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He wasn’t fully serious, but he also wasn’t not serious.
They watched Milo’s hoard fuss over the gnomes and Milo seemed to glow. His hoard was happy, so Milo was happy. Which meant Rowan was happy too.
“C’mon. I’ll help you fix all their mess while they’re distracted,” Milo murmured into his arm, placing a few kisses there in a rare moment of daylight softness. He usually got mushier the lower the lights went. “I know it must be killing you inside.”
Rowan winced. “You noticed?”
Milo gave him a knowing look. “You show everything on your gorgeous face. I thought you were about to cry when Glenn started pruning last week.”
“Azaleas are more beautiful when you let them grow into their natural shape,” Rowan grumbled.
“I’ll hide the shears from him,” Milo said and Rowan smiled. “Now let’s get started. We have dinner with the family tonight and we can’t be late again.”
Rowan blushed. “We were in the shower getting ready to go!”
“I think the problem was that we stayed in the shower.” Milo smirked.
“We’re newly mated,” Rowan grumbled. “They should understand.”
Milo laughed and dragged him over to the raised flowerbeds. “Instruct me, plant daddy dragon.”
Rowan flushed and looked behind them. “You said you wouldn’t say that outside of the bedroom.”
“All’s fair in love and nickname usage. Think of it as payback for earlier.”
“Milo.” It wasn’t a whine. Rowan didn’t whine. “You know it’s not the same thing.”
Milo threw his arms around Rowan’s neck and hung on, lifting his feet to force Rowan to pick him up. “Okay, I’ll stop. Kiss me and teach me a lesson?”
“That’s not a punishment.”
“Do you want to spank me instead?”
“Milo.”
“You can wear your gardening gloves.”
“MILO!”
He began to laugh, his starry eyes sparkling. Rowan leaned down and kissed him anyway. Because that was how things were.
When he pulled back Milo sighed, gazing up at him lovingly. “I love our life.”
Rowan’s heart swelled five times larger. “I do too.”
“And I want to say thank you,” Milo said with complete sincerity.
“For what?” Rowan whispered.
“For everything. For helping me. For helping me find myself. For paying for my hoard space. For loving and protecting my hoard. For letting me move in with you even though I’m chaotic and messy. For filling up my life with family and love.”
“You don’t have to thank me for anything. Thank you for being you, Milo Tobitt.”
Notes:
We’re not crying, you are.
Also rejected Dragon Breed Names:
