He was pretty sure Rowan suspected it too.
For now, while Spot cleaned their bedroom carpet, Milo was content to lounge in Rowan’s arms until the need for a shower called them out of bed.
Raina: ETA fifteen minutes, so you two better not be naked when we get there.
Or until the family chat did.
“Rowan—”
“I see it.” Rowan reached over Milo to retrieve his vibrating, lit up phone.
Milo had been officially part of the family chat thread ever since the night they changed the world, as it had been decreed he absolutely was part of the family.
Ruben: Or do be naked, whatever, so long as it’s only Milo, not Rowan, and Milo is wearing an apron and nothing else. ^_-
Ruben: Also ETA 15.
“I swear I did not tell him about the apron thing,” Rowan said with a grimace.
Milo chuckled. “Maybe Rangecroft men simply have similar tastes.”
“Maybe. But Ruben doesnotget to see you in that apron.”
“Agreed.” Milo leaned forward to kiss Rowan soundly.
Riley: Quit it, Ruben! You’ll scare him off.
Riley: I’ll be up in 15 too.
Ruben: Oh, if he’s not scared off by now, I think we're safe.
Troy: I am also 15 minutes away.
Riley: Hush, Troy, we know you and Raina are coming together.
Ruben sent a gif from the adult animated showArcherthat simply said: PHRASING.
Yes, Troy was also part of the family chat, given things had continued to progress between him and Raina as well. There might even be wedding bells in store for them in the future. Should there ever be laws that would permit Milo and Rowan to marry, he wasn't sure if he would want to go to all that trouble just to confirm what they already knew.
Although bridal lingerie might be fun...
After a long, seemingly annoyed sigh, Rowan deposited his phone back on the nightstand and got out of bed. Milo followed him. Showering together would save them time, after all.
The others were all meeting at their place for breakfast, which Milo had prepped the night before and simply needed to get it in the oven—caramel rolls and quiche. He had been excelling at making new things, especially baked goods for Rowan.
As nice as it would have been to get frisky again in the shower, Milo and Rowan behaved, dressed, and the apartment was already smelling of freshly brewed coffee and a hint of the still-baking caramel rolls and quiche by the time the first knock came at the front door.
“I’ll get it!” Milo called, since he was in the living room tidying up, and Rowan had ducked into his workshop for a moment. The apartment mostly hadn’t changed in the months since Milo awakened, although they had moved his charging station into the bedroom, so he could still “sleep” with Rowan on charging nights, and they had added two very important items to the living room decor.
A photograph from Rowan’s birthday, showing everyone who had intended—Milo included—had been added to the assortment of photos on the TV shelves, and a new painting was hung on the wall at the TV’s left—one painted by Milo.
It was sort of terrible, mostly a blob of colors, and in some places too muddy. It had been meant to be a bouquet of rainbow-colored flowers but looked a bit more abstract in practice. But it was painted from the heart, not “AI Slop,” even if Milo had once been artificial intelligence himself.
Now there was noAabout it, onlyI.
“Hello, Milo!” Ray, flanked by Raina and Troy, stood on the other side of the door when Milo answered it.
“Hi, Ray! How have you been?”
