Chapter 59: Moving Day
The Kennison Estate, Latimer Ave, Baltiney, New York...
The moment Ken's midnight blue sports car pulled into the driveway of his rather impressive and enormous estate Dean had been at a loss for words. He had been well aware that Ken was a wealthy businessman but he had barely scratched the surface of what that entailed. Ken didn't seem to care all that much about his wealth and spent a good deal of time down in the slums with people like Spyder and Dean himself. He seemed to be more at ease there than he had ever been in the upper echelon of society given his money and background.
Of course, that had all been a product of the infamous Ryker Kennison, not Ken Ryker as he mostly points out. Dean had often observed that while he enjoyed spending Ryker's money, he didn't like the airs he had to put on just to get it. He had no relative interest in much of anything about his former self and even less of an interest in the people who went about reminding him that he'd been a vastly different person since the accident happened.
Dean had been a bit sad to leave behind the familiar walls of the roadside motel room but Ken had insisted it was for the best given that he was moving in with him. The lad could barely contain his anxiousness as Ken escorted him from the driveway into the main house which had been larger than he realized and nothing at all like the trailers in the mobile park where he'd been born.
The lad had liked the place despite Ken seeing it as no big deal. He'd been used to it after all the novelty of having lived there for so many years had been long gone even past his return after the accident. Still, Dean had been impressed and ventured into the entrance hall with Ken. He casually opened the doors after sifting through a series of keys.
"Welcome home," he said meeting Dean's blue eyes before pulling him into a heated kiss.
Dean had been a bit overwhelmed by the gesture and the size of the house.
"This...is..." he began unable to speak due to choking on his words.
"Not a big deal, I just make it a point to keep my promises," replied Ken. "Since we're starting out you can stay here as long as you want, or get your own place any place and I'll see to it that the bills are paid."
"Right here with you is fine," said Dean coming to his senses.
He still couldn't believe he'd been in Ken's house and that the man had much preferred to spend his nights in a roadside motel than be here of all places.
"You'll have the guest room, of course, do with it what you wish, but after hours you're mine," said Ken making it clear that despite their appearances to anyone outside of their arrangement, he still expected Dean in his bed whenever they'd been home alone.
Ken had shown him the room, it was a nice spacious place that hadn't been touched aside from the occasional redressing from the maid now and then. He had liked it a lot better than the motel room and his room back at the mobile park combined given the size of it rivaled as much.
The older man let Dean get settled and headed toward the living room where his makeshift bar had been located. He supposed the lad needed to get used to navigating the house on his own he wasn't one for hand-holding and that sort of thing.
Dean had still been reeling from the sheer size of his bedroom in Ken's house, the kind of place he used to dream about as a kid where he'd felt safe and loved. It was only fitting that Ken of all people had inspired those feelings in the lad and had given him a place to stay. He took a few moments to load his newly brought clothes into the closet and drawers making it a point to take his time as he had never had such a good setup before.
Ken had thought him strange but given what he endured before meeting him, he was glad that the kid smiled now and then. The older man leaned against a nearby wall with his newly poured drink in his hand.
"There are rooms that are off limits, the doors are locked so there would be no confusion, I have the keys to every room but the off-limits rooms are what they are," said Ken in a rather stern tone. "Don't bother inquiring about them I don't speak of it and no one else will either."
Dean nodded in understanding.
Ken took a sip from his glass.
"My chosen bedroom isn't that far from here, if you need me I'll be there," he said before walking out, once more leaving Dean to finish unpacking and getting settled.
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
Dean's Bedroom, The Kennison Estate, Latimer Ave, Baltiney, New York...
Blue eyes stared up at the ceiling as Dean Hudson found himself taking a bit of time to rest after his long trip and unpacking session. It had been a rather odd day for emotional upheaval as he bit goodbye to the roadside motel where he and Ken first got together and then made his way to Ken's actual house, which had been a rather large estate despite not having any servants aside from the occasional made. A part of him wondered why Ken had been so gloomy when he lived in a place like this but rumors of what happened to his family had been far-reaching even in Spyder's neck of the woods despite no one mentioning it around him directly.
Dean had wondered what could have happened to make Ken the way he was and why everyone in town had known so much about it despite their apparent attempts to pretend otherwise. He made up his mind to ask Spyder about it when next he'd see him given his tendency to still seek out the man's product of sorts.
Ken announced that he'd been going out and not to expect him. Dean had been a bit uneasy about being left in such a large house alone but Ken encouraged him to explore a little and he'd be in when he put his key in the door. Knowing all too well that Ken had been the type to roam, especially in the late hours, Dean agreed to find a way to keep himself busy. There had been plenty of food in the fridge and a phone with money and a credit card if Dean wanted anything out of reach.
Ken took off in the all too familiar brown four-door sedan that he'd originally picked up Dean in the first night he'd taken him to the roadside motel. Dean thought Ken's behavior was curious but kept it to himself even as he watched the man pull out of the driveway.