The day after Sören's confession in Southwark Park, Dooku hit the gym in the morning, though he encouraged Maglor to take Sören for a walk before Maglor opened The Wax Museum for the day. On the way back from the gym, Dooku found himself driving to a children's toy store. He felt self-conscious as he walked in, like he was much too old to be in a place like this, the self-consciousness intensified when a salesperson inquired if he was getting something for his grandchildren.
Dooku managed to not run out of there in embarrassment, but asked the salesperson to show him the selection of stuffed toys. There were a few rabbits, but none of them were blue. Dooku recalled that the bunny doll from Sören's mother had been handmade, and it was unlikely that he was going to find a blue bunny in a toy store chain, selling more popular traditional colors like brown and white. He stopped at an independent boutique that from the window display seemed to offer some handmade children's toys as well as outfits for women and children - and once again felt like a space alien who had just arrived, trespassing - and here there was a pale pink bunny, wearing a flowered sundress and a pearl-trimmed bonnet. Dooku thought about buying it and taking it home for Sören, it was pricey but the price tag was a non-issue to him... the problem was that Sören's bunny was blue, not pink, and from what Dooku could deduce from the ruined scraps of it, the bunny had been well-loved, something to cuddle with; the dressed-up bunny here was more stiff, like she was meant to be displayed, not snuggled.
The boutique's proprietor seemed even pushier than the salesperson at the toy store, which Dooku somewhat understood as it was harder for independent businesses to stay afloat. He was annoyed by it just the same, and then decided maybe the aggressive small talk might be useful.
"You make all the clothing you sell here?" he asked.
"...Yes." The shop owner, a middle-aged woman nodded. "What I'm wearing right now, I designed myself." She did a twirl; it was a matching skirt and blouse, silky, a pink and purple paisley pattern, somewhat bohemian.
"I know someone who's interested in getting into sewing, do you have any recommendations for stores where they can get fabric or patterns?" Dooku raised an eyebrow; the "someone" was of course himself, but he wasn't going to let the woman know that. "Perhaps one of the stores you buy from? Maybe they'll give you a discount if we let them know you referred us."
She was very keen on making a recommendation then, and, armed with information, Dooku drove to the fabric store in question. He felt even more out of his element here, though he knew how to sew and owned a sewing machine - just like he'd learned how to cook as a necessary lifestyle skill, he wanted to be able to make repairs on clothing or other items without having to hire someone or interact with them.
True to his word he gave the referral as he paid for the bunny doll pattern and the items needed to put it together - fabrics, spools of thread, stuffing. When he was back home he tucked the bag into the bedroom closet, and got ready for work, with the thought of the project crossing his mind in the brief lulls between rush periods at the restaurant.
After work, Sören watched a movie in the living room to zone out while Maglor composed and played music in the second bedroom that had been converted into a studio, across the hall, and Dooku dug out the sewing machine from the bedroom closet and the bag with the bunny pattern and materials along with it and got to work. Following the pattern was easy enough, though it was time-consuming and he started to get tired, putting the project away with a sheet over it when he was done for the night.
Maglor joined him in bed, and after a gentle round of lovemaking, as they held each other, Maglor said, "I've been thinking, it doesn't sit well with me that Sören is on the couch while I'm using the other bedroom as a studio."
"No." Sören deserved better than sleeping on anyone's couch. "But that would necessitate getting furniture for the room - at least a bed - and that raises some complications. First, the expense of furniture - Sören is proud, and already feels indebted to us. I don't think he would welcome going even further in debt for an arrangement that to our mutual current understanding is temporary. He could take that furniture with him, though the most economical option for him living alone would be a studio apartment that's already furnished, and it seems rather wasteful to set the room up as a bedroom just to have it revert to a studio again once he's..." Dooku couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence with the word gone.
Sensing it, Maglor put his hand on Dooku's arm. His eyes shone in the dark. "I'm attached to him too."
"Yes. Which brings the second complication. We could offer him to stay with us for awhile, but... he might feel awkward bringing home dates..." Dooku did not like the thought of Sören dating other men, and the immediate knee-jerk reaction of NO to that idea made him feel awkward and uncomfortable - I have no right to feel that way. "...and of course, as you know, we're going to have to move in a few years. Bringing him along with us when that time comes is... well... we'd have to tell him about things, and we might have to tell him anyway if he stays here awhile and he chances upon seeing your ears or you've got your hair unglamoured or something else."
"It's occurred to me that there may come a time when he needs to know, yes, though I'd rather we cross that bridge when we come to it."
Dooku nodded, and patted Maglor. "So if we were to ask him to stay awhile, those are all points of consideration. As much as I dislike seeing him on that couch myself, I think our best bet is to continue to treat this situation as temporary until we're in a position to necessitate discussion on it being less so."
"All right."
They went to sleep.
_
The next evening after work, Maglor entertained Sören by playing chess with him as they listened to vinyl records, and Dooku continued to work on the bunny doll. He took a break to go on an evening walk with Sören; they stopped and got hot chocolate, and sat for awhile under the moon and stars, drinking hot chocolate in the peace of the ice and snow.
"Penny for your thoughts," Dooku said, watching Sören look up at the night sky with a wistful look on his face.
"I miss seeing the aurora." Sören looked down, with a frown.
Dooku rubbed his shoulder. "I remember seeing it when I lived in Sweden and it was breathtaking. I miss it and I didn't even grow up there, I imagine it must be worse for you."
"Yeah, and I feel like I can't go home again."
"Sören, this is an indelicate question, but have you been in touch with any of your family since you left? Have you tried to talk to your sister since the incident where she didn't believe -"
"No. I haven't talked to any of them." Sören hugged himself a little.
"Did Justin know you weren't on terms...?"
"Yeah, he knew everything. Back when I thought I could trust him, like a fucking idiot." Sören laughed bitterly and shivered, and Dooku knew it wasn't from the cold. "I think he used all that information as a weapon against me."
"Mm, most likely. When I used to defend perpetrators of domestic violence - to my distaste - and women who had killed or seriously injured their partners in self-defense - those women were heroes - a number of the victims of abuse had certain common patterns that showed up, like a tendency to be isolated, not many friends or family around, not a strong support network. Of course that wasn't true of all the victims, but... it's easier to abuse someone if they have no one in their corner."
"Yeah." Sören's frown deepened and he sipped his hot chocolate.
"You're not going to like this suggestion but I'm going to make it anyway. I want you to get in touch with whatever family you have left. That includes your sister - I'm not saying it was right that she didn't believe you, but maybe this time she might be reasoned with. And even if she can't be, maybe your other relatives would like to hear from you."
"I don't want them to know how bad things have gotten..."
"If I was your brother, or a cousin, I'd want to know, Sören." If I was your brother... A little bell started going off in the back of Dooku's mind, and he swatted it away for now, not wanting to examine it too closely when there was so much else going on.
Back at the house, Dooku made tea, even though it was late, and Sören called his sister in the living room. Dooku got back to work on the bunny doll in the bedroom while Maglor reviewed notes of a composition he was working on in the studio across the hall, though Dooku's ears kept straining to catch bits and pieces of Sören's conversation - he was speaking Icelandic, not a word of which Dooku understood, but Sören went through the full gamut of emotions, from arguing to crying to the calm after the storm, now seeming to laugh and joke with his sister, and at last Dooku heard "Ég elska þig," which was close enough to the Swedish jag älskar dig for Dooku to understand.
When the conversation sounded like it was over, Dooku put a sheet over the project and walked down to the living room where Sören was sitting and crying, looking dazed.
"How did that go?" Dooku asked softly.
"It... went well." Sören broke down, sobbing harder. "She believes me now..."
Dooku sat down next to Sören on the couch.
"She believes me now because that guy raped her too, months after I left for the UK." Sören cried on Dooku's shoulder. "She sent him to jail... but... my poor sister. I wish she'd believed me, she wished she'd believed me, she said the same thing I suspected, she felt like he was doing some kind of mind... trick... to get her to believe him..."
Dooku used the Force to pull over the box of tissues and began to wipe Sören's face, making soothing noises. "I'm sorry that happened to your sister. I'm glad that individual is behind bars now."
"I gotta call Dag and Ari." Sören explained, "Dag is my twin brother -"
"Oh. Identical or fraternal?"
"Fraternal. He doesn't look much like me at all." Sören started sobbing again. "And he didn't fuck up his life the way I did..."
"Sweetheart, you're only thirty-one. Hell, I started my own life over again at fifty-five..."
Sören cried some more, and Dooku wiped his face with fresh tissues. His free hand gently rubbed Sören's shoulder. "You mentioned Ari. Who's that...?"
"My cousin. He was raised like a brother, his parents were my guardians. They abused him too." Sören snuffled. "Margrét says he's glad they're dead."
"I would be too." Dooku remembered the death of his own parents, and though he had cried, it had been mostly for what could have been. He remembered the flood of relief, the feeling of thank God they can't hurt me anymore. His parents had continued to verbally abuse him until weeks before their respective deaths.
Maglor came out to check on Sören, since he'd heard Sören crying, and then he invited both of them to come down to the studio with him. "I'll play for you."
Sören and Dooku sat together while Maglor played some songs on the acoustic guitar, and then, the harp - classical pieces mostly, Vivaldi, Pachelbel, Bach, Debussy, and a couple 80s rock songs, Bon Jovi and Guns N Roses. The final song on the harp was just Maglor improvising, and Dooku could feel the energy in it - he was trying to soothe Sören, to take his mind someplace peaceful. It worked; Sören started dozing off. Dooku and Maglor helped him to the living room, folded out the couch and made the bed, and tucked him in. They watched him sleep for a moment, holding hands, before heading off to their own bedroom.
The tea gave Dooku enough of a second wind that he resumed working on the bunny doll as Maglor sat on the bed and made notes from the song he'd just improvised, and finally, Maglor stopped and Dooku noticed Maglor watching him.
Dooku stopped the sewing machine.
Maglor got up and walked over, surveying the progress - the bunny would likely be finished tomorrow night. He played with one of the big, floppy ears, and gave Dooku a little smile.
"It's cute," he said, and then, his smile broadening to a grin, he skritched Dooku's beard and said, "You're cute."
Dooku huffed. "I am not cute."
"What you're doing for him? Is very cute." Maglor folded his arms. "It's very kind of you. I looked at trying to replace the bunny, but..."
"...If you went to the same place I did, nothing there was really suitable." Dooku gestured to the most-of-the-way-done bunny sitting on the sewing machine. "I mean, not even this quite does it. It's blue, it's handmade, but I'm not Sören's mother..."
"No, but there's a lot of love going into that just the same."
At the word love, Dooku's pulse quickened. Yes, love. He thought about the fierce urge he had to protect Sören, to make things better for him... his pride in Sören's pride at his work at the restaurant, the way he was fighting so hard to come back from the edge, starting with hard things like calling his sister.
"And," Maglor said, taking Dooku's hands, "it makes me love you even more." He pulled Dooku up from his seat, and when Dooku came around from where he was sitting at the sewing machine, Maglor drew him into a kiss, gentle at first, then deeper. "You're a good man. With a good heart." Maglor's scarred hand rested on Dooku's chest, the other stroking the silver hair, his cheek, his whiskers. "A beautiful heart. A beautiful soul."
"Macalaurë..."
Maglor kissed him again. "Seeing your heart, working on this, is beautiful. And, I might add..." He kissed Dooku's neck, licked it, nibbled. "Very sexy," he rasped. The hand that had been on Dooku's heart trailed down to the now-hard bulge in Dooku's pajama bottoms.
"You think so?" Dooku raised an eyebrow and kissed him back.
"Mmmm, I do. Let me show you how much." Maglor kissed him harder, and took Dooku's hands again, marching him towards the bed.
They quickly undressed, and once they were on the bed they tangled up together, arms around each other, legs braided, hard cocks rubbing as they kissed again and again. Looking into each other's eyes, Dooku played with Maglor's hair and the point of his ear as Maglor's hands slid over Dooku's chest, playing with the silver chest hair, roaming down to his hips, to feel the hair on his thighs. Dooku shuddered and bucked against him, grabbing Maglor and pulling him in for a deep, hungry kiss.
Though they had been in the habit of trying to have sex more quietly for the sake of their guest, Dooku couldn't help the volume of the moans he produced as Maglor kissed and licked his neck - knowing just where and how Dooku was sensitive, having learned his body well over the last twenty-six years. The moans got louder as Maglor kissed the place where neck met shoulder, and again when Maglor's lips lowered to draw a nipple into his mouth, his tongue lashing fast and hard before he suckled again.
Dooku lay on his back as Maglor worshiped his body, feasting on each nipple, fingers rubbing one as he licked and sucked the other. His fingers rubbed the silver pelt of chest hair, he rubbed his nose in it and licked it. Maglor's kisses moved lower to Dooku's stomach, down one hip and thigh, and back up the other. Dooku was urgently hard, leaking precum, and Maglor took a few teasing licks before sucking him slowly, heat in his labradorite eyes as his head moved back and forth. Dooku grabbed Maglor's hair, arching to him, and he let out another deep moan when Maglor let the cock slip from his mouth and licked from the root up the shaft to the head and back down again, before he just rubbed his tongue all over Dooku's cock, tracing the veins with his tongue, lips brushing as his tongue played and teased. When Maglor's tongue worked on the slit of Dooku's cock he almost climaxed from that, losing it a little again as the tongue slid down to the frenulum, laving the sweet spot there. Dooku cried out when Maglor's lips wrapped around the head, his tongue swirling, kissing it, with one hand rubbing the rest of the shaft, the other playing in the sensitive place between balls and ass, before a finger slipped into him.
It didn't take long from there, with Dooku warning Maglor I'm going to come before spilling into his mouth with a hoarse shout. The "mmmm" that he heard as Maglor swallowed it set him off again, and more aftershocks as Maglor licked him clean.
"I love doing that to you," Maglor husked before he kissed Dooku, and Dooku moaned at the taste of himself on his lover's lips and tongue.
Maglor was ragingly hard, and Dooku gently played with it, the fingers of his other hand teasing a nipple as they kissed. The Force had been very kind to Dooku in his senior years - he didn't need Viagra to get hard or stay hard, had none of the problems with erectile dysfunction that plagued some men his age. But he did need to recharge if he was going to go again; most nights they managed two rounds. The strong feeling of love radiating from Maglor as they lay there made Dooku want to give him more than two.
First, his body needed to get ready again. That wasn't terribly difficult, with Maglor being as delicious as he was. Dooku rolled Maglor onto his back and proceeded to lick him all over, fingers stroking sensitized skin, making Maglor moan beautifully. Dooku sucked him a little, which made his cock wake back up, and he slowly stroked himself as he sucked, stroking harder when he spread Maglor's legs and speared him with his tongue and Maglor cried out.
Dooku loved doing this to him - devouring him, tongue lashing the sweet spot inside him, knowing how he liked to be licked. Maglor writhed, moaning, panting, and for an instant Dooku worried they'd wake up Sören, though the thought that the young man might hear them - might get aroused by hearing them - somehow inflamed him further, rubbing his tongue even faster inside him at that thought.
Before Maglor could come from Dooku's tongue, he grabbed Dooku's face and ground out, "Fuck me."
With a groan of mock reluctance, Dooku stopped, gave a last few slow, teasing licks, and pulled back. His tongue chased the precum flowing down Maglor's cock and then he kissed him as he used the Force to bring over their lube. Maglor had no control whatsoever, grabbing the bottle and pouring it over Dooku's cock, rubbing it into him, guiding the tip to his opening as he begged, "Please."
"Mmm." Dooku kissed him. "As you wish, my sweet songbird."
He plunged inside, and Maglor cried out, nails digging into Dooku's back. He bit Dooku's shoulder, and Dooku groaned, and again when Maglor laved the bite with his tongue. Dooku started to thrust - Maglor bucked under him, urging him on faster, and Dooku laughed, stroking his face before kissing him playfully, wanting to take it slow and tease.
Maglor was having none of that. He shoved Dooku on his back and began riding him hard, bed rocking against the wall. Dooku grabbed Maglor's hips and groaned, thrusting into him harder, matching his rhythm. The sight of Maglor riding him - taking his cock, the cock plunging in and out of his tight hole - the beautiful sculpted body of a Noldorin warrior, flawless save a few scars, the flood of ebony hair, the look of lust on his face, in those labradorite eyes... it was on its own too much, never mind the sensation of Maglor wrapped around him, plunging into that slick velvet heat again and again, the feeling of all-consuming passion, how much Maglor wanted him, wanted this...
Maglor's hands were on him, rubbing his chest hair, playing with his nipples, rubbing over his forearms and thighs to stroke the hair there, stroking his beard. "My wolf," he rasped. "My gorgeous white wolf..."
"My love." Dooku's own hands were playing over Maglor's body now, caressing anywhere he could touch. "My love."
Maglor took his hand, kissed it, placed it over his heart... and then guided it to his cock. The beautiful long, thick cock, looking almost angry in its need, flushed a deep pink, veins throbbing, glistening with precum. It also looked delicious, and Dooku wished he could suck and fuck him at the same time. His hand wrapped around Maglor's cock, stroking it in time with the rhythm of their hips, feeling himself hurtle closer and closer to that point of no return at every moan Maglor made, the look of agonized ecstasy on his lovely face...
"Nicolae." Maglor was gasping for breath now. "Nicolae..."
"Come with me, darling."
They tried to stifle their cries as they climaxed together but it didn't work, seeming to make them both cry out even louder. Dooku gave another cry as Maglor's seed shot over him, loving the way it looked, the way it felt, the evidence of their tryst. He loved it even more when Maglor collected it on his fingers and stuck them in Dooku's mouth.
Dooku rested inside him, holding Maglor close, petting his hair. At last Maglor picked his head up and gave him a soft, gentle kiss. "Thank you," Maglor whispered.
Dooku knew Maglor thought they were done for the night, since Dooku's body could usually only handle two orgasms in a session these days before needing to rest. But Dooku was hungry. He gave a mischievous little smile as he kissed Maglor back harder, and harder still, hand wrapping around Maglor's cock again, coaxing it back to life.
Maglor's eyes widened with surprise, and then they closed as he let out a moan when Dooku kissed him again. Dooku rolled Maglor onto his back, hardening up again as he stroked Maglor with one hand, the fingers of the other hand playing with a nipple, Maglor moaning sweetly and crying out when Dooku lowered his head to lash the nipple with wild strokes of his tongue.
With Maglor on his back, Dooku took him slowly as he first intended, and after the urgency of the first fuck Maglor welcomed something slow and sensual. They took their time and savored, hips rolling together like the tide, hands wandering, kissing again and again, lost in the silken haze of touch and connection. But the gentleness did not last forever, as the sweet caresses inside and out gave way to wildness, the fire of passion consuming them again, until Dooku was pounding Maglor into the mattress, urged on by the beautiful cries.
Maglor came first, loud and messy, and Dooku came with a growl, spending deep into him, Maglor screaming again as he felt Dooku's seed. They kissed deep as they crested together, and Maglor's hands continued to wander over him; when they walked over Dooku's spine he hardened again and Maglor laughed into the kiss as he felt it.
"You haven't been like this in a long time," Maglor said, smiling as his thumb and forefinger plucked a nipple, gently rolling it as he kissed Dooku's neck.
"Mmmm. I don't think I could manage this every night, but tonight..." Dooku stroked Maglor's face.
Maglor responded with a kiss.
Dooku pulled out, and rolled onto his back. Maglor knew without being told - your turn. He set to work making love to Dooku's body again, kissing and caressing him everywhere, nipples, chest, stomach, hips, thighs, calves, back up behind the knee, back up over the thighs, hips, stomach, chest, nipples, to his neck. Gently playing with Dooku's cock before taking both of their hard cocks into his hand, stroking slowly.
"The next time you feel like this," Maglor whispered between kisses, "I want us to just rub together and see how many times we can come, your cock coming all over my cock, my cock coming on yours..."
"Oh god." Dooku shuddered; that mental image almost undid him right then.
"But here and now... I know what you want." Maglor was kissing down his neck again; Dooku moaned as Maglor drew a nipple between his teeth and gently tugged before laving it, then his kisses were heading back down.
Dooku groaned as Maglor parted his thighs, tongue darting inside him. Maglor's tongue rubbed slowly - repayment for the slow, teasing fuck before, keeping him just shy of the edge of climax. Dooku's moans got louder, every now and again letting out an undignified whimper, which would cue Maglor to work his tongue faster just to slow back down. Once again Dooku wondered if Sören could hear them and that thought excited him, and he felt a little ashamed that it did - he didn't want the poor man to feel uncomfortable with them. And then he couldn't think at all as Maglor's tongue lashed hard and fast, tongue-fucking him, driving him wild.
When Maglor stopped, Dooku was panting, gasping for breath, cock throbbing with urgent need. Maglor, for once, used the Force to bring the lube back over and Dooku watched with a smile as the bottle tipped in the air and poured over Maglor's cock. "You usually don't..."
"I'm usually not this much out of my mind with lust." Maglor laughed as he took the bottle in his hand and set it back down on the bedtable. Then he stopped laughing as they kissed, and he took Dooku's lower lip between his teeth as he pushed inside.
Dooku's hands played with Maglor's hair as Maglor rocked inside him, neither slow nor as fast and hard as he could get. The rhythm was just right, building him back up to that place where he never wanted the sweet rubbing on his prostate to stop, never wanted to stop feeling Maglor inside him, one with him. Until he could feel Maglor trembling against him, saw the fire in his molten silver eyes as his teeth nibbled a nipple, and then Dooku's nails dug into him, letting him know he could go harder. Maglor pounded into him as hard as Dooku had fucked him, bed rocking against the wall, the slap of their flesh as loud as the moans neither of them could help, and the jackhammering inside him took Dooku over the edge into a last shattering climax, almost roaring as he drenched Maglor in his cum, almost sobbing as Maglor spilled into him with one, two, three last savage thrusts.
"Oh, Eru," Maglor gasped as he collapsed into Dooku's chest, shuddering.
Dooku felt a sense of accomplishment at that, and laughed, lips brushing Maglor's forehead. "You're welcome."
"It's probably a good thing you can't handle this every night because I don't even know if I could handle this every night." Maglor laughed too. "I think I need a transfusion of... something."
Dooku snorted, tearing up at the absurdity of the Elf in his arms saying something like that. "Something?"
"Yeah. Something." Maglor laughed harder.
Then they kissed, and their noses rubbed, foreheads pressed together. Maglor stroked Dooku's face, and Dooku saw Maglor's eyes were too bright with unshed tears.
"That was wonderful." Maglor kissed him again.
"It was amazing. It was almost perfect." It would have been perfect if Fëanor were with us.
That sharp pang again - a pang both of them felt. But at least they had each other, and, legs entwined, they fell asleep in each other's arms.
_
Dooku and Maglor both moved around carefully in the kitchen the next morning, and sat down gingerly at the table, both wincing a little as they took their seats.
Sören was quiet at breakfast, which wasn't unusual in and of itself - though Dooku once again got the sense that Sören used to be more vibrant than he was, and Justin had stomped that out of him - but it was unusual that Sören was trying to avoid looking at them, and when his eyes finally met Maglor's as Maglor passed him the jam, Sören's face flushed.
Maglor folded his arms. "Is everything all right, Sören?"
"Er." Sören nervously rubbed his head, then his beard. "Well, nothing's wrong, necessarily, but."
"But." Dooku raised an eyebrow.
"I heard you guys last night." Sören quickly shoved a scone into his mouth, taking a large bite.
Dooku and Maglor glanced at each other - Maglor looked a bit flustered now, and Dooku tried to maintain his composure but he, too, felt awkward. "My apologies," Dooku said, and quickly added, "Our apologies. We'll try to keep it down next time, we don't want to be rude to a guest in our home -"
Sören waved his hand dismissively. "This is your house and I feel like I'm the one intruding." Sören practically inhaled the rest of his scone and then he got up to clear his place at the table, bringing it over to the sink. "I don't want you to feel like you can't..."
"Well, we don't, it's certainly not the first time since you've been our guest, but just the same, we don't want to disturb you..."
"I should look for a place anyway." Sören looked down.
Maglor said it before Dooku could blurt it out. "You're welcome to stay awhile."
Dooku nodded. "Take some time and build up a bit of a cushion for emergencies before you try to make it on your own. We really don't mind... if you can deal with two old men making some noise now and again." He tried a smile at that, to provide a moment of needed levity.
Sören snorted, looking at Maglor. "You're not old."
You'd be surprised, Dooku heard Maglor say to himself, but Maglor said nothing, finishing his own breakfast.
"And you..." Sören looked at Dooku. "You're how old? Sixty-seven?"
Dooku nodded.
"God. Damn." Sören let out a low whistle. "You're not on Viagra, or anything?"
Dooku's face burned at that and he laughed as he said, "No, dear, I'm not."
"You have some stamina, and that's just from what I heard after I woke up, don't know if you guys were doing it before then." Sören laughed too. "It's impressive." His voice lowered and he said, "You should do porn."
Dooku almost choked on his orange juice; Maglor vigorously whacked him on the back a few times before rubbing his shoulder. Dooku's face was on fire now, and he felt himself stirring again a little at that, having to restrain the urge to ask Sören would you like to see for yourself.
Sören started on the dishes, which he insisted on doing if other people were cooking, and as Dooku and Maglor got up to bring their dishes over they both winced, walking over a bit more slowly than usual. Sören's eyebrows went up but he said nothing, and then Dooku noticed him snickering as he scrubbed and rinsed off the plates; Maglor had another glass of orange juice.
"What," Dooku said.
"Nothing."
Dooku put a hand on his hip, waiting.
Sören smirked. "So you're both vers?"
Now it was Maglor's turn to almost choke on his orange juice. Dooku facepalmed, shaking with silent laughter, his face burning again. "Oh dear god," Dooku said.
"Sorry," Sören mumbled. "I forget that we Icelanders are a bit straightforward about sex talk compared to Brits and Americans -"
"No, ah. It's fine." Dooku rubbed his face and looked away from Sören's probing gaze. "Yes, we're both versatile." Then he looked back at Sören, sizing him up, remembering the assumption he'd had the night they'd met, seeing him with Justin. "You're a bottom?"
"I was the bottom with Justin but I'm technically also vers. Just... haven't topped in a good while." Sören shrugged; Dooku got the distinct sense the words I kind of miss it hung at the end of that sentence.
Dooku found himself wondering what Sören was like as a top... and a bottom. His cock started stirring again. "I see," was all he could muster in his response, and then he looked at the clock to give himself an excuse to hurry off and get ready to go to the gym before he got tempted to make some sort of inappropriate gesture that would scare Sören away.
_
When Dooku came back from the gym, Sören was on the phone again, speaking Icelandic. And when he got off the phone, Sören went to the kitchen to get a drink, and Dooku heard him crying again. He peeked in and Sören asked, "Can I have a hug?"
It was the first time Sören had asked for a hug - Dooku could tell that simply asking for such things was a big deal. In his mind's eye Dooku could see Sören upset and asking Justin for the same thing and Justin snapping at him, You're such a fucking crybaby. or You're so needy. So clingy. I wanted to be with a man, not such a fucking sissy. Dooku could sense that Sören was watching his memories, and Sören choked out, "He hurt me so much..."
"I know." Dooku smoothed Sören's curls and found himself planting a kiss on Sören's brow to comfort him, and then held him more tightly. "We won't let him hurt you ever again."
After holding Sören for a few minutes he calmed down and Dooku asked, "That was your family, just now?"
"Jæja, I called Dag then I called Ari." Sören was trying to pull himself together. "They were both relieved to hear from me."
"Good." I told you so.
Sören took a deep breath. "Dag asked me to come out to Toronto and live with him and his son, but I." He shook his head. "It's a nice offer, and I feel like I shouldn't impose on you guys by staying here when I have family willing to take me in, but I've never been to Canada, it would be a big adjustment, and..."
Dooku nodded. "Maca - er, Mark..." Goddammit, almost slipped. "Mark and I meant what we said earlier. You're welcome to stay with us for awhile. Keep saving money while you do, so you can have more freedom with what you do with your life..."
"That's very generous of you." Sören patted him.
What Dooku didn't tell him was I've grown very fond of you and if you left, I would miss you.
At the restaurant, Dooku realized, watching Sören move around the kitchen and seeming to actually be confident in his work now, that Sören's laughter over the sexual awkwardness that morning was one of the only times he'd seen the young man laugh and joke since he moved in. And it was good to see, even if it was at his expense. It seemed to be good for him too, with Sören a little more relaxed as he worked.
Such was his work that towards the end of the evening one of the customers passed on a message to the waitstaff, complimenting a soup they'd had - a soup that Sören had made himself, from scratch. Sören was proud, and Dooku was proud too.
Sören and Maglor went for a walk while Dooku finished up the bunny doll, and when they came back, Dooku told Sören, "I have a present for you."
"Oh?" Sören's eyes widened, giving the impression of a hopeful puppy.
Dooku brought it out. "I know that it can't quite replace the one you had because your mum made it, but I... I tried." He swallowed hard, hoping Sören wouldn't be offended.
Sören looked at the doll for a moment, lips parted in an "o", and then he took the bunny, with Dooku still feeling nervous that Sören was going to find it unacceptable somehow...
...and then Sören hugged it tight, rocking himself, choking up.
Dooku went over and hugged Sören.
"You made this?" Sören almost squeaked.
"I did. I got a pattern and I've been sewing it the last few days..."
"Oh my god. Oh my fucking god." Sören's arms tightened around him. The bunny fell and Sören used the Force to pick it back up, and then used the Force to hop it around, making it hop on Dooku's shoulders and head. "Thank you, Nico. Thank you so much. This..."
"Like I said, I know it's not the same as the one from your mum..."
"Nico, it means... a lot. That you went out of your way for me like that, for this. A grown man sewing me a doll, after I got so much shit about it... not just from Justin, but from my uncle..." Sören blinked back the tears that were flowing.
"Sören, I need to show you something." Dooku took Sören's hand and led him to the bedroom.
Sören waited by the door and Dooku went in the closet, half of which had his clothes and some belongings, the other half had Maglor's. Dooku pulled out a faded blue blanket, and in that blanket was a well-worn dark brown teddy bear - some of the fur had been loved off, and he was a bit squished, but otherwise still intact.
"I've had this since 1953," Dooku said. "Once in a very great while, Winston comes out for a hug."
"His name is Winston?" Sören raised an eyebrow.
"My parents moved to the UK because Churchill was a bit of a legend, after what they'd seen in World War II. So yes, I grew up hearing a lot about the Second World War, and Churchill, and decided to name my bear Winston. It was a gift from my grandmother." Dooku folded his arms. "I had to hide him when I was past the age where my parents thought I should have a teddy bear."
"He's cute," Sören said. "And you're cute for having him."
"I am not cute."
Sören smiled. "Hi, not cute. I'm Sören."
It took Dooku a moment, and then he laughed, shaking his head. "Oh no."
Sören laughed too. "It's been awhile since I did that to anyone." A mental image that Sören was sharing with him, of pulling the dad joke routine on Justin, who just slapped him and said you're not fucking funny, you idiot.
Dooku's hand instinctively went to the cheek that Justin had slapped, giving a tender stroke as their eyes met, and then he quickly yanked his hand away, his fingertips burning like they'd touched fire. The hair on Dooku's arms and the back of his neck was standing on end, his body screaming to take Sören into his arms and kiss the pain away...
"Well," Sören said, bringing the bunny from being tucked under his arm out for another bunny hug, "I better get ready for bed."
"All right."
"Takk, again, for this. I love him. You... it helps, a lot. Thank you." Sören patted Dooku, and then he headed out down the hall.
_
In the morning Maglor and Dooku found Sören sleeping with the blue bunny, and Dragos curled up with the bunny. Dooku couldn't resist taking a picture with his cell phone, and when Sören stirred and the cat got down, Dooku showed him the picture, which made Sören giggle with delight.
"Your cat is adorable," Sören said as they sat down to tea and Maglor started on breakfast. "He likes to come purr me to sleep at night."
"He's a good boy," Dooku said. "Sometimes we think about getting him a friend." Maglor nodded.
"Oh, you totally should," Sören said. "He should have another cat to be friends with."
Dooku saw Maglor thinking, as he fixed his tea, and Maglor finally said what he was thinking. "I was going to try to get you another bunny, and Nicolae beat me to it, but... maybe he should have a friend."
Sören looked at Maglor, an eyebrow raised.
"So tomorrow," Maglor said, "would you like me to take you to Build A Bear?"
Sören let out a shriek, and he got up and hugged Maglor tight, who hugged him back, laughing. "Oh my god I've been wanting to go to Build A Bear for so long." Sören rocked Maglor a little, laughing and crying. "When I was living with Frankie, I couldn't really afford it and then of course I made the mistake of asking Justin, and..."
"You know," Maglor said, "he seems like the kind of person who was really insecure in his own masculinity."
"I agree," Dooku said.
"I guess." Sören looked down. "I don't know what I saw in him. I guess I was lonely..."
"Lonely and hurt. But you have friends now, who care for you very much." Dooku reached out to pat Sören's arm.
"Are you coming with us to Build A Bear tomorrow?" Sören asked.
"I'm going to the gym tomorrow, but you two have fun."
"Unfortunate," Maglor said, sipping his tea.
"Awwww. But OK." Sören looked at Maglor again. "You guys have both been so nice to me, I feel like I should repay you in some way... and I mean, I have money from this past paycheck, I can buy a toy at -"
"Whatever you get from Build A Bear is a gift from me," Maglor said, "I don't want you paying for it. But if you're going to insist on some kind of compensation..." Dooku knew that of all the people in the world, Maglor would understand Sören's pride. "Make me something. A piece of art."
Sören frowned. "I'm not very good."
Maglor narrowed his eyes. "I saw some of the carnage and beg to differ. But even if it's not good - and I doubt highly that it wouldn't be good - it matters more to me that it's sincere, from the heart, one creative person to another. I don't have any preferences for theme, subject, medium... just so long as it's something you made."
Sören nodded. "All right. Well, I'll need to go art supply shopping too, then."
"We can do that after Build A Bear."
Sören gave that shy, sweet smile that took Dooku's breath away.