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| Tweet Topic Started: Nov 22 2017, 10:53 PM (18 Views) | |
| Miles Webb | Nov 22 2017, 10:53 PM Post #1 |
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Miles had honestly accepted the idea that he and Declan were always going to be a long distance relationship. Declan lived in Ireland, Miles lived in Texas. He didn't think either of them were exactly opposed to the idea of moving, but it had just never really come up. Miles had had his wandering feet in high school, finally settling at a job he found he loved. Moving away would have meant he'd have to get a work visa or something and then what were the odds he'd find as good of a deal as he had here? His house was paid for thanks to his dad, so he just had to pay utilities and the like, and his job paid enough for that. Going out into another country? He'd have to have some kind of skill. The flip side of that was he couldn't ask Declan to make a sacrifice he wasn't willing to make himself. Why would it be okay for Miles to say he couldn't afford to take time to look for a job out there and make Declan support him, but it would be "okay" for Declan to do it? Miles had seen the disintegration of his parents' marriage; at some point, they had fallen into the trap of 'well I have to do this' 'well I have to do that'. There was no sense of...cooperation. Dad was always away but he expected mom to be ready to see him instantly when he got home; mom was always leaving the big mortgages to dad but got mad when dad said he was pretty sure they needed to cut expenses for a couple of weeks. Miles had watched them and decided if he was ever going to get in a relationship, he wanted things to be fair. He couldn't just have everything his way, after all. It would have been one thing if Declan said there was nothing holding him there, his family was awful and his job was terrible and all that, but Declan's family was sweet and he had a job and he liked it there as much as Miles had liked Texas. <p> So with that in mind, he figured he and Declan were just going to be long distant. That wasn't so bad, he told himself, they were happy. Sure it got lonely sometimes, but didn't every couple? Sure, he had wanted to take his time kissing Declan and lying next to him in bed, but they got to talk and that was better than nothing. Lilah had pointed out that that wasn't a lasting way to have a relationship, but Miles had shrugged. He would enjoy it for as long as he had it. At the time, he and Declan had both been happy and he told himself that when the day came that they had to 'where do we see ourselves' discussion, then they would have that discussion. Except for five or six years they lasted, they were happy and content. Sometimes they were sad, sometimes the time differences were a struggle, sometimes the sheer lack of physical presence for the both of them got to be too much, but...they lasted. They were happy. They got to visit each other once in a while for a week or two but neither of them were properly rich enough for that. Then one day, Miles found himself starting the 'where do we see ourselves' talk. He hadn't meant to. Honestly, he had always been a bit afraid of starting that talk because that usually was the end of an era. That usually lead to 'maybe it's time we moved on from each other', but the fact of the matter was they had been dating for six years, they <i>needed</i> to start thinking about things. Were they really going to be content to just...live in two entirely different countries? Were they really going to be fine with kissing a webcam quick because there was no other way to kiss? That wasn't fair to either of them. He had wanted to spend his life with Declan, but...but if this was all they were going to have, they deserved to talk about it. If it meant that they parted ways so they could find boyfriends (or girlfriends in Declan's case), then that was what it had to be. So long as they remained friends, Miles would be happy. <p> Except when he had talked to Declan about it, he had gotten a lot of consideration and a lot of 'ehm's. There had been silence for a long time before he said he saw himself being with Miles. He loved Miles just as much as Miles loved Declan. That was key. He had gone silent again and admitted he had never lived anywhere except Ireland, Miles couldn't be sure if he sounded nervous or if that was Miles' own feelings at play. They wound up talking a lot that night, airing things out about how they both felt, what they wanted in a relationship, what they felt they could and couldn't do. And then suddenly without almost no warning (if talking an entire night was no warning), Declan had declared that it made a lot more sense for him to move out to Miles. He still lived at home and he got money through his cooking, much easier than Miles leaving behind an empty house and a job that he had been working for since he was a teenager. Just like that, Miles had told him he should. They should do it, moving in together. They had been dating for years now and...and he wanted Declan close. Declan had looked stunned, he remembered, as if he hadn't believed all the talking would lead up to this either. There was a lot of 'are you sure' 'I am, are you' 'are you absolutely sure' because it felt like a big step. They had been dating for years, but there were some people out there who would have said they hadn't been dating properly outside of the weeks they had traveled to see each other. After that it was a flurry of discussion – when would Declan be moving, how would he be moving, what did they have to do to get Angus over, was Angus friendly so Latte might not be in trouble, how much should Declan bring rather than just buy brand new? <p> The time flew by, even when there had been months in between. It was the excitement, Declan getting his visa, Declan packing, Miles getting everything in the house ready for him, Miles getting things he knew Declan would need right away. The day came sooner than he had expected, the day came and suddenly Miles had found himself waiting in the airport, looking around the baggage claim until he saw Declan. A part of him knew he should have been discreet, not be so obvious with his affection but the moment he saw Declan, all he could do was lift him up and kiss him. He was there and they were going to start a new life together. He had taken Declan's hand then, even when they had gathered the bags and Angus, even when they had gotten into the car and all the way back to the house. It felt so strange knowing that this time Declan wasn't going back to Ireland. It had been a one way ticket, all of Declan's things were there or being shipped. They pulled into the parking space and Miles felt oddly light, almost like he needed to go lie down. That may have been the fact he hadn't been able to sleep last night at all. "<b>So,</b>" it felt like an entirely new day for conversation, something fresh and different. "<b>Welcome home, sugar.</b>" |
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| Declan Burke | Nov 22 2017, 10:54 PM Post #2 |
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For years and years, Declan had been forced to listen to people all over his home - all over Ireland and the world it felt like - tell him that his relationship wouldn't work out. His parents weren't usually one of the ones doing so but everyone else? They would list horror stories that they had heard of long distance relationships gone bad. They would tell him it couldn't be done. They would tell him it wasn't real. It was hard. It was even harder when people would get down on them, tell them that they were just wasting years of their lives. Declan had never seen it as a waste, though. He was busy growing his "business", so to speak. He was spending time with his parents. He was taking his dog for long, rambling walks. He was learning new skills. Miles was working, Miles was spending time with his own family. They were doing the things that they would have done together. Declan wasn't lying in his bedroom pining over the relationship. Certainly it had been trying at times and there were days that even he despaired but, mostly, they stayed strong. Maybe that was because of the distance and because neither of them seemed in a rush to define the future. Declan rather thought he'd like to be with Miles for a long time to come, but he hadn't said that and neither had Miles. They hadn't made any rules such as 'oh if you find someone you really like closer to home we'll break it off' or 'in five years time maybe we should move in together' or anything of the like. It was more they just... existed. They had their few times a year together, they talked every single day and Declan knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he loved the other young man. They never went any further than that. Declan honestly thought it might go on like that for a long, long time. After all, neither of them seemed to want to define it and, admittedly, he was a little scared to do so. More than that, he was scared of what might happen if they started talking about big changes and the simple fact that... who would go where? Declan had been to Texas to stay with Miles a few times and he had liked it well enough, but Ireland was his home and he loved it. Would they go elsewhere? But that would be just about as bad because then they'd both be fish out of water. What if they didn't get on in person for a long time, what if this, what if that? Thinking about it all just brought up too many questions and too many worries along with the questions. He was content to leave things as they were. Of course, that was when Miles wanted to bring it up. He couldn't blame the other young man, though. It had been six years of long distance and six years of struggling with the distance and still loving one another. He supposed they had to put a name to it at some point in time. Declan was just about ready to become a turtle and hide in his shell but Miles wouldn't let him do that. When Miles asked where he saw himself, he had been quiet as he tried to think. Cooking was the first answer... but he could do that anywhere. He wasn't like a restaurant chef. He could do videos wherever. They danced around the subject for awhile before Declan had finally spoken up, seeming almost amazed at his own bravado, and said it made more sense for him to move to Texas. He was startled, but he realized it did make sense. Miles owned a home. He had a steady job. Declan did not own a home, he had only recently begun renting a flat, and he had a job but it wasn't a traditional job. He could film a bunch of episodes, pack up and move with very little job interruption. It was scary, terrifying really, but with the sudden release of the words came a rush of energy and excitement. They were really going to do this, weren't they? From there it had turned into a flurry of plans. Declan would need a visa - a work visa, he thought. It had taken time to research what visa he would need to immigrate over. It had taken time to research how to get all of his stuff from Ireland to America. It had taken time to research how to get Angus from Ireland to America. He had to assure everyone that yes, he was sure he wanted to do this. He had to pick up hours at his part time job )so that he had money to ship things, to buy a plane ticket and the like), had to film more episodes for his channel. He had to decide what stayed here, what was thrown out, what went with him. They had to have long talks about what they each owned and what they would need. There were long talks about Latte's temperament and Angus' temperament. It was exhausting, honestly, but it certainly made the time tick by. He had thought, initially, that the day would never come. It would take forever to get to the last day. Then, before he knew it, it was as if he blinked and the day had arrived. He had been so busy trying to get everything ready that the day had slid up behind him and he hadn't noticed. Then it was just hours, not months, until he would be across the great ocean and in the States - and there to stay. He had felt nervous the whole night, although he had made this trip many times before. Always it had been with a return date, a return ticket, ready for him to count the days down. Now it was open ended. Most of his items had either been shipped to Miles' home, were in process of being shipped, or were with him right now. His dog was with him. There was no going home again after a week or two. He was there to stay. He was nervous up until he passed through immigration, up until he made it to baggage and there was Miles, handsome as ever, and Declan couldn't stop himself from running to him. They had embraced, kissed, and the nerves had melted away. He was with Miles now and everything would be all right. It was a flurry of activity then. They had to get the things that Declan had shipped with him - clothes and books, mostly - and they had to pick up poor Angus, who seemed bewildered and a little bit frightened by everything. Then it was a rather long car ride to where Miles - they - lived. Through it all, Miles kept a tight hold on his hand and Declan kept one right back. He wasn't going to be letting go of Miles anytime soon. When they finally parked in the driveway they both just sat there for a moment, taking it in, Angus poking his head in between the two seats to look about in confusion still. Declan couldn't stop the beaming smile as Miles spoke. "Isn't that something? I won't be going back this time." He barely stopped himself from saying 'going back home'. He was home now. "Ehm... we should probably let Angus and Latte get used to each other before we start settling in, shouldn't we?" |
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| Miles Webb | Nov 22 2017, 10:54 PM Post #3 |
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A part of Miles still felt as if this were all too surreal. They'd get there and unload the bags and the dog and then a return ticket would just somehow magically appear in Declan's bag and of course they would nod to each other about how, yeah, they were always planning to have Declan fly home. But Declan was staying. Declan was an American citizen, for the most part. He had moved all of his worldly possessions into this house and Miles was going to have to share bedroom space with him and there were going to be <i>two dogs</i> rather than one. It made his head spin a little. It made him...he didn't know. He had never thought this day would come. Lilah said it was because they were still pretty young; they were just twenty five years old. What twenty five year old had their own house and a job and was inviting their boyfriend of nearly ten years to live with them in a <i>house</i>? Personally Miles felt like he was missing steps. Weren't they suppose to properly date for a few years? Weren't they suppose to have an apartment and then move to a house? All these thoughts swirled in his head and he couldn't be sure if it was because they were legitimate concerns or Miles just...being Miles, worrying about everything because that's what a Miles did. Declan spoke, smiling like he wasn't nervous about this situation at all. "<b>Nope, you're here to stay.</B>" The words were both thrilling and terrifying. They had all the time in the world; they didn't have to cram everything into one week, two weeks. That had always been the problem before; they had wanted to do so much stuff, but then there were days when they were both tired or a case of one of them not understanding what they were getting into – like when Declan got heat exhaustion or Miles caught that cold because he hadn't realized what "wet cold" was. No, they now had all the time in the world to do what they wanted and needed. <p> He leaned over across the seat, pressing his lips to Declan. It seemed like the right thing, the right moment to do that. He could do that <i>all the time</i> now, he realized. "<b>Might be wise. If they're not gonna get along, I wanna know.</b>" But...but what would he do if they didn't get along? Latte had been his constant companion for a couple years now, Angus was that for Declan. If the two dogs couldn't get along, which one of them got to keep their dog? Were they both suppose to sacrifice their dog in the name of keeping each other happy and from resentment building? He just...couldn't imagine how they would decide that. Angus was in an entirely different country with new smells and new temperatures; he wasn't in his home anymore, his familiar territory. How would he feel if Declan had to give him up and he was without even his human? Latte had been a stray puppy, no one quite sure if she was abandoned or ran away, and had been half way to feral; she had bonded with Miles and loved him. What would it do to her to be put into a shelter and have to find someone else she didn't know and might not trust? It had taken her <i>forever</i> to trust Declan between the brief time he was there and the longer time he was gone. There were no winners in this. He winced a tiny bit. There he went borrowing trouble again; they hadn't even introduced the dogs yet and he was worrying. "<b>All right, we better do this before I convince myself to somehow not do it.</B>" Because the longer he sat there, the more he would worry, and the more he wouldn't do what needed to be done. With that thought in mind, he took himself out of the car, walking up to the door as he heard the sound of Declan getting out, of Angus' jangling collar. "<b>Latte! We're back!</B>" he called out as he opened the door as if calling to his spouse. There was a heavy thud as she either jumped off a bed or fell from one, then came the eager clacks of claws of the floor. Then there was lot in all her red, eager eyed glory. He waited for half a breath as she stood suddenly still, looking at Angus. He waited, they both waited as the two seemed to size each other up....and then Latte went to pounce him and did that husky thing of hers where she constantly bark. If Miles hadn't be use to taking her to a dog park, he might have worried that she was reacting badly, but from all his knowledge, this was good. "<b>Well I guess they're catchin' on like a house on fire.</b>" And he was relieved. <p> For a moment, they just watched the dogs a bit more to see if maybe they would change their mind about each other in the span of a few minutes. When they didn't, Miles took the time to herd them a long, ushering them out into the backyard where they had plenty of more room to run and play. "<b>Now that they're taken care of, we should get you taken care of.</b>" He made sure to make the comment suggestive, waggling his eyebrows just a touch...the moment fled as he put a hand behind his head. "<b>A lot of your stuff has gotten here, but I wasn't sure what you wanted to do with. Heck, I didn't even know if you wanted them out of the boxes.</b>" The fact of the matter was that he was too nervous to do anything. All the what if's had come back – what if Declan felt they were <i>personal</i> and didn't want Miles fussing with them? What if Declan had a certain way he wanted to arrange them and Miles touching them would somehow ruin them? What if they were sentimental things and Miles broke something trying to handle it? What if they were brought over just because Declan didn't want to sell them or get rid of them but at the same time he didn't want to take them out of storage? "<b>You can look at that if you want? Or make yourself at home.</b>" A part of him wanted to show Declan around as if he had never been there, but they had been through all of that before. He knew where the bedroom was, he knew where the guest room was, he knew where the bathroom and the stairs to the attic and the study were. Declan was at the point where when he visited, he felt comfortable with going to get his own food and drink and just doing his own thing. He didn't need Miles to show him around. "<b>I'll go get your other stuff, okay?</b>" <p> He stole another kiss – he could do that <i>all the time</i> now, there was no limit to how many took and got and...it was amazing – before he stepped away, going back out to the car. At least with all the stuff being shipped there, it meant that the luggage problem wasn't really all that much of a problem. A carry on, a laptop bag, a bigger bag. Miles had a moment as he was loading it up onto his shoulders that this stuff was staying. This luggage? It was all going to stay and they were going to have to make room alongside <i>Miles'</i> luggage and it wasn't like he could get rid of sets because they were bound to be going to Ireland for visits. He supposed it would all get moved up into the attic at some point. Maybe in a couple of days when they had more of an idea of how they were going to be living together. That weird thrill raced through him as he came back inside the house, carefully setting the things down. "<b>I was also thinking tomorrow if you're not feelin' to jetlagged, we might do some house shoppin'. I haven't lived with no one since Lilah went off for work, so...most of this stuff is for one person. I thought about maybe goin' shoppin' before you got here, but then I thought you might wanna go with.</b>" Because Declan got excited about those sorts of things and...well, they were together now, weren't they? They should do things together. |
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| Declan Burke | Nov 22 2017, 10:54 PM Post #4 |
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Mentally, Declan could already feel himself trying to count down the time, trying to decide what they should do and how they should use their time wisely. It was something that he did every time he came out to see Miles or that Miles came out to see him. They had a week, sometimes two, to spend together and they had to figure out their time to the best of their ability; where did they go to eat, what did they cook, when did they go out and when did they stay in, when was a time for being together intimately and when was a time to just sit and watch a movie. Were they wasting time because Declan felt like lying on the couch and Miles had gotten a call from work asking him questions? Now, though, they didn't have to worry about that. He wasn't leaving next week or the week after. He might fly to Ireland to visit his parents and they might go on a holiday, of course, but he would be returning here. It was such a strange feeling. They had spent so much time both eagerly looking forward to and yet dreading their time together - dreading, because eventually one of them had to leave - that it felt incredibly strange to know that it wasn't going to happen. Surreal, really. He reached back almost unconsciously to tickle against Angus' ears as the dog poked his head between the seats, still confused with everything even if he knew Miles. Declan couldn't help but to grin wider as Miles agreed with him and said that he was here to stay. "I can't even believe it," he said, honestly. It felt like they had been building up to this moment for years and years but there had been no visible goal to reach out and touch or to see. Then it had all just happened in a blur and here they were. It was exciting and terrifying all at the same time. Declan practically melted into the kiss, amazed yet again that this was happening. They had always kissed before; they'd done plenty of things together before but this was different. This was really happening now and it was starting to sink in. He gave a content sigh before he pulled his mind back to the topic at hand. "I think they will," he said with far more bravado than he actually felt. Angus, he knew, was a cheerful soul. He had met plenty of dogs on his walks before, some nice and some not so nice, and he had always been the picture of hearty welcome. He could be high strung but most of that turned into destruction rather than any form of aggression. He just needed to go and to move and he didn't care how he got his energy out. Latte, though, Declan knew was different. She had been almost feral and this was her home territory. Still, Miles always talked about taking her to the dog park which meant she had to get along with dogs. Granted, it was different for a dog meeting one dog at the dog park and then one in her own home. He was confident that they would be fine - or more hopeful that they would be. They might have some tussles and some tiffs with one another at first but he didn't think it would last. They would just be sussing out who was the top dog, so to speak... with Latte probably claiming the title since Angus was generally laid back about most things except walks and tennis balls. He wondered if the latter might be a problem but dismissed it. There was no sense in inviting trouble or worrying about things that hadn't happened yet. He shook himself out of his thoughts as Miles seemed to sigh as he spoke. The other young man gathered his keys and Declan opened the door on his side of the car before he moved to the backdoor, opening it and ruffling up Angus' fur as the dog danced excitedly on the back seat. At least the flight hadn't scared him too much. He was already almost back to his old self. He grabbed the leash and let the dog jump out of the car before he closed the door, giving Miles time to head to the front door and unlock it. He walked Angus up to the front of the door and stepped inside just to see Latte come peeling into the room. "Look who it is, Angus! It's Latte! Look how pretty she looks. Hello, Latte!" He pitched his voice high like he usually did with the dogs, a voice that Latte was more than familiar with and Angus was as well. A voice that said everything was just fine. Latte froze where she stood, looking at him and at Angus. He wondered if acting like it was normal would work or if they were going to need to keep them separated for a few days. Angus was just standing with his head tilted and tail waving a little in a confused manner. Then, suddenly, Latte pounced forward and smacked Angus with both of her paws before she cheerfully barked at him. Declan almost protested except neither Miles nor Angus looked all that bothered by it. In fact, Angus was bouncing around with her, wrestling. He gave out a relieved sigh at the sight of it. "It helps that Angus is the soul of good nature I think." The rest of the conversation halted and died for the moment simply because they were watching the dogs. They had moved past the initial stages, it seemed, because now they were going at playing hardcore. If he hadn't known Angus so well he might have thought they were actually being vicious with one another, but they weren't. They were just playing in the way that dogs played. He had no doubt that in a few moments they would be chasing one another all over the house and being underfoot and making as much noise as possible. Miles seemed to have the same thought because he was suddenly herding the dogs away from the living room and to the backyard, opening the door for them to go chase each other outside for a bit. When Miles spoke, he raised one eyebrow at the other man's words before he laughed. "Oh, I think I like the sound of that," he teased. The moment passed as Miles suddenly looked awkward. "We can unpack it all together," Declan told the other man cheerfully. Most of what he had packed was stuff he wanted to keep and most of it had didn't know where it would fit in Miles' home. It would take time to get all of their belongings shifted and adjusted with one another. That was supposed to be the "fun" of moving in, right? They both were going to get to look at things and figure out how they fit together. "Make myself at home," he repeated almost wonderingly. It had a whole new meaning now. "Oh, you don't-" he began, but he knew it was completely useless even as Miles stole another kiss from him. Miles would always do what Miles would do. He was out of the door already and so Declan just shook his head. He moved over to one of the boxes that were on the floor, neatly stacked up and waiting for him. He scrabbled at the tape before he caught an edge and peeled it back, opening it and smiling in contentment as he saw the rows of packed away books that had cost an arm and a leg to ship but made things feel even more like home. He let himself get somewhat caught up in looking at what he had shipped - as if he didn't know already what it was - and then suddenly Miles was back. He took a moment to appreciate the muscles on Miles as he effortlessly carried in all of Declan's things in one go. "What a show off," he teased as Miles came closer and set everything down. It was amazing that his life so far came down to a few boxes and a few bits of luggage. That, he supposed, was a good thing though. It had been expensive enough and time consuming enough as it was. He paused for a moment as Miles spoke and then he practically bounced up from where he had been crouched. "Really? That sounds like fun! There's so many things I want to get for the kitchen!" He should probably be smart about it and not blow all of his moving money on new kitchen things but, well, it was his job and they needed a good setup for the whole house in his opinion. |
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| Miles Webb | Nov 22 2017, 10:55 PM Post #5 |
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God, he didn't know what to do with himself suddenly. It was like a deadline was suddenly taken away, but it had been pulled from right under his feet, so he was left airborne and not entirely sure what to do. Instinct said they had to get going, they needed to fit everything in...but when he reminded himself that Declan was here for good, he suddenly forgot all the things they enjoyed doing. Was that a possible thing? "<b>I feel like a real proper adult now,</b>" he grinned as Declan spoke as he pet his dog. It was true. For the longest time, he had felt like a kid playing at an adult. Sure he had a job, but it was in a coffee shop. Adults had office jobs, didn't they? And the house was his...but it wasn't. In his head he was always thinking of it as his dad's, even when the last time his dad had been home, over dinner he had said it was essentially Miles' at this point. If Miles wasn't there, he would have sold it found something a lot smaller with how much he planned being stateside. It had made Miles annoyed at the time, because it had been another indicator of how much his father just didn't care about being home, about how his feet were always going to be wandering. It still felt weird to know it was his. So when he had asked Declan to move in with him, he had felt oddly like he should have asked his dad if it was okay for Declan to stay there. He had had the text all written out before he deleted it, reminding himself he was an <i>adult</i> and this was his house and Declan was his boyfriend and allowed to live with him. "<b>There was all this stuff I wanted to show you,</b>" he admitted, "<b>and now I can't think of none of it 'cause I told myself we don't gotta do it instantly.</b>" A part of him had also tried to wrangle his excitement because this was Declan's home now and some of the things he had thought of had been vaguely touristy. Then it had become a war with himself; did he show Declan the touristy things because he was now a citizen or did he assume that they would still be things Declan <i>wanted</i> to see because while he was a citizen now, it didn't magically make him somehow knowledgeable in the stuff around these parts? <p> He pulled back the tiniest bit from the kiss, only to press another and then another on to Declan's lips. He would never get tired of kissing Declan, he thought. All the people that told him he would now that Declan was moving in were just jaded who didn't understand that sometimes love could remain always...blooming or something. He had never understood the people that acted like being married was this lifetime sentence that meant no more fun for one side or the other. Oh he understood that sometimes it was a joke, but there were plenty that acted like it was <i>serious</i>. "<b>Yeah, of course they will,</b>" the words felt a bit breathy, because he wanted them to sound confident, he wanted them to be...well, true. He wanted Latte and Angus to get along because he didn't know what he would do if they <i>couldn't</i> get along. He told himself that they would be fine, that they would be two peas in a pod soon. He kept telling himself that as he got the door opened and Latte made her appearance. He kept telling himself as the two dogs faced off...and only when Latte seemed to decide Angus was playmate did he relax. It was a sudden relaxation, one strong enough that he almost felt like he needed to sit down. No matter how much or how loudly he told himself it would be fine, he had been worried. Of course he had been worried, who wouldn't be? "<b>Thank god,</b>" Miles aid to Declan's comment. "<b>We woulda had a hell of a time if he were more aggressive. Or maybe if Latte were more aggressive.</b>" Because he was sure it wouldn't have mattered how good natured Angus was, if Latte was aggressive, it would have been a disaster. He knew if she had been worse – if it had been just when he had gotten her or maybe if she had been worse off personality wise – there could have been no helping it. Angus would have been content to do things her way...but then she would have taken a monopoly on everything. She would have stolen whatever spots he wanted for sleeping or stole his food or bit at his heels and tail. Eventually, even if Latte didn't outright hurt Angus every time, the little things would build up and they'd <i>have</i> to talk about what was best for the dogs. In that case, Miles would hope that it meant only a relocation for Latte and not something more extreme like putting her to sleep. As soon as he thought that, he shook his head a little trying to dismiss the thought because clearly they were doing fine. Why was he thinking about things that hadn't even happen rather than just being relieved that they were doing okay? <p> Latte was going to be tired later...and it would be curious to see how she actually reacted later. Right now, probably, in her little doggy brain this was much like what she had with Declan: Angus was here for a little while and then he would be gone and things would go back into routine. Would she notice a routine was upset? She always seemed out of sorts four a couple of days when Declan arrived and then after he left, she moped and whined looking for him. Would she feel the routine shift? Would she know a couple of weeks later that they wouldn't be leaving? Or would she just carry on as she did and they'd slid into a routine easily? Maybe he should put that thought to bed. Right now, Latte and Angus were getting along and playing, next week didn't matter so much as now...though even as he thought it, he found himself thinking that it seemed awfully short sighted to <i>not</i> worry about that stuff. These were living, breathing creatures that would respond to their environment and to each other and just ducking his head in the sand would potentially get them <i>hurt</i>. But he let himself be distracted as Declan laughed and teased him. "<b>Well there's more where that came from,</b>" he grinned but he knew it was dopey. "<b>I was hopin' for that,</b>" he admitted. He had. Plenty of people he had told about his long term boyfriend moving in warned him that he was going to get so angry that his space was being taken. The way Miles saw it, though, it would be kind of justifiable if Declan just barreled in and put his stuff anywhere, just like Declan would have had a right to be angry if Miles took his stuff and put it where ever he felt. They were going to be living together, Miles' home had been put to Miles' taste. It wasn't quite made for a second person...yet. But if they did this together, unpacking things and poking about the house, they could find what worked and what didn't. He grinned wider as Declan repeated the words. "<b>Nice ring to it, ain't it?</b>" It did for him. Home. They were together now, truly, properly. Make himself at home = make it so this was Declan's home. It would take awhile; Miles wasn't foolish enough to think that with their love, they'd change how Declan felt. He was in a new country to stay, he was in a new home and not returning to his old one. He would need time, Declan probably would too. <p> He laughed as he came back, as Declan teased him. "<b>Are you impressed yet? Or should I try to casual lift it all over my head?</b>" He didn't think he could do that, though, not that he expected Declan to want that. He had done the impressive balancing act because he wanted to stay <i>inside</i>, not because he wanted to impress Declan. At his suggestion, Declan practically pounced him, actually as excited as the dogs playing outside. "<b>I kinda figured you'd like the idea of that,</b>" he teased. He didn't do much in the kitchen, honestly. Oh he cooked and he made sure he had recipes floating about, but he wasn't like Declan. He wasn't the sort of person who put his all into cooking like Declan, he wasn't the one who saw obscure kitchen utensils and knew at a stand still that he needed it...or even what it did. There were so many things for the kitchen that Miles just didn't know what they were used for. Give him knives, give him measuring cups, give him bowls, he could work with that. Then you got into things like...melon ballers, herb infusers, soup infusers...All sorts of things that he felt absolutely clueless as to what he was suppose to do with them, but Declan would probably do. He was sure the kitchen wouldn't become Declan's alone, but he was the chef, which mean he should get to see what went in to it. |
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| Declan Burke | Nov 22 2017, 10:55 PM Post #6 |
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"What? Just because I'm moving in?" Declan questioned with a laugh. In a way, he could kind of get what Miles was saying. There was a kind of an assumption for a lot of people - particularly in the States - that once you reached a certain age you should have moved out of your parents' home. Once you reached another age you should have a better job. You should have everything lined up in little tick marks and you needed to achieve each one to have really gotten to proper adulthood. Declan wouldn't say that it was just Americans, of course. There were things like that in other countries. Americans just really seemed to have those ideals, however. Despite that, Declan could understand. He had lived with his own parents until recently and then he had just gotten himself a flat. He was making most of his money off of his videos on youtube and he didn't have what most people would consider a "real" job. In a way, he still felt like a kid playing at being an adult too - even when he knew that he and Miles both were adults and had made some very adult decisions over the last few years. He gave another laugh as Miles almost sheepishly admitted that he'd had a bunch of things planned out for them to do but now he had forgotten what they were. "I'm pretty sure we'll see them, sweets," he told the other man quite honestly. "We've just got more time to do it now." And it was a marvel to realize that, to know that they could go anytime they wanted down to the store and not worry about wasted time. That they could pile Latte and Angus into the car and go to some outside cafe and go for long, rambling walks together. That Miles could suddenly remember something he wanted to show Declan and they mostly didn't have to worry about it cutting into time unless they'd already made some sort of plans that day. It was a very freeing and yet somewhat frightening realization because this was the true next, big step in their relationship. Declan made a small noise as Miles pulled out of the kiss and then went back in to press multiple, fast kisses to his lips. It was something that he had gotten used to over the few times over the years that they had been together. It was something that he had grown to love about the other man. There were many things he had grown to love about Miles and he hadn't felt them fade in the least. He'd heard plenty of people say that was a dangerous thought, but it was the truth. Even when they got irritated with one another Declan never felt the love that he had for the other man going away. It might dip a little to make way for the anger or irritation, but it came back just as soon as it was all over. That was how it was supposed to be, wasn't it? "They will," he said, with all the chipperness that he could bring to bear. Miles was a bit of a worrier, Declan had found over the years. So long as one of them was confident it usually helped him to remain that way, too. And, at least, Declan was proven right. Latte hadn't growled and snarled and tried to drive Angus away. Angus hadn't been suddenly threatened in this strange land with this strange new territory and strange dog. Instead they just seemed as if they wanted to have a grand old time together - which was fine with Declan. The happier the dogs were the happier both he and Miles would be - and the more Miles would relax. "I don't think we're gonna have any trouble here," Declan said, soothing his boyfriend as best as he could because he knew that Miles could take a good situation and turn it on its head if he were given enough time. Instead, Declan was just going to let the dogs suss things out between the both of them and just make sure that Miles was too busy to worry about it... which shouldn't be hard. After all, he had just moved across countries. There was going to be an awful lot to unpack and move around until they got everything settled in just right. "At least they're going to be tired later," Declan said, unconsciously echoing Miles' own thoughts. Although, privately, he wasn't so sure about that. He knew Latte settled down pretty well after a good bout of play but Angus was different. Angus was used to a lot of playing and at least two or three very long walks throughout the day. Declan wasn't sure if a lot of intense playing with Latte would really calm him down all that much. He might be raring to go for a walk with just a short bit of rest. Maybe not, though. He was used to other dogs, certainly, but he wasn't used to having a constant companion to play with. Maybe this would be very good for Angus' energy levels. "Does this mean I get to sit on the couch and you'll bring me cocktails and fan me, too?" Declan teased the other man further, laughing at the completely silly looking grin on Miles' face. "I'm gonna need the help, you won't be getting off easily," Declan said with false severity. Really, he had brought a lot because... he was moving house. He was moving countries and he didn't know what he might or might not need. He and Miles were going to have to unpack it together because Declan didn't want to move things around too much until they both agreed where something should go. Furthermore, his back could only handle so much bending and stooping before he began to be pained so he would need the help of Miles more physically too. "It does," he said, almost dreamily as Miles just grinned at him. They were words he thought he might never say. Now they were actually moved in together and it was almost a realization that made him want to sit down before he fell over from shock. "Oh, yeah, show off those muscles," Declan told him, lifting his own arms up to flex his own arms. He wouldn't say his arms were pitiful. He had his own version of strength, after all. Miles was different, though. Miles had a body and he had muscles and Declan couldn't deny that he most definitely liked to see those muscles at work at times. "For the record, I'm always impressed though," he told the other young man after a moment. Then it was all swept away in Miles' words and his offer. Miles teased him, but he didn't mind. Declan loved the idea of that. For him, the whole house would be theirs but the kitchen would be his, in a way. There would be certain rooms that meant more to him than others - the bedroom, the dining room, the kitchen - and he wanted to claim it in his own ways. Finding the right tools for the kitchen, the right tools and decorations to make it evident that they both lived here, was something that sounded just perfect. "I can't wait," he said, quite honestly. It was one more part of their journey of living together, of really being physically together and moved in and it was all so exciting. He supposed he couldn't be blamed for sneaking in another kiss with the other man as he put his arms over his shoulders and hugged him close. |
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| Miles Webb | Nov 22 2017, 10:55 PM Post #7 |
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"<b>Well yeah. It use to be just be and Lilah and that was just like how it always was. But you're my boyfriend and you're movin' in and we're gonna be livin' together.</b>" That was the difference. That was what adults did. It didn't matter how many times he and Lilah had put bills into the mail or gone grocery shopping or done their taxes, it had always just felt like kids playing grown up. He had almost been envious of Lilah moving out into the world because suddenly she got the crash course of being an adult while still having all of the practice behind it. Miles had stayed put, though, because it had made sense from a monetary stand point (sure, he was an assistant store manager, but sometimes that didn't mean a whole lot when you were working with coffee) and...it felt almost disrespectful to leave the house to sell it or something. He and Lilah had been born in that house, their parents had added to it and rebuilt it so many times over the years that it had so much money sunk into it. Each time his dad had come home with a hit new book, when he had been told that his book was going to be a movie, the house had been upgraded. How could Miles know that and say to his dad 'I don't want to live here anymore'? It seemed pretty foolish to move out of such a nice house that was paid off just because he was struggling with his own identity as an adult. "<b>But that won't be half as amazin' 'cause then you'll be <i>livin'</i> here and ugh, that's just any ol' sight now.</b>" He grinned around the words, because it was nice knowing that they had time enough at last to do these things. What he really hoped, though, was that they never began to take it for granted. Miles had learned one of the greatest weapons in his life was being grateful for the small things. It was easy to look at a life and see things were lacking – before today his boyfriend lived in another country, he worked in a coffee shop, his parents had been more invested in hating each other than loving him and his sister – but he looked at all the things he <i>did</i> have. While there was the fear that maybe they were making a big mistake, he could only find himself worrying about the fact that one day they might not look at the time they were given as a blessing. <p> He leaned his forehead against Declan's for a moment, taking in the feeling of just having him there. When Declan spoke, he tried to take that in him and relax. Declan had always been the more rational of the two. Whenever Miles had been worried about something or fretting, it had been easy to go to the other man and tell him his troubles because Declan was the best at soothing. He was always bright and cheerful and seemed to have an infinite well of patience that Miles envied some days. It had been a boon considering the family he had. Lilah would have probably tried to be cheerful and optimistic, but she had a weird way of doing it, something that felt like it was grating on his last nerves because it was <i>too</i> saccharine. His mom would have only gotten him hyped up more; they would have been like two dogs barking at each other, not entirely sure why they were doing it but the other was doing it so better get louder. And his dad? Well, it was a gamble on if his dad would even pick up but then if he did, he would sigh out Miles' name like he had just disappointed him more than words could say. "<b>Yeah, you're right. Of course they will.</b>" Declan was different, Declan patted him down without making him feel like a fool or like he was trying to eat two mouthfuls of candy in one go. Declan was, he had found, pretty logical about that sort of stuff...and just like that, Declan was proven right again with how the dogs would react. Miles knew that sometimes he blew things way too fast, too much, and too outlandishly. Some things, he felt, he was right to worry about because if you didn't worry about how big they were, you'd be stuck holding a bag that was too big for you to carry. The smaller things, though....well, he didn't need those to be blown big. That was why Declan was a god send. "<b>I think our trouble is gonna be gettin' them stop playin'.</b>" The dogs seemed to be content, at least, and that was what he needed. It might change later tonight, though, when Latte realized that Angus wasn't leaving. <p> "<b>Thank goodness for that. Latte is usually a livewire straight through the night.</b>" Oh, she settled easily enough, but she was always up and away at a moment's notice. Miles shifted in his bed? Better pounce him so they can play. His phone vibrated just the tiniest bits because Declan texted him after Miles was asleep? Better try to nose under the pillows to get the phone. A branch was moved half an inch outside? Better start barking because that shit meant there was a prowler out there waiting for the right moment to strike. It was fine, he always told himself, that was part of owning a dog. If he hadn't wanted the trials and tribulations of having a dog in his life, well...then maybe he shouldn't have had a dog. He had to wonder what it would be like with <i>two</i> dogs. He snorted as Declan teased him. "<b>I mean, I got central air if you really wanna feel cooled down, but I suppose I can do the fan thing for aesthetics. Though...do you even drink cocktails?</b>" he questioned. He didn't think they had ever mentioned drinking to each other before, it had just never struck him as something that was important. Maybe he might have mentioned having a few beers with friends, but..."<b>Aw man,</b>" he groaned out, "<b>I didn't think I was gonna have to do <i>work</i>.</b>" But that was fine. It was exciting in its own way. He was excited to do this. Maybe if they had been moving a lot since they were younger, he might have been bored and tired of it, but they hadn't. This was them building their lives together. This was them looking at <i>their</i> house and deciding if this needed to go here or to go there, if Miles could give up this space in the dressers or closets so that Declan could put this or that in its spot. Maybe to some that would be boring or frustrating but for Miles? It was exciting. He pulled Declan close at the other man spoke almost dreamily, stealing a kiss. "<b>Here's to our new life, right, sunshine?</b>" he questioned. <p> He took one of the bags that was lighter, that felt like it had more clothes than anything that might have been important, hefting it over his head so he could give it a few lifts. "<b>Am I wooin' you yet?</b>" he questioned. "<b>I assume that's how it goes.</b>" Miles liked working out, he couldn't deny it. It made him feel good to do a lot of the exercises he did; not just the 'oh I look good now' way, but because it made his body happy. He could feel his muscles stretch and relax, his body felt better for having less weight on it. At the same time, he never understood "gym culture", the people that went to be impressive and to show off how bad ass they were. He had seen a few of the braggers on his Facebook, how someone thought they were a weakling for taking things slow so they showed off and the whole gym clapped or something. Why couldn't even just mind their own business? "<b>Well, that's good to hear 'cause I do like showin' off sometimes.</b>" He may have mentally rolled his eyes at some people, but he was all about showing off for Declan. But then he focused on Declan as the other man seemed to almost vibrate with the excitement he was speaking of. "<b>You say it now, but you're gonna complain to me tomorrow, I bet,</b>" he teased. He was excited now, but eventually tomorrow, by the end of the first hour of shopping, he was sure that even Declan would be tired and his jet lag would be in full force...but he felt like they would still be happy, they would still be content and eager. They'd be together and that was the most important thing. And when that sweet kiss came, oh, he was on cloud nine himself. |
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| Declan Burke | Nov 22 2017, 10:55 PM Post #8 |
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"I guess I can see how it'd be different now." They had both been adults for awhile now. They had jobs, they earned their keep. They had to call the doctor when ill, had to take care of cars or bus fare, they had bills to pay. Still, Declan could understand Miles' words because in a way it had felt like play acting. Surely, any day, he would say he had had enough and just walk back to his parents' place and curl up in his bed there with Angus at his feet. One day someone would yell 'cut' and he wouldn't be acting out the life of an adult anymore. Making such a large decision to move from Ireland to America was a big step in adulthood. Moving in with his boyfriend of six years was another very large step. It was very, very different from how their lives had been before all of this and Declan supposed he could understand why one or both of them might feel like real adults with such a large step. Now they would both be living together in a home that was their home with their dogs and Miles would go to his manager job and Declan would film videos for his job in their kitchen. It was all very overwhelming when you stopped to think about it. Declan couldn't help but laugh at Miles' almost over dramatic statement even when the other man was grinning at him in a way that said he realized that he was being dramatic over nothing at all. "Ehm, I'm pretty sure I'll be seein' it for the first time whether or not I'm living here now," he pointed out, teasing the other man just slightly. Maybe Miles was right and things would get old one day... but that was when they would find a way to make it new. That was when they would explore new sights and new places and then, when those had filled them up, the would come back to the old and they would take the time to look at them from a new perspective. That, Declan hoped, would be how everything in their life went. You would always become complacent and static in the familiar but he hoped that they would take the time to make it different each time that happened, find new ways to look at each other and different ways to make it all new and wonderful and find new ways to appreciate what they had every single day. Declan let his eyes close for a moment as Miles leaned in and rested their foreheads together. It was easy to do. He had always found himself relaxed around Miles, even when he was vibrating with excitement. He also knew that Miles was obviously a bit stressed from all of the preparations and he was also worried; worried that Angus and Latte would get along, worried that they weren't rushing things (even though they had been together six years), worried that they might be making a mistake. So Declan always worked hard to try and alleviate Miles' fears. Sometimes he didn't succeed, but he still tried because he knew it helped the other young man to have him as a steady bulwark against all of the fretting and the worries. "They both like other dogs and they're friendly," he reminded his boyfriend, even though he knew that dogs were dogs and dogs could be strange. If one of them just suddenly decided to be snappy about their space or decided that they didn't like one another then they would have a pretty big problem. Thankfully, the dogs seemed to not be having any sort of an issue, however. Maybe they would still snap at one another at some point as they worked out who was in charge but Declan figured that was okay. Dogs snapped and snarled at each other all the time in dog parks and in homes. What mattered was if it escalated past that. He gave a huffed laugh at Miles' words. "I don't know about Latte but Angus can play for hours." It had been the one downside to having Angus. Sometimes when he was tired from school or work, the last thing he wanted to do was take a dog on a long walk... and then have that same dog bring him his ball over and over and over again. He hoped that wouldn't be an issue either. Latte - or Angus - might turn grumpy when they were tired and the other wanted to bother them. He supposed that was just borrowing trouble to think about, though. Declan gave a small laugh at Miles' words. "Maybe they'll both calm down some." He was sure they would a little bit. They weren't used to having someone available to them to play constantly. They were used to their walks and their outings, playing at home, but it was different when there was another dog that had your same levels of energy. It would be nice, he felt, having a dog that was finally content. He had always felt a bit guilty about Angus. He gave him several walks and lots of playtime but it was never quite enough for him and Declan felt as if he were some kind of pet owner failure. "I always forget that's a thing," he commented. He had grown up where it just wasn't commonly done. He had always been surprised when he visited Miles' home and realized that it was cool or warm inside the home. He leveled a look at Miles at his question. "I'm Irish. I drink everything." It wasn't quite true, but Declan did enjoy several different beers and whiskeys and he made his own cocktails. He wasn't shy about having a few drinks here and there. "That was my trap all along," Declan told him as Miles groaned. "I just wanted you along to help me do the work of unpacking." He grinned at the other young man even as he knew that Miles wouldn't believe that one bit. But it was all a joke anyways. Miles proved he knew that all too well when he reached out to pull Declan close and kissed him. He gave a soft, content sigh at the words and the nickname. "Our new life together, sweets," he agreed happily. "You wooed me a long time ago," Declan told him. "But this helps keep it active." He had never really been big on muscles. He had never looked at photographs of muscled men or women and thought 'yes that's what I want'. When he and Miles had met, when they had started dating, that had changed somewhat. He still wasn't ridiculously attracted to muscles but he found he quite enjoyed watching Miles move, watching him fix things or lift things. It was probably simply because it was Miles more than anything. He laughed a little at Miles' words. "Oh, good. Then you can show off for me and we can both get our fill." It wasn't like he had much to show off. He could show off his cooking skills and... what? His photography or his video editing skills? That wasn't exactly an 'oh take me now' sort of a thing that people wanted to see. "I will not!" Declan protested, although he knew it was true. He liked shopping for things he needed but he also didn't like to do it all day. Not to mention he knew he was going to be fighting the time difference and the jet lag for a few weeks still. He hummed happily into the kiss and then pulled back, smiling. "But you'll have fun with it anyways." |
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12:56 PM Jul 11