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

[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?"

[notthatcrazy]

"You can't rush genius, man!"

Face, you may have created a monster. Murdock leans over him, a hint of mischief in his eyes.

"Told ya I'd find your ticklish spots."

He grins as he returns to his finger-painting, adding a stick figure dog next to the stick-figure humans "so they don't get lonely."

[notjustaface]

Genius, of course... in the fine art of edible finger painting.

He can feel Murdock hovering over him and smiles reflexively, waiting for a kiss that doesn't come.

"What's it's name?"

[notthatcrazy]

It's a highly underrated art form.

"Huh... I don't know. What do you think we should call him?"

Not Billy. That name's already taken.

[notjustaface]

"Mmm... maybe... Rex? Pongo? Dog?" He's nothing if not original... but he's a little surprised he didn't ask for Billy. The dog's been kind of quiet lately.

The gentle tickle of fingers at least seems to be easing up as he gets used to the sensation of the smooth paint on his skin.

"You know you get to lick this off, right?"

[notthatcrazy]

"I like Rex."

Billy comes and goes. Murdock would be a bit surprised if he knew that Face noticed his absence.

"And yeah, I got that." He rolls his eyes, stopping again for another kiss that goes on a bit longer. "Lookin' forward to it. Still fun making it look nice, though."

As nice as a stick figure tableau drawn on someone's stomach can look, anyway.

[notjustaface]

He's not nearly as self-absorbed as people seem to give him credit for - it's his job to notice things.

"You're not looking forward to it as much as I am..." his voice drops to a less-than-subtle purr and he opens his eyes again to watch the concentration on Murdock's face as he squiggles over a stray patch of wiry hair.

"You're, uh... really digging this, huh?"

[notthatcrazy]

"Yeah," he confirms, looking up to catch Face's eye as he finishes the squiggle with one last swipe of his finger. "It's done now, though."

Now the real fun can begin.

[notjustaface]

"Gonna get the camera and take pictures for your gallery opening?" He can't help but joke - even with the familiar glint in Murdock's eye.

He doesn't mind the tickles, not when it makes him smile like that.

[notthatcrazy]

"I should," he teases, grinning down at him. "Be a shame to waste a masterpiece."

[notjustaface]

Tilting his hips suggestively, he pushes back against his lover with a smirk.

"You think I'll stop you?"

[notthatcrazy]

Well, if he insists. The only camera available is the phone on the nightstand, which he reaches for as he pushes him back down to the mattress.

"Say cheese."

[notjustaface]

"Fucker!" He grins, flipping off the camera but allowing the photo no less. One more memory he'll eventually have to explain to someone.

"Come here, you nut."

[notthatcrazy]

"Close enough."

He's not too worried about it. Some memories are just for them.

"You know you love me."

[notjustaface]

"Far, far too much..." He grins wide, pushing up just enough to wrap his arms around Murdock and pull him down for a warm kiss.

"You know I wouldn't let just anyone paint chocolate stick figures on me."

[notthatcrazy]

He returns the kiss with gusto.

"Well I'd certainly hope not." He gives him a mock-scandalized look as he licks the chocolate off of one finger.

[notjustaface]

Oh now that's just not fair...

Face lets out a dull, frustrated murmur as he pushes his hips up to dig his arousal into Murdock's thigh.

"You know what I mean."

[notthatcrazy]

"I know, I know..."

He trails a line of kisses down his neck and across his chest, stopping just before he reaches the body paint.

"I'm totally your favorite."