Darren chuckled, kissing him longer. "Now you understand, my love."
? ? ?
∞ 5 ∞
An Investment in Family
With the decision to move finalized, Miles was surprised and relieved at how quickly it came together. They hadn't been able to find a new place to buy, but decided that renting for a bit opened up far more possibilities.
"God, are rental prices in this city really this ridiculous, or is it just because we're looking at three bedrooms?" Sitting cross-legged on the couch, Miles pulled up another listing and immediately winced.
Lounging against the other side, Darren grinned at him over his tablet. He'd put one foot in Miles's lap behind the laptop and rubbed his knee with the side of it. "It's enough to make your butthole pucker, isn't it?"
"Not in a good way, either." He frowned over a floor plan. "This one's only thirty-five hundred, but it's one floor of a duplex, and all the bedrooms are clustered at the back. Not ideal but maybe for the price..?"
"Let me see?" Darren sat up as he turned the laptop around, reaching out to page through listing photos. "Oh god, no. That kitchen's tiny."
"It's not that bad," Miles leaned along the back of the couch to look with him. "I can make it work."
"I'm getting you a nice kitchen. We have money, Miles. We can afford better."
"Yeah, but renting feels like pissing it away. I can bring in one of those butcher-block islands for extra prep room. And the location's good."
"The location's fine, but I'm sure we can find better."
"What if we can't? I don't need a big kitchen, Dare."
Darren stroked his shoulder affectionately. "Yes, but I do. I've gotten entirely spoiled by having this amazing personal chef, you see. I couldn't bear to cramp his style." His eyes sparkled merrily.
Miles gave a huffed laugh. "I guess we can keep looking. I should still bookmark this.
"Don't bother, the bedrooms are tiny, too, see? Even the master, and there's no walk-in. We can't exactly store the Saint Andrew's cross in one of the kids' bedrooms instead of the closet when they're not here."
"I suppose," Miles relented, closing the listing. He took the laptop back, closing it with a sigh.
"Hey." Darren moved closer, resting his arm along his shoulders. "We'll find the right place. And then we'll buy a better place. Don't worry, okay?"
"I just feel bad for making you sell this place. It's a nice apartment."
"It is, but it's what's inside it that's important to me." He traced the ridge of one trap up his neck. "You're not making me sell this place. We're investing in our family. Together."
Miles sighed, leaning into him. "Thank you," he said softly. "Sorry that I came with so much baggage."
"So much." Darren rolled his eyes, tightening his arm around him and nuzzling his hair. "Just because I never wanted kids on my own doesn't mean I'm not ecstatic to have them now. I love them, Miles. You've given me the kind of family I always dreamed about growing up. It's been wonderful. It's been healing, honestly. Please don't ever doubt that I want this."
Miles relaxed and cuddled into him, turning his face up for a kiss. "Really?"
"Of course. Your kids gettwounderstanding queer dads instead of one bigoted asshole?" He grinned crookedly, probably to cover for what Miles knew was the dull ache of remembered pain. "Feels like a nice fuck you to my old man."
"Well, if that's the case, then you're welcome." Miles stole another kiss with a smile, letting himself relax more into the joking. "... just gonna feel weird with so much more empty space when they're not here."
"Wanna see if your ex will let us take them more?" Darren ran his fingers up the back of his neck and through his hair. "Hell, she might want us to when she has the baby.Theymight want us to."
Miles snorted. "Yeah, no kidding. Still feels weird."
"Yeah?" Darren continued his slow caress. "You wanna talk about it?"
Blowing out a long breath, Miles considered it. "I don't know. I mean, of course, it seems fast, but I'm not really one to talk. I hired a U-Haul faster than a lesbian stereotype the moment you crooked your little finger at me."
