Page 103 of Love Unlimited

They laughed together, but then Zhong’s expression turned serious. Is that alright with you? Do you want to spend more time here?

That was an easy one. I feel like I have three homes. Or maybe two homes and a storage closet. I don’t miss this place.

Was it too soon to think about moving in with Daddy? Well, officially. Dustin and Landon had made a whole plan for testing out living together.

Ash had just managed to end up wherever Daddy was sleeping every night. It meant the trunk of their car was full of stuff and they forgot things all the time between Dustin’s and Daddy’s places. But that was a good type of confusion because Daddy usually remembered and just got them duplicates of anything important. Wherever Daddy was, was home.

Also, increasingly, wherever Daddy and Dustin and Landon were, was home too. Who needed a one-bedroom apartment when Ash could have all of that?

Ash could see Zhong eyeing their cluttered desk. There were two sewing machines on it, usually because they had different thread in them and were configured to different settings. When Ash was working on multiple projects, they’d usually set up each one by the machine that was the best for it.

I think we should take one to my place and one to Dustin’s, Zhong announced. We can get you a desk in my office.

Ash felt a swell of joy rise up in their chest. Was Zhong thinking of moving in, too? Maybe with Dustin and Landon? Or was he just trying to solve a problem with his usual efficient practicality?

Things like that were funny with Daddy. Sometimes he could be so aware of gestures like this, and sometimes he was completely oblivious.

I’d like that, Ash replied. I’ll try to keep the mess down. At least at your place.

Ash made quick work of finding two or three projects to take with them and then fit the more portable sewing machine into its case. They didn’t even try to split up their collection of thread and necessary tools, just took what they’d need for the specific projects.

Daddy was busy doing something in the kitchen. Probably throwing away expired food, since it really had been a long time.

They both finished at around the same time.

Anything else? Daddy asked.

A few things. Ash led the way to their bedroom. They grabbed their last few pairs of shorts since they could come in handy when laundry schedules didn’t work out quite right between the two places.

They wanted one other thing also. But they felt a little bit awkward getting it in front of Daddy.

They swayed in front of their bedside table, debating. Should they just grab what they needed and not mention it? Ask Daddy to leave the room? Tell him about it?

Daddy stepped up beside them. Is everything OK?

Yeah, they huffed. Sorry about that. I wanted to get some things and I wasn’t sure if it would make you uncomfortable.

Sex toys? Daddy asked, grinning. You keep them in the drawer with your pacifiers, so it’s not like I haven’t seen them before.

Yeah. I guess I was the one making it awkward.

Daddy sat down on the bed and pulled Ash down next to him. I want you to know that you wanting sex doesn’t bother me. In fact, the idea of you abstaining from sex just because I don’t want it makes me feel terrible. I hope you use all of those toys. And I’d really like to talk about it. I don’t want you to feel like I’m stifling you.

Ash blinked. They hadn’t really thought of it that way. Mostly they’d been so worried about making sure that Daddy knew he could fulfill all of their needs that they’d tried not to think about sex at all.

Even now, when they were getting the sex toys, they’d been planning on just getting the one waterproof toy that they could use discretely in the shower and then put away.

But maybe there was a difference between Daddy worrying that he wasn’t sufficient as a partner and Daddy worrying that he was stifling them. And, to be honest, they hadn’t done a great job of listening to him about it.

Ash pulled one knee up onto the bed so they could face Daddy fully. I think I owe you an apology. I don’t think I realized how much I was avoiding this conversation. They’d been avoiding it to protect Daddy’s feelings, or so they thought, but the effect was the same. Will you tell me now about what you’re thinking?

Daddy thought for a long time. And, predictably, he pulled out his notebook from his back pocket. He flipped through to find a page but then turned the book over on the bed, holding the page.

Ash thought it was one of Daddy’s most endearing quirks. He analyzed everything that he did with Ash, but instead of it feeling emotionless and removed, Ash knew it was Daddy’s way of making them the center of his world.

I think there are two things I want to say, Daddy finally started. You’ve given me this incredible gift of asking me to take care of your needs. I didn’t understand it at first, but it lets me be closer to you than anything I ever imagined with someone. It’s a great honor to have that responsibility, and it gives me great joy when I can provide you with what you need to make you happy. That’s what it’s about isn’t it? Being your Daddy?

Oh, God. Daddy was so analytical with his thinking, it was always a surprise when he spoke so passionately about his emotions. There was something that was deeply moving about both hearing it and knowing how much focused attention he had put into figuring it all out.