( you & i )

It was strange how easy teasing Ethan came to Antonio but he knew that it was reciprocated. Ethan teased him just as much but it worked for them and it always had done. He had never had that with anyone else, in the past things had always felt strained with whoever he was seeing at the time and that wasn’t something that he had ever liked. Now he knew what being in a relationship was truly meant to be like and he knew that he didn’t want to go back to the way that things used to be. Being with Ethan was different than he had expected but it felt right and he was glad that they had finally figured it out. “I can help you with that, don’t worry,” Antonio said, a playful smile forming on his face as he looked over at Ethan. His smile softened as Ethan touched his cheeks and realised that he was blushing and Antonio ran his hand gently down Ethan’s arm. “That’s ok, I like it,” he admitted, knowing that it was definitely something that he could get used to. Ethan was so handsome and the colouring of Ethan’s cheeks just made him even more so. The way Ethan seemed breathless after Antonio kissed his knuckles didn’t go unnoticed and as he spoke, Antonio’s smile widened. “Is that so? And what if I do this?” he asked as he leaned forward and pressed his lips against Ethan’s. Just being around Ethan was enough to make his heart race and it was good to know that he had the same effect on Ethan.

Antonio really had thought that the girls would be waiting for them when they got back to see how it had gone but in a way it was a relief that they weren’t going to have to worry about that until the morning because he knew that he didn’t want anything to interrupt the incredible evening that they were having. “I think you’re right,” he chuckled, knowing that the girls wouldn’t want to miss the chance to interrogate them even if it had to wait until morning. Antonio hadn’t been on a date since before they were born so he knew that they would want to know how it went, especially since he knew how much Ethan meant to them too. Antonio loved the girls dearly but he had meant it when he’d said that he wanted Ethan to himself for a while now so he was glad that they had that chance. Nodding as Ethan agreed to his suggestion, Antonio joined him on the sofa and let his arm rest on the back of the sofa behind Ethan so that he could turn and face him. Watching as Ethan cut a piece of the cake, Antonio had expected him to eat it himself but instead Ethan was offering it to him and this time it was Antonio’s cheeks that were flushing red slightly and he felt his heart literally melt as he leaned forward and took a bite. “Mmm, that was definitely worth the wait,” he admitted as he picked up the second fork and cut a piece off before offering it to Ethan the same way, waiting for Ethan to eat it before lowering the fork and setting it down on the side of the plate. “Tonight really has been perfect, thank you,” he said, a gentle smile forming on his face as his eyes met his boyfriend’s.

ETHAN ALVAREZ

“Always,” Antonio said, a genuine smile forming on his face as he looked over at Ethan. Being together was still so new for both of them and the truth was that they were still figuring it out as they went along but being around each other was as easy as breathing and Antonio knew that that was as it should be. They were able to tease each other and joke around but when it came down to it they could be serious too and he knew that they were definitely serious about each other. Neither of them had been in a same sex relationship before and the truth was that Antonio had never thought that he would end up in one but this felt right and it felt amazing to know that he was with someone who would always have his back and he would do the same for Ethan in return. The fact that he had managed to make Ethan blush was something that amused Antonio somewhat but more than anything he found it endearing and as their lips met he leaned into the touch as Ethan’s hand rested against his cheek and Antonio let himself get lost in the kiss. “Mine too,” he admitted as they finally pulled back.

Even though Antonio had made Ethan blush a couple of times he hadn’t thought that he would end up doing the same but the way that Ethan offered him the first piece of cake was so unexpected and so sweet and he couldn’t help it. He could see how happy it made Ethan and the truth was that Antonio didn’t mind that one bit. “I do,” he nodded. It wasn’t like anything he had ever tasted before so he could see why Ethan had wanted to try it. Offering Ethan the next piece, Ethan’s reaction was enough to bring a smile to Antonio’s face and he wrapped his arm around Ethan’s shoulders as he leaned back. “For two people who haven’t got much dating experience, I think we did pretty well,” he admitted as he ran his hand lightly down Ethan’s arm. “Tonight is everything that a first date is meant to be,” he added, unable to deny that in that moment he was perfectly content. He had been the one to ask Ethan out on a date in the end and he had felt a little nervous about it in the beginning but now he was beyond glad that they had seen it through. “I am too, I’m looking forward to doing this more often,” he admitted, his eyes full of so much love as they met Ethan’s. It had turned out so much better than he had ever thought it could and now he knew that as long as he was with Ethan he really didn’t need to worry about a thing. “Thanks,” he chuckled as Ethan said that he looked really cute when he blushed. “It doesn’t happen too often but something tells me it’ll happen more often around you.” He had seen a side of Ethan that night that he had never seen before and Antonio loved it. It wasn’t long before Ethan was beckoning him forward for another kiss and Antonio was more than happy to oblige. Leaning forward he poured everything he had into that kiss and as they eventually stopped for air, he let his forehead rest against Ethan’s. “I love you so much,” he breathed, voicing the words that he had never said before in any of his past relationships.

ETHAN ALVAREZ

"Definitely," Antonio agreed. They had spent so much time living in denial that there was anything more than friendship going on between them but now there wasn't anything stopping them from pouring everything they had into their relationship. Antonio had felt a little nervous about going on a date with Ethan to begin with because the truth was that he really didn't have much dating experience at all but the moment he had seen Ethan standing there waiting for him he had known that it was going to be worth it. A part of him had wondered whether going on an actual date might change things between them considering they had been in their own little bubble ever since they got together but that hadn't happened at all and for that he was grateful. It had ended up being an incredible night and it wasn't over yet. "We are, we'll make sure of it," he said, a smile forming on his face as he looked over at Ethan. "Next we'll have a home cooked meal here and then who knows what we'll decide to do after that," he said, knowing that whatever it was they would end up having a great time. Antonio had been in relationships before but never like this. This was so much better and even though they were still figured things out and going at their own pace it felt right and Antonio knew that that's exactly how a relationship should be.

"Sure it does," Antonio chuckled. "I'm starting to see that you can be really sweet when you want to be." That wasn't something that he had ever expected or that he had seen before and he couldn't deny that he liked it. He had grown used to seeing Ethan away from the battlefield during the time that he had been living with them and he knew that there was so much more to Ethan than what he had seen back then and it had only made him fall for Ethan that much harder. Antonio's heart started to race a little as Ethan beckoned him closer and he leaned into Ethan's touch as he rested his hand against his cheek. There was a tenderness to that touch that he hadn't expected and his lips moved against Ethan's with ease. It was easy to lose track of time after that but eventually Antonio had to get his breath back and he could see that Ethan was just as breathless. "Not a chance," he breathed as Ethan said he loved him more, stealing another kiss before laughing as Ethan asked if he really wanted to challenge a phoenix. "I think the better question is do you really want to challenge a dragon. We can be fierce, you know," he teased, a glint of amusement in his eyes as he looked over at Ethan. "Do you want to stay down here or shall we go to bed?" he asked, not sure what Ethan wanted to do with the rest of their evening.

ETHAN ALVAREZ

For a long time Antonio had tried not to think about the future too often. He hadn't had anything to look forward to and he had found that all he could do was drift through life for a while before he found a way to make his life matter. The girls had given him a purpose and now between them and Ethan he found himself looking forward to what life was going to hold for them. He and Ethan were still figuring things out but they both wanted to make going on dates a regular thing and he knew that Ethan wanted more kids and a dog so the truth was that Antonio was excited about it all. "I bet it will taste even better knowing you have had a hand in cooking it," he said, a smile forming on his face as he looked over at his boyfriend.

Antonio had thought that he had known what to expect with Ethan but he knew now that he really didn't have a clue. Ever since the day he had returned home after the cave in he had been seeing a different side of Ethan and he couldn't deny that he liked it. "I won't argue with that," he said, his smile turning gentle as his eyes met Ethan's. He had never seen Ethan in love before, he had seen him while he was flirting and he had seen a somewhat jealous side of Ethan before but he sweet side of him was new and it meant a lot to Antonio that Ethan thought that side of him was reserved for him only. Antonio had been in love with Ethan for most of his life without even realising it and the fact that it was reciprocated meant the world to him.

"Bring it on," Antonio chuckled, knowing that he was up for the challenge as well. They could both be pretty competitive when they wanted to be and that wasn't going to change any time soon. Letting Ethan return everything to the kitchen, Antonio waited for him to return before taking his outstretched hand. Following Ethan upstairs, Antonio closed the door behind them before turning to Ethan and drawing him in for a kiss. "Tonight has been perfect," he said, his lips brushing against Ethan's as he spoke before he pulled back slightly. "I want you to know that I'm never going to pressure you. It doesn't matter to me how long it takes or even if you are never ready to take this further but if at any point you do feel ready, I am too." Antonio was still a little nervous about it but what he and Ethan had felt right to him and he wanted Ethan to know that. "All I want is to be with you."

ETHAN ALVAREZ

Antonio knew that cooking a meal at home might not seem like much of a date to some people but it was something that he hoped would end up working out well for the two of them. There was so much that they could do and something told him that they weren’t going to end up running out of ideas. “I know you do,” Antonio said, a smile forming on his face as he looked over at Ethan. “Most of the time, anyway,” he teased. Ethan certainly had a habit of messing around while they were teasing each other but that was something that Antonio had grown used to a long time ago. When it came down to it he knew that he could always count on Ethan to be honest with him when it counted and that was all that Antonio would ever need. He knew that Ethan wasn’t a good liar and he was definitely grateful for that as it certainly made things a lot simpler and it meant that he always knew where he stood with Ethan and that was something that was important to him.

“I’d like to see you try,” Antonio chuckled. The challenge wasn’t a serious one, they never were between the two of them, but that didn’t mean that they couldn’t still have some fun along the way and that was something that Antonio always enjoyed. It kept things light between the two of them and Antonio knew that he wouldn’t have it any other way. “I like the sound of that,” he admitted, a smile forming on his face once more. “I can’t think of anything better than spending an eternity with you.” After everything that had happened Antonio had thought that he would end up spending his alone but now he had Ethan and the girls and for once he found himself looking forward to everything that life was going to hold for them.

Antonio leaned into Ethan’s touch automatically as Ethan’s hand came to rest against his cheek and it was with a great deal of reluctance that Antonio finally pulled away. He had never felt like this about anyone else before and given just how long he had been in love with Ethan for so far he knew that it wasn’t likely that he would ever feel like this about anyone again. It had taken him a while to get his head around the fact that he had fallen for his best friend and a guy at that but now there wasn’t a doubt in his mind that this was right. He had found the one person that he wanted to be with and he was glad that they had the chance to do that now. As Ethan spoke, Antonio’s hand moved to the back of Ethan’s neck and his fingers ran through Ethan’s hair gently. “I’m so glad to hear you say that,” he admitted, his expression full of love for Ethan as their eyes met. “I want you too, I have for a long time,” he added. He had even before he’d realised what was really going on between them and that hadn’t changed now. “Then we’re a good match because you’re all I want too,” he added, bringing his free hand up and covering Ethan’s hand that was resting on his chest. “I couldn’t think of anyone that I would rather spend my eternity with.” He had never had much luck with relationships in the past and he had always wondered why but now he knew that it was because he just hadn’t found the right person and he was glad that they weren’t limited to spending just a human lifetime together. He had Ethan and the girls now and that was more than he had ever thought that he would get. As Ethan spoke again, Antonio’s smile returned. “You don’t need to ask me twice,” he said, leaning forward and pressing his lips against his boyfriend’s as his hands moved to start unbuttoning Ethan’s shirt.

ETHAN ALVAREZ

The innocent look on Ethan’s face was enough to make Antonio laugh. He knew that Ethan was anything but innocent but the truth was that Antonio wouldn’t have him any other way. He had learned a long time ago that life with Ethan was never going to be boring and it had to be said that some of the things that they had ended up getting up to during the quiet moments while they were fighting in the war were some of his most cherished memories to this day. No matter what was going on he had always known that he could count on Ethan to have his back when it counted and that wasn’t something that had changed now. Their relationship had changed quite considerably since then but as far as he was concerned that wasn’t a bad thing. It had taken him a long time to realise that he was in love with Ethan and it had taken Ela talking some sense into him and him almost dying to make him realise that this was exactly what he wanted but now Antonio knew that he never wanted to lose what they had now. He had been in love with Ethan for the best part of a hundred years and Antonio couldn’t think of anyone else that he would rather spend the rest of his immortal life with.

As Ethan said that he was blessed that he was immortal too because he couldn’t imagine not spending an eternity with him, Antonio felt a smile form on his face. “Now you’re officially stuck with me,” he chuckled, bringing his hand up and letting it rest gently against Ethan’s cheek. “There’s no way that a mortal life with you would ever be enough.” Antonio knew that it wasn’t guaranteed that they would live longer than humans would, after all they could still be killed permanently it was just more difficult, but they were both careful and he knew that if they played their cards right then they would have a long future ahead of them and that was what Antonio wanted more than anything. More kids and pets, those things would come in time but right now they had each other and they had the girls and the truth was that Antonio couldn’t be happier. He and Ethan had lived apart from each other for a long time but Antonio knew that they weren’t going to let that happen again. Soon enough their lips were meeting again and Antonio let his hands run gently over Ethan’s shoulders and down his arms, sliding the guy’s shirt off without any difficulty. Ethan’s landed on the floor and Antonio offered no resistance as Ethan started walking him backwards towards the bed. Ethan didn’t even bother to unbutton Antonio’s shirt before pulling it off, something that amused the dragon somewhat, but he was too distracted to really pay too much attention. Antonio could see that Ethan’s cheeks were flushed and he was already breathing heavily and Antonio let his hand rest gently against Ethan’s heart, the feeling of his boyfriend’s heart beating enough to draw a smile from Antonio as Ethan joined him on the bed and they spent the rest of their night getting to know each other in a different way.

At some point Antonio drifted off to sleep and it was the best night’s sleep he’d had ever since the cave collapsed. There were no nightmares, no worries about what had happened at all, for the first time in a long time he was perfectly content. Antonio slept soundly right the way through to morning and as he started to wake he became aware of featherlight touches to his skin as patterns were traced on it. The sensation was enough to bring a content smile to Antonio’s face which only widened as he felt Ethan’s arms around him. “I could get used to waking up like this,” he admitted as his eyes opened, his arms wrapped around Ethan in return. “Were you watching me while I slept?” he asked, his smile taking on a playful edge to it as his eyes met Ethan’s. “How are you feeling about last night? Any regrets?” he asked, knowing that if Ethan was having any doubts at all then it would be good to get them out in the open now even though the look on Ethan’s face was enough to tell Antonio that he didn’t need to worry about a thing at all.

ETHAN ALVAREZ

Antonio wasn't used to going on dates but the truth was that he had been looking forward to going out with Ethan ever since the two of them got together. They had their whole lives ahead of them and there was so much that they could do but going to dinner had seemed like the perfect way to start. It had ended up being a great night and it was one that Antonio knew that he would always remember. They'd had so much fun together and Antonio knew that he would have been content even if things had ended with them falling asleep after eating the cake that they had brought home with them. They had both wanted something more, though, and it had ended up being the perfect way to end the night. Antonio was used to waking up next to Ethan in the mornings and he always slept better with Ethan next to him. Waking up with Ethan's arms around him was even better, though, and Antonio knew that he could definitely get used to this.

"Yep, even that part," Antonio chuckled. He hadn't expected Ethan to do that but it was actually quite sweet. For most of his life he had been on his own so sharing his bed with someone was something that Antonio had never been very used to but with Ethan it was something that they had done ever since the day they got together and he knew that he wouldn't have it any other way. Antonio's skin tingled beneath Ethan's touch as he continued to trace patterns over his skin and a smile touched Antonio's lips as Ethan spoke again. "Is that so?" he asked, hooking a finger under Ethan's chin and stealing a gentle kiss. "No regrets here either. Last night was perfect and I can't think of a better way that it could have ended," he admitted. He had thought that Ethan might not feel ready to take the next step but now they had and Antonio couldn't feel happier. "Being with you feels right so there is nowhere I would rather be."

ETHAN ALVAREZ