Archive of Our Own

Don looked around the rented cabin in appreciation. The all wood surroundings, the rugs and quilts, and the large dining table that greeted them was enough to help the tension in his shoulders bleed out. He couldn’t help but smile fondly at the man behind all of this, the man who took the time and effort to put all of this together just for him. Don would forever feel like he never deserved his partner, but he also knew that the man would almost certainly hit him on the head for that. It made him feel a bit bad for the anger that Don threw at his partner throughout the trip considering the effort it took to take them here. 

Looking around, a part of Don’s mind nagged at him. He never understood why out of all the people in the world, his boyfriend would pick him. The man had a good amount of people throwing themselves at his feet after all. But, in the end, he still picked Don, even though Don had more issues than Vogue magazine. Throughout all the anger, pain, and fear, his partner stayed by his side, lending his ear and offering sound advice and words of comfort, even if that last one wasn’t the man’s forte. Don always appreciated when his partner would go out of his way to do something that he normally wouldn’t do, just for Don. Especially considering the man’s own attitude. He hoped that his partner did know how much Don appreciated him and how much Don was terrified of being left behind by him, even if Don knew that when worse comes to worse, he would willingly let the man go even if it hurts. He wasn’t selfish after all, even if he wanted to be. 

Case in point, this vacation. He honestly would’ve never expected to ever take a break from his job, but he had to admit, it was a good thing. While he was annoyed at the fact that everyone basically planned this behind his back and lured him to the car with a fake case, he couldn’t keep it in him to be too pressed about that. 

Kind of…

“So Eppes, are you still mad at me?” said partner’s arms circle around his waist, pulling him close. He could feel the other man’s lips pressed against his neck, probably his way of apologizing even if the man knew he was right. 

“I don’t know Edgerton, was it really necessary to kidnap me like that out of the blue?” he quipped, craning his head so that he could see Ian. 

“Would you really agree to join me if I actually asked?”

Don rolled his eyes, “probably not” he admitted. He still had piles of unfinished paperwork on his desk that he really needed to get through after all. There really was no break for him and that was something that he learnt to deal with. Unfortunately for him, everyone around him missed the memo. “Could you blame me though? Have you seen my desk?” 

"Don…" Ian said patiently, "if I waited for the papers on your desk to disappear before I asked you to go on a vacation, by then we would have nothing else to do but to float around in a vacuum of space because the world would've already turned to dust."

Don turned around and slapped Ian’s arm playfully. “Hey ! I’m not that bad” he protested. “I managed to make a dent in it… eventually.” After a few months and barely any sleep.

Ian laughed, causing Don to feel a sense of warmth within him. Ian wasn’t the type to be open with his emotions, nor was he the type to tease and have fun like this. So to see the man being open with him, laughing because of him was enough to cause his heart to stir into a frenzy. “Eventually huh? So what would you do once someone else puts a new assignment on top of it?” 

Don opened and shut his mouth, distinctly feeling like he was doing an impersonation of a fish. “Shut up,” he growled, crossing his arms as he frowned. 

Ian grinned as he ruffled Don’s hair, laughing at his somewhat petulant expression. “That’s what I thought” he replied, his tone far too smug for Don’s liking. Don swatted his hand away, stepping back from Ian’s arms to look at their surroundings once more. 

“They did a decent job picking out our place to stay, huh?” Ian asked him, leaning on the doorway to the living room as Don started to investigate it, running his fingers over a gorgeous grand piano that was sitting near the front of the large glass doors to the terrace, overlooking the beautiful woods behind them. 

Don snickered as he turned around, leaning against the wall. “How much did it hurt for you to say that?” he shot back, grinning. Ian’s eyes narrowed. 

“What are you talking about? I’m nice.” 

Don rolled his eyes. “You ? No offense Ian, but if you look up the internet and type in the word nice, your face would be listed as the opposite.”

"How is that supposed to be not offensive?"

Don grinned, "it's certainly less offensive than what I was actually thinking."

Ian crossed his arms, giving Don the stink eye. “I don’t hear you complain about it.” 

Don let out a fond huff as he crossed his arms, smiling slightly. “Really? Then what were those times where I kept asking you to play nice for even a single second?” 

“White noise,” Ian shrugged. 

Don shook his head, “you’re such an ass, you know that?”

“Yet you keep coming back. Makes me wonder if you got something to hide behind that pretty smile” Ian teased as he walked over to Don, his movements smooth and graceful, almost like a cat. Or a panther. “Like attracts like after all” he grins, his forearm on the wall as he leaned over Don. 

Don looks up, mirroring his smile. “Are you calling me an ass as well?” 

“I’m not saying anything” Ian shrugged, “I’m just implying.” 

“Well, I think you should stop implying anything about me if you want to even think about getting laid during our time here.”

Ian raised an eyebrow. “You think you can hold out?” 

Don poked Ian’s chest with his finger. “Hey! I went one year without getting laid. I think I can do it.” He grins at the disbelief on Ian’s face and ducks out of his hold, eager to explore the house more. 

He had just reached the hallways on the second floor and was about to take a peek in one of the rooms when he heard Ian’s footsteps from behind. Then he felt one of Ian’s arms wrap around his waist while the other went to wrap around his shoulders, his hand holding Don’s jaw. Don’s hands automatically flew to hold Ian’s arms. “You’re kidding, right?” 

Don raises an eyebrow, “I don’t know…what do you think?” He teases. 

“I think…that’s an impressive streak. Although, you don’t hold a candle to my own of four years” Ian murmurs.  

“Oh shit…” He breathes out, realizing that he might’ve accidentally not thought this through. “You’re kidding, right?” he asked, accidentally mirroring Ian’s earlier question and tone. 

“What do you think? You know me well enough by now to know that anything is possible” Ian asked. Don felt Ian run his thumb across Don’s bottom lip, his head tilted to the side. A sign of permission. Don nodded and opened his mouth willingly. As soon as he did, Ian hooked his thumb over the bottom row of his teeth, causing Don’s breath to hitch in his throat. “Now the question is, which one of us can hold out the longest? You or me?”

“I hate you, you know that?” He shot at Ian, voice slightly muffled by the finger still in his mouth.

Ian let out a low chuckle which caused a burning flame to coil around in his gut. “Really?” he asked, his tone slow and calm, the exact tone that he knows will drive Don mad. “I’ll give that hatred around five more minutes before you change your mind.”

“Oh yeah? And how do you know I’ve given in?” he challenged as Ian slipped his thumb out, resting it on his bottom lip, forcing it to jut out slightly. 

He could feel Ian grin fiercely before leaning down to whisper in his ear, “When you’re screaming my name.” 

Don would never admit that he whimpered at that, not even in a million years as his face turned red. And if anyone ever implied that he did, he would shoot them on the spot with no remorse. As he was in Ian’s arms, he started to think. Did he ever expect to give up his control like this when dating Ian? To have an entire thing with contracts and safewords? No. But in reality, it was something that he knew he needed. Thankfully, Ian was receptive enough to accept, and that was something that Don was always grateful for. Once again, Ian understands what he needs and was willing to go along. The good thing is, this relationship does go both ways and Don also knows what Ian needs. And what Ian needs is someone who can go toe to toe with him, someone who can be a challenge even if by the end, they know where they’ll be. 

Lucky for him, Don has been called one of the most stubborn and challenging people around. 

“Well then…looks like you might have to put that to the test” he replied, turning around as he pulled Ian in for a fiery kiss. “Although fair warning” he teased as they pulled away, “I won’t make it easy on you.” 

Ian chuckled warmly, “you never do,” he said before he pulled Don in for another kiss. Frantic hands roamed everywhere as they stumbled backwards into the bedroom, shutting the door behind them. 

“Do you even have an agenda for this?” he asked a few minutes after they were finished, basking in the aftermath of their vigorous lovemaking. He looked up at Ian from beneath his lashes, too comfortable to move as he snuggled into the pillows a little more. He always appreciated everything that Ian had done, knowing that the man knew what Don needed more than himself. He always thanked his lucky stars that the sniper walked into his life and in a way, swept him off his feet. “Or did you only plan my kidnapping and hoped for the best from there?” 

Ian snorted beside him, the upper half of his body propped up by an unholy amount of pillows. It seemed that the owners of this house really liked pillows. Don wasn’t complaining too much though since he was very comfortable and the pillows gave him access to admire Ian. While the man wasn’t what some people would say conventionally attractive, he was still very handsome in his own right, especially with that confident air on him that managed to suck Don in. “What kind of person do you think I am Eppes?” 

“The kind of person who decided to drag his lovely boyfriend away from work even when he knows that said boyfriend still has mountains of paperwork to do,” Don shot back, no real heat behind his voice. 

Ian raised an eyebrow at him. “You’re still worried about that ?” he asked as he turned to face Don, incredulous. His hands went up to trace the litany of bite marks that marred Don’s neck and shoulders, his eyes growing heated. Don rolled his eyes as he went to gently caress the side of Ian's face, blushing as Ian held his wrist and gave the inside of it a light kiss, causing Don to shudder slightly.   

“You kidding? At this point, I’m bracing for the fact that I’m going to have Mount Everest 2.0 on my desk once I’m back.” 

Ian placed a hand on his chest, a look of mock hurt was written on his face. “You wound me, Eppes. Do you really think I wouldn’t have that covered?” 

Don raised an eyebrow at that, “What did you do ?”

Ian gave him a smug grin. “What makes you think I did anything?

Don glared. “Ian Edgerton I swear to god I will kick you off this bed right now if you did something stupid.” 

“Relax Don…” Ian replied, his smile turning into something less smug and more fond. “I just told your team to take care of the paperwork that doesn’t need you.” There was a pause for a moment before Ian continued. “That and your entire desk is now wrapped with police tape to block people from accessing it.”

“WHAT?!” Don shrieked, his head shooting up as he stared at Ian in shock and horror. ”You wrapped my desk up in POLICE TAPE?!” 

Ian looked unperturbed by his reaction and merely shrugged, damn snipers and their zen. “That and I also threatened to shoot anyone who had no business putting more work on your desk.” 

“IAN!” 

“What?” He asked, his face the perfect picture of innocence. 

“YOU DON’T JUST THREATEN TO SHOOT CO-WORKERS!” 

“It got results, didn’t it?” His smug tone was back again. “So far, Reeves told me that everyone has avoided your desk like the plague. Who knew that the amount of paperwork that’s actually yours is so much more different that the amount you currently have.” 

Don dropped his face in the pillows again, groaning. “It’s called helping Ian. I don’t think you’d understand.” 

While Don couldn’t see Ian’s face, he had a distinct feeling that Ian was rolling his eyes. “There’s helping, and then there’s ‘making everyone useless by completely doing their work for them,’ Don.” Ian’s tone was patient, but no less patronizing.

“I don’t do that!” Don protested. 

Ian raised an eyebrow at him again. “Then why are there unfinished reports on your desk from other agents? Why do you have case files on your desk that aren’t yours, but with your notes like you were doing preliminary work for them? Why do you have interview notes that aren’t from your cases? Why-” 

“Alright! Alright! I get it!” Don hissed, as he covered his head with a pillow, grumbling in annoyance. He could hear Ian laugh at him before reaching over to pluck the pillow from his hands, shaking his head at Don’s disgruntled expression.

“Aw…looks like the pretty boy can’t take a loss,” Ian grinned as he reached over to pinch Don’s cheek, causing Don to swat his hand away. 

“You know, the more you do that, the more I’m starting to rethink this relationship because clearly, you take too much satisfaction in seeing me suffer.” 

Ian went to ruffle his hair, mussing up his already messy bed-head. “Sorry Eppes, you should’ve read the fine print before you started dating me.” 

Don rolled over, looking at him suspiciously. “Yeah? And what was that?” 

Ian’s grin turned into something more wicked as he rolled on top of Don, pinning his wrists into the mattress. “That I never let a good thing go, although if they beg prettily enough, I can be convinced.” Ian's gaze darkened as he gave Don the same sharp gaze he gives to the people he's investigating. But this time, there was an undercurrent of lust that was boiling just beneath the surface. 

Don rolled his eyes, smiling. “Is that how it is huh? I’m just a good thing to you?” 

“The best kind” he replied before leaning down to suck on an already bruised mark on the juncture between Don’s neck and shoulder. 

“Ian…” Don warned, trying to stop himself from arching into Ian’s mouth. “If you’re trying to start off round three, I will kick you where it hurts the most.”

“Why? Can’t keep up?” Ian teased, but he backed off. 

“First of all, I have a normal amount of stamina, thank you very much,” he muttered. “It’s you who's insane. Secondly, if you want me to be able to walk normally by the time we get out of this house, then you better back up and let me recover.” 

“What if that’s my agenda all along? Having you limp in public, my arm around your waist so that the world knows you’re with me,” Ian purred, smirking at the blush that started to appear on Don’s face and continued to trail down onto his torso. 

Don let out a mock sigh. “I don’t think that’s necessary, especially since you never make an effort to hide the fact that we’re dating.” Don never knew how he managed to get all the possessive people in his life ranging from his romantic relationships to his platonic ones, but he did and Ian was no exception. Thankfully though, the sniper wasn’t as bad as some of his previous girlfriends who would go so far as to fight with women he was talking with or Charlie when he got offended that Don called in another math consultant while he was away that one time (the hour long rant was something he would never forget). Ian would only go to ‘mark his territory’, as Megan liked to call it, when the people Don was talking with were clearly interested in him. Other than that, he didn’t do much. But judging by the nervous looks of anyone who approached him while Ian was around, he had a feeling that there was probably more to it than what meets the eyes. Don didn’t really mind it too much though, understanding that it was in Ian’s nature to be like this. He’s just glad that Ian hasn’t tried to hiss at anyone who approached Don. 

Yet.

“Why should I?” Ian asked, releasing one of his wrists to cup Don’s face, running a finger over his cheek. “I want everyone to know this pretty man underneath me is already taken.” 

Don rolled his eyes, “you’re lucky I find that possessive streak of yours attractive” he said, using his free hand to prop himself up, leaning to get a kiss from Ian. Ian leaned down and they met halfway, a slow and steady kiss that matched the slow and peaceful atmosphere.

“Yeah…yeah I am” Ian said, his smile can almost be considered as soft, definitely softer than anything Don’s ever seen before from him. And it was all for him. 

Don mirrored his smile and went to lightly peck Ian once more. “So…do you actually have any plans or are you just planning on keeping me trapped here?” 

Ian let out a low chuckle. “I do have something planned for us soon” he replied, looking over at the windows, the light shining through the crack in between the curtains. Thankfully the house is situated on an empty spot of land near the woods so there aren’t any threats of people accidentally seeing them have sex. “We definitely still have plenty of time, but if you want to get a headstart, we can get dressed now and walk around in town before we go to the place I have planned.” 

“That definitely sounds like a good idea,” he smiled. Then he swatted Ian’s shoulder, pushing him off “now get off of me or else we’ll never get out of this cabin.” 

“Pushy…” Ian muttered, grinning before rolling off of Don. Then they both went to get dressed for the day ahead. 

Ian was grateful that Don didn’t decide to punch him in the face for that small kidnapping stunt he did. Not that he couldn’t block it, it would just be unfortunate to have the man be angry at him for the duration of this trip. But thankfully, judging by his bright smile and teasing attitude, Ian made the right call. 

As per usual. 

Now he was waiting for Don to get dressed, anticipation thrumming through his veins. It’s the same sort of anticipation that he has whenever he knows he’s close to catching a fugitive. It was only due to years of practice and tight control was he able to reign in these emotions into something more manageable. Although, he couldn’t say he wasn’t completely excited. This entire excursion took months of planning after all and most of the time was spent on thinking and discussing about how they could get Don to stop working. While Ian could certainly manhandle Don into submission, he didn't want to piss the man off too much and Don was too smart to see through most lies and poorly planned cover stories. Adding to that, Don was crafty and slippery so they really had to make sure that this part was ironclad. That’s why they ended up landing on the fake crime and then kidnapping option, it was the best of both worlds.

He was looking through his phone when he heard the door open behind him. “Took you long enough Don, I swear sometimes-” then he froze when he saw Don standing there, a playful smile on his lips. 

Don was wearing a standard black button up, his white t-shirt poking from underneath. The first few buttons were undone and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, the everpresent watch on his wrist. That coupled with his usual (tight) jeans shouldn't be able to make Ian’s throat go dry. But, judging by the fact that the shirt was definitely longer and slightly bigger than Don’s usual shirts and the familiar scent that seemed to grow even more told Ian everything that he needed to know. 

Don was wearing one of his shirts. 

Don stepped closer, smiling playfully as he observed Ian’s almost stone reaction. “Finally got you to be speechless for a change, huh?”. Ian didn’t answer, he just stared at Don. He didn’t know he’d have this much of a visceral reaction at seeing Don wear something that was his, but once again, Don brought something out of him that he didn’t even know existed. 

That or it was the possessive trait that decided to rear its head again.

Don looked at him, tilting his head slightly at the almost unresponsive Ian before letting out a sigh. “Oh well, if you don’t like it that much, I guess I’ll change out of this” he said as he turned around. But before he could even take a step towards the bathroom, Ian’s hand shot out and went to grab him by the back of the shirt, pulling him into his arms.

“Don’t you fucking dare” he growled in Don’s ear. 

Don laughed brightly, clearly taking amusement at his reactions. “Alright…alright” he conceded, “message received. Don’t change it.” He turned around and wrapped his arms behind Ian’s neck. “I didn’t know I’d get that strong of a reaction out of you. If I knew, I would’ve done it earlier.” 

Ian went to wrap his arms around Don’s waist, pushing him so that the man was pinned against the wall. “You turning into a criminal on me Eppes?” 

Don grinned, “I might if this is the prize I get…” he said, tugging onto the shirt he was wearing.

“Careful…” Ian teased, putting their foreheads together. “If you were to go on the run, the Bureau might call on me to catch you.”

“What are you going to do? You gotta hand me over to the Bureau” he replied, lifting one leg up to wrap around Ian’s leg.

“Hmmm…I could say that you were killed in an accident and then take you for myself” Ian whispered in his ear, one arm holding his leg up as he leaned in. “Keep you locked up in a secret location that only I know, tie you to the bed, have wild fun every. Single. Night.” Ian smiled wickedly as he looked down, seeing Don whimper as his face turned a deep shade of red, his hand covering his mouth as he looked away. Seeing the confident and flirty agent get bashful on him is always one of the best sights in the world. 

Well…second only to seeing Don get reduced to a whimpering, begging mess beneath him.

“You act as if that isn’t something you do already” Don replied, clearly trying to get his voice back under control.

Ian let out a small huff of amusement before going down to nuzzle the underside of Don’s jaw. “But this time, I get you all to myself. No one will be able to pressure you or pile anything on you. And I’ll make sure you won’t think of anything else but me, us fucking on every available surface there is. After that, I cook you a wonderful dinner, knowing you’re no longer getting hurt because you decided to give yourself up again for the good of others.” He couldn’t help but laugh as soon Don buried his face into the crook of Ian’s arms, pulling Ian’s shirt to cover his face, his red neck being the only thing visible. Considering the fact that he has seen Don blush while naked, he knew that that colour goes all the way down. While he was never one to call something or someone cute, it was honestly adorable seeing the usual charmer get flustered.

“Well that…” he could feel Don swallow, “that was a domestic narrative. Never knew you had that boiling beneath the surface.” 

“What can I say?” he asked, kissing Don’s head. “Seeing you in my shirt brought something out of me.”

“I really should do this more often.” 

“Careful Eppes” he grinned, “too much and I might actually drag you from your work to fuck. And I don’t think you’ll like that.” 

“Alright, good point” he conceded, nodding as he tapped Ian on the shoulder lightly to signal that it’s time to let him go. Ian gracefully stepped back, smiling as he watched Don try to fix himself, adjusting the collar to cover the bruises on his neck. With a light comb of fingers through his hair, Don was as good as new. “Alright, let’s get out before we accidentally get distracted again” he said, shooting Ian a look.

Ian rolled his eyes, “hey! It’s not my fault you’re irresistible sometimes. I’m just a man of instinct after all.”

Don went to poke him in the middle of his forehead, “well control those instincts then” he replied, smiling, the way his eyes crinkle in the corners never fail to make him look more boyish than ever. 

“I’ll try” Ian shrugged, although they both know that Ian’s control over his own instincts and emotions is almost inhuman sometimes. “I’m still going to fuck you in my shirt tonight though” he whispered into Don’s ear after a beat of silence. 

Don’s face turned red again as he playfully shoved Ian away. “Sure, but don’t complain about stains on this shirt.”

“Nah” Ian replied, shaking his head. “It’ll be worth it.” 

After they both went to get their respective books and then their shoes, Don reached and grabbed his free hand, intertwining their fingers. “Enough standing around, I want to explore the town” he said eagerly, his eyes sparkling with barely concealed enthusiasm. Just like a little puppy Ian thought, amused. As much as he liked to tease Don by calling him ‘kitten’ sometimes, he felt like Don was more akin to a dog really. A trained K-9 of some sorts. Capable, dangerous, talented, and serious with a one track mind when on the job but capable of becoming playful, sunny, and excitable when out of it. Not to mention his head tilts reminded Ian too much of a German Shepherd's along with Don’s deep brown eyes. Not that he’d ever mention that. As much as he liked to tease Don, there were some things that he would never say to the man. He valued his relationship with Don too much. 

And his genitals.

“Alright” Ian smiled, “let’s get this show on the road then.” 

The town was definitely something that Ian would call idyllic. It was quaint, small, and very much homey. Definitely better than most of the towns Ian has visited. Although this place was also made to attract people who want to experience the quiet wilderness or the small countryside. Certainly more than those old towns he was forced to hole up in while hunting for a fugitive. 

He had to admit, the team knew what they were doing. He should send them a gift sometime. 

Looking down, he could feel a small smile spread on his face as he saw Don’s peaceful expression, looking around the area in awe. Considering he’s from the big town of LA, Ian’s not that surprised. The small towns that he has been to were probably also the same shitty ones that Ian went considering that Don used to be in fugitive recovery as well. The air was cool and crisp, some of the leaves had turned brown, crunching as soon as they stepped on them. 

“Wow…this is certainly better than those watering holes I’ve been forced to stay at” Don said, looking appreciative. 

“Same here” Ian replied. He couldn’t help but enjoy the sight. Old looking buildings, very few people walking around. A close knit society where everyone knows everyone and all are clearly happy. It was one of those things that you’d hear in stories but never in real life. It was nice to look at. 

“Makes me wonder if we should go here when we retire.” 

Ian’s heart stopped for a second, “you planning our ten year agenda Eppes?” 

Don grinned, his smile soft under the sunshine. “Don’t tell me you’re running away from me like that.” 

“No, I’d just like a warning next time.” 

Don snorted. “Ian Edgerton, sniper god and hunter extraordinaire, gets a heart attack when his own boyfriend mentions getting into retirement together. Nice to know where your priorities lie.” 

Ian shoved Don lightly, glowering as Don started to laugh. “Remember Eppes, I can easily kick your ass when we spar.” 

“Now who’s threatning who?” Don muttered, still smiling brightly. “And here I thought you would never let a good thing go until they beg” Don shot Ian’s words back at him. “And yet, here I am, not begging for anything and you’re still letting me go. Goes to show that you’re all talk and no act.” 

“You little-” Ian growled as he grabbed Don and wrapped his arm around the shorter man's shoulders, rubbing his knuckles into Don’s hair. Don let out a surprised yelp as he tried to release himself from Ian’s grip, failing miserably as Ian’s hold on him only tightened. 

“Damnit Ian! Let me go!” he shouted. 

“Not until you’re sorry.” 

“I’m- ow! i’m sorry alright! You’re all talk and act! Now let me go, your knuckles are fucking sharp!” As soon as he heard that, Ian let him go, grinning fiercely at the now messed up Don. Don shot a glare at him, muttering about ‘egotistical assholes getting their ego bruised’ before moving to comb his fingers through his hair. 

“It’s a damn wonder you haven’t accidentally cut someone’s skull open with that” Don grumbled. 

“Who's to say I haven’t?” Ian replied. 

Don merely glared at him, electing to ignore his response in favour of fixing himself up. Ian couldn’t help but be amused. For a man whose shirt constantly looks like it’s never seen an iron before and whose face looks like he’s never heard of the term sleep, Don was meticulous and careful when it comes to his appearance. Considering he’s basically the face of the team, Ian shouldn’t be too surprised. Especially since it’s those looks that got them information in the past. He tried not to get too jealous about it but sometimes, it was inevitable. He just made sure that Don didn’t forget who he was dating at the end of the day. Thankfully, Don enjoyed those nights just as much as he did so it was a win win.

Looking over, he saw a small cafe just nearby, the window pointing towards the mountains up in the distance. That looks like a nice place to hole up until later he thought. “Hey Don, want to wait there until it’s time for us to go to the place?” he asked, pointing towards the area. Don looked up, intrigued. 

“Sure” he shrugged as they both made their way to the small building. As soon as they walked inside, Ian could feel himself relax, just a bit. The interior was just as homey as their cabin was, the entire place was made of wood, save for the obvious cushions. Everything that was fabric looked to be home made and for an artist like Ian, he could certainly appreciate the craftsmanship. 

The place was certainly bigger than they first anticipated judging from the exterior. But, it turns out that most of the space used wasn’t for the cafe. As soon as he saw it, Ian couldn’t help but snicker. Oh boy… he thought, looking over to Don who had a bright sparkle in his eyes. 

Most of the space in the place was used to house shelves of books. 

As soon as Ian let his hand go, Don almost sprinted to the bookshelves, eagerly looking to see what they had. Ian let out a fond smile as he saw that, charmed by the sight. It wasn’t something that happened often, but when it did, Ian was sure to commit it to memory, drawing the exact scene in his sketchbook. Thankfully, he had an almost perfect memory so he could always revisit these scenes whenever he wanted. 

Ian let Don scour the shelves while he went to the counter to ask for a drink. The one behind the counter was an elderly man, his face filled with smile lines behind his glasses. He looked at Don with the same fond amusement that Ian did earlier, smiling. “He yours?” the man asked, pointing in Don’s direction. Ian couldn’t help but puff his chest up at that, almost preening at the question. 

“Yes sir” he replied. 

“An educated one is he? I’ve never seen anyone look so eager to read books before.”

Ian nodded his head, smiling amusedly as Don stared at the books on the shelves with open fascination. “Yeah. He doesn’t show it often, but he loves to read. Especially history and literature.” 

“That’s always a good thing” the man replied, “I don’t usually see the youth being so eager when it comes to reading so it’s always nice to find someone who appreciates it.” 

“I can see why.” 

“How about you?” the man asked, looking at Ian. Even with his kind eyes, Ian could tell that the man was trying to read him. While that would usually bother him, something in Ian couldn’t really be too disturbed by it at the moment.

“Here and there, but not as much as he does. He has around four shelves filled with books, all annotated with pages of notes, research, citation, and thoughts” he explained, his eyes growing warm as soon as he saw Don pull out the ever present leather notebook, the sword charm that Ian gave him still dangling from the spine. “I’m more of an artist myself” he said, lifting his sketchbook that was secured under his arm.

“Sounds just like us,” the man replied, chuckling. “Issac always complains about me leaving my papers lying around, but I get to complain about his art supplies on my desk so I think it's fair game.”

“And Issac is…” 

The man smiled, raising his left hand. A metal ring was encased on his finger. “We got married in Canada before moving here” he explained. 

“I see…” 

“I like to say that we’ve been married for far too long, but he says that it’s not long enough. It seems like I can never win an argument against him” he mutters. 

Ian couldn’t help but look over at Don, smiling softly. “I get what you mean.” 

The man reached over the counter and held his hand up. “I’m Daniel Eldrige and my husband is Issac Elridge.” 

If Ian didn’t have a tight control of his emotions, he would be choking on air right now. Out of all the things he was expecting to see, taking a glimpse of what could possibly be their future wasn’t one of them. “Ian Edgerton” he replied smoothly. 

As soon as he heard that, the man’s eyes lit up in amusement. “And I’m guessing that his name also has the initials of ‘D.E.’?” 

Ian snorted. “Don Eppes.” That caused Daniel to snort in amusement, his shoulders shaking with mirth. 

“Well then, looks like your orders are going to come with a discount then.” 

Ian shook his head, “We couldn’t possibly-” 

“Nonsense” Daniel cut in, shaking his head. “I get a lot of customers here so it’s not like I’m short of funds. Plus, it’s nice to see someone appreciate the collection I have.” Then the man dropped his voice into a conspiratorial whisper. “Also, between you and me, I find it cute that we get to see a glimpse into what we would look like all those years ago. I’m pretty sure Issac would agree as well, if he manages to get that stick up his ass. He’s always been far too serious.” 

“That’s because I don’t like people knowing who I am,” a voice spoke up. Looking up, Ian could see a man going down the stairs, looking at them with a cool expression. Judging by his stance and air, he could tell that this man used to be in the military and probably held a high position. Ian’s back straightened up, his stance a bit stiffer than usual. The man, he presumed to be Issac, was looking at him with a piercing gaze, one that he returned. 

“Issac” Daniel admonished, “don’t intimidate the customers.” 

Ian met the man’s gaze head on, not looking back. The man then smiled slightly, nodding in appreciation before he backed down. “I’m not, just sizing him up sweetheart.” Daniel rolled his eyes in a way so reminiscent of how he and Don were that it was almost terrifyingly uncanny. Maybe we accidentally slipped into the twilight zone or something.  

But before any of them could say anything more, Ian could feel something hit the back of his head. “Hey!” he complained, rubbing the area as he turned around. 

Don was glaring at him, tapping his foot on the ground, his arms crossed. The leather book that was in his hand told Ian what Don had hit him with. “I swear to god Ian if you are trying to get into a fistfight with an older gentleman, I will throw you off a bridge.” 

“First of all, I’d like to see you try. Second of all, what makes you think I was trying to do anything?” Ian protested.

Don raised an eyebrow, as if challenging him to try and refute him. “Do you really need to ask?” he asked, his tone smug as he pointed his chin at Ian’s stance. Ian had the grace to feel somewhat sheepish, a rare phenomenon but something that happens more often with Don. 

“Watch it, pretty boy, remember I can and will throw you out face first into the leaves” Ian said. 

Don scoffed, “You’re acting as if I can’t turn it on you.” Don then got nearer, their faces almost touching. “I might let you manhandle me, but that doesn’t mean I’ll just easily roll over every time,” he whispered. He pulled away again, shooting him a wink before saying, “I need to keep you on your toes after all.” 

Ian shook his head, exasperated. That is what he gets from dating a man as fierce as Don. He wouldn’t have it any other way though.

“Yep…just a younger version of us” Ian could hear Daniel mutter underneath his breath, looking at the both of them with a fond expression. Looking over, he could see that Issac had that odd sort of smile, the one that told him that he was trying not to look soft but he was still charmed so the expression looks more akin to a half-smug half-amused thing. 

Don looked at them, giving them his patent pending Don Eppes puppy head tilt of confusion. He chuckled as he reached over to ruffle Don’s hair, much to the other man’s annoyance. “I’ll explain it to you later.”

“Alright…” he muttered, looking unconvinced but still deciding to back away. “So, are you going to order for us or are you going to keep chatting up the owners of the shop?” 

“I think they’re a bit too old for me,” Ian replied, narrowing his eyes. 

“I mean…you are pretty-” 

“If you continue that sentence, I will drown you in the fountain that we passed by earlier and then scatter your body parts over all seven continents” Ian threatened. 

Don raised his arms in mock surrender, but the smug and playful look in his eye was still very much clear. He narrowed his eyes even more as his hand went to grab a light plastic cup. A single nod from Daniel was enough for Ian as he threw it at Don’s head. Don ducked, cackling wildly as he ran off, probably to get them a seat. “Dumbass…” Ian muttered underneath his breath, causing the owners behind him to start laughing. 

“Oh god! That reminds me of the eleventh of June, when we were in that restaurant, remember?” Daniel said, laughing between tears. 

Issac shook his head, a fond smile on his face. “How can I not? We ended up taking our fight outside into the snow. Good times…” 

“They were, weren’t they?” Daniel smiled before turning to Ian. “Appreciate everything you have because memories become even more beautiful with the people you love.” 

Ian couldn’t help but grow warm at that, cursing the fact that he was now very susceptible to emotions. “I will,” he replied before giving them their order. Ian has known Don well enough to know his coffee order by heart.

As soon as he was finished, he went to the table where Don was sitting, smiling amusedly at the book that he already picked up. He looked over and marveled at the scenery, something that he generally either didn’t do because there just wasn’t anything good to look at in a small town, or didn’t allow himself to do because that meant he would be distracted. But here, in this small little town while on vacation, Ian allowed himself to admire. 

He and Don chatted for a while and when the drinks came, they both took a sip at the same time, savouring the great flavours. It seems like godly coffee skills was another trait that Don shared with the older man, which caused Ian to feel amused even more. They chatted and chatted, the conversation flowing easy between them as they relaxed in the comfy environment. Both Ian and Don had pulled out their respective books and were writing or sketching into them, but that didn’t mean that their partner was ignored. The day was soon filled with either banter, loud bickering, or comfortable silence with the elderly couple occasionally going to their table and holding a conversation with them. Ian wasn’t too surprised to find out that they both served and actually worked close with each other. He wasn’t even surprised at the fact that Don managed to accidentally charm both men, causing Daniel to pinch his cheek endearingly while cooing about “his adorable younger self” while Issac occasionally went to ruffle his hair once in a while. Ian was surprised when the older couple also turned their attention to him, but to a lesser degree than Don. Considering that those two were like the older version of themselves, Ian figured that they both had a way of getting through him, as annoying as it was. 

When they finished, they both handed their coffee cups to the elderly couple who both thanked them warmly. “Please come again soon, I would love to talk more about literature with you” Daniel said, giving Don a warm hug. Don let himself be hugged, even if Ian knew it wasn't something he was very keen about. Don was almost always a good sport, especially when it came to elderly people and children. 

Don smiled, “We’ll try our best. Just hope that the Bureau will let us go for a while.” 

“Or hope that Don doesn’t pile up more work on himself” Ian joked, dodging a swat to the head. 

“You better be careful with you health young man,” Issac said sternly, “overworking yourself will only destroy you in the long run.” 

“I’ll try…” Don mumbled, looking suitably chastised. Ian could only grin at that. Don shot him a glare as he tried, and failed, to hit Ian once more. “Dick…” he muttered underneath his breath, making Ian chuckle. 

“Why don’t you go outside to cool off, I have to ask them something.” Don gave him an affirmative shrug before walking out into the crisp, autumn air. As soon as he left, Ian pulled out a piece of paper. “Do you know where I can find…Christine Hedge?” 

Daniel’s eyes lit up. “Oh! You’re the people she asked to give the package for. She is out at the moment but told me to give you these.” Daniel then turned to his husband “Issac, can you grab the basket in the back?” then turned back to Ian “I hope you liked the cabin.” 

Ian nodded, “we do, it’s quite nice.” Then his eyes traced the movements of Issac as he walked back, emerging with a large picnic basket. While Ian knew that he could cook like the best of them, he (or rather, everyone else) decided to leave today’s picnic to the locals. He didn’t want to waste too much time cooking and if anyone tried to poison any of them, Ian would hunt them down until the ends of the earth and have them arrested. 

Simple as that.

“Alright, thank you for today, it’s been nice,” he said. As much as Don liked to accuse him of being an asshole, he did have the capacity to be nice. It just takes a very specific situation in order to bring that side out of him. 

“You too” they both said. Ian turned to leave but as soon as he had his hand on the doorknob, Issac called out. 

“By the way, Agent Edgerton!” Ian turned around, “cherish that man outside okay? If he’s anything like Daniel, then you have a good man in your grasp. Don’t lose him, even if you feel like you don’t deserve him because no matter how you feel, he’ll always think highly of you. Love him the way he deserves to be loved and you’ll have someone who will go to the ends of the earth with you, through hell and back for you.” Ian swallowed a knot that decided to appear in his throat, trying not to think about the times where Don has gone through hell, with him and for him. It was a part of Don that Ian never liked but something he had to get used to, find a way to work around it. 

“I will sir, thank you for the advice” he replied before walking out into the crispy afternoon. 

Don was leaning on the building door, scribbling away at his book when he heard Ian’s footsteps. “Took you long enough,” he said before looking down at the basket questioningly. “What’s that?”

“Something for later” Ian answered before putting his sketchbook into the basket then wrapping his arm around Don’s shoulder. “C’mon, now it’s time to go to the place I have planned.” 

“Ian, if you’re bringing me to the woods just so you can find a way to toss my body, I will haunt you for the rest of your life.” 

Ian rolled his eyes, “Don’t be dramatic Eppes, if I were to kill you, I wouldn’t throw your remains in the woods. I’d toss you into a pig pen.” 

“That’s real assuring, you know that?”

“You started it, I’m just finishing it” he shot back. Don gave him a hard shove, but it wasn’t enough to topple him further. “You try that again and I’ll toss you over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes,” Ian threatened, his voice bearing no heat behind them.

Don’s eyes narrowed. “You wouldn’t. You can’t carry me for that long.” 

“If we’re talking about bridal or a front carry, you’re right. But if I hold you in a fireman’s carry or just slung you over my shoulder, I can do it for longer” he said, grinning at the horror on Don’s face. It would be painful, but it would be worth it. 

Don instantly held his hands up, “Alright…I’ll lay it off for now” he said. 

“Good” Ian replied before their discussion turned into chatter. Just like in the cafe, the conversation flowed between them like a river. They fell into their usual back and forth dynamic, enjoying the hike into the woods and up the mountain. As soon as they reached a marked spot, Ian told Don to stand still before running off himself. 

Up at the top, there was a small picnic area overlooking the taller mountains in the distance, a large and clear sparkling lake below them. It was definitely beautiful scenery. Ian quickly set the table up with all the food before going back down to where Don was waiting. When he asked Don to close his eyes, Don only gave him a “you better not push me or I’ll drag you down with me” look before letting Ian cover his eyes, using Ian’s guidance as his only sense of direction. Ian couldn’t help but feel touched by this. Don Eppes, a man who was notorious for being a control freak, was letting Ian Edgerton, a man who has done some questionable things, lead him through some empty woods near a cliff, trusting him enough to not let him fall. Ian couldn’t help but marvel at the open display of trust, promising to himself that he’ll never let this precious gift go. Trust was something he cherished but rarely got so to see someone give him that meant everything to Ian. 

As soon as they got up, Ian opened his eyes with a flourish. “Surprise!” he grinned widely at the look of shock and awe on Don’s face. All those months of planning definitely paid off as Don went over to the table, running his fingers over it before he gave Ian a loving look that almost took his breath away.

“This…this is wonderful” he murmured, smiling gently. Then he went over to Ian and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. “Thank you for this. I can tell you worked hard.” 

“Of course,” he replied, wrapping his arms around Don, pulling him close. “You deserve the best after all.” Don’s smile grew even brighter, rivaling the setting sun beside them before he grabbed Ian’s face to pull him into a passionate kiss, his arms moved to wrap itself around Ian’s neck. 

As they pulled away, smiling with the orange hues dancing around them, Ian has never felt this happy nor at peace before. “God…I love you so much” he heard Don whisper before he froze, realizing what he had said. Ian froze too, surprised. Up till this point, they’ve never really said it before, feeling like they weren’t ready for something so substantial, especially after the shorter or unserious relationships they’ve been in before. So they went around it by using a special phrase. Don gave him a calm look, but Ian could tell that behind it, he was afraid. Afraid that he might’ve accidentally ruined one of the best days of their lives. Afraid that Ian would go running away at the thought of commitment. 

And while Ian might’ve ran at the thought of love before, he was somewhat surprised to find that he wasn’t even considering it here now. Here, in this beautiful area, the peaceful winds blowing through them, the sun setting down and casting the sky in a red-orange glow, Ian couldn’t help but look at the man in his arms with affection. A man who had taken Ian in, loved him for everything that he was, accepted him with his flaws and internal darkness and managed to keep them at bay with a kiss. A man who saw Ian at his worst and yet still decided to give him a chance, to trust Ian with his fragile heart, one that has been hurt many times in the past despite knowing how much damage Ian can do. Here, in this peaceful atmosphere with nothing to worry about, Ian found that this love came about as naturally as he breathed. 

He wasn’t the type to love, but as per usual, Don Eppes was always his exception. 

Ian gave him a soft smile before leaning down to kiss him sweetly, tilting Don’s body so that he was slightly bent backwards, making sure to keep a tight hold just in case Don accidentally lost his balance and fell off. As soon as he pulled away, he rested his forehead against Don’s, their noses brushed as Don smiled sweetly. The light blush on his face along with his now red lips and soft orange hues dancing across his pale skin made the scene so much more beautiful than he could ever let himself imagine. “I love you too” he whispered, just as easily as he did everything else. And as Don laughed brightly before leaning in to kiss him again, Ian felt that everything had clicked into place.

For once in his life, Ian let himself love. 

Ian woke up, mostly by instinct really before he blinked, trying to remember where he was. It only took a split second for everything to hit him, causing him to smile at the memory. This excursion certainly wasn’t a mistake . He rolled over to wrap his arms around a sleeping Don, only to look in surprise as his hands found nothing but empty air. He got up, turning on the lamp beside him to check and he was correct. The place where Don would be was now empty, leaving nothing but rumpled sheets to signify that he was there. Looking over, he realized that Ian’s shirt, the one that Ian was wearing earlier that day had disappeared. 

Ian let out a small huff of amusement at that. Of course he’ll find another one of my clothes to wear. Considering the fact that Ian’s shirt that Don had borrowed earlier was tossed into the laundry for…reasons, he shouldn’t be too surprised. I’m just grateful he didn’t steal anything fresh. Ian might have a few extra set of clothes, but that didn’t mean that he had an infinite supply of them. 

As he got up to search for his missing partner, he heard soft music coming from downstairs. That’s when he remembered that large grand piano that was sitting there. Ian had almost forgotten about the fact that he found sheet music in Don’s apartment almost five months ago. Ian wasn’t surprised that despite the short duration, they found themselves flowing seamlessly. They were friends and co-workers for longer, so that compatibility transferred over to dating. 

As he heard the music play, he decided that he wanted to get a closer look. Pulling on a pair of pants, he walked barefoot out the bedroom, noting the light drizzle that was going on outside. Stepping into the hallway, he looked over and smiled at a framed picture. It was something that the old couple, Issac and Daniel sent over when they were away. After the excursion, they found a box containing old war journals and strategy books, ones that made Don light up with excitement. But underneath that was something better. 

It was a drawing in a wooden frame, both clearly handmade with love. It was a drawing of them, an exact replica of a scene in the cafe. Ian was leaning back into his chair, pencil in hand as the side profile of his sketchbook was clearly laid out on the table in front of him, his black coffee still steaming. He had a soft smile on his face, an expression that Ian didn’t realize he had until he saw it laid in front of him. Don leaned forward, his head in his hand as he gave Ian a bright smile, his eyes crinkling in the corner, twinkling in delight. His notebook laid in front of him, the sword charm visible along with another open book by its side. Ian had his leg hooked around Don’s, the light from the window behind them shone in all the right places, casting interesting shadows. It was one of the most domestic things Ian has ever seen before, definitely a picture that he’ll treasure (although one he’ll never let anyone see, not unless he trusts them). 

He decided to take the picture from the table and bring it with him as he went down to find Don. As he reached the living room, he couldn’t help but stare. 

Don was playing the piano, his fingers dancing gracefully over the keys in a way that made it seem like he was flowing with the music. His eyes were closed, a sweet and gentle smile on his lips as his body moved to the slow melody, his expression was one of complete peace. The silver glow from the moonlight peaked through the semi-transparent curtains, casting its pale light over him to the point where it almost seems like he’s glowing, the shadows on the floor swaying with his every move. He looked almost ethereal in the light, especially since he was wearing Ian’s larger white shirt, the fabric almost flowing like water with his movements with only his boxers as pants, the fabric hidden under the length of Ian's shirt. It gave the usually stoic man an almost carefree otherworldly air around him. The soft jet black hair that contrasted with his pale, almost glowing skin under the natural spotlight behind him made it seem like he was a moon spirit who fell to earth, not understanding anything like the concept of clothing or human suffering, only love and music. 

I am becoming mushy, he silently lamented. But a surprisingly decent part of him didn’t mind it too much. He thought he’d fall down this rabbit hole kicking and screaming, but just like everything else the man did, Don became his exception.

Ian might not be a connoisseur of music, but he could appreciate a beautiful piece when he hears it. The soft and gentle melody filled the quiet air between them, causing Ian to smile. He decided to walk nearer, careful not to startle the man. Don’s eye peaked open as he saw Ian approaching before he closed it again, moving over to the side so that Ian would have a place to sit, not skipping a single beat. 

Ian went over, giving Don a sweet kiss before putting the picture frame on the top of the piano. Don gave him his signature bright smile, his eyes crinkling once more in the corners. Ian went to ruffle his hair before sitting down next to Don, the man tilting his head to lean on Ian’s shoulder as soon as he huddled closer. Ian went to wrap his arm around Don’s waist, his own peaceful smile was clear on his face as he listened intently to the wonderful sound of the piano, the light taps of raindrops behind them becoming a natural backup percussion as Don dueted with the sounds of nature around them. 

As he watched Don play, he couldn’t help but grow even fonder. So far, he had been fighting his evolving feelings. But as he looked at Don’s hands moving fluidly over the keys with that soft smile on his face, he realized that maybe, letting go wasn’t the worst thing that could happen right now.

Ian whispered a fond “I love you” to Don’s hair, smiling as Don whispered it back just as easily. And as they shared a tender kiss under the moonlight accompanied with the beautiful music and light rain on the windows, Ian was given a realization. 

While he had let himself love earlier, he was still holding back. This time though, Ian let himself fall.