crush a bit, little bit, roll it up, take a hit. feeling lit, feeling right. two am, summer night, I don't care. hand on the wheel, driving drunk, I'm doing my thing. rolling in the midwest side now, living my life, getting our dreams. people told me slow my roll, I'm screaming out FUCK THAT. I'm a do just what I want. looking ahead, no turning back. if I f a l l, if I die, know I lived it to the fullest. if I f a l l, if I die, know I LIVED and missed some bullets. I'm on the pursuit of happiness and I know everything that's shine, ain't always gonna be gold. I'll be fine once I get it, I'll be good. tell me what you know about d r e a m i n g, you ain't really know bout nothing, tell me what you know about the night terrors every night.
“I do,” Dalton responded with a grin before nodding his head. “Of course you can. Anything particular that you want or are we winging it?”
Dillon’s natural reaction was to offer a response that was crude, his lips parted, “Di--” He stopped himself, smiling up at Dalton before stopping himself, letting out a small chuckle, “Let’s wing it.”
Dalton smiled, “I like the sound of that actually.” He pressed his lips against Dillon’s once more before pulling back but not before brushing his fingers through Dillon’s hair again. “How about I make us something to eat, yeah? We can just have a nice night in.”
“Do you?” He murmured, humming in response to the kiss and leaning his head back into the gentle touch of Dalton’s fingers. “Sounds great, can I help?”
While the day didn’t start off at being the best, Dalton could say that in that moment, he was completely happy. His thumbs brushed over Dillon’s cheeks before he slowly pulled back but remained close to the other. “Can you stay over?” Dalton wasn’t looking for anything to happen, he still didn’t want to hurt Dillon, but he also didn’t want to be without his company after what they just confessed to each other.
Dillon curled his arms around the man’s neck, nodding his head, “Yeah, you bet,” He murmured, running his nose along the bridge of Dalton’s own. He hadn’t expected the other to confess the same, hell, he hadn’t expected he’d ever admit that he loved Dalton to Dalton, but how could he hide the truth from Dalton? “Couldn’t get rid of me if you tried.”
“Yes,” Dalton responded, a smile on his own lips as he watched the other. “I am in love with you.” Dalton couldn’t help but return the kiss, his hands coming up to gently cup Dillon’s face. The whole moment felt surreal. This was the last conversation he expected to have with Dillon that day and that wasn’t a confession he planned on telling the other any time soon but the two clearly felt the same about each other.
His heart stuttered in his chest when the other confirmed what he said, melting against him as he deepened their kiss, his tongue slipping between the man’s teeth, gently stroking over Dalton’s own.
Dalton stayed quiet as Dillon attempted to explain himself, waiting for what he had said to catch up with the young male. A smile tugged at his lips as he nodded his head “Yeah. I love  you. Why wouldn’t I? You mean a lot to me and I care about you. I’d be crazy not to be in love with you.”
Dillon blushed, a smile tugging on the corners of his mouth, “You’re in love with me?” He repeated, biting his lower lip, his smile only growing, “I love you, I love you, Dalton Shelby...” Dillon curled his fingers into the man’s shirt, pushing himself up onto the balls of his feet, coaxing the other into a kiss.Â
Dalton rubbed his lips together as he moved closer to Dillon. “I’m just surprised you told Josh before you told me.” He wasn’t mad about it. He wasn’t even close to being upset. He was just surprised that Dillon told Josh considering the bit of a tension that had been between them or better yet the tension when it came to the relationship Dalton had with Dillon. “You’re cute when you back track.” Dalton offered a gentle smile as he gently pulled Dillon closer to him. “I love you.”
“I didn’t mean to -- I was just trying to... explain how I felt about you and I surprised myself by just... saying it, it kinda just came out and... I don’t know, in hinds sight this was probably a shitty way to tell you, right?” Dillon’s features creased, his toes curling as he let out a shaky breath. Once again, Dalton caught him off guard, moving closer, pulling Dillon into him. His eyes widened when he spoke those three words today, “You -- you love me?” Dillon whispered, “You love me?”
“Oh yeah?” Kieran asked with raise of his brow. “I’m sure Josh and I will slow down…eventually…maybe…probably not.” Kieran gave Dillon a smile, “I am happy and I guess it’s not a bad thing that I’m a little softer.”
“Whatever works for you,” Dillon laughed, rolling his eyes playfully, leaning back once again before digging out his carton of cigarettes and sparking up before offering one to his companion. “It’s definitely not, so... tell me about your wedding.”
It warmed Dalton’s heart a little to see Dillon so at home in his own place. The other moved inside without hesitation and went straight into the kitchen. “Wait what?” That wasn’t what Dalton was expecting to hear. That was the last thing he expected to hear. He slowly put his bag down on the kitchen table as he moved closer to Dillon. “You told Josh you love me?”
Dillon figured that confessing that they were falling from the other meant that Dalton would be aware of just how strong his feelings were for him, only, the surprise on his face, let alone in his voice, had Dillon backtracking in his mind for a moment. He froze, a panicked expression crossing his own features, “I mean... well, yeah,” Dillon retorted in a quieter voice, “Uh -- but... don’t, I don’t expect you to feel the same I just...” He looked to the floor, “It just happened.”
“Yeah you were.” Dalton didn’t like thinking about how bad it could have been but sometimes, the thought slipped inside his mind that Dillon could have died that night. “I like being with you too.” Dalton glanced down at Dillon before easing into the drive way of his home. “You know, the couch might be more comfortable to lay down on not that I’m complaining but we’re here.”
Before Dillon realised it, they pulled up outside of Dalton’s and the boy lifted his head up, he looked at the other and smiled, planting a quick kiss against his lips before urging himself up and out of the car. Dillon was a little better on his feet lately, less shaky, only some days were better than most, today had been a conveniently good day. He let himself into Dalton’s house and placed the box down on the kitchen counter top, “I told Josh I loved you, I figured I should tell you before it came up in conversation,” The boy murmured casually, grabbing them both a bottle of water.
“That’s cute,” Kieran said with a genuine smile. “Josh and I should try holding off not that I’m complaining.” And they really weren’t. They had no complaints when it came to their sex life. “Josh makes me a little soft and a little nicer. There, I admitted it.”
“Delayed gratification can really do wonders for a relationship,” Dillon agreed with a smile, “I never thought I’d ever say that.” He nodded his head when Kieran spoke, shrugging his shoulders, “It’s not such a bad thing, you know? It’s nice that you’re happy, and a little softer.”
“This town breeds daddy issues,” Kieran responded with a slight roll of his eyes but it wasn’t at Dillon. He almost chuckled at Dillon’s explanation before cocking his head to the side, “Can’t that be seen as a good thing though? At least you know this relationship isn’t all about sex. I wouldn’t see it as a negative.” Kieran’s eyes narrowed in a mock glare, “I’m not soft and no one is making me soft. I can be nice. It kills me on the inside but I can still be nice.”
“You can say that again,” He mumbled, lips twitching as Kieran rolled their eyes. As they went on, Dillon bit his lower lip, nodding his head, “I actually like it, makes the sex, whenever we do have it, just a hell of a lot better.” He raised his brows when they snapped at him, a small chuckle vibrating in his throat, “It’s okay to be a little soft, Kieran.”
“You’ll be back to normal in no time, you know.” He didn’t mind when Dillon rested his head in his lap as he drove. “I’m glad you came with me today. I’m glad you’re here.” He knew that he could have brought Josh or Avery or any of the other Serpents but the only person he really wanted with him in that moment was Dillon.
“Normal... I really was lucky, wasn’t I?” Dillon murmured, stroking his hand down Dalton’s leg. “I’m glad I’m here, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be, you know? I like being with you, I’d like being with you if it was every day or once a month.”
“Still weird as fuck. I don’t get this whole calling everybody daddy thing. It weirds me out.” There wasn’t a lot of things that weirded Kieran out but this was definitely one of them. “Why wouldn’t he? You’re a catch. You’re young. Always horny. What’s not to like?”
“I don’t know, I definitely have daddy issues, but uh -- it was more of a... saying it ironically or sarcastically until it just took away the whole disgusting nature of it, now it just kinda comes out my mouth, but yeah, I’ve never... called anybody daddy and been serious about it, because that’s genuinely gross.” His lips curved up into a small smile, head cocking to the side as his eyebrows knitted together, “I don’t think he’s all that interested in how horny I am but thanks, Kieran, Josh really is making you soft, isn’t he?”
Dalton chuckled, “I’m not perfect. I just know when not to be an asshole and this is one of those times.” He reached out to brush his own fingers through Dillon’s hair. “We can try, okay? And if it’s too much then we’ll stop.”
“I like that,” Dillon murmured softly, tilting his head into the touch, “You’re the only person who does that, it feels good, comforting.” He leaned over, slowly, and placed his head in Dalton’s lap as he drove, “No, you’re right, I can wait... I really can.”
Parents’ horrible mistakes sometimes if not always bounced back and affected their children with unnecessary consequences. Callum’s penchant for mayhem snowballed a chain of events that almost ended in his son’s death, which she couldn’t bare being party to. “I’m not asking you to bloody your hands and commit patricide.” Fiona placed both hands along the small foot board lining the bottom of Dillon’s bed and leaned forward. “A lot of people are gunning for your father’s head. I’m asking if you will stand idly by and let them…or give me permission to do it myself.”
He stared at the woman for a long time, would it really affect his life if his father wasn’t around? Could he really turn a blind eye to his murder? Did he hate him enough for that? Probably not, even at his angriest, Dillon wasn’t wired that way. He finally glanced away from Fiona and sighed softly, “No,” Dillon murmured quietly, “If I agreed to that, I wouldn’t be any better than him, and I am not my father.”
“That’s the one thing you couldn’t ask of me.” Breathing an exasperated sigh and rubbing his hands along his face, the man had to consider all of his options. “You thought I didn’t give a damn knowing I almost lost you. It’s fair, I didn’t show it and I avoided every emotion that came with that. It infuriated me beyond words thinking I would’ve had to plan a possible funeral for my own son.” Callum’s thoughts drifted, coming to the conclusion he could do only one thing if it turned down the asshole meter. That meant Claudia. “Dillon, if you really need me to take that step, we’ll have to be truthful with each other. This isn’t the best time bringing it up, but there’s something you should know and I’d rather you hear it from me than..someone else.”
Dillon just stared at his father, he ran out of arguments, of objections. He couldn’t think of anything else to say, there was nothing else he could think of to persuade his father, although Callum did seem to take a step in the right direction. His choice in words, though, the promise of revealing something was almost threatening and before Dillon could even remotely enjoy the idea that they may have been progressing in their relationship, he’d deflated. “Right, because this is exactly what I need in my recovery, a secret you’ve been keeping which can only be bad. What is it?”
“I am not calling you daddy,” Kieran responded with a scrunched up look on his face. “I don’t even call Josh daddy. That’s just…why are you doing this to me? What did I do to you? I really don’t understand.” Kieran almost shuddered, “What? My discomfort?”
“Just give it a little try,” Dillon grinned widely before managing a laugh, “Doesn’t have the same affect when I’m literally fucking twelve by comparison.” He slowly crossed his legs over one another, it was uncomfortable but he didn’t feel entirely comfortable in any other position. “I’m kidding, relax, Dalton would never marry me, mainly because he isn’t dumb, and yes, your discomfort.”