Page 101 of Love Unlimited

It was a difficult decision. They’d been standing there for a while, so it would be a bit later by the time they got back. Home would mean Daddy, and maybe a scene that could take the rest of his stress away. On the other hand, not many theaters showed movies with subtitles and he really didn’t want to miss this one.

He breathed in Zhong’s spicy, masculine scent. He also didn’t want Zhong to go away.

Movie, he decided. At least, that was what he wanted if Zhong would stay close.

Excellent, Zhong replied, though Landon had a sense he would have said the same thing to either decision. He’d seen Zhong enough with Ash to know exactly what he was thinking: as a Daddy, Zhong would want whatever made him happy.

Zhong kept one arm around Landon’s back as they passed through the ticket collection—one gangly teenager who was watching the movie from a folding chair in the doorway—and guided him to sit in the last row.

The screen showed a shadowy tunnel, a scampering figure, and a flash of explosions. Since they’d missed the opening sequence, he had no idea what was going on. But it didn’t matter. All of his attention was on Zhong anyway.

Zhong took hold of Landon’s hand and moved it off the arm rest, nudging him to the side to do something with the seat. Eyes still fixed on the screen, Landon let Zhong manipulate his body. It felt completely different from the way that Daddy manhandled him, but there was the same confidence with the movements that let Landon relax and allow it to happen.

A moment later, Zhong pulled him backward, against his shoulder.

Mmmmm… that was much better. The arm rest that separated them was gone. Landon turned a little bit more, shifting against him to get more comfortable and curling one knee up onto the seat. Zhong’s arm drifted around his shoulders, feeling heavy and right.

Landon let himself soak up all the affection. Zhong’s embrace was both completely new and as comfortable as a favorite pillow.

Why the hell had Landon put this off for so long?

Landon rested a hand on Zhong’s t-shirt. His skin was so warm and his pecs were so firm under the soft fabric. Landon stroked it a few times, absorbing all the calming sensations.

That had to be alright, didn’t it? He was absolutely certain that Ash would think it was cute and Dustin would be delighted that Zhong was taking care of him when he couldn’t. But was it OK with Zhong?

Zhong placed his hand over Landon’s, and that was all that he needed to let go.

The characters on the screen were going over plans now—something he could finally follow—and Landon could feel himself getting sucked in. Schedules and districts and new colleagues all drifted aside as he escaped into the world of car chases and supervillains.

Then Zhong started playing with his hair, and that was truly delightful. His sure fingers stroked and tangled. There was something intimate and soothing about having his hair played with, a wordless reminder that Zhong was thinking about him.

When a quieter point came in the movie, Zhong nudged his hand.

Landon looked down to find a carton of… some sort of food that it was too dark to see. He and Zhong had pretty similar tastes though—nothing too sweet—so Landon pulled out a handful. From the feel, it seemed to be mixed nuts and maybe dried fruit.

He crunched through a bite and Zhong pulled him a little closer. The carton was between Zhong’s knees, where they could both reach it. He hadn’t realized he was hungry until that moment. After a few handfuls, Zhong handed him a water bottle and he took a long drink. He’d been thirsty, too.

He handed it back and nuzzled back into Zhong’s chest, feeling small and safe. It was only a few snacks—which he knew they would have eaten at the theater anyway—but there was something about the whole thing that felt like he was being cared for. In Zhong’s symbolic universe, food had to mean something important.

Their hands touched in the carton, and Zhong didn’t pull away. He just hovered over Landon’s skin while he withdrew with a few more pieces cupped in his hand.

Landon felt a spark of something shivery and exciting.

Which was weird because he was already wrapped up in Zhong’s arms, so it wasn’t like touching hands was anything more. It was just such a canonical date move.

So was this a date? It certainly felt like it now.

And, he had to admit to himself, he’d been kind of thinking about their movie nights like that for a while. Was it a date for Zhong, though?

Landon snorted as he bit back a laugh. It was a completely inappropriate point in the movie for laughter, but he’d just figured something out.

This was exactly what Dustin and Ash had already gone through with Zhong, where they were putting together all of the components of a date, and Zhong probably had no idea. Or maybe he did.

This seemed like half the reason the two of them had an evening together. To get to know each other better, but also to see if there was something between them. Right now, he was really hoping there was something between them.

OK? Zhong asked in the flickering light.

Landon nuzzled into his shoulder by way of an answer. If past evidence was anything to go by, Landon had months or years to figure out what he thought about all this and he could bring it up to Zhong when he was ready. For right now, he was just going to be present in the moment.