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| Details |
| Author: | Athena |
| Summary: | After Sunday's Adventures Against Azshara's Attempted Angry Annexing by the Scourge, Colson and Mordecai return home to Stormwind to get some baked goods, as a treat, and unwind. Please see CWs. Romantic relationship RP. 7700-ish words. |
| Rating: | M for Mature 17+ |
Chain: Morson
In the Ironforge HQ after Blue Squad’s mission for the day.
Mordecai sits quietly in Headquarters with a clipboard in his arms, which he's holding tilted towards him as he writes on it.
Colson taps gently on the door, clearly more as an announcement than anything else, before opening the door and stepping through. He seems a little tired as he makes his way down the stairs quickly but gracefully.
Mordecai has picked the chair in the corner with the best view of the stairs - the classic 'don't sneak up behind me' chair that all the twitchy people pick. He looks up from his clipboard and smiles immediately when he sees Colson, standing.
Colson smiles faintly back, making his way to Mordecai, one hand already reaching out in what might be reflex before Colson blinks, makes a faint 'ah' sound, and puts his hand back at his side. Headquarters rules…hard.
"Is everyone all right?" Mordecai puts his clipboard back in his bag. "Do you have anything you need to do here before we can go home?"
"Everyone is fine. A little tired, perhaps. It was…quite the day." Colson looks around the room as though he's thinking, sluggishly, if there is anything else he has to do. He stares for a long moment at the filing cabinet before snapping out of a thought. "Ah, no. I do not believe there is anything else I need to do at present."
Mordecai nods. He does not ask about Tenacious because Cressidha probably has that handled. "I'm ready to go, then."
Colson trusts Cressidha and her portals implicitly. Tenacious is probably eagerly prancing through Shattrath on the way to his favorite groom.
Colson sighs softly, and nods. "Home," he says, which at this point in their life might be slightly ambiguous actually. Which home does Colson mean?
Mordecai starts for the door. "Are we… taking the tram to Stormwind? Hearthstones to Telaar?"
The moment they exit the building, Mordecai reaches for Colson's hand.
Colson follows and the moment they are officially not In Headquarters already starts stripping off his gauntlet to reach for Mordecai's hand.
Mordecai smiles at Colson and moves on down the steps just so he's not in anyone's way.
"Stormwind, for tonight I think. I would like to stop by the bakery if we can, to get something for Cressidha. It was a long day for her in particular."
Colson looks like maybe it was a long day for him as well. He clearly looks Tired already, in public.
"If we just go home, I can make something," Mordecai offers.
"Yes, of course, except…" Colson says and he looks over at Mordecai with a rueful smile. "But then I will not be able to hold you at the same time."
"Normally, I'd say you're welcome to come help in the kitchen, but you look like you could use the rest first. All right, let's pick something up."
"Croissants, probably. Maybe with almonds and honey, if they have it. Some extra sugar would not go amiss, I expect," Colson says. He doesn't argue about rest.
Mordecai nods.
"Dane sends his regards," Colson says, as they get closer to the tram.
"Oh. He's all right?"
"He is well, yes. He caught up to us in Azshara."
Mordecai looks relieved. "I was worried when he didn't show up."
"As was I." Colson stops near where the tram arrives.
The tram arrives almost immediately, on the track the two of them were waiting by.
This doesn't seem to surprise Colson. Maybe this is just how he lives his life.
Mordecai doesn't let go of Colson's hand for the entire tram ride.
At a local, upscale Stormwind Bakery in the Park District.
The bakery seems oddly deserted, even for this time of day, and when the Aspenwoods arrive, the woman behind the counter perks up immediately from a slump over the counter. "Hello! Welcome!" She says in a bright, Retail Worker Voice.
"Good afternoon," Colson says politely, stepping to the counter in a direct way.
Mordecai gives her a shy wave and immediately starts looking at the display cases without saying anything.
Colson doesn't look at anything as he addresses the woman. "I would like to place an order for half a dozen almond honey croissants, if you have them. If you do not, plain ones will do," Colson says in a mild, calm voice.
"Oh! Oh, uh," the worker pats her apron in three locations before she locates a pen and a pad of poorly milled scratch paper bound with rough twine. "Uh, so, six…almond…honey….croissants?" She repeats as she writes it out. "Um, you…want them now?"
Mordecai remains quiet. He's looking.
"If possible, yes. If not, could you give me an estimate on how long it would take?" Colson seems fine with either outcome.
"Um." The worker stuffs the pencil back into her apron. "Let me, just…I'll be right back." She scoots back off a stool, and ducks swiftly back through a door leading into a back room. When she opens the door, a waft of hot air escapes before she swiftly closes it behind her.
Colson turns his attention idly to the display cabinet, his eyes going immediately to the very tiny, very cute delicate sponge cakes there. They look better suited for a tea party, with cream and late-summer blackberries.
Mordecai glances at Colson. He crouches down to examine the slices of different kinds of cake behind the display and says quietly, "Fortitude." The Light gathers around Colson.
Colson makes a soft sound, gently squeezing Mordecai's hand once, the gesture imparting a sense of a [Greater Blessing of Wisdom].
"Do you want anything for yourself?" Mordecai asks quietly.
Colson's attention drifts to the little chocolate covered profiteroles, stacked into an adorable display tree, with tiny stars made of marshmallows decorating the spaces between them. "No," Colson answers automatically. There's a pause. "Well. Not from here, at least." Colson looks over at Mordecai with a faint smile. "I am afraid I am rather enamored with a very particular baker, and no one else quite satisfies the same way."
Mordecai blushes. "Oh. Well. Is it all right if I order something?"
"Always," Colson answers immediately with a soft smile, stepping in closer.
Mordecai looks down and nods.
"Do you want me to place the order for you?" Colson asks in a soft voice.
"I-I can do it, it's all right. Thank you. For offering."
At that moment, the door to the back opens up again, the worker shutting it behind her quickly. She looks significantly sweatier than she was before, and she puffs a breath of air upwards at her bangs. "Okay, so. We can get you six croissants in just a few minutes, or we can get you the almond honey ones in an hour. Um. Which one do you, uh, want?" She asks, as she steps back behind the counter.
"The almond honey ones, please, and make it a delivery order in that case." Colson looks over at Mordecai, pausing to wait for more.
"I'd like, um."
"Oh! Uh," the worker says again as she pats four different locations for her pencil, finally locating it in the place she put it before. "Yeah?"
Mordecai begins to point at items in the display cases as he speaks. "Two chocolate-chip cannoli, one chocolate hazelnut éclair, two of those macaroons - um, yellow and blue, please, one banana nut muffin, um…"
The woman behind the counter nods along with each of the orders, repeating the words to herself slowly and quietly as she writes.
Mordecai lists about six more different desserts - including slices of two different kinds of cake - with pauses for her to write.
Colson lets his gaze drift over to the display of chocolate filled pirouettes in a decorative vase, as Mordecai places his order.
The worker chews on her bottom lip as she writes.
Mordecai looks over at Colson, catches that, and points. "…and one of those. Thank you."
The worker bobs her head a few more times, and then reads the list back to Mordecai in a bright Retail Voice chirp to confirm.
"That's it, yes, thank you. How much?" Mordecai reaches into his bag.
"You want those packaged up, uh, now? Or part of the delivery?" The worker asks, hands already moving towards getting a bakery box just in case.
"Oh. Um. Now, please."
"Okay," she says, flipping the box open with expertise. She lists off the price. It sure is a sum of money. "That's, um, for the croissants and delivery, too. Unless, uh. Are those two separate orders?" She asks as she opens the back of the case.
"Um, whichever's easier for you. Probably just the one?" Mordecai begins to count out coins.
"Sure," she agrees, levitating the desserts out of the case and into the box like this is completely normal. Welcome to Azeroth, where some mages have day jobs. It's fine.
Mordecai sets the money on the counter and peeks back at Colson with a shy smile.
Colson stands there as though he could wait there all day and the next. He turns his head slightly when Mordecai looks at him, smiling gently back.
The goods organized carefully and packaged well, and with exacting care, the worker wraps a bow around it to hold it closed with a wave of her hand, while the other scoops up the coins. She counts them out one at a time, saying the amount of each out loud as she does.
"Okay," she says, having confirmed it's the correct amount, and sets the box on the counter next to Mordecai.
Colson immediately moves forward, clearly intending to take it and carry it.
Mordecai reaches for the box at the same time, then stops and allows Colson to do so.
Colson flashes a brief smile at Mordecai, winking at him in that lightning fast way Colson does. "Thank you," he says, possibly to the worker, possibly to Mordecai, maybe both. He turns to the worker. "The rest to be delivered to House Aspenwood."
"Right," the worker says, patting her apron again. The pencil is on the counter. It takes her a moment, and then she looks back up at Colson and Mordecai. "Oh! Uh. Oh. R-right." She stands straighter, and nods.
Only after she has the pencil back in hand does Colson start reciting the address, slowly.
Mordecai smiles shyly and searches around for something in his bag while he waits.
Colson carries the box in one hand easily, his expression as mild and polite as ever.
The worker repeats the address back. She's missed a number in the building number.
Mordecai doesn't say anything. Maybe he didn't notice, or he doesn't know the address well enough to know the difference.
Colson gently repeats the correct address, even slower this time.
"Oh, uh, sorry…milord?" The worker says, the title coming out more like a question than a statement, as she flushes, crossing out what she's written and rewriting it.
"It is no matter," Colson says.
Mordecai puts whatever he got out of his bag into his pocket.
Colson inclines his head politely to the worker behind the counter. "We will expect the order in an hour. Thank you for your help." He turns to Mordecai, a slight expression of inquiry on his face. "Are you ready?"
"Mmhm." Mordecai moves to get the door for Colson.
The worker attempts something that could be a curtsy, could be that she has a sudden itch on her ankle. It's unclear.
At the Stormwind Townhouse.
Colson cannot get the door to the townhouse without letting go of either the baked goods or Mordecai's hand. Colson chooses to hold onto both.
Mordecai prepared ahead of time! He got his key out! And he put it in his pocket! His… right-hand pocket. And he is holding Colson's hand with… his right hand.
Mordecai has to let go.
Mordecai gets the door, once again holding it open for Colson.
Colson steps through in a single stride.
Rhinehart is already there, waiting politely. To be fair they were at the door for at least 5 seconds.
Colson looks at Mordecai, hefting the box of baked goods in his hand. "Where would you like these?" he asks, as he blinks slowly. Colson seems more tired already.
"Um." Mordecai reaches for the box.
Colson hands it over, his eyes soft.
Rhinehart continues to wait politely for instructions, and if he needs to take the box to the kitchen or elsewhere.
Mordecai takes off his shoes by the door, mumbling a polite greeting to Rhinehart. He heads for the stairs, carrying the box with him.
Colson turns to Rhinehart. "We are expecting a delivery from Flour Power Bakery of half a dozen almond honey croissants, for Cressidha. Please be sure they get to her, when she arrives home," Colson says, unhooking his cloak as he speaks.
"Very good, sir," Rhinehart says, reaching out a hand for the cloak.
Colson hands it over, and nods politely. "That is all for now. Dinner at the usual time, I expect," Colson says evenly, as he starts for the stairs.
"Of course, sir."
Upstairs.
Mordecai is already in their room. The box has been left on the desk. The door to the room is open, and Mordecai is closing the curtains at the window.
Colson rolls his left shoulder as he gets closer to their room, his right hand moving to unhook his sword. Colson closes the door behind him, and the paladin looks instantly exhausted.
Mordecai heads on over. "You look like you could use a nap before dinner," Mordecai says, smiling, and reaches for one of the pauldrons. "May I?"
Colson makes a faint tired noise, as he leans a hand against the wall near the door. "Yes, please," he mumbles.
Mordecai starts in on project 'get Colson out of armor as soon as possible'.
Colson closes his eyes halfway through. He's not sleeping on his feet. He's just resting his eyes. He's fine.
Mordecai reaches for the buttons of Colson's gold mageweave under-armor shirt and makes an inquisitive noise. Shirt off?
Colson opens his eyes with a 'hm?' sound, blinking repeatedly at Mordecai, possibly not quite selling how much he was just resting his eyes. He looks down at Mordecai's hand on his shirt. "Oh. Yes."
Mordecai removes the shirt too, tosses it in the laundry hamper, and leads Colson over to the bed. "I will be right with you."
Colson makes a sound of agreement, and rolls into the bed, one arm going over his eyes.
Mordecai braces a hand on the headboard and leans down for a kiss.
Colson moves his arm, looking up at Mordecai with a faint smile. His hand moves to Mordecai's cheek as Colson leans up to meet Mordecai halfway.
Mordecai makes a content little hum. "Welcome home. I'll be right there, I just need to hang this up."
"Of course," Colson says, leaning back onto the pillow.
Mordecai starts pulling the robe up and over his head immediately as he moves towards the walk-in closet. He disappears inside it, presumably to hang the robe up.
Colson watches until Mordecai is out of view.
Mordecai returns almost immediately, wearing the clothes he was wearing under the robe - an undershirt and pants - and heads immediately for the bed, ignoring the box of baked goods on the desk.
Colson smiles faintly at Mordecai, moving his left arm to create the Stormwind version of the Mordecai Spot.
Mordecai leans down to kiss Colson's forehead and continues moving. "Almost." Emotional Support Water Bottle goes on the nightstand. Lights get turned off. Mordecai returns.
Colson's eyes follow Mordecai around the room, as he waits.
Completely unnecessarily, like usual, Mordecai climbs over Colson to get to his own side of the bed, sets his own bottle of water down there, and then moves into the Mordecai Spot.
Colson smiles wider as Mordecai climbs over him, and as soon as Mordecai is in his Spot, Colson curls around him, already snuggling in closer, breathing in deeply. "Hi," he says, very quietly, against Mordecai's shoulder.
Mordecai hums, pleased. "Hi," he says back. "I'm here. You can sleep now, if you want."
"Mm," Colson says. Within several breaths, it's clear that Colson is well on his way to sleep.
Mordecai makes quiet, soothing noises and watches Colson doze off, smiling. He shows absolutely no signs of planning on falling asleep himself.
Twenty minutes later, Colson blinks awake, exhaling a shuddering breath.
Mordecai has his face pressed into Colson's hair and is resting peacefully, but he's wide awake.
"Mordecai," Colson says, and his voice has the ring of command in it. Colson clears his throat immediately after.
Mordecai startles, immediately goes, "Yes, sir?" and then also clears his throat. "Ah. Colson?"
Colson makes a sound like a huff of a laugh, and presses in closer. "Forgive me, I was…I do not think I was dreaming, precisely. Drifting, maybe. I thought we were on the field, in Azshara. Today, still." Colson lifts his head up, blinking. "It is still today?" Colson asks and he sounds genuinely unsure now.
"Ehm. Yes. You've been asleep less than an hour, I haven't heard the bells yet. I don't know the time." It's dark, with the lights off and the curtains drawn.
Colson nods, and leans in for a good morning kiss even though he has just had confirmation that it is, in fact, not morning or anywhere near it.
Mordecai accepts his good almost-dinnertime kiss.
"Thank you, for staying," Colson says, stretching his legs out. He glances over at the box on the desk, but says nothing.
"Nowhere else I'd rather be," Mordecai says, in an immediate response without having to pause to think at all.
Colson makes a low, content sound, and leans back onto his pillow. "The Scourge is spreading significantly. There is no possible way the Argent Crusade can contain it, even with their full force," he says in a soft voice.
"I should return to Shattrath tomorrow. If we can make enough of those… unless you'd rather I come with you to assist elsewhere?"
"I am not certain," Colson says, exhaling slowly, one hand tracing an idle circle on Mordecai's shoulder. "As a Knight of the Silver Hand, I expect to either receive orders directly, or it may be best to inquire as to how I can best serve. Cobalt Company is large for a mercenary company, but the scope of what we are potentially fighting is beyond us to organize. Azshara is practically barren, inhabited primarily by naga, and they still sent out hundreds of undead to assault it."
Mordecai hums thoughtfully. "Hundreds?"
"Hundreds," Colson repeats. "Precisely the sort of odds Cressidha trained for."
"There were four of you." Mordecai pauses. "Five, when Dane got there."
"Yes, almost even odds for them, facing down a paladin and a battlemage," Colson says, an attempt at humor in his voice. Unfortunately, he just sounds tired more than anything.
Mordecai makes a 'hm' noise that might be close to a laugh. "Almost."
Colson smiles gently. "Almost." He shifts again, pulling his shoulders back, and something cracks in his spine. Colson exhales in relief. "We were approaching our limit, in truth by the time we heard…a voice. Whoever spoke attempted to intimidate us, but it was clear they were making a retreat."
Mordecai smiles a little. "Amazing."
Colson flushes. "Well. Cressidha did most of the work," Colson says. "Hence the croissants."
"Colson Aspenwood, you take your compliment," Mordecai says in a light, teasing sort of tone.
Colson shifts and sits up slightly on his arm, looking down at Mordecai with a soft, warm expression. "Yessir," he says, almost in a drawl of his diction, a half smile curling his lips.
Mordecai laughs outright this time. "Could you get the light, please?" He tilts his head slightly in the direction of Colson's nightstand.
Colson twists in place, and with some effort manages to get the light on. He turns back, muscles flexing with the smooth, controlled motion, a faint smile and blush still visible on his face.
"Thank you." Mordecai smiles back, because Colson is smiling.
"Of course," Colson says, looking at Mordecai like he's done something wonderful. "Do you want to get dressed for dinner? Or shall I have Rhinehart send up a tray?"
"Mmm…" Mordecai thinks about it. Then he thinks about it longer. Or maybe he's just staring at Colson. He's smiling, so that's probably good.
Colson waits patiently, reaching out a hand to brush his fingers through Mordecai's curls.
Mordecai smiles and stares. He blinks. "Hm? What did you say?"
Colson's expression is fond, as he brushes his knuckles down Mordecai's cheek. "Do you want to get dressed for dinner, or shall I have Rhinehart send up a tray?" Colson repeats in a tone that gives no indication that he's repeating himself.
Mordecai thinks about this again. "I like the option where I don't have to talk to people who aren't you," he decides.
Colson makes a soft sound, and traces the neckline of Mordecai's undershirt. "Very well. Give me a moment, and I will call for Rhinehart, and let him know."
"Mmm." Mordecai turns his head and smushes his face into Colson's pillow. Cozy.
Colson inhales, and it's as though he's tucking away bits and pieces of exhaustion in the motion. A moment later, as promised, he rolls up into a graceful stand, and walks to pull the bell cord. Colson is still not wearing a shirt.
Mordecai sits up to watch Colson move about the room, smiling.
Somewhere downstairs, a bell rings, alerting a very attentive servant that he is needed somewhere.
Colson crosses the room, brushing a hand through his hair, pausing as he gets near the closet to pluck out a shirt without looking, buttoning it up just barely in time before there is a polite knock at the door.
Mordecai becomes an under-the-covers lump immediately at the sound.
Colson opens the door, and it is unsurprisingly Rhinehart, who has his hands folded politely in front of him, the picture of patience.
"Rhinehart, could you send up a tray of dinner when it is ready? We will eat here," Colson says, as though there is nothing odd about this request at all.
"Very good, sir," Rhinehart replies immediately, also as though there is nothing odd about this request at all.
Colson inclines his head, and looks across the hall to where Cressidha is. "Did she make the same request?" Colson asks, as though the subject of his sentence is obvious.
"No, sir. Lady Cressidha has requested only that she be allowed to rest for as long as need be, barring an invasion of the Scourge," Rhinehart reports pleasantly. "It will be waiting for her downstairs when she is ready."
"Of course," Colson replies, and nods once more. "Thank you, Rhinehart. Be sure the croissants are with her dinner then, when they arrive."
"Very good, sir," Rhinehart says, bowing appropriately.
Colson shuts the door, and immediately begins removing the shirt he just put on. He doesn't look over at Mordecai as he unbuttons it much, much slower than he put it on.
Mordecai sits up as soon as he hits the door shut. "What time is it?"
Colson is in the middle of stripping out of his shirt, and he looks over at Mordecai. "Ah, a moment," he says, backing up to where his bags are, and leaning down with the grace of a dancer to swipe his pocket watch out of its bag. He flips it open and reads off the time, holding onto the pocket watch in one hand as he straightens and begins working on his shirt. "I expect dinner in about an hour, or less."
Mordecai moves back to his side of the bed, flipping his pillow up against the headboard and leaning back into it. "All right."
Colson pauses as he unbuttons another button. He's getting very close to the point where he's going to have to take the shirt off, and he seems to be expecting something to happen. Colson is clearly in no danger of falling over on his feet. Mordecai has no medical reason to be watching him.
Mordecai is definitely watching him anyway.
Colson blinks, tilting his head as he stares back at Mordecai, a question almost in his eyes as he finishes unbuttoning the shirt, and slowly removes it.
"Hm?" Mordecai tilts his head. Did he miss something?
Colson holds eye contact as he strips off the under armor pants, which go immediately into the laundry basket behind him, where they belong.
Mordecai doesn't look away. "What is it?" he asks. "Did I miss something?"
"You're watching me," Colson says, and there's a cross between excitement and wonderment in his voice. "You aren't looking away."
"Well - yes. You don't mind, right?" Mordecai rubs the back of his neck, blushing faintly, but he doesn't look away.
"No," Colson says, as he crosses the room, making his way back to the bed, not looking away from Mordecai at all. "I love when you look at me. I thought…you always turned away, before."
"You mean back when - back when we first got married?" Mordecai holds a hand out in Colson's direction.
Colson takes it, climbing back into bed with a soft expression on his face. "Yes," he says.
"That was months ago." Mordecai shakes his head. "I thought it was the polite thing to do. Originally."
Colson's smile flashes into a grin that melts immediately into a soft expression. "I see. I thought…you were simply shy. That you did not want to watch at all, or see me…outside a very specific context."
"I mean, I am. Shy." Mordecai shrugs. "That doesn't mean I don't want to see you whenever possible."
"Oh," Colson says, reaching for Mordecai's face with both hands as he leans in for a kiss.
Mordecai wraps an arm around Colson's waist and pulls him in closer.
==Time Passes and One Dinner Later==
Colson crosses his arms loosely across his chest, stretching out his legs in front of him. He looks incredibly content.
Mordecai carefully stacks his empty dishes back on the dinner tray and looks over at Colson.
Colson is watching with his heart in his eyes, as though Mordecai is doing something amazing, instead of something as simple as putting his dishes aside.
"All done." Mordecai gets up, moving over to the bed to sit down next to Colson. He still has an unopened box of baked goods on the desk that he hasn't touched.
Colson uncrosses his arms, and wraps his right around Mordecai's waist, leaning in to press a kiss to his cheek. "Dessert later, then?" he asks, his voice containing nothing but simple, open curiosity.
"Oh." Mordecai looks over at the box as if he'd forgotten about it. "Um, did you want to try anything?"
"Not particularly," Colson says honestly. "I do truly have a preference for yours over any other. They do not taste the same when they are not yours." Colson brushes his lips against Mordecai's shoulder, looking at him with a soft smile. "They are all yours."
Mordecai smiles. "I would say 'how can you tell the difference' except apparently you can, somehow, tell."
Colson makes a soft sound as he nuzzles in closer. "I don't know. It is like asking how I would know the scent or feel of you anywhere. It simply…tastes like it is yours. And that is what I want. So," Colson says, and he sounds pleased. "You can eat all of them, and need not worry about sharing. I have what I want." Colson punctuates that with another kiss to Mordecai's jaw.
Mordecai blushes. "I wasn't going to eat everything tonight, I just thought, well. Um. It was my first time really… just… picking whatever I wanted to try."
"You could, if you wanted to. Eat it all tonight," Colson says easily. "I certainly will not speak against it." He reaches up a hand to tilt Mordecai's face towards him, eyeing the blush. "I am happy you got what you wanted. It pleases me, truly, to know it."
Mordecai's eyes focus on Colson, the box all but forgotten over there. "I have to watch how much I eat," Mordecai says, "but I always used to want to just try one of everything in the display, you know? Just to see what they all tasted like."
Colson's smile doesn't fade as he says, "I see." He brushes his thumb along Mordecai's bottom lip.
"I didn't get one of everything, because I didn't want to make that poor woman go through all of that, but I think I got a decent sample size," Mordecai says a little absently, leaning closer to Colson.
Colson makes a soft sound. "I think they appreciated the business, more than anything. I expect there has been some…hesitancy regarding bakeries. Grain," Colson clarifies a moment later. Because, you know. Plague. "I was thinking of how we might perhaps make our patronage of it more obvious. Maybe bring something of theirs to the Argent Crusaders station this week. An Aspenwood doing so carries weight with it."
Mordecai sits up straighter, eyes wide. "More obvi – " he begins to say, a little incredulously, like Colson has said something truly absurd, and then he cuts himself off, covering his mouth, and laughs. "No, you're right. You're right. I'm an Aspenwood now. It's safe."
There's a rapid shift of emotions on Colson's face. An answering smile at Mordecai's laugh, a look of contentment at the assertion of his status as an Aspenwood, and then there, a rapid flash of rage rapidly tucked back away behind a mild expression. "Yes. You are safe," Colson says, his voice very soft, very gentle.
"Light, Colson, I love you," Mordecai says, and with no more warning than that, he tangles a hand in Colson's hair and pulls him in for a kiss intense enough that Mordecai might be trying to communicate something through it.
Colson makes an almost harsh sound as he quickly matches the intensity with his own. Colson seems warmer, as though the Light is growing brighter in him.
Time Passes.
Mordecai takes the top off of the bakery box and sets it aside. He braces both hands on the desk, leaning over to look at the individually-wrapped contents.
Colson stands with his arms crossed very loosely across his chest, his hip propped against the edge of the desk, radiating a calm sort of contentment. There's a faint smile on his face that hasn't faded in the past ten minutes, as he stares at Mordecai.
"Which… one." Mordecai stares at the box like this is a very difficult decision.
"Hm?" Colson makes the little automatic noise he does when he's almost buying time to process what he just heard. He blinks and looks down at the box. Oh, yes. Choices. "Ah. Is there anything that seems especially appealing?"
"Oh. Well… hm." Mordecai selects the chocolate hazelnut éclair.
Colson seems pleased by this selection, as he resumes staring at Mordecai, adoration clear on his face.
"Do you like hazelnuts?" Mordecai asks. He takes a bite and chews, one hand held out to catch crumbs should there be any.
"Sometimes," Colson says, uncrossing his arms. "It can depend a little on the recipe. A hazelnut crust on a fresh halibut has always been appealing. Hazelnut coffee…oddly less so. I am afraid Avah and I disagreed on the appeal of that."
Mordecai hums thoughtfully and takes another bite. He glances over at Colson and looks away again, blushing.
Colson leans a hand on the desk as he moves in closer, reaching out his left hand to brush his fingers along Mordecai's cheek. "I still remember the first time you offered one of these. I do not know if you know this, but I can report from experience it is entirely possible to eat one of your éclairs in one bite if one is willing to be rather uncouth about it." Colson's voice is all warm amusement.
Mordecai makes a stifled almost-a-laugh noise. He is chewing. He finishes chewing and asks, "Did you?"
"Yes," Colson says, smiling brightly. "I believe I told Brother Joseph 'bight be wif youh' when I bumped into him just outside the stairwell. I almost made it completely undetected, but not quite. It was a risk, but that stairwell was my only chance between the Cathedral and home to get one."
Mordecai does laugh at that, delighted. He sets the remaining half of the éclair down on the wax paper and licks icing off his fingers. "You couldn't have brought them in here?" He gestures, indicating Colson's room.
Colson shakes his head. "The bag smelled of pastry. Rhinehart would have met me at the door, and Cressidha was likely to be still at the table working. Far too risky. I was very, very," Colson leans in closer, brushing his thumb along Mordecai's lip as though there's still some chocolate there. "Careful."
Mordecai stalls out, blinking slowly at Colson. "Oh."
"I learned that if I was going to indulge in secret, I had to be very quick. One bite, as fast as possible. You caught me at it once," Colson says, his smile growing warmer. "In the kitchen. Trying to eat it all before you could notice that I had done so. Only after you, did I finally…get to slow down, and enjoy them." Colson leans in closer, well within kissing range, glancing between Mordecai's eyes and his lips.
That seems like a good cue for Mordecai to kiss Colson, so he does.
Colson's kiss is very thorough, as if he's seeing how he likes chocolate hazelnut flavored Mordecai kisses.
Mordecai pulls back eventually to say, "You only had one that time. In the kitchen. So it was at least two bites."
"Yes," Colson agrees, brushing another kiss to Mordecai's bottom lip. "Delicious." Is he talking about the éclair before? Mordecai now? Who can say.
Mordecai smiles. "You're still certain you don't want to try this?" he asks for what is not the first time tonight. He gestures with the remaining half of the éclair.
Colson shakes his head, tracing the edge of Mordecai's lip with his thumb. "I prefer this way. I could try the entire box just like this. Watching you. Tasting you." Colson's voice is warm and soft as he straightens only slightly from his lean.
"It - it feels impolite to eat in front of someone who doesn't have anything to eat." Mordecai takes a deep, somewhat shaky breath and exhales. "But if that's really what you'd prefer?"
Colson smooths back a particularly errant curl from Mordecai's forehead. It rejects the smoothing. Only chaos. Colson looks happy as he smiles at Mordecai. "Knowing you are indulging in a long held fantasy of eating one of the entire, well almost entire case from a bakery? I am more than content to watch. Or even…" Colson glances down at the box. There's a flicker of something across his face, and he hesitates. He inhales, and stalls. "That is." He clears his throat.
Oh no. Time to ask for something he wants.
Mordecai ducks his head and crams the rest of the éclair into his mouth, chewing quickly.
"This is not…your baking. So, it is not the same as the egg tarts? Could I…that is," he moves his hand on the desk closer to the box. "Could I pick one for you, and well. Try again?" Colson asks, a hesitant, shy note in his voice as he looks back at Mordecai.
Mordecai goes very still. He looks uncertain, and slowly he reaches for Colson's hand. "I could try," he says, sounding determined. He squeezes Colson's hand twice and gives Colson a shy, hesitant smile. "It's one of those things that I'd rather grow to be comfortable with than continue avoiding."
Colson goes from a happy sort of shy to a gentle, confused sort of worry, as he frowns faintly. "I…there is something else wrong, then? Am I pushing something too far?" Colson searches Mordecai's face like he's trying to find golden sansam in the middle of Feralas with ground cover on high.
Mordecai bites his lip, looking between the box and Colson. "It hasn't really come up before," Mordecai says slowly, and attempts to put the lid back on the box one-handed as best as he can so that he doesn't have to let go of Colson's hand.
Colson watches, and the look of confusion grows for a moment before it starts to drift into neutrality. "You need not force yourself. I…that is. It has some appeal, the thought of feeding you some sort of treat, having you…" Colson clears his throat and shakes his head. "It was an idle thought. It is not important," Colson says, moving his other hand off Mordecai's face to help put the box's lid on.
Mordecai chews on his lower lip. He looks like he's struggling to figure out how to say something: he opens his mouth, pauses, and shuts it again, more than once.
Colson looks down at his hands, setting the left over Mordecai's on his right. He's still fighting a battle of his expression drifting into the forced neutrality, small hints of the confusion and guilt showing around his eyes and mouth.
"I don't know how to talk about this. I don't know if I've ever talked about this." Mordecai steps towards the bed, pulling Colson along with him. He doesn't turn any of the lights out.
Mordecai sits down on the edge of the bed and then does a little scoot back, drawing his legs up to his chest in a tight Mordecai ball.
Colson moves along willingly, glancing down at his pants once before looking back at Mordecai. After a moment's deliberation, he moves to where his pillow is, propping it up against the headboard and sitting down against it.
Mordecai crawls over immediately to settle down right next to Colson, without hesitation.
Colson opens his arms in offer, his expression soft and concerned.
Mordecai immediately moves into them. "Ready to hate my family even more than you already do?" he asks in a very dry tone.
Colson relaxes immediately the moment Mordecai scoots into the embrace, and then almost comically, tenses in a flash of a seize of seething, under the surface rage. He exhales very slowly. It takes him almost twenty seconds to finish the exhale. "Yes," he says finally, clearly bracing himself.
"As a child, I was…" Mordecai gets stuck on whatever word comes next for several seconds, before he just says, "They called me 'pig'. Told me I ate too much. There was a lot of shame associated with… taking larger portions, or Light forbid asking for seconds, or eating anything that wasn't healthy."
Mordecai addresses this to his knees. He's not looking at Colson.
Colson's right hand balls into a tight fist that makes his knuckles go white before Colson forces it open, setting it on his leg, as he listens.
"I'd managed to lose a lot of that weight by the time it was clear for us to move back to Stormwind." Mordecai shrugs. "But I have to watch how much I eat, still."
"Why?" Colson asks softly. It seems to be meant, as ever, as a genuine question.
"So that I stay…" Mordecai shrugs his right shoulder. "So that I don't get…" Again, Mordecai stalls out on a word.
Colson seems to be better at filling in this blank as it doesn't apply to him, and he moves his right hand to Mordecai's face, attempting to tilt it up to have Mordecai look at Colson. "Mordecai."
Mordecai lets Colson move his head, peeking out at Colson from under his lashes. "Mm?"
Colson's expression is soft, his eyes gentle as he traces a line against Mordecai's jawline. "I love your body, Mordecai. But what I love about it above all is not the size or shape of it — it is that it is yours. I would love you, and desire you, if you were a seven foot tall female two headed ogre or a four foot tall pot bellied gnome. My love is not so fragile that if you changed, if you grew fat and bald or any other physical change that it would mean anything would change between us. I know that it is not the only factor. But I do need you to know it. I am not…them. I do not need you to be any particular size to love you as I do.”
Mordecai squeezes his eyes shut. "I know. I do know."
"But you still hear them. In your head," Colson says more like a question than a statement, his voice low and soft, without a trace of anger in it.
Mordecai nods and covers his face with both hands.
"I…do not know how to be louder than them, or if…" Colson sighs, and leans his head against Mordecai's, lips pressing against the curls.
"I… don't know. I'm trying to think… what I would tell a patient of mine." Mordecai peels his hands away from his face and puts his head down on Colson's shoulder instead.
Colson makes a soft sound. "What would you tell a patient of yours?" Colson asks, as the obvious question.
"I'm sure I'd be able to think of something if I were actually speaking to one of them. But I'm not." Mordecai sighs. "It's… difficult. Knowing that people are watching me eat. Seeing what I eat, and how much of it. It feels different when it's you."
Colson makes another sound at that, and pulls Mordecai in closer. "You have said something like that before. That you do not like to be looked at, at all, in general. But that you do not mind, when it is me. Is it…worse, when you're eating?"
Mordecai nods against Colson's shoulder. "Mmhm."
"I see," Colson says, as he frowns, thinking. "Then would you prefer it, if I did not watch you, either?"
"Oh. Um. I… don't know." Mordecai frowns a little. "Let me think about that for a minute?"
"Of course," Colson answers immediately, his left hand moving gently along Mordecai's arm in the sideways embrace.
There is a pause much longer than a minute. An entire five minutes go by before Mordecai sits up straighter again, looking at Colson.
Colson raises his brows slightly in silent inquiry, his body language showing nothing but calm patience.
"I trust you. And I know you're thinking something entirely different, watching me eat, then they would be." Mordecai darts a glance back down at Colson's lips, very brief, before re-focusing on his eyes. "I'm not going to ask you to stop, as long as you don't mind me being shy about it for a while. It's going to take me time to get used to, but I would like to get used to it."
"It's much harder when I'm the only person eating something."
Colson smiles faintly, moving to brush his knuckles against Mordecai's cheek, not likely coincidentally where Mordecai's blushes tend to be most prominent. "I never mind you being shy about anything, my love. I would be happy to know I am replacing something they did with something better. More than happy." Colson exhales and leans in closer. "And I will do far worse than eat second best pastries to put you at ease, darling."
Mordecai cracks a smile at 'second best pastries'. "You're very sweet."
"Mm, so are you," Colson says, getting dangerously close to kissing range. "Particularly after an éclair. I think I enjoy hazelnuts, in that context."
"We can make those," Mordecai offers. "Maybe in Telaar. It feels a little more private there."
"I look forward to it," Colson says, his eyes soft in a faint smile. "Would you…that is, does it bother you to feed me something? Or only the other way around?"
Mordecai glances over at the box. "If you don't mind being subjected to second-best pastries, we could find out?"
Colson moves his right hand to pick up Mordecai's left, bringing it up to his mouth to kiss Mordecai's fingertips. "Yes, please."
"I hope I'm not… pressuring you to eat something you don't want just to humor me, but I also thought… maybe if there's anything in there you like, we could put it on the list of things to bake together?" Mordecai mentions, shy.
Colson shakes his head slightly. "It is not quite the same, I don't think. I do pay some attention to how much I eat, particularly sweets, but it is more from a practical point of view, I believe. The heavier I am, the harder I have to work in my armor to do as I do. That being said, I am not concerned with an evening eating even an entire box of second rate desserts, or eventually possibly sixty first rate donuts, as I once quite foolishly turned down.”
Mordecai looks down. "I just mean that I asked you multiple times and you said you didn't want any. That's what I meant."
Colson nods, and moves to press a kiss to Mordecai's hand again. "I know. I only wish to explain why. If it is not the best, I find it no hardship to pass on it. If it would be easier for you to share it, to not be alone in eating, I have no particular care for the cost of it, in any way."
Mordecai finally seems to relax at that, and he leans in to kiss Colson's cheek. "All right. Thank you, love. For being so sweet, and so patient, and so kind, and for asking for something you want." He squeezes Colson's hand once.
Colson smiles gently, turning a little more into the kiss. "Thank you for telling me why it was not…a simple request to grant. I love you. All of you."
Mordecai smiles and crawls over Colson's legs to get out of bed on Colson's side rather than his own. He heads back to the pastry box on the desk.
Colson rolls gracefully to his feet, moving to stand behind Mordecai and slip his arms around his waist.