Almost Lovers

"The last thing I want to do is piss your mom off right now, Sawyer." Dallas sighed, sitting up and giving Sawyer one last hug before climbing out of the bed. "I guess I've got to go talk to him. I don't want him to think I'm mad. I'm not, really. Thank you for trying to stand up for me though, kid. I appreciate it." He pressed a kiss to Sawyer's temple before slipping out of the room and making his way to his and Law's bedroom. He said nothing at first, merely slipping inside and sitting on the edge of the bed.

It was maybe an hour before Sinclair blinked his eyes open again, mourning the loss of the warmth his mother had been giving him. But then he heard it, Stein's heart beating just outside of his door.
"Stein?" He called out gently, slipping out of bed to go to the door. He slowly opened it, smiling softly to see the boy sitting in the hallway. "Hi."

Law waited a moment to see if Dallas was going to talk to him, or even spare him a glance. There was nothing though. "Since when do you have nothing to say, oui?" The dark skinned man slid down the length of the bed, so that he could carefully wrap his arms around Dallas's shoulders from behind, his lips gently brushing the mans ears as he spoke. "Come on, I know you were talking to Sawyer." His lips moved to Dallas's neck, starting at the base and moving up into his hair line until they rested just atop the mans head. "I think I need to know how you feel more than he does, oui." Law knew better than to think that Dallas was simply going to come out and admit that he was hurt. If he wanted the man to talk, he would have to coax it out of him.
It was okay though, after so many nights of cradling the man after an attack of his Post traumatic stress disorder, Law was an expert at winding Dallas down.
"You've been the only thing on my mind all damned night...I think it's only fair you look at me. At least once, eh?" One of the mans heavily tattooed hands moved to Dallas's face, his fingers curling at the mans jaw and forcing Dallas to look up at him. "There he is..." The werewolf crooned softly, his blue eyes full of adoration for his mate. "I've been missing that face, oui. You've been avoiding me."

"Oh! Sinclair! Hey!" Stein scrambled to get to his feet, the middle of his shirt emitting a bright blue glow in his excitement at finally being able to glimpse Sinclair's face. He had dreamed of the boy that night. It was what had prompted him to come so early. Stein was so thrilled that he almost forgot that it would be over stepping his boundaries to pull Sinclair in for a hug. He did remember though, and he stopped himself just before he made it painfully obvious what he had been wanting to do. "Sorry that im here so early, I just thought that maybe you'd be up and I was kinda lonely and I missed you so..." The boy reached to sheepishly rub the back of his neck, his cheeks heating as he realized he had been rambling. "How are you feeling? Did you have a good nap?" Stein stayed where he had been standing, his arch reactor humming softly as he waited for Sinclair to either invite him in or offer they go somewhere else. He never dared to enter the boys room without his say so.

Dallas had wanted to be stubborn but like always, he melted under Law's touch.
"You never told me about the earrings, Trafalgar." He spoke finally, turning to face the other man fully. "I can't blame you for looking at him like you did because I used to do the same with Vince. But the earrings... he saw you wearing them and took it like it meant you still loved him. Is that what they mean?" He didn't know why this was what bothered him the most. They were just earrings after all. But he'd loved them so much... and to know they were a symbol of Law's love for another man, it killed him.

"I missed you too." Sinclair smiled sheepishly, stepping back to make room for Stein to get passed him. "You can come in if you want? I'd like the company." He nodded, reaching out to gently grasp the boy's hand, leading him inside.

"Dallas," Law's heart had dropped into his stomach at the use of his first name. He knew this meant that Dallas truly was hurting. And then the man actually began talking to him and for a moment Law was so overwhelmed that he couldnt breath. He knew what it was like to hurt in that way. He had suffered for so long while Dallas was still getting over Vince. But his mate had never kept anything pertaining to his relationship with the boy. Law could only imagine how the man had to be feeling.
"I never thought i'd see him again, oui. I was certainty not wearing them because I wanted him to know that I was in love with him." One of the mans hands caressed down Dallas's cheek, settling only after it was cuffed against the back of his mates neck. "I loved my earrings, Dallas. They were golden and I have had them ever since my ears have been pierced. In fact they are the only pair i've ever owned." Law sighed thoughtfully. "I wasn't wearing them for Eustass. I wore them for myself. Because they have just become a part of me. I feel naked without them." Undesirable. "And I believed Eustass to be dead. Of course I still loved him, and I regretted that he was never going to live past twenty three. I was guilty because I had lived and thought he had died. I wouldnt throw them out because it would have been like throwing his memory away." He knew that his words had to sting, but he refused to be anything but honest with Dallas. This was serious. It was their relationship. "But now I know he is fine, and the damned earrings are still downstairs in the floor. Do you want to know what that means, oui?" Law moved to sit down, pulling Dallas so that the man had no choice but to face him fully. "It means that I dont give a damn about them anymore. I threw them down the moment I realized it could be giving him the wrong idea about us." Law wrapped his arms tight around Dallas's waist. "Because I already have a mate, and there's no place for him in my life anymore. You and our babies are my life now, Dallas. I dont want anything else. All I ever want is you, oui."

"Oh yeah?" Stein was always delighted to be invited into Sinclair's room. He knew it was a privilege denied to most. "I'd really like that!" His words died on his lips as the boy grasped his hand. It was so unexpected that Stein nearly swooned. He found that he was always craving Sinclair's touch now. The young wolf had already spoiled him. "So did you sleep well?" It was the next thing on his mind, always worrying about Sinclair's health.

Dallas could not stop himself from roughly capturing Law's lips with his own, one arm curling around the man's waist to press him closer so their chests were pressed flush against each other.
"I don't want him to take you away from me. I can't do that again." He couldn't lose another mate. Especially when his feelings for Law were a thousand times stronger than any feelings he'd had for Vince. "If he comes back I'm going to kill him." He informed, his free hand coming to caress the man's cheek gently, a thumb rubbing over the man's bare earlobe. It didn't feel right.

"I slept well but it wasn't very long." Sinclair informed. "But it's better than nothing. And I'm actually glad I woke up since you're here. I really wanted to see you." He took a seat on his bed, pausing before gesturing for Stein to sit beside him, a few inches away.

"Dallas, there isn't a force strong enough in this universe to take me away from you, oui." Not when they fit so perfectly together this way, chest to chest and cheek to cheek. Dallas was responsible for every good thing about him. Anything Law prided himself on, it was somehow because of his mate. "I never touched Eustass this way, oui. I never loved him like I love you." Law relished in the warmth of Dallas against him. "And you should know better by now, no one can take my shit and give back like you can." Law found himself shuddering under the feeling of Dallas's thumb against his naked ear lobe. He had always hated his ears. When he had been smaller he had felt like they stuck out too much. It was the reason he had gotten them pierced too begin with. Without his earrings....Law couldnt help but feel uncharacteristically vulnerable. He almost wanted them back.
But almost wasnt enough. Not when he had Dallas wrapped around him so perfectly.
"That really bothers you, doesn't it, oui?" Law had never thought that it would mean anything. He hadnt even realized that Dallas took notice of his earrings. But the man seemed to be paying so much attention to them now.
He obviously felt threatened.
And Law absolutely hated it.

"I really wanted to see you too!" He almost slipped up and mentioned his dream, but the boy managed to avoid that. He didnt want Sinclair to think he was creepy. And then what if he asked about the content of the dream? Was Stein supposed to openly admit that he had dreamed of what it would feel like to explore the werewolf's body? More than just his hands and face. "I was actually thinking about making something for you so I was extra excited." Stein sat down beside the young werewolf, careful to leave a few inches in between them for Sinclair's comfort. "Is there a certain reason you wanted to see me? Or were you just missing me?" It was ridiculous how flustered the boy got at the prospect of Sinclair simply missing him.

"It does." Dallas admitted with a sigh. "It's the stupidest thing to get upset over, I know. It's just whenever I look at them I think of our first fight and I remember when I ripped them out and you told me I fought dirty. I always think of that fight as our beginning even though I hated your guts back then. The earrings, they always reminded me of it, of us. They kind of turned into a symbol of our relationship for me. They were our thing. And to find out that they've been a symbol of your love for him... it ruined everything." It felt nice to talk to Law, to tell the man how he was actually feelings.

"Really, I was just missing you." Sinclair admitted shyly, allowing himself to move an inch closer to the other boy. "But I mean there was something specific I wanted to talk to you about." Asking Stein to be his boyfriend had sounded so easy when he'd been discussing it with his mother. But now it made his stomach twist nervously. How was he supposed to ask? What if Stein said no? What if there was some way he was supposed to ask but he didn't know since he'd never had a relationship before? So much could go wrong.

"They are not a symbol of my love for him, Dallas."  Law wore one of his crooked smiles, this time bright enough to fully reach his eyes.  It had his heart swelling in his chest to hear about how much his mate had treasured his earrings, what they had represented to him. It also had his stomach twisting into knots if guilt. Now his mates love of his earrings had been ruined. And even more so, their relationship could be tainted. Now Dallas would look at his naked ears and think of Eustass  "Just so you know, I never thought of him when I looked in the mirror and saw my earrings.  In fact I was always thinking about you, and how you fucking ripped them out."  His smile grew in thought of their first fight. "It makes me want to go beat your ass all over again, and I love that rush. It reminds me of how far we've come together, oui."  He had been miserable when they had first met...But it had only taken Dallas a week.  Sure he had hated the man that entire week, but it had been the first week that he went without crying or dreaming of the mate he had thought he lost.  Instead he spent his nights thinking about Dallas and how infuriating he was. Eventually those thoughts shifted...And then finally he was barreling into the mans bedroom, unable to bear the sounds of him and another person having sex just down the hallway.


"Something specific?  Like what?"  Stein cocked his head to the side in curiosity, his eyes completely focused on the young werewolfs face.  He was trying to gauge what Sinclair might want to talk to him about, afraid that maybe he had done something to make the boy uncomfortable.
"Is it bad?  Did I do something wrong?"  He was already backtracking in an attempt to fix it, his mechanical arm flexing nervously. He had made so much progress...what if he ruined it?

"That's what I thought of when I looked at them too." Dallas informed, thumb still gently toying with the man's ear. He seemed slightly distracted for a moment and truly, it was because he was considering what might look better there than the old gold hoops. "I thought of how much of an ass I used to be and how you changed that. Well... I'm still an ass of course. But not to you or my babies." He managed a soft smile. "God, we worked so hard to get here, Trafalgar. Our boys are all grown up, finding their mates. We'd just finally mated with each other. I thought it was all perfect. I haven't thought about Vince in years. I don't want this prick to come in here and take you away and ruin it all."

"Oh no! It's not anything you did wrong!" Sinclair shook his head furiously. He was already screwing it up. "I just wanted to tell you that I... I really like spending time with you." Already, his cheeks were burning scarlet as he spoke. "And I was thinking last night about how sweet you are to me and how smart you are and how beautiful and I realized there are probably a lot of guys around here who like spending time with you. And if I don't do something now maybe one of those guys would take you away from me and I'd really miss you then and..." He trailed off, realizing he was rambling. But he was not sure how to actually ask. Maybe he should just come out and say it. "What I'm trying to say is I'd like to spend more time with you and maybe be your boyfriend?" He grimaced slightly as he finally asked, praying Stein would say yes.

"Would fucking stop saying that, oui?" Law caught the mans's face in his hands, a callused thumb gently trailing down the curve of Dallas's cheek. He could remember the first time he'd held the man in such a way, so intimately. Dallas had complained about it afterwards, but he had still been smiling. "No one is coming in here and taking my ass anywhere! So don't go putting that shit in your head, oui." The dark skinned man couldn't bare to think that Dallas was suffering just as he had while waiting on Vince to be out of the picture. It was a pain that ran deep. Law still had his thoughts about Vince, making comparisons between them. Hell, once he'd even pictured Dallas married to the boy with children. It had been a sweet imagine but it had made Law sick to his stomach. "Eustass if fighting a losing battle, Dallas." To him there wasn't even a fight to be had. He was staying with his mate and his babies. He knew Eustass though, knew that the alpha would be back for more soon, and he wanted Dallas to be prepared for that. "I dont love him anymore. If anything I feel sorry for him now, oui." Law had found his true happiness, and he could only pray that Eustass would find his.
Soon.
"And besides, you need me here, oui. Even though you like to spew so much shit." Law had thought his sleeping habits would be better after he and Dallas mated, but instead the doctor for himself staying awake now to assure himself that his mate was sleeping comfortable and soundly. He could always tell when it would be a bad night for the man. Dallas always gives warnings by tossing and jerking around in the bed. Sometimes Law wakes him, but other times he knows its safer to let Dallas come to on his own, not matter how much it paines him to hear the man in such distress. Afterwards Law holds him. Dallas complains and bitches about how he doesnt need it, but he does, because after a while of arguing he always settles down and accepts the fact that he doesnt always have to be strong anymore.
Law's always there to protect him.

"My boyfriend?" Stein echoed softly, as though he was waiting for Sinclair to correct him. "Like...I can tell people that? Your my boyfriend? And I can come over more?" He wanted to make sure he had all of the stipulations before he went and allowed himself excitement at the news. But it wasn't doing much to to hide his anticipation with his arch reactor glowing so brightly that it was lighting the entire room.

"I do need you, I can admit that now." The corners of Dallas's mouth curved upwards slightly, almost a smile. He didn't know what he'd do without Law to keep him grounded. "And I can't just stop worrying about him taking you from me because I know what it feels like, Trafalgar." Dallas sighed, pressing the man's body tight against his as he spoke, wanting to keep the man close as if he thought Eustass were just going to sneak in in the middle of the night and take him. "I know how hard it is to get over your mate. I know the exact thought going through your head because I thought them too when I saw Vince again. I'm so in love with you, Trafalgar, and no one could take me away, but I had moments where I would look at him and miss the old days. And Vince didn't even want me back. I can't imagine how hard it would have been if he was begging me to come back to him. The look on your face when you see him, Trafalgar, it hurts. And it hurts even more when I know that you're thinking of how you two used to be together. It hurts because I know how much you love him and I never thought I'd have to see it. It hurts because I know if he plays his cards right, he could take you from me even if you say he can't. I won't be able to just stop worrying until he's completely out of the picture."
He had been paying attention to Sawyer's troubles earlier, but even still, Eustass was in the back of his mind. He hated the way the man had laughed at him, scoffed at the fact that Law was with him out of all people. Eustass had acted like he wasn't even a worthy competitor for Law's love. Really, Dallas had hated it so much because it was true. He had never imagined Eustass would look like that. He was pathetic compared to that. Short, freckled, and bowlegged. What did Law see in him in the first place?

"Yeah, you can tell people." Sinclair nodded with a hesitant smile. "And you can come over whenever... I just wanted to make it official because I like you so much, Stein." His eyes were drawn to the boy's arch reactor and he couldn't help but smile. Stein was happy about this. Stein liked him too.

For a moment Law was entirely too stunned to form a response, his mates words falling onto him and flooding his chest with warmth.  Dallas loved him so much that it was hurting him to thinking of Eustass coming back.  Dallas loved him...Just as he loved Dallas.
It was exhilarating.
And every time the man would use his first name, it sent his heart shuttering against his rib cage.  Everything Dallas did had an effect on him.  
"I have to admit, I appreciate how much this is bothering you, oui."  When Vince had been around, Law had wondered about the future of their relationship, worried that Dallas could never completely devote himself to it.  But now it seemed as though their places had been swapped, and Dallas was aching just as much as he had been, if not more being that Eustass was being so persistent.
He'd even threatened Dallas's fatherhood of their children.
"But don't let it really get to you, Dallas.  I can't lie, I did love Eustass.  But you...I have never loved anything like I love you."  The man's hand curled around the back of Dallas's neck, bringing the man in so he could press a rare and tender kiss to the freckles dancing over his nose. "I don't like to get sentimental with you because it had always been so awkward before...Now its just strange between us.  But I want you to know these things, oui."  The man leaned their foreheads together.  "I love watching you sleep, and I am grateful that I get to be the one to take care of you whenever you have a bad night.  Im always so proud to be the one blessed enough to hold you, because we both know that no one else gets to do that."  His smile was unhinged and happy. "I love that I stay in bed longer now because I know that when I get up for a cigarette you're going to bitch about the bed being cold.  I love that you want me to stay."  Little things like that... They gave Law life. "I love that we still argue.  It's not like it had been at first, because I can't hate you, it's just not in me.  But fussing with you now still takes me back and it makes me want to throw you down and love you even more, because I remember sitting in my room and listening to Ajax and whatever strangers crying out from down the hall. I had wanted this so fucking bad then....And I want it just as badly now. " They had come such a long way from where they began and Law was damned proud of the family they had made. "I love you so much that I wanted to have babies with you.  Do you know that Eustass asked me about it once?  Before all the bad shit happened and every thing was still good?  He asked and I told him no.  Hell no in fact, oui."  It hadn't felt right then.  Now he knew why.  He had been waiting for Dallas to come along, even if he wasnt aware at the time. "I love your eyes and the freckles on your nose, an I love the indention's in your hips and how you walk with your bowlegged gait.  The way your eyes crinkle in the corner when you smile...Fuck Dallas, there's so much." Law was completely overwhelmed by his love for the man.

"You like me? You like me?"  Stein picked himself up from the bed, his shoulders broad and straight with pride. "Sinclair that's the best thing i've ever heard!"  He had liked Sinclair from the start, but he had never been sure about how to go with telling the boy that.  If it didnt go well, he could have risked creeping Sinclair out and losing their friendship that he treasured so much.  But now...
His arch reactor was even threatening to spark under all of his elation.
"Can I hug you? Or just- Will you hold my hand?" He wanted to touch the boy so badly, even if it was only with his mechanical arm. "Im just so damn happy now! I wasnt sure that you liked me back, so this is just....Im honored and just-" He was having trouble rambling, his cheeks pink as he realized this. "I just, i'd love to call you my boyfriend!"

"You're so sentimental now." Dallas couldn't help but grin slyly, pulling Law in close to him. "I love you so much, Trafalgar. And I might not stand a chance against that fucking giant but I'm going to fight for you and my babies. If he comes back here again he's going to regret it." He murmured, pressing his lips against Law's jaw. "I'm not just going to let him come in here and do whatever the hell he wants." Jesse was not going to hold him back next time. "Will he be back?"

Sinclair was beaming, trying to keep himself under control. He had never been so ecstatic though, he was sure.
"You can hug me." He nodded, pausing to look at Stein for a moment before opening his arms, slowly leaning in until he could wrap them around Stein's waist. He was tense at first but he allowed himself to relax after a moment. "You can... touch me, I'm okay right now." He informed, resting his head on Stein's shoulder.

Law let out a heavy groan at the question, knowing that it would only bother Dallas more to know that Eustass was not going to go away so easily. "I hope not, but knowing Eustass he will definitely be back. It just depends on what mood he's in, oui." The alpha didn't seem to have changed at all in the years they had been separated. Eustass even still walked with his hands in his pockets. "If he sits and broods long enough, he might come back to have words with me with the intention of starting a fight." That had been one of Eustass's favorite solutions if they were on bad terms. The alpha loved to do things that would initiate a physical brawl, because he always knew that if he could just get his hands on Law, he could fix everything. "Or he could nurse his wounded feelings, which would have him most likely drinking. He could show up at any time if that happened. Eustass isnt usually a mean drunk though..." That would be the hardest thing for Law, if the alpha got drunk and came to bear his heart out for him. "But either way, I think he will be back at some point, oui. But I just have to show him we arent mated anymore. I believe after that he will be so sullen that he goes on just hating us all." It unsettled him to think of Eustass hating him in such a way, but Law pushed that aside. The man wrapped his arms tightly around Dallas's waist, moving to press a tired kiss to the mans collar. "I dont want you to fight with him. I know that you want to, but he is an alpha, oui. I have seem him kill. I dont want you hurt because of this, Dallas. I'd never forgive myself." And he couldn't begin to imagine the backlash from Sawyer. "Just let me handle him. You can watch over us if you want to, but I would rather you not be involved." It would be dangerous. He had saw how Eustass looked at Dallas. He already seemed to want the man dead so that he could take claim on their family.

"O-Oh man...You're so warm." Stein was breathless for a moment as he felt Sinclair settling against him. This was something that only ever happened in his dream. The boy found himself praying that his arch reactor didn't burn up between them. Slowly, with all the care in the world, Stein allowed his arms to curl around Sinclair's shoulders. His mechanical hand came to gently caress the back of the boys neck, and while it was cold against Sinclair's skin, the touch was so tender and cautious, as though he were touching an infant. "It's so crazy to think that im standing in your room and you're letting me hold you and I can call you my boyfriend! I never thought I would get this lucky! I just want you know how great this really is for me, Sinclair. I think about you all the time and its just...I love touching you like this."

"I don't care if he's an Alpha, I'm not going to let him do whatever the hell he wants." Dallas grunted softly. "I could handle him." He was sure he could. He would be fueled by his need to get the man away from his family. "I might get hurt but I'd damn win." He had to. If it was a fight for Law's heart, he would come out on top.
He leaned in, capturing Law's lips once more. The thought of a world without Law was enough to make him determined to fight Eustass. What would he do without the man's crooked smile greeting him in the mornings?
"I love you, Trafalgar. Don't ever forget that, alright? I love you more than he ever could." Dallas was a jealous man, it was no secret. But he was normally not so open about his jealousy. Today though was different. He wanted Law to know his feelings so there was no doubt in the man's mind that Dallas loved him more than Eustass.

"I like it too." Sinclair admitted, relaxing in Stein's arms. It really wasn't so bad. He actually liked the contact. "I know it must be hard to be with me but I really like you Stein and thank you for giving me a chance and waiting for me." He spoke gently, pressing his face into the crook of Stein's neck. While he was here, he might as well enjoy it. He wanted to feel Stein completely right now.

"Dallas, I don't doubt that anymore, oui." There had been a time where Law had been afraid that Dallas was only with him to numb the pain and kill time. But eventually, it seemed as though he had replaced Vince in every way. Dallas was his mate now. "I understand that you are hurting and you are bothered and I fucking hate that, oui! I wish I could just make Eustass go away..." The dark skinned werewolf heaved a heavy sigh. "We have been so happy lately. Everything was falling into place...And now damn Eustass is causing me problems." Serious problems. Anything that made Dallas look at him in such a way was important. "I don't want you to feel like I have ever considered you to be second best. Ever since I have known you...You've been the center of my world, oui. Even when I was still grieving over Eustass....I slacked off almost immediately after our first fight. After just a few months...I hardly thought of him at all anymore. Im always so busy thinking about you, dipshit. You never take care of yourself like you should, so i've got to be here to make sure that you dont let yourself go to complete hell." He'd take Dallas's bowed legs and his softly freckled nose over Eustass any day.

"Hard to be with you? Sinclair thats so dumb!" Stein pressed the boy closer to him, but still made sure to be careful as not to make Sinclair uncomfortable. "Being with you is the easiest thing in the world for me. Being with you just makes me so warm and happy, I never stop smiling when im around you!" And that was true. It seemed as though he left with his cheeks aching every time. "And I don't mind waiting. You're worth it. I could spend an eternity waiting for you, as long as you'll keep giving me time. I just like to talk to you, you're so smart. And you're gorgeous and I love how tall you are. All legs. " Stein had always especially adored Sinclair's legs, but he loved the boys body in general. He may not have touched it all yet, but he hardly ever stopped looking.

"I'd die without you here." Dallas confirmed, pressing gentle kisses to anywhere he could reach on his mate. "I thought I'd been in love before but I don't think I ever really was. It was nothing compared to what I feel for you, Trafalgar." He found he couldn't stop saying the man's name today. He wanted to make sure Law knew how completely serious he was. "You're the best thing to ever happen to me, you and our boys."

Sinclair blushed at all the compliments, eyeing Stein for a moment before allowing himself to press a gentle peck to the boy's cheek.
"Just thank you for waiting for me." He spoke gently. His heart was beating so fast it felt like it might burst out of his chest. But it wasn't a bad feeling. In fact, he was kind of enjoying it. This might be pretty tame for a couple, but it was like an adventure for him. He was putting himself out of his comfort zone and he was enjoying it.

"I like when you say my name, oui." He didn't even use it to introduce himself anymore. He preferred that Dallas was the only one who called him that.
Other than Eustass. The alpha only ever used his first name unless he was truly pissed off. And then he became just 'Law' While Dallas was the other way around. His mate only used his first name when he was serious and seeking attention.
They were so different.
"And I believe our love is stronger than anything else. We were both so damn broken when he started this, oui. But look at us now? I've never been so happy. I had been convinced that there would never be a love greater than what I had for Eustass, but you have proved me wrong. You always love to prove me wrong." The werewolf cracked his crooked smile. "I love you more than i've ever loved anything. I didn't think I was possible to love this much. I do things for you that I would never do for Eustass, oui."

"Hey, like I said, it's paying off. Look at this! You're letting me hug you and-" The words fell from Stein's lips as Sinclair pressed a kiss to his cheeks. Before he was able to even process how wonderful it had felt, his arch reactor was buzzing softly. By the time he looked down, he noticed a soft spark being smothered out by his shirt. "Uh-oh!" He carefully pulled back from their embrace, taking am moment to catch his breath and assure himself that his reactor wasnt going to catch fire. "Look at what you do to me. And all you did was kiss my cheek." He'd never let go of the boy completely, his mechanical arm was still wrapped securely around Sinclair's waist. He was afraid that if he let go, Sinclair may no longer welcome his touch.

"Oh yeah?" Dallas smirked softly, using his arm curled around Law's waist to pull the man down to lie on the bed. He then proceeded to lay down beside him, never moving his arm. He used it to make sure their bodies were pressed as close together as they could get. "Tell me. Tell me what you do for me that you wouldn't do for him. I want to hear it." He murmured, leaning in to nip at his lover's bare ear lobe. He knew he sounded incredibly needy but really, he needed to hear it. He needed reassurance that Law loved him more than he'd ever loved Eustass.

Sinclair laughed softly as he watched the arch reactor, wanting to make sure it was not going to catch on fire, but still quite amused by the spark it had given off. It made him feel nice, knowing he'd done that to Stein with just a simple kiss.
"I'm happy I do that to you." He admitted. "You could um... kiss my cheek if you'd like." He was so high off of being this close to Stein, he was hardly even nervous about all the physical contact. He just loved having Stein so close to him.

"I don't smoke as often because of you, oui." Law began softly, with a tenderness he rarely possessed. But he knew that Dallas needed to hear this, especially being the man had been desperate enough to ask. His mate hardly ever allowed himself to be so open, so Law always humbled whenever Dallas did show his needs. "Eustass had wanted me to stop, but I had never even considered it. Because of you, even though you dont openly tell me to stop, I know you dont like it so I have been trying to cut back." Law allowed his claws to card their way through Dallas's hair. "I stay awake sometimes just to watch you sleep, oui. I like to be aware of you, because I know that sometimes you have bad nights. I like being awake and ready for you whenever you come out of it." A kiss to each of Dalla's eyes. Law wanted to express himself completely, leaving no doubts. They didnt do these things often, so he had to get everything out now. "But I never bothered with Eustass. If he was having a bad time or if he was ill i'd just treat him and let him go about his own shit. With you I always stay to check and keep watch, oui." Another kiss, but this time to the mans forehead where he had so often headbutted him. "Whenever we fight, if its bad, I never let you get too far away from me. I stay where I can reach you as soon as you've cooled off, oui. I never want one of us to leave after a fight and something happen. I dont ever like to be on bad terms with you. With Eustass, after we were pissed at eachother that was it. I dont think I ever apologized to him. Not even once." But he was always quick to seek forgiveness now, not able to stand the feeling of his mate being upset with him. "I give up my blanket if I see that you're cold throughout the night, oui. And I always make sure to leave enough cereal in the box for you when I wake up first." Little things, but still things he had not thought to do for Eustass. "I like to hold you. With Eustass I never thought about touching him like I think about touching you. I love to hold you. No one else ever gets to do that. Its a treasure for me. Especially because when we first got together, you didnt like being touched like that, oui. It made you hostile. But now you'll just lay against my chest sometimes and let me wrap my arms around you and that is....It's one of the best feelings in the world." As he spoke now, he was curling his arms around his mate, wrapping the man tightly into his arms. "I will throw Eustass away myself for you. But I wouldnt so much as speak a dirty word to you for him, oui. There is no competition."

"Holy shit, really?" Stein's jaw went slack, his arch reactor buzzing again in his excitement. "You'd let me do that? I want to! I really do!" The boy began to reach for Sinclair's cheek, his metal fingers gently bringing Sinclair closer so that he could tenderly place his lips against the boys cheek. It wasn't a quick peck as Sinclair's had been, but instead it was soft and loving, Stein even lingering there for a few moments that were longer than necessary. He was taking his time, relishing in the contact.

"Thank you." Dallas spoke gently, his lips finding the sweet spot on his lover's neck. His lips lingered there for a moment before he pulled back, simply smiling softly at his lover. He was calm now. He was still worried about Eustass returning, of course. But he believed Law. The man loved him, it was obvious. He could relax for now. "I love you, Trafalgar." He crooned, burying his face in the crook of the man's neck. "So damn much."

Sinclair's cheek burned up under Stein's touch, though he didn't pull away.
"I like that." He grinned softly, bringing Stein back in to hug him then. "If I had an arch reactor, it would have sparked like yours too." He chuckled.

Eustass did return, nearly two weeks later while Dallas was out on the porch having a drink.  The alpha had been watching for a while now, he'd seen Law when'd the man had first come out that morning for a smoke, and not soon after the doctor had been joined by his new lover.  Eustass couldn't forget his bowlegged gait.  
"Tell me, just how did you manage to reel him in-ya?"  The pale alpha finally spoke in way of announcing himself, slowly making his way towards the porch.  His eyes were trained on Dallas, looking the man over once again and still not understand what his mate could possible be seeing.  "He seems to like you alright."  But he'd seen better.  He had spent precious mornings with the doctor and he was determined that there would be more to come.  If could only get this trailer trash out of the picture.

Dallas was immediately on edge to see the man, but he tried to stay calm. He wouldn't be the first one to start a fight. Law didn't want them to fight and he'd respect the man's wishes, for now.
"Believe it or not, he is the one who initiated our relationship." He informed calmly as he took a swig of his beer.

"Oh I believe it."  Eustass knew his mate, understood that Law had been desperate and grieving after thinking that he had died. "Trafalgar has always been one to go after what he wants-ya, and what he wanted was a replacement."  He could already tell what had happened.  Dallas had reminded Law of him and their love, and so what had Law done?
He had found a way into Dallas's life.
"I doubted that you actually had the balls to approach someone like my Trafalgar.  He is way out of your league, little man."

"He is out of my league." Dallas wasn't going to deny that. It was true. Law could do a thousand times better than him or Eustass. "But somehow I got him and he decided to stay with me. So I'm not letting him go." He spoke simply, not threatened by Eustass's size or the fact that he was an Alpha. "Maybe I was a replacement at first but I know he loves me now." He had much more confidence after the conversation he'd had with Law the night Eustass had come the first time. "He told me so, reassured me that he loves me more than he loved you. So I'm not worried. You won't take my family away from me."