Work Text:
He liked to watch the other man work. It would have been weird if the other man had ever noticed him, but seeing as he lost himself in his work there was no real danger of being caught. There was something soothing in the sound of fingers on keys, the continuous click as Alexander typed his life away. The look of concentration on his face as he stared at the computer screen, tip of a pink tongue caught between teeth as he thought through something particularly difficult.
Things had changed very little since they had met. At least as far as the mannerisms were concerned. At least as far as how in love John was with Alexander. The latter’s hair had darkened from it’s once dark auburn to a dark brown. The still long locks were now threaded through with the beginnings of steely grey. Little lines had formed around his eyes and lips from both frowning and smiling too much. He had lost that boyish litheness to his form, the softness of youth being replaced with the hardness of life.
Alexander now held himself with a little more gravitas and solemness, and it seemed that recently he was frowning more than smiling. Tension settled in his shoulders even during times of infrequent rest. When he had come to bed the other night, well after a time that was decent, John had rolled over wrapping him in his arms, fingers digging at the knots of tension in the other man’s shoulders, wincing when Alexander hissed when he found a particularly bad one.
It seemed that the stress of his job was getting to him, and John was just worried that if Alexander didn’t start taking care of himself he was going to send himself to an early grave. John sighed at the thought, leaning back against the kitchen counter, folding his arms over his chest, frowning at his husband. He had been standing here for almost half an hour, his tea cold in it’s mug on the counter next to him, dark eyes still fixed on man seated at the kitchen table. Alexander it seemed did not notice him standing there, eyes fixed on the computer, a grumpy little frown pinching his eyebrows together.
John sighed again, fondly exasperated. “Alexander,” he said, voice suddenly loud in the mostly quiet kitchen, tone one of practiced command. He had had almost 30 years to perfect the ‘you will listen, stop working, and pay attention to me’ voice, and it worked almost every time.
Alexander started, eyes snapping up from the computer screen to stare at John from behind thin reading glasses. Of all the things that had changed in the many years since they had met Alexander’s eyes had stayed the same. Deep, fathomless, full of life and emotion. John still felt breathless when those eyes were fixed intently on him, much like they were now.
Blinking slightly as if dragging himself from a dream, a slow smile twitched up the corners of Alexander’s lips. Something sparked in those depths and the smile turned full and happy yet tinged with a weariness John hated.
“John,” Alexander’s tone was bordering on teasing, eyes running down John’s form in appreciation.
John knew what he saw: a man who had not grown into his freckles or curly hair, who still favored jeans to tailored suits, who was looking back at him with a dopey smile on his face. All of these things John had come to sort of accept about himself, or at least accept that Alexander liked them.
“You’ve been sitting there for six hours,” John told him, contemplating if he wanted his tea or if he wanted to cross the few steps to Alexander and force him away from his work for awhile.
That frown was back. Alexander shook his head a little. “It can’t have been that long,” he muttered glancing at the microwave clock to the left of John, adorable confusion painted clearly on his face. That look was what made up John’s mind, pushing himself away from the counter. It was whole unacceptable for a man his age to do what he was about to do but acceptability be damned.
After a moment of silent eyebrow raises and frowning communication, Alexander moved away from the table enough for John to settle himself in his lap happily. Strong arms wrapped around his waist holding him tightly to that firm chest, and John sighed resting his head on Alexander’s shoulder.
“It’s been six hours, Alex. You even missed the ruckus I made making lunch,” John told him. At the mention of lunch Alexander’s stomach grumbled loudly.
He gave a little awkward laugh, “Well, I guess it has been that long.”
John nodded against his shoulder, nuzzling into loose hair, breathing in the scent of Alexander’s shampoo. “Yes, and we are meeting Philip and Theo at 7. Oh stop that, they are in love.” John admonished his husband when Alexander pulled a face at the mention of Theodosia Burr.
“Yes, but did Philip have to go and fall in love with Burr’s only kid?” Alexander groused, the bite of his words offset with goodnatured teasing.
The only answer he got was a small hmmm as John kissed his cheek. Eyes darted back to the clock. They had to be there at seven? That gave them plenty of time. Alexander pulled the pliant man in his lap closer to him, arms tightening around his waist. John hmmm’d again, fingers toying with the ends of Alexander’s hair.
“We’ve got some time, mon coeur,” Alexander whispered, turning his head to capture John’s lips, kissing him soundly yet briefly, “How about we conserve water and shower together before we have to go?”
John pulled himself back from Alexander who was leaning in for another kiss. He appraised him with a raised eyebrow. “Somehow I have a feeling we would be using more water than we save,” he quipped.
“It’s the thought, love,” Alexander captured his lips again, fingers darting up under John’s t-shirt, caressing bare skin. John made a muffled noise against Alexander’s lips, tugging sharply on his hair.
After a few moments they parted, John kissing Alexander cheek before sighing, “We do need to get showered and dressed.”
“Indeed.”
Dark eyes met and John searched his husband’s face for any hint of mischievousness. “You have to keep your hands to yourself,” John said, even as he was climbing out of Alexander’s lap and tugging the other man towards the master bathroom.
“When have I ever been able to do that, mon coeur?” was the reply causing John to roll his eyes. It might serve all parties involved well if Alexander went into this dinner with Burr in a good mood.
The sound of the running water of the shower was soon punctuated by the two men’s teasing voices and fits of laughter and then bitten off moans of pleasure. They were ten minutes late pulling up to the restaurant, Alexander looking put together, hair back in a perfect tail, John looking slightly flustered. Philip cast one critical eye over his fathers and sighed in fond exasperation. He wasn’t even surprised, he just hoped that he would love Theo as much as his fathers loved each other after 25 years of being together.