He texted his husband telling him he was in the studio and wouldn't be home until late.
He looked around at his studio, the one his husband designed for him … had built for him. Maybe his life was too perfect and the universe was reminding him it could be very different.
The text woke him up from his sleep, but that was something he didn't mind in the slightest. Dmitry looked at Ryan’s text, replying with an “okay” before going back to sleep for a bit longer. Patience was something he needed to exercise and he was more than willing to start now. Whatever Ryan’s answer may or may not be, he would accept it and move on. His marriage was not worth trying something new, and he would readily admit to that everytime with no hesitation.
Ryan stayed at his studio for more than half the night, only coming home around 4am and still not really wanting to. His house was too quiet with the babies gone and his relationship felt stilted awkward despite the love he clearly held for his husband. He showered quietly, not wanting to wake his sleeping husband, unsure if he had work in the morning. Once he was clean he climbed into bed, feeling better, the day washed away.
He put his head on his husband's chest, playing with a few strands of hair on his shoulder, lightly still not wanting to wake him, but laying like he usually would.
Dmitry was a somewhat light sleeper, but whenever Ryan wasn't in the bed with him, his body was autotuned to wake up if he felt him so much as crawl into the bed they shared. The moment he laid his head on his chest, Dmitry woke up but kept quiet, making sure his breathing was still even. Ry would not want to talk at 4 am so he was content to just lay there while he fell asleep instead. His hair was back to growing out and he decided he would have to cut it again pretty soon, especially if it was already long enough for Ryan to play with it.
He forgot he could actually feel the strands on his shoulders now.
It took a few minutes for Ryan to realize his husband was awake and he just laid there silent waiting to see if he would fall back asleep. After a while he hugged his husband and mumbled, “your awake Mitry … I can feel it.” He wasn't breathing as deeply as before, like one would in sleep and his body wasn't as loose as before, though Ryan wasn't entirely surprised.
“Go back to sleep, we’ll talk in the morning. I just want to cuddle,” he said softly, not even sure he’d be falling asleep any time soon. He ran his fingers over his husband's stubble before playing with the loose strands of his hair again.
Dmitry opened one eye to look down at his husband, “Mmmmn…The way you're touching me is starting to scream otherwise, but I guess I'll behave for once.” He brought one of his arms from behind his head to wrap around Ryan and pull him closer, yawning. It wouldn't take him too much longer to fall asleep so long as he focused on the feeling. Eventually his breathing did even out and his body relaxed, light snores coming from his mouth.
Ryan woke in the morning, with his husband somehow smushing him, overly warm and snoring in his ear. He wondered what time it was, but he couldnt exactly get out from underneath his husband. “Babe,” he said, trying to shake him, “babe you're heavy … geez did you put on some more muscle.” Gym goal or what…
He sighed and tugged on his husbands hair lightly, sure fire way to get his attention even if he was dead asleep. “Mitry, you're heavy babe.”
Dmitry always slept better when Ryan was in bed, which meant big bear cuddling in his sleep. Ryan shook him and he only tightened his hold, snuggling further into his neck. Had he been fully awake the answer would have been yes…Yes he did put on more muscle, especially now that he was back out patrolling and fighting the good fight again. Also doing solo construction on his wonder helped progress that along too. The catacombs were cleaner now and the lab he discovered is a bit cleaner as well. The Mansion finally had all the floors replaced and now he was still looking for mirrors that he could put up and then the plumbing would have to be worked on ... .Which he will have to do a youtube video on cause yeah…..
The hair tug is what got him to finally grumble…Or was it a growl? Either way, he rolled over, taking Ryan with him so that he was on top of him instead of underneath him. Better circumstances sure, but that didn't mean Ryan was off the hook.
The hair tug did the trick, of course it did, he wasn't surprised, but he was still kind of trapped since his husband seemed intent on being an octopus. He laughed, he honestly couldn't help it because it was pretty funny.
“Wake up you a**, its morning … you got more sleep than I did. I finished my edits on all the pictures I took at the event though. I have to show you the ones of the kids playing in the crystal garden.”
They also needed to talk, Ryan knew this, Dmitry knew this, better to not put it off. “Wake up babe, we’ve got a day ahead of us.”
In response to the a** comment, Dmitry did not hesitate to just grab a handful of Ryan’s behind just as his eyes opened, “Yeah? I cant sleep more can I?” He was totally content to just stay in the moment here and not have to talk about what was coming up but it was time to be an adult and at least have a civil conversation about it. Instead of laying there and just ignoring him, Dmitry sat up, not relinquishing his hold on Ryan and made his way towards the bathroom. “Shower first then we start the day yeah?” He wasn't about to take no for an answer, so clearly his husband wouldn't have any choice but to just go in the shower with him.
Ryan shook his head and pretended to bite his nose when he grabbed a handful of his cheeks. Rolling his eyes at his husband's antics going to get up, but giving an undignified squeak when his husband scooped him up.
“Oh no you dont, I already showered last night, put me down. Neanderthal … babe are you listening to me … babe I know you hear me.” He also knew his husband was just going to ignore him, he loved to shower with Ryan. He rolled his eyes at his husband as they made their way into the bathroom.
Ryan sat at the table in the dining room with his laptop, having shown his husband a picture of their three kids sitting on the swing, under the tree with crystal wisteria flowers hanging from it. They all looked so cute smiling at them. “I'm going to blow this one up, it is in the living room.”
He was worried though because they all looked so much like Moon in the picture. He saw it plain as day, they all had her eyes and curls, even Ivanna had more curls these days. She was still pale as ever, Mitry got her good with those genes.
Dmitry was fascinated by their three kids, still amazed at how he has been a father for at least three years now. Sure, taking care of his sister softened the experience somewhat but it was still amazing. He looked at the picture with a smile, the resemblance to Moon was so obvious but he decided to gloss over that and focus on the fact that their kids were so adorable. Even his little monster Emorali with all the RBF in the world. “You should, the little gremlins look absolutely adorable.” The kids were still at his parents house, they would be picking them up tomorrow.
He couldn't wait to give all three of them papa bear hugs as Ivanna would say. Of course Niki would be all over his daddy even if he’s not as clingy as he used to be. Silas could go either way it seemed but he was sure Ryan would be his favorite for a while which meant he would have his princess all to himself once they were all home.
“They get the gremlin-ness from you … I wonder what new things they will come home, having learned from their aunt. I cant believe we have three kids, remember when I swore I’d never have any … back before Lona showed me how wrong that idea was.”
He honestly loved Lona to pieces. He sighed looking at his husband, mood dipping a little, “can we talk about your text now? Im,” he said, stopping before closing his laptop and turning fully to his husband.
“I know you love me and would do anything for me, you know that right?”
“What?! Nahhh I don't know what you're talking about.” He chuckled knowing full well that there was some of Ryan’s gremlin-ness in there too. “Right? I swore I wouldn't have any either…Dont think Lona helped too much with that in the beginning.” But now, he was grateful his parents made him care for his sister, taught him responsibility and as his sister got older, he appreciated the fact that he would make a great father. Dmitry was about to tease Ryan when he heard his next sentence. He knew it was coming, he just hopped to hold out for a bit longer.
Giving his husband a smile, he nodded, “Yeah, I know you know babe. Even if you didn't, I would prove it to you one way or another.”
“Mitry, I see it in everything you do, even in bringing all this to me instead of acting on it. I was just blind sided and it was like having the rug pulled out from under me … and then I pushed it aside because you were so broken up about it, so when I really got to process it, I … I dont know what I'm trying to say.”
He sighed and put his head down on the table, “I'm not mad, not really … I wish I could be like Ai and just be like, let's embrace this new chapter.”
“Frustrated … frustrated, that's what I am,” he said with a sigh, his head on the table, “you’re so willing to do anything for me. I feel selfish.”
Dmitry didn't know what to say at first. He smiled, reaching over to pull him into his arms. “Baby, it's okay. I don't think you're being selfish. We can do whatever you feel comfortable with.” He doesn't want to pressure him into anything and like he mentioned in his text, whatever Ryan decided he would be okay with. Nothing, not even whatever he is feeling for Moon would get in the way of his marriage.
“I just want us both to be happy babe. I know you love me, but I also don’t want you miserable trying to bury this … trying to pretend it didn't happen.” He looked up at his husband, sadness clear in his eyes. Neither one of them wanted to hurt the other or for the other to be hurting.
“Do you think we can both work through it in couples therapy?”
He sighed heavily, “what a mess … what a mess,” he laughed. “After 9 years, she must really be something special.” Ryan didn't get it, but Moon was pretty selfless, giving up her children, because they were … to Ryan and Dmitry. She was their mother, even if they barely knew her. They’d see her in them everyday for the rest of their lives, maybe more, maybe less as they aged but she’d be there.
If Ryan was honest, he wanted to say yes, but it was just to make Dmitry happy. He wasn't interested in Moon, didn't know her well, outside of what they learned when she was carrying their kids.
Dmitry knew that Ryan wanted him to be happy but that was the thing: He wanted Ryan to be happy too. If that meant sacrificing then that's what he did, or at least that's what he would expect when dealing with the love of his life. The thought of therapy made him sigh softly but maybe that's what they needed to figure out how to make each other happy with this situation they had going on here. He wasn't going to start gushing about how awesome Moon really is, it just didn't seem appropriate and he figured Ryan could find out himself one day if that is the route they decided to take.
“Therapy doesn't sound like a bad idea at all. Too bad Ya isn't qualified otherwise I'd say we go to him.” He already went to the man for individual things, but understandably he was sure the teal haired man would try to kill him if he asked. So instead he could see if Ya could find a recommendation instead. That way there wouldn't be suffering the wrath of Xander or something.
Ryan gave his husband a weak smile but smiled nonetheless. “We'll figure this out, no sweeping it under the rug, no pretending it didn't happen.” Ryan felt more confident and more resolved, certainly calmer with something of a plan to deal with this.
They love language was and always had been touch, so he plopped himself in his husband's lap, laying his head on his shoulder. “I could use a nap, definitely think we ought to take advantage of the nice quiet house.”
He played with his hair hanging around his ears. He'd be sad when he decided to cut it again. Ryan hadn't cut his own in a while and it was getting quite long, couldn't even tell he had an undercut when it was down. He didn't wear it down often, everyone called him pretty when he did.
“Carry me husband of mine.”
Kaori_luv
