11:30

Two -- Chris

Damn it was nice to be able to moan and scream again without the fear of the neighbors calling the police or the rental office. It was also really nice to my let my brain shut down.  I'd missed this.  Him, us, this version of me.  There had just been too much to do for the past few months for me to get very many opportunities to really let go.  Even today, I had to be aware of the fact that I was leaving again tomorrow.  I couldn't fall too far but damn if I didn't want to fly.

We fucked once - more to get off than anything else.  There was just too much built-up need for either of us to slow down enough to play.  I was more than okay with that.  I hoped that him getting back into Dom mode would help with some of the weirdness with the house.  I knew, then, that I should've picked up on the fact that he was being way too easy about everything.  He'd been helpful and of course I told him everything that was going on but between him dealing with getting his mom's house on the market and the new job up here, I felt it was sort of my job to handle the house since I'd been the one who wanted it so badly. 

He didn't have any rules for this and I didn't either.  Part of me figured that maybe I should keep things the way they were because polite, easy-going Greg was really easy to deal with.  The other part of me needed my Dom back.  Desperately.  I needed to tread very carefully and set this up right because it felt like everything that happened over the next few months would affect our living arrangements for years, forever.  There wasn't enough time to deal with it all on this trip though, there was too much to do and too little time.

He offered to make dinner and I was glad to let him; some real food sounded great and he knew what groceries we had and which pots and pans were up here.  I didn't want to broach the subject but I had to.  "Sir?"

"Yes?"  He took the pot off the heat and turned towards me.  I couldn't help but smile at his undivided attention.

"This is your house Sir, just as much as it's mine.  I haven't wanted to talk about details but obviously that didn't work out too well because the place is empty and you seem stressed.  I hope I'm not being too forward, but I want you to decorate the main floor however you would like."  I would have my own space downstairs and besides, he was here a lot more than I was and I had no problem with his style. 

"But you have things you want included, correct?  You mentioned your silverware and a lamp and throw pillows.  And perhaps something else, the conversation took place quite a while ago."

He had me there.  I was giving him very mixed signals and with the way his brain worked, I wasn't helping.  "How about this?  You bring whatever furniture you want and put it wherever you want and maybe I can help with accessories?  And if I absolutely hate something or I can't reach something important in the kitchen, maybe we can talk about it."  There was one thing I wanted to be super clear about though.  "I'd love some of your art on the walls.  Actually, if you have an extra one, I'd love to put it in my bedroom or my extra room."

"One?  I have an entire storage unit full.  You are welcome to go down there with me and pick out whatever you'd like."

I was?  First, he had more paintings, of course he did.  I knew that he sketched more than he painted but still, I'd only ever seen four or five of them.  I wondered how many he had.  But more importantly, he would let me see them?  And choose one?  It felt like Christmas.  "I would absolutely love that, Sir."

"Very well.  I will handle getting the bulk of my possessions moved in.  Is your storage locker cleaned out or is that something I could help you with?"

Was I dreaming?  He was being amazing.  And he was stimming.  Stressed.  Trying too damn hard.  I felt guilty.  I almost told him not to do my storage unit but I realized that wasn't the problem.  It was the politeness and whatever filter he had managed to come up with to use that was making him uncomfortable. "That would be very helpful to me Sir.  Could you just put everything in my extra room?"

"Certainly" he answered, not looking my way.  Making dinner was a good excuse but that didn't mean I didn't see it for what it was.

"May I be excused just a moment?"  He said yes so I hurried downstairs, looking for the only thing I could think of that might help him relax and let his guard down.  I realized halfway down the steps that it would be in a box in the den, if he'd even brought it.  But I couldn't exactly go looking through his boxes, now I could I?  Shit.  And then I remembered the collar that got me in so much trouble with Nick.  I had one of my own, of course.  Several.  I didn't know if it would have the same effect on him but I opened three boxes looking for them and then chose my most simple, basic collar.  I slid it around my neck and went back upstairs.

He didn't look at me or notice the collar when I first headed into the kitchen. "Before I forget, you received some mail. A courier brought by something from your legal office. I didn't have to sign for it so I assume you aren't going to court." He reached over and placed a few envelopes and one large cardboard one in front of me and then turned back towards the stove but he stopped halfway there. Slowly, he turned back towards me and stared at the piece of leather around my neck. "I'm not sure what this means, Pet."

"It means that even though this is OUR house, I'm still YOUR boy." I thought about it, I did. "Master."

He took in a quick breath and then flexed his hands, stretching his fingers out before making a fist and repeating it, as if he were stretching them after stimming, or just realizing what he'd been doing. "Dinner is almost ready."

"It smells delicious. We have plenty of time, don't we Sir?"

"Yes, yes we do."

*** *** ***

He made good on his promise and I woke up the next morning tingling in all sorts of places. He'd seemed happier and had even spent the night downstairs with me on my bed. Whether it was because he missed me or because of how rough he'd gotten, I didn't know or care.  He was still conked out when I woke and it wasn't surprising; I was up ridiculously early because of jetlag.  I took a shower, packed a new carry-on bag and made us breakfast.

There was still no sign of Greg so I decided to take a quick walk to Ollie's house to clear my head and deliver the envelope from my lawyer. I'd read the contents, of course. I'd honestly forgotten about asking him for the trial info on Phil's death but once it was in my paws, I had to know what had happened. The man had been found guilty and apparently the defense had framed it as a drug deal gone bad. It seemed like it would be good news to Ollie so I was happy it seemed to be over with, finally. Hopefully it was the closure he seemed to desperately need.

I went around to the back since I hadn't gotten a chance to look at the new deck yet.  It was gorgeous and at Greg's request, exactly like the old one.  When I reached the hot tub I stopped dead in my tracks because I could hear Greg's voice.

"No, sorry cat, you can't come out."

Ah, so he was out on the upper deck and Wyatt was at the screen door?

"Don't look at me like that, I already fed you.  Chris probably did too you little glutton."

I had.  No wonder Wyatt looked so chunky.

"He fed me too, he's a good boy, isn't he?"  I could hear the scrape of his fork as it hit his plate.  "It's nice having him home, I'm sure you missed him.  I did too, I think, but don't worry, he'll be back in six days.  We'll be okay until then, won't we Wyatt?  Ha!" he exclaimed.  "I bored the cat.  Damn.  Only wanted to stay as long as there was food, I see.  Oh, there you are.  I have a lot to do before then, the Den needs set up and I want him to be able to eat at the table, not that I minded him kneeling at my knee last night.  No, that worked just fine, didn't it?" 

He let out a rather contented sigh and I heard a meow, then a scraping.

"No, I'm coming in.  He doesn't have much more time before his flight and there's no reason to spend it out here talking to you.  I can talk to you all week.  Let's go find my boy, shall we?  He'll certainly be back soon and I don't want to waste our morning; that simply won't do."

I waited about 10 breaths after I heard the door slide shut before I raced down the steps and around to the front door.  He'd missed me!  And he didn't hate Wyatt, not that I really thought he did but still, I worried about both of them when I was gone.  I made damn sure that I was a very, very good boy until my Uber arrived to take me away yet again.  Six days.  I just had to make it six more days until I'd have nearly two weeks at home.