“You kept allowing me to return to you,” Hades said.
“You made me feel safe, even from that very first day,” Aaren admitted. “Then you joined me in fucking around under Ballus’ nose.”
“He didn’t deserve you,” Hades agreed, sliding his other leg into his underwear.
“After all the alphas I’d been around, I was surprised that you were so easy to spend time with,” Aaren said.
“Same here. I’ve really enjoyed spending time around you.” Hades gaze grew warmer as he pulled the boxer-briefs up his thighs. “And every day after that, I’ve only felt more and more thankful that you’ve allowed me to be in your life.”
Aaren swallowed. “I was going to say that exact same thing.”
Hades huffed. “Really? I also wanted to say that you’re beautiful. You’re the most amazing omega I’ve met, and I—”
He tugged the boxer-briefs up around his hips, opening his mouth right as paper crinkled between his legs.
Both of them looked down.
“Was that...?” Hades reached down, cupping his balls. More crinkling sounds.
Aaren’s heart raced. “Um, you can keep going with your words.”
“Wait. I have to investigate this first.” Hades squeezed his balls again, smiling at the crinkling sounds. He reached into his underwear and pulled out a small slip of paper, pale blue with lacy edges that matched the boxer-briefs. Right in the middle were a few lines of words.
When an alpha and an omega love each other very much, they should prove their commitment by blowing smoke rings fromone butthole to the other. The winking of their buttholes will be Morse code for ‘I love you.’ Only then can they swallow their smoke rings to show that they will be each other’s butt masters for all of eternity.
Aaren held his breath.
Hades’ eyes flicked across the lines. Then he read them again, his eyes growing wide.
“Really?” Hades breathed, his mouth pulling into a warm, disbelieving smile. “You’re proposing to me too?”
“Too?” Aaren croaked.
Hades huffed, gesturing around them. “What did you think I was setting this up for, sweetheart? I was working up to asking you, and then—this.”
He waved the scrap of paper and took a step forward, going down on one knee. Aaren’s heart stuttered.
“Hades?” he whispered.
Hades angled a crooked smile up at him, dressed in nothing but his lacy boxer-briefs. “Aaren Miller, I know this isn’t a Morse code smoke ring butthole message, but I love you with all my heart. Will you marry me?”
Aaren’s world stopped for a second. Then his heart began to pound. “Oh gods, I can’t believe we proposed to each other at the same time, accidentally!”
Hades laughed and leaned in, kissing Aaren’s belly. “So is that a yes or a no?”
Aaren didn’t have any smoke, but he blew some puffs of air at Hades. “That’s my smoke ring answer, it’s a yes.”
Happiness exploded through Hades’ face. He got to his feet and wrapped his arms around Aaren, kissing him thoroughly. “Does this mean we can exchange bonding marks now?”
“Yes!” Aaren cried.
“Even if it’s no butthole smoke ring,” Hades teased.
“It’ll just be a ring of your teeth marks. It’s almost the same,” Aaren said, giggling and leaning into his alpha.
Hades grinned and led him to the bed. He sat Aaren sideways on his lap, so one side of their bodies was pressed together. “You first?” Hades murmured.
“No, you,” Aaren said, offering his throat.
