Chapter Text
"You're supposed to lift with your hands, you big show-off."
Black snorted, watching his brother lift boxes into the house with blue magic. He trailed behind you as you followed Mutt into the house, listening to you both bicker about his laziness.
"it isn't lazy, it's thinking--"
"Don't!" You warned.
" outside the box ."
You and Black groaned at the same time, and Mutt beamed with pride at your combined exasperation. Then he pulled you in, muttering a non-apology and getting a giggle and a kiss anyway, and Black felt something in his soul swell with love and affection at the sight.
Yes, perhaps this house together would mean more chances for him to accidentally walk in on the two of you doing whatever horizontal tango steps you fancy that day, but it's worth it all to see the both of you so happy. He'll start wearing earplugs to bed if it means he gets to see his brother fall deeper in love every time he looks at you, if it means watching you melt beneath the soft brush of Mutt's phalanges over your cheek. Just the thought that he could see more of the gentle intimacy between you two made the whole headache worth it, all those nights worrying that you all might never get here were worth it because here you were.
His family. Finally all under one roof and if you both squabble and argue still every night, he knows you might go to bed angry but you never fall asleep angry, and you and Mutt always awake in a good mood.
He studies the box in his hands, trying not to just stare openly at the sweet exchange of kisses and insults. Bowls and cups , according to your curly handwriting, and so he took it to the kitchen, setting it on the island and taking a moment to enjoy the space. He'd grown so tired of being cramped up in that apartment, this kitchen will suit his gadgets and cooking adventures quite nicely, and as that thought crosses his mind so does the question of if you've eaten today.
He doesn't think you had anything with your coffee, so he wanders back out into the large living room where you are unpacking a box labeled pictures .
"DO YOU HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED, DEAR?" He asked gently, and you looked up at him with a bright smile.
"My two best boys and a big-ass house?" You laughed. "Yeah, I'm pretty good. But, you know, pizza couldn't hurt."
He patted your head lightly, a silent praise for asking for food, and maybe you didn't need coddling but he will never be able to break the habit of making sure everyone he loves is fed and cared for, and you don't expect him to.
And that's lovely.
"did i hear my lovely human recommend the 'za?" Mutt asked, voice carrying from the dining room and followed closely by his head appearing from around the corner. "cause i could definitely go for a slice."
Black chuckled, shaking his head.
"PIZZA IT IS, THEN."
Six hours and two pizzas later, you were on the porch, staring up at the sky, wondering what you did to deserve such a life. It isn't perfect, but it's damn close, and the only thing you even wanted right at this moment was--
You smirked as skeletal arms captured you and Mutt pulled you back against his chest.
"s'this what you were silently summoning so hard?" He teased, kissing your temple. "felt a ringin' in my skull. came to see if those thoughts of me were naughty or nice."
"It's October," you chuckled. "No Christmas jokes yet. Or Christmas music, either."
"part of th'fun is usin' them wildly outta season. kinda like cold--"
"Don't turn this into another hot chocolate argument," you warned him, and he laughed but didn't finish his thought. "I was just thinking that somehow, it's all working out. Yeah?"
"trust has so far not been misplaced, yeah," he agreed. "...love you."
"Sap," you giggled, turning around in his arms to hug him properly. "I love you, too."
He squeezed you back, fingertips gently running through your hair. "still can't believe it, but thanks for always sayin' it."
"I just feel bad for Black, it was like...a year of watching this fucking train wreck and even then we still don't really get along."
"i dunno, we get along a little," he chuckled. "we get along especially well when your ankles are--"
You smacked him on the shoulder and he chuckled. "Stop! We have neighbors!"
"hope they like a good show because i plan on christening the fuck outta this house." He grinned at you, hands wandering south, sliding beneath the waistband of your jeans. "an' you gotta head start of about 10 seconds or else m'starting with the porch."
You laughed and pushed him off, obediently skittering off into the house. He raced after you, hopping over boxes and whirling to avoid slamming into Black, who merely held the vase in his hands safely out of the way. Finally he caught you, sweeping you up just as your hands barely brushed the doorknob to your new shared room.
"in the hall it is," he purred, pinning you to the wall with your legs around his waist. You always think you're too heavy for this but he isn't bothered in the slightest, holding you up effortlessly as he leaned in to lick and nip at your neck.
"IT HAD BETTER NOT BE," Black warned, walking past toward his own room.
"yeah, okay, correction, in the bedroom it is," Mutt chuckled, and with a pop of a shortcut you were falling onto your mattress in your new room, delighted in the touches and kisses as he undressed you in a hurry.
"Where's the fire?" You chuckled, and he yelped in surprise as you slid your own hand right into his jeans, cupping his warm magic, stroking the length with a gentle flick of your thumb. "Oh, there it is."
"damn straight, princess, you light me up like a christmas tree."
You rolled your eyes and he could only smirk like he won. "It's October!"
"yeah, but what fun is bedding you without annoying you just a tiny bit?" He hummed, leaning down. You met his kiss with an exasperated sigh, but you know he could feel your smile against his teeth. Slower this time, you helped each other out of your clothes, kissing and touching and oh, it was so nice, this side of him was so nice, and you wondered why you had once been so stubborn.
You groaned together as he pressed into you, and he pulled your hips in. You tipped your head back and he kissed you, bit you, marked you, and you loved every moment of it, that possessiveness could be so endearing, his way of showing you and himself that you are his and he is yours, and you don't mind the marks, so much, anymore. It's nice to feel so wanted, so loved, and he made sure you felt it.
"Awfully vanilla for christening the new place," you teased between kisses.
"slow n'steady wins the race," he hummed against your neck as you strained to meet or quicken his pace. "this is a slow burn love story, princess, don't rush a good thing."
"You're so weird," you huffed, and then you groaned as he picked his pace up just a bit. He sighed and kissed your lips, your jaw, your neck, and the bliss that shook your body came with a soft moan of appreciation and a characteristic curse.
Slow burn, yeah, it does kinda feel that way. But you're glad it was the way it was because you would probably be broken up right now if you'd tried this right off the bat.
Trust made this work. And you trust him.
"If you miss any more days of work they'll fire you," you protested sleepily as Mutt's gentle touches roused you slightly.
A chuckle rumbled against your back and you shuddered, pressing back against him as he continued tracing circles on your hip. "can't fire me before they've discovered the secrets to my shortcuts."
"Still--"
"took four days already, what's a fifth?" He hummed, kissing the back of your neck, nuzzling gently. "besides, there's still a lotta unpackin' t'be done and the last moving van is comin' today. sans'll be expectin' me t'help."
You smiled, closing your eyes for a few more minutes of shut-eye, just enjoying his weight against you, enjoying how safe you feel here, in his arms, in your shared room, in your new house. It's hard to believe that a few weeks ago you had been convinced he would never love you, and yet here you are, fumbling your way through the honeymoon stage of an actual relationship.
"Try not to get jealous of the moving guys again," you teased. "I don't think we'll be able to get anyone to help us move if you keep breaking fingers."
"it was his wrist, and they deemed it a work-related accident from lifting a heavy box," your boyfriend countered. "an' his job was to move boxes, not spend time hittin' on my girlfriend."
"He was only asking me which bedroom my boxes were going in."
"he was prodding to see if you were sharin' with one of us, tryna figure out if you were single," he pointed out. "but you're not. you're all mine. right?"
You shifted, rolling over to face him. His sockets were heavy with sleep but it didn't hide the slight insecurity in his eyelights as he pulled you in.
"hope y'don't regret throwin' yer lot in with me, yet, princess," he said softly, leaning his forehead to yours.
You kissed him, and he kissed you back, a soft, needy noise escaping him.
"Never."