Cadence ( Part 2 of Rhythm ) Completed*

Chp 27: Reaffirm

Ian wakes up and feels disoriented for a moment. It takes him a few wakeful moments of breathing to decipher what was a dream and what is his reality. They feel blurred together, and maybe they are because when the weak rays of morning sunlight find their way through the window's blinds, Ian can see the band of gunmetal grey around the ring finger on his left hand. "Huh," he muses, turning his hand and admiring the view. The ring has a matte finish to it, but polished stirpe runs through the middle part of the band. His dream wasn't far off from what happened the night before but things are still new and have a surreal edge to them. Stretching his hand out, he gently lowers it so his palm is resting on the plains between Mickey's shoulder blades. His boyfriend - his fiancé - is still asleep beside him, passed out on his stomach with his arms raised and hands tucked under his pillow. Against the paleness of Mickey's skin, the ring stands out even more.

Ian smiles at the view.

He savors the moments of the early morning, time he always has to himself because Mickey sleeps right through them if their children aren't waking them up. Mickey proposed to him. Went and surprised him with a ring and everything. His smile widens when he thinks about how perfectly Mickey the proposal was, so raw and honest. Everything he could have ever wanted and made even better because there was not unnecessary fanfare. Just him, Mickey, and their girls.

It was perfect.

Ian was expecting an official talk, but he wasn't expecting that . He'd toyed with the idea of getting Mickey a ring, doing the same thing Mickey had done, but something in his gut wanted to wait. Wanted this specific ball in Mickey's court.

Now, he still wants to get Mickey a ring because he sure as hell thinks they both need one. He wants people knowing he's locking shit down with Mickey. That they don't belong to anyone, but their hearts definitely belong to each other. It's probably a deep seated need to claim territory, a residual reflex form when people were groomed to be primal in those ways.

But, god, with Mickey? Ian's stripped down to his core and nothing makes sense until they put themselves together in a way only the other understands.

"I know you're awake," Mickey grumbles, his voice muffled by the fact that he's half submerged in pillow.

Snorting in disbelief, Ian narrows his eyes. "How?"

"You're doing that finger drumming thing you do when you touch me." Mickey's smirk is just visible. After a beat, he rolls his left shoulder. "See, you just did it."

Looking down, Ian studies his hand. His fingers barely move; they don't exactly lift off of Mickey's skin but they press in just the barest amount, fingertips feeling the pulsing lifeline under the surface. "Guess I did." Now that he knows Mickey's awake, he's as smooth as butter when he slides as close to Mickey as he can, his chin resting on Mickey's shoulder. "G'mornin'."

"Morning," Mickey says with a smile, turning his head enough so that their noses brush. After a deep inhale, his eyes flutter open. "You awake or can you fall back asleep for a little?"

"Awake," Ian answers. "But, you fall back asleep. I'll stop touching you."

"Don't you dare," Mickey threatens with an intensity Ian wasn't expecting. Sighing, he works on borrowing deeper into the pillow and mattress but when Ian runs his hand down Mickey's spine, he shivers from the touch and pushes back into the attention.

Ian hums curiously. Mickey's pliant and reactive to his touch in the lazy way that he always is before he's completely awake. Pushing his luck, Ian slots their legs together, covering as much touchable surface area as possible. "You asked me to marry you."

"Is that what I did?" Mickey asks, heavy with false shock.

"Mmm hmm." Fingers dancing over Mickey's hips, Ian slides them so they are tucking under his hip bones, his rings making a deliberate scrape against the skin there.