***
Tam nudged his forehead into Casen's head as they sat on the sofa, two hours later.
He'd left Casen to choose what they were going to do; unsurprisingly, he'd decided to curl up on the sofa to watch a film. There wasn't much choice, since the cottage only had local TV channels, but they'd settled on a B movie about a modern day fairytale.
“You know, baby,” Tam said, as he switched the TV off, when the film was done, “if your lips were poison, I'd still kiss you,” he promised, pretty sure that Casen would be disappointed by the film and how the main characters who wereso in lovehad never found their happy ending. All because one of them was stupid enough not to take the risk of kissing their 'cursed' love, because they were scared the curse would pass to them.
“You would?” Casen asked softly, turning into him as he lay his head on his shoulder. He sounded tired, so Tam pulled the blanket further over him and held him closer.
“Yeah. It would be a perfect death.”
“Hmm. But you wouldn't die,” Casen argued, with a thoughtful tone. His hand crept up to Tam's chest and drew patterns on his t-shirt. “You'd be born with a natural immunity to my poison. But anyone else who dared kiss me would die a horrible death,” he decided, as if thinking otherwise was ridiculous.
He couldn't help but laugh at the very serious tone of his voice. As though it was imperative that he understood that. “Is that so?” Tam smiled to himself.
“Yup. Because, what would I do without you?”
“You'd have to find another husband,” he reminded him.
“Eww.” He fake gagged and wrinkled his nose, as he gazed up at him and shook his head.
“Eww?”
“Eww,” he insisted.
“Then what?” Tam wondered, leaning in to kiss him.
Casen didn't meet him halfway, so he guessed there was a reason. Instead, he lifted his arms free of the blanket and wrapped them around his neck, planting a kiss on his nose. “Another Tam. Is there another you out there for me?” he asked, dreamily.
“Nope.”
“Then I'm doomed,” Casen said, putting his hand to his head, dramatically.
Tam laughed, but didn't know how to respond to that. “I love you, you lunatic.” Casen seemed in a playful mood, but tired at the same time.
“Aww, I love you too.” Casen giggled, until Tam kissed him quiet. He was kissed back lazily, as if all Casen wanted to do was sit there and kiss him all day long. “You know I love you whether I say the words or not, and I know you love me, whether you say it or not. I know you love me, because I can see it in your eyes; that's enough for me. But I'll never tire of saying it, either,” he admitted.
Tam loved knowing that Casen could tell how he felt, whether he said it or not. He probably never had to say it again, but he would, for all the same reasons that Casen wanted to keep saying it.
“I'm tired. Take me to bed,” Casen whispered into his lips.
Tam held Casen's arms around his neck and caught him around the waist. It took barely any effort at all to get to his feet without dropping his husband. Casen instinctively wrapped his legs around his waist, just as he wanted him to. He carried his husband to bed and wasn't in the least surprised that Casen refused to let go, as soon as Tam pulled the covers over him.
“I love you, Tam,” Casen whispered, cuddling into his side, while easing his leg out from underneath his hip. “My life would be empty without you.”
