I Accept

Dad, Amanda and Chip seemed already deep in conversation when Ashton carried me into the room. By the look on their faces I could tell that we had really shocked them by arriving this way, especially my dad whose smile immediately fell from his face. 

"Look at this!" Dad exclaimed setting his glass of wine down. I couldn't help but blush harder than I already was at their piercing stares, still Ashton didn't let me down from his arms. "They're already this close. He won't even let him walk now."

"Well, originally I wasn't going to say anything about it since it is their last year before college, but what do you think about them together?" Chip asked out of nowhere. 

"Well, your son is well mannered and well behaved. I quite like him for my boy because he makes him really happy," Dad smiled. What witchcraft did Ashton's parents practice that made him change his mind about stuff? If I brought up dating the past, dad would rip his hair out and throw tantrums. "So I can allow my son to date yours."

"We like Daniel too! He's so polite and adorable, plus he's been tutoring Ashton. His grades have gone up this year, so he's firmly secured a place with us," Amanda gushed. "Though, I'm not sure why they keep skipping school."

"It was my suggestion. There was more important things happening," Ashton quickly explained to them. "It won't happen again anytime soon."

"It's normal for teenagers to date, but who knows about tomorrow? They might have an argument and break up," dad said. I licked my lips to stop myself from telling my father to shut the fuck up. However before I could speak up, Ashton did.

"We won't have a fight tomorrow. We won't have a fight a year from now and we won't have a fight in the afterlife," he said to my dad. They seemed to be staring each other down as I looked between the two of them. My dad was clearly trying to intimidate Ashton and Ashton was trying it back. 

"What do you mean, afterlife?" Dad grimaced.

"Afterlife....like in our next lives," Ashton smiled. My dads face went from angry to pure shock. Seeing that I covered my face, not being able to keep looking at anyone else in the room. How did this guy never get embarrassed when he spoke like that? 

"Wh-who liked who first?" Dad barely recovered.

"I liked him first and I approached him with the intentions of dating," Ashton let them know. "I intend to chase him until he tells me to stop."

"Are you two dating now?" Chip asked.

"Not yet."

"Why are you saying not yet?" I could hear my dads tone suddenly change.

"Because a positive mindset is good with these things," Ashton told me dad. "Nothing ever started by picturing the end or the downsides. When I picture being with your son, I can only imagine a bright future with him. He helped me a lot, so all I want to do keep him happy now."

I could hear my dad sigh extremely heavily. He must want to say something but can't because this wasn't his house. "Dad, I already told you the situation."

"So did your mother," he groaned. "Uncover your face."

"No, I'm embarrassed," I insisted pressing my hands down over my face harder. I could hear Amanda laughing in the background. "Why are you still carrying me? Are you not tired?"

"I just wanted to carry you over the threshold, and I'm not tired. You're lighter than some of my pigs." Ashton said setting me on my feet carefully. 

"Your pigs?" Dad asked.

"Ashton is a junior rodeo champion. He's won a few bull riding competitions and no one can tie up a hog better than him," Chip started to gush proudly before pointing to a mountain of trophies and first place ribbons on the mantle. I don't think those were there last time I came here. "This kid was born a winner! He's also a natural at steering a horse."

"Wow, I used to take Danny to the rodeo, but he always hated going," dad said.

"I didn't hate it! I was just sick when we went!" I argued with him. Why did he have to say that now? Every time we went to the countryside, we went with Vincenzo and his parents and somehow Vincenzo would ruin the time for me by annoying me or saying something really shitty. If I finally got away from him, he would show up to harass me in some way as soon as I started having some kind of fun.

"Well, you've been getting better. Maybe we can go watch Ashton compete next time," dad pondered while looking over the ribbons and trophies. "This is all really impressive."

"Thank you, sir," Ashton smiled proudly. For some reason I couldn't forget that he won a ribbon for hogtying. It made me wonder if he was good at that kind of stuff....on a person. Does that kind of stuff hurt?

"Dinner will be ready soon. Chip, why don't you take Michael to play some pool and talk a bit more. Boys, go upstairs and finish your homework. I'll call you when dinners set," Amanda tied her hair up into a ponytail and glided into the kitchen. Chip excitedly led my dad into another room that, I assume, contained a pool table.

Ashton quickly led me up the marble staircase and down the hallway into his room. When we got inside, he closed the door behind him and quickly ran to his bathroom. About a minute later he emerged with a shaggy blond unkept mullet. The look definitely suited his face, though it made him look a bit mor thuggish. "So can you tell me what happened to you when you went to the country side? I'll keep it a secret if you want me too."

I couldn't get anything past this guy, could I? How annoying. "We always went with Vincenzo's family. Every time I started to enjoy myself a little bit, Vincenzo would do something to annoy me or make me uncomfortable. One time, I went to change and he hid my clothes and my swimsuit. I got trapped there for five hours naked and freaking out because I was in a such a small space. Luckily, I kept passing out."

"How is that lucky?" Ashton asked me. "Did you really feel lucky?"

"Right, um, it wasn't lucky. I actually got really sick because of a lack of oxygen and I was super dehydrated. My dad felt super guilty for what happened. Another time, he took my inhaler from me so I couldn't enjoy the days with everyone. That time I couldn't do anything but lay down and try not to move. So I was basically in bed the entire week we were there." The bad memories started to flood my brain as I started to think back over the years. I was miserable all that time in that dusty room. He only returned my inhaler at night, when I really needed it. "Actually, I remember being really scared that I was going to die. That entire week was a living hell. I just kept getting sick after that. There was one time I almost really did die! At the time, I wasn't sure what to do because I didn't want to upset anyone. My first thought was to just....escape. I hate that I understand him....but I don't understand why I keep brushing it off."

What I didn't expect was that I would have to face it anyway. If I keep running from reality, I'll be the only one to stay miserable. 

"That's awful," Ashton sighed. "What is there to understand? He was lied to and neglected at home, but it's still no excuse for what has been done to you! No one has the right to hurt you because they were dealt a bad hand at birth! No wonder you said you weren't a fan of the countryside. If it were me, I'd probably be worse off. Still, you must feel awful that all that happened to you. With everything at school, in your life, and at home. Handling it all by yourself all at once is difficult isn't it?

"I want to remind you that you aren't alone. You have me, your parents and mine. We can help you be strong for the future, and we can overwrite those times that you were scared with new memories. Pleasant ones! You can trust the people who care about you, that way it won't be so hard on you." 

"Ashton...." He shut me up by pulling me onto his lap to give me a tight hug and rubbed my back.

"Th-this is a magic trick my mom uses on me to calm me down," he told me. "So you don't have to be afraid anymore. I'll be with you every step of the way. If you have any problems, I'll help you fix it the best I can."

This was most definitely going to become a habit for me. The hug felt so good, I could get addicted to it. Not good! Dependency like this again was scaring me. I might already be in too deep.

Ashton released me from his hug and we sat in silence. "Thanks. I'm not sure why I keep feeling like I have to downplay what happened with Vincenzo."

"What's got you so stuck?"

"Even though he says he's ok, I can't help but worry about Vincenzo until I can confirm things myself. I can't get it out of my head that his parents have never been there for anything of his, graduations, competitions, games, they never showed up once. I feel like he's been abandoned by his parents. He said he was fine because he had me though, but what am I supposed to do with that?" I asked. "I don't think he's ok. It makes me feel like an old used punching bag!"

"You already fixed his relationship with his parents," Ashton looked completely unphased. "You did more for him than he deserves by putting the family back together-something they neglected to do for years even though they're the adults. You didn't have to do any of that. What more could you possibly do for him?"

"But I've always been like this, even when I hated him, I couldn't help but worry about him. But I feel ridiculous saying that out loud right now, because he's never been concerned about me," I sighed. "I don't want to depend on getting some kind of reaction from him to feel something."

"Well let me make you feel things then."

"You already do. I don't feel misery with you, and that scares the shit out of me too."

"Change is scary. Do you feel as if you don't deserve to be happy?"

"I feel like it's hard to be happy." 

"Some people who seem comfortable in their misery actually may be suffering from an underlying mental health disorder. Twenty percent of American adults suffer from anxiety or depression and don't know another state of being other than unhappiness. In Vincenzo's case, past decisions or experiences can cause some people to be consumed by guilt or regret that they cannot overcome. Instead, they choose to punish themselves and/or others. In short, while you guys both suffer from depression and anxiety, it's up to you individually to decide to change that." Ashton explained. "You said you want to experience happiness, so we must rid you of your old coping skills, because they're no longer needed. So what do you want to do when you start feeling sympathy for Vincenzo?"

Holding Ashton's hand helped me a lot, as well as that hug he gave me earlier. I brought my face closer to Ashton's and pressed my lips to his softly but quickly. "That helps."

Ashton turned my head back to his quickly, "like this?" He kissed me again deeply. My mouth opened, my gasp trapped by the onslaught of his tongue invading my mouth. Taking advantage of the good feeling, I threw every bit of unrequited lust I'd held back for the last three months into the kiss, determined to make the most of it before he broke the kiss. Then he grabbed the back of my head, anchoring us together while he explored my mouth and in return, my heart raced.

Leaning into him, I used my body to hold him in place, before removing my arm from his chest to grip his bicep, letting us fall onto the couch. He was hard and so was I, I could feel it! I don't know which of us moaned first but it didn't matter when an answering one followed it. His large hands tightened on my waist, then twisted in my hair. As his fingers dug into my skin hard enough, I was certain I'd be bruised before too long.

"Yeah, just like that," I pulled my head back and pressed our forehead together.

"Damn, Danny," Ashton huffed pushing his hair back a bit. "That was really hot. I just wanted to make sure i got it right."

Liar. "Why are you driving me crazy like this?"

"Maybe you like me too," Ashton kissed my forehead letting his blond hair fall onto my cheeks. "You're shaking, I won't do anything to you unless you ask, Dan. Don't be scared. Want me to get up?"

My hands went up into his soft hair and slide down to cup his neck so I could hold him in place. I could feel the frantic beat of his pulse beneath my fingers and know that mine must feel the same. I noticed that his hands aren't on me at all, and I wonder if he's as nervous as I am right now.

"Let's keep going... please..." I beg.

His hands immediately went to my hips and under me so they could pull me even closer to him. Pressing himself against me, I can tell that he's just as hard as I am and I groan against his mouth. His fingers dug into my hips as if he was trying to claw his way through my skin and I thrust myself up against him. 

"Are you okay?" He asked me, pulling back.

"Yeah... got dizzy for a second there," I lied. He smiled so sweetly that I couldn't help but lean in to kiss the corner of his mouth. 

"Can I make you happy, Dan?" Ashton put his head down so his face was buried in my shoulder. 

"Yeah," I whispered knowing that he heard me. Ashton was definitely someone who could make me happy for a long time. He could pull me out of a dark cloud and bring me to a rational state by making me see reality. He's helping me start to like myself and be confident again by cutting out all the bad shit in my life. He's incredibly big and handsome especially with his hair down....and I really like his kisses. He'd never hurt me like Vincenzo did either. "You can."

"Don't just say that, because I'll really do it," Ashton said. "I know it's a bit late, but do you like me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Shit! While he's been helping me feel better about myself, I had forgotten to return the favor. How stupid and selfish of me! "I just like everything! Before I met you, I had to rely on my bully to feel like I had a right to exist. And even when I did that I still didn't feel right! All my life I've been running and hiding from everything that was hard, and you made me face it all! You've improved my life in plenty of different ways! You challenge my entire way of thinking and I really like that! If I had never met you I'd just be an empty insecure depressed shell of a man! But because I have you, I can have some kind of quality of life again! Because of you, I'm becoming more aware of myself and coping with all the changes around me! 

"But most importantly, you made me feel things that were pleasant for the first time in my life! You were my first kiss! You were the first person to make my heart beat out of my chest like that! You're a really great guy! You're honest and loyal and you make me feel like life is worth living again! I like you a lot! More than you know! You've always been so good to me from the start, and I don't know how to repay you."

"I'm good to you because I want you to be well, not because I want something in return," Ashton kept his head buried in my neck. "Want me to go over what I love about you?"

"N-no!" I gasped remembering the overwhelming feeling I felt when he did so in the car. "A-anyway, I do like you! I like you a lot!"

"That's good," Ashton sighed in relief. That's it? That's all he's going to say after I said all of that?

"I....I just don't have any romantic experience, so I don't really get those aspects of a relationship," I said on impulse. "I'm scared that I can't make you happy too, even after all you did to make sure I was happy!"

Ashton finally lifted his head from my neck and stared me in the eye. "Danny, you already make me happy everyday in all the ways I told you earlier, you can't change my mind. You like me, so go out with me."

"You promise that you won't cheat and leave me for some girl?" I muttered.

"I'm fully gay. I don't like women."

Right now, Ashton looked extremely cool and handsome, as if someone had turned up the intensity of a beauty filter. He really knew how to take someone's breath away just using his words. Still, I didn't feel as if I could speak without saying something stupid to ruin this moment since I was literally overcome with these stupid fluffy emotions.

So, yes, I'm fucking nervous, but I know that I want to try this. Not only for him, but to prove that I can make him happy too, to show him that I am willing and want to be everything he could ever desire. I am already his. 

"If you don't want me to kiss you, tell me to stop," Ashton slowly put our foreheads together giving me ample time to push him away. Maybe I took too long to answer him because he started to shift off of me. His lips hovered hesitantly over my own as if he were giving me extra time. He was being brave enough for me so I should be as well!

"A-Ashton, will you be my boyfriend?" I asked him firmly and seriously. He actually pulled back a bit and turned his head from me to cover his face which was turning the deepest of reds. His face held a mixture of absolute shock and pure joy.

I finally made him speechless.

He broke out into a slow, warm gentle smile and then leaned in and brushed his lips ever so lightly against mine. I could feel a warm tingle over my whole body, just from that delicate touch of his lips. Suddenly he pulled away just enough so he could speak. "Yes," he breathed, the warm air ghosting across my lips.

He leaned over me and before I could say how happy I was, his lips were on mine again, caressing them and molding softly to them. I closed my eyes as the heat flowed from my lips and through my body. God, he tasted so good and I just couldn't get enough. I felt that warning tingle in the back of me somewhere but I gave myself over to the moment instead, just wanting to be kissed by Ashton, just wanting to feel his hands on me and soak up the fact that I can call him my boyfriend. The kiss grew more heated as our lips parted and our tongues tangled with each other more heavily than earlier. He lowered his hips at that moment so that our tented pants slid together and I was gone. I writhed and arched under him and moaned for more. Our hands were everywhere, all over each other, just wanting to touch as much skin as we could.

"Fuck, you're too hot sometimes!" Ashton forcefully pulled himself away. We both lay there for a few minutes, our chests vibrating against each other as our breathing came back to normal. And as my head began to clear again, I realized what I'd just done and—although I was feeling very happy and satisfied—my nerves were starting to rear their head again.

What if he just agreed because he's a virgin and I turn him on?

"Um-"

"I can see your wheels turning. But I am not Vincenzo and I never will be. I don't cheat and I don't lie and I appreciate what's mine. And there's absolutely no rush, baby, we've got all the time in the world. We'll go at your pace, whatever your comfortable with, okay? I promise I'm not going anywhere," Ashton interrupted my insecurities speaking for me. Everything he said was absolutely true in my experience with him so far. He'd never do anything so malicious.

"Now I feel bad for doubting you," I sighed. "I'm sorry."

"It's your anxiety," Ashton took my hand and placed it over his heart that seemed to beating abnormally fast. "See, I'm just as nervous, but I'm so happy and excited! Did I do something wrong?"

"You did everything right," I said. "That country shit is something else."

Ashton jumped off of me suddenly and ran over to his bed in a frenzy. After a few seconds of rummaging around the stuff under his bed, he pulled out a small purple gift bag. He came back to the couch and handed the bag to me nervously. My hands shook as I reached for it and forced myself to open it and read the words he'd written on the card first.

 Dan,

 You really make me love you more with each day

 that goes by. It feels like it was long ago I asked

 you if you would give me your number. And I'm

 asking you to be mine forever.

 I noticed that you really like K-dramas so I

 thought couples rings would be a good marker

 for the occasion.

 Love always, Ashton.

 P.S. Please say yes.

And there at the bottom, instead of a piece of candy, was taped a real looking platinum ring. Couples rings? His forever? He's too smooth! I blinked as I just stared at the ring in awe.

"Why can't you be normal?" I groaned at the utter sweetness of this man. 

"Is it too much?" Ashton asked.

"No! I just feel like I got diabetes," I took the ring off the tape and slid the ring onto my finger. It was perfect fit on me. I guess it felt nice to wear something like this, though i am a bit disappointed that the k-drama feeling wasn't there. But the Thai BL feeling was definitely there, so I wasn't completely put off. "Where's yours?"

"Here it is!" He pulled a necklace off of his neck without restraint, breaking the golden chain in the process. Ashton ignored the falling pieces and focused on the ring that once hung on them, slipping his identical ring on the same finger as me before lacing our fingers together.

"You've just been carrying that?" I chuckled.

"I prepared everything for you to say yes to me in advanced! It was the only way I could really stay positive about this particular thing without giving up subconsciously. You know the concept of 'see your success, be your success' right? It's something that my therapist taught me to do when I feel insecure." Ashton said happily. "It really works!"

"What if I had said no?"

"I would throw it away and continue to be your friend. If you haven't noticed, I'm a bit of a pushover for you."

He's too pure for this world isn't he?

"You shouldn't spoil me, I'll get greedy, and I might be possessive," I told him while not being able to take my eyes off the matching rings. "I hate sharing."

"You don't know how much I want you to be greedy and possessive." He smiled and pulled me onto my feet with him. "I know I'll be greedy when it comes to you."

"How greedy?"

"If anyone messes with you I'll kill them,"Ashton said before pulling me close and clamping his teeth down my neck giving me a fresh mark next to the healing ones. The sensation of the bite caught me off guard as the pleasure from it caused my knees to buckle a bit. "I want to give you so much pleasure that you forget your own name and willingly take mine. I can fuck you all night long. Long, hard and deep. I can make you come, scream my name, anything you want. Tomorrow, I want to mark you in a place that can't be hidden, so everyone will know that you're mine now."

"Pleasure? You....you want to have sex?" I stupidly asked. Of course he does! His big boner had been poking me for the past 20 minutes. It must be really uncomfortable for him, after all, I was uncomfortable as well. "Oh, fuck," I cried out when I felt his teeth nipped the tender skin of my neck again. Leaning my head to the side, I let him nibble his way up to my ear where he once again began speaking a low, husky, barely controlled whisper.

"Not now, I want to make our first time special, Dan," I fucking loved how my name sounded with so much desire attached to it. Ashton was too hot to handle! "Our parents are also downstairs and I really want to cherish you the right way. I had a hard enough time holding back last time, and I can see how much you want it this time too....just don't test me please."

"Special is nice," I bit my lip watching Ashton's lustful eyes gloss over. The sexual tension in the room grew more intense by the second, especially now that there was a valid reason to do it now. 

"If they weren't downstairs, I'd make you mine right now, believe me. When we do, let's see who can last longer, ok?" He suggested knowing full well that I'd probably tap out first.

Instead of answering, I wrapped my arms around his waist and put my head down onto his chest finally just taking in the situation. Although I had accepted my first confession, I'm not sure that I understand it at all. Does going out mean going home together, eating together and hanging out? Does it mean showing off the relationship to everyone?

It wouldn't be fair of me to have Ashton deny the relationship. In fact, if I truly wanted to hide it, I would've told him no for sure. "If I want to show you off to everyone....are you ok....with me....um," I don't know how to put my thoughts into words right now!

"If you're asking if I'm ok with people knowing about us, you don't have to worry, I'm very ok with it. I want to tell everyone right now and rub it in a certain someone's face," Ashton assured me. "I'll have your back through everything."

"Everything?"

"Didn't I say i wanted you to date me with marriage in mind? If marriage wasn't in my mind, I'd have never put this much effort into chasing after you or helping you. No way I could keep us a secret, especially since I'm so happy you chose me."

"Th-then let's go out," I took a deep breath of Ashton's smell. He had stopped wearing scented products for a while now just to accommodate me and without me asking, he alleviated everything I was worried about. Best of all, he made me feel very safe with him. "I don't want to keep it a secret either."

"No pressure, I know that-"

"No! I need to be brave, right? Well you're going to be there for me, so why should we hide it? No matter what, people are going to stare and talk and spread rumors. I just want to be happy." I said looking up at him with the biggest smile I could muster up. I truly just want to let go of my misery and be happy. It felt really good to be loved by someone like Ashton. I don't want things to go back to the way they were.

"That was really cute," Ashton kind of squealed. "I want to crush anyone who dares to mess with you! I really want to hide you somewhere and monopolize you!"

"Psycho!"

"It's just a feeling! I'm not that sick to carry that out! Who the hell wants to be a criminal? I just love you a lot!" He started to lean down so he could kiss me.

"Ashton! Daniel!" I jumped at the sudden interruption by Amanda bursting through Ashton's room door, but he held me firmly to him. "Dinner is....oop. Am I interrupting you?"

"Not at all," Ashton said holding up our hands with the rings on it for her to see. "I just got thru talkin' with him. I told you the rings weren't too much. He's going to wear it."

"It actually worked?" Amanda chuckled. "Well congratulations you two. Let's celebrate over dinner."

"We'll be down in a minute," Ashton assured her. He put his hands on my shoulders to break the hug. Immediately I felt like I wanted to cling to him so badly. I felt so safe that I didn't want to break the skin contact. "You look a bit restless."

I couldn't help but shudder at his voice at the moment. I was consumed with the feeling of wanting him to take me to bed right away, swirl his tongue inside my mouth a bit more and bite my shoulder again hard enough to leave a mark.

"I'm not! I'm just hyper aware," I insisted finally making an effort to compose my horny side. "Let's go eat."

We headed downstairs hand in hand slowly, as we finally reached the dining room, we met with three pairs of observing eyes. My dads face looked the most freaked out. 

"I can't believe you gave in!" He whimpered. "You're breaking my heart son. Just come home with daddy and I'll forget all about this."

"Then I'll move out," I told him effectively stunning him into silence.

"You just turned eighteen. DanDan, lets-"

"Dad, don't call me DanDan in front of other people."

"You used to love that name!"

"I'm not a baby anymore!"

"Mr. Cunningham, I realize i probably went about this in the wrong order. I'm sorry for not asking your permission to date him, but we really like each other," Ashton said pulling out a chair at the table for me to sit. Dad turned his attention to Ashton quickly.

"Then what do you like about my boy?" He snapped.

"Danny's seriously cute no matter what he does!" Ashton gushed catching everyone off guard. "His sleeping face is so peaceful so I like to watch it and his eyes are so big and sparkly when he wakes up, so I can't get enough of it. His hands and face are small and soft as well and he smells really good too. We got put in a lot of the same classes so I think it has to be fate pushing us together. I would also like to call him by a pet name but he doesn't seem to like DanDan."

I watched my dads face go from anger to pure shock. He obviously didn't know how to retort this, because it was all so fucking cheesy! Still it warmed my heart to hear Ashton say all this without any pause. If this was the way that he was going to have my back, I'd need to prepare my heart in the future for sure.

"Dad, I ended up asking him out and he said yes," I said. "He makes me happy, so I want to be with him."

Amanda let out a loud fan girl scream before Chip could try and silence her. "Welcome to the family!" She screamed.

"But you said you'll live with daddy forever," my dad rubbed his head in frustration. "I don't care that Ashton is a guy! But why do you have to date now?! I'm not ready for this to happen! You're my little boy so why can't you just be a little boy? I knew I should've home schooled you."

This was starting to get embarrassing."Dad-"

"Danny, you won't understand your dad until you have children of your own," Chip tried. "Although I don't want Ashton dating right now either, but I can't stop him since he's almost an adult. The parental instinct in us just wants to protect you boys forever, and your dad really loves you, so it's very hard for him to accept that he doesn't have to protect you as much anymore."

Dammit Chip! Don't co-sign my fathers temper tantrum! "Fine, we'll talk about it when we get home. But you can't threaten me with homeschool if I do!"

"Fine! I won't! But he better be able to pass the test!" Dad huffed. 

"Test?" Chip and Amanda asked.

"He already failed one because he can't keep his hands off of you!"

"Dad! We fell!"

"That's what I told my parents when I was caught with your mother, and guess who was born soon after that?! You think I'll be able to unsee that? Now you're dating people who push you down-"

"He didn't push me down! Dad, I'm going to date Ashton, while I understand your position that's not my issue to resolve! If you hate it so much, I'll still do it when I go away for college," I said asserting myself.

"What is that on your hand?" Dad had zeroed in on my right hand furiously.

"It's a couples ring," I looked down and started to pick at my food. "It's something from those foreign dramas I like a lot. So he got one for me."

"No.....no that's not a couples ring! It's-"

"I have a gift for you as well Mr. Cunningham," Ashton tried. "I've never used my pool table or cues since it was bought for me, but Danny's mentioned your desire for one. I know it's regifting, but I feel you would get more use out of it than me."

Dad froze at Ashton's offer. He was actually tempted to take Ashton's offer, but he was going to remain stubborn. "Do you seriously think I'll trade him for a pool table?"

"Ugh, just take the pool table and let it go dad," I sighed. "It's just a couples ring."

"I'll have someone bring it over tomorrow," Chip decided. 

Ashton was a genius for listening to what Teresa said just to get my dad to agree and not stress me out. It was truly amazing how fickle his will turned out to be. Luckily, dad knew that he was being overwhelmed right now. He knew that if Chip told him that the pool table would be there, it would be and it may be his only chance, and with my ok, he doesn't have to feel like he sold me.

"Teresa gave her blessing as well," Ashton smiled. 

"This isn't fair," dad stuffed his mouth with food and poured as he chew making sure to show that he wasn't fully happy. He was silently admitting defeat while trying to save face. I guess he felt embarrassed about making a scene in someone else home finally. "Everyone ganged up on me in the end."

"You'll live," I said. 

"What if I die?"

"I accept you and mom. You accept us back?"

"I accept, Reluctantly," dad nodded. Chip gently guided the conversation into something businesslike that I couldn't understand, but he managed to distract my dad. Under the table Ashton grabbed and squeezed my free hand so he could get my attention. On his face was the usual calming smile I'd come to rely on so heavily.

I smiled back nervously at him and continued to eat my food in peace.

After dinner, Ashton and decided to take a walk in the backyard for a bit so he could show me the garden. Curving stone pathways lined with moss led into a jungle of trees and shrubs. Giant white flowers bloomed on the vines that sat on the trellises and wrapped around the trees as well. The richness of the air and the elegant smells the flowers gave off made me feel like a trash can in nature. Still, Ashton led me down the path and thru the trees to an opening. A few feet of green grass, perhaps enough for a picnic, maybe something more intimate. The grass surrounded a pool a low rectangular pool, tiled with blue marble. It was perhaps a dozen feet deep but it wasn't very wide-just enough to slip in and swim a little bit among the water lilies. Everything looked so expensive it was almost indecent.

"This is something," I said just taking in the beautiful scenery around me. Geez this place was absurdly big, and the air felt like it was made of gold on this property.

"Danny," Ashton called out distracting me from being scared of breaking something expensive. He took my hands and rubbed the backs of them with his thumbs before kissing my hands. "I love you, so I'm never letting you go."

"Wh-what are you saying. Can you cut that out please! I don't know how to respond when you start doing that sweet shit," I confessed while not being able to hide the smile taking over my face. "It's terrifying me!"

"But I want you to smile more because it's so cute and you smile when I say this. You smiled a lot tonight, didn't you? So my goal is get you to smile everyday, because you're my baby." Ashton said. "Aren't you my baby now?"

Now I really couldn't look him in the eye. I think my heart was going to explode from my chest. Why was this guy so cheesy! "I-I am but, I suck at things like romance and feelings and shit!"

"That's ok, we can work slowly towards slowly making that the new normal between us," Ashton lowered his head so he could meet my eyes. He has the same stupid amazingly big smile on his face still.

"Fine," my heart has been a mess since I met him, but I'm smiling right now and I feel really happy. I won't bum myself out by over thinking it now. I asked him out, I was able to initiate a kiss and it's not hard to defend him. I can be brave for him.

"You look really adorable," Ashton said leaning in to close the space between us and press our lips together in a sweet kiss. "Can I kiss you at school too?"

"You already have," I chuckled at Ashton blushing. He must've forgotten our time in the nurses office. "In your car too, we kissed a lot."

"Ok, but now that it's official, I want to kiss you and hold your hand in front of everyone," He huffed. Why was he so eager to show me off to everyone so badly? It wasn't like I was some next level kind of guy that people wanted to go out with. I mean just earlier this week, the girls unilaterally declared war on me for something out of my control. People were actively wishing death on me everyday and my stuff is constantly getting destroyed so I don't have anything nice.

But if he really wanted this, then I guess I can give him something. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Ashton swept me off my feet suddenly and spun my around. He looked way too happy for someone who was going out with me, but that made me feel giddy because nothing about this feeling felt bad to me. He looked at me as if he was looking right through me and seeing the me I hid from everyone else. 

Did I really deserve this? 

"You look good from this angle," Ashton said seriously. "If we do it from this angle, I can have better access to some of your sweet spots."

"Wh-what?!" I gasped.

"Yeah, your neck and chest would be exposed in front of my face if I pick you up like this. I can bite you all I want from here."

"Y-you want to bite me?"

"Only because it gets you off," Ashton said before putting his head next to my neck. His hot breath was already making my shiver, and I almost jumped out of his arms when he put his tongue on my neck. "See, if go around your neck, you start shivering because you want it badly. That's really hot. It makes me want to mess you up and find all your sweet spots. I wonder what kind of faces you'll make then and what your voice will be like."

Was this guy serious? "Um...don't just put it in because you'll tear my-"

"You felt the lube I had last time you were here," Ashton said. "Fuck, I remembering it right now. I won't let you tear down there, and I'll go easy on you of course. It might be hard to hold back though, I'm not exactly good at resisting your sexy faces."

"Don't hold back then," I muttered. I'd decided give it my all when it come to Ashton and I'm determined to stick to it no matter what. "That time we couldn't do it because your parents were there, but if they weren't I would have gone thru with it. But now....well you can get your fingers in, so I wouldn't mind...I mean if you do what you did last time, I'll like it."

"You want me to dominate you?" Ashton asked. "I can definitely do that for you, baby."

"You're embarrassing," I groaned at my own words. I made my desire known without really thinking about it because I was talking with Ashton.

"So besides your boyfriend, will I be accepted as your dom as well?"

"Doesn't that mean.....that I'm your property?" 

"I'd be your property as well," he argued. Me owning Ashton....had a nice ring to it for some reason. It made me feel like I had something of great value. 

"Fine," I said. This might be too good to pass up, so I won't let this opportunity go. "You belong to me and I belong you."

"Only each other, baby!" Ashton smiled before playing a gentle kiss on me again.