Chris pulled into his driveway, gravel crunching beneath the tires. He shut down the vehicle and sighed, still upset about whatever it was that happened at Devin's house. He finally got out of the car and went over to Ricky's side to help the smaller man out. As Ricky walked in front of Chris, Chris gave him a pat on the butt. He also noticed how Ricky was limping, so he sped up to Ricky and lifted him up off the ground. Chris fumbled around with the keys, trying to get the door unlocked while holding Ricky in his other arm. When he finally got the door unlocked, he pushed it open and went inside, the warmness greeting their chilly bodies like a nice warm hug. He took Ricky over to the couch and gently set him down.
"You stay here, I'm going to go change into some more comfortable clothes, and I'll bring back your blankie and stuffie so we can take a nap,'' Chris said.
"Otay daddy, tank yews,'' Ricky replied. Chris turned and made his way up the stairs. Ricky felt a buzzing in his pocket, against his thigh. He pulled out his phone and saw that there was a contact request from a local number. He opened the message app and approved the request.
Vinny: Hey, it's Vinny! Ryan told me your number. I just wanted to make sure everything was OK because when Chris left, he seemed pretty pissed about something. Daddy said that he had said something that made Chris mad, but I don't know what. The text read.
Ricky: I'm fine, he just went upstairs to change and he said we'd take a nappie when he gets back. Ricky texted back.
Ricky: I'm gonna go, he's coming downstairs. He said before switching his phone off. Chris walked down the stairs, walking up next to Ricky before sitting down.
"Who you texting?" He asked.
""Just Vinny,'' Ricky replied.
"I'm glad you two got along so well,'' Chris said, smiling softly. He put an arm around Ricky and squeezed him slightly. Ricky lay his head on Chris's chest. He felt so warm and safe there. Suddenly, he felt Chris tense.
"Where. Did. You. Get. This.'' Chris asked, lifting the key around Ricky's neck.
"Um, Vinny gave it to me, why?"
''Never mind,'' Chris said. His breathing had sped up.
"Did Vinny tell you anything when he gave it to you?" Chris asked.
"He told me he'd tell me someday,'' Ricky replied.
"Are you telling me the truth? Is that all he said?"
"Yes daddy,'' Ricky said. ''What's wrong?"
''Oh nothing, I'm just having flashbacks,'' Chris said. He clearly was not OK.
Ricky hugged Chris, ''I's sowwy Dada, are they scawy?" Ricky asked. Chris smiled down at Ricky.
"Yeah, the kinda are,'' he replied.
''Can I help get the scaries to go away?" Ricky asked sweetly.
''Just be your cute self for me and let me cuddle the fuck out of you,'' Chris said. Ricky blushed and he felt Chris squeeze onto him harder.
"Jesus,'' said Ricky, ''I'd kinda like to be able to breath y'know.''
Chris chuckled. ''I'm sorry baby, I just need all the cuddles I can get right now,'' he said, easing his death grip on Ricky. Ricky crawled into Chris's lap and lay his head on Chris's shoulder. Chris rose up off the couch, taking Ricky up with him.
"W-what are you d-doinh daddy?" Ricky asked.
"I'm going upstairs and taking my teddy bear with me. I accidentally forgot your stuffie and blankie when I came down, plus the bed is more comfortable,'' Chris replied. He carefully made his way upstairs. When they got to the bedroom, he gently lay Ricky down on the bed. Chris handed Ricky his paci, blanket, and stuffie, to which Ricky accepted them, popping his paci into his mouth. He waited for Chris to lay down before climbing on top of him, using him as a giant pillow.
Chris threw his arms around Ricky and started crying. Ricky took his paci out.
"What's wrong daddy?" He asked.
"There's just so many things you need to know about me,so many things I need to tell you, but I can't. I don't know how and I don't want to lose you because of it. I love you too much,'' he said. He hugged Ricky tighter. ''I can't stand the thought of losing you,'' he choked out through tears.
Ricky lifted his head off of Chris. He wriggled out of Chris's grip and sat up. He then took Chris's face in both hands and leaned down so their foreheads were touching and they were looking into each others eyes.
"Chris,'' he began, '' I would never leave you. You aren't going to lose me. Vinny told me everything I need to know. He also mentioned how you've changed and became a better man since then. I don't care about your past. This is now. Not then. You have to let go of the past no matter how hard it may seem. I love you, and nothing, not even the past, will ever ever change that.''
Chris began crying harder. ''I'm so sorry, I should've told you. I was just scared. Scared that I'd lose you. I'm really sorry. I hope you can still trust me and if you don't, I deserve that,'' Chris said. Ricky leaned back.
"I still love you and I still trust you,'' he told Chris. Chris put a hand on Ricky's hip.
"I hope you'd never think I would ever do that to you,'' Chris said.
"I know you wouldn't,'' Ricky replied. He lay a hand on Chris's, the one on Ricky's hip, '' I love you, Chris. Nothing, especially not the past, will ever change that.''
Chris stopped crying for a bit. ''C'mere you,'' he said, arms outstretched towards Ricky. Ricky leaned down and Chris threw his arms around Ricky's back, pulling him close. He put a hand on the back of Ricky's head and pulled his face closer to his own. What started out as a small, gentle kiss, turned into a deep, heated, passionate kiss. Chris tangled his fingers in Ricky's hair as they kissed, tugging slightly at his roots. Ricky pulled back when he felt Chris stop moving.
"What's wrong?" He asked Chris.
"Why haven't you asked if you could go back home? You haven't even mentioned going back, not even to get your things,''Chris asked.
Ricky turned white and slowly backed away from Chris. Chris gripped Ricky's arms, preventing him from getting away.
''Daddy, let me go,'' Ricky whined.
''Not until you tell me why you haven't mentioned home, and why you looked like you saw a ghost when I asked,'' Chris said. Ricky's breathing hitched. There was no getting out of this now. He gulped hard.
''I-i-its not m-my house its T-t-TJ's,'' he choked out.
Chris shot up wide eyed. He grabbed Ricky's shoulders and slightly shook him.
"You still lived with him?! After what he did to you?!" Chris hollered. "Why didnt you leave?!"
Ricky started crying. ''I-i-m s-s-sorry, I d-didnt have a ch-choice, I had n-no where t-t-to go,'' he cried.
"You should've said something when we started dating, I could've gotten you out of there sooner!" Chris exclaimed.
"H-he doesn't know w-where I'm at,'' Ricky confessed. "He was g-gone when you came and got m-me, and I never said where I was going. He wouldn't let me l-l-leave,'' Ricky said, trembling. ''He still hurt m-me when I m-met you and that's why I was so eager to c-come with you. I couldn't k-keep living with that m-monster. I'm s-s-sorry,'' he said.
Chris took Ricky's hands.
''You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm glad you were at least smart enough to get away,'' Chris said. ''And don't worry, you're not going back. I'd probably kill him if I ever saw him to be honest.''
''Nuuuuu Chrissy doesn't need to go to jail,'' Ricky said, tears fading. Chris chuckled.
''OK, I may not kill him, but I'd really like to,'' he said.
"Thank you for taking me in, even if you didn't know the real reason,'' Ricky said. ''I'm happy that I got away.''
Chris hugged Ricky and held him there for several minutes.
"Did he do this?" Chris asked, brushing his fingers over a deep scar on Ricky's lower back. Ricky nodded.
"He tied me up and used a razor knife,'' Ricky whimpered. "You wouldn't do that to me, would you daddy?" He asked.
"Of course not baby! I could never do something like that, especially to you. My old self may have once considered it, but i still wouldn't have done it. He is a terrible man and does not deserve to live,'' Chris said.
"He said no one would love me right before he made that. He said no one would love a slut with scars. He said I was worthless. Is he right?" Ricky asked.
"Listen to me baby, he is NOT right in any way. I love you and you are most definitely not worthless. You're not a slut, you're a kind hearted, sweet person, and I sure as hell am lucky to have you,'' Chris said.
Ricky sighed. He fell limp into Chris. ''I love you daddy,'' he said.
"I love you too baby boy. Let's take a nap, we're both tired and a nap would do us both some good,'' Chris said. He lay down with Ricky on top of him. He pulled the blanket over both of them and wrapped an arm around Ricky, protectively. Ricky shuffled around and settled down, getting comfortable.
"I love my Chrissy pillow,'' he teased, yawning.
"And I love my Ricky teddy,'' Chris said. Pretty soon they were both fast asleep, in each others arms.