by E. Davies
“You flatterer,” Jake giggled, rubbing his cheek against Tristan’s shoulder.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t be there today.”
Jake shook his head. “It’s honestly fine. I’m gonna submit a complaint next week, though… what’s your schedule?”
“I’ll make time,” Tristan promised. He had no idea how, but he’d do anything to be at Jake’s side when he stood up for himself. They didn’t film seven days a week, either. As long as Jake was flexible on when that day was, he could make it work.
Making it work is our theme, isn’t it? Speaking of which, this was the second time Jake had said something Tristan kind of wanted to revisit. “Hey,” Tristan said, letting Jake steer him to the bedroom, which seemed to be the only place safe from the fabric explosion. “You know, I told Brian about you today. And you know what the first thing I thought was?”
“What’s that?”
“Reminding myself not to call you my husband.” Tristan ran his hand down Jake’s arm. “But then I felt bad about hiding that, like it’s a secret. Like you’re a secret. I don’t want any part of this to be.”
Jake’s expression lit up, but then he seemed to consciously school his face. Like he was trying not to be too excited. “You don’t think people will judge us for getting married already?”
“No way. If they do, fuck ‘em.” Tristan smiled at him. “We made a choice, and I’m so glad we did.”
Jake pulled him in and ran his hand up Tristan’s chest to cup his cheek. “I agree. It’s not like we’re worried about people judging anything else about us. Your friends might be surprised, but…”
“But happy,” Tristan concluded. “I know they will be. And I’d be so, so happy if you’d let me call you by that title. I know it’s just legal, and it was for the healthcare…”
“Oh, we both know that was only half-true,” Jake said with a quiet chuckle. He flopped on his back on the bed. “I wouldn’t have done that with any other guy. And whatever you say, you wouldn’t have done that for just any guy.”
“No,” Tristan agreed after a few moments of thought. There was something different about Jake, and there always had been. It was all kind of backwards, but it had been from the start. They’d done what they needed to in order to get to this point, and it felt right to make the change now. “You’re right.”
“Of course I’m right,” Jake teased, tickling Tristan’s stomach and slowly working his shirt up. “That’s why you married me.”
“That and the choose-your-own-adventure dick game.”
Jake’s laugh was still the most beautiful thing Tristan had ever heard. All he wished was that he could stand between Jake and the world, so that he only ever laughed.
He’d never need to cry again if I had my way.
“Okay, husband,” Jake finally murmured, his smile making dimples appear on his cheeks. “If you wanna be my husband…”
“Yes?” Tristan sat up straighter, but Jake pulled him down next to him on the bed.
“Then ride me like you mean it,” Jake murmured. “Let’s make the most of you getting out of work early.”
Tristan growled playfully as he rolled onto Jake and nipped his ear. “Are you packing hard?”
“I might be,” Jake giggled. “I’ve been ready for you to come home all afternoon. I was going to fuck away my sad feelings, but it turns out crafting is therapeutic, too. Now I just want to make love.”
Tristan grinned. “There’s an idea I can get on board with.”
First, though, he had something he needed to do: kiss Jake until he couldn’t remember his own name.
Their lips met in a burst of familiar warmth. However many times he kissed Jake, he was pretty sure he could never, ever get bored of it. Jake’s kisses were gentle and sweet for now, like Jake was inviting him to relax. With Jake, Tristan felt safe, and comfortable, and so very at home.
Warmth crept along his skin, from the tips of his toes to his cheeks. The spots where their bodies pressed together—along his thighs, their stomachs, his hand against the side of Jake’s head—were warmest of all.
He didn’t feel like he deserved this wonderful man, and his patience, and his wisdom, and his kindness… He’s made me a better man, Tristan thought, gazing at Jake between kisses as he breathed raggedly. And I bet he doesn’t even know it.
“You all right?” Jake whispered when Tristan took a little too long to keep kissing him, and his eyelids flickered open again.
“More than all right,” Tristan answered instantly. He rubbed Jake’s cheek with his thumb. “I must be the luckiest guy alive.”
“Nah. That would be me,” Jake teased, chucking his chin gently with two fingers before he cupped the back of Tristan’s head and pulled him down for another kiss. “I think these clothes should go.”
“Agreed.” Tristan peeled off their clothes slowly, taking his time to admire Jake.
For once, Jake looked shy when they were naked and Tristan ran his hand carefully over his slightly swollen stomach. There was no real bump yet, but those abs had disappeared, and his pecs were fading a little, too. Instead, that certain radiance beamed from him.
“You’re gorgeous,” Tristan told Jake, kissing him so he had to look at him and see that he meant it. “No matter what you look like.”
Jake scoffed, but he was smiling and not looking away now. “You wait until eight months into this and see.”
“I can’t wait,” Tristan assured him, smiling. “And I’ll even give you footrubs.”
“Oh, I’m remembering that,” Jake threatened, smirking at him.
Tristan grinned. “I hope you do.” He sat up straighter, adjusting Jake’s jockstrap so it sat right along his hip. He ran his hand up that hard shaft, bending it to just the right angle, and then took both of their shafts in his hand.
God, it felt good to grind against the warm silicone. So lifelike he could believe it was flesh and blood, if not for the lack of moisture at the tip. His own precum would have to suffice for them both.
He spread it gently over the heads with his palm, gasping at the extra sensation that coursed through him as soon as he added moisture.
Fuck, it felt good.
“You’re so hot when you’re playing with yourself,” Jake informed him in a low growl. “I’ll have to make you do it more.” He looked so turned on right now, but he was keeping his hands off, letting Tristan stay in charge.
For now.
“I wish you could feel this,” Tristan murmured.
“I can, mostly.” Jake tugged his jock down and grabbed a pillow, shoving it under his hips. By the time he was done, his own smaller cock jutted out just enough that Tristan could see what he meant.
He carefully lined up his shaft with the pink, swollen head and kept his hand on top as he slid across it.
Oh, God, that felt good in a whole different way. He loved from. There was nothing like being skin on skin, and hearing Jake whimper under him made it that much more delicious. The firm pressure on a concentrated point of his own shaft made sparks race up and down sensitive skin. His cock twitched in his hand.
“Fuck, yeah,” Jake approved. His hands were on Tristan’s hips now, pulling him into a quick rhythm. “Come on, baby.” Every little smile he gave Tristan was that much more encouragement.
As they moved, Jake kept whispering sweet nothings about how much he loved Tristan, and how he daydreamed about him when Tristan was at work.
Tristan stored that detail for later—maybe he’d sext Jake from the trailer sometime. He had the feeling that would make Jake jump his ass the minute he got through the door.
Nails bit into Tristan’s hips, which grabbed Tristan’s attention again in a hurry. “Yes,” Jake panted, wide-eyed and twitching with pleasure. He looked close to the edge, by the way he was pushing his hips up and grinding against Tristan’s cock with every thrust.
“You want me to keep going?” Tristan whispered.
Jake moaned and nodded. “Don’t stop, baby. Please don
’t stop.”
If Jake asked him to, Tristan would frot until the night ended. He leaned down to press their lips together in light kisses. “I won’t stop, darling.”
“I’m so close,” Jake breathed against his lips, his eyes half-closed. Seeing his boyfriend—his husband—so close to the edge of orgasm was an utterly breathtaking sight.
“Come on, baby,” Tristan murmured back, keeping his voice soft as Jake’s moans grew louder. “I’m gonna ride your hard cock as soon as you come. And I’ll take it slow. By the time I’m done, you’ll be ready for another orgasm. I’ll give you as many orgasms as you can handle tonight.”
Jake gasped, his eyes wide as he grabbed the back of Tristan’s head. “Yes!” he whimpered against Tristan’s mouth, and his hips shuddered.
Tristan could feel his cock pulsing ever so slightly, and the subtle beauty and grace of it had him utterly hungry already.
As soon as Jake settled against the bed, Tristan pressed his lips against his cheek. “Gorgeous. God, I need you.”
“Ride me.” Jake grinned, his tone back to that certain authority that had Tristan wrapped around his finger. “As long as you want to.” He wriggled, pulling his cock back up and settling the elastic strap on his hips. He curled his fingers around the base of his shaft to hold it steady.
Tristan nearly lunged for a condom and lube. By unspoken agreement, Jake took care of the condom while Tristan spread his legs and fingered himself, quick and dirty. He was too desperate to take long.
“I’m so making you do that again,” Jake whispered, watching Tristan with a lazy grin on his lips. “More morning shows. And evening shows. And weekend shows.”
“Baby, I’ll show you whatever you want to see,” Tristan moaned. His fingers already weren’t enough. He pulled them out and straddled Jake. The pillow added a sharper angle, and he leaned further over Jake to keep balanced.
That meant Jake could kiss him at his leisure, and so he did, slowly pressing his lips along the sensitive skin from his ear to his collarbone, up his throat, and even his lips sometimes.
With those lips igniting the fire of need within him, Tristan ached for more. He let Jake press his cock against him, and then slowly eased himself down onto it. As he took it in, he moaned softly, his fingers curling into the bedspread and clenching tight.
Fuck, Jake felt good. Every damn time, that cock just felt like the perfect size. The initial softness gave way to a firm, long shaft that stretched him to the limit. Having Jake’s cock—which was undoubtedly part of him, if not physically—so deep inside was intimate.
Whoever the hell was on top or bottom or whatever other act they were engaged in, Tristan wasn’t sure anymore. He also didn’t care. Making love was always different with Jake. It stood in stark contrast to the strict confines of his sex life before Jake, and it burst with vibrant love.
The way Jake caressed his cheek, the way he smiled as Tristan took him in to the base and then started thrusting… the look in his eye was unquestionably love. There was nothing of the mask Tristan saw and wore on set every day.
Anatomy didn’t faze him. All his worries were gone when they made love. It was just their spirits together, and he’d never been as proud or happy to experience the joy and synchronicity of their thoughts and movements.
Whatever the hell anyone else said, two men making love was the purest, sweetest kind of energy he’d ever felt.
Ecstasy flooded Tristan’s veins as his heart burst with joy. “I love you.” He couldn’t help but say it. It was the kind of thought that couldn’t be contained.
“I love you, Tris,” Jake whispered, pressing soft, open-mouthed kisses against his lips. “I love you so damn much.”
Time itself seemed to blur as their bodies moved together as one. Nobody and nothing else mattered besides Jake. Their love was the only thing keeping Tristan grounded, or he might have floated off into pure bliss.
Tristan’s thrusts faltered as Jake wrapped a hand around his shaft, gently stroking him in time with his thrusts. “If you keep that up…”
“Good,” Jake whispered and grinned. “I’m not letting you forget about round two.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Tristan assured him, a grin flickering over his face before he nipped Jake’s lower lip. “So close,” he warned.
Jake stroked him faster now, and then he couldn’t contain his ecstasy for one moment longer. His hips shuddered and stuttered in their rhythm. “Fuck!”
He came back to Earth what felt like an eternity later as Jake slid out of him. Jake’s stomach was a lot stickier now. “Oh! You’re a mess now. Oops.”
Jake grinned and wriggled out of his harness setup, wrapping an arm around Jake and stroking himself with two fingers. Tristan started kissing the soft skin along Jake’s shoulder and neck. The kisses made Jake gasp and squirm into him. “I like being covered in your load. Makes me feel like I’m…” he trailed off, spots of color rising to his cheeks.
“Like you’re?” Tristan prompted, shivering with pleasure. Even if he’d just come, watching Jake feel so good made him hot.
“Yours.”
Tristan’s lips met Jake’s. “You are, baby. Forever.”
When Jake came, Tristan’s name was on his lips, and his arm was wrapped around Tristan’s back to keep their bodies pressed together so tightly that Tristan could feel every twitch and writhe of his beautiful body.
Tristan pulled Jake in close, their limbs tangling as Jake gasped for breath. He hardly knew where one of them began and the other ended, and he liked it that way.
“Forever?” Jake finally whispered, minutes after Tristan had last spoken. His gaze was wide-eyed, his cheeks so rounded from smiling that dimples appeared again.
Tristan mirrored that beautiful smile as he rubbed Jake’s back. “Forever.”
27
Jake, two months later
“To Jake and Tristan: they do everything bass-ackwards, but they show us all what love can be.”
It was all Jake could do not to tear up. For Zeph, that was a positively emotional speech.
He didn’t strictly fit the tough MMA fighter stereotype, but he wasn’t the most outspoken in the group. His boyfriend, River, had gushed for ages about how Jake and Tristan’s budding relationship had made them all outrageously happy. Even Denver had approved. But Zeph’s approval had always been quieter.
If there were ever an occasion, it was the wedding reception. Six months pregnant wasn’t when most people chose to have a party to celebrate their wedding—and neither was five months after marriage.
But, exactly like Zeph had said, Jake and Tristan hadn’t ever done things in the right order. They weren’t about to start now.
Filming had just wrapped on Tristan’s big project, meaning he could invite a few of his castmates to come get drunk and celebrate.
Everyone Jake had met seemed like a great friend to have—all with the same kind of charisma as Tristan, but not in a fake way; they all seemed genuinely nice, and excited to meet him. They even congratulated him on the coming baby without missing a beat.
“Speech from the grooms!”
“Oh, no,” Jake groaned, his cheeks flushing. They might be surrounded by all their friends, but without alcohol to help him along, he was going to remember this moment better than the rest of them.
It was a casual kind of party—no formal dress and no gifts. Woody’s had agreed to rent them the bar for the afternoon, and a few of River’s drag artist friends were putting on a show any moment now. In drag time, River had informed him, that could be about an hour from now. Apparently RB needed more wine to prepare.
“Oh, yes.” Kyle clapped. “Speech!”
Tristan smiled and rose to his feet. “Fine, fine.” He looked around at the small party, and Jake followed his gaze. Besides Tristan’s coworkers—he hadn’t invited his new agent, and he certainly hadn’t invited Bobby after firing him last week—and their friends from Plus, Jake had invited Amanda, and a couple of friends from
the queer parenting group.
Tristan had considered inviting his parents, but it was more of a friends event than family. They’d been a little distant and confused by the whole thing, but nice enough when Jake met them last month. Tristan had finally admitted to himself that he’d been holding onto hurt that he didn’t need to.
Meanwhile, Jake had met Kyle and Nic’s kid, Kevin, custody of whom was shared with Kyle’s best friend, Evie. All of them were the most adorable, unconventional family unit he’d ever known. It had given him hope for how his own little family could turn out.
As far as Jake was concerned, these people were his family.
“I’ll go first,” Jake said, and Tristan stared at him like he’d lost his mind. He patted Tristan’s arm as he rose to his feet, a hand instinctively going to his stomach. If there were a few wonky seams on his clothes, nobody had commented: instead, they’d oohed and ahhed about how cool it was to see menswear that fit his body properly, unlike the baggy t-shirts he’d been wearing for the last month.
His sewing skills were getting better, but his new business was going to demand a little more improvement before he could start to sell these clothes to other people who wanted a different kind of pregnancy fashion. It was a small market, but California was one of the best places to grow this kind of business, and Tristan was behind him a hundred percent.
“I keep thinking to myself: I can’t believe how we met,” Jake admitted, grinning. “And I feel so damn lucky to have met my husband.” Applause rang out at his use of the word, and Jake grinned. They’d been trying it out for the last few months, but it was still strange to hear, in the very best possible way. “If you’d told me a year ago that I’d be standing here, pregnant and married and starting a business and surrounded by new friends, and happier than I’ve ever been, I’d have laughed. But here I am. I feel…”