Closed Taking Steps

[Avery Lavigne]

Avery wasn't sure how he'd gotten to this point. He'd moved to New Zealand, sworn off personal relationships, thrown himself into his work and to sleeping around. Yet somehow here he was, flipping a house with Isaiah Jeffreys by his side. A handsome, strong, kind man that seemed to have taken on the task of demolishing all of Avery's walls that he'd built around himself and started remodeling Averys heart. Somehow or the other, he was here, with this wonder of a man, and he couldn't imagine being anywhere else. Couldn't imagine leaving this house, leaving Isaiah's side, couldn't imagine not having Isaiah in his bed every night or at his dinner table.

The house itself was making leaps and bounds- the foundations had all been laid, and they'd been going from room to room to room, decorating and filling it to be lived in. Avery knew they would only be here for another week, maybe, but he didn't want to leave. A little piece of him wanted to stay, to make this a home. He was feeling a little antsy. Sitting in the now furnished living room, he had his plans for the last few rooms of the house- bathrooms, kitchen, office, and master bedroom- and he was sketching furiously. A small pile of rejected plans already lay crumbled across the room. Groaning, Avery ripped out another page, adding it to the growing pile before leaning his head back against the couch, dragging his hands over his face.

 

[Isaiah Jeffreys]

Helping Avery out with the house was proving to be a good use of his time, not only as a way for him to improve some of his non-magical skills, but to be able to spend time with Avery. it wasn't a normal domestic arrangement, but it worked for them, and his feelings for Avery grew every day. He liked him a lot, a lot a lot. He had finished with his shower, with nothing ahead of him in the day and walked, now dressed to where Avery was. "hey," he noticed all of the crumpled paper around him. "You working on something?" he asked, moving towards him and leaning in to kiss his cheek.

 

[Avery Lavigne]

Avery hummed as Isaiah spoke, and in that moment, feeling the mans lips brush his cheek, Avery just gave in. He couldn't resist anymore. He looked to Isaiah, a bit of defeat in his eyes. "Let's just move in here," He offered. "I can pull a few jobs and make up the loss in my savings. Let's just stay," He offered his hand out to Isaiah. "Please?" He breathed, leaving himself completely vulnerable.

 

[Isaiah Jeffreys]

Isaiah was a little surprised at what he said, he met the man's gaze and then frowned. This hadn't really been the plan, but the house was nice, they had spent a lot of time doing it up together, it did feel like it could very easily be theres. "Are you sure?" he asked, not saying no, but wanting to be sure that Avery wanted this. "You know, I have some savings, I can help make up the loss too," he said. "And I'll sell my current place...,"

 

[Avery Lavigne]

-godmods approved-

Avery hesitated for just a moment before crumbling as Isaiah crumbled. He shifted, crawling into Isaiahs' lap, stradling him. He brought his hands up to cup the mans face, shutting his eyes and resting his forehead against Isaiahs'. "How are you so wonderful?" He whispered, shifting again to hide his face in his lovers neck and wrapping himself around him. "I'm sure. It scares me still, but you're really the cornerstone of it all anymore," He admitted gently.

 

[Isaiah Jeffreys]

Isaiah smiled at him, rest his hands on Avery's waists as he straddled him and then laughed lightly. He moved a hand to hold the back of Avery's head, holding him in nice and close to him. He just held him. "Okay, then let's do it," he told him easily, since it was easy for him to say and agree to as much. he was letting Avery decide the pace of this, and this was part of it.

 

[Avery Lavigne]

Avery basically melted against Isaiah, letting himself just savor the warmth and familiarity of the moment. "Has anyone mentioned lately that you're a pretty great guy?" He questioned, laughing a bit shakily. He took a few deep breaths, centering himself and letting himself get a bit of comfort from the man. He sat up, smiling shyly. "Maybe I can actually finish the house now," He teased lightly, looking to the small mountain of crumbled papers nearby and back to Ares. "Though if you gave me another ten minutes I could make a summer home out of all of those rejected ideas."

 

[Isaiah Jeffreys]

Isaiah held him and then smiled easily. "That's high praise from a pretty incredible guy like you," he told him teasingly, with fondness. He then let him sit up and nodded, and then looked Avery and laughed lightly. "And would this summer home be for us, or would it be for someone else," he asked.

 

[Avery Lavigne]

Avery chuckled, trying to shift to sit beside Isaiah instead. "Perhaps a summer home for a pet." He reached out, meaning to trace his fingers idly over Isaiah's arm. "What do you think? A cat, perhaps, graceful and aloof, or a dog, loyal and attention starved?" He smiled. "Or perhaps something more exotic?" He thought a pet would be a nice step- maybe a pretty parakeet or a cute little garden snake with its boopy nose.

 

[Isaiah Jeffreys]

Isaiah smiled at him before thinking it a little odd to have a second home just for a season and for a pet, but he wasn't exactly about to say no. "I mean, could they all get along?" he said, thinking it they couldn't actually choose one then they could just get a few of them. "What sort of pets did you have growing up?" He asked.

 

[Avery Lavigne]

Avery considered, chewing on his lip. "I suppose it depends on the animals in particular," He considered it, before shaking his head. "Oh, no, mom was allergic so we never had many pets," He shrugged. "What about you? Did you have any pets?" He questioned, looking up to his... his what? "Are we boyfriends now?" He blurted.

 

[Isaiah Jeffreys]

Isaiah gave a little smile and nodded. "None either, until I got to school, I had an owl," he told him with a smile but not really going into the details as to why they hadn't had pets growing up. "If you want to be," he said. "I'd really like to be your boyfriend," he told him, though in his mind, Isaiah knew this, this man was it for his life. The love of his life.

 

[Avery Lavigne]

Avery blushed and laughed a little nervously. He wiggled a little, running a hand through his hair and looking away. "Well, I mean, um," He took a steadying breath. "If that's what you want." He laughed a little nervously, looking over to Isaiah through his bangs. "We could do it, probably," Avery bit his lip.

 

[Isaiah Jeffreys]

Isaiah moved to cup Avery's face in his hands and leaned into to kiss him. "I want us," he told him. "To be officially boyfriends, living together in a beautiful house we built together, with as many animals as you'd like," Isaiah said waiting to see Avery's reaction to what he'd said.

 

[Avery Lavigne]

Avery blushed, letting out a shy giggle and shifting so he could try to hide behind his bangs. "Maybe just one to start," he tried. "But we'd um, have to finish the house first. Of course. And um... what would you want first?" He questioned, shifting to lean a little closer against Isaiah.

 

[Isaiah Jeffreys]

Isaiah smiled easily at him, leaning intot he touch. "Maybe just a kiss," he teased. "But first becoming officially together, then finish the house, and then get an animal," he listed them, he knew he could keep going, but didn't want to overwhelm anything, he just knew this was forever.

 

[Avery Lavigne]

Avery nodded. "I can get behind that," He agreed, moving to give his lover a soft kiss. "Getting the house put together should only take another few months and then we'll be done," He tried to reassure Isaiah. "I know it would be faster but you have to admit that its more satisfying this way."

 

[Isaiah Jeffreys]

Isaiah gave a little smile, and kissed him softly. "Okay, sounds good," he told him. He didn't think this was the way to make a home together, but it was their way. "Whatever you say, baby," he told him with a smile.

 

[Avery Lavigne]

Avery was torn between feeling comfortable and feeling awkward. Choosing instead to ignore it, he stood and moved back to his workbench area, pulling out the plans he had. "Alright, alright, back to work," He tried to joke, meaning to do something productive. Instead he just kind of stared at his papers, focusing on his breathing. You can do this, Ave. You've got this. He shut his eyes, trying to still the furious beating of his heart.