A soft kiss is pressed to Sean’s cheek, Peake’s arms winding around his thin waist. “No idea. I was in some store, saw it, and was like ‘yes. This is it.’.” Another kiss is given, this one to Spoole’s opposite cheek. Lifting his boyfriend, Peake sets him on the counter and teasingly pushes the lid of the hood down over Sean’s eyes before grabbing plates. “Still hungry?”
The cinnamon buns are served and a generous amount of icing is poured over each one. After they eat, Matt sits Sean back up on the counter and slides between his legs with a sly smile. His tongue feels sticky and sweet, and he kisses Sean until they both need air. It’s slow and languid, full of love and lust. When they break away, Matt’s eyes are heavy and his cheeks are flushed.
“So, I had a few ideas for what we could do today, you tell me what sounds best,” He explains, resting his hands flat on Sean’s thighs. “We could go walk around downtown and explore; we could go to the park or to the zoo; or we could stay home and not leave the bedroom. But I do have dinner reservations tonight at seven-thirty, and I don’t want to miss those. Your choice, baby.”
Spoole happily eats the cinnamon buns, purring happily at the taste of home on his lips. He whispers praises to Matt, admiring the wonderful softness and the wonderful cinnamon. His lips are glossed with the thick creamy glaze and Spoole eagerly licks at them, if only to watch Matt’s cheeks get dark.
The kiss tastes just as good as the cinnamon buns, Spoole’s calf pulling Matt in closer so their bodies are pressed together, just the way they love it. Sean’s tongue actively seeks the taste of Matt and the sweetness of buns and glaze. Spoole flutters his lashes at his boyfriend when he pulls away, licking his lips to catch the last taste of Matt.
“Downtown or the zoo aren’t going anywhere, why can’t I have the best of both worlds?” he purrs and gently pushes Peake back to hop off the counter. A finger hooks the band of Matt’s pajama bottoms, dark green of his eyes dragging both of them into the bedroom. Sean pulls his hand back and walks over to the edge of their bed, hands pushing his underwear and pajamas onto the floor. The only thing Spoole is wearing is an old worn t-shirt, and the sweet lust in his eyes.
The kiss brings a smile to Matt’s face, and he hums as their lips meet. Gosh darn Sean, with his gosh darn cute smile and his gosh darn perfect self. No one is truly perfect, but Sean’s pretty close to it.
“I love you too,” he replies, hugging his boyfriend before pulling away with a smirky smile. “Now wait here, and don’t touch the cinnamon buns.” Matt’s warning is accompanied by a smile, even if he’s trying to sound as serious as possible. Yes, they’ve had their ups and downs and time apart, but Matt can’t imagine his life without Spoole at this point.
Hidden under the bed are Sean’s two presents, and Matt grabs the bigger box to bring to his boyfriend. It’s wrapped in a shiny blue paper, with a ridiculously curly gold bow stuck on top. A Hallmark classic, but still human with its messy wrapping. Inside the box is a new hat to add to Sean’s collection: a deep black snapback with a cartoonish brown bear’s face sewn onto the front. Around the top of the hat on each panel the same bear is sewn in, each making a different face. Matt loves it, and he hopes Sean will too as he watches him open it.
“Do you like it? If you don’t, we can always get you a new one…”
Sean pouts and makes grabby hands at his boyfriend as he retreats, eyes turning longing at the buns. He licks his pink lips, mouth watering just a bit as he watched the steam curl into the air. It would be just a quick nibble, nothing Matt would notice... Plus Sean was a smidgen hungry, he had only just woken up after all...
Before his sneaky fingers can reach for a bun, Matt comes back with a uniquely wrapped gift. Spoole squeals and sets the box down to peck Matt’s slightly chapped lips, thanking him a hundred times. Spoole slowly peels the bow off and sticks it to his chest, undoing the wrapping and its tape. Really, the present looked more tape than paper but Sean really appreciated the effort. Not everyone was as wonderful a present-wrapper as Joel.
“You got me a box? I’m touched,” he teases before opening it. Spoole sets the top aside before pulling out the hat, flicking out the cap. He slides it on and giggles, pushing the bill out of his eyes.
“Love it, he’s adorable! Is he from something or...?” Spoole asks as he wraps his arms around Matt’s neck again, pushing the hat aside so the bill won’t stab Peake’s gorgeous brown eyes.
“Yeah I bet…but I’m sure if you listen hard enough you’ll be able to hear him. Don’t worry.” Jon smirks somewhat then, moving to lean back against the counter. Crossing his arms over his chest he sighs contently.
“Oh– Thanks man..it’s definitely been worth it..” He glanced over himself. “I’ve been good..I mean..nightmares of James thrusting in my face and the Grump guys pouring water over themselves but otherwise I’m good.”
“I’m pretty sure James would say those are wet dreams,” Spoole teases and sips, licking away his milk mustache. “Did you hear how loud the crowd was when Danny started pouring water on himself? It was hilarious, I was laughing so hard.”
Sean pops the microwave door open and takes out the steaming cup, filling the remaining space with cold milk. He stirs with a coffee straw and hums, licking the plastic before pushing the mug towards Jon. “A debt repaid.”
Spoole mixes the powders into a cup, adding the water before setting it in a microwave.
“It’s going good. Kinda weird not to share a desk with Michael anymore. It’s also a lot quieter.” Sean heats up the cup and pours himself his cup of milk, sipping while the chocolate heated up.
“How about you? Congrats on your exercise by the way, you’re looking great.”
Letting go of the mug he chuckles a little, the hand moving to ruffle and shift the hat on the man’s head before drawing back and disappearing, leaving Jon with two arms.
“I’ll take a hot chocolate..sounds kinda nice.” He hums.
“Thank you,” Spoole mumbles into the mug as he readjusts his hat, stepping around Jon and reaching to the fridge, popping it open and pulling out a carton of milk. He sets it aside and pulls open the cabinets, pulling out cocoa, sugar, salt.
“Wait, are you lactose intolerant or is it just gluten?” he asks worriedly.
“Y’know the idea of having someone beg isn’t all that bad of a thing..but..” He hums, the arm slowly lowering and retracting a little to hold the mug at a reasonable height for Spoole.
“Since it’s you I’ll let you have it.” He smiles a little then.
Spoole puffs up his cheeks and blushes at the thought of begging for his mug. He crosses his arms childishly before reaching up for his mug, trying to tug it out of Jon’s grip.
“Jon, gimme the mug I’ll make you hot chocolate or whatever. I just wanted some milk.”
For at least the past minute or so the long haired male had been watching the scene, Spoole on his tip toes trying to reach for some mug while cursing out whoever had moved it. Honestly it was kinda funny but he wouldn’t say that out loud.
With Bella on his heels Jon moved over to stand just behind the smaller man, an arm coming to life from just by his left shoulder blade, and without any hassle he collects the mug from the shelf.
Spoole is just about to give up on the mug and steal his boyfriend’s from the lower shelves when a hand reaches up and plucks the red mug elegantly off the shelf.
“Oh thanks,” Sean says and turns around, coming face to face with Jon. His smile widens just a bit more and Spoole holds out his hand for the mug. “Can I please have that back? Jon, I just want some milk, don’t make me beg.”
Spoole whines under his breath as his fingers teasingly brush the bottom rim of his favorite mug. Whoever thought it was a funny prank to put the bright red Duff cup on the highest shelf possible, they were an ass. Spoole has been attempting to retrieve it for thirty minutes now and it hasn’t budged a millimeter.
“Goddammit,” he growls, pushing harder on the counter and balancing on his tippy toes. “I just want some fucking milk. I hate this Haus.”
“Be whatever you want to be, Sean.” Matt says, his smile widening as he watches Sean realize that there have been flowers sitting on the countertop this entire time. Peake had them delivered last night, after Sean went to bed. Orange peonies sit next to blue lilies, with baby’s breath and little orange daisies surrounding them.
“Do you like them?” He asks, smiling as he wipes away the flour and pulls Sean into a deep kiss. “They’re for you, silly. Of course they are.” A few pecks pass between them, and Matt can’t keep the smile off his face. He wants to say more, but the timer starts to yell and Matt pulls away from Sean. The cinnamon buns are retrieved from the oven, gooey and soft, and Matt sets them on the counter to cool, along with the pot of spread for the top.
“Let them cool,” he says to Sean, watching how his boyfriend’s eyes grow in hunger at the sight of the food. “Or else you’ll burn your mouth and complain all day. Now, do you want your first present now or after breakfast?”
Spoole feels too lightheaded after just a few kisses and sweet darling gifts from his boyfriend. Matt Peake is too good for him, all stoic and rough on the outside but truly the world’s greatest lover on the inside. Sean is about to confess his undying love for the bouquet when the timer warns them of burning buns.
“Don’t burn yourself,” he says as he steps out of Matt’s way, watching the steaming hot cinnamon treats rest on the counter. His eyes grow two sizes and Sean may or may not be drooling, he’s not sure himself.
“Aww... Party pooper,” he whines but eases himself back into Matt’s arms. Spoole can be patient, he’s a big boy. Cinnamon buns tasted better when they hit a certain temperature anyway.
“I get presents?” he whispers before giggling, rubbing their noses together in a sweet Eskimo kiss. “I want the present now please.” Spoole catches Matt in a slow deep kiss, running his fingers along the back of Peake’s neck and into his freshly cut hair. “But first...”
Sean pulls away and smiles up at Peake. “I love you Matt Peake. With all my heart.”
“Please don’t, I’m awful at baking,” Matt admits, tacking on a soft laugh to the end of his sentence. He feels fingers brush by his ear, and he pulls Sean’s hand away to press a soft kiss to his fingers. “It’ll grow back, Sean. You know I needed a trim.” Still, Matt can feel eyes on him, and he’s about to ask why, until…
A little chuckle leaves him as Sean brushes away the dust, and Matt shakes his head. “The new bag of flour and I got into a bit of a fight. The, uh, mess was worse before.” The bag decided to explode as he opened it, leaving him even whiter than usual and a mess on the floor. “Thankfully, flour is easy to clean up.”
Arms wrap around Sean, and Peake smiles as the two of them stand there, enjoying the silence of their small apartment. There’s something about silence between two people that’s just so… calming to Matt. His thick fingers hug Sean’s slim hips, keeping his boyfriend close as the two of them sway to an imaginary beat.
“You’re shorter.” He comments, breaking the silence with his whisper. “You’re not going to give me a complex or anything if you stay your normal height, you know that, right?”
“I am shorter,” Spoole agrees, continuing to sway to their invisible song. His eyes had drifted shut without him noticing and the peaceful morning in Austin is making everything move in magnificent slow motion.
“I happen to like being shorter than my boyfriend, that’s all.” Spoole opens his eyes and unfolds in Matt’s arms, looking up into Peake’s eyes. Sean cups the sharp angled face and smiles. “Do you want me to be my normal height?”
Something catches Spoole’s eye and he slowly tilts his head to look over Matt’s shoulder, green eyes widening at the sight of a gorgeous bouquet of flowers hiding in a corner of the kitchen. His lips comically turn into an “o” and Spoole turns back to Matt.
“You didn’t,” he whispers and looks at the flowers again. Spoole buries his face in Matt’s chest before pulling away with flour on his freckled nose. “Please tell me those aren’t for me, Peake they’re gorgeous and so pretty and oh my gosh.”
The morning sun wakes Matt (with a grumble as his eyes opened), and as he rubs his eyes to get the sleep out of him, he realizes two things. One, no one had closed the blackout curtains last night, and two; today is Sean’s birthday. His thirtieth, to be exact. Thick fingers run through shorn hair, and Matt lets out a yawn loud enough to wake any normal person, but Mr. Heavy-Sleeper-Sean-Poole remains out like a light.
Rolling out of bed, Matt pulls on some pants and steps through the bedroom mirror into the living room, rubbing the bleariness from his eyes as he does so. Life has been quiet in the big city of Austin, and Matt hasn’t had to stretch his powers as often as usual. Wounds have healed, relationships have been mended, and life has fallen into a gentle monotony that he doesn’t really mind. It’s nice to have some quiet after years and years of craziness.
Spoole smiles up at his boyfriend, eyes glazing over with unconditional love and admiration for one second. His fingers press into the skin where they reach and Spoole pulls Matt in for a second kiss, slowly moving his lips along his boyfriend’s. It’s intimate, something only two lovers share alone with no prying eyes trying to egg them on or cut them short.
“I think you’re still the old man here,” Spoole answers and giggles, instinctively going to tuck an imaginary lock of curled hair behind Matt’s ear. He finds the lock gone and the hair too short to tuck behind anything. Sean mourns the loss but the smell of the buns perk him up.
“You made me cinnamon buns and you’re breaking your diet? Oh, I should turn thirty more often,” Spoole says and turns his head to glance at the buns cooking in the oven. He smiles and glances around the kitchen, happy to see there isn’t a huge mess. Green eyes flick to Matt’s face and Sean giggles at the patch of white along his cheek.
“You’ve got something... riiiight... there,” he says and gently pats the dust away, pressing a gentle kiss where the flour once was. Sean strokes Peake’s high cheekbone and hugs him tightly, sighing with an air of content and happiness.
“I love you so much. Thank you for the buns Mattie,” he mumbles, tucking his head underneath Peake’s chin. “You didn’t have to...”
Spoole’s green eyes slowly open, the edges of a soft fluffy dream fading away as morning sunlight streams through the light curtains, the black out drapes pushed apart already. Spoole figures he forgot to close them last night before he fell asleep. He languidly stretches his entire body, pressing the flat of his hand against the headboard and arching his back to reset all the vertebrae.
“Morning baby,” he mumbles as he rolls over in their mussed blankets, ready to start his birthday off with a good morning kiss from the greatest boyfriend in the history of men.
Sean finds Matt’s side of the bed empty, the sheets already pushed aside and their bedroom door cracked open. He huffs and pouts at no one in particular, patting the void next to him with sad green eyes. The tips of his soft fingers trace over the sheets, feeling the dunes shift underneath the slightest pressure. Spoole sits up and his blankets fall off his bare chest, skin pale and soft, a blank canvas.
His nose immediately sniffs and Sean quickly pushes the rest of the blankets off of him, standing from the bed. He throws on one of Matt’s old shirts, shrinking himself a few inches so the hem brushes just below his naval. Spoole quickly shuffles out of the room, curiously rounding the corner of the hallway before his heart melts.
Matt is standing the kitchen, spots of flour dotting his body and the smell of baking pastries flowing from the oven. Sean takes a deep whiff and licks his chapped lips. Cinnamon, sugar, handmade dough, glaze on the stove. His boyfriend is making cinnamon buns.
“What’s the occasion?” Spoole teases as he approaches the breakfast bar, leaning against it and giving Matt a bright smile. “Good morning. I missed you in bed.” Sean takes his first good morning kiss and can’t help the grin he has.
It feels like a weight is lifted off of his shoulders when the sheet is pulled away, revealing the expansive mirror in their bathroom. Matt can’t help but reach out, press his palm against it for a moment, and just breathe. Somehow, it centers him, giving him back the strength he’s been lacking for the past few days. Suddenly, his legs don’t feel so jelly-like, and his heart isn’t threatening to beat out of his chest.
Spoole sighs happily as he enters the hot shower, the steam curling around his soft body and easing the chill of the rain and the stress of the day from him. His arms go around Matt’s neck and hums at the kiss, smiling for the first time in the longest of whiles. His eyes slowly park and Sean is suddenly acutely aware of how close they are again.
“Like you should be talking,” he jokes and one hand slides along Matt’s thick neck to his thick beard, running through the coarse hairs. Sean hums quietly as he pets through the hair, new from the last time he’d touched his lover.
The kiss is a welcome gesture, Spoole hugging Matt close as their lips dance to a familiar rhythm. Spoole blinks up at his boyfriend when they part and nods to his words.
“And I love you too, so much. Let’s never do that again,” Spoole proposes and guides back in for another kiss, swaying their bodies to an imaginary beat. This kiss takes longer, a rekindling of their relationship as their sparks ignite again. Spoole huffs a soft breath against Peake’s lips, bumping their noses together and looking at him, quietly asking if he can have more of Matt. To make up for all the kisses, touches, anything they had missed when they were apart.
“I missed you so much,” Spoole whispers, breathless already from how potent their love can be. He’s missed his boyfriend, and Sean never wants to leave him again. He wants to be Peake’s giggling klutzy bubbly geeky boyfriend forever and ever.
Peake might be cold, but Sean’s skin seems to be radiating warmth when their noses touch. A smile, small and strained yet still a smile, appears on his lips, and Peake can’t help but let out a soft, relieved noise. Everything will be ok.
Sometimes, Peake forgets that Sean’s power works two ways: he’s so used to seeing his boyfriend in his smaller state that seeing him grow and grow until he’s basically blocking out the sun is a bit surreal. Then again, they’re all superheroes: daily life is a bit surreal sometimes.
Spoole gasps when Peake manages to hoist him off their floors with just an arm, toes just centimeters off the ground but the effort is appreciated, especially since his boyfriend just ran a considerable amount. Soft hands slide along Peake’s wet back, feeling the dips and bulges of muscle. This was like a sliver of his home, something he wants to come back to every day.
As soon as his toes meet cold tile, Sean shucks his soaked shirt into the sink, tugging off his wet sweatpants before glancing at Matt, following his hand to the cover over the mirror. He worries his lower lip before standing up, walking over to the cloth.
In one swoop, the cover is pulled away and Spoole catches a glimpse of himself for the first time that day. His eyes are puffy around the edges, skin too pale to be healthy. His teeth are still clicking behind his lips and his red locks are plastered to his forehead. Matt is behind him and Sean looks at his boyfriend, suddenly breathless at how... perfect he was. Eyelashes clumped together with little drops clinging to them, lips red and skin almost as pale as Sean’s.
“I love you,” Spoole whispers, louder than the gushing water in their shower. He turns around and presses back against the warming sink. Sean looks at his boyfriend again, with fresher eyes. There’s a sparkle behind forest green eyes and a shy smile tugs at his cold lips. Spoole motions for Matt to come forward and gently presses their lips, trembling from the cold and the missed intimacy, together.
The first thing Peake notices is the cut: small, but still deep enough to bleed like this. His white shirt sleeve is soaked red, and Peake strips, letting the cold water rain down on his skin as he takes Sean’s injured hand in his. He processes what Sean just said as he wraps his wound, applying heavy pressure to the cut to try and dull the bleeding. The last thing they needed was another bloody incident. Peake’s injury throbs, the rain irritating the stitches under the bandage; he pushes the pain out of his head, focusing on Sean’s hand.
He doesn’t look up, not yet. Matt stays silent, chewing on his bottom lip as water slicks his curls to his forehead. It looks like he’s studying the white fabric, watching for the spread of red to calm down. He wants to make sure Sean is ok… in more ways than one.
Even though there’s a cacophony of noises around them—the rain, the thunder, the rustle of storm wind—the thick silence overwhelms Spoole, tears pricking at his eyes as Matt slowly wraps his wound. Sean is quiet as Peake observes the injury with doctoral precision.
He wishes Matt would speak, would say something to destroy the silence between them. Spoole knows what he wants to hear, for Peake to say okay and to end this fight. Their apartment needs to be filled with their love again, the scent of a maple sugar pie baking in the oven and the bathroom mirror foggy from the hot water in their bubbly tub. Spoole needs it again, able to spend hours quietly admiring every little detail of Matt and pledging his love ten times over.
He can’t go back to a cold apartment, where bland smoothies and silent living rooms permeate the atmosphere. And Spoole can’t go back to that alone.
Say something, Sean begs silently and visibly jumps in his skin at the roll of thunder, so caught up in his own world he forget where they are. Sean looks into Matt’s eyes, the movement spilling tears that are muddled with the cool drops of rain.
Peake’s talking to him.
Spoole ignores the thunder and pulls his hand from Matt’s head, tilting it up and cupping it with a cold and clammy, but bloodless, other. Their foreheads meet gently and Sean’s green eyes look into Matt’s brown ones, finding true remorse and regret. It’s enough for him.
“I’m sorry too,” he whispers, teeth starting to clack together. Spoole leans in and gently rubs their noses together in an Eskimo kiss, pulling away and taking Matt’s hand. He manages to the end of the block before sighing, realizing how far they are from their little apartment.
“Hold this please,” Spoole whispers, handing the blood stained shirt. They’ll have to toss it, there’s no salvaging it at this point. Sean grows until he’s gigantic, taking Matt in his uninjured hand and taking just a handful of steps before setting his boyfriend down and shrinking back to his small height, a few inches shy of Matt’s head.
They’re outside their apartment and Spoole takes Matt’s hand again.
“Can we go inside?” he asks quietly, almost drowned out by the rain.
The door slams shut, slams right in Sean’s face. Matt leans against it, but only for a second. Once he’s off the stairs, on the first floor, is when the rain starts to drench him. In a moment’s notice, he’s soaked to the bone, the white shirt sticking to his frame and his curls slicked straight to his forehead. His bandage is wet, and Matt sighs as he takes the sling off and wraps it around the fabric like a makeshift cast. It’ll have to do for now.
His feet push off, heavy under him, and his socks are soaked as he runs through puddles. He didn’t grab his phone, so he has no music to distract himself, just his thoughts. The thoughts Matt has been trying to avoid since they started popping up in his head almost a week ago.
Spoole’s breathing so heavily, every inhale like a scream for mercy and burning his throat as thick cool air washes him out. His lungs are working harder than they have ever had to, pumping more and more of the thick wetness into him. He feels like he’s drowning again.
Suddenly he’s back when he’s five, running around the backwoods of Washington and playing around with his cul de sac friends, shoving at each other and laughing away the bruises and scrapes. But now he’s in the river, grasping the weak roots sticking out from the bank and begging for help from his friends. His lungs are filling with water and it tastes horrible, like regret and washed up dreams.
“Sorry!” Spoole shouts as he cuts a car off, holding up his bloodied hand in apology as he doesn’t break stride, eyes trained on the soaked man at the horizon. The horn still echoes in his ears but there’s only one thing on Sean’s mind. He screams for Matt again, but he’s almost sure the man is ignoring him now, even increasing his pace and therefore increasing the distance between them.
“Never should’ve skipped leg day,” Sean rasps out at a crosswalk, holding himself together as aches and burns run through his body. He’s starting to see flashes.
By the time his hands get to touch Matt, Spoole is ragged and tearing at the seams but never felt more alive in his life. He barely flinches when Matt throws his hands up, backing a pace up but standing his ground. The tone of Matt’s words, sharp and deadly, break him a bit more but Sean is too tired to give a damn about tone. He’s got some words to say.
“I-I...” He turns his head away to cough, fighting for more air. When Matt tries to turn away, the bloody hand reaches out and grabs his shirt, some of the crimson soaking into the shirt and staining it a pink and red. Sean’s grip is so tight, it hurts Spoole and his knuckles are white, shaking from the cold and exertion. He takes a second more to heave more air into him, wiping away tears before finally standing up.
“No... No no more running, please,” he begs and means it both ways. Matt wasn’t going to keep on testing his physical limits and both of them weren’t going to push away the elephant in the room. Spoole fixes his boyfriend in one look and his eyes are glimmering with a bit more life than they had before.
“I love you,” he blurts out and turns his head away, lips curling into a weak pink smile. “I love you so much Matthew, and I’m always going to be in love with you.”
It all comes out in one waterfall of words.
“I love you more than anything in the world, and I’m sorry for trying to act like someone I’m not. I know who I am, and it’s not French politics and dumb protein shakes. I want to eat so much chocolate I get fat and can’t roll off the bed. I want to watch Steven Universe again, a-and laugh with you and read with you and play with you and love you so much. I want you back in my arms at night, I want to be the heater you cuddle at night.
“I just want you back, I want to come back. I’m done baby, I’m done. I can’t and I don’t want to do this anymore.
“I know you didn’t mean it Matt. I know you were just trying to save my life, I was just so scared. I didn’t want you to do it, but I should’ve known you’d do anything to keep me alive. You took a knife to the arm and this is how I repay you. I know you didn’t mean to snap at me baby, I know you were.. were..”
Spoole looks at Matt, suddenly realizing all of these words could mean nothing. Matt could still turn away from him, and run and never come back. He could want someone more than Sean, go find someone who wasn’t as emotional and ten times more cuter.
“I know... you were...”
Suddenly Spoole’s throat is so tight, catching all of his words and filtering them until none came out. His lips are still open, trying to get more words out but all that comes out is a weak sigh. His green eyes shine with tears and some run down his cheeks but neither of them can tell what’s rain and what’s emotion.
“...”
Sean searches for something in Matt’s eyes before his hand loosens its grip on the love of Spoole’s life, the shirt stained with his blood. He keeps his eyes on Matt, arm going to his side and dripping onto the sidewalk under them.
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