I would start a riot

Another Sort of Promise ~ August 2015

Time off together was something they rarely had. Stephen knew Dec wasn't used to having days off without Ant around to do something sociable, rather than another work engagement. And it had been a while since he hadn't been occupied by other things as well.

The season had turned to summer almost unnoticed, bringing good weather and something irresistible about planning a trip outdoors. He wanted to surprise Dec too, to reclaim some of that normality that they'd put to one side all over again. Still, over a year after being out, they hadn't taken full advantage of the freedom it gave them to be in public and just about manage to ignore what anyone else might be thinking.

The perfect morning finally presented itself in a week void of any commitments. Dec had been obliviously going about his day; a lazy start, walking Rocky, making breakfast. There was something comforting about the routine of it, something Stephen would never let himself take for granted.

This was normality. Knowing the ins and outs of all of the boring day-to-day things Dec did. The way he moved around the kitchen, sorting one thing out while he waited for the kettle to boil; having everything ready by the time the toaster popped.

It was almost too perfect to disrupt with a surprise. But not quite.

"We're going out," he announced out of the blue, pleased to make Dec pause in his tracks.

"We are?" he asked in return, smiling faintly.

Stephen nodded, gesturing to the rest of the room indicatively. "Did you have other plans?"

"I was just gonna mope about not being able to play golf with Ant to be honest," Dec replied, seeming to relish in the way his mouth twitched lopsidedly, knowing that Stephen would huff out a laugh. And then he pointed towards the hallway. "Should I put my shoes on then?"

Stephen rolled his eyes faux wearily, teasing another melodic laugh from the older man. And he wasn't bored of hearing that yet. Probably wouldn't ever be.

He heard Dec go upstairs for a moment, returning to fuss about in the hallway, waiting for the inevitable question. "Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise," he replied immediately, biting his bottom lip as he waited for a response.

"Helpful," Dec called back sarcastically. And then there was a pause, the huff of triumphant laughter. Stephen could almost hear that bright, mischievous grin he'd fallen in love with. "Are we going to have a picnic?"

"No," he lied, drawing out the word as he approached the doorway, spotting Dec stood beside the front door. He pointed down at the things collected by the door, ready to go.

"You should probably tidy this pile of food and the picnic blanket away before we leave then," he said with another grin.

Stephen walked over, resting an arm around his waist, dropping his chin onto the crown of the shorter man's head. "Stop ruining the surprise."

Dec chuckled again, the sound making his rib cage reverberate against Stephen's side. "Stop planning surprises that are so easy to ruin." If Stephen had wanted to continue the joking argument, he would have pulled back and pretended to be offended. But Dec was warm against his side, tilting subconsciously closer. It was too perfectly reassuring to disrupt with a joke.

"Put your shoes on," he said instead, unsurprised when Dec merely turned into his side further, seeking out something more.

"You might have to let go of me first," he teased in return, contradicting himself by making no effort to pull away on his own and then only adding to the counter-argument. "Whatever field we're going to will still be there in ten minutes."