One day, almost a week after Thanksgiving, Vincent was nowhere to be seen at the Foundation. According to Security, he’d been gone from the premises entirely since after breakfast. When I called him to find out where he was, the reply was a terse ‘figure it out, Blitz.’ Percival was far more polite in his response, but essentially I had to come up with the answer on my own. And judging from Vincent’s tone, sooner than later.

It was a personal matter, because the absence was not on the official schedule as an appointment. I wracked my brains. At that time last year, we were still in the hospital recovering from the battle. Then, I remembered. We had the Clearance hearing the Monday after Thanksgiving. That meant it was the first anniversary of Vincent coming to the house – his coming home to me. That warmed my heart and a few other places.

I pulled out an overnight case and quickly packed. Then I grabbed the gift and our best bottle of red wine before summoning Percival. En route, I had one more item to pick up. Ms. Leighton was most helpful in choosing flowers for my lover’s undoubtedly elegant table. She chose golden poppies that she’d somehow kept flowering past September. They were the same gold color as Vincent’s eyes. It sounded sickening. And it was. But the occasion called for rare sentimentality. I knew my lover had similar plans.

Percival dropped me off shortly before 1800 hours.

“I’ll wait until you’re inside and have reset the alarm, sir,” he said.

“Okay. I’m not sure when you should pick us up,” I said.

“The Major has given me instructions,” he replied. “You’re just to have a good time.”

“Very well, then.  Goodnight.”

“Good night, sir.”

I didn’t doubt I’d have a good time. I just didn’t have a clue what Vincent had in mind.

The house was warm and inviting as I let myself inside and reset the alarm. A fire was crackling in the fireplace. Candles were lit on the dining room table, throughout the livingroom and our bedroom.

“Vincent?” I called out.

“I’m in the kitchen.”

I knew that. Something smelled wonderful. There was a wrapped box on the diningroom table. I placed my gift alongside it. The flowers fit nicely in the center of the table.

Vincent was sautéing veggies in a large pan when I entered the room.

“I’ll pour the wine,” I said. “Wow...Vincent...”

He looked incredible in a crimson silk knit pajama set – a tunic and pants. They were soft and clingy, clearly showing his lean, muscular lines and his elegant collarbones.

Vincent smiled as I slid a glass of wine and put the bottle within reach for the sauce.

“Right on time,” he said after a sip. “This is perfect. Will you make the rice?”

“Of course,” I replied with a smile. “You didn’t wait for me to slice the meat.”

“No need to risk your limbs this time,” Vincent replied with a smirk.

“Smells great.”

Vincent poured the wine into the pan. “There’s garlic this time.”

I watched him work his alchemy on that pan until a thick sauce formed.

“Here, taste this,” Vincent said holding out the spoon.

I grasped his writs and guided it to my mouth. Lord, his eyes dilated gazing into mine. His breath hitched. I tightened my grip on his wrist.

“You still look at me the same way,” he whispered. “Like there’s no one else in the world.”

“There isn’t, love,” I replied softly. “There isn’t.”

I kissed him then, swallowing his helpless moan as I lifted him onto the counter like I had the year before. This kiss was different. My lover was much more experienced. This kiss was as demanding as it was tender and clingy. He made my knees weak. When the rice cooker clicked off, I was ready to spread him over the counter and have him there. But Vincent pulled back.

“Supper’s ready,” he murmured against my lips, smiling.

I sighed, lifting easily to place him on his feet.

“It was difficult to let you go then,” I murmured. “It’s nearly impossible to right now.”

“Rik,” he gasped, swallowing hard. “Please...I made plans.”

“I know, love,” I whispered, relenting. “I’ll dish the rice.”

“Thank you.”

We took our plates to the table. Vincent smiled at the flowers.

“They’re amazing.”

“They remind me of your eyes.”

He rolled those beautiful eyes at me.

“Eat your dinner,” he said softly.

It was essentially the same meat and veggies over rice that we’d shared that night. But it had more depth of flavor.

“Hmmm. This is really good, love,” I said. “You still earn your keep.”

Vincent glared at me, but the look lacked heat.

“It was hard for me to pull away from that first kiss or that last one,” Vincent admitted quietly. “That was my first, and it was so good. So was the last one. This year has been beyond my imagination.”

He held his glass up toward mine.

“Happy anniversary,” he said softly.

I touched my glass with is, smiling broadly.

“Happy anniversary, love.”

We enjoyed the meal slowly then cleaned the kitchen together.

“I’ll make the cocoa,” Vincent said. “You get comfortable.”

“Okay. I’ll take the gifts to the sofa.”

I changed into my pajamas then settled on the sofa. The gifts were placed on the coffee table. As expected, my lover sprawled against me on the sofa.

“I’ll never get tired of this,” I sighed after Vincent settled against me. “Thank you, love.”

“Thank you, Rik,” Vincent replied, softly nuzzling me. “For everything.”

It seemed odd to thank me with all he’d given me during the past year.

“So, you brought a present?” He asked softly.

“Hmmm, yes. Want to open it?”

“Open mine first.”

Vincent took my mug of cocoa and replaced it with the velvet wrapped box. It was an onyx frame. Inside the frame was a photo of Vincent that I’d never seen before. He was looking out a window from his base quarters. It was an amazing image of Vincent at aged 19 just before he was lost. His chin rested on interlaced fingers. His eyes were half closed. The breeze was gently tousling his hair. The image was made all the more amazing because it was just dusk and the red-gold sunlight made him almost ethereal. But it was the wistful expression that moved me deeply.

“Who were you looking at?”

“You,” he said simply. “It was right before the encounter with the portal. You’d fallen asleep against that tree you liked. Your shirt was unbuttoned. Your hair was mussed...”

“Who took the picture?” I asked. It was clear that Vincent was unaware of the camera.

“Remak found it,” he replied. “She was clearing out his things after the funeral.”

That brought me up short. I really didn’t like that Raden saw Vincent like that, but the photo was far from unseemly. It was so touching that I wondered why a wack-job like him would keep it. While I considered the image, Vincent was waiting nervously.

“Don’t you like it?” He asked quietly in a small voice.

“Oh, love. It’s beautiful,” I replied. “I can’t believe anyone would look at me that way.”

“I carried that image of you all the while I was away,” he said softly. “Until the night I came back, I thought it would be all I’d ever have from you.”

“Well, I’m glad that wasn’t the case. And speaking of that night,” I said. “Open your gift.”

Vincent chuckled when he realized I had given him a framed photo as well. His had a silver frame. The photo was one taken by Ellie’s news network. I knew the exact moment it was taken. We’d found a meditative state where there was no pain. All we could feel was each other. Our faces were serene.

“Ellie helped me with it,” I said.

“It’s beautiful,” he said. “I love it.”

Vincent’s transmitting journal pinged. I took the photos and placed them on the table while he answered. I also retrieved my cognac-laced cocoa.

“Happy anniversary, Brother and Rik. I’m glad you two got together. You’re good for each other. Enjoy doing whatever it is that I don’t want to know about,” Vincent read with a smile.

I laughed softly as Vincent resumed his place on my body. My lover was beyond sentimental. I realized that he wanted us to do everything at the exact moment as we had a year ago.

Thus, we finished our cocoa while stretched out on the sofa. Once the mugs were drained, I nuzzled him, holding him close.

“Let’s go to bed, love.”

Vincent nodded mutely, rising from the sofa then extending his hand. I knew what he wanted from me – what he needed from me. My lover wanted to be overwhelmed and taken. And I needed to take him.

I remembered everything we did together that first night. It was easy to pull him against me to kiss him senseless while we slid off each other’s pajamas. Then, as before, I pressed him onto the mattress where I tongued his writhing body until he made me crazy enough to take him in my mouth.

I loved making love to Vincent that way. He tasted wonderful and he felt velvety smooth while rigidly hard. Everything about my lover was a dichotomy. I worked him relentlessly until I heard him gasp my name helplessly. Then, I felt the warm, hard spurt.

Vincent was beautiful in post-orgasm bliss. He looked at me dreamily with a sweet smile on his face.

“What are you waiting for, Rik?” He whispered. “Fuck me. I’m ready for you.”

“You won’t have to wait,” I replied huskily.

Vincent had prepared himself. Thinking about that almost ended everything for me right then. I took a deep breath. Then, I pushed inside him. It was as powerful as the first time. The energy arced through us just as we reached climax. I kissed him gently in the aftermath, too moved to speak.

“God, I love you,” I murmured.

“Rik...” he sighed. His eyes were dreamy. “Love you so much.”

After I slowly pulled out from him, Vincent sleepily stopped me from leaving the bed.

“There’s a basin on the nightstand,” he murmured. “Water’s warm.”

The basin was on a food warmer set on low.

“You’re a genius,” I smiled.

“Don’t want you to leave this bed,” he replied sleepily.

“I suppose Percival will be picking us up at the Market Café after breakfast,” I said as I gathered him in my arms and pulled the blankets over our cooling bodies.