A/N: SURPRISE WAITING AT THE END
They say that the new year is an opportunity for someone to start anew. It's their chance to begin fresh and shape a vision of what they want to achieve in the next twelve months. A chance to set new goals. A new life.
For Lea and Ian, they never imagined being in this moment. A moment that would alter their lives forever. A shared kiss under the fireworks, amidst the New Year's Eve crowd, and a plastic ring band around her finger. And yet, here they are, celebrating the new year as an engaged couple. Who would have thought that three decades of friendship would lead to this (well, their mothers did), but certainly not them.
So there they are, walking hand in hand in Central Park as their bundled little boy, Mason, is busy running around, spotting squirrels in the park and collecting sticks and twigs from the ground. Lea's big sister is needed back in Boston, so that leaves the three of them—the little family that they have created for themselves.
The winter sun casts a golden glow over the park, illuminating the snow-covered landscape and creating a picturesque scene. Lea and Ian's breath mingles with the crisp air, forming wisps of vapor that dance around them. Despite the chill, there is warmth in their intertwined fingers, in the shared glances that speak volumes without a word.
"Don't go too far, Macy!" Lea calls out as she notices the little boy running off.
"Yes, Tamy!" Mason replies, his voice carrying a hint of excitement as he explores the wintry wonderland.
Ian notices that his son has settled by the playground, so he pulls Lea's hand when he spots an empty bench in front of the play area.
Lea instantly snuggles with Ian as the winter breeze flows through when they take a seat. Ian takes the opportunity to wrap his arm around her, trying to keep her warm.
"You okay?" he asks, concern lacing his words as he gazes into her eyes.
She nods, her cheeks flushed with the cold but her smile radiant. "As much as I love New York, this weather is just too much!"
He chuckles. "You wanted to go around today. We could've stayed back in the hotel and enjoyed the fireplace."
She rolls her eyes. "We promised Mason we would visit the museum. It would be a shame if he didn't go."
"Who's the one who introduced him to 'Night at the Museum'? Now that's all he talks about. You know Mason, once he gets interested in something, he sticks with it. Manang-mana sa pinagmanahan!"
"Are you implying it's my fault?"
He chuckles. "Kind of..."
Lea nudges him with her elbow, and he grunts. "Aray! Ang brutal mo talaga!"
"You deserve it!"
"Baka nakakalimutan mo na fiance mo na ako ngayon."
Lea raises a brow. "Your point? Fiancé or not, I'm going to kick your butt if you don't stop being so cheeky."
Ian chuckles because he clearly doesn't have a choice, and basically, he's used to her attitude. "Buti na lang mahal kita," he mumbles.
"Did you say something?"
Ian looks at her and shakes his head. "Nothing. What I meant to say was, aren't you going to tell Ate Lorna what happened between us on New Year's Eve?"
Lea lets out a big sigh and leans her head on his shoulder. She had been thinking about telling her sister since that night, but for some reason, she really wanted to keep it a secret. She's not sure if she is just afraid of her sister or if she just wants to savor the moment that her best friend is now her fiancé. "Are you going to get mad if I tell you that I want to keep it to ourselves first?"
"Kinahihiya mo ba ako?" he teases with a shit-eating grin but she shakes her head.
She tuts. "Of course not! You have been by my side and in my life since we were kids. Do you think I would think that way?"
"But?" he continues, still teasing but quite amused that his usually very quick fiance hasn't caught on yet but at the same time, he is curious to hear what she has to say.
"But... I like keeping something that only the two of us know. It's something that I want to hold on to for a while. I mean, everything that has happened between us for the past few days has been life-changing, and I just want to process things and savor every bit of it. I promise, I'll tell Ate when we get back to Boston."
"So, in five days?"
She giggles. "Maybe. Why are you so worried about this?"
"Because..." now he winces for real. " I'm scared of Ate Lorna. I didn't even ask for her permission..."
Lea laughs and pushes at him playfully. "Oh my god naman! Ang tanda tanda mo na and you're still scared of my Ate?!"
He scoffs. "Nakita mo ba kung paano tumingin si Ate Lorna ng masama? Parang huling araw mo na sa Earth. Tsaka I didn't get to ask permission from her."
She bites her inner cheek to keep herself from laughing because otherwise, she will just keep on picking on him. Honestly, she never quite understood why he was afraid of her Ate when they were younger and now, she's not quite sure if he's being serious or not. Nonetheless, Lea is touched at the thought that he got over his apprehension or fear or whatever. The proposal was really spontaneous, and he didn't even get to ask permission from their parents or whoever is the de facto guardian who just happens to be her Ate at the moment, which is traditionally expected, but Lea doesn't care. With or without permission, she knows her answer, and she'll choose him over and over again.
She tilts her head and reaches for his lips, giving him a soft peck. "You don't have to ask for her approval, Ian," she tells him when she pulls away. "With or without Ate's approval, I'll say yes."
Ian's heart melts. It wasn't the most gentlemanly thing to do, but he didn't want to miss the opportunity given to him. He gives her a kiss. "Well, even if you say no, I'll make sure it's a yes because you're stuck with me forever."
They share another kiss and only pull away when they hear Mason's voice approaching them.
"Tamy! Dada! Look!" Mason is running toward them, holding a bag of treats, with another kid trailing behind him.
"Hey, what have you got there, bud?" Ian asks, inspecting the plastic that his son is holding.
"My new friend gave it to me! He said he is giving out treats because it's New Year's. Right?" Mason looks at the boy behind him.
The boy nods and shows a toothless smile. "Yup! Those are my favorite candies. Mason said he likes candies, but I don't know if he can eat peanuts. My mama says to always ask"
"I can, right, Dada? Because I eat peanut butter!"
"That's my favorite!" The boy exclaims. "I love peanut butter."
Ian chuckles while Lea is amazed at how Mason was able to socialize with another kid. "Yes, anak. You can eat peanuts. But did you say thank you to your new friend? What's your name, buddy?"
"Oh! I'm Theo, and I'm six and a half years old!" Theo replies with a big grin.
"You are a tall one for a six and a half-year-old." Lea replies, noting the half part of his age. "Thanks for sharing your candies with Mason. That's so sweet of you."
"You're welcome! I like sharing." Theo looks at Mason, who is already opening a peanut butter cup.
"Where's your Mom, Theo?" Ian asks, looking around the playground.
"Oh! She's right over there!" Theo points, and Lea and Ian follow his gaze, spotting a woman who is also looking at them and giving them a smile, so they smile back. "You see her?" Theo waves, and his mom waves back. "That's her with my baby sister in the stroller." Theo's mom gestures for him to come back to her, so Theo nods. "Anyway, my mom is calling me already. It was nice meeting you!"
"It was nice meeting you too, Theo! I hope we bump into you again someday so you and Mason can play."
"Sure! We always go to this playground because we live nearby."
Ian pats Mason's beanie, whose lips are already covered with chocolate. "Say bye to your new friend, Macy."
"Bye! Thank you!" Mason tells him, and Theo goes back to his mother.
"That was cute," Lea remarks.
"It was... Now I wonder..." Ian starts to think.
"About what?" Lea gets curious.
"I wonder if Mason would be cute if he becomes a Kuya..." he looks at Lea playfully while wiggling his ears.
"Ha! Really? You're asking that?"
"Why not? I think he would be really cute to have a sibling."
She snorts. "Sure but you know we have to have sex for that to happen, right? Ask me that again when you're ready for that... you know what. Let's go!" Lea stands up and starts to walk away, leaving Ian no choice but to carry his son while trailing after Lea.
...
Three years ago, if somebody told her that she'd be kissing her best friend, she'd have laughed at them and told them about how utterly insensible and ridiculous that thought is. Perhaps, one should be careful about not mincing words because certainly, she is eating her own at the moment as her fingers card through her bestfriend's hair while his lips ravage her own.
She loves the feel of his lips against hers and for once, she may be elbowed into admitting that she finally understands the craze surrounding this equally crazy man (of course he is crazy, honestly anybody who proposes to someone he isn't even in a proper relationship with is crazy but then she reasons that if what they have is not a relationship then the word either has the wrong definition, explanation, or connotation. Maybe she is just as crazy as he is after all.)
Christian Lucas is a good kisser– she will admit that. She's kissed many men in her life but when he does it, when the softness of his lips moves against hers, devours her... he makes her feel like it's the first time all over again. The thought makes her warm and fluffy.
Is that how it was supposed to feel like all along? Does kissing someone you love feel so overwhelming that you forget about anyone you've ever kissed before and still find yourself wanting for more? Honestly, how could she know? She's never been in love before. She's never been kissed and made to feel like everything she's known before is but prelude.
He makes her feel things. A lot of things. New things she's never felt before and it's funny because she says that as if she's spent her whole life looking for him. She hasn't. She didn't have to. He found her a long, long time ago. It's just neither of them knew how to look closely or they'd have realized a long time ago, that the infamous 'the one' everybody is raving about is quite literally just beside them most of the time.
Now, here they are. A bit late in the game, sure, but Lea, the definitive Type A that she is, is just as eager to catch up. Call it a competitive streak but if that's what gets her what she wants, like maybe straddling this man and kissing the lights out of him and he returns it all with equal intensity, then she's winning.
The only good thing that comes from bringing a kid across the continent is the eagerness to explore which means tiring them out to exhaustion. Mason is difficult to convince to take naps in the afternoon but after their excursion at the Central Park, the boy is wiped and it gives the two adults the liberty to do what they want.
At this point, what else could they want? It's cold outside and they're both warm. It's only sensible that they get tangled up in each other surely. Or so Lea thinks. (A/N: potek na logic 😂).
Ian's getting handsy and she couldn't help but grin smugly as his palms travel down to her waist and slowly slip under the hem of her sweater. Celibacy my ass, she thinks to herself. The palms of his hands clutches at her waist, pulling her closer to him and she reciprocates by snaking her arms around his neck and kissing him back with as much vigor as he gives. His tongue battles with her own for dominance but neither is willing to yield.
She's sure he feels her grin through her kisses as she begins to feel the tenting hardness below her as she continues to kiss him. He bites her lower lip and she gasps, giving him the opportunity to gain the upper hand but she isn't too keen on letting him have it for long. She pushes herself off his lap and plants her knees against his sides. Pulling at his shoulder for leverage, she begins to grind against him and she elicits a throaty moan from him that sends jolts running down her spine. She wants more of that so she grinds harder and then faster, and she's so sure that she's broken down his self-imposed restrained and she's finally getting laid when all of a sudden, he pulls away and grabs her hips to pin her down– which makes things worse because his bulge now feels harder against her center and it makes her want to moan.
And she does.
Before the right parts of her could think, it escaped her.
And he froze.
"What's wrong?" She asks in concern. Ian frowns and shakes his head. She raises an eyebrow at him but he doesn't budge so she shrugs and kisses him again.
Or attempts to because he evades her.
A groan of irritation replaces the pleasurable sound she made just moments ago.
"Is this still about your crazy idea of pretending it's the 1700s so we can't have sex before getting married?!"
He grins sheepishly which drives Lea insane. Her eyebrows furrow and she stares at him. Shaking her head, she places a palm against his forehead. "May sakit ka ba?"
He throws her a look as if saying don't be ridiculous. "Of course not. Ako? May sakit? Mas sakitin ka kaya."
"Eh what's wrong with you? This is not like you. Nag mimid-life crisis ka na ba?"
He grimaces at her response. "Lei, please, I'm not even forty yet."
"Malapit na though."
He chuckles as he finds an opportunity. "Mauuna ka naman."
She grits her teeth and hits him with a throw pillow as she disengages from his hold. "Ang panget mo!" She throws at him and blows a raspberry.
He knows she is irritated at him so he does what he does best– irritate her some more. "Edi nagmahal ka ng panget?"
Once again, she hits him with a pillow. Two points Ian, nil for Lea.
"Alam mo, ikaw, I don't understand you. Just several months ago, you'd have been insufferable if you didn't get laid but now you're in a three-month dry spell and here I am practically throwing myself at you and you still choose to be the prude that I know you definitely aren't. Mercury retrograde ba 'to?!" She exclaims while resting both her hands against her hip in a show of exasperation.
Ian merely chuckles and pulls her closer to him, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and then ruffles her hair.
"Stop it! 'Yan ka nanaman messing with my hair!"
He doesn't let up and she begins to swat at his hand but it only makes him laugh some more.
"What is it with you?! Dati you would pull at my pigtails now you mess with my hair. Grow your own hair!" She complains and pokes her index against his side. He doesn't let her pull away as he pulls her into a snuggle, her arms crossed against her chest and her lips pouting and all. She doesn't resist anyway so...
"You know they said that little boys pick on girls they like?" He murmurs.
"Girls they like ka diyan eh you didn't even love me until we're in our late 30s!" She retorts but he tuts in return.
"I've loved you since we were 6," he counters and it makes her cheeks heat up, "I just didn't know that I was capable of loving you in a way I do now. Maybe I'm just an idiot."
"You are. An idiot that is," she mumbles but snuggles closer to him anyway.
"Leedja?"
"What nanaman? Stop annoying me."
He grins and plants a kiss against the crown of her head. "I love you."
She softens and melts in his arms then, placing her own arm across his middle to embrace him. She lays her head against his chest and sighs.
"Ewan ko sa'yo," she grumbles, the fight in her voice long gone. "But also, I love you too," she adds and knows for sure that Ian has a shit-eating grin on his face.
He's comfortable but then she's always been comfortable around him. Carmen suggested they needed space but now that they've finally come to terms with what's really going on, they finally realize that it isn't space they need. In fact, perhaps, it was the space between them that was holding them back because now that it's gone, now that they've crossed the bridge they didn't even know existed, they find what's waiting on the other side and it is so goddamn amazing.
If only he'd cave to her then the experience will be even more amazing. But it seems like he's really set on delivering on whatever celibacy vow he has regardless of how much she tries to dissuade him. At this point, she's done everything first move related that could possibly steer them in the direction she wants but he catches himself before they could both hit home-run and it is frustrating her.
After all... he isn't the only one who is in a dry spell.
Her eyes fall on the nightstand where the ring pop that is now placed in a resealable bag is placed and a crazy idea pops into her mind.
She grins and turns to him. "Ian?"
"Yeah?"
"Are you up for another spontaneous life changing decision?"
He smiles softly. "As long as it's with you."
"Perfect!" She exclaims and jumps on her feet, making a beeline straight to the closet and pulling out what seems to be both hers and his clothes, effectively confusing Ian.
"What are you thinking?" He asks but she throws him a pair of black pants and a polo shirt along with a snappy, "Get up!"
He sees that she, too, is changing into this ivory lace dress that falls just below her knees, the color matching her winter coat. He gets even more confused when she wakes Mason and helps him change into some outdoor clothes.
"Are we going somewhere?" Ian finally voices just as Ian secures Mason's scarf, the little still a but bleary eyed from sleep but eager to go along whatever his Tamy has planned.
"Yes," is what she responds along with a shit-eating grin which mirrors his own whenever he is up to some kalokohan. "Let's go. Oh! And bring your passport and visa. You bring them naman everywhere, 'di ba?"
He nods and grabs the small file organizer he has with him, along with the one Lea's is pointing at.
He follows the two and makes sure to lock the door of the hotel room before coming after Lea and Mason who are now occupying the lift.
"Leedja, apaka spontaneous naman," he jokes.
She shrugs. "If you can be, then I can be too."
He grins. "Alright then. Ano gagawin natin? Where are we going?"
"To the city hall," she says in response.
He only gets confused some more because that is not exactly a tourist destination whatsoever.
"To do what?"
There goes the shit-eating grin on her face again. "To get married."
...
He feels dizzy. His heart constricts from the way things are happening at the speed of a lightning. But you know what they say, when lightning strikes, it strikes only once and he'd been struck so now, there is definitely no going back. He never wants to go back.
His Ma (both of them as it is going to turn out) got fed up with him and the usad pagong progress he is making with his best friend so they bought him a ticket and he was sent all the way to Boston right after Christmas. Of course the plan was so he and Lea could finally talk and make bati.
Surely, neither Mariana nor Isabella ever imagined in their wildest imagination that Ian would go from a single miserable man, to a happily engaged man, and now an-about-to-be-married man in a span of two weeks. It is going to be the shock of their lives which would make the three of them because Ian never thought he'd even get married at all. Ever. A week ago he proposed to the woman he has loved longer than he could count, the woman he has loved and learned to love in as many ways possible. Today, she said she wanted to get married.
There is no way he's going to say 'no.' It's a dream he didn't know he had until he realized he loved her more than he thought was possible. Being in close proximity with her after coming to terms with the shift in their relationship reveals how much he actually loves her.
When they were little, he endured those long painstaking hours of piano lessons only because she loved having them. In high school, he was devastated to learn that he'd be headed to Lasalle Zobel while she was at Assumption. In college, he was able to cope with the pressure of being forced into a program he didn't want because at least she's going to be there. Over the years, he learned to cook her favourite foods because the way she grins and says she loves his cooking never fails to elicit joy in him. In the past three years, he lived with her... and he loved living with her.
For so long and in so many ways, he has built a life around her. To be given an opportunity to build one with her is not something he is willing to waste. Not when lightning only strikes the ground once and never again. Not when she is the lightning that struck him once and made him realize there is more to life than whatever shitshow he had going on before.
So it may be dizzying how fast things are progressing between them but he believes that nobody would be able to claim that they are going at it too fast.
Thirty years and then some, all of those moments spent lingering and seeking finally reaching the point of the taut red string. They've spent their whole lives wandering with each other looking for home, only to find out that they've always been home.
So no, maybe it isn't going fast. They've probably always been headed this way anyway. They just needed a catalyst, a spark. Now, they've got it after a very long wait.
Dating is only for people who want to get to know each other. There's no point to it anymore, not when she knows exactly how to pull him out of a stupor, not when he knows exactly how to pull her out of distress. There's no point to dating when they've known each other their whole lives, not when they probably know each other better than their own selves.
If life is made up of moments and those are fleeting, they might as well make the most of it.
Today, he's going to marry his best friend and what they lack in dating, he will dedicate to learning to love in ways he is sure he is yet to discover.
It's a good thing that they are in New York. Obtaining a marriage license is doable in short notice. But since he already proposed with a candy ring (something which his mother is definitely going to kill him for) he insists on getting actual rings for the marriage ceremony regardless of the hassle of going back and forth while battling New York's traffic. Much to Lea's chagrin. But he insists.
The ring is going to be a symbol of a choice. Everyone is accountable for the choices they make and he will be accountable to her. He finds that he doesn't mind. In fact, he'd most willingly and consciously make the choice of binding his future with hers. Their pasts are intertwined. So will their futures be. There is no triviality in the pace things are unfolding because if anything, it only goes to show that in a heartbeat, he'd choose her. He chooses her over all his inhibitions and fears.
"Ian, this is the third store na," Lea complains as they approach the boutique building with the unmistakable letter plaques that spell out HARRY WINSTON. "What are you looking for ba kasi?"
He shrugs and opens the door for her while carrying Mason on his hip. He nods for her to enter first which has her rolling her eyes in a typical quintessential Lea way.
"Wow, dad! It's all shiny!" Mason exclaims as they pass by some of the displays.
He finds Lea already talking with an assistant and they are led to a table while another staff brings in some boxes containing what he assumes to be a selection of rings.
Mason sits between him and Lea, in awe of the shiny rings he is being shown and entertained at the way the staff is explaining the features of the ring. Lea points him towards several of the choices but... although they are beautiful, they did not feel right.
Sighing and feeling the call of nature, he excuses himself to the men's room. He makes sure to hurry up, not wanting to leave Lea and Mason for far too long by themselves and he was on the way back to them when his eyes caught the glint of a pair of rings in one of the glass displays. He walks towards them just to see them clearer.
"May I help you with something, Sir?" one of the staff asked and he took the opportunity to see the bands up close. The staff takes them out carefully.
"These are wedding bands, no?" Ian asks just to be sure.
The staff nods. "Yes sir. It's part of a new collection. They were just brought in early this morning so they aren't in the catalogs as of yet."
Ian checks closely and feels like there's something different about the bands. For one, they aren't matching. They are more complementary. What he assumes is for the man is a simple platinum setting two tryst cut with a small apex angle that is nestled against the cut on the pair ring encrusted in a two row pave. And he finds them interesting enough to have them brought over to their booth for Lea to look at because it's different just like they are and complementary like how they've always been and how he hopes they will always be. It is afterall a symbolic representation of a commitment they are making to becoming the complement of the other for the rest of their lives.
"Where have you been? You really should help me pick the rings because if you don't, pipilian kita ng singsing na may malaking bato so people would think you are weird," she threatens when he finally comes in sight but all he does is grin and look smug. And she sees it. "You look smug," and calls him out on it.
"I found something," he says and gestures for the staff to lay down the ring boxes in front of her.
Being each other's person may have something to do with it but perhaps complementarity is something that they have down to the T because Lea gasped the moment she saw it and he knew then that they found the ring they were looking for.
...
Spontaneity has always been his trademark, a trait he's had since childhood. He whisks her away at a moment's notice, whether it's to the park as kids, to the mall or Tagaytay during study breaks, or on impromptu motorcycle rides through the bustling streets of the metro as they grew older. He's always the one leading the charge when it comes to these things, and she's always ready to follow, not just because they're inseparable, but because she trusts him implicitly.
A few nights ago, when he proposed, it was a perfect blend of spontaneity and timing. He wanted to marry her, that much was certain. He couldn't fathom a life without her by his side. So when she said yes, it felt like the universe had aligned perfectly. His original plan was to let her take the reins on wedding preparations, knowing her meticulous nature, but he hadn't anticipated the current spontaneous turn of events—the city hall wedding.
Sitting on one of the benches, cradling their sleeping four-year-old son in his arms while she sorts through paperwork, it feels surreal. Lea exudes excitement and determination, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. He stares at her in that ivory dress that she's wearing. When he learned that they were actually getting married before the day ends and he realized that it's what she's wearing, of course he didn't pass up on the opportunity to poke on her.
He said, "You're not wearing white?"
She merely scoffed and raised an eyebrow at him. "You should wear white. Between the two of us, you're the one insistent on acting like a virgin."
He wasn't able to come back from that because she's right, he's the insistent one.
But now, he cannot stop staring. This is his bride in ivory lace dress with light in her eyes and a smile on her face, bursting in excitement and he finds himself enthralled.
This is really happening.
"Ready?" she asks, her voice filled with excitement and nerves.
Ian looks down at their son, stirring awake in his arms, then back at Lea, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Ready when you are."
"Dada?" Mason's sleepy voice breaks the moment, and Ian hums in response. "Where are we?"
"We're at city hall, sweetheart," Lea answers, gently running her fingers through the boy's hair.
"Why? Is this 'Night at the Museum'?"
Lea and Ian chuckle at their son's innocent question. "No, anak," Ian replies. "We're here for something special."
"Special?" Mason's curiosity is piqued, and he notices his parents' attire, along with his own—a white polo shirt. The pieces start to fall into place in his young mind. "Like Mamu and Papu's special day?"
Lea giggles softly. "Yes, love. Now, let's go inside."
"Wait," Ian interjects before she can walk away.
"What's wrong?" Lea asks, concern evident in her voice. "Are you having second -"
"No, of course not," Ian assures her, sensing her worry. "But are you sure you want to do this now? Without telling our parents? Your sister?"
Lea had considered their family on their way here, but her mind is made up. She nods decisively. "Yes, Ian. I'm sure. I want to do this now."
Ian's smile widens. "Okay then, let's get married."
But before they could swing open the huge doors leading inside the office, Lea halts. "Wait." Ian nods for her to continue.
But before they could swing open the huge doors leading inside the office, Lea halts. "Wait." Ian nods for her to continue. "Hang on, lika muna dito." She pulls him towards a bench where they both sit down for a moment while Mason is allowed to explore close to where they can see.
"What is it? Do you need something?" He asks. He watches her face for any sign of distress but there isn't any. What he does see is the slowly creeping tinge of pink coming up on her cheek the longer she looks at him and bites her lip as if contemplating the next set of words to say. Cute mo rin talaga, 'no Leedja, he thinks to himself before squeezing her hand. "Gusto mo ba ng water?" He asks instead but she shakes her head.
Blowing out a breath, she clutches his hand to hers and she looks at him intently in the eyes. The corners of her lips curl up and a small smile reveals itself. "I just find it weird to say intimate things in front of the officiate whom we don't even know so I wanted to tell them to you before we go there because it's for you and not them. Ian", she starts and he finds that he couldn't take his own eyes off of her. "There are a lot of things I say that I don't mean, and a lot of things I do that I can live without doing. But with you, I can say what I want to say and not be judged, and I can do the things I want to do and be sure that I am not alone.
We've navigated our lives together that they are so intertwined I cannot even place a single definitive significant moment where you aren't there. It only goes to show that it's always been you and me in everything.
You know, nung 'di tayo bati, I was so mad at first pero as it went on, I became sad kasi we've been together for so long that I didn't like the feeling of not having you around. Those three months we spent apart made me realize just how much I actually want to be around you, how much I want you in my life.
I know this may seem fast, us getting married and skipping the dating and getting to know each other bits altogether but Ian... I really do love you and I want you around. I don't want you to not be around. Besides, we spent more than three decades molding each other anyway.
So we skipped a few steps, we'll just have to make up for it for the rest of our lives then, yes?"
Ian smiles and pulls her in for a kiss as a response. "I love you," he tells her and it's the single most honest thing he's probably told another person.
"Lei? Is this us exchanging vows?" He says with a chuckle which has Lea doing the same.
"I guess," she says with a grin.
"Then I guess my turn now? Kaso madaya ka. You're better with words tas ako hindi mo binigyan ng aviso kaya hindi ako naka prepare tas ikaw tong nakapraktis." He jests but Lea gives him the moment.
He continues. "Alam mo, nung six years old ako, palagi akong malungkot kasi ako lang mag-isa ang nasa malaking bahay pag wala sina Ma and Dad. The house felt too big for one little kid and I got lonely a lot kaya that day na Dad went to play golf with your dad and offered to bring me, I jumped at it. Tas may batang apaka seryoso mag color akong nakita and I wondered whether she's nice or what. She looked scary at first with the way her forehead was furrowed in concentration. But then she gave me her fries and I thought she's nice. She's probably the nicest thing to have happened to me since then." He sees her eyes well up but he presses on.
"Pagkatapos nun, hindi ko na maalala if I ever got sad again because I was alone kasi I had you. I was no longer by myself, there was a Leedja who would play and color with me. Then there was a Leedja who would get into trouble with me. Then a Leedja who would give me the push pag naghehesitate ako over something. The same Leedja never thinks twice to drop whatever she's doing whenever I'm in a crisis. Three years ago, when I found out about Mason, I was nervous that I was going to be a dad alone and not know what to do. Leedja came. Leedja always comes.
For the longest time, I have never felt alone because you were there. You have always been there. I always assumed na it would go without saying pero kung ngayong araw tayo mangangako, then ako naman. Ako naman ang mangangako na laging magiging sa tabi mo. Sasamahan kita sa lahat ng construction site na pupuntahan mo tas tatayo sa gilid at makikinig habang may kung sino sino kang sinisigawan kasi 'di sila marunong sa ginagawa nila. I'll cook all your comfort foods 'pag malungkot ka. I'll always whisk you away to our escapes. I will always try to be there. Bilang tao, I will not be perfect kaya siguro papalya rin pa minsan minsan pero Leedja, mahal kita. I love you and I cannot even begin to explain how happy I am that I will get to learn to love you more and more in the days that follow, in ways that are new and old, in ways that are equally mundan and exciting. I am lucky to have you but luckier even to be loved by you. Lydia Encarnacion Alejandra Santiago na I hope sana mag hyphenate tas dugtungan ang pangalan ng Vallejo," she chuckles at his words despite the tears forming in her eyes, "Mahal kita."
She kisses him, softly and deeply with her heart threatening to burst out of her chest. So this is love– feeling as though your heart is cradled in warmth, never feeling lost and always having someone, and being able to say that there is someone in their corner. They've always loved but knowing that they do now makes it real.
Ians slides his fingers between the spaces of Lea's. Holding Mason's hand on the other, they all walk through the door, ready to embark on a life of never being alone, ready for whatever is yet to come.
The Mayor greets them and they exchange handshakes. The ceremony begins and Lea looks at Ian and couldn't help but smile. Ian, likewise, couldn't avert his gaze away from her.
This is it. This is the day they begin again with the realization that all roads they took no matter how far and winding always had a convergence at the end. All the time and the journey it took and they end up here, in this city hall forgetting about the people around them, staring at each other's eyes, their souls ignited and hearts thrumming.
They've known each other for far longer than they haven't. The timing then was never right. This is not one of those things that they've always pined for each other, no. A lot in the past two weeks may have been spontaneous but their love is not instantaneous. It is not something that came into existence out of nowhere. This is the kind of love that grew with them. It took a while, they had to live and learn life. They had to take their time because only time could prepare them to embrace the love that was always meant to be.
Now, they are ready to take the leap and embrace love for what it is.
The Mayor's voice cut through their bubble as she says, "I now pronounce you Man and Wife. You may now kiss the bride."
Ian does not think twice as he pulls her into his arms and kisses her. And as he does, it all falls into place.
All his life, he was looking for something to complete him. This is it and this is now. This is what he's been looking for all along and she was always by his side the whole time.
"Yay! Yay!" They pull away and chuckle as they see their son throw flower petals in the air. Where he got them, they don't know. It's probably from Lea's bouquet that she had him hold for her but neither of them minds.
Lea smiles softly. "Come here, Macy," she whispers and Mason runs to both her and Ian, Ian bends a bit to lift the little guy.
"Tamy," Mason whispers as Ian lifts him up.
"Yes, love?"
Mason grins. "I love you and dada."
Lea and Ian both plant a kiss on the little one's cheeks just as the camera flashes, immortalizing the moment forever.
As for Lea, she embraces both father and son– her mag ama tightly, before she whispers a soft, "thank you," to Mason's ears.
He may not understand why and what for but Lea knows she has this little boy to thank for all of this. If it weren't for this little boy, they probably would have been blinded forever and never got here. But he happened and brought the two closer and made them realize that there is something more, that they are capable of love they never knew to exist. Sometimes, great things that take time just need a catalyst to happen and Mason is their a very good place to start.
...
She comes in and throws herself on the bed because if the day has been something, then it's been exhausting. Actually, it's not even just the day. It's the whole two weeks that they've been back to Boston. All she really wanted was to spend some time with her (cue: blush) husband and their little one but of course, with how energetic Mason is, she ends up giving him what spare time she has, effectively sacrificing whatever potential landi time she could have with Ian.
She's frustrated. Mostly because she just can't get enough free time... but also because she's gone married for two weeks and has not reaped any benefit yet (A/N: sure).
It frustrates her to no end actually because the reason why they actually got into the whole get married now thing is because she was eager to get over the dry spell and be made love to to her wit's end. Now, she's at her wit's end but no love is made.
"Hey," she hears the voice of her husband and she groans. Turning her face away from the mattress, she lifts an arm and reaches for him.
There goes that cute silly smile he's been donning the entire time he's been here as he catches her hand in his and allows himself to be pulled to the bed. He lies down on his side facing her and her adorably frowning face.
"What's wrong?" He asks. She pouts and he barely held himself back from kissing her. He finds that he really likes kissing her.
"I'm tired," she complains and groans again.
He sighs and pulls her up so they are both seated. Cupping her cheeks gently with both palms, he plants a kiss on the tip of her nose and suggests, "you should take a break."
Grimacing, she replies, "and do what?"
Then he grins, "we could run away."
She rolls her eyes at him. "Pano si Mason ha?"
He shrugs and his grin grows wider, seeming as though he's just found the answer to the million dollar question. "Alam mo, si Ate Lorna, favourite na yata yang si Mason. Parang lagi nalang dinadala sa Asians Center. I think she won't mind looking after him."
Maybe he is right. She does need a break and maybe her Ate wouldn't mind watching Mason for a day or two.
"And where would we go nanaman? 'Di mo dala motor mo," she prolongs the faux resistance just because she could.
"Leedja, you know you want to go kaya 'wag ka na magpaka devil's advocate," he chastises and well... he's right. She doesn't really need much convincing at this point since the very thought of going away for the weekend is appealing to her.
"At san nanaman tayo pupunta ha, Ian? Baka mamaya kung saan saan mo nanaman ako dalhin."
He grins. "Pero sumasama ka naman."
Touche because she does.
Sighing and finally ready to admit relenting, she says, "fine pero please lang ayoko mag camping ha. The weather's too cold." And the last time he tricked her into going camping with him, she almost cried from the last free running water from pipes, emphasis on the pipes because she knows that he would be quick to respond with a sarcastic, 'flowing water naman 'yung creek'. "And you do the packing please," she says with a groan.
He must have been thinking about the getaway longer than he must admit because he did not put up a fight. Usually, he is first to insist that she selects the stuff they bring and he could wrap and pack them but this time, he really did take lead. Even her clothes which are quite amusing actually because you'd think she'd be shy at the idea of him riffling thru her underwear but for pete's sake, they are married and she is planning to get laid so why should a mere clothing send her cheeks burning.
Lorna was quick to agree, sensing that one or another, the getaway was going to happen. The difference being that a little four year old would be tagging along the two and for some reason, Lorna didn't feel like it was right so she is saddled with Mason for the weekend. The little one had to be convinced but a single promise of being brought to the ice rink by Auntie Lorna is enough to distract him. This leaves Lea and Ian alone in a car he's decided to rent, thinking it would be convenient since he's practically in charge of all the marketing that precedes cooking in the apartment now because Lorna is busy and Lea is in a hurry to finish her course already and be done with it, so he's the man if the house.
Lea doesn't know where they're going. Usually, she doesn't. In times like these, she lets him take the lead without much qualms because if there's anyone who would be able to bring anyone to the best spots, whether by air, land, or sea (seeing as her best friend is a thrill seeker and has decided to try out every single extreme sport he could), it is Ian.
They've been on the road for the past hour with the radio playing some familiar tune on low volume. They stopped by a tiny local cafe and brought fries (mostly for her because between the two of them, that food choice really spells out her name) which she's started helping Ian with as he drives. She'd pop a fry or two in his mouth while his eyes remain on the road.
Not too long after, Ian takes a turn and they pass a driveway that leads to a nice small cabin with a fireplace.
"This is nice," she murmurs as Ian brakes and turns off the engine.
"I found it sa listing and thought it'd be cozy," he tells her while unbuckling his seatbelt. He takes their bags and waits for her to step out of the car before wrapping an arm around her shoulder as they both approach the cabin.
"Can't wait to look around," she tells him and he chuckles because he knows exactly what she means when she says that. She is very likely going to inspect the soundness of the structure before settling down. That's what she does.
Maybe Ian doesn't have the time to do that this time. He drops their bags on the porch, causing Lea to glare at him.
"Huy, dahan dahan naman. That's a nine west luggage you just threw on th–" she is cut off by a yelp, which she later realizes came from herself because without much warning, Ian bends and lifts her off the ground, with one arm hooked under her knees, and the other firmly locked around her upper body. "What the fuck!?" She exclaims and hits him on the chest with her free hand while her other hand has automatically found its way around his neck. "Gago, what are you doing?!" She hisses.
Ian laughs at her. "Alam mo ikaw, kaya ka napapagalitan dati kasi yang bibig mo, wala talagang preno."
She rolls her eyes at him. "I'll say whatever I want to say."
"I know."
"Alam mo naman pala tas call out ka nanaman nang call out."
Ian shakes his head, amused of course. "Buti nalang wala si Mason dito kung hindi, nako malaki laki nanamang deposit ang mangyayari sa swear jar. Our son's going to be rich from you alone before he even understands what money is."
Our son. He said our son and it is only two words but it hits her with a wave of emotion. It dawns on her. They are married. Legally and conscientiously bound to one another for as long they could stand each other and from the looks of how things have turned out so far, that's probably going to be a very very long time. But the papers they signed and the rings on their fingers also mean another thing: she just signed up to be Mason's parent.
And the thought brings tears to her eyes... which he notices.
"What's wrong?" He asks in concern, the grin he had on now replaced with a frown. "Okay ka lang ba?"
She shakes her head and forcefully blinks before the tears could. "I'm okay," she whispers with a cracked voice.
"Leedja... hindi ka iyakin," he murmurs, alluding to the fact that she wouldn't be on the verge of tears for nothing.
"I'm okay," she whispers.
But of course he doesn't buy it. "Let's get you inside," he says and begins to take a step forward but she yelps again.
"Huy, put me down!" She says squirms in his arms. "This is so silly! Ano ba kasi trip mo ha?!"
He shakes his head and the corners of his lips curl. "Pag bagong kasal, the husband must carry his wife over the threshold of their home, and this will be home for the next two days."
That shuts her up... and sends a very visible burning feeling around her cheeks as her stomach suddenly flutters.
Holy fuck, they are husband and wife, she thinks and like a sudden shift, she bites her lower lip to keep herself from grinning like crazy.
She was too lost in the sudden deluge of warmth and perhaps, a ticklish feeling inside of her which she doesn't know how to describe to notice that Ian had successfully maneuvered the both of them inside the cabin until her eyes landed on the fireplace that is now crackling with fire.
He sets her down on the ground gently and retrieves their bags before shutting the door to keep the warmth in.
And he was right. He left her for a second and there she goes, knocking on the walls and checking for cracks whatsoever.
He sighs softly, quite content, then makes his way to where she is and wraps his arms around her. He perches his chin over her shoulder as he follows her line of vision.
"What are you looking for?" He whispers conspiratorially.
She shrugs. "Just making sure the cabin is structurally sound."
He teases, "akala ko ba run away from work to?" She rolls her eyes at him again before attempting to pull away from his embrace but he doesn't let her. In fact, he tightens his arms around her and directs them both on the nearest couch. He plops down on the center, and pulls her on his lap as he does.
"Would you like to tell what made you sad kanina sa labas?" He prompts softly while rubbing her upper arm with his palm.
She looks at him contemplatively as she thinks whether it would be too ridiculous to tell him that she almost cried because she realized she's really going to be Mason's parent now too.
"You know you can tell me anything, 'di ba? Sinasabi mo nga sa'kin kung natatae ka, so come on spill," he says in attempt to lighten the mood and cajole the truth out of her.
"Alam mo ikaw," she responds and pinches him on the side.
"Hoy, Leedja! Masakit!" He complains. "Gagawin mo yata akong member ng bullied husbands club eh!"
"Nakakainis ka!" She exclaims.
"Oh ano nanaman ginawa ko? 'Di na nga ako nakipag date nung three months eh." And it's true, he never looked at another woman in the three months they weren't good... and then if truth be told and he isn't too dense to realize it... he also hasn't been with anyone in the three months that preceded their fight as well. He hasn't so much been interested in any woman since the night they danced together during his parents' vow renewal ceremony. He just doesn't realize that yet.
"You kasi!"
"Ano nga?"
"You go ahead and ruin dates because you're too dense to realize you were in love and then you wait three months to reach out and then when you do, you propose and then not even two weeks later, you're married!"
"You're cute," Ian says while chuckling.
"That's not what I'm trying to be!" She shrieks at him.
"But that's what you are."
"I hate you!"
He smirks then. "The wedding ring on your finger says otherwise."
That shuts her up. Admittedly, she loves him. Oh god, she really does. And the thought tears her up.
"Oy ba't ka nanaman umiiyak!? Hindi kita pinaiyak ha! Hindi kaya kita pinapaiyak!"
"You kasi!"
"Ano nga?"
"You married me!" She shouts and it silences him.
His smile falls and she sees a fleeting look of hurt in his eyes. "Us being married distresses you?"
"No! Ano ba of course not!"
He shakes his head, suddenly unsure of where he stands. "Do you regret it?"
"What?!"
"Getting married, Lei. Do you regret it?"
And she feels it, the insecurity comes off of him in waves. The look Ian has, a look so hurt she's never seen that expression on him before, melts her. She doesn't want that look on his face, much more to be the one to put that there.
"No no, Ian, no," she starts, voice soft, head shaking, and pulls herself closer to him. "I could never regret that," she whispers and gives him a peck. "Marrying you is long overdue anyway," she tries to jest. "We probably should've been married years ago eh we argue like an old married couple already."
She hears him sigh. "Then what's wrong? What's got you so distressed to tears?"
"I'm..." She takes a deep breath as she gathers the courage to say what she has to say. "Ate Lorna mentioned in passing one time na pag hindi pa kita kinausap, baka maghanap ka na ng ibang taong kakausapin ka. You know, someone who is less suplada and not as difficult to deal with as me. I hated that idea because of two reasons. First and foremost, I was always your partner in crime. The thought of getting replaced made me angry. I got so angry just thinking about you playing house with another woman and replacing good old difficult me. I should have realized then na I felt that way because I wanted it to be me, I wanted to be the one to build a house over the home we've made. I think I must have loved you then."
"Kelan ba to?" He asks, curious.
She smiles meekly. "Three months ago."
It makes him smile because if that is so... He prompts her to continue. "And then the second reason?"
She releases a deep sigh and starts fiddling with her fingers, unsure of how to broach or explain this but certain that she has to. She just hopes that he gets it. "Mason."
"What about him?"
She cranes her neck so she could look at him. "You finding someone else meant also na he would be getting a mother."
And it finally clicked. His gaze softens and he cups her cheek with his palm. Quietly but assuredly, he whispers, "you've always been his mom to him, you know. The time you were away, he would always tell me about the stories you tell him whenever you call him, which is everyday pala. He loves you, Lei. So much."
Lea feels a tug at a corner of her lips. "And I love him too. God, Ian. I'm a bunso. I've never had to babysit anyone. Four years ago, I could barely tolerate children."
"And then Mason happened."
She nods at him. "And then Mason happened and then I grew to love the little boy who pooped on your kitchen sink. I love him so much the thought of losing him hurt like hell."
Ian pulls her to him so she could bury her face into the crook of his neck. "Leedja, you're not replaceable. You're not going to lose him. We're stuck with you forever," he says chuckling. Then a thought came to his mind. "Lei?"
"Yeah?"
"What if you adopt him?"
She felt like she's had a whiplash and had to take a second to digest what he just said. "What?"
"Come to think of it, we ARE married. And I plan on sticking around for a very long time but... you ARE Mason's mom in every sense of the word except in papers. We should just–"
His explanation is cut off as her lips come crashing against his. Then he feels something wet against his face and he realizes that she's crying.
They pull away and she remains crying so he gently wipes away the tears and jokes, "ano ba 'yan. Ilang linggo palang tayong kasal pinaiyak na kita."
But she shakes her head and smiles. "These are happy tears. Happy tears are always good."
And he agrees. As a kid, he's never made her cry. For pete's sake, he would literally get in trouble because he would march down and fight against people who try to cause her trouble. She always chastises him about it, saying that she could handle herself but he stands proudly as he declares that that asshat of a kid will no longer be bothering her. He's never liked the thought of someone hurting her and making her cry. He's threatened quite a number of guys she's dated in warning. But now, she's in tears because of him. And much as he hates seeing her cry, he knows she's happy... and that makes him happy as well.
"So? Lei? What do you think?" He asks in follow up while brushing away the dampened stray hair strands sticking on her face.
She grins. "Mason Alexander Santiago Vallejo sounds really good to me."
...
She fell asleep. After that whole emotional exchange had drained her, she remembers being held tightly by Ian and feeling secure. It's not the first time she's felt that way around him. His presence settles her. She knows her staff rejoices whenever he is in the office because the kamalditahan usually mellows down a bit (although that's probably because he keeps on stealing her away from the office). She should have known that being held by him would feel nothing less than home.
Home.
It's an interesting thing. A couple of weeks ago, she was feeling so homesick that she was so mad at her pride for keeping her from calling home. Now, there is no such feeling. She feels home. And it's quite a realization for her. She is someone who promises to build homes. Now, she realizes that it isn't something just anyone can build with bricks and stones. It's layers upon layers of commitment and trust, and respect... and love.
So she realizes: home isn't something constructed in a parcel of land. Home is a promise shared with someone... and she is home.
She finds herself warm in bed but longing for a different kind of warmth. Quite reluctantly, she drags herself off the bed to look for the source of said warmth and it doesn't take long for her to find him.
He's in his natural habitat– with an apron donned, forehead furrowed in concentration, and rapid skilled movements of the sharp blade hitting the wooden chopping board. It's fascinating to watch Ian man the kitchen. He commands it like a captain would a ship but what she loves about watching him do his thing is seeing the way he seems so comfortable.
She loves seeing him that way, calm and collected and... well, handsome.
She married quite a handsome man, she's got to admit. Such knowledge brings a sheepish grin on her face as her legs take her towards him.
"Hey," she murmurs, prompting him to look up.
"You're awake," He says, breaking focus for a moment.
"That smells good," she says and peers at the pan he is fiddling with. "What are you making?" Lea asks instead as she stands across him, with the island separating them.
"Just updating the patatas a la riojana."
She frowns at him upon hearing. "for the resto?"
He nods. "But that's work!" she complains.
It stops him. It isn't too often that he would hear that from Leedja who used to crash at his place because of work so much that he made it a point to actually just give her a room to stay in for as long as she wants. It's surprising, but he supposes it's a good one.
"We're supposed to be taking this getaway to you know, actually get away!"
"I won't be long I promise."
"But I don't want you working!"
"Why not? Ayaw mo ba nun, masarap dinner mo."
She scoffs because she could just order in some fish and chips and still find it delicious. Her palate is simpler than everyone else around her, it seems. "Ian, this is supposed to be..."
What was it supposed to be?
She didn't have to think any more as Ian himself supplied the answer with a smug grin: "our honeymoon?"
She feels her cheeks heat up. "Shut up!"
Ian chuckles and turns off the stove. "Okay na po, Madam Leedja. Tapos na, di na magwowork."
She throws him a glare. "I hate you. And really?! This is our honeymoon?!" she exclaims and goes stomping her way to the porch, intentionally slamming the door on her way out.
"Asshole talaga," she mumbles while rubbing her arm as the cold breeze brushes by.
"Asshole na pinakasalan mo," a voice continues and she finds herself wrapped around a pair of strong arms. She halfheartedly tries to wiggle away but he doesn't let up so she huffs and puffs but gives up.
"What do you want, Christian Lucas?"
She feels him plant a kiss against her shoulder. "Just you, Leedja. Just you."
She melts in his arms. It's scary how a few words from him have this much power over her. She is made of the strongest steel she uses to construct the strongest buildings.
But what do those do when he is the earthquake that shifts her world?
Nothing.
It's frightening to think about how vulnerable she becomes around him but then... it's him, it's Ian. It's the one person in the whole wide world she trusts implicitly with anything. She's always been vulnerable around him and he's never been one to take advantage.
She supposes he loves her too much. He says that himself and she believes it, it seems.
She turns around his arms and pouts. "Parang hindi naman. Go away na nga and do your thing."
Ian chuckles and pulls her closer to him, wrapping her in a huge bear hug before taking small steps back until the back of his knees hit against the porch swing. He sits down and pulls her on his lap, her legs across his. "Eto na, Leedja. I'm all yours," he says and steals a kiss.
"Ayoko. Ibabalik na kita kay Mama Yans," she rebuts but without any bite in her note.
"Sorry, misis. You've got me for life." He has no intentions of ever going back to a life without loving her. "Tsaka matagal na kong tinutulak ni Ma papunta sa'yo."
"Swerte mo," she bites back.
Ian couldn't help but chuckle. This feisty woman is the one he loves. Oh the rest of his life is never going to be boring.
"Oo," he agrees with a small nod. "Maswerte ako na mahal mo ko." He stares at her eyes, wanting nothing more than for her soul to take a peek at his and recognize the yearning he has to finally be found by her.
Silence.
Lea lifts her head and holds his stare. Without much conscious thought, she lifts her hand and traces the contours of his face with her index finger, as though memorizing every line that mars his face, each one with a story to tell, most of which she is a part of. She has always been a part of him, it turns out.
"I love you, Christian Lucas," she whispers, unable to look away from the draw of his eyes. She feels him embrace her tighter as he returns the sentiment. Softly, he says, "I love you Lydia Encarnacion Alejandra."
She lifts her head to look at him but his lips find their way to hers and they share the sweetest kiss, slow and languid, his soft lips move against hers.
And without much warning, she releases a yelp as he scoops her in his arms and carries her back inside the house, and into the room they share without so much as breaking the kiss.
...
A/N: SURPRISE UNLOCKED
He places her gently on the bed and he climbs on top of her without breaking their kiss, his tongue exploring the caverns of her mouth as her own battles with his. There is nothing so much as a wrestling of dominance, no. It’s more of wanting to feel the other as closely as possible.
Lea’s hands find themselves tangled in Ian’s hair, pulling and clutching him closer to deepen the kiss. Ian, on the other hand, begins to trace the curves of her sides with his free hand, slowly moving downwards until his hand creeps under the hem of her shirt and land against the skin just below her navel.
His touch is warm and she finds that she wants for more. She doesn’t need to say it to him as his hand begins to move against her skin, drawing invisible circles against stomach as they trail higher until he reaches the mounds of her left breast and he cups it, prompting a moan from her.
If his touch seems to affect her so much, she could only anticipate how it would feel when he begins making her his.
Oh she’s wanted this for quite some time and now, she doesn’t have to wait so long for it anymore.
She breaks from the kiss as she gasps for air when he squeezes her breast gently. His lips find the column of her neck and he kisses her there, a trail of open mouthed kisses that eventually turn to Ian alternating between nipping and sucking, and soothing her skin with his tongue.
She could barely breathe at this point but she wants more. This is as far as they have gotten in the past weeks that they’ve been married. She got caught up in the whirlwind that is her program that they could never find the time, especially with a child sleeping between them each night.
Now, seems to be the time because Ian ventures further as he frees her breast from the confines of her bra with one easy flick without her even noticing.
“Let’s take this off, shall we,” he murmurs as her takes off her shirt and bra in one go.
“I can’t be the only one naked,” she whispers.
Ian grins and removes his own shirt, throwing it to the floor along with her own before leaning forward to catch her stiff peaks in his mouth without any sort of warning for her.
It felt like lightning coursing through her body as he latches to her breast, his wet hot mouth sucking intently while his hand squeezes her other breast.
“Fuck,” she says breathlessly as Ian begins to shower her other breast with the same attention. She could feel herself getting warm down there and she feels excitement arise in her.
Ian’s other free hand travels down and begins to unbutton her pants and before she could wrap her head around what’s happening, she cries in surprise and pleasure as he cups her down where she needs him.
“You’re wet, Leedja,” he whispers to her ear as he pulls up and begins to shower kisses on her chest. Oh he feels like burning.
He’s waited patiently for this. Had tried so hard to keep the desire down in fear of jeopardizing what little he thought they had to begin with. He swore he wouldn’t do the shit he does with her, even if it means putting up with a very bad course of dryspell. It was hard but he only had one thing in mind: to make them last. The lack of orgasm (with another person, that is) for the time being is a small time to pay.
It turns out, what they have isn’t at all little. It is turning out to be everything, from yesterday, today, and eventually tomorrow. It is them, oh he hope so fervently it is going to be them and he was in a mindset of doing everything to make them last because Leedja is not just another person. She is his bestfriend and he loves her. He could claim to be unable to love another but that would be false because he loves her, has always loved her, and now that love has evolved into a different, more encompassing form.
Oh how lucky he is indeed to love her.
He couldn’t take his gaze off of her and the way her lips are slgihtly parted.
“That’s because I need you,” she admits to him. And oh does she need him indeed.
She feels his finger toy with the hem of her underwear. She holds her breath as his hand slides beneath them and she bucks as his finger accidentally touches her clit.
“Fuck,” she grunts and sees the grin Ian has.
“Don’t worry, I got you,” he tells her and she would have rolled her eyes at him had he not started rolling the bundle of nerves between his index and thumb.
Her legs spread wider to accommodate him and it makes Ian grin. He pulls down the fabric, leaving her bare, and he begins to slide down.
Lea lifts herself on her elbows to see what he’s doing and her eyes widen as she sees him level with her wetness, with a glint in his eyes. “What are y–“ she doesn’t get to finish her question as his tongue slides against her slit and she falls back down to the bed.
She feels his arms wrap around each of her leg, looped below her knees, and he pulls them apart, placing them on his shoulders, leaving her open to him, vulnerable to his mercy as he keeps her spread while his tongue ravages her down there.
“Ian, please,” she begs but for what exactly, she doesn’t even know. It’s all too little and too much at the same time that she cannot distinguish between the two.
She feels his finger prod against her entrance and feels herself close in on him as he slides in his finger and her muscles clench around it.
He curls his finger and it elicits a guttural moan and a shiver from her.
He moves the finger slowly, in and out, slowly building her up, and then adds another finger as he begins to pump in and out of Lea.
She doesn’t know where to look or where to direct her gaze but pleasure is beginning to cloud her brain as she feels a tightening somewhere in her stomach.
Ian continues with his ministrations, in and out, curling and then hitting something that sends Lea’s back arching, and then recognize that it must be her g-spot. He hits it again and elicits the same response, confirming what he thinks.
“Ian!” Lea shrieks as she feels herself falling. Ian could feel the way her muscles tighten around his fingers and he knows then that she came.
He pulls out and looks up and sees her panting, flushed and all, but he couldn’t help himself from kissing her so he dislodges himself from her legs and rises up so he could kiss her. She looked too beautiful not to kiss.
“You alright?” He asks and she nods.
“More than alright.”
He smiles and kisses her yet again. When they pull apart, Lea wraps her arms around his neck, stares at him in the eyes, and whispers, “make me yours.”
And he doesn’t think twice. Make her his, she says. He chuckles because she doesn’t realize just yet that with every sharp breath she takes, she makes him hers.
He wiggles out of his own pants and boxers without so much as removing himself from her embrace. He kisses her, this time with force, with intent, with hunger.
They pull away for air but his eyes don’t leave hers.
Her eyes widen as she feels a hardness poling against her hip. She looks down and sees his member erect.
“Let me,” she mumbles and her hand flies down to his member, giving it a firm grip before gently moving her hand up and down, prompting a groan from Ian.
But before she could continue, he grabs her hand and takes it away.
“What?” She asks, confused.
He shakes his head. Instead he grabs his shaft and rubs it against her entrance and it sends her moaning loudly.
“Lei?”
“Yeah?” She asks breathlessly.
“Are you sure?”
She kisses him with much ardour before whispering, “yes, love. I am.” And in her mind it’s several things. I am sure I want to be made love to by you. I am sure I made the right decision marrying you. I am sure that I love you. I am sure of you.
He nods and whispers, “i love you,” before he enters her with one swift thrust and they both moan at the feeling of losing the sense of where one begins and the other ends. It’s the feeling of being one, of being complete, and it’s something neither of them have felt until now.
It’s true, they suppose, what other people say. They could have sex with a whole lot of people but the moment they make love to the person they love, nothing will be able to compare. It will be the first time that matters and nothing else.
Ian moans at the way she is clenched around him and Lea gasps at the way he fills her. It takes them a few moments but then their eyes meet, Lea gives him a nod to go on, and Ian begins to thrust, slowly and tentative at first, and then eventually finding a rhythm that sends Lea reeling.
Her hand grab at Ian’s shoulders for leverage as she plants her foot firmly against the mattress beside his hips, opening wider for him. His palm finds its way behind Lea’s nape and pulls her to him as he shares with her a searing kiss while their bodies undulate to the rhythm of moans and cries, and pleasure that courses indiscriminately and without borders.
Lea claws at his back as she feels herself slowly reaching the peak, the string in her abdomen taut and ready to snap at any moment. A deep forceful thrust and pleasure courses through her with a cry.
Ian continues to thrust against her, his own rhythm slowly becoming erratic and she knows he is nearing. Sweats drips down his forehead and his face is scrunched from exertion and concentration. She kisses away the creases on his face and wraps her leg around his hip, slowly meeting his thrusts as she recovers from her own high, and is now very nearly on the peak of another.
Just then, she feels him freeze.
“You okay?” She asks in concern.
He nods at her and says, “I’m near.”
Lea nods and thrusts her hips towards his, causing his knees to buckle.
“Lei, no,” he whispers and swallows a lump. She stares at him and sees the vein against his temple throbbing. He looks ready to explode but seems to be straining. It is only then that she understood.
She kisses him deeply and wraps both legs around his hips and pulls him down towards her. “Stay there,” she whispers.
He nods in understanding and slowly picks up his pace, thrusts into and out of her as she moves the undulations of his movements.
Thrust in, overwhelming pleasure, out, chasing after release. A few more and then he tenses and she pulls him closer towards her, wrapping him within her, never letting him go as he finishes inside of her.
They remain like that for a while, with him laying on top of her, his weight a comfort to her, with his member still inside her. Both unmoving. Both content. Both so unbelievably ecstatic.
When Ian finally recovers enough strength, he cranes his neck upwards and kisses Lea softly. “I love you,” he says and means it with every fiber of his being.
He loves her. Oh god, he does. He’s not a good man. He’s a jerk, an asshole who could never settle down because the thrill of the chase kept him alive. But as he holds her in the still of the night, he finds himself more alive than he ever has been night after night as he takes the shameful walk away. Tonight, there is no shame. All he knows is that he loves Lea and there is no other. He has slept with countless women before but they are all purged out of his thoughts, none of them could compare to the feeling of holding the one he loves, to the feeling of holding Lea.
They hold each other tightly for what remained of the night, skin against skin, their hearts beating in synchronicity. It is quiet and it is dark, but it is also warm and reassuring.
He is with her just as she is with him. He’s claimed her as his just as she’s claimed him as hers. They are together, and together… well, this must be the home everybody talks about.