…Thanksgiving?” he tried weakly, wishing he knew how to make light of this. He’d never been great at that.

“You’re Theodore Wolfe,” Tegan added hoarsely. “And I love you, new life, old life, and everything besides.”

Aiden held Tegan’s hand against him like it was the anchor for the storm going on inside him. And he was, as he always had been. Somehow, the two street urchins had wound up in a nice house together. They even had a dog and 2.5 kids. All they were missing was the white picket fence - and that was a damn good ways from where they had begun it all. It was a miracle, really, and Aiden reveled in it as he held Tegan’s hand. 

A new life, or a new identity to go with his new life. It wasn’t erasure of the past, he told himself that. It wasn’t burying who he was and pretending as though he’d never been that person. No, this was more like...giving that person a chance to see it through life. To make it there, somehow, to the other side of everything on his own. 

He’d been taking night classes in computer programming, the kind that didn’t ask for background records or previous conviction rates. He actually had a knack for it - which amused him as he’d hated math when he was in school. But with this, he could do something more than just a few night classes in between the times he played piano and sang. He still didn’t know what he wanted to be when he finally must pick whether to grow up or not, but this...this meant options. 

Putting the folder aside, he flung his arms around Tegan and squeezed him tight. “I love ya too, Tegan,” he said, keeping his grip around him so that he didn’t lose the grip he had on himself. “How...How did ya do all ‘f this? Why? Tegan, ya sentimental, ‘an’some devil...”

He pulled back to look at him, his face now alight with a smile that set off a single tear sparkling in the light of the room. “I can’ thank ya enough fer this...”

[aidenwolfe-sna]

Squeezing Aiden's hand to reassure himself a little, the taller of the two smiled benignly, lifting his spouse's hand to kiss the ring that lingered there. For better or for worse. And it seemed all was better, for the time being. Thank, again, whoever was tuning in. "It's just a patent that's supposed to redirect misfiring genetic signals in prenatal development stages," he muttered shyly, looking at their hands instead of Aiden's face. "But--I had more exciting news than that, potentially."

“Wow,” the shorter of the two breathed. “Ya di’ all tha’?” He grinned, reaching his free hand back around to rub at Tegan’s back. “Course ya di’. Ye’re Tegan Wolfe: ‘an’some, smart, so smart, sharply dressed too. ‘m proud ‘f ya, Tegan, I am.” 

At that, Aiden raised his brows, looking at their clasped hands - a sight he never grew tired of looking at. “Wot’s tha’? Ya go’ a way fer people t’ live on th’ moon? ‘f anyone could do it, it’d be ye.”

[teganwolfe-wcw]

Color darkening from pink to red, Tegan cleared his throat and shrugged too-big shoulders, hulking frame seeming to shrink in humility. “It–it’s still in major testing stages, but it should be ready in the next six months. It’s not a big deal. It–just seemed like the right thing to do…” He turned from Aiden briefly to either collect himself or something else–the something else being a little blue file he picked up from the bed, and offered to Theodore with a nod. 

“This,” he murmured simply, gesturing with the folder. “I–took the liberty of asking Jadis to do something for me.” He thought back to that Skype call and cringed, considering the fact that Jadis’s payment was not only her usual fee, but a Donald Duck impersonation accompanied by none other than Jack Daniels the rubber duckie (which he was fairly certain Jadis’s beau, the tall fellow with the scruffy face had walked in on). 

“She, ah–well. I thought…not that you have to, but…if you wanted to…in any case, I…found a means to clear your name. Wipe your records…” He trailed off, looking back up at Aiden from the file folder. 

“Everything has been expunged,” Tegan said softly. “If you ever wanted to–to work, or…anything, lease a car, rent a hotel, open a credit card–you’re free to do so.” His hands were shaking. Just a little. He wasn’t sure how Aiden would take this, maybe he should’ve asked first, perhaps this was too grand a gesture…

[aidenwolfe-sna]

“Ya always knew wot tha’ was,” Aiden said with a smile. He kissed Tegan’s chin again and repeated, “’m proud ‘f ya.” And he truly was. His blessed husband, if he believed in blessings. Maybe he did, seeing as he’d somehow managed to land Tegan Hobbes, now Wolfe, of all people. Somehow, something brought them together. Admittedly, it was his tripping and falling. But fate had to be believed. 

But when Tegan told him about the folder and what was inside it, it was as though his world stopped. At least, the world he’d known in the past. 

He’d done so many things, so many things he couldn’t write about or tell anyone. His record spoke to that. A rap sheet a mile long and a troubled past that stuck out like a neon sign pointing and saying, “Product of a broken home,” occasionally flickering to say instead, “Product of a broken system.” Everything in that folder, in the folder of his life, could testify to that.

He’d worn it like a brand. It stuck out no matter what clothes he wore, what parties he went to. Tegan could dress him up and take him out, but it didn’t change who he was, what he’d done, or where he’d been. Images of the apartment he’d lived in at one point flashed through his mind; it had been the nicest he’d owned before he met Tegan. 

Aiden walked back into the bedroom just to sit down on their bed. Folder in hand, he looked back at Tegan and quietly asked, “All ‘f ‘t?”

[teganwolfe-wcw]

There was a long silence in which Tegan looked positively terrified. He all but held his breath, waiting for Aiden to pass judgment on him. He had never been afraid of Aiden. Not his life choices, not his passions, nothing–partially because prior to meeting him, Tegan hadn’t felt very alive to begin with. Thus he’d had no fear of dying or disappointing anyone. 

But now, standing before Aiden–who’d given him life, given him strength, given him everything to keep going for–Tegan felt the first true brush of fear he’d had since picking Aiden Wolfe out of a back alley way and taking him to a hospital. It was a fear of loss. A fear that he’d gone too far or not far enough.

Blue eyes scanned Aiden’s face, vulnerable and nervous, as Tegan paced in after him, exhaling shakily. One hand smoothed over his scarlet tie, the other fidgeted numbly by his side. “…Social security card, tax forms, a paper trail going as far back as you need it to. Ms. Stern is on it.” He sucked in another breath and settled beside Theodore on the bed, bouncing a restless leg after a second or two. 

“It–it’s because I…I’m proud of you, too, Theodore, I want you to have–the life you deserve. The life you’ve earned, it–I don’t want you to feel trapped, and–if this is…too much, or I’ve overstepped my bounds…misread anything, I–I apologize. Profusely. I would never infer you couldn’t–do any of this on your own…it was…sporadic; spur of the moment, for me–spontaneous, rather…” He cupped his hands to his face and took another nervous breath, eyes on the floor.

“This–was probably…short-sighted. I should’ve consulted you…I wanted it to be a surprise, but…” 

[aidenwolfe-sna]

It wasn’t that Tegan had stepped too far, or even that he’d crossed boundaries. Surprised Aiden, of course. But gone too far? No, not at all. They’d had an understanding of sorts every since that night in the back alley. An understanding that lay silently through all the trouble times, all the moments they hadn’t seen eye-to-eye. And that understanding had more or less kept them on the same course - however varied that might look.

It was more than Aiden was surprised by this turn of events. How could he look at this and not be surprised? His life had been dominated by his past, even directed by it, for so long. Employment records, everything was tied to who he had been, no matter how far he’d come from it. 

He’d done wrong things. He’d done terrible things. He couldn’t deny that. Even with the removal of the paper trail, his acts would remain. And he’d take those to his grave, however far away that might be. He’d confront God Almighty with them, and stare Him Above in the eyes when he did it. 

But this...this was a second chance. To begin again. To be that kind of person his mother would have wanted him to be, the kind of person his father never gave him the chance to be. 

His hands shook, and the paper rattled under his care. “’s fine, Tegan. ‘s more ‘n fine. Ya jus’ took me by surprise’s all...” 

He turned his brown eyes, liquid with a misting of water. “Do ya really mean this?”

[aidenwolfe-sna]

Squeezing Aiden's hand to reassure himself a little, the taller of the two smiled benignly, lifting his spouse's hand to kiss the ring that lingered there. For better or for worse. And it seemed all was better, for the time being. Thank, again, whoever was tuning in. "It's just a patent that's supposed to redirect misfiring genetic signals in prenatal development stages," he muttered shyly, looking at their hands instead of Aiden's face. "But--I had more exciting news than that, potentially."

“Wow,” the shorter of the two breathed. “Ya di’ all tha’?” He grinned, reaching his free hand back around to rub at Tegan’s back. “Course ya di’. Ye’re Tegan Wolfe: ‘an’some, smart, so smart, sharply dressed too. ‘m proud ‘f ya, Tegan, I am.” 

At that, Aiden raised his brows, looking at their clasped hands - a sight he never grew tired of looking at. “Wot’s tha’? Ya go’ a way fer people t’ live on th’ moon? ‘f anyone could do it, it’d be ye.”

[teganwolfe-wcw]

Color darkening from pink to red, Tegan cleared his throat and shrugged too-big shoulders, hulking frame seeming to shrink in humility. “It–it’s still in major testing stages, but it should be ready in the next six months. It’s not a big deal. It–just seemed like the right thing to do…” He turned from Aiden briefly to either collect himself or something else–the something else being a little blue file he picked up from the bed, and offered to Theodore with a nod. 

“This,” he murmured simply, gesturing with the folder. “I–took the liberty of asking Jadis to do something for me.” He thought back to that Skype call and cringed, considering the fact that Jadis’s payment was not only her usual fee, but a Donald Duck impersonation accompanied by none other than Jack Daniels the rubber duckie (which he was fairly certain Jadis’s beau, the tall fellow with the scruffy face had walked in on). 

“She, ah–well. I thought…not that you have to, but…if you wanted to…in any case, I…found a means to clear your name. Wipe your records…” He trailed off, looking back up at Aiden from the file folder. 

“Everything has been expunged,” Tegan said softly. “If you ever wanted to–to work, or…anything, lease a car, rent a hotel, open a credit card–you’re free to do so.” His hands were shaking. Just a little. He wasn’t sure how Aiden would take this, maybe he should’ve asked first, perhaps this was too grand a gesture…

[aidenwolfe-sna]

“Ya always knew wot tha’ was,” Aiden said with a smile. He kissed Tegan’s chin again and repeated, “’m proud ‘f ya.” And he truly was. His blessed husband, if he believed in blessings. Maybe he did, seeing as he’d somehow managed to land Tegan Hobbes, now Wolfe, of all people. Somehow, something brought them together. Admittedly, it was his tripping and falling. But fate had to be believed. 

But when Tegan told him about the folder and what was inside it, it was as though his world stopped. At least, the world he’d known in the past. 

He’d done so many things, so many things he couldn’t write about or tell anyone. His record spoke to that. A rap sheet a mile long and a troubled past that stuck out like a neon sign pointing and saying, “Product of a broken home,” occasionally flickering to say instead, “Product of a broken system.” Everything in that folder, in the folder of his life, could testify to that.

He’d worn it like a brand. It stuck out no matter what clothes he wore, what parties he went to. Tegan could dress him up and take him out, but it didn’t change who he was, what he’d done, or where he’d been. Images of the apartment he’d lived in at one point flashed through his mind; it had been the nicest he’d owned before he met Tegan. 

Aiden walked back into the bedroom just to sit down on their bed. Folder in hand, he looked back at Tegan and quietly asked, “All ‘f ‘t?”

[aidenwolfe-sna]

Squeezing Aiden's hand to reassure himself a little, the taller of the two smiled benignly, lifting his spouse's hand to kiss the ring that lingered there. For better or for worse. And it seemed all was better, for the time being. Thank, again, whoever was tuning in. "It's just a patent that's supposed to redirect misfiring genetic signals in prenatal development stages," he muttered shyly, looking at their hands instead of Aiden's face. "But--I had more exciting news than that, potentially."

“Wow,” the shorter of the two breathed. “Ya di’ all tha’?” He grinned, reaching his free hand back around to rub at Tegan’s back. “Course ya di’. Ye’re Tegan Wolfe: ‘an’some, smart, so smart, sharply dressed too. ‘m proud ‘f ya, Tegan, I am.” 

At that, Aiden raised his brows, looking at their clasped hands - a sight he never grew tired of looking at. “Wot’s tha’? Ya go’ a way fer people t’ live on th’ moon? ‘f anyone could do it, it’d be ye.”

[aidenwolfe-sna]

Pink-cheeked and trying not to smile too big, as he'd been noticing the lengthening of his laughter lines of late, Tegan ducked his head and brushed his thumbs across Aiden's cheekbones, secure in the sensation of Aiden beneath his fingers. "I'll keep this tie. But you're biased," he muttered modestly, "and I just hope I impress the people from work tonight. We're--well. I bore you with work enough as it is," he murmured, hands dropping to Aiden's shoulders. "Sure you don't want to come with?"

Aiden kissed both his husband’s thumbs, smiling up at him with no fear of wrinkles. If he got them, good. They’d grow old together. Which was such a cliché thought, and if someone had told him that he would one day want to grow old with someone, he’d’ve laughed and left them right on the spot. But here he was. He loved Tegan’s laugh lines. He loved the grey hair. He loved the crow’s feet he, himself, had begun to get. 

“’m no’ biased. ‘m open ‘n’ ‘onest,” he said with a laugh, leaning up to kiss Tegan’s chin. At the request to come with, he reached for one of Tegan’s hands to interlace their fingers. “Tell me ‘f yer work. ‘s excitin’. An’ if ya wan’ me to come, I’ll go. Confuse ‘em all wiff mah accent.”

[aidenwolfe-sna]

"Ah, well--don't. Faint," Tegan murmured, hands instinctively reaching out to steady Aiden--just in case. His blue eyes flickered across Theodore's face; finding it a good face. A trustworthy face, and one Tegan thanked whoever bothered tuning in he had the privilege of waking up to every day. "Really, don't--you don't think this is too bold?" The magic was worked, however, and the spell Aiden cast on the knot left Tegan open-mouthed. "Although--now it'd be a shame to change it, wouldn't it?"

Aiden grinned, his lower half swaying (not of his own accord necessarily) even as his face was steadied. His hands easily found Tegan’s back, where they dug familiar circles in. “’d do th’ same knot ‘f ya go’ a different one...bu’ for wha’s worth...” He grinned at that, taking a step back, his hands reaching behind him to brace himself on the counter. “Ya cu’ a ‘ell ‘f an image.”

[aidenwolfe-sna]

"Please." Tegan's tone was dejected; resigned. He tugged nervously on the collar of a suit finer than a foster kid deserved, smoothing black lapels into place and trying to look--presentable. Going gray at the temples and having nicked himself shaving, he looked a little worse for the wear. Thin fingers finally moved out of the way at Aiden's entrance, the taller of the two glancing at his curly-headed husband in the mirror, relaxing marginally. "It's--maybe I should use a different tie."

Aiden wedged himself between Tegan and the mirror, though his head fell woefully short of actually covering anything at all. And for all Tegan’s considerations that he looked worse for the wear, Aiden only found him finer with each passing day. Which was definitely unfair. 

He smoothed the tie out with his fingers, trying to restore it from crumpled death. “Think you’ll loo’ good ‘n any tie,” he said with a smile. “Bu’ ‘ll ma’e this one work for ya.” And that he did. He easily set a Windsor knot into place, done up so well, you’d be hard-pressed to believe a drop out and all-around-no-good child like he’d been had ever made it. “There ya go. So ‘an’some, ye’re makin’ me faint.”

[aidenwolfe-sna]

"Theodore?" The voice was hesitant; embarrassed. It came from the bedroom, drawn out thinner than usual; strained and strangled. "Could I--borrow you; briefly, please?" Tegan Wolfe (nee Hobbes) stood in front of a mirror, studying not his pasty, lanky reflection, but rather, the sad snarl of a scarlet tie he thought too bold but could neither take off nor fix accordingly--the selfsame reason he'd called Aiden in for help. His husband was better at many things--this included.

One would think after the life Aiden had led that ties and knots and bows would be beyond him. One would be mistaken. He’d picked that skill up faster than he’d picked up the skill of obeying gravity - which he did often and with great exuberance. Aiden was rather good at it, and when Tegan called, he already knew what the request was for. 

He loped, in his tripping sort of way, to help him - nearly taking a door frame to the shoulder in the process. “’s ‘t th’ tie? ‘ll show ‘t ‘o’s boss.”

[aidenwolfe-sna]

What's it like adopting a couple of 20-somethings

-lets out a laugh- I didn' think they'd stay 'round, but...-sways slightly, nearly toppling over before he sits down on a chair- 'm glad.

[aidenwolfe-sna]

how're you diggin' San Fran so far?

Th' place's a lo' different from Westfield tha's fer sure. -smiles and spreads his arms- There's a lo' less lightnin' a' leas'. Thinkin' this mi' be a good thing. Whadya think?

[aidenwolfe-sna]

Kiss Me Like You Wanna Be Loved

Winter hadn't set in quite yet and left instead, to remind all of its inevitable presence, a covering of mist, a blanket of grey clouds, and the lingering question of whether or not the sky would crack and let rain fall anew. Some cared little for this, and walked as though any rain would not melt them.

One such person walked with only smiles, laughter, and the occasional stumble - which he quickly caught on righted as though nothing had happened. The disposition was a sunny contrast to the composure of his partner, who carried an umbrella open just in case, and whose sure and steady feet found easy placement on the Common's ground. His smile was smaller and many a passerby missed it at first glance, but for Aiden, whose eyes had grown accustomed to the small twitches of his husband's lips, Tegan was practically beaming.

It was not their anniversary, no birthday, no holiday. A business trip had been the cause of their abrupt flight from Westfield. And business was all well and good in Aiden's eyes, but he'd be damned if he let Tegan rot behind an oak desk and board tables for the entirety of their journey.

"Th' weather's great," he had said to a bemused expression and a raised eyebrow. He'd argued this point, no matter how far from the truth, by throwing on a pair of shockingly red gloves and a scarf to match. By the time he had begun inching towards the door to leave, Tegan had buttoned himself up in his most somber, most black coat, grabbed a black umbrella, and brought earmuffs - black, of course - for the both of them.

"I still say th' weather's great," Aiden chuckled as he recovered from one particularly nasty spill. He picked himself up, brushing off his clothes and readjusting the earmuffs that had twisted around his neck in the process. "Couldn' 'ave wished for better weather."

Tegan held his hand out from the umbrella with a look towards the sky that screamed of quiet, but humored, disagreement. 

"'s no' rainin' yet," came the response as Aiden spread both his hands. "'n' 's no' li'e th' two 'f us'll melt when th' downpour hits. No wicked witches of th' west 'ere."

"It doesn't hurt to be prepared."

Aiden pursed his lips, a wicked grin slowly taking hold of his face as he leaned in. "'m prepared t' kiss ya silly 'f 't does rain. Tha's 'ow I'm prepared."

Much as he anticipated, Tegan's cheeks burned a brief pink as the man with the gold and diamond eyes looked away. But as always, his gaze returned to the man with the golden band on his finger, the man who winked at him and carried on as though nothing, and yet everything, had happened. 

Tegan let out a slow breath as he followed. If there was one thing Aiden had done, it was take him outside more and more. Feeding the ducks, watching the stars, laying in the wet grass despite any suit he might be wearing. He suspected Aiden felt as though the world would somehow clear his mind and ease the headache that had been slowly growing behind his cranium for the past year. 

In a lot of ways, Aiden was right. But Tegan wasn't sure it was the act of being outside that medicated his mind. 

Aiden slipping didn't medicate his mind either. And as the man fell backwards, Tegan's hand shot forward to catch him against him. He pulled him firmly into his chest and held him there, lest the man's legs be eager to get away from him again. All of this, to the tune of Aiden's laughter and insistence, in his slurred away of speaking, that nothing had happened. 

"What am I going to do with you?" Tegan asked quietly. 

Without skipping a beat, Aiden answered, "Love me. Hug me. Kiss me. I'd say marry me, bu' ya already di'." He held up his hand to illustrate, twiddling the fingers and causing the gold band to shine in the light. 

"I do love you." Tegan gave a squeeze to Aiden, having refused to relinquish his hold on the smaller man. "I am hugging you." He leaned in and pressed a kiss to Aiden's forehead. "I have kissed you." 

And that was more than enough for Aiden, whose heart was already full of just this moment, of just Tegan, of just wandering together. With a kiss to Tegan's cheek, one delivered as he stood on the tips of his toes to reach, he moved to resume his course. 

But the moment his foot reached from under the umbrella, and his shoulder passed the protection of it, the rain that Tegan had been so prepared for finally fell and Aiden's bright red sock, having had the unfortunate luck to peak out from under his jeans, turned several shades darker from the water dumped on it. 

Aiden jumped back under the umbrella and was greeted by the soft, low rumble of Tegan's laughter. "No' a word," he said, shaking his head at the sudden rain. "No' one word."

"No?" came the bemused reply. 

Fixing chocolate eyes to the blue pools of Tegan's, Aiden, his face battling between the humor of the situation and his own sense of having been quietly told it would rain, leaned back on the tips of his toes to capture Tegan's lips against his own. 

And in that moment, when breath was spared and hands held to the other's coat, as Tegan maneuvered the umbrella to still cover them as he answered the kiss with one of his own, as the rain fell down around them, the two were caught up in a moment of bliss. 

"No' one word," Aiden whispered against Tegan's lips. 

And Tegan was more than happy to give him another kiss in answer. 

[aidenwolfe-sna]

'eeeeeyyyy

[skippingthewitches]

Toby Kebbell and Mark Strong

[aidenwolfe-sna]

"Just a little," Tegan agreed warily, softly pressing a kiss to Aiden's brow as he tried to stifle rising anxiety. The cool flesh beneath his lips simultaneously fascinated him and made his skin crawl. The scientist side of himself wanted to explore and examine--but the concerned spouse overpowered that, as he carefully lifted both hands to hold Aiden's chilly features, staring into deep brown eyes. "Do you need anything? Really? Be truthful. Otherwise I say we--call it a night, you and I."

Aiden's eyes finally closed when Tegan's lips touched his brow, something like relief settling in his chest. His arms slowly came down to wrap around Tegan once more, finding his steadying point. Tilting his head up to gently kiss Tegan's chin, he shook his head, meeting Tegan's gaze. "There's one thing vamps need 'n' I don' wanna take 't. Jus' ready t' wake up wiff a pulse again."

[aidenwolfe-sna]

Taking a deep breath and steeling himself, Tegan nodded slowly--the hand on Aiden's chest sliding upward to cradle the side of the other man's neck, middle finger and pointer pressed to his spouse's jugular. The silence and lack of movement that greeted him was cold--yet Aiden stood and spoke and reassured, and a very bewildered Tegan was left to gaze at the man he loved with an expression of childlike, stricken awe. "A-alright," Tegan said doubtfully, dropping his hand. "Just--wow."

Aiden remained still, as perfectly still as he could anyway, while Tegan examined him. He tried to look a little more confident than he felt - given the slight nagging at the back of his mind that made him wonder if this did only last for a night. He hoped it didn't last longer.

"I know," Aiden said with a wary laugh. "Freaky as 'ell findin' ya don' 'ave a pulse anymore."

[aidenwolfe-sna]

Eyes rounding sharply, Tegan lost his smile in an instant and all but slapped a hand to Aiden's chest, worriedly searching for a pulse that wasn't there. Panic set in, initially, when Tegan realized that--no, there was no heartbeat. Mouth open in stunned disbelief, all the chemist could do was stare at his spouse, suddenly baffled and a little bit terrified--certainly speechless, to say the least. "Wh--Aiden, I--" Agape, Tegan blinked roundly at his husband. There really were no decent words.

Stumbling slightly as he withdrew his arms from surprise, Aiden looked up at Tegan with confusion before realization reached him. Tegan, his scientist, hadn't believed in the first place, so this was...

Aiden held up his hands, "Don' worry, 'm fine. I jus'--ya remember tha' weird ol' dream we 'ad tha' week? Wiff th' vampires 'n' werewolves? I think--'s li'e tha' 'cept the anons...they've got weird things behind 'em. Really, 'm fine." He held his arms out as if to demonstrate.