Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Add Reply
Don't worry even if things end up a bit too heavy
Topic Started: Nov 22 2017, 10:49 PM (51 Views)
Miles Webb

Depending on who you asked, Miles had been dating Declan for either about nine years or about three. They had known each other since they were roughly seventeen and Miles remembered that day with odd crystal clarity. He had been on his third (and final) home stay with a lovely Irish family that had welcomed him in and thought his accent was just the sweetest thing and somehow that was all Americans talked to them. They had been wandering about a grocery store, him and his homestay sisters talking about the vast differences between slang ("Cop is common sense" "no it's a police officer", "You push something firmly, like a button" "What are you doing with your kitchen cupboards") and what were staples for Americans that the irish seemed to never have. He had remembered chatting and chatting...until he had seen him. It had been like those stupid and silly things in movies that people scoffed over – that instant knowing someone was attractive and wanting to know them. Hundreds of things had gone through his head at the time – just how silly he was being, no one felt this way so quickly, surely he was just being a teenager – but what he had found himself saying when Declan had looked at him was 'your hair looks absolutely perfect'. As far as pick up lines went, it wasn't the best, but Declan had been a bit flustered, had laughed and said that it came from a lot of product...and they had just started talking. That was one of the nice things about being American in a foreign country, usually that was a conversation starter. A lot of 'oh, what brings you here' and 'are you liking it so far'. At least that really only relied on the fact that the other person <i>wanted</i> to talk. And boy, had Declan wanted to talk. There had hardly seemed a pause for breath and Miles had felt something in him find it just so endearing.
<p>
It had seemed natural for Declan to give him a link to his YouTube channel and his phone number and they had just continued on from there. Miles wasn't entirely sure when he had gotten bold, honestly, because it had all just been this swirl of watching Declan cook and finding his laugh funny, watching the way he bounced around endearing, acknowledging the passion was what helped make the man. He remembered texting Declan that he had beautiful eyes and when Declan had responded with 'you keep complimenting me, are you hitting on me' with a winky face, Miles had said he was. There had been a long silence, long enough that Miles had fretted and worried he had just ruined a friendship. But then Declan had gotten back to him, had said that it was about time he said something...and just like that, they were dating. It wasn't very good dating, really. Miles was in Texas after a time, Declan was in Ireland, but they made do. They sent each other gifts, they had little Skype dates, they celebrated anniversaries, they talked about visiting when they had the money, they talked about their future together. They lasted like that for five years before the time finally came: Miles wanted Declan to move in with him, if he was willing. It had taken another year to finally get things arranged, but the time had never been righter. Miles had the house to himself, he was <i>the</i> home owner, he had his job that made decent money, and Declan had found himself decently established on YouTube so it wasn't such a hit for him to move out there and "miss" a real job. It had all been a bit too exciting for him to wait in the airport, wait as the clock ticked down and the times adjusted for every little thing. The moment he had seen Declan get to baggage claim, Miles had wrapped him in his arms and kissed him. It was perfect. From there, they had been dating every since. Some people wanted to be fussy over the idea of "high school sweethearts", claiming that they hadn't <i>really</i> dated those years, but Miles hadn't cared one bit. He knew more about Declan than some people that saw their partners every day.
<p>
Like the fact that when he was twenty, he had gone in for back surgery. The details were a bit fuzzy for Miles on that one. Declan claimed he had gotten hurt as a kid in a way that he just honestly couldn't remember, saying that if he asked his mom about it she would know but he didn't want to stress her with reminding her about it. Miles had understood that. But apparently the thing about back injuries was that if you hurt it once in just the right way, there wasn't much that could be done. You healed from it, but it became a chronic pain sort of thing that had good days and bad days. Apparently it had been worsening over the years, worsening enough that finally the doctors had had to go in and try to fix things. They did. Sort of. In the way that doctors did. Which meant they fixed the immediate problem, but they couldn't fix the chronic nature of it. It was just a fact that Declan was always going to have a bad back, they had just stopped it from being crippling. Or so Miles had assumed. He remembered that time too. He had sat up nervously waiting as Declan said he was going in for surgery, then the confusing text that amounted to 'I'm out of surgery', and finally 'it hurts, but I'm okay, I'll get better'. Miles would have scolded him then if he had known what better meant. In the end, he supposed it didn't really matter. Declan was still his bubbly, chipper self. He still bounced around and babbled a mile a minute and made the cutest noises when someone surprised him or gave him something or when he tasted something particularly delicious. He still went on walks with Miles and the dogs, he still could bend and twist and all that. Just...some days were better than others.
<p>
They had been living together long enough that Miles had begun trying to talk to himself logically. Declan had a good head on his shoulders and knew when his back hurt. Usually that meant he spent long hours in the special chair that they had bought one day when they were getting Declan moved in because it was one that revealed the pain. Declan knew what he could and couldn't handle and had never been shy about saying that he was going to need Miles to either cook or order them something because he just couldn't do it. Bad days were also usually pretty easy to spot. They came when the pressure was odd (Miles still never knew why air pressure did anything to anyone, but he knew his mom's wrists hurt when the weather began to turn) and Declan had been doing a lot of work. The best sign of a bad day was that Declan woke up with a lot of groans. Normally his boyfriend practically bounced out of bed – or at the very least rolled eagerly – to go do all the things that a Declan would do. But bad days were hard for Declan to get up and groaning usually happened. Like this morning, Declan had been lying there, making soft little noises before he had pushed himself up...and Miles had fretted. He had asked if Declan maybe wanted him to stay home, but Declan had kissed the offer away, asking him what he would do other than take away a sick day for himself? He was just going to do a little bit of editing, that was all. But Miles had left for work worried. He had worked all shift worried about if something had happened. He had worried all the way home. Finally, he opened the door. "<b>Sugar?</b>" he called out, "How ya feelin'?</b>" He told himself to be calm, put away his things casually because odds were good that Declan would have called or something if anything had happened.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Declan Burke

One of the things that no one ever told you about long distance relationships was that you found out so much about your significant other, more than you probably would have known if you had dated normally... but that you never found out all that much about them in other ways. He knew all of Miles' hopes and dreams, he knew all about his job and his coworkers and even regulars, but he hadn't known whether or not Miles snored. Their short visits together didn't really lend much to their learning about one another, either, because Declan had lived at home for quite some time and Miles' sister had been living with him for awhile as well. In a way, though, that had made things more exciting when they had moved in together. They knew about one another. They knew so many things that they had shared... but there were new things to discover, both good and bad. Things like the fact that Miles was almost addicted to giving a ton of short, quick kisses whenever he had a moment. Things like Declan doing yoga early in the morning. Things that had never come up such as Miles seeing ghosts or the fact that Declan didn't like cashews. Small things and big things, both good and bad, but it had been exciting for him to find out so much more than he had already known about the man he loved. And, honestly, Declan hadn't held back his own things for Miles to discover. Or, at least, he thought he hadn't. Apparently, he had left out a fairly large bit of information, at least according to Miles, in not initially telling him the simple fact that his back really wasn't amazingly better after the surgery that he had had. The first time he'd had a bad day, Miles had just about lost his mind - or at least it seemed that way to Declan - and acted as if Declan might need to go in for another surgery right now. It had been very hard to not laugh at him, but he had figured that wouldn't have gone over very well. It was through that that he had found out that Miles was just as much of a worrier in person as he had been through texts and online conversation.

Truthfully, it didn't come up all that often however. Declan had good days and he had bad days, but the bad days were less here in Texas. He loved his home and he could admit that he missed it quite a bit some days, but Ireland was generally rainy and damp and cold quite a lot of the time. It could be downright miserable some days and that had always contributed to his bad days. Here in Texas, it was dry. Granted, it could be cold, wet and miserable some days too but it was never as often. So, for the most part, Declan did pretty well in the climate of Texas. It was almost freeing for him and it gave Miles one less thing to worry about. He supposed the good diet, the yoga and the long walks that they took multiple times most days helped. Some days, though, there was nothing for it. He would be fine one day and then, the next, he would feel it. It was like a dull ache, some faint twinge that was there from the day you had been trying to grab more than one thing from a low shelf in the store... except it didn't go away. It stayed there, right in his lower back, and it made things like standing up straight or even lying in bed a trial. Then, some days, it got even worse than that and the dull ache roared into a constant pain, one that twinged if you moved this or that way and made you feel as if any movement at all would result in pain. Those were the days he woke up groaning like an old dog, the days that he could hardly even drag himself out of bed. They were days he dreaded because nothing ever seemed to fully alleviate the pain and because it meant he wasn't going to be getting any work done. That was today. He had known it the moment he woke up... and the problem with him and Miles knowing so much about one another nowadays was that Miles knew it when he had woken up, too.

Then it had been a bit of a rodeo - he supposed that was the right word, he'd never been to one of those as of yet, but it seemed right - on getting Miles to go to work. Honestly, he loved the fact that Miles fussed and worried so much but, most days, Declan was just fine. Miles always seemed concerned at the fact that Declan just kept working but Declan had shrugged and said was it really work if he was lounging in a chair, sitting on the laptop? They'd had a long back and forth about it many times but, in the end, Declan had won on that one. He probably would have sat on a laptop at least somewhat anyways even if his back wasn't hurting him and this way he was getting some work done, too. The chair was a recliner that they'd found one day when they were out shopping and Declan had found it to be the best seat in the house in general, but especially when he was having a bad back day. It was one of the few pieces of furniture he could sit or lie in that took away the feeling of aching and straining on his back and so what more could he really ask for? He just wouldn't film any videos and the walk for the dogs would be regrettably short. Miles always looked so reluctant when Declan pointed all of that out but, in the end, he gave sway to Declan's logic. That was what had happened today. Miles had sighed, but had left him to his own devices and Declan had been honest. He had done editing on a few videos, had done some editing on some photographs, and then he had taken a nap. He had taken Latte and Angus for a brief walk and then come back to the chair immediately because just that little bit of exercise had started off making his back feel better but once he stopped moving it had only made it go right back to how it had been before. He had opened the laptop and gone back to working on a few more videos, losing track of the time as a distraction from everything else. It almost surprised him when he heard Miles calling out in that adorable accent of his, using that adorable nickname, asking how he was feeling. "Is that my cue to say 'all better now that you're here'?" he asked the other man with a wide, pleased grin.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Miles Webb

The problem with coming home was honestly for the most part, you couldn't just go to where you needed to go. You couldn't just go to the kitchen, you couldn't run to the phone, you couldn't go to your boyfriend to get a kiss – because the dogs always got to you first. Both dogs seemed to have boundless energy; Latte because she was part husky, Angus because he had spent too much time with Declan, he swore. Coming home was opening yourself up to getting swarmed and barked at. "<b>Hi, guys, I didn't realize I was gonna be so popular. I didn't see no other dogs, I dunno why y'all are readin' me the riot act.</b>" Maybe to dogs they just had to be extra sure. He took a long moment to pet both of them, taking his time so he didn't look like all he had been doing all day had been worrying. Granted, it was but...but he told himself it wouldn't come off as overbearing if he pretended that his worry was a bit more contained. He wasn't smothering Declan if he took time to pet the dogs and ruffle them up a bit before he went over to Declan to fuss over him. One thing his mother had taught him, it felt like, was that he didn't want to smother anyone too much. She had done it to his father; it had all been well intentioned, but eventually it had helped put a wedge between them because he didn't feel like he had room to breath. She had done it Miles; it had felt stifling and a struggle and when she had finally divorced his dad, he felt like he wasn't ready for anything. She had done it to Lilah; his sister was now almost a neurotic mess who always held back because she had been fussed over too much. Granted, he really doubted that he was going to fuss over Declan enough with a bad back to make him feel crippled, but he would feel smothered. He'd feel like his independence was taken away, he'd feel like he had no control.
<p>
Finally, finally, he rose and walked away from them so he could make his way to the living room and Declan himself. "<b>Well if that's your cue, then it's my cue to call you a liar. But you're a cute liar, so I can let it slide.</b>" Emotionally, maybe Declan would feel better with Miles there. Lord knew there were days that Miles felt like he was in his murkiest, lowest points where he didn't see coming out of it alive. But then Declan was there, the perfect ray of sunshine, and suddenly all was right in the world. That was the nice thing about emotional and mental pain; sometimes it was that easy of a fix. Sometimes someone could make it all better with their mere presence. Physical pain, though? Physical pain was different. Sure there were some psychological aspects of it that made it a little more bearable, but Miles wasn't going to believe that just by coming home Declan's back felt a hundred percent better. Than again, maybe he was reading too much into this and Declan had just meant it in a typical "honey, I'm home way". It wouldn't be the first time that Miles had read too much into a comment and it wouldn't be the last, but he felt like he could be forgiven for it at least this time. He had left this morning to Declan moaning like an old dog and trying to get out of bed like a turtle. Even someone who wasn't prone to being a worrier would have remembered that their partner had been in pain and probably had remained in pain all day. So of course coming home and greeting him and getting that response, he supposed he could be forgiven for just assuming Declan meant "all better" in every sense of the words. At the very least, Declan wouldn't berate him or make fun of him for thinking that. Odds were good he'd just smile, maybe tease him, or maybe gently correct him in a way that wasn't really correcting. That was just how Declan did.
<p>
He got closer to the chair, moving in so he could lean down and steal a kiss. After he did, he moved a hand to Declan's shoulder, not quite massaging it. He always felt weird about touching Declan when he was having a bad back day. Logically he knew that most of the pain was centered at his lower back and that just lightly touching would be fine, most touch would be fine so long as he wasn't trying to jerk or punch something. But Miles' worry always came into play and it was like Declan had become this delicate fragile thing that even breathing on funny would make him fall apart. "<b>How are you really, though?</b>" he asked seriously. "<b>Better? Worse? Same as it always is?</b>" That was another thing that Miles had needed to get use to. Sometimes Declan's back was just going to have to be "bad" for a duration. There was no fixing it except resting it and giving it time. There were pain medications but those only went so far; there were preventative measures, but you couldn't do those when the pain was present. Sometimes Declan just looked at him and said that he would be fine by tomorrow if he didn't do too much today. That always made Miles frazzled, that always made him want to chew on his nails because he wanted to do something to help. He wanted to wrap Declan up in a blanket and pretend that was helping. He wanted to usher him off to bed, even when Declan said that lying down started to hurt after a few hours due to the nature of his injury. He wanted to take away all of Declan's work things and give him television and books, as if he were stressed out by work or sick with a cold. There was so much that Miles wanted to do and he knew it was pretty much useless. At the same time, he didn't want to ever stop. Maybe pull back a bit, not be too over the top, but the moment he stopped worrying was the moment that he started to slide into the territory of uncaring boyfriend. Like hell he would let himself be that.
<p>
He pressed another kiss to Declan's dark hair, lightly kneading at his shoulder with his hand. "<b>Is there anything I can do for you?</b>" That, he had been told, was the best thing to do. It was all well and good to be a worrywart, but when it came down to it he needed to communicate with Declan. He could bring Declan all the books he could ever read, but it wouldn't be the same as looking at the other man and asking what he needed. Sometimes it was as simple as making him a cup of tea, sometimes it was bringing him a blanket or running the dogs outside for a bit so they stopped being antsy at his feet. Declan knew his body and needs better than Miles did. That and it was just basic politeness to ask a partner what they wanted. Declan was never shy about telling Miles what he needed, whereas Miles had always had to be the one who needed someone to know him and take him away from the turmoil and struggles. At the end of the day, Declan still usually asked what he needed, he just seemed to know more on average. One of many reasons to love the man.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Declan Burke

Some days, Declan wished they could do anything that involved coming home without a cacophony of dog barks and craziness following them. Both of the dogs just seemed to lose their minds a bit the moment that they came in through the door. It was loud and a bit obnoxious and a bit daunting when you had guests over that weren't expecting it. At the same time, though, Declan couldn't imagine their lives without it. There was so much joy in both of the dogs when they came home and he couldn't deny that it always filled him with extra energy, almost as if he was feeding from the dogs' own energy. Sometimes Miles seemed exasperated with it and sometimes Declan felt exasperated with but, mostly, he didn't mind it all that much. He supposed right now he was of two minds about it. A part of him was glad that they were distracting Miles. It gave him a few minutes to get adjusted to being home and to calm himself. A part of him was irritated because, well, he wanted to see his boyfriend. They'd been living together for almost three years now but that didn't stop Declan from feeling his heart pick up just a little anytime they had been separated and he got to see Miles again. Right now, he tried to just relax because tension was never good when your back was hurting and Miles would be done soon enough. The dogs could have their turn with greeting him and once they had satisfied themselves they would let him alone and go back to sleeping or playing with their toys. Declan was a patient man, thankfully.

Finally, his patience was rewarded. The sound of the barking, jumping dogs dimmed somewhat and Angus came to the living room, tail waving happily in the air, and plopped himself down onto the dog bed that was just a little ways away. That meant that the dogs were done with Miles for the moment, content with their greeting, and then sure enough there was Miles walking into the main room, tall and handsome and a feast for the eyes. When the other man spoke, he tilted his head down just a little, looking over the glasses that he wore when he was working on the computer. "Wow, that's rude. What if I meant it?" He couldn't stop the slight pout from entering his voice. He supposed he deserved it, though. It wasn't as if he were lying, but he wasn't telling the truth either. Physically, there wasn't much that Miles' presence could do for the pain - just like someone's physical presence wasn't going to cure the flu or a sprained ankle. Emotionally and mentally, however, it was like a warm balm. When Miles walked in through the door, he knew he wasn't alone. There would be a smile on the other man's face and a love and a concern that he would never get anywhere else. There was a companion and a conspirator and a best friend and a lover that was coming to his side. How could he not feel at least a tiny bit better when he knew that? He knew that Miles knew that, but he also knew that Miles was a person who worried and who focused on those worries. Likely he had just been so focused on the physical he hadn't even thought about what Declan actually meant. That was fine, though. Declan could forgive him just about anything, he was sure.

Declan tilted his head back as Miles come closer and kissed him, enjoying the kiss even though it was short. Miles reached out to rest a hand on his shoulder and, for the moment, Declan let his head rest against Miles' arm, content in having him there and in the closeness of the moment. He would have honestly been content to sit like that and to just bask in the other man's company but it didn't last. Besides, it would be more than a little bit cruel to make Miles just stand there the whole time while Declan rested his head there - although he had little doubt that Miles would probably do it if he asked. Inevitably, the other man asked how he was feeling, his tone conveying the worry that had probably followed him throughout the day. "About the same as this morning, sweets," Declan told the other man, honestly. It had been up and down most of the day. He had been feeling a lot better until he had taken the dogs for a walk. He didn't want to say that, though, because Miles would fret about the fact that Declan had done it and say that he should have stayed home so that Declan didn't have to do it. The simple fact was that unless he stayed in the chair all day his back was going to be hurting... and Declan couldn't stay in the chair all day. There were things he had to do, even if it was just getting up and stretching his legs. Miles would be so sure, though, that he could have done something if he had just stayed and Declan didn't want him to feel guilty for something that was entirely out of his control.

He closed his eyes in momentary contentment as Miles leaned down to kiss the top of his head. There was nothing better than that close intimacy, he had found. Just the feeling of Miles touching his arm or shoulder, kissing the top of his head. It was wonderful. At least Miles had learned after a few times that he just had to talk and listen to Declan, that Declan wasn't a man who hid things, and he had learned to communicate and to ask. Like right now. "Well, I don't think I'm going to be making any food tonight. How about you order us up a pizza and give me a massage?" He wriggled his eyebrows at the other man at the last bit, but there wasn't going to be anything sexy about it he knew. It would be him groaning at the feel of it and Miles fretting that he was hurting him, mostly. Then they would eat greasy food that they would both probably feel a bit ill over and finally go to bed. Not the most exciting of lives for two men in their mid-twenties but sometimes everything took a back seat to problems.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Miles Webb

He took a few extra moments to rub at Latte's head, gently pulling at the fur on her cheeks in a way he knew she liked, before he finally rose up and made his way to the living room. Take himself there calm, he told himself, take himself at a normal pace. Granted, he really doubted he needed to <i>rush</i> into the living room, but a gnawing worry chewed at his guts. Declan was fine – but what if he wasn't? What if he had been in pain all day? What if he had tried to move and made things worse? What if he had fallen and hadn't been near his phone and now he was trying to act like he was fine? Each scenario was more ludicrous than the last and one would have thought it had calmed in...instead it was unending worry machine that said 'the potential of that is at least in the realm of possibilities'. The fears didn't really fade until he came into the living room proper and he saw Declan. Declan looked fine, as he knew he would (of course he looked fine, what did he think would have happened, a little voice scoffed and seemed uncaring of the fact that it hadn't spoken up at any point in time). He came closer to the chair that Declan was sitting in as the other man called him rude. "<b>Oh I got no doubt you mean it, but you know me. I ain't gonna be thinkin' in a mental sort of way. So either you're purposefully misunderstandin' me or you're thinkin' that when you say stuff like that it's easy to just assume it's not the physical aspect.</b>" Sure Declan could feel better for having seen Miles – Lord knew that Miles felt better during the weeks of hard times at work when he put in hours and shifts because someone else couldn't when he saw Declan. Declan made his heart lighter and made him feel like there was some good left in the world...it didn't mean that seeing Declan made his feet and ankles stop hurting or his stomach stop churning from poor eating choices. It all just made it a little bit better. There was a relief in seeing Declan when Miles was hurting; sometimes, selfishly, it was the idea that he was going to get fussed over. At the very least he knew that he would have a distraction from his pain and soreness.
<p>
He opted to loose himself in the kiss, just focusing on the feel of Declan's lips and how perfect and normal it felt. Surely if Declan were doing worse, the pain would have pulled him back after a few seconds or Miles would have been able to tell. Maybe that was a bit stupid though. Realistically speaking, you couldn't just "tell" through a kiss what someone was feeling. It was body language. You could tell someone was sad in a kiss because of how they leaned against you, how they clutched at your clothes, and maybe the little shudders of barely held back tears. People who said they could know something through a simple kiss seemed awfully...silly to Miles. "<b>I'm sorry,</b>" the apology slipped out in response to Declan's words. It was a bit silly – more than a bit because what did he have to be apologizing for? Declan was hurting, it wasn't like Miles had <i>caused</i>. It was just the vague sort of thing people did; apologize that it hurt, apologize that they knew rationally they couldn't do anything. "<b>I just...</b>" he started, trailing off with a small frown. "<b>I wish there was something that could be done to make it go away.</b>" The surgery had helped, Declan had said and thank god they hadn't been living together at the time because Miles would have panicked more, would have demanded that if this was <i>helping</i> how bad had it been before? But it didn't change the fact that it hurt now and that it would just...keep hurting until it didn't. Miles would have given anything for a magical fix. Even if it was a magical fix that involved sex with someone who wasn't Miles (look, he had read enough of Lilah's romance novels to know that sex magic was a surprisingly common thing, just never called "sex magic", but really the "love" magic people talked about was really just sex as far as it was written). He would maybe be a little huffy, but if it meant a lifetime of Declan never having to stop work that day? Never having to roll out of bed groaning? He would have accepted it. Maybe he was being a bit extreme about all this, that was a likely thing too.
<p>
He moved his hand to let his fingers play lightly with Declan's ear, the short strands of his hair by his neck. Now that he was home and here with Declan, he felt a bit more at ease. At least he could see that Declan was okay, that he wasn't writhing in pain. Sometimes that was all you could ask for when you knew that when there wasn't much else to be done. "<b>If you tried to, you know I would scold you.</b>" Because Miles worried, because Miles fretted, and because Miles loved Declan's cooking but he wasn't going to sacrifice Declan's comfort for it. Even when Declan was just feeling a bit under the weather from allergies or just a crummy emotional day, Miles was willing to usher him into a chair as he ordered them food. It wasn't all the time, he reminded himself. They didn't eat out every day and usually when Miles had his crummy days, Declan was there cooking, so they were allowed this pass, he felt. He grinned as Declan waggled his eyebrows and he moved his hand to gently rub his fingers over the other man's chin. "<b>I think you just wanted me to get my hands all over you,</b>" he practically crooned it out. It had been the oddest thing, really, when he had mentioned off hand to friends about how he would give Declan massages and they would all act so...flustered, he supposed was the word. Flustered or they'd grin at each other and say it was good job on his part. For Miles, he had been confused right up until he realized that for a lot of people a massage could be foreplay. It had never come in their lives before, honestly. It had always just been something that Declan liked and helped alleviate some of the pain. Miles doubted he could ever see it as foreplay now that in his mind he just constantly heard Declan groaning and remembering the panic of if he was okay. "<b>Want me to go place the order now while you get settled, sunshine? You got any particular cravin's?</b>" He was all about fussing and at least Declan had given him something of an out.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Declan Burke

When Miles entered the room, it appeared as if he were being escorted by the dogs. Latte trotted at his side, tail waving, and Angus looked about one step from jumping up to grab Miles' hand in the way that he did. Declan would like to think that Angus would lead him over to the chair where Declan sat but the odds were that the dog would try to lead him to the door for a walk or to his bed where all of his tennis balls were currently "hidden". It was easy to see the worry that was in Miles' eyes. Maybe someone who didn't know him as well as Declan did would have missed it because of the smile on his face, but Declan knew. Then again, maybe he just knew from past experiences. This wasn't the first time that this had happened, after all. Miles would worry until tomorrow, or maybe the next day if it was one of those times where his back was really bothering him, and then the worry would fade away until next time. "Maybe it's a little bit of both. Don't you think that when you feel good mentally you feel a bit better physically? I mean, it's not going to cure the whole issue. It would be silly to think that. But it does make me feel better in more ways than one." He wasn't going to jump up and do cartwheels or anything, no, but when you felt good, when you felt happy, it was a lot easier to forget or ignore pain he had found. With Miles coming home, seeing him walk into the living room and the dogs so excited, well... he felt better. Maybe standing up and moving around would prove him wrong but, in this moment, he could honestly say he only had attention for Miles and Miles alone and that took away the pain for the time being. "Maybe your handsomeness just makes it all go away," he added with a small tease.

There was something about kissing Miles. Declan wouldn't say he was some experienced man in the arts of love, but he'd dated one or two people before Miles. It had, of course, been high school romance and not all that serious but they had at least kissed. The kissing had been all right, nothing amazing, but all right. When he had kissed Miles for the first time, it had been completely different. Even now, kissing Miles still felt different from any other kiss he had had. It was always engaging, comfortable, and just perfect all around. He couldn't think of anything better than kissing Miles most days. When they finally pulled back, Miles murmured out a soft apology that he didn't in the least need to give to Declan. He knew, of course, that Miles didn't think he had done anything. It was just a natural reaction, really. You felt bad and so you apologized because there was nothing that you could do about it but you still wanted the person to know that if you could you would do it. He just gave Miles a bright smile in response to the small, trailed off words. "I know, sweets," he told him, honestly. "Sometime I wish there was something you could do, too or that I could do. But you do plenty." Miles fussed over him and if he was feeling very bad, Miles would take on the tasks that Declan just couldn't get to in that moment with no fuss or complaints. Miles took care of him and Declan took care of Miles and, really, what more did he need? He would have bad days - even if he didn't have a bad back he would have bad days - and he had accepted that long ago. He had a job he loved, a man he loved, two dogs he loved; he had a home and a good life here. He didn't need anything more than that. For bad days, he could take it easy and he had pain medication that helped. Really, he was better off than quite a lot of people so far as he was concerned. They didn't have Miles, after all.

Honestly, he felt like he could just stay like this forever. The other man's fingers carded lightly through his hair, petting and stroking, and it felt wonderful. It was a nice, small, intimate moment and he didn't think he would trade it for anything. It didn't matter that they had had and would have plenty of moments like this. He would always treasure these small little moments in time because they were wonderful. Declan gave a slight smile as Miles told him that if he tried to cook he would scold him. "I know," he said, his voice full of mock frustration. In reality, he didn't mind when Miles scolded him. He usually liked cooking, but he had no qualms in letting Miles take over or in ordering out some days. Right now, he knew he would be standing in the kitchen constantly stretching or leaning over the counter in an effort to relieve some of the tension and pain in his back and what was the point? It wasn't fun for him and it made Miles fret. He smiled at the grin and at the soft touch against his chin. "Ehm, don't I always?" he asked at the croon. Not that they had ever used a massage for anything more intimate than what a massage already was. It was nice, it was even a bit of bonding, but it was mostly to relieve some sort of pain for one of them, something to take out the tension and the knots and make someone feel good. It was probably hard to be a sexy thing when he was groaning like an old dog getting their ear rubbed, honestly. "That sounds lovely." He paused for a moment at Miles' second question. "Are you going to the hipster place?" Declan teased him. In all honesty, Declan didn't mind it that much because the food was generally a cut above the more standard greasy pizza. "Something with lots of vegetables so we can pretend we're being healthy." If they had to be bad and eat bad food then they might as well eat slightly better bad food.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Miles Webb

As stupid as it sounded, Miles was glad the dogs had been here with Declan. Normally, he didn't think about those sorts of things. Declan was in the house for the most aspects of his job while Miles left for hours on end, but it had never seemed important, it wasn't like Declan couldn't just go out for a bit of air or to get groceries. But when Declan's back was hurting...well, that was mostly Miles' worry poking its head in. He wanted someone to be there with Declan, just in case (in case what, he wasn't entirely sure). The dogs weren't as ideal as another person being there, but at least Miles knew he had <i>someone</i>. "<b>I dunno. You know me, I'm like a goldfish and I forget how I feel normally when I'm miserable and what makes it better until the next time I feel miserable.</b>" It wasn't exactly wrong. Miles had been sickly before, he had felt poorly, and he remembered that in a way of 'this always happens' or something. He remembered things that helped him – like having peppermint tea and using peppermint oil on his temples for the very bad headaches or curling up with a hot water bottle on his stomach when it was being particularly fussy – but he couldn't always remember the benefits of being cuddled or fussed over or just seeing someone he loved after a few hours apart. He knew he liked it, but he couldn't go on to say that he felt at least a little better physically. "<b>Well, so long as it makes you feel better even a bit, I ain't gonna complain, sugar.</b>" Because that was what Miles wanted. He wanted Declan to feel better, to maybe not have to focus too much on the pain, that was Miles goal in its entirety. He knew he couldn't fix <i>everything</i>, but even the tiniest bit of helping was better than Declan just being in normal amounts of pain while Miles was in the room doing his own thing. "<b>And maybe butter wouldn't melt in your mouth,</b>" he countered, scoffing a laugh out.
<p>
He rested there for a moment, just letting his eyes slip closed. He didn't think he had ever felt this...warm and right before. There was definitely something about Declan that made him believe all the silly love songs. He had always thought of himself as fairly level headed, not getting too wrapped up in any one thing or one person. He liked to have things split evenly down the middle, he liked the burdened to be carried by both. But when he kissed Declan and was around him, his chest felt warm and he just...knew that this was who he was suppose to be spending his life with. He gave Declan a small, half smile at the words. "<b>Well, so long as you say I am, I can't really argue, can I?</b>" Granted he could have. He could have said he didn't do a damn thing and Declan was still hurting, wasn't he? Someone who did "plenty" wouldn't leave their boyfriend hurting. But that wasn't all that gracious, now was it? As much as Miles felt like he wasn't doing much of anything, he wasn't the one with the hurting back. He wasn't the one who woke up in pain and knew what did or didn't fix the problem. To continually say that he wasn't doing enough was almost like telling Declan that how <i>he</i> felt on the matter didn't ultimately matter. It all sounded very 'me, me, me' centric when it was suppose to be about Declan since he <i>was</i> the one with the hurt back. "<b>I just better live up to that word.</b>" Some days, it felt like a really hard task to do. He looked at their life and he felt almost overwhelmed that he had to play being an adult and taking care of his partner when his partner needed it. Some days he felt like he couldn't do anything to the sort and he craved running back to his bed and pretending to be a teenager again. Most days, though, he felt like he did all right. Declan seemed to think he did all right, which was again the most important thing.
<p>
He laughed as Declan responded with mock frustration at him. "<b>Look, I can let a lot of things slide, but not that.</b>" Not that he really thought Declan would if his back was hurting just enough. Odds were good he might try and do something, saying that it would help his back feel better to move...but if Miles let him, it would probably be something small and simple and then Declan would feel bad he hadn't done more. It was better just to tell him that things would be fine, that he should just rest and relax and take a night off. It wasn't like he was a workaholic that <i>needed</i> to do the work. Just...dedicated. And Miles could be cooking, but...well, that was all well and good, but he wasn't the same caliber Declan, really. While that wasn't a big deal, part of what Miles wanted to do was to make sure Declan got better than "okay". Better comfort, better food, it was all about keeping Declan cozy and content in his time of...well, pain. "<b>I dunno. Sometimes you go 'oh stop it, I have to get this cake in the oven' and sometimes you go 'oh that's enough out of you, we have to get out of bed',</B>" on each quote, he made sure to imitate Declan's accent. The accent, he felt, wasn't too far off. Too him, he sounded suitably Irish. Every time he used it, though, Declan practically cackled and said no, no it was all wrong. Then again, to him it was probably like when Declan did southern accent to imitate Miles. It was very obviously a parody and not naturally spoken, but Miles liked to think he had some clout because he had lived in Ireland for awhile. Not as long as Declan, sure, but more than others. "<b>that's my secret power, honestly. I'm all about makin' stuff sound lovely.</b>" He gave Declan a pursed lip look when he asked about the place he was going. "<b>It is not hipster, okay? It just happens to offer a larger vegan selection than most places. Even though it's pizza, it still counts as an accomplishment.</b>" Honestly, Miles had never really thought of any of his tastes as being particularly "hipster". Hipster was a word the big city folk used; Plainview wasn't small by any means, but it wasn't big. But apparently it was hipster to say things like 'oh their first albums were really good', to be excited at the idea that they had finally opened an organic grocery store, to go to a "barista jam", to wear the clothes he did. "<b>But yes I am,</b>" he finally said. It had been a good pizza place. It was bad for them, but not so bad that they would feel sick from all the grease. "<b>Baby, that's why the good Lord invited salads. You have that and then you can laugh over the fact you're healthy as you eat six slices of pizza. What about one with vegetables and one that's actually bad for us and then we can share slices and pretend we're not being awful?</b>"
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Declan Burke

Declan gave a laugh as Miles spoke. He did that a lot, he had found. Oh, he had always been a person who laughed, that was true. With Miles, though, he seemed to laugh even more. It was always just a... happy and joyous sort of laugh, a feeling that he always got with the other young man. "I guess that's good then, right? It means you don't really get sick all that often." He couldn't remember Miles being sick all that often either, honestly. Once in awhile, sure, but not a common thing. It was usually more that he was tired or sore. Declan had probably caught more colds than he had back in Ireland just because of the damp and rainy weather. For Declan, it had always been nice to see someone who was going to care about him, to fuss over him. It made him feel better to know that someone cared enough to be worried over him. With Miles, he certainly got that in plenty and while some days it could be irksome or frustrating to be almost smothered... most of the time it was okay. Most of the time he might have a scratchy throat or a sore back and feel a bit sorry for himself. Then Miles would come home and tut and fuss and Declan would feel a bit better for just seeing him and knowing how much the other man cared. "Oh, it does," he assured the other man. He couldn't explain it. He supposed it was much in the way that things like chicken noodle soup made you feel better when ill. Science couldn't quite explain it, but it worked and everybody knew it. Sure, it might not heal you but feeling even the tiniest bit better was the first step towards feeling even better than you had before, wasn't it? It was something that snowballed, in his opinion. Declan gave another laugh at Miles' scoffed out words. "What a saying! It would not. I am being one hundred percent truthful!"

Declan basked in the warmth and the closeness, in the intimacy, of the moment. It was something he had come to cherish. They'd had many moments like this together in their lives but it didn't make any new one or old one any less special. It was just one more memory to add to his mind. It was one more thing to look back on and smile in a day, a week, in a few years. He could always remember taking Miles for long, ambling walks on the cliffs with their hands joined and their other hands in their pockets. He could remember their first time at Christmas and the soft glow of the tree and the fire their only light as they relaxed together. He could remember sitting on Miles' shoulder the first time they used his pool together and laughing as he was tipped off. He could remember being driven up to a bigger city in Texas, their hands together on the space between the seats. And he would remember this, too; the soft quiet of the moment and the warmth of Miles so close to him. He gave the other man a mock stern expression as he spoke. "Of course you can't! You better remember that for other situations, too. Can I make you a plaque or something? A card? It'll read 'never argue with Declan' and I can't just point to it when you start to do it," he teased the other man. He gave Miles a quick grin to show that he was fully teasing - that he would never do something like that. For one thing, it would just be weird. For another... well. That wasn't the way to a good relationship now, was it? At least, not in his opinion. "You do a pretty good job of it," he told the other man, honestly. Oh, there would always be day that Miles failed just like there would be days that Declan failed. Jobs and responsibilities happened. Arguments and the like happened. Days where both of them were sick and hurt happened. That was just life. Mostly, though, they were okay and Miles took care of him. Declan never felt slighted or like the other man didn't care. It was hard to feel that way, after all, when he practically panicked at the first minute sign that Declan might be in the tiniest bit of pain.

"Oh, really?" Declan countered as he said that he could let a lot of things slide. The tone held the doubt that he knew Miles would pick up on. Not the doubt about this, but the doubt that he would let anything else slide. If Miles had his way, on bad back days Declan would be practically tied down in the bed to prevent him from doing anything. It was hard to imagine that he would let Declan do anything if it were up to him. Sometimes Declan had to practically fight to get up and get a glass of water or to take Angus on a short walk or anything of that nature. It could be stifling, but he knew Miles was just mostly trying to suss out still what Declan could and couldn't do... and that was partly his fault because there was nothing that Declan could tell him yes or no on. Some days he was almost completely normal. Some days he could hardly get out of bed. Some days he could take the dogs on a walk or cook and bake even if he hurt because it was easy to ignore and some days sitting and editing was the best he could do. There was no definitive answer he could give the other man except on a day to day basis. Declan let out a laugh. "I do not sound like that! You sound terrible! How can you even think that's how I sound? How long have we been dating?" Miles, of course, thought it sounded perfect. Just like Declan thought he sounded just fine when he did a southern accent, even when they both knew that they were just mimicking stereotypes more than one another. "You should make more things sound lovely then and hire yourself out. Wasted talent." He couldn't stop his grin at the look that Miles gave him when he asked about the place that they were going to get food from. "It's hipster. You don't want to call it hipster, but it's hipster." Not that Declan specifically had a thing against hipster places but, well... he called it as he saw it. He had walked into the place once and been amazed at how completely hipster it truly was, all while Miles scoffed and said of course it wasn't. "Their food is good," he agreed easily enough. It was certainly less greasy than many chain pizzas would be and the ingredients were all fresh and organic. If you were going to order take away then that was better than most places. Declan laughed again. "That is not what salads are for, Miles!" He knew Miles liked and ate salads, too. He supposed it was down to the principle of the matter right now. "It sounds like a good plan to me. I'll be sure to lie later when we're both feeling ill and say it surely must be some kind of thing going around and not the pizza, too."
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Miles Webb

Declan's laugh was like a balm. His father had described a few things in his life as that, but Miles had always scoffed over it, dismissed it. Of course he usually felt guilty about it afterward because the man was his father and he knew he was being unkind. He had always thought to himself 'how can this or that be your balm' with a bit of viciousness because he was angry and upset because his father was never there. These days he understood him a bit better, especially now that he had Declan, who soothed him at every turn. "<b>Or more accurately I just have a terrible memory.</b>" He didn't really remember ever being sick. There had been a few times he had been on the <i>cusp</i> of it – the days he had been worried about coughing too hard because he would gag, the tickle in the back of his throat, the feeling of utter exhaustion after a full night of rest – but outright sick? He didn't know. He was positive there had been times he had been so sick he couldn't leave the bed except for the bathroom and he would get down to that base feeling of crying as he threw up and just plain wanting his mom. He knew there had to be times like that, but lord help him if he couldn't remember it. He supposed it was of course because he had his boyfriend living with him. Why would his body <i>want</i> to break down when he had someone who could fuss over him in person? At least he still had opportunities to fuss over Declan. He gave Declan a beaming smile as the other man assured him that it did make him feel better. Maybe that was just the way of things in being a couple. It was something they had never really experienced in the long distance. Oh they had had elements of feeling better with the other around, but it was dampened by the fact that they only saw each other through FaceTiming or through Skype. It had helped, but it wasn't the best. There had been that wall with no physical touch. Declan couldn't hold Miles and Miles couldn't pull Declan in close to him for cuddling to assure each other that everything was okay. It helped to have talked every day, but it was nothing like this. Now that he had a taste of being with Declan, he realized that the long distance thing wouldn't have given them forever. "<b>Oh your truthful would put a liar to shame,</b>" he teased lightly.
<p>
He lifted his hands, stroking them over Declan's neck, his cheeks. He had told himself for the longest time long distance was okay, just so long as they were together. And it really had been. He didn't know if they were have <i>lasted</i> long distance or if that was the only thing keeping them together long term, but now that he had a taste of being with Declan, he was aware of all the missed time they had. It was like someone getting to see for the first time; sure, you knew life was fine without sight, you could manage, but then when you could? Lord, it was an entirely different world with it. He laughed at the stern expression was put to him, as Declan declared playfully that he couldn't. "<b>That's just pure laziness, baby. If we're gonna argue, we're gonna do it proper with us goin' back and forth and you finishin' it with a declaration of 'why are you even arguin', you know I'm always right'. That's the American way.</b>" A part of him found it odd that they didn't argue <i>more</i> honestly. Lilah had commented on it once. Just the fact that they seemed too sweet for each other and that it was almost unnatural that they didn't fight. Wasn't that just a common place? But Miles had never really had an argument with Declan that had felt like he needed to get up in arms. Most of everything he could either convince Declan of his point or Declan could convince Miles. Sometimes they just essentially agreed to disagree. They hadn't come up against anything in their lives that had needed a line drawn in the sand, that needed them to go head to head. He liked to think that no matter what came up, no matter what issue they had, it was something they could work on. Maybe he was just being young and naïve though. He leaned in to kiss Declan again, nuzzling just slightly against him. "<b>I'm glad. I'll always try to,</b>" he promised. It was a promise he could keep, too. While he couldn't promise he would <i>always</i> do a good job, he could always promise to try. Declan was worth that, Declan was worth at least the attempts. Maybe that wouldn't have been enough in some relationships, but Miles didn't want to put the burden on either of them, really. If he started expecting himself to be perfect for Declan always, he was going to be sorely disappointed because there would always be hiccups.
<p>
"<b>Yeah, really, and I ain't appreciatin' that tone,</b>" he teased, "<b>and I don't appreciate the fact you're probably gonna go tryin' to prove me wrong. How dare you.</b>" Maybe he got a little overbearing when it came to Declan being hurt or sick, but he didn't think anyone could blame him. Well, they probably could. They could probably tell him that he was very obviously overreacting and only he was the one that could stop himself from doing it. But it was just...it all felt natural to do. When someone was hurt and sick, he just wanted to wrap them up in a nest and fuss and fuss and fuss. That wasn't always fair, though. Declan, at least, had varying stages of "okay" that veered from 'can't bend down too much further than normal' to 'it hurts to be standing'. Of course Declan would be just a bit frustrated that Miles was babying him during a time that he was pretty much okay, but for Miles? He didn't want to risk it being a time that Declan <i>did</i> need the fussing and not give it to him. Though he supposed there was no one saying he had to do it, since Declan had lived most of his life without Miles' physical fussing. He laughed as Declan did and told him he didn't sound like that. "<b>Excuse you, that is a perfect imitation. I have been studyin' you for <i>years</i>, I think I know what your accent sounds like.</b>" One day, he felt like he wanted to learn how to have the accent of Declan's but...well, what was he really going to be learning? It was an accent, not a language. The most he could probably learn was the different slang between Ireland and America. "<b>Well I would, but I kinda got this lifetime jig. Pay sucks, but the benefits are what I'm here for.</b>" He gave Declan a wink at the words. "<b>It <i>ain't</i>. <i>You're</i> hipster,</b>" he declared. He always veered back and forth on if he didn't like the idea of being a hipster. Most of the time he shrugged it off because it didn't really bother him none if someone wanted to call what he did hipster. Then there were days that it just hit the right spot for him to get weird about it and go on and on about how he was <i>not</i>. "<b>It's perfect is what it is.</b>" He had always liked it for a variety of reasons – while it was greasy, it wasn't the worst. They had a few more options than just the sausage, cheese, or pepperoni. It just seemed to have that "cleaner" feel that most chains didn't. "<b>Uh, I dunno how you do it in Ireland,</b>" he made sure to make his accent the thickest he could absolutely go, so thick that if someone heard him they'd probably assumed he dropped out of school by the age of seven, "<b>but here in America, we don't go orderin' salads 'cause we like 'em. Lord gave us salads to allow us to eat our pizza guilt free. An' drenched in salad dressin' 'cause heaven forbid we let a salad be too healthy now.</b>" He grinned a little as Declan continued on to say he would be sure to lie later. "<b>That's what I always do, sugar.</b>"
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Declan Burke

"Are you forgetting things already? What will me and Latte do when you forget us, too?" Declan told him with the most despondent tone that he could manage. In truth, he didn't even want to think about the prospect. Oh, he would stick with Miles because he loved him but it would be a painful thing, he knew. And he knew the dogs certainly wouldn't understand if daddy just suddenly forgot them. That was, perhaps, going a bit too deep for a simple joke, however. After all, he had just been joking that he didn't remember that he had ever gotten sick that often or that serious. That was something that Declan hoped held through for all of their lives together. It was bad enough that he had a bad back. It was bad enough that sometimes Miles just worked himself into the ground. Either of them getting constantly or terribly sick? That would be rough on both of them and it would be worrisome. After all, Miles always fretted enough about his back. Declan couldn't even begin to imagine how he might react if Declan were sick all the time, too. He felt his heart flutter the tiniest bit as Miles gave him a beaming smile at his words. He loved that smile, just as he loved the man. It was just one more thing that made him remember - every time that he saw it - just how much he loved Miles and loved moments like this. It reminded him starkly, vividly, how different it was to see that smile in person and through a computer or phone screen. He didn't regret a moment of their relationship, but he could admit that this was certainly better. "Latte, Angus, can you believe it?" he asked both of the dogs, who had long since settled down into ignoring their humans. "He's calling me a liar, this is such a terrible thing."

Declan leaned more into the other young man's touch, closing his eyes and relishing it. He had loved Miles early on and he felt that, honestly, the distance between them had only strengthened what they had. He firmly believed that it had let them mature and grow together and taught them to never take for granted what they had now. Despite that, he had missed out on the touch of Miles. They'd had stolen moments together for a week or two once or twice a year, but that was it. It was a sort of a torture to finally know what his touch felt like but be unable to feel it until some indeterminate amount of time in the future. Now he could feel it whenever and it was something he never grew tired of. "I can't argue the American way, I'm not American," Declan shot right back, teasing the other man. It was another common joke between them. Miles would always declare this or that thing was the 'American way' and Declan always reminded him that he wasn't American so it didn't matter how he did it. It was another thing, he felt, that helped turn them away from fighting. Oh, they had arguments. Sometimes they got offended or they were in bad moods. It happened. Usually, though, they were able to work past it. He had a feeling that neither of them ever wanted to argue much because they had spent enough time away from one another to know how lonely it could be. Declan, for one, never wanted to go back to that again. He smiled a little against Miles' lips. "I'm pretty sure you always will," he told the other young man confidently. Oh, maybe he wouldn't but the majority of the time he was sure that Miles would. That was what mattered. Miles would try and Miles would, mostly, succeed. Just like Declan would.

"Isn't that the point of a relationship? Tryin' to prove one another wrong?" Declan teased him right back. If he were honest, he really didn't feel all that bothered by the fact that Miles fussed over him. Oh, sometimes it got a bit overbearing. Sometimes he got frustrated. Mostly, though, he felt as if it was just one more thing that showed that Miles loved him and cared about him. It showed even more that Miles cared that he was willing to take a step back when Declan told him to and accept that Declan knew his body and his pain levels better than anyone else. It was a sign of trust and caring. Declan wrinkled his nose at Miles' laugh and at his protest that he had been studying Declan's accent for years and that was exactly how Declan sounded. "Well, shucks," he said, doing his best to imitate a Texan accent and knowing that it was probably just as bad as Miles' Irish accent. "I reckon maybe that means I got a good enough accent since I've been perfectin' mine for years, sure enough?" He couldn't help but to giggle even as he tried to imitate accents and patterns of speech he had heard. On those people, it sounded perfectly natural. On himself, it sounded absolutely ridiculous. "Does that mean I have my own personal 'make things sound good' person? It sounds like I've won," he grinned just a little at his words and at the wink. He couldn't stop himself from snorting just a little at Miles' defense. "Ehm, I think we know who's the most hipster here," he said, sounding as serious as he could. Honestly, he had no problem with hipster things - even if it could sometimes be a bit silly - but it was something to tease Miles over and laugh about and he was always willing for things like that. "It suits our needs," Declan said. He didn't know he was going to call it perfect - he thought making it from scratch at home would probably be closer to perfect - but it was very good and he was quite willing to admit that. Declan couldn't stop himself from laughing as Miles let his accent thicken and spoke to him about salads. "Take me back to Ireland," he cried, throwing his arms up in a way that jarred his back but he let it go with no comment or sign that it had, laughing as it set Angus off to barking at him. "Oh, is that what you do? I'd better keep a good eye on you," he said with a conspiratorial wink.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Miles Webb

<b>I'm just gonna have to ask ya'll to continually reintroduce yourselves like it's the first time. I hear it's romantic.</b>" That was how it always happened in movies anyway, depending on what age the people were playing at. If they were younger, it was always a more comedic effect; the main character who couldn't remember was usually a girl and the guy continually tried to introduce himself over and over again, starting the dates from scratch because he loved her that much. Miles could never remember how those movies ended – if the lead girl finally remembered the man forever or if they learned to work with her illness – because, honestly, he got really bored of them really fast. He liked to think of himself as someone progressive or at least not stereotypical, but...it was hard for him to get into the romance of a guy and girl. Sometimes, if the movie was really good, he could, but normally it just held no appeal. Then on the flip side, you had other romantic movies that had older actors, the one where the forgetting had more of a tragic but vaguely bittersweet effect because the partner was hospitalized and the other came to tell them the story – their story. Miles usually handled those better because...well, how could he protest an old love? It was like thinking about his own grandparents or something. But then he found himself wondering just how <i>tiring</i> that would be. It would be simply exhausting to have to introduce yourself, to rebuild everything from scratch every time. Personally, Miles wouldn't have blamed anyone who had to walk away from that. Sure, there were those out there who might have considered it cruel or some awful slight against someone, but...it wasn't cruel to look out for yourself after awhile. It was better to walk away than to let bitterness fill up, right? He laughed as Declan demanded his questions of the dogs. "<b>I don't think they care, sugar,</b>" he teased. "<b>I don't think they'd care unless you told 'em I was never feedin' 'em again.</b>" Their dogs loved them, but there was a narrow scope, he could admit.
<p>
He watched Declan as he gave him the gentle touches, the gentle strokes, watching him lean into it like Latte did a good ear scratch. He was glad for this, he was glad they had this now and he was glad they had had the distance. It had been hard a lot of the time, especially when teenage hormones had really been at a peak, but...they had learned to talk to each other. They had learned to open up to eat other. They learned about hopes and dreams, they learned about what made the other tick. Not that he wanted to act like their relationship was so unique and special and no one ever did that, but one thing he had learned over the years from watching people was that sometimes they thought with the wrong head. Sometimes they were more concerned with the fact they got a tumble in bed then the what came after. He knew it wasn't exactly fair. Everyone had a different approach to relationships. After all, Marc had met his husband because what, to most people, would have been a one night stand. His friend James? Met the love of his life the night he met and they had much the same circumstances. But for Miles, he supposed, this was the best. "<b>That means I win,</b>" he said smugly, "<b>which is also the American way.</b>" He loved that they had the easy banter between them. It always softened the blow of what could be something that was actually a decent argument. The thing was that, unless Miles was in one hell of a mood, he didn't see the point of fighting. He remembered watching old tv shows with Lilah when they had both gotten sick and so it didn't matter if they stayed up late. He remembered watching the couples of tv rant and yell at each other before they had solved their differences by the end of the show. He had asked his mom about it once and she said it was just what married couples did. They fought and they argued, it was natural. Maybe that was why he hadn't really thought anything of it when his mom and dad had started arguing so much more. But then, when dad had started being away on more and more business and mom had been taking trips out of the city, he had realized that wasn't normal. When they had finally divorced, he had decided he didn't like the idea of arguing, even if it was supposed to be natural. He didn't think it was a sign of how much people loved each other. "<b>Well that's a relief.</b>" He was glad of Declan's confidence, because there were days when Miles had none of it. Those were the days that Declan couldn't get out of bed, but then he forced himself anyway because it hurt getting up, but it hurt worse lying down. What could Miles really do those days?
<p>
"<b>If my mama is correct, then I guess it is.</b>" He laughed, even though there was truth to the words. According to his dad, nothing had made his mother happier than when she got to prove someone wrong. Miles usually just threw his hands in the air and walked away at that point, telling anyone and everyone to just leave him and Lilah out of the squabbles. In the end, he just shook his head a little, trying to curb whatever fussy nature he had that wanted to cocoon Declan up into a blanket and protect him from the world. That was never going to happen, he would just wind up smothering Declan and what they had. He grinned at the way dEclan wrinkled his nose at him, unable to stop his laugh as the other man drawled in a bad southern accent. "<b>What is that? Is that suppose to be me?</b>" he made sure to thicken his accent just borderline to the point of Declan's understanding. "<b>You didn't use partner and cowboy nearly enough how the heck is anyone gonna understand you like that?</b>" He was almost laughing too hard to do it. Oh, when he had been at home stay in Ireland, he had <i>tried</i> learning the proper way to pronounce things and sometimes, he even managed it pretty well, but a southern accent wasn't exactly perfect for Irish, he had found. "<b>I mean, what have you won? You gotta provide all those benefits, mister,</b>" he teased. A moment later and he couldn't help scrunching up his nose. "<b>How dare you, I don't gotta take this insult. Just 'cause a man has a certain preference on beer and coffee and wears glasses and maybe shops at thrift stores don't mean nothin'.</b>" To help prove his point, he stuck out his tongue at Declan. He supposed he really only super minded when people implied it to be a bad thing, as if there were something that were destroying the world slowly but surely. Even then, he could shrug it off if the time was right and he wasn't feeling like he wanted to fight. He gave Declan a slight grin as he said it suited their needs. "<b>We're gonna change that tune of yours soon enough,</b>" he promised, even though he pretty much agreed with Declan. The place he ordered from was the best of the worst solution. They were never going to be able call it totally healthy, but they had better options going through there. "<b>Aw too late, sunshine,</b>" he moved in close so he could put his hands on Declan's face, "<b>You're stuck here now.</b>" To finish the words off, he leaned down to press his lips to Declan's. "<b>I mean why would I ever admit that I had a fool idea when I can just blame it on something else?</b>"
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Declan Burke

"Dogs can't reintroduce themselves!" Declan pointed out with a light laugh. A part of him knew that it was a joke - and the plot of a few movies, he was pretty sure - but a part of him felt it almost physically hurting his heart to imagine Miles just not remembering him anymore. Even worse would be Latte, though. She had bonded so hard with Miles and wouldn't understand it in the way that a human would. Declan also knew he wouldn't be able to leave Miles if that happened, no matter how hard it hurt. He would be there, making him food and telling him gently every day that they had been together for ten, fifteen, twenty or more years, that they'd been in love since they were seventeen years old. Maybe it would be with the aim of making him remember, as if that could happen. Maybe it would just be to keep his own sanity. He knew he couldn't just abandon Miles, though, just like he was sure in that situation that Lilah wouldn't abandon him either. Sometimes those things made you go sour but there was love and dedication in him that said he knew he wouldn't have been able to leave. It was fine to watch in a romantic comedy that you knew would have a happy ending - or at least spin it in a way that made you feel good about yourself - but in real life... well. Things were very different in real life. "I'd just seduce you all over again with my cooking. I think that would work." He grinned a little before he decided to let the subject drop before it ended up depressing the both of them. They both were generally cheerful souls who did just fine but... they could still become sad. They were human, after all. "Now he's laughing at me, you two! Some friends you are!" he told the dogs. He was pretty sure that Angus gave a yawn in response while Latte just looked at him quizzically. "Well, we'll see who gives them extra tasty treats next time they really want them." Both of the dogs looked at him at the word and he saw Angus' tail wagging lightly in hope. It always made him laugh when they reacted like that and this time was no different.

When Declan told people that he and Miles had started out in a long distance relationship, they always started telling him how amazing it was and how hard long distance relationships were. They were always people that had never actually been in one, surprisingly, but they were always quick to say how awful it must have been. It had been hard. They were young men separated by a vast ocean and land. There were days that Declan wanted nothing more than to kiss Miles or to be wrapped up in his arms. When they had begun meeting a couple times a year, it had been even harder because he knew what he was missing. He firmly believed that it had made it hard on them but it had made them learn to appreciate what they had. A few years ago, he wouldn't have had Miles gently touching his face and petting his hair and he would cherish every second of that now because he loved it, because it reminded him that he had this now and he wasn't going to lose it. Would they have been different if they'd lived next door to one another? If they'd been able to start a relationship right then and there? They would never know. He liked to think it would have been the same but there was no saying. This way, at least, they appreciated one another and they cherished the presence of one another. "The American way is to be a cheater, I see," he told the other young man, sticking his tongue out at him. It was another joke that they always had. Some people, he knew, took their pride in their nationality a bit too far but Miles was always willing to joke and tease with Declan about the Irish way and the American way. It was another reason they got on so well, he supposed; they were okay with the teasing about things that might set someone else off. "Besides, it's easy to forgot a lot of things when you're around." Maybe he might not fully forget he was in pain but Miles was a very good distraction. Miles provided him with moments where Declan momentarily ignored the ache in his back because Miles was making him laugh or he just wanted to watch the other man and remind himself of how handsome he was... and all of the fussing, he had to admit, made him feel quite warm and happy, too.

Declan wrinkled his nose a little at Miles' words and his laugh. He shook his head. "Well then," he said. Personally, he didn't see how people could enjoy doing that in a relationship but it seemed to happen a lot. He always heard about people arguing with their spouse and getting vindictive. Maybe it had been the six years apart, but Declan couldn't see how people wanted to live like that. Life was short, shouldn't you be happy with the one you had chosen to live with? "Excuse me, that sounded just like you. I have made a nine year study of how you sound I think I know what you sound like," he retorted to the other man. "And I never once heard you calling somebody a cowboy!" At least, not in the manner that Miles was stating. He'd heard him mention it in movies or if they saw someone out riding a horse that looked like a cowboy but that was it. He couldn't stop himself from laughing more as Miles continued on. They laughed a lot, he found. Some people seemed to look askance at that but Declan loved it. There was nothing better than laughing with Miles or making him laugh. "Ehm, I think I just said I won my own personal person who makes things sound good?" Declan told the other man. He snorted at Miles' words. "And this from the man who says 'you probably wouldn't have heard of them' about his music," he said, trailing off just a little. Honestly, he didn't mind in the least if someone was hipster but he had no qualms in teasing Miles about it either. If Miles had ever acted like he was mad at what Declan said, he would have stopped but Miles usually just teased him right back about this or that. "How dare you, I only know a few tunes," Declan told him with a scandalized voice. "Oh, what a fate," he sighed out as Miles moved forward to put his hands on Declan's face and told him in a false pitying voice that he was stuck here. Then Miles leaned in to kiss him and Declan just sighed against his lips, content with that simple action. He gave a soft laugh at the question. "Is that the American way too?" he teased.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Miles Webb

"Well then I guess the plan here is we better hope I don't forget then," he teased. He moved closer to Declan, moved close so he could wrap his arms around his boyfriend and...well, and assure himself that it was all just some stupid joke Miles had cooked up and pretended it didn't worry him. He told himself that his family didn't have a history of forgetting – no medical conditions that were passed down or made it more likely to have it. Plus he had the benefit of having a sister that was in her residency now as a doctor, which meant that she would know, right? She would know if anyone was showing signs of such a thing so they might try and fix it and she would know ways to prevent it. Maybe he would be a little selfish in asking for free medical advice but Lilah was more than his sister – she has his twin. And she loved Declan enough that she'd probably want to save him any pain too. The thoughts were quickly chilling, though. He couldn't imagine it being something silly and funny, something inherently comedic, though he supposed, ultimately, the point of the younger people constantly forgetting was tragic in its own right. After all, hadn't he just thought that he got bored of those movies quickly? That he usually never watched very fair? He never saw why someone forgot and how it effected the romantic lead long term. The first act was always the build up, right? That was when the comedy really happened. Then along came act two and stuff got real real fast. He found himself grinning as Declan spoke again. "I mean, that would work right now, all things considered. I like that kind of seduction." He preferred thinking about this, worrying about eating too much and maybe some of the wrong stuff rather than what if one day he forgot all about the man that he was sure was the love of his life. He couldn't stop another laugh as Declan turned to the dogs for aid. "You sure do know how to pick your friends, don't you? Two of 'em don't care and one of 'em is just gonna endlessly tease you," he teased. He laughed more as Declan managed to get their attention. "Y'know, they're dogs, I don't think they care about quality over quantity that much. I've seen Latte eat some things, so..."

They had made it, that was what Lilah liked to say. When he had made questioning noises, she had pointed out that he and Declan had made it. Long distance relationships weren't meant to last, not really. People got tired of not seeing the person they loved. People worried that they were living a life their partner could never have or that maybe there was some cheating going on. Miles couldn't lie, sometimes he wondered. Sometimes he thought what if Declan found someone he liked who lived in Ireland, what if he found someone that had the same schedule as him because the furthest away he actually was was a town or something? He had always felt horribly guilty for wondering it, something he tried to put to rest because the fact of the matter was that it wasn't like he was going to get mad at Declan for something he hadn't actually done. Whatever people wanted to think, long distance was just sometimes too hard to handle. Couples either parted ways (still friends or not really depended on the personalities) or they moved in together. He and Declan were finally moving in together. The concept still felt heady and strange and he wouldn't change it for the world. He laughed as Declan stuck out his tongue at him. "I mean, yeah? Hello, I thought I would'a taught you that by now, gosh." He was pleased, not for the first time, that he wasn't a prickly pear sort. Miles had met plenty of Texans that were so arrogant, so proud of their state and country that everything else was inferior. He had listened to people like that belittle people that Miles had known for a fact who had grown up in the country, just happened to look different from what everyone assumed was "normal". He'd also in his travels from doing home stays met people in other countries who were much the same, who had looked down their noses at Miles because he was American and maybe he spoke the language or understood the slang, but he had an accent, an accent that they knew the stereotypes for. Some of those people he was glad he had never really gotten into talking with, he wouldn't have looked forward to having to punch one for saying some messed up stuff about his relationship with his sister. When Declan continued on, he couldn't help beaming, grinning. "Well I aim to please." Even when he knew that it wouldn't cure anything, at least sometimes a distraction was welcomed.

He snorted again at the way Declan wrinkled his nose. "Yeah, that kinda advice leads most people to knowin' what went wrong in the marriage." He complained about too much, he knew he did. He'd always been told he'd been a bit hotheaded when it came to the family as it was while Lilah had distanced herself from it, disassociating from it. He didn't think he could be blamed, though. He had been jerked around and put against each parent and it had been this big mess of a thing where no one remembered that there was more than just the husband and wife. He scoffed – a guffaw if he had ever heard one – as Declan countered his words. "Iffin' you're sayin' I ain't been sayin' cowboy," he drawled, "Then you might'n to want to study a little bit harder." He was firmly one of those types that came off as genteel when it came to the southern accent. The way he spoke gave him a twang that was almost exotic (or hick, depending on who you asked) and nothing like what people heard in movies. That didn't mean he hadn't heard some of the thickest accents in the world and that he couldn't have one himself. Lilah liked to point out it was usually at its thickest when he was tired or drunk, other than that, though, it was a gentle...walk down a country lane, he supposed. "Is it worth it though?" He gave Declan a look that said it really probably wasn't all that worth it in the end. He couldn't stop himself from crossing his arms over his chest, frowning just enough for it to become a pout. "WELL," he said it loudly, "[b[you're tellin' me you actually heard of the band I was playing in the car the other day?[/b]" It had just been polite he felt to tell Declan that he had probably never heard of the band before; it seemed like the right thing to do so that maybe Declan wouldn't go wracking his brain for if he had or hadn't heard of it. He pouted just a tiny bit more before it was replaced with a slow grin at Declan's scandalized voice. "See, we're gonna make you all versatile like." He gently patted Declan's face as the other man pretended to bemoan his fate in such a dramatic fashion. At least the kiss was sweet. He could handle that more than well enough. "Haven't you learned? If it makes me look good and perfect, it's the American way."
Edited by Miles Webb, Jun 12 2018, 02:55 PM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Declan Burke

Declan gave a small smile as Miles came closer to him, the smile widening as Miles wrapped his arms around his body. It was a loose hold, probably because Miles was worried that if he held too tight it might hurt his back. He didn't bother telling Miles that he would have to be holding pretty darn tight before it would bother him enough that he had to complain. He'd told him enough times in the past but he knew Miles was going to worry no matter what. "I guess I'd better remind you to not forget then, huh?" Declan asked, just teasing slightly. Honestly, the thought of Miles forgetting things over and over was a terrifying one but there was no reason to bring panic into this. If that happened it would likely happen years and years down the road, especially since his family didn't seem to have any sort of issues like that so far. Declan was always of the very firm opinion that you shouldn't go borrowing trouble before it arrived. There was enough trouble to go around as there was, after all. Declan couldn't stop himself from snorting at Miles' grin and his words. "You're always down for somethin' like that." It was easier to just do this. Besides, honestly, he and Miles were the type of people who rarely stayed overly serious for long bouts of time. There were situations where, yes, they had to; things like when they were discussing Declan's back surgery, what they were going to do about their relationship, things like getting flights and visas. They could buckle down and be real adults when they needed to be but they both just enjoyed goofing around and being lighthearted to dragging everyone and themselves down. Besides, it wasn't wrong. Miles certainly enjoyed food and Declan's cooking - not that he was complaining in the least about that. "I need new friends," Declan declared, throwing his arms up in the air, doing his best to not hit Miles in the face as he did so. As predicated, neither Latte nor Angus looked all that bothered by Declan's actions or words. "I don't know, they would get pretty upset if I didn't give them certain treats I think." Maybe he was just fooling himself, but he was pretty sure Latte might prefer some of her favorite treats and be excited to not lose them. At least if she had that kind of mental capacity, anyways. Nobody knew just how much a dog might think 'I miss that treat I used to have', after all, but Declan was just going to pretend for now.

WIP
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
ZetaBoards - Free Forum Hosting
ZetaBoards gives you all the tools to create a successful discussion community.
« Previous Topic · Plainview · Next Topic »
Add Reply

ZB BoHeGeHa by OverTheBelow
based on the IPB skin by Tom B