Complex
I'm doing spring cleaning this week. Today, I've got three sides of my living room done. The last side has the shoe shelf and my desk on it. I think they will take me as long as the rest of the room did, even though my desk top is less messy than normal. All the computer parts to unplug and dust off...
Title: Complex
Chapter: 5
Length: 3846 words
Summary: Steele takes a leap and discovers that Wizarding pharmaceuticals have come a long way. And gets Dall that piece of paper that he really wants.
Master list: lj DW
Steele had enjoyed the weekend without the fleabag of a demon around. More to the point Dal had enjoyed it. They'd gone out Friday night with friends and spent all Saturday hiking around the mountains with Steele's friends and several of Dal's classmates who had considered him a friend back before Hezekiel.
On Sunday he'd called his folks and everyone, including Lope's grandmother had wanted to talk to Dal then tell Steele how much they wanted to meet him in person. A trip home would cost more than he was comfortable with, but his brother mentioned that they were all going to pitch in a few bucks and see how far that went.
Lope had come over and despite Steele's misgivings, she got on quite well with Dal. But Steele was glad when she went home. He flopped onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. Dal straddled him. He put his hands on those perfect hips.
Dal leaned down and kissed him. "She has a crush on you."
"Babe, I grew up with her. Can't understand it."
Dal laughed. "I can. Big, strong man, oh so nice, great hair."
"Beer belly." Steele slapped his.
"I'll never have to worry about weighing more than you even if I carry your triplets. You were one of three, right?"
Steele licked his lips. "My babies?"
"Yours." Dal came down for another kiss. "I'd like to start now. We can get married over the summer or something."
"Married." Steele couldn't be hearing things right. He was just an average, if a bit heavy, guy and Dal was beautiful. Plus they hadn't been dating a week. "Are you sure?"
Dal laughed. "Since the day I moved in with you, you keep asking me to say what I want. You always seem to always know when I want something."
"But I don't always know what you want. I'm not a mind reader."
Dal kissed him. "So I'm saying what I want. Steele, will you marry me? May we have children together?"
Steele reached up and touched his lips. "I would be honored to have children with you."
"Marry me."
Steele had so many question, but he knew his answer, no matter how much trouble it would get him into. "Yes."
Dal leaned over to the bedside table, rubbing himself against Steele in all the right places. He came back with Steele's phone. After a fun minute of giggles and rubs, he settled himself astride Steele again and swiped the screen. "Will you, or shall I?"
What was he about? "You."
"Thank you." Dal tapped the screen then held it to his ear. "May I speak with Steele's mother?"
Steele raised his eyebrows. Dal just grinned. "Mom, this is Dal."
Mom sounded very happy to be called.
When Dal could get a word in, he said, "I just asked Steele to marry me."
Mom shouted that to Dad, who said something Steele didn't catch.
"As I'm sure you've guessed, he said yes."
It was probably a good thing Steele and Dal had told how they met, then skipped to when Dal moved in.
"So I was thinking, is there anything I should know before I get pregnant? Anything that runs in the family or whatever?"
Dal raised his eyebrows. "You are? No, I haven't seen him shift."
He laughed. They talked for ages. Dal moved his hips every now and then, which kept Steele from trying to get up.
Dal's face stilled and he moved the phone away from his face. "Mom wants to hold the wedding at her place."
Mom would. She and Dad had worked all their lives to afford the nice house with pleasant grounds. "If the day is nice, we can get married under the trees."
Dal licked his lips. "What about under the blossoms?"
Steele sat up as much as he could. "She's not pressuring you or anything?" He took the phone. "Mom, we'll call you back."
Dal stared at Steele's shirt. "She… since I want to start a family right away, she doesn't see the point in waiting to get married."
"And what do you think?"
Dal swallowed hard. "I'm happy you want to be with me enough to start a family, to marry me. I never hoped our forever would start so soon."
Steele pulled Dal down and rolled them over. "I'm yours already."
Dal closed his eyes. "But I want a stupid piece of paper and family around to see you say I'll be yours forever."
A tear slid down his cheek.
Steele kissed his wet eyes. His poor darling hurt Dal. "Then let's have a party with family and a precious piece of paper. We can frame it and put it over our bed."
Dal squeezed him. "I love you."
"Have my babies."
Dal laughed. "Now? Or after we call your Mom back?"
Mom could wait. If Steele waited, he'd talk himself out of starting a family with a demon's ex Mate and then he'd hate himself for it. "What do we need?"
Dal rolled over to the bedside table and opened the drawer. "One bottle lube with catnip extracts. You'll need to come inside me once for every baby we want. It doesn't all have to be tonight. We have three days."
"So don't throw out the condoms?" Keeping it to two or three times would be the hard part.
"Nope, the condoms are gone." Dal scooped them up and chucked them into the trash. "We can go back to the other lube when we've made enough kittens."
"And it will work for me?" Steele wasn't a cat.
"I have been assured," Dal put his hand over his heart, "that it will work with anyone spilling seed within a familiar."
Steele pulled Dal close. If this didn't work, he was game for trying something else. Many other something elses.
~~~~~
Steele set his tray beside Dal's. Lope was chatting away. "That first night was hard, but it's gotten easier."
She stole one of Dal's fries. Steele swatted her hand away. She laughed. "He doesn't care."
Dal pushed the fries onto her tray. "I thought I wanted them, but I don't."
Dal had been nauseated all week. He insisted that meant the babies had taken, while Steele was more worried Dal had the flu. Did people get morning sick after only one week? And would a flu affect the babies if they existed?
But people had been having babies for millennia. Steele was being overprotective to a silly degree.
Dal nestled against his side. Lope laughed. "He's so small, he hardly needs to eat anything."
Dal could put a lot away after an all-nighter, be it homework or sex, though since he tended to do his homework and studying when Steel was in class or exercising, it had mostly been sex.
Dal stuck out his tongue. Lope laughed more. Steele sighed. They were getting along pretty much like he and Lope had before college. And at least she'd stopped making doe eyes at Steele.
"I was going to come home two weekends from now, but Mom says to come home this weekend, because she and Dad are going to visit your parents. I haven't seen your family in forever."
Steele's heart beat in his ears. He hadn't even told his friends about his coming marriage after their lack of joy when he'd mentioned being engaged. They were still concerned about what Hezekiel's inability to recognize his Mate meant for their own relationships. They just couldn't understand how he could have been wrong. Steele hoped the piece of paper and the coming kittens would put an end to speculations that Hezekiel might have been right the first time and wrong the second.
He pulled himself back to the conversation. "Your grandmother lives on my parent's property."
She swished her hair. "I didn't say my parents hadn't seen them. Track kept me busy every weekend and she used to watch me run."
Steele buried his nose in Dal's hair. "Babe, do you want any of my soup?"
Lope laughed about Steele giving up any of his food. Just for that, Steele encouraged Dal to eat the whole thing. He had more color after, so that was good.
"Are you guys going home this weekend?"
Steele looked up. "Yeah. Dal is going to meet the family."
"And Dal, what about your family?"
Dal stiffened. "My family is too far away to visit."
His fathers were part of a demon's collection. They had pretty good lives if you forgot the part that they couldn't leave. No wonder Dal had put up with Hezekiel's prison without complaint. It was really the only life he'd known until his fathers got him smuggled out when he was twelve.
Not all demons were the good guys, just like not all wizards or familiars were.
Lope, never one to keep her foot out of her mouth, said. "Are you done growing? You're so small? Are your parents that small?"
"I'm twenty-one, so this is probably it for me." Dal sighed. "My fathers were from breeds of tiny cats. But I don't remember how tall they are."
"Lope," time to change the subject. "Are you running this afternoon?"
Lope brightened. "You coming?"
"No." Dal needed some attention. "But I'll meet you in the weight room."
"All right!" She stood up and lifted her tray. "See you then. Bye, Dal."
Steele got Dal back to their room before Dal's tears started pouring. He sniffed. "If you had babies with her, they'd be big and tall."
"I don't want babies with her." Steele got down on his knees in front of Dal. "Even if our babies are little tubs who never reach your shoulder, I will love them always because they are ours. Even if they are lean and pretty and taller than me."
"I hope not the girls." Dal laughed through his tears. "They'd never find husbands if they are as picky as Pen."
Steele kissed his hands. "Maybe they'd find wives, or stay single. I'd love them the same. I love you."
Dal cried harder and buried his face against Steele's neck.
Steele held him. "What can I do for you? What is it you want?"
Dal sniffed. "I want to know whether these are babies or just my imagination. I want this weekend to come faster. I want to be your bride."
Steele kissed his head. "I was thinking…"
"Yeah." Dal sniffed again.
"You don't have any exams Friday or Tuesday, right?"
"And essay and two lectures."
"If I can get someone to take notes for us and if we can get our homework done, why don't we head home Thursday night? The wedding won't be until Saturday still, but Lope's grandma can tell us if you're carrying and how many. She hasn't been wrong yet."
"Steele, I love you."
"I love you, Baby."
"You can call me Dal again."
Steele had stopped that first day when he figured out what caused Dal to flinch.
"You don't actually sound anything like Hez."
"And you don't want me calling you Baby?"
Dal nodded. "Now that the babies are coming. Might be coming."
"Oh they are coming." Steele lifted Dal's shirt and kissed his belly. "If they aren't at home yet, they will be next month or the month after."
Dal relaxed in his arms. "Have time to take me to bed before your next class?"
Steele checked his phone. "Long enough to remind you I love you. As long as you keep your hands to yourself." Dal had a way of making everything more intense. "If I miss this class, we won't be able to leave until Friday afternoon."
Dal put his hands behind his back. "I'll be good."
And he'd make Steele ache for him all the minutes they were apart. But that was part of loving Dal. Poor Hezekiel. He'd never have that again.
"Dalimil."
Steele looked up from kissing Dal's belly. "Huh?"
"My name."
Steele moved up to lie beside Dal. "I was born Baako as are all firstborns in my family. I was renamed Steele at four because I'm so stubborn."
Dal grinned. "I like you stubborn. What will our other children be named?"
"Baako just means first child. We could call them for what first, second, and third are in the language of you fathers."
Dal gasped. "They'll never know my babies."
"We'll find a way to save them."
Then Dal took over the seduction. Steele was a little late for class, but Ash had saved him a seat and taken notes, so that wouldn't put off their plans for the weekend.
~~~~~~
Steele led Dal to the rocking chair where Lope's grandmother sat. His mother was trying to get them to rest and relax after their journey, but Steele had arranged for a quick, but expensive, trip via wizard's step, so they were fine and Dal couldn't really relax until he knew.
Grandma Aella held out her hands and gestured for Dal to take them. "My, you aren't as young as you look, but still quite the child. May I?"
She put her hands on Dal's belly. "Oh."
"Please." Dal was going to cry again. Steele passed over a tissue.
"One." Grandma Aella grinned at Dal. "Two. And is that a third?"
Dal was shaking now. Steele wrapped his arms around him. "Three."
Grandma Aella laughed. "Two I'll bet on, but I feel like there's another." She patted Dal's hand. "We'll know more when they get bigger. You've just barely started."
Steele led Dal to the sofa and plied him with lemonade and crackers.
"Two at least."
"If all goes right."
Dal laughed. "If all goes right I'll make a commercial for that lube."
Steele's family barged in and introduced themselves. His littlest sibling had grown a lot since the summer. Mom brought out photo albums and showed off all Steele's baby pictures.
"You were so cute. All those spikes."
"Don't let the quills scare you," Mom patted Dal's hands.
"Too late if it does," said Steele's littlest sister. "Grandma Aella says we'll have new babies before the New Year."
Mom cried and hugged Dal. You'd think the babies were hers. Steele got his share of thumps on the back and he was forced to start a wrestling match just to wear off some of his siblings' energy. The adults were manic too, explaining the plans for the wedding and asking if they were all right, as if they had time to change anything.
Long after the sun set, Steele cuddled with Dal in the spare room. He'd never lived in this house except for summers.
Morning came too soon and whizzed by. Steele was dragged away to try on the rented suit and run errands for Mom. The cake was enormous. How many people did she think were going to be there? But if all the family friends who were chipping in renting suits or chairs, or tables, loaning napkins, table clothes, and china, sewing dresses, arranging flowers, and baking cakes came, it might all get eaten.
Steele didn't see Dal again until dinner time. Dal bounced around and looked so happy Steele wanted to cry. He held him tight. "I want you this happy all the time."
Dal smirked up at him. "That's what makes me happy."
Dal begged off games after dinner. He was tired and insisted Steele was too. In the quiet of their room, Dal made his happiness felt.
Steele kissed his hand. "For my own heart, I need to ask. Do you have any regrets? That it's me, not him."
Dal caressed Steele's cheek. "A year ago I would have given anything to be his acknowledged lover, but now that I know what real love is… I'm glad I didn't settle."
A chubby average looking guy who just happened to be in the right place at the right time wasn't settling? "You're amazing."
"I know." Dal laughed. "And you're wonderful."
"I'll take your word for that."
"You better. And if you move your hand right here." He moved Steele's hand. "I'm sure you can think of several things that you know you're excellent at."
Steele could. "How many things?"
"Seven."
"Seven?" They had to sleep at some point.
"We might need to finish up in the morning."
They didn't have to, but did anyway. Dal said they probably wouldn't have time for sex tonight.
Breakfast was barely served when the dishes were whisked away. Mom never sat down. Grandma Aella entertained the little ones, whose numbers grew as the day went on.
After lunch Steele was stuffed into his suit. Lope arrived with her family. She was wearing shorts and a t-shirt. "Everyone's dressed up but me."
Her mom held out a garment bag. "I told you to dress up."
"We don't need to dress up to see Steele's family," she turned back to Steele. "Or so I said. They think you're getting married."
Steele pulled on his lapels. "I am. In about an hour. If you want to put the dress on, Dal's upstairs. Otherwise, I'm sure there's some errand you can run."
"Steele," called one of the faceless throng. "Can I have a hand here?"
"I'll do it," said Lope.
One lost child and a spilled drink later, Lope came down. "Your mom wants pictures under the cherry trees."
"Now?" They'd just set tables up.
"Now. Before the party ruins the grass. There won't be time after the ceremony."
So Steele and a few cousins moved the tables three times until Mom was finally satisfied. He was sent around the house to get a trunk from an uncle's car. Why had they dressed him up if he was just doing manual labor? Shouldn't the suit be kept for the ceremony? As he slipped back into the yard, Mom pulled him close and straightened his tie, jacket and hair. "Picture time."
Uncle Cordell laughed. "You can see him."
Dal grinned. "How could you tell?"
"Your eyes brightened. A few more of you looking at him, then we'll get him in with you."
Dal was beautiful. He had opted for deep midnight, which brought out the blue of his eyes and the black of his hair and didn't drain color from his pale skin. Although he'd been given at least a dozen options, this was definitely a dress. It had probably been worn by a bridesmaid in the past, but with Dal's short statue and slight frame, it was long enough for a train and the waist was high, giving a generous hint to what he carried in his still flat belly.
Uncle Cordell directed as he and his oldest daughter and her son took pictures. At first the audience was annoying, but Dal had a way of drawing all his attention. Too soon other people posed with them. Mom and Dad. His siblings. His sister and her family. Cousins. Aunts and Uncles. Lope's family. Just Lope. Grandma Aella. Friends. Guests. Babies he's never met. Children he remembered as babies. Babies of people he'd built forts with and raced bikes with.
Mom finally called an end to it. Dal took Steele's hand. "The next wedding we'll have babies to pass around."
Steele pulled Dal into his arms. Mom pushed then a little to the side then let them be. When Steele came up for air, people were settling in the chairs. Uncle Cordell was still taking pictures, and Uncle Dawson, Mom's favorite cousin's great uncle, had stepped into place to officiate.
"Everyone ready?" Uncle Dawson looked around. "One more moment for the stragglers. You might as well kiss him again."
Dal laughed and pulled Steele down to his level. Steel wrapped his arms around Dal and lifted him up. The crowd laughed. Uncle Dawson cleared his throat. "Whenever you're ready."
Steele set Dal down and let Dal straighten his tie, jacket, and hair. Dal was still perfect. He fluffed his skirt a bit, took Steele's hand and turned to Uncle Dawson. He fluttered his long eyelashes at Uncle Dawson.
"I can see why you picked this one, Steele."
"Sir, he picked me."
The crowd laughed again. A baby whined. Cameras clicked.
Life happened.
Steele couldn't have repeated afterward anything that was said. He'd told everyone who mattered that he loved Dal and wanted to spend his life together. Dal said something about loving the family as much as the man. At some point Mom sobbed. People laughed at the jokes. Steele even laughed once, at something Dal said. Then Uncle Dawson told them to kiss again, so they had.
People came up and patted Steele's back and Dal had been dragged away for something that couldn't wait. Steele was a married man now. He didn't feel any different. His dad and uncles laughed, saying that would come later.
Dal was handed back to him in a loose tunic and wide pants made from some soft flowing fabric and then Steele was the one dragged away to be changed. He was dressed like his bride, but in red instead of blue, and led back into the crowd. Dal found him in time for more pictures. This time with the enormous cake, which looked even bigger in Mom's kitchen.
Mom saved the top layer for Steele and Dal to share with their friends at college. He'd have to tell them they were married first.
The day lasted forever and no time at all. They were sent off in a shower of blossoms to Grandma Aella's cottage, which she was loaning them for their very short honeymoon.
The upstairs bedroom was decorated with silk hangings and the windows let in the scent of flowers. Steele lay on the bed and looked at the ceiling. Dal had first dibs at the bathroom. "We should do up our dorm room just like this."
Dal lay beside him. "Umm?"
"That way our honeymoon never has to end."
Dal reminded him physically what married life was like, the importance of a piece of paper and family to one forced to live on trust, and just how much love one person could give.
As their hearts and breaths quieted, Steele tucked Dal against his side. "Dalimil Ohansian."
"And the babies Ohansian."
"One, Two, and possibly Three."
"Jeden, Dva, and possibly Tri."
"Ohansian."
Dal laughed.
He was going to say he loved Steele, but this time Steele was going to say it first. "Dal Ohansian, I love you."
Dal kissed his cheek. "Husband, go to sleep. I'm not awake enough to respond to that properly."
"Our first morning as a married couple."
Dal settled against him. "You're going to get up, make me some of that tea your mom got me to quiet the morning queasiness, then you'll come back to bed and we aren't getting up again until they bring us breakfast."
"Yes, dear."
"Yes, husband yours."
"Yes, husband mine." Steele shut his eyes. He still couldn't believe the day had actually happened. "You really are a dream come true."
"I'll show you a dream. When I'm not quite so tired."
Steele was going to hold him to that.
Title: Complex
Chapter: 5
Length: 3846 words
Summary: Steele takes a leap and discovers that Wizarding pharmaceuticals have come a long way. And gets Dall that piece of paper that he really wants.
Master list: lj DW
Steele had enjoyed the weekend without the fleabag of a demon around. More to the point Dal had enjoyed it. They'd gone out Friday night with friends and spent all Saturday hiking around the mountains with Steele's friends and several of Dal's classmates who had considered him a friend back before Hezekiel.
On Sunday he'd called his folks and everyone, including Lope's grandmother had wanted to talk to Dal then tell Steele how much they wanted to meet him in person. A trip home would cost more than he was comfortable with, but his brother mentioned that they were all going to pitch in a few bucks and see how far that went.
Lope had come over and despite Steele's misgivings, she got on quite well with Dal. But Steele was glad when she went home. He flopped onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. Dal straddled him. He put his hands on those perfect hips.
Dal leaned down and kissed him. "She has a crush on you."
"Babe, I grew up with her. Can't understand it."
Dal laughed. "I can. Big, strong man, oh so nice, great hair."
"Beer belly." Steele slapped his.
"I'll never have to worry about weighing more than you even if I carry your triplets. You were one of three, right?"
Steele licked his lips. "My babies?"
"Yours." Dal came down for another kiss. "I'd like to start now. We can get married over the summer or something."
"Married." Steele couldn't be hearing things right. He was just an average, if a bit heavy, guy and Dal was beautiful. Plus they hadn't been dating a week. "Are you sure?"
Dal laughed. "Since the day I moved in with you, you keep asking me to say what I want. You always seem to always know when I want something."
"But I don't always know what you want. I'm not a mind reader."
Dal kissed him. "So I'm saying what I want. Steele, will you marry me? May we have children together?"
Steele reached up and touched his lips. "I would be honored to have children with you."
"Marry me."
Steele had so many question, but he knew his answer, no matter how much trouble it would get him into. "Yes."
Dal leaned over to the bedside table, rubbing himself against Steele in all the right places. He came back with Steele's phone. After a fun minute of giggles and rubs, he settled himself astride Steele again and swiped the screen. "Will you, or shall I?"
What was he about? "You."
"Thank you." Dal tapped the screen then held it to his ear. "May I speak with Steele's mother?"
Steele raised his eyebrows. Dal just grinned. "Mom, this is Dal."
Mom sounded very happy to be called.
When Dal could get a word in, he said, "I just asked Steele to marry me."
Mom shouted that to Dad, who said something Steele didn't catch.
"As I'm sure you've guessed, he said yes."
It was probably a good thing Steele and Dal had told how they met, then skipped to when Dal moved in.
"So I was thinking, is there anything I should know before I get pregnant? Anything that runs in the family or whatever?"
Dal raised his eyebrows. "You are? No, I haven't seen him shift."
He laughed. They talked for ages. Dal moved his hips every now and then, which kept Steele from trying to get up.
Dal's face stilled and he moved the phone away from his face. "Mom wants to hold the wedding at her place."
Mom would. She and Dad had worked all their lives to afford the nice house with pleasant grounds. "If the day is nice, we can get married under the trees."
Dal licked his lips. "What about under the blossoms?"
Steele sat up as much as he could. "She's not pressuring you or anything?" He took the phone. "Mom, we'll call you back."
Dal stared at Steele's shirt. "She… since I want to start a family right away, she doesn't see the point in waiting to get married."
"And what do you think?"
Dal swallowed hard. "I'm happy you want to be with me enough to start a family, to marry me. I never hoped our forever would start so soon."
Steele pulled Dal down and rolled them over. "I'm yours already."
Dal closed his eyes. "But I want a stupid piece of paper and family around to see you say I'll be yours forever."
A tear slid down his cheek.
Steele kissed his wet eyes. His poor darling hurt Dal. "Then let's have a party with family and a precious piece of paper. We can frame it and put it over our bed."
Dal squeezed him. "I love you."
"Have my babies."
Dal laughed. "Now? Or after we call your Mom back?"
Mom could wait. If Steele waited, he'd talk himself out of starting a family with a demon's ex Mate and then he'd hate himself for it. "What do we need?"
Dal rolled over to the bedside table and opened the drawer. "One bottle lube with catnip extracts. You'll need to come inside me once for every baby we want. It doesn't all have to be tonight. We have three days."
"So don't throw out the condoms?" Keeping it to two or three times would be the hard part.
"Nope, the condoms are gone." Dal scooped them up and chucked them into the trash. "We can go back to the other lube when we've made enough kittens."
"And it will work for me?" Steele wasn't a cat.
"I have been assured," Dal put his hand over his heart, "that it will work with anyone spilling seed within a familiar."
Steele pulled Dal close. If this didn't work, he was game for trying something else. Many other something elses.
~~~~~
Steele set his tray beside Dal's. Lope was chatting away. "That first night was hard, but it's gotten easier."
She stole one of Dal's fries. Steele swatted her hand away. She laughed. "He doesn't care."
Dal pushed the fries onto her tray. "I thought I wanted them, but I don't."
Dal had been nauseated all week. He insisted that meant the babies had taken, while Steele was more worried Dal had the flu. Did people get morning sick after only one week? And would a flu affect the babies if they existed?
But people had been having babies for millennia. Steele was being overprotective to a silly degree.
Dal nestled against his side. Lope laughed. "He's so small, he hardly needs to eat anything."
Dal could put a lot away after an all-nighter, be it homework or sex, though since he tended to do his homework and studying when Steel was in class or exercising, it had mostly been sex.
Dal stuck out his tongue. Lope laughed more. Steele sighed. They were getting along pretty much like he and Lope had before college. And at least she'd stopped making doe eyes at Steele.
"I was going to come home two weekends from now, but Mom says to come home this weekend, because she and Dad are going to visit your parents. I haven't seen your family in forever."
Steele's heart beat in his ears. He hadn't even told his friends about his coming marriage after their lack of joy when he'd mentioned being engaged. They were still concerned about what Hezekiel's inability to recognize his Mate meant for their own relationships. They just couldn't understand how he could have been wrong. Steele hoped the piece of paper and the coming kittens would put an end to speculations that Hezekiel might have been right the first time and wrong the second.
He pulled himself back to the conversation. "Your grandmother lives on my parent's property."
She swished her hair. "I didn't say my parents hadn't seen them. Track kept me busy every weekend and she used to watch me run."
Steele buried his nose in Dal's hair. "Babe, do you want any of my soup?"
Lope laughed about Steele giving up any of his food. Just for that, Steele encouraged Dal to eat the whole thing. He had more color after, so that was good.
"Are you guys going home this weekend?"
Steele looked up. "Yeah. Dal is going to meet the family."
"And Dal, what about your family?"
Dal stiffened. "My family is too far away to visit."
His fathers were part of a demon's collection. They had pretty good lives if you forgot the part that they couldn't leave. No wonder Dal had put up with Hezekiel's prison without complaint. It was really the only life he'd known until his fathers got him smuggled out when he was twelve.
Not all demons were the good guys, just like not all wizards or familiars were.
Lope, never one to keep her foot out of her mouth, said. "Are you done growing? You're so small? Are your parents that small?"
"I'm twenty-one, so this is probably it for me." Dal sighed. "My fathers were from breeds of tiny cats. But I don't remember how tall they are."
"Lope," time to change the subject. "Are you running this afternoon?"
Lope brightened. "You coming?"
"No." Dal needed some attention. "But I'll meet you in the weight room."
"All right!" She stood up and lifted her tray. "See you then. Bye, Dal."
Steele got Dal back to their room before Dal's tears started pouring. He sniffed. "If you had babies with her, they'd be big and tall."
"I don't want babies with her." Steele got down on his knees in front of Dal. "Even if our babies are little tubs who never reach your shoulder, I will love them always because they are ours. Even if they are lean and pretty and taller than me."
"I hope not the girls." Dal laughed through his tears. "They'd never find husbands if they are as picky as Pen."
Steele kissed his hands. "Maybe they'd find wives, or stay single. I'd love them the same. I love you."
Dal cried harder and buried his face against Steele's neck.
Steele held him. "What can I do for you? What is it you want?"
Dal sniffed. "I want to know whether these are babies or just my imagination. I want this weekend to come faster. I want to be your bride."
Steele kissed his head. "I was thinking…"
"Yeah." Dal sniffed again.
"You don't have any exams Friday or Tuesday, right?"
"And essay and two lectures."
"If I can get someone to take notes for us and if we can get our homework done, why don't we head home Thursday night? The wedding won't be until Saturday still, but Lope's grandma can tell us if you're carrying and how many. She hasn't been wrong yet."
"Steele, I love you."
"I love you, Baby."
"You can call me Dal again."
Steele had stopped that first day when he figured out what caused Dal to flinch.
"You don't actually sound anything like Hez."
"And you don't want me calling you Baby?"
Dal nodded. "Now that the babies are coming. Might be coming."
"Oh they are coming." Steele lifted Dal's shirt and kissed his belly. "If they aren't at home yet, they will be next month or the month after."
Dal relaxed in his arms. "Have time to take me to bed before your next class?"
Steele checked his phone. "Long enough to remind you I love you. As long as you keep your hands to yourself." Dal had a way of making everything more intense. "If I miss this class, we won't be able to leave until Friday afternoon."
Dal put his hands behind his back. "I'll be good."
And he'd make Steele ache for him all the minutes they were apart. But that was part of loving Dal. Poor Hezekiel. He'd never have that again.
"Dalimil."
Steele looked up from kissing Dal's belly. "Huh?"
"My name."
Steele moved up to lie beside Dal. "I was born Baako as are all firstborns in my family. I was renamed Steele at four because I'm so stubborn."
Dal grinned. "I like you stubborn. What will our other children be named?"
"Baako just means first child. We could call them for what first, second, and third are in the language of you fathers."
Dal gasped. "They'll never know my babies."
"We'll find a way to save them."
Then Dal took over the seduction. Steele was a little late for class, but Ash had saved him a seat and taken notes, so that wouldn't put off their plans for the weekend.
~~~~~~
Steele led Dal to the rocking chair where Lope's grandmother sat. His mother was trying to get them to rest and relax after their journey, but Steele had arranged for a quick, but expensive, trip via wizard's step, so they were fine and Dal couldn't really relax until he knew.
Grandma Aella held out her hands and gestured for Dal to take them. "My, you aren't as young as you look, but still quite the child. May I?"
She put her hands on Dal's belly. "Oh."
"Please." Dal was going to cry again. Steele passed over a tissue.
"One." Grandma Aella grinned at Dal. "Two. And is that a third?"
Dal was shaking now. Steele wrapped his arms around him. "Three."
Grandma Aella laughed. "Two I'll bet on, but I feel like there's another." She patted Dal's hand. "We'll know more when they get bigger. You've just barely started."
Steele led Dal to the sofa and plied him with lemonade and crackers.
"Two at least."
"If all goes right."
Dal laughed. "If all goes right I'll make a commercial for that lube."
Steele's family barged in and introduced themselves. His littlest sibling had grown a lot since the summer. Mom brought out photo albums and showed off all Steele's baby pictures.
"You were so cute. All those spikes."
"Don't let the quills scare you," Mom patted Dal's hands.
"Too late if it does," said Steele's littlest sister. "Grandma Aella says we'll have new babies before the New Year."
Mom cried and hugged Dal. You'd think the babies were hers. Steele got his share of thumps on the back and he was forced to start a wrestling match just to wear off some of his siblings' energy. The adults were manic too, explaining the plans for the wedding and asking if they were all right, as if they had time to change anything.
Long after the sun set, Steele cuddled with Dal in the spare room. He'd never lived in this house except for summers.
Morning came too soon and whizzed by. Steele was dragged away to try on the rented suit and run errands for Mom. The cake was enormous. How many people did she think were going to be there? But if all the family friends who were chipping in renting suits or chairs, or tables, loaning napkins, table clothes, and china, sewing dresses, arranging flowers, and baking cakes came, it might all get eaten.
Steele didn't see Dal again until dinner time. Dal bounced around and looked so happy Steele wanted to cry. He held him tight. "I want you this happy all the time."
Dal smirked up at him. "That's what makes me happy."
Dal begged off games after dinner. He was tired and insisted Steele was too. In the quiet of their room, Dal made his happiness felt.
Steele kissed his hand. "For my own heart, I need to ask. Do you have any regrets? That it's me, not him."
Dal caressed Steele's cheek. "A year ago I would have given anything to be his acknowledged lover, but now that I know what real love is… I'm glad I didn't settle."
A chubby average looking guy who just happened to be in the right place at the right time wasn't settling? "You're amazing."
"I know." Dal laughed. "And you're wonderful."
"I'll take your word for that."
"You better. And if you move your hand right here." He moved Steele's hand. "I'm sure you can think of several things that you know you're excellent at."
Steele could. "How many things?"
"Seven."
"Seven?" They had to sleep at some point.
"We might need to finish up in the morning."
They didn't have to, but did anyway. Dal said they probably wouldn't have time for sex tonight.
Breakfast was barely served when the dishes were whisked away. Mom never sat down. Grandma Aella entertained the little ones, whose numbers grew as the day went on.
After lunch Steele was stuffed into his suit. Lope arrived with her family. She was wearing shorts and a t-shirt. "Everyone's dressed up but me."
Her mom held out a garment bag. "I told you to dress up."
"We don't need to dress up to see Steele's family," she turned back to Steele. "Or so I said. They think you're getting married."
Steele pulled on his lapels. "I am. In about an hour. If you want to put the dress on, Dal's upstairs. Otherwise, I'm sure there's some errand you can run."
"Steele," called one of the faceless throng. "Can I have a hand here?"
"I'll do it," said Lope.
One lost child and a spilled drink later, Lope came down. "Your mom wants pictures under the cherry trees."
"Now?" They'd just set tables up.
"Now. Before the party ruins the grass. There won't be time after the ceremony."
So Steele and a few cousins moved the tables three times until Mom was finally satisfied. He was sent around the house to get a trunk from an uncle's car. Why had they dressed him up if he was just doing manual labor? Shouldn't the suit be kept for the ceremony? As he slipped back into the yard, Mom pulled him close and straightened his tie, jacket and hair. "Picture time."
Uncle Cordell laughed. "You can see him."
Dal grinned. "How could you tell?"
"Your eyes brightened. A few more of you looking at him, then we'll get him in with you."
Dal was beautiful. He had opted for deep midnight, which brought out the blue of his eyes and the black of his hair and didn't drain color from his pale skin. Although he'd been given at least a dozen options, this was definitely a dress. It had probably been worn by a bridesmaid in the past, but with Dal's short statue and slight frame, it was long enough for a train and the waist was high, giving a generous hint to what he carried in his still flat belly.
Uncle Cordell directed as he and his oldest daughter and her son took pictures. At first the audience was annoying, but Dal had a way of drawing all his attention. Too soon other people posed with them. Mom and Dad. His siblings. His sister and her family. Cousins. Aunts and Uncles. Lope's family. Just Lope. Grandma Aella. Friends. Guests. Babies he's never met. Children he remembered as babies. Babies of people he'd built forts with and raced bikes with.
Mom finally called an end to it. Dal took Steele's hand. "The next wedding we'll have babies to pass around."
Steele pulled Dal into his arms. Mom pushed then a little to the side then let them be. When Steele came up for air, people were settling in the chairs. Uncle Cordell was still taking pictures, and Uncle Dawson, Mom's favorite cousin's great uncle, had stepped into place to officiate.
"Everyone ready?" Uncle Dawson looked around. "One more moment for the stragglers. You might as well kiss him again."
Dal laughed and pulled Steele down to his level. Steel wrapped his arms around Dal and lifted him up. The crowd laughed. Uncle Dawson cleared his throat. "Whenever you're ready."
Steele set Dal down and let Dal straighten his tie, jacket, and hair. Dal was still perfect. He fluffed his skirt a bit, took Steele's hand and turned to Uncle Dawson. He fluttered his long eyelashes at Uncle Dawson.
"I can see why you picked this one, Steele."
"Sir, he picked me."
The crowd laughed again. A baby whined. Cameras clicked.
Life happened.
Steele couldn't have repeated afterward anything that was said. He'd told everyone who mattered that he loved Dal and wanted to spend his life together. Dal said something about loving the family as much as the man. At some point Mom sobbed. People laughed at the jokes. Steele even laughed once, at something Dal said. Then Uncle Dawson told them to kiss again, so they had.
People came up and patted Steele's back and Dal had been dragged away for something that couldn't wait. Steele was a married man now. He didn't feel any different. His dad and uncles laughed, saying that would come later.
Dal was handed back to him in a loose tunic and wide pants made from some soft flowing fabric and then Steele was the one dragged away to be changed. He was dressed like his bride, but in red instead of blue, and led back into the crowd. Dal found him in time for more pictures. This time with the enormous cake, which looked even bigger in Mom's kitchen.
Mom saved the top layer for Steele and Dal to share with their friends at college. He'd have to tell them they were married first.
The day lasted forever and no time at all. They were sent off in a shower of blossoms to Grandma Aella's cottage, which she was loaning them for their very short honeymoon.
The upstairs bedroom was decorated with silk hangings and the windows let in the scent of flowers. Steele lay on the bed and looked at the ceiling. Dal had first dibs at the bathroom. "We should do up our dorm room just like this."
Dal lay beside him. "Umm?"
"That way our honeymoon never has to end."
Dal reminded him physically what married life was like, the importance of a piece of paper and family to one forced to live on trust, and just how much love one person could give.
As their hearts and breaths quieted, Steele tucked Dal against his side. "Dalimil Ohansian."
"And the babies Ohansian."
"One, Two, and possibly Three."
"Jeden, Dva, and possibly Tri."
"Ohansian."
Dal laughed.
He was going to say he loved Steele, but this time Steele was going to say it first. "Dal Ohansian, I love you."
Dal kissed his cheek. "Husband, go to sleep. I'm not awake enough to respond to that properly."
"Our first morning as a married couple."
Dal settled against him. "You're going to get up, make me some of that tea your mom got me to quiet the morning queasiness, then you'll come back to bed and we aren't getting up again until they bring us breakfast."
"Yes, dear."
"Yes, husband yours."
"Yes, husband mine." Steele shut his eyes. He still couldn't believe the day had actually happened. "You really are a dream come true."
"I'll show you a dream. When I'm not quite so tired."
Steele was going to hold him to that.