fandomtownies | T42 - Thursday 6am-6pm

Hernando was humming along with classical music. He thought it was only sounding in his head until he noticed the quokka hopping about in time and looked up. Sure enough, there were now small discreet speakers tucked away in the corners. With no visible signs of a sound system. He chuckled and patted the counter and simply went back to humming along.

He had put in an order with the school's fundraiser and part of him felt a little sorry for Peter if he was the one handling all of these. There had been quite a line and his order had taken no little time in itself.

The specials board was hiding again. Hernando gave a cursory look for it and then shrugged. It deserved a day off now and again. He made a cup of tea for himself and set the pastries out. Comfortable foods for a day that held the promise of being overcast and grey.

As far as Hernando was concerned, it was a beautiful, bright and sunshiny day whether or not the actual sky agreed with him.

Still humming along with the music, he rested back against the counter and sipped his tea.

[Open!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It took Sparkle a moment.

Only a moment, though, before vague comprehension dawned on his face, moving across his features like ripples in a tidepool. He caught his lip between his teeth, staring at Hernando with wide eyes, like a startled cat. Like one that was just realizing that its prey had been a cat all along, too.

"Tu es un homme dangereux," he agreed, softly. "Tu vois ce que tu me fais dire?"

Hernando saw the startle and answered it by leaning in to kiss Sparkle exactly the same way he had the day before. The only difference was that his arms were around the waist and not cupping his face. A very slow nod.

When the kiss ended, his lips didn't go far. He stayed leaning so close they almost brushed again as he answered.

"Oui. Je t'adore."

Just to make absolutely certain Sparkle knew, Hernando said it in the original format he'd used.

"Je vous adore."

Hadn't meant to use the wrong word.

Wanted there to be absolutely no uncertainty now that he meant it the way Sparkle had heard it.

Sparkle kissed Hernando back. Didn't move to pull away. Closed his eyes and sighed into it, even.

And then, when that kiss was through, he nuzzled for just long enough to realize what it was Hernando was doing, what he was saying, that he understood what he was saying now, before he blew out a soft breath and buried his face in the other man's shoulder.

"Okay."

... Just okay? He grimaced a little and mentally kicked himself for that one.

"Okay."

... But apparently he was going to just say it again. Thanks, brain.

That was honestly a better reaction than he'd been expecting. Hernando cuddled him close and slid a hand up into his hair. Leaned to kiss his temple.

"It is, baby," Hernando said softly, "It is okay." Ok for him to say it. Ok to have it heard and understood. Ok for him to be having this moment where he needed to hide from it and adjust. All of it. "I am right here and I am yours and this? This is okay."

"Okay," Sparkle said, for... a third time, apparently. He pulled in a gasp of air, and then just kind of latched on for dear life. He was fine, it was fine, this was okay.

Okay.

"Wasn't going to. Yet. I mean. Say it."

That was certainly a collection of words, there.

"It's okay, baby," Hernando repeated quietly, holding him tighter. Kissing his hair again. "I'm here. I'm yours. I'm not letting you go," he murmured, nuzzling in and just brushing his mouth over Sparkle's temple. "You need not say anything that you do not feel ready for. It is simply that I did not want it chasing around in your head to wonder if I knew and to make yourself anxious with it."

Kissed him again and said even more softly, "I did not need the words for that. I do not need them now. I know and you know, and it is okay for it to be just that, baby."

Sparkle didn't say 'okay' again, at least. He just nodded, heaving a soft sigh, and closed his eyes, pressing his forehead against Hernando's.

"I'm going to need it to be just that for a little longer," he murmured. "That we both know, and that's enough for now."

Because he was damaged and kinda flighty, and four-letter-words that didn't start with 'f' were... still a lot. Even if they were already out there in the form of five-letter-words that started with 'a.'

Hernando nodded and reassured him, "I know that, Sparkle. Baby, truly, it is okay." Nuzzled their noses together. "It can wait." Until Sparkle was ready. Until he could accept.

Hernando smiled and held his gaze. "'Mine' is the only word I need right now." His lips twitched, "For the polite, in-public word."

Well. That got a soft laugh out of Sparkle, right there. He grinned and closed his eyes and bumped his forehead against Hernando's and was quite content to just stay that way for a minute.

"Mine."

There. That did work out nicely, didn't it?

He stroked Sparkle's hair again, brushing it back from his forehead while theirs rested together. Nodded and nuzzled their noses together.

Brushed a very gentle kiss against those perfect, irresistible lips and repeated the word.

"Mine."

It was a good word.

Summed things up nicely, didn't it?

"Yours," Sparkle murmured, and then just kind of settled in to cling for a moment. To process. Hernando was still here. The world wasn't ending, so far as he could tell. No trapdoor had opened up underfoot to swallow him. Nothing was burning down.

Nobody was walking away without a word.

So he said it again.

"Yours."

And then he finally let himself breathe.

"Yours," Hernando echoed, holding him tighter. It did sum everything up nicely. He was fine with this. Sparkle was clinging. Not running. Obviously anxious but.. not leaving. Not bolting, not attempting to push him away for space.

Hernando would have accepted all of those if that had been the response. Was thankful it was not.

So he held Sparkle tighter and murmured, "I am yours and I am right here. With you."

Nuzzled in and kissed him gently again.

Another kiss. Another nod.

"Good. Stay."

There were layers to that 'stay' that Sparkle hoped didn't get examined too closely, from the surface-level, 'Sparkle, this is Hernando's shop, where would he go?' right on down the heap to 'the good ones are so fucking rare, you need to hold on when you find them.'

So he cut off any potential train of thought with a little smile as he leaned back to look Hernando in the eye.

"So. Zoo this weekend?"

... Oh, honey. Zoo not this weekend.

Hernando was not about to examine anything too closely just now, except perhaps Sparkle's eyes.

Swept his thumb under one and leaned in to kiss Sparkle again. "Zoo this weekend," he agreed with a smile, "Picking out which animals you intend to steal someday, feeding you mini donuts and scandalizing people by kissing you in public."

'Scandalizing'. Pfft.

"Ooo, scandal," Sparkle laughed. "This sounds like the fun kind of scandal. I'm in."

He didn't scandalize people nearly enough, really.

"I should hope," Hernando laughed back, "The zoo would be far less fun if you were not there, baby. Especially if there is to be kissing involved."

Of course there was.

Hernando sifted a hand through Sparkle's hair again and just.. pulled him closer. Made a completely contented noise and cuddled him. Didn't need a reason.

His.

T42 - Thursday 6am-6pm

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject