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"We'd have a dog." Havers dreamed, his lips pulling away from the steaming mug of tea.
His hazel vision looked nowhere in particular. However, the curves of his sunshined lips were clearly directed to the person he was sharing his pleasant Sunday afternoon with.
"Oh, would we now?" The man in question with a tone of down-right amusement responded.
His lover had been talking about this for 30 minutes? An hour? Maybe even two.
Regretfully, whenever the pair were in the same room time sprints all too quickly.
However, the Captain did not find his dreams of: a cottage in Cornwall, Weymouth to be precise, with sun basking down on a flourishing vegetable garden with equally lavishly coloured flowers prancing and looping around the front of the small place which would be their home; filled with nick-nacks and a roaring fire and mugs of tea and laughs and smiles and tender morning kisses; to be any less endearing then he did when his partner had began to whimsfully list down the things he desired for their future together. The future where they wouldn't need to be squished due to blaring sirens, they could be squashed because they are holding each-other too damn tight because the space between their limbs seems so overly suffocating that they need to feel each piece of skin pressed against each other.
Particularly, the Captain even allowed himself to imagine it too as he neatly swirled down his notes for his very important job. A smile was plastered against his lips at the mere idea of them whisking their lives away together where perhaps they could live in private solitude; someplace where their love would never be judged since it would be just them enjoying each other’s blissful company.
For this afternoon, he would allow himself to fantasise and forget his usual overwhelming fears that trickled up the back of his neck and scolded his thoughts.
"We would!!" William confirmed with a delicious smile that spread along his lips and kissed the dimple in his cheek and caused the prominent crows feet to peek out and say hello in his crystal eyes.
If the Captain could take a photo of this moment he would; he would caption it ‘pure bliss’.
The Captain had found it hard not to feel like you were in pure bliss when you were around William Havers. He makes the Captain's heart throb and melt simultaneously.
"And what would this dog be called?" Theodore quizzed, lifting his eyebrows and placing his pen down before taking a sip from his own cup. He allowed himself to melt back into his chair just the slightest amount, the curve of his spin no longer sitting straight. He crossed one leg over the other whilst his lover hummed.
His lover.
Oh, how he can never get over how Lieutenant William Havers is his lover; the man in front of him is fanstifully planning their life with the last string of hope he had been clasping onto, is gloriously his and he is the other’s in return.
"Barry!" William smiled despite his Captain making an amused cough over the waves of his teacup.
"Barry?" The man questioned, lifting an eyebrow.
He was contemplating the name around in his head. He supposes it could be quite a fitting name for a golden retriever or labrador, maybe even a corgi of sorts. However, part of him finds the idea of him shouting 'Barry' after a bouncing corgi dog overly well embarrassing. Not the idea of owning a dog with Havers, no no, simply the name 'Barry.' In all fairness he couldn’t imagine something more perfect ,something more domestic, then walking a dog down the street with his partner smiling as other dog walkers stride past on their way to work; carefree and joyful since the war would be over.
William rolled his eyes playfully, smile not yet fading.
"Barry." He confirmed after a beat; it was clear that it was the first name he could think of because he too had given a noise that was mixed between a cringe and a chuckle of a soft laugh.
"At least I didn't say, well, ah- i don’t know Princess plum, or something daft like that! I, personally, think it is a rather nice name for a dog, Teddie" The Lieutenant continued trying to defend himself.
The Captain meerly shrugged, he had what looks like the beginning of a good natured smirk on his face; Oh, how William wanted to kiss that dumb forming smirk away from the others face. However, the tender expression of smug pleasure was so utterly entrancing (he noted how his partner too had a slight dimple of in his cheek, but in his right side; it sat hidden under a layer of thin wrinkles along with a slight quirk in the other’s moustache)
"I could think of nicer, Darling" Theodore had replied matter-of-factly, pouring himself another cup of tea.
Havers hummed and gave a gesture of the hand saying silently 'go ahead then'
The other obliged (not until after a clearing of the throat of course) over the next hour or two , the gentleman started to list off names. Dog names specifically with each of them contrasting to each other from a few ideas being delia, lolly, marvin and another collection being the as both men would class it 'the ridiculous names' (cat, dog and equally bird were names added to the list.)
As the hour flew, William had also suggested a few names however none despite his and his lover's efforts were better than his original idea. After the Captain had let the idea sit on his tongue for a while; he even started to like it.
‘It was less embarrassing the more you say it out loud’ The Captain privately found himself thinking
However, through thick laughter and vivid smiley hazes both men couldn't be more content simply because they knew no matter what their future would have each other painted prettily by the other side with a dog, no matter what the name.