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Ever since he started dating the FBI agent, Ethan found himself having a much better life.
For one, being in love is amazing. It might sound cliche, but Ethan had thought he had forever lost his opportunity at love when he and his wife got their divorce. With the death of Jason looming over his head, Ethan couldn’t possibly spare time to even think about romance. His grief was swallowing him whole each day, breaking parts of him over time. The whole ordeal with Shaun’s kidnapping was beyond terrifying, but he was so grateful he is given a second chance. He realized he hasn’t been the best father for Shaun after Jason died, and he vowed to do everything he can to make up for it.
When Norman Jayden first came to his life after the Origami case had been close, Ethan didn’t feel ready for another relationship, just yet. There was still so much to do. Of course, Shaun was his top priority, and he wanted nothing but to spend some quality life with his son again, building up their relationship. The press got tiring very fast; Ethan felt like he repeated the same speech over and over again but people still couldn’t get over it. Every detail was demanded by the public. He was praised as a hero, a selfless father who did everything to save his son; the scarred tissue on his pinky reminded him of the sacrifices and choice he had to make. However, Ethan never felt like a hero. He only felt like a father, doing what he should do for his child.
Norman was patient, and perhaps that was the first reason Ethan fell for him. The young bureaucrat asked for nothing other than being able to help out the Mars with whatever he could. He called him one day unexpectedly and Ethan had thought he only contacted him for the case, but it turned out very differently than what he imagined. Norman had asked him if it would be alright for him to stop by, maybe help them settle into their new house. Ethan agreed without a second thought gratefully. Norman Jayden did so much for him and Shaun. Besides from Madison, he was one of the few who actually believed in his innocence even when the entire world thought he was the killer. Not only did he risk his career and future in assisting his escape from police custody, he also prevented Ethan from getting shot in the warehouse by Scott Shelby and fought the killer fearlessly. From the brief amount of time they spent together, Ethan gathered that Norman Jayden has a good heart. Without his help, he might have died, Shaun may have died. He wanted to express his gratitude to him.
Having Norman Jayden around was great. Occasionally, Ethan still suffered from anxiety and the blackout episodes, and the presence of the FBI agent was a stabilizing factor in his life. Every time Ethan felt like he was gripped with anxiety again Norman would drop everything and immediately come to his aid. Ethan began to associate the soothing voice of Norman Jayden with a sense of safety.
Ethan also made discoveries of his own regarding the criminal profiler. Not long after they began spending time together, Ethan witnessed the effects of Triptocaine withdrawal symptoms on Norman. Ethan felt his heart skipped a beat when the agent abruptly made his way to the bathroom, and found him kneeling in front of the toilet vomiting and shivering as if he was locked inside a freezer. It was clear the brunet had been hiding this from him. As soon as he regained conscious and awareness to his surroundings, shame and self-hatred lingered over Norman’s face. “E-Ethan, I am so sorry, I didn’t want you to see this……”
“Are you okay? Norman. You don’t have to feel sorry for anything, but please, do tell me what is going on.” Ethan’s voice was heavy with worry, and after a brief moment of hesitation, Norman started to explain his situation with his Triptocaine addiction.
That night both men stayed up way later than their usual bedtime. After Shaun went to bed, they had a few drinks and spent the evening sitting outside Ethan’s house talking about everything. It was as if Norman Jayden had been waiting for this opportunity all along, waiting for the right person to come by who cared about him enough to pour out all his emotions, his fears and stress and frustration and anger about his drug dependency.
“Hey, you are going to get through this.” With utter confidence, Ethan put his hand on Norman’s shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. “You have been here for me and my son, so now it is our turn to help you.” The profiler gave him a surprised look at first, then it melted into a grateful smile. Ethan was glad that there was finally something he could help the younger man with, after all he had done to save him and Shaun.
With the encouragement from Ethan, Norman finally made an appointment with a physician to get him started on detox. Each step was a difficult process, but Ethan made a promise to him that he would support him no matter what and he was determined to keep it. Weeks after weeks, he began to see improve in Norman’s conditions, and it filled Ethan’s heart with joy.
Maybe he wasn’t the best at these types of things, maybe he was a little slow, but it did take him a while to realize Norman Jayden wasn’t only here for business. There were way too many obvious clues, like how the profiler would show up days in a row just to check in on him and Shaun, or how he would text him at 6pm after getting off work and ask what he and Shaun would like for dinner, then promptly appearing in his driveway with exactly what he suggested, or how Norman Jayden always smiled at him like nothing else matters in the world and said his name in the softest tone……Alright, maybe he was a bit clueless in this regard.
Imagine his surprise finding Norman’s phone number on Shaun’s contact list. Not wanting to ever be in a situation again where he cannot reach Shaun, Ethan went out and bought his son a new smartphone. It was about time anyway, all the other kids at school seemed to have one. It was merely a coincidence when he saw Shaun playing on his phone one day and spotted the familiar phone number.
“Shaun, why do you have Jayden’s number on your phone?” Ethan asked.
“Norman said I should have it in case anything ever happens again.” Shaun shrugged. “Call him anytime I want……that’s what he told me.”
Wow. Ethan was a little dumbfounded. So Shaun is on first name basis with Norman Jayden already, since when did that happen? It felt strange to have this shared responsibility for Shaun with someone other than his ex-wife, Grace. But he didn’t mind it. Not at all.
It would take them another month for things to progress even further. Another surprise he encountered was how shy the FBI agent was when they are together compared to his courageous actions on the field. When he finally gathered the confidence to ask Norman if he had feelings for him, the younger man turned bright red at once. Norman was a complete mess, obviously flustered, accent growing stronger and stuttering on every other word.
“I…...I didn’t know if you would ever see me that way, Ethan. B-But if you want to know, y-yes. I do like you……very much, more than what I’ve ever felt for anyone……” It didn’t take a psychology degree to see just how anxious Norman was, terrified of getting pushed away by Ethan, terrified of rejection. “ I understand if you don’t feel the same way though so don’t worry about it, I only want what is the best for you and Shaun……” The younger man was practically curling up, wanting to hide away forever following each word of his love confession.
Norman was adorable. Ethan couldn’t help but to chuckle a little. Who knew he had the ability to make this bold agent lose his cool like this? He reached out and gave Norman’s hand a small squeeze. The profiler nearly flinched at his touch out of nervousness.
“I like you too, Norman.” He said sincerely. Now in retrospect, he realized his feelings had been there all along. He always felt safe and comfortable around him. He loved his company, and he couldn’t stop smiling whenever he was at their house (according to Shaun’s observations). “This may sound a little weird……but will you go out with me?” Now Ethan himself was beginning to feel a little shy too. When was the last time he asked someone out? It was too long ago.
Norman stared at him with wide green eyes, visibly stunned. Ethan could tell his brain was having difficulties processing the information, so he decided to go one step further to reiterate his point. “Norman, will you be my boyfriend?” Taking Norman’s hand in his own, Ethan asked clearly and directly.
The agent nodded so fast, and happiness was quickly overtaking his features. “Y-yes! Ethan! I would……I would love to be your boyfriend.” It brought joy into Ethan’s heart too to see Norman so happy, and it only seemed natural for them to share a kiss at that perfect moment. Gently, he cupped Norman’s face and pulled him into a soft kiss. Norman responded timidly at first but soon melted into his touch.
“Agent Norman Jayden of the FBI has unbelievably soft lips” was another fact he learned about the agent that night.
And with that it was official, Ethan Mars was dating Norman Jayden. He never imagined himself dating a man before, let alone a special agent of the Bureau. His life only got better as Norman showed up at his house even more frequently. Not only was he there during the day, he was staying nights too. Ethan’s closet quickly welcomed the introduction of more articles of clothing belonging to Norman. Extra pillows and blankets made their way to his bed. And another toothbrush and bottles of shampoo and body wash and a pair of slippers. Eventually, he moved into the Mars’ household all together. Norman Jayden was now a part of the family now.
At first, Ethan was slightly apprehensive of Shaun’s reaction to him dating another man. His son surprised him with how open he was to the concept.
“Shaun, do you think it’s weird for me to be dating Norman?” He had asked hesitantly one night over dinner. Sure, he is a grown adult. And men dating each other is more accepted these days than twenty, thirty years ago. Still, he wondered if this would be uncomfortable for Shaun, the fact that he had found a new love after his divorce with Grace, and that person happened to be a man.
“Weird? No. Why?” Shaun didn’t even have to think. “I like Norman. He is cool. Plus, he makes you happy.” His son looked up at him from his plate and grinned. Ethan Mars’ heart melted instantly.
“Shaun……”
“Dad, you deserve to be happy. And I am happy you and Norman are so happy together.” Shaun’s words were heartfelt. He felt terrible for not treating his father better, but thankfully he had the chance to make it up and show his dad how much he loved him. He could never forget that day when Ethan pulled him out of the well. He was barely conscious but he heard it all. His father’s tearful words of love and anguished sobbing when he thought he was too late. He never wanted to see his dad so miserable and heartbroken like that again. “You really should ask him to marry you, I already told everyone at school my stepdad works for the FBI. Nobody has a dad with a cooler job than that!” He said proudly. Ethan’s face turned pink with embarrassment, but he also couldn’t hide his wide smile at all. Well, it seemed like Shaun was totally on board with making Norman his new stepdad.
Norman made it clear that he wanted to be involved with Shaun’s life, which filled Ethan’s heart with an unspeakable sense of adoration for the man. The profiler quickly picked up on Shaun’s schedule. Soccer practice, after school programs, even things like dental appointments, they all appeared on the agent’s personal digital calendar. His work was busy, but Norman always made time for him and Shaun. With Norman’s help, Ethan was able to focus more on his new job and projects his boss assigned him. He began his work as an architect again and it felt amazing to be back in his elements. This is the subject he studied diligently in college and he loved every aspect of it. He was a little rusty, seeing as he quit his former job after Jason passed away. But he was ready to take on new challenges now with Norman and Shaun beside him.
Norman had worked hard too. He had asked to be stationed in Philadelphia and continue to help out with investigations at the police station. With his success at uncovering the case of the Origami killer, his superior was impressed by him and willing to let him continue his work in the city. He still didn’t get along with the aggressive lieutenant Carter Blake, but lately Blake’s attitude towards him had turned slightly more tolerable. There was a newfound respect he had for the FBI agent, even though his methods and tendency to stick by the rules still annoyed him.
There was nothing else Ethan could ask for. He wakes up every morning to Norman snuggling beside him, looking adorable as ever. Shaun was much more outgoing and open to them. Once in a while, Shaun would have nightmares and come into their room. Norman never showed any hint of impatience or irritation, even when the boy disrupted his much needed sleep. The FBI agent would smile a little sleepily and help Shaun get on the bed in between him and Ethan. “Hey, Shaun, want to hear stories of how I fought bad guys?” and Shaun would nod with a big grin on his face. Norman would talk till Shaun falls asleep peacefully. Ethan smiled, putting his arm around both Norman and Shaun, the two most important people in his life.
It would be nice to have some alone time with Norman once in a while. Ethan loves his son dearly, naturally. However, he did believe Norman deserves a reward for all the hard work he put into their relationship. So with that, Ethan found the perfect opportunity one day when Shaun asked for their permission to stay over at a friend’s house for the weekend. “Please dad! William got a new video game and I really want to play it!”
“Alright alright, just make sure you boys don’t stay up too late, and don’t cause any trouble for Mr. and Mrs. Johnson.” Ethan smiled, patting Shaun’s head lightly. “I’ll pick you up on Sunday then, call us if you need anything.”
“Yay! Thanks dad!” Shaun exclaimed cheerfully, hugging Ethan and then running off to his room to collect his supplies for the sleepover. After checking off and making sure Shaun did have everything he needed, Ethan drove him over and dropped him off at the Johnson’s household.
Now, Norman should be back in no longer than two hours. Ethan contemplated over his plan. The idea was to do something nice for Norman. He certainly can impress him by making his favorite food for dinner. With a goal in mind, Ethan quickly got to work. He made a quick stop at the grocery store and picked up all the necessary ingredients to make a seafood pasta dish Norman really liked. His heart soared with each step to his front door. He was starting to realize how much he was looking forward to seeing Norman’s reaction.
“ Coming home now, see you soon. ” Ethan’s phone vibrates on the kitchen counter and he smiled at the notification that popped up on the screen. Norman’s texts were always concise but consistent. It made Ethan feel grounded, reassured by the fact that he knew Norman was always here for him.
He heard the sound of a car driving into their driveway just as he was adding the finishing touches to his pasta sauce. Perfect timing. The bread was finished in the oven and the house was filled with a heavenly aroma. As he expected, Norman unlocked the front door with his key just few minutes later, and Ethan wasted no time in greeting his boyfriend.
“I’m home……wow, Ethan?” The criminal profiler was astonished by the elaborate set up of their dining table. Really wanting to give Norman a sweet surprise, Ethan even got new table cloth and brought out new silverware he had been gifted but never used. There was a nice bottle of wine with two wine glasses on the table alongside the pasta Ethan just finished cooking.
“Welcome home, Norm, how was the station today?” Ethan gave Norman a quick kiss on the the cheek, enjoying the payoff of his hard work: Norman’s priceless reaction.
“Relatively peaceful day today, no major crime.” Norman smiled and returned the kiss, “Did I forget an important date? What are we celebrating today?” With his head tilted, the agent seemed to be mentally going through the list of special dates for them he had memorized. Ethan couldn’t help but to chuckle.
“It’s nothing special today. Shaun went over to his friend’s house for a sleepover, so I thought we can have some time to ourselves.”
“It’s a date night?” Norman asked hopefully, a question in which Ethan confirmed with a nod. The architect's smile widened as he watched Norman’s eyes glow up. “Ethan, you are the best.” Norman grinned and Ethan’s heart absolutely melted. He loved making his boyfriend happy.
“I made your favorite pasta. Come, let’s have dinner.” Ethan placed a gentle hand against Norman’s back, and the pair made their way to the table.
Dinner was a huge success. Norman thoroughly enjoyed Ethan’s cooking and the couple had a few more drinks before cleaning up the table and the kitchen. Ethan worked on washing the dishes while Norman went to take a shower, and the two men ended up sitting on the couch watching a comedy show after everything has been cleaned.
Neither of them really realized how and when it started, but before he knew it, Ethan was pressing Norman onto the couch, passionately kissing him. His boyfriend was making these soft, heated moans into their kiss and he noticed the brunet was quietly gripping his shirt. “E-Ethan……” Norman pant as their lips part, his cheeks flushed. “.......Should we go to the bedroom?”
“Yes, of course.” Realizing how eager he was, Ethan was starting to blush as well. He was embarrassed to admit that he had been missing doing this kind of things with Norman. For the past few weeks, Norman had been working on a particularly difficult case. Being the workaholic he was, he would arrive at the station earlier than anyone else, and he was almost always the last one to leave in the evening. By the time he got home, Norman could barely keep his eyes open. Even though he was thoroughly exhausted, Norman still tried his best to stay awake for Ethan and Shaun during dinner and made casual conversations with them. Seeing how tired his lover was, Ethan wanted nothing other than letting Norman rest as much as possible. It was rewarding to him too, to be able to take care of his boyfriend. Each night the FBI profiler would climb into bed next to him and nuzzled against Ethan’s chest. During those brief moments, Norman was relaxed and content, and Ethan loved it especially when Norman drifted off to sleep with a small smile on his face.
Most of their clothes were lost to the floor on their way to the bathroom. Ethan forgot how many kisses they had exchanged before the two of them fell onto the bed. Ethan was on his way to removing Norman’s last two articles of clothing when his hands were covered by Norman’s. “Wait, Ethan, I want to……” Norman’s face turned a few shades redder and he was averting Ethan’s gaze, yet his apparent shyness did not deter him from his task. Ethan blushed as he watched Norman went down on him, sinking to his knees, long fingers busy working their ways to unzip his pants.
Ethan could feel his heart beating hard against his chest, dizziness settling in as if his brain was deprived of oxygen. While it is true that they have been dating for a while now and this is obviously not the first time he received blowjobs from his boyfriend, he still felt rather shy about it. Part of it probably had to do with how undeniably hot Norman was when he did things like this. Ethan was already hard by the time Norman undressed him, and he only got even more aroused as he took in what the FBI agent was doing to him. Pale pink lips kissed the tip of his cock, then without hesitation Norman took his length into his mouth. Ethan closed his eyes instinctively, releasing a deep moan as the pleasure rolled in.
“Mmmm…...Norm……”
Encouraged by the noises Ethan was making, Norman swallowed in even deeper, till the head of Ethan’s cock was nearly hitting the back of his throat. His mouth was wrapped tightly around the base of the swollen organ and he began to use his tongue diligently. Ethan could hardly contain himself; his fingers subconsciously twist into Norman’s soft brown hair as the profiler was sucking him off.
The older man could feel each time Norman’s tongue was making strokes along his shaft, gently brushing against the tip, swirling around the head. The young agent looked up at him through his eyelashes, moaning softly around his cock, pale green eyes clearly expressing his desires. Ethan was getting unbearably turned on. He didn’t want to waste another second before making love to his partner or else he would for sure come in Norman’s mouth.
“Norman, this is good, let me do the rest……” Panting, Ethan gently caressed Norman’s warm cheeks with the palm of his hand. The younger man gazed up at him and obediently let go of his saliva-covered cock. With a knowing look, Norman lied down on his back with a soft smile on his face, offering no resistance as Ethan placed his hands on his knees to spread his legs apart.
“Ethan……” Norman’s voice was full of needs, sweet as honey to Ethan’s ears. With a loving smile resting upon his lips, Ethan leaned down to leave a trail of kiss marks along Norman’s neck while pulling off Norman’s boxers, revealing that perfect body of his. “I really can’t get enough of you……” Ethan sighed against the FBI agent’s ear, pressing their heated bodies closer together.
Ethan was patient. Always patient. He found it absolutely imperative that he prepped Norman properly, wanting to make sure he was ready for him. He was able to quickly locate the bottle of lube inside of the drawers and coated his fingers with the slippery liquid before inserting them into Norman’s tight entrance. Norman gasped, a shudder traveling down his spine. “O-oh! Ethan……”
“Relax for me.” Ethan kissed Norman some more, lips hardly ever leaving Norman’s body. He could feel how tightly Norman was clenching onto his fingers. Soon enough, his boyfriend was moaning and begging for more. The architect added another finger and heard a deliciously erotic cry in response. Ethan liked to make Norman practically melt with need before fucking him, satisfying all his desires and filling him up.
“Norm, you good?” Ethan asked as he retracted his fingers, using his other hand to pull Norman’s hips closer to him. The profiler nodded eagerly, face flushed with a slight hint of shyness remaining. “I want you Ethan……give it to me.”
“As you wish.” Ethan chuckled lightly and pushed his hips forward, pressing his harden cock into Norman’s body. The brunet cried out softly, throwing his head back and wrapping his slender legs around Ethan’s waist. Ethan grunted as he penetrated deeper into the entrance. Norman felt so wonderfully warm and tight, he could never stop craving for him.
“God, you are beautiful, Norman……” Ethan mumbled against Norman’s kiss swollen lips, thrusting smoothly into the younger man and making him tremble with needs. Norman was starting to move his hips along Ethan’s movement, his throat producing a series of high pitched moans. The two shared a warm smile and traded more kisses, enveloping each other in their passion.
Ethan was busy stimulating all of Norman’s sensitive spots; by now he had a pretty good idea on how to make his boyfriend feel good. His hand was coiling around Norman’s erection and jerking him off while slamming into him steadily. Norman’s moaning turned into whimpers and screams, his body shivering while Ethan’s length thrust against his pleasure gland. The older man enjoyed seeing his lover like this, lost in pleasure and clinging to him helplessly. “Ah fuck……E-Ethan!”
He knew Norman was getting close; he could tell by the pitch of his cries and how his insides are clenching onto him. “Come for me.” He smiled, watching Norman’s cheeks becoming even redder with embarrassment. He held onto Norman’s waist, pressing his hips down until his ass was at the base of his cock, fully sheathing himself inside of the FBI agent.
“Nngh…...Ethan……” Tension was growing in his abdomen with each passing second, and Ethan was getting close to the edge himself. He sped up his rhythm and gave his final few thrusts, groaning and releasing his load inside of Norman. The brunet cried out Ethan’s name, shutting his eyes close and came in Ethan’s hand as well, covering his fingers with hot, white liquids.
Feeling his heart was swelling with love for his boyfriend, Ethan pulled out and held Norman close to his chest, kissing his hair and forehead. “Did you enjoy tonight?”
“Very much so, Ethan……”Norman seemed exhausted, but his features were radiating with happiness. He settled into his favorite spot in Ethan’s arms, burying his face against Ethan’s shoulder. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too.” Ethan grinned, caressing Norman’s back gently. “We still have the entire day to ourselves tomorrow. We can go on another date, maybe watch that new detective movie you wanted to see, how would you like that?”
“Sounds wonderful to me.” Norman pecked Ethan on the lips. “You really are the best boyfriend.”
Ethan could see the sleepiness in Norman’s eyes, so he only smiled and gave Norman a few more soft kisses while he drifted off to sleep. Unknown to the intelligent investigator was that Ethan intend to not only be the best boyfriend to him, but the best husband ever. He loved Norman so dearly and he was sure the day was coming soon, the day where he presents a ring to him and asks him to marry him. He hoped the day would be as perfect as he envisioned it, as there was no other way he could see his future other than spending the rest of his life with special agent Norman Jayden.