Anniversary

[notthatcrazy]

It's early, and the sun is just starting to filter in through the blinds as he wakes. He's always been something of a morning person, when he sleeps at all, and though he's gotten better at resting during the night he still has his morning routines.

Leaving Face to sleep a while longer, he slips away to the kitchen for breakfast. He briefly takes note of the calendar on the wall, but it's not until he's poured himself a bowl of cereal and settled in for morning cartoons that the significance of the date sinks in.

Ten years. It's been exactly a decade since Mexico. Since his life was immeasurably changed for the better, despite the hardships and roadblocks along the way.

He'll have to mark the occasion with the others later, but right now there's only one place he wants to be. His breakfast finished, he returns to the bedroom, slipping back under the covers next to his still-sleeping partner. Not wanting to wake him, he contents himself with pressing against his back, letting his fingers trace the tattoo on his bicep before coming to rest on his chest. They've come so far, but sometimes he still wishes he could somehow telepathically communicate the depth of everything he feels.

I love you and I won't ever leave you.

He doesn't even realize he's whispered the words out loud until he feels Face stir in his arms.

Comments

[notjustaface]

"Among other things." He bends in and presses a kiss to the tip of his nose.

"But I'm glad you will."

[notthatcrazy]

"Among many, many other things."

He grins up at him, nothing but love in his eyes.

"I meant it about the body paint, though. We should try it."

[notjustaface]

Face is rather fond of those other things, honestly.

"Mmm..." he half-groans, kissing him again; "does that mean I can lay here while you do things to me?"

[notthatcrazy]

"Maaaaybe," he teases, drawing out the first syllable. "Was kinda hoping to have you do things to me first."

[notjustaface]

"Oh... well... you are the artist, I am simply a canvas..."

He's teasing, of course, and enjoying himself just a little too much.

"Anything you want, baby."

[notthatcrazy]

"It's been a while since I finger-painted," he admits with a chuckle.

"You tired? We can wait a bit..."

[notjustaface]

There's a joke in there somewhere involving fingering, but even Face won't go there before noon.

"Me? Tired? Never." He murmurs, pressing another soft kiss against Murdock's lips and then his chin. "Never too tired for you."

[notthatcrazy]

Far be it for either of them to sully the moment.

(Besides, he's gotten quite used to that kind of fingering.)

"I did kinda wake you up early though."

It could be worse. It could have been Hannibal waking them both up.

He rolls them both over until Face is settled back on the mattress, still holding onto him.

[notjustaface]

It's easy to let his hands rest at Murdock's hips - holding on to him with a warm smile.

"You let me sleep in, I mean... the sun's up and everything."

He's gotten so used to waking up before dawn even eight o'clock feels pretty damn nice.

[notthatcrazy]

He sighs as he leaves a trail of kisses down his shoulder, lingering on the scars that occasionally mark his skin.

"Dunno how much longer we've got 'til we have to get up."

[notjustaface]

Unfortunately, they never do. Hannibal's timing seems more erratic with each job that goes the slightest bit awry.

"Better have fun while we can, then?" He smiles wider still - lifting his hips just enough to bounce Murdock's heavy frame.

[notthatcrazy]

It's slightly worrying, but the movement takes his mind off it and gets an honest genuine giggle out of him.

"I see something's woken up."

[notjustaface]

The giggle is far from enough to deter Face's advances.

"You're making the assumption it goes to sleep and doesn't exist in a constant state of readiness."

[notthatcrazy]

It wasn't meant to. To be honest, it means he's comfortable and happy and that's more of an encouragement than anything else.

"Well we can't have that kind of vigilance going unrewarded, now can we?"

He grins, scooting downward on the bed.

"At ease, soldier."

[notjustaface]

Trying to hold back his laugh, Face rolls his eyes fondly.

"Never."

Wiggling back against the shift of skin against skin, he reminds his lover; "I think someone promised finger painting."

[notthatcrazy]

He looks up from where he's leaning against Face's torso, a warm look in his eyes.

"I think we can make that happen."

[notjustaface]

After pushing up to brush a kiss on his forehead, Face relaxes back against the pillows with his arms tucked under his head.

"Have at it, Picasso. I am your canvas."

[notthatcrazy]

He leans over him, sneaking in another kiss as he finds the small container in their bag of personal belongings.

"Anywhere in particular you want this?"

[notjustaface]

Somewhere along the line the bags had become "theirs" with belongings mingling to the point where some mornings Face was a little apt to pull on a pair of Murdock's underwear in a bleary-eyed haste to get moving quickly.

"You're the artist, man. Though I would suggest external use only."

[notthatcrazy]

He did look pretty cute in the Spider-Man pair.

“Got it."

With a tentative touch, the artist begins his work.

[notjustaface]

In all fairness, everyone looks cute in Spider-Man underwear.

The light touch makes Face squirm, but he tries his best not to push back against the fingers tracing delicately over his abs and around his belly button.

"That tickles, man!"

[notthatcrazy]

"Hush," he says gently but firmly, the smile never leaving his face. "Try to hold still."

He keeps up a low running commentary as he continues running his hands across Face's skin. There's no real rhyme or reason for the painted figures - a heart, a few stars, a small crudely drawn helicopter (that one gets an extra monologue), a pair of stick figures holding hands..

Okay, that one's a little sappy.

[notjustaface]

His hips jerk, drawing a line across his belly that only makes him giggle.

No, he'll never admit to that giggle.

"Easy for you to say! You're not the one being tickled."

[notthatcrazy]

He loves that giggle. Even though he knows Face will categorically deny its existence.

"If there's a non-tickly way to do this, I'm happy to hear it."

He briefly pauses for a kiss.

"Now quiet... I'm creating."

[notjustaface]

"Just... go faster, damn it." He giggles again, managing to subdue it behind a soft groan against Murdock's familiar lips.

His eyes close and he asks; "Tell me what you're painting?"