Like there was any way in hell he’d ever say no to a request that damn sweet.
Wrapping his arms around Emmett, he breathed in his soft scent of cinnamon and sugar. His boy was the perfect armful, sowarm and cuddly that Rooster had to force himself to step away so they didn’t skip dinner and go right to snuggling and making out on the couch.
“Something smells good,” Emmett said as he stepped back, seeming more at ease after their hug.
“The pot roast is done. It just needs to rest a few more minutes while the rolls bake. Let’s go in the living room—I have a surprise for you.”
Emmett’s eyes widened as he nodded quickly, following Rooster through to the living room, where a wrapped box sat waiting for him. Making a soft, excited sound, Emmett darted forward, dropping his bag carelessly with a softthudand kneeling next to the coffee table.
“Can I open it now, Daddy?”
Rooster nodded and sat on the couch, smiling as Emmett wasted no time ripping into the paper, then grumbling to himself as he worked to get through the tape on the box. He was just sticking a hand in his pocket to grab his knife when Emmett finally broke through.
With the flaps standing upright, Emmett stared down into the box, frozen. Had Rooster fucked up?
“Little boy, are you okay? If you don’t like?—”
Emmett shook his head quickly, then just about broke Rooster’s heart when he swiped under his eyes and sniffled. “No, I do like them. It’s just… No one’s ever bought me a toy before. Not since I was a kid.”
“Come here.” He opened his arms just in time as Emmett launched himself around the table, landing in Rooster’s lap andburying his face in his neck. “You’re going to have to get used to getting gifts from me.”
“Christmas is only once a year,” Emmett said with a wet laugh.
Humming, Rooster rubbed a circle on Emmett’s back. “Silly boy, that isn’t your Christmas present. That’s a Just Because present.”
“Just because what?” Emmett whispered, leaning back to stare into Rooster’s eyes. There was the cutest little furrow on the bridge of his nose, and Rooster couldn’t resist leaning forward and laying a kiss there.
“Just because I want to spoil my little boy.”
Emmett sucked in a hiccupping breath, nibbling on his bottom lip. “Daddy…”
“You haven’t been spoiled nearly enough in your life, Emmett. I’m going to make up for that, starting right now.” Rooster cupped his smooth jaw and ran his thumb under his damp, pink lip. He leaned forward and pressed the softest kiss to his boy’s sweet mouth, keeping it mostly chaste except for a tiny swipe of his tongue at the end. “That’s my job and something that will make me very happy, okay?”
“Okay,” Emmett whispered, then glanced over his shoulder and wiggled. “Can I go look again?”
“Of course.” He pecked one more kiss onto Emmett’s lips just as the timer went off in the kitchen. Emmett scrambled up and over to his box, diving in that time and starting to pull things out as Rooster pushed to his feet. “If there’s anything you don’t like, it’s okay. We only talked a little about what you like when you’re little, so I got an assortment, but I kept the receipt, okay?”
Emmett nodded, hugging a soft plush dog to his chest. “Thank you, Daddy.”
“You’re welcome. Don’t take too long—dinner will be on the table in just a few minutes.”
“Okay!” But Emmett was already buried in the box, making him wonder if he actually heard what he said.
Rooster headed for the kitchen, grinning to himself when he heard a loud squeal of happiness a few moments later. He’d have to see what caused that noise after dinner so he could do his best to replicate it over and over again.
Sprawled on the couch, waiting for Emmett to come back from changing into pj’s, Rooster couldn’t help but revel in howgoodit felt to have his boy there in his space. He was trying not to get ahead of himself, but it was hard not to dive headfirst into something that felt so perfect. Even though he was only now getting to see and know all the wonderful facets of Emmett, it didn’t feelnewlike he suspected it would have if they hadn’t known each other most of their lives.
It felt… inevitable. Comfortable. Like coming home after a long, stressful shift and finally feeling like he could take a deep breath.
He heard Emmett before he saw him, his socked feet pounding on the vinyl flooring as he made his way from the back of the house where Rooster’s bedroom was. The red-and-black onesie jammies looked soft and comfortable, the hood down anddrawstrings ending with white puffy poms. His bright orange socks clashed adorably.
Emmett threw him a grin as he rushed back over to where he’d left his new toys and the rest of the things he’d brought with him, dumped out of his bag and piled on the floor.
“Hold on one second,” he called, grinning at the way Emmett skidded to a stop just before reaching his cache of toys, socked feet sliding a little. “Come here and sit with me for a minute.”
Emmett had been on the edge of his little headspace since he first spotted the divider plate and sippy cup Rooster had bought for him, so he wasn’t surprised when his boy sighed dramatically and cast a forlorn look at the toys before skipping over to the couch.
“Yes, Daddy?” Emmett asked once he was sitting right next to Rooster, smiling sweetly up at him.
