taste the ceviche.

                   “I would and I will.”, he leaned down, pressing his lips to the tip of                    the other man’s nose simply because he could before he stood                    up, whistling as he walked out of their bedroom and towards the                    kitchen. “Better hurry up. You’ll love what I’ve got in stock for you.                    And, no, before you ask, this time, it’s not my naked body.”

          as much as he wants to, hernando can’t stop himself from           smiling. in response to the kiss. the comment. the way his           life has worked out just the way he’s always               ( and            ALWAYS started the day he met lito )        dreamt it would.

          he returns the kiss   --   the underside of lito’s jaw   --  and           removes himself from bed to follow him as he walks away.

                     “You can be quite the giant baby, mi amor, do you know this?                       I said I made breakfast. Not that I bought it. I made it. Now                        you either get up or I’ll eat everything by my own and leave                       the cleaning up of the kitchen to you.”

          lito’s threat has hernando upright and reaching for his           glasses quickly enough to cause his head to spin.

          ❛ – who taught you to cook             so wonderfully? 

         “My mother.” 

          An easy smile, and he’s sliding a plate across           the counter for his company to take.

                 “Is it, mi amor? Is it really too early? Even if                   I tell you I woke up an hour ago and spend                    the time in the kitchen making us breakfast?                   Is it still too early?”

well, that was ominous.

               ❛     uh– is that a BAD THING?

“Ah –”

          For a moment, she’s confused, glancing at him with a           blank expression as she blinks. But she takes the fork           a moment later – she’s not one to turn down free food.           And she’s sure the expression that crosses her face as            her shoulders drop is enough feedback, but still –

                                  “Jesus                                          CHRIST.                                                 I mean – I live off of frozen food,                                                 so maybe I’m like taste starved,                                                  but – yeah, uh – I mean, yeah,                                                 it’s good – wow.” 

          hernando might be a little bit smug. she gives him just           the reaction he’s hoping for.

"Do I smell breakfast or is that the house burning down?"

"Honey, you look tired. Go sleep."

"So I was driving past a pet store the other day and couldn't help but wonder how cute an animal would be like in our home."

"I want to move in with you."

"I think we should go house hunting. Buy a big family home on the beach or something."

"What do you think about children?"

"Our son/daughter got sent to the principals office today."

"Babe, can you explain to me what this is doing here?"

"You look like you could use a massage."

"I want to take a shower so you should probably join me. It'll save water."

"I may have broken the dish washer."

"There's a spider in the shower!"

"I think I might be pregnant."

"I want to try for a baby."

"I want to adopt a child."

"You would make the perfect father/mother."

"Think about it. The little patter of children in our home."

"I want to marry you."

"What do you think about this color wall for our room?"

"Why is the bathroom overfilling with water?"

"Did you eat all my oreos?"

"We live together. You can't blame this on anyone else."

"I've got a romantic surprise for you."

"Let's just stay in bed."

"Get back into bed."

"Can you call in sick today?"

"I just want to lie here all day with you."

"Oh, there's no need to put a shirt on."

"I'm sick of doing all the chores!"

"We can't afford this!"

         “Would you tell me --- ”

          he picks up a forkful of the dish he’s been working on,           holds it out for her to take, and smiles kindly,  sweetly,           with nothing DARK or SELFISH hidden behind it.