He signed “J.P.”“Like this?”
JP nodded, grinning at him.“You got it.The trick is remembering what all the signs mean.”
“That’s amazing.Why did you start learning ASL?”
“Honestly?I was bored and one of the assistants at the rink was deaf.I thought it would be nice if I could actually sign more than thank you.”JP put his fingertips to his chin and moved his hand out toward Ian as he said, “Thank you.”
“I only know one sign.”He put his index finger and pinky finger and thumb out, signing I love you.
“That’s an important one,” JP said, making the sign back at him.
“Yeah, it is.”He put his hand down, not sure whether he should smile or not.
“So if I need to sign at you, I can.Oh!”JP made a claw next to his mouth and moved it forward and slightly up.Then he grinned.“I hollered at you.”
“Nice!Good to know.”He rolled his eyes.“Butthead.”
JP just laughed and fuck, he looked so young, the lines from the pain and worry over the leg temporarily gone, replaced by laugh lines.He needed a haircut, the soft curls too long and hanging around his face.
Ian sort of liked it, if he was honest.The curls looked like they would feel good on his fingers.And all of a sudden he wanted to do that, to run his fingers through JP’s curls, push them off his face…
JP was still facing him, smiling, looking at him.
Just then he started to blush, and he didn’t know where to look.“Do…do you want to watch a movie?”
“Sure, something that would be okay if the kids woke up and saw part of?”JP suggested.“And if you can’t see the TV well from there, there’s room here next to me.”
His eyes went wide.“I—Is there?I mean, you don’t mind?”
“Of course I don’t mind, Chou.Come and sit with me.”JP shifted, giving him room next to the solid body.
He was shaking, but he moved, because…
God, he wanted it.
He sort of perched on the bed, fighting falling off until JP put an arm around his shoulders and hauled up against JP’s side.“That’s better now, eh, Chou?”
He nodded once, fighting the urge to sob.JP felt solid and right against him.
JP handed him the remote.“Find us something to watch that won’t scare the kids if they wake up to it.”That arm stayed right where it was.
“All right.You want to watchBig Bang Theory?”It always made him laugh.
“Oh yeah, that’d be great.Good idea, Chou.”
“I—Cool.”His body tried to relax.He wasn’t sure if he should, but he wanted to.
He wanted to melt.
He started the show, and JP rested his head against Ian’s.
Finally he gave in, sighed, and snuggled right in with his man.
JP made a pleased-sounding grunt, but didn’t say anything, just kept holding him.
He may have cried, but it was just overwhelmed emotion, nothing bad.Only…need.
JP patted his leg with his other hand, then left it there, warm and solid and so real.
