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The living room was warm and quiet, filled with the comfortable, lazy haze of an evening spent entirely at home. Alan was sprawled across the cushions of the sofa, thoroughly enjoying the rare feeling of having absolutely zero responsibilities on his schedule.
When Jeff walked into the room holding a small, silver-wrapped box, he looked almost suspiciously excited. He practically bounced on his heels as he dropped onto the cushions next to Alan, shoving the gift into his lap with a bright, expectant grin. The wrapping paper crinkled sharply under Alan's fingers as he tore into it, peeling back the tissue paper to reveal a velvet box.
"I just thought…" Jeff started, his words spilling out a little rushed as Alan lifted the heavy collar from the box. "I saw it in that boutique window. The silver ring looked really cool and industrial, and I know you have been wearing those darker shirts lately. I figured it would look amazing layered under your jacket."
Alan let the cool metal of the O-ring settle against his collarbone. He fastened the buckle at the nape of his neck, the thick leather instantly warming against his skin. He looked up. The earnest, slightly nervous flush on Jeff's cheeks was incredibly endearing. Jeff had absolutely no idea what he had just purchased.
A completely ridiculous, joyful impulse seized Alan's chest. He did not say thank you. He did not point out the obvious. Instead, he let out a soft, breathy huff, shifted his weight, and slid smoothly off the edge of the sofa. A quiet, testing whine vibrated in the back of his throat as his knees hit the rug with a soft thud. He settled back on his heels, placed his hands flat on his thighs, and stared up at his partner.
Jeff froze. His hand stalled mid-air. He blinked down at the grown man kneeling attentively at his feet. "Alan? What are you doing?"
Alan let out a bright, sharp, incredibly happy bark. It echoed loudly in the quiet living room, immediately followed by an eager, high-pitched yip.
Jeff jumped a full inch. "Did you just... bark? Wait." Jeff's eyes darted from the heavy leather collar to Alan's wide, entirely unbothered expression. The realization hit him like a physical blow. "Oh my god. Is that what that is? I didn't know it was a..."
Alan tilted his head sharply to the left. The heavy silver ring clinked against the leather. He let his mouth fall open in a relaxed, goofy pant, his breaths coming in quick, shallow, and noisy bursts.
"I thought it was just a necklace!" Jeff sputtered, his face rapidly turning a brilliant shade of crimson. "A choker! Like a punk rock thing! I wasn't trying to imply anything, I swear, I just thought it was fashion!"
Alan tilted his head back to the right, his eyes tracking the frantic, defensive movements of Jeff's hands. His brain was completely blissfully devoid of human thoughts. Jeff was making a lot of very interesting, panicky noises, and Alan was simply a very good boy trying his absolute best to listen. He let out a series of short, curious snuffles, sniffing loudly at the air between them. He nudged his nose directly into Jeff's kneecap and released a long, pathetic whine that pitched upward at the very end.
Jeff stared down at the grown man currently using his knee as a resting post. Alan gave another pathetic, high-pitched whine, peering up through his eyelashes. The absolute lack of embarrassment in his gaze was entirely disarming.
The frantic red flush on Jeff's cheeks slowly began to cool. He let out a long, defeated exhale, his chest sinking. The tension bled out of his shoulders all at once. He simply could not fight it. It was impossible to stay flustered when faced with this level of pure, unadulterated silliness.
Slowly, Jeff let his hovering hand drop. His fingertips brushed against the cool silver of the O-ring, then slid upward to trace the line of Alan's jaw.
Alan instantly chased the warmth. He pushed his head upward, leaning his entire body weight heavily into Jeff's palm with a low, rumbling groan of absolute satisfaction. His mouth dropped open in a soft, steady pant. The quick, rhythmic bursts of warm breath puffed heavily against Jeff's leg.
A soft, completely helpless laugh slipped past Jeff's lips. He gave in. He dragged his nails gently over Alan's scalp, scratching rhythmically right behind his ears. Alan's eyes fluttered shut immediately. His breathing deepened, and his shoulders relaxed so completely that he practically melted against Jeff's leg.
"You are absolutely ridiculous," Jeff murmured. His voice was entirely fond, laced with a warm, affectionate resignation. He leaned forward, using both hands to thoroughly muss Alan's hair. "Just the goofiest boy. What on earth am I going to do with you?"
Alan did not give him time to overthink things. The pure, unadulterated golden retriever energy simply bubbled over. Sensing Jeff's hesitation, Alan decided to take matters into his own paws.
With a sudden, explosive burst of momentum, Alan launched himself upward. His knees hit the couch cushions, and his solid weight bowled Jeff backward against the armrest in a tangle of limbs.
Before Jeff could even gasp in surprise, Alan leaned down and dragged a wide, exaggerated, and incredibly sloppy lick directly up the center of Jeff's cheek, accompanied by a wet, eager snort.
"Oh my god, Alan!" Jeff shrieked. His voice cracked with sudden, breathless laughter. He threw his hands up to shield his face, but his shoulders were shaking too hard to put up any real defense.
Alan let out another bright, breathy huff of a laugh. He gave a short, demanding bark right against Jeff's collarbone. He dropped the dog act just enough to tilt his head and aim his next attempt perfectly. The sloppy lick softened, turning into a firm, incredibly sweet kiss against the corner of Jeff's mouth.
Jeff's laughter muffled gently against Alan's lips. His hands slid smoothly from their defensive position down to rest on Alan's waist, pulling his partner closer. The heavy silver O-ring of the collar pressed between them, a cool, solid anchor in the middle of all that sudden warmth. Alan peppered a few more quick, playful kisses across Jeff's jawline, entirely pleased with his own work.
"You are a menace," Jeff murmured against Alan's skin. His thumbs smoothed lazily over the fabric of Alan's shirt, his tone dripping with fond exasperation. "An absolute menace."
Alan just hummed, a low and happy sound vibrating in his chest, completely content to stay pinned right there in Jeff's arms.
Jeff’s fingers brushed against the warm skin at the back of Alan’s neck, finding the sturdy metal buckle of the collar. With a soft, metallic click, the thick leather gave way. Jeff gently pulled the dark band away, and the sudden absence of the heavy silver O-ring seemed to instantly break the spell. Alan blinked slowly. The wide, blissfully empty puppy stare faded from his eyes, replaced entirely by his usual, sharp, and very human affection. He shifted his weight back onto the sofa cushions, rolling his shoulders and running a hand through his thoroughly mussed hair.
Jeff tossed the collar onto the wooden coffee table with a dramatic, heavy sigh. "I am officially putting it on the record. I am never buying you a surprise gift ever again. My heart simply cannot take the sudden genre shift."
Alan let out a deep, rumbling laugh that belonged entirely to a grown man. He leaned into Jeff's side, resting his chin on his partner's shoulder and pressing a lingering, gentle kiss to his jaw. "I don't know," Alan murmured, his voice low and teasing. "I think it is incredibly healthy for us to branch out and try new things."