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Tom's arms wrap around him and they hug. It's the most natural thing in the world and although Chris is so used to it he couldn't possibly ever get enough of it - not here in the secluded sanctuary that is their home, nor outside on any red carpet of the world. Chris pulls his arms around Tom's waist and draws him even closer, nuzzling into Tom's soft hair and breathing in the perfect scent of his shampoo.
“Thank you,” Chris whispers after a moment of just taking Tom in - his warmth, his touch. Chris’ eyes fall shut and he feels completely surrounded by him although Tom is the smaller one of them. There's no place he'd rather be right now. He doesn't want to let go yet and so he doesn't. “This is a wonderful gift.”
This is a white gold bracelet. A beautiful - undeniably expensive - thing. It's slender but not too frail - simple, yet stunning. And Tom gave it to him which makes it priceless anyway.
“You're welcome. Happy Birthday again,” Tom replies. His breath is soft and warm against the sensitive skin on the side of Chris’ neck and a pleasurably warm shiver runs down his spine.
“And I love you,” Tom adds tenderly. In what seems to be one synchronized movement, he gets up on his tip toes while Chris loosens his arms around Tom ever so slightly and Tom presses his lips to Chris' cheek in a soft kiss.
“I love you, too,” Chris replies quietly and impossible warmth is flooding his chest.
It's by far the first time they say they love each other and Chris is endlessly glad that he can simply say it, both of them knowing how it's meant, how much it means to both of them that they have each other in their lives. All of that doesn't change however that it still makes him a bit giddy every time he says it. Because Tom fucking Cruise loves him. The movie star he has been admiring ever since he was nothing but a teenager while Tom had already been famous back then. Sometimes it still doesn't get into his head that Tom is an integral part of his life, that they live together, that they are rarely separated.
It's not the first time either that Tom kisses his cheek. Tom sometimes does it when he's really happy about something they accomplished together or when he compliments Chris and his cheeks heat up like they naturally and immediately do in these moments. All of that in private of course because this is not what friends are supposed to do, more specifically it's not what male friends are supposed to do. For once, society seems to be more gentle on women.
Then again, calling Tom a friend doesn't sit right with him. Not at all. He's more than a friend, more than a best friend. They are partners, professionally and privately. Some journalists call them soulmates and neither of them denies it. Chris likes the term - very much so. It feels deep and serious enough for what they have, for the commitment they both put into their relationship. Whatever their relationship is. They have never tried to label it, have never felt the need to do so. Maybe this is what happens when your soulmate isn't the one you're romantically and sexually involved with. Not that the bond he has with Heather, his wife, isn't special - it certainly is - but it's different. At the same time both his relationships - the one with Heather and the one with Tom - are both exactly as meaningful as the other. It's a wonderful privilege and they all know it.
“Help me put it on?” Chris asks softly and finally releases Tom from the hug but keeps his hands resting on Tom's hips for a moment.
Tom nods. “Of course.”
Carefully, he takes the bracelet out of its small, black box that is stood on the coffee table at their knees.
Chris watches him with a smile and holds out his right hand. Tom takes it. His fingers feel warm against his. Warm, comfortable and just like home.
Tom's hands are slightly trembling and for a second Chris wonders why Tom is so nervous but then Tom closes the bracelet around his wrist, draws his hand up to his mouth and places a soft kiss on the back of it and Chris forgets what he'd been worrying all about.
“Thank you,” he whispers. “I love it.” He wiggles his wrist in front of his eyes, then takes a proper look at it. Delicate chain links and a slightly curved, rectangular plate that clings perfectly to the shape of his wrist. “And I love you,” Chris adds, still admiring the bracelet.
“I love you, too,” Tom replies but Chris can hear him frowning. “It's a bit too loose, isn't it?”
“Yeah, maybe,” Chris contemplates. He'd wear it like this but now that Tom has mentioned it he sees it too.
“Maybe the jeweler can take out some of the chain links,” Tom thinks out loud, taking Chris' wrist and turning it around to look at the clasp. He softly runs his thumb over his pulse point.
Chris watches him with a smile but it quickly turns into worry as Tom's hand is trembling again. “Are you alright, Tom?”
Tom nods slowly. “Yeah,” he whispers and now his voice is trembling, too. “It’s just that I wanted to ask you something.”
Now it's Chris' turn to frown. Usually, Tom doesn't hold back like this and just tells him whatever it is that is running through his mind. “Shoot,” Chris offers and tries at a small smile although Tom's eyes are still fixed on the bracelet.
Tom swallows, then links his fingers with Chris’ fingers of the hand he's holding anyway and now this is new. Chris is used to Tom's touch. He loves to snuggle up on their couch with Tom tucked at one side and Heather at the other. He loves to fall asleep in bed with Tom's head on his chest and a leg draped across him. He loves their not-so-stolen touches in public. But holding hands? That's new. They just don't do it. Until now, apparently. Not that Chris is complaining. It feels good, right, like Tom's hand belongs exactly there. He runs his thumb over Tom's as if it was the most natural thing to do. He doesn't know what Tom wants to ask him and maybe he should be nervous because Tom certainly is but somehow he's not. Tom is here. There's no movie production to worry about at the moment. Heather is upstairs. The girls are fine, too. Nothing to worry about.
“There's a second bracelet actually,” Tom says, slowly looking up. “For me,” he adds, noticing the frown forming on Chris' forehead. “It’s identical, except that it's yellow gold instead of white like yours.”
Chris isn't sure if he gets what Tom is aiming at but he nods nevertheless. “Suits you better.”
“Yeah,” Tom breathes. “That's what we thought, too.”
“We?”
“Heather and I.”
“Tom, what is this about?” Chris asks, nudging him to go on although he's already pretty sure what's coming next. But then again, he's not because as much as this feels like an engagement it's not. Chris is already married, happily so, and he's not with Tom, at least not in the traditional sense.
Tom breathes in heavily and continues before Chris can think about what’s happening too much. “Okay, so, I don't know what to call what we have but I know I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Chris.”
Chris smiles and swallows down the ‘I know and I want that too’ that's been lingering on his tongue to let Tom continue.
“And I don't know if it's appropriate for the… the relationship that we have but I thought, maybe, we could wear the bracelets as a sign of our relationship, of our…”
“... love?” Chris offers softly and just beams at him reassuringly.
“Yeah, of our love,” Tom agrees, then gets a bit excited. “And we could even get our names engraved on the inner side of the plate and maybe, maybe the date of our first meeting, the day you drove up to my house with your white Cadillac. You changed my life forever that day, you know, and I want to carry that with me. But… but only if you agree, of course. So… what do you say?”
“Where's your bracelet?” Chris blurts out. It's certainly not one of the answers Tom had expected because he almost stumbles before immediately using his free hand to fumble at the back pocket of his jeans.
“Here it is,” he says slowly, the bracelet dangling from his index finger.
“Let me put it on,” Chris says but his voice rises up like a question.
“It's a yes, then?”
“Of course it is,” Chris clarifies. “I love you and I can't imagine a life without you anymore.”
He takes the second bracelet from Tom and although agreeing to spend the rest of his life with Tom is the easiest promise to give, his hands are trembling when Tom holds out his wrist for Chris to put the bracelet on.
As soon as the clasp shuts close around Tom's wrist, Tom is back in Chris' arms, hugging him tightly, and if Chris is not completely mistaken, he can hear him sniffling, too. He doesn't comment on it, just envelopes Tom and holds him close. He closes his eyes and lets his head drop against Tom. He'd never thought he'd have such a committed relationship with anyone but Heather but here he is and they love each other in a way that he’d never thought possible.
“I love you,” Chris whispers for what feels like the hundredth time today but it's true and he just can't help saying it.
“Love you too,” Tom mumbles against Chris’ shoulder, before snuggling up even closer.
Standing there like this, Chris doesn't know how much time passes and it doesn't matter either. At some point, however, he feels another warm hand on his back.
“Hey boys,” Heather says softly and Chris immediately turns his head to gently peck her lips.
“He said yes!” Tom lifts his head from Chris' shoulder to proudly beam at Heather.
“Congratulations!” Heather softly kisses Chris on the lips, then turns towards Tom and presses kiss to his cheek.
“You make it sound like we're getting married,” Chris objects half-heartedly and Heather just shrugs.
“It's a promise nonetheless,” Tom joins in and now Chris just nods contemplatively.
He pulls both Heather and Tom into yet another hug and now this is by far the best birthday present he could wish for - holding both his wife and his soulmate close, knowing that they all will do absolutely everything in their power to make their love for each other last forever.