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Aspen volunteered to help go in on this the night we all had dinner, Ja'far, you were sitting right there, remember? He wanted to be part of whatever we picked out.

[ Sinbad's voice is patient as he reminds his Submissive of that. Just in case he'd forgotten. The fact that Aspen hadn't known what he was getting into either was entirely beside the point.

Oh, well. There's the rest of the news out in the open. he knows that look in Ja'far's eyes so he just motions for him to follow him.

The blueprints for the building are laid out across the dining room table, each floor sketched out, all with papers of numbers - income and expenses sketched down in easy-to-read columns. It shows two large retail spaces on the ground floor - one marked out as rented to a little coffee shop named A Shot in the Dark and the other still maked available for rent. the second floor holds a cluster of office buildings - all marked leased and occupied, with a folder that holds the contracts set to the side if Ja'far wanted to be obsessive enough to review them here and now. There are four floors above that one that hold smaller apartments and suites - a handful are already leased out but the others are already marked ready to rent, with suggested pricing averages for the neighborhood.

The top floors, of course, hold the penthouse Sinbad had chosen, with the sprawling suite for them and the attached apartment for Aspen and his Submissives - sharing a floor and a large open patio.

Sin gives him a moment to take all that in before starting to point out numbers and benefits to why he'd taken this leap. ]

The rentals combined more than pay for building itself - with extra left over for a profit, even. It's in good condition and needs very little work for upkeep. And with the extra apartments available in the floors below us, we can offer them to those we want to keep close or who need a place to say - somewhere outside the public housing the city offers.

( Ja'far is literately dead. Just dead. Thank you, Sinbad. You finally murdered him.

No, in fact, he's too shellshocked to do much of anything. He's absolutely angry that Sinbad did all of this, but he also can't really argue with it as much as he'd like to. Sinbad did the research, picked out a building that would potentially sustain a profit, and had enough space for his needs as well as those he'd managed to gather around him.

It was just like back home, and so much like Sinbad when they were younger and didn't have the weight of an entire country on them and-

Oh, goddammit, Ja'far's angry and proud. But mostly angry. Really angry.

He shakes Sinbad by his collar for good measure. )

How dare you do all of this without discussing it beforehand- Buying an entire building- You didn't tell me or Aspen, or any of us I- You-

( He throws his hands in the air. )

It's. It's good, Sin. I'm very cross, but this is good. We'll be able to sustain ourselves a lot better this way. It's- If you wanted my approval, you have it. ( And with that, he's going to sulk and reread all of the documents, as he does. )

I haven't signed the paperwork yet!

[ He holds up his hands in surrender as Ja'far shakes him, but even he can tell that his Submissive won't say no as he starts going over the numbers. Even if he is angry and sulking.

Sinbad is at least smart enough to know that now is not the time to point out that Ja'far is adorable when he's sulking.

So instead he comes up behind him, wrapping his arms around Ja'far's waist as he leans in against his back and helps him start looking through the paperwork out, pointing notations he'd made when discussing and negotiating the deal. Only once they've gone through each of the floors does he rest his chin atop Ja'far's head, hoping that looking at the numbers laid out as they were might have calmed him down a little. It's why Sinbad had gone through the time and effort of having this all arranged and looked into so thoroughly. ]

What do you think? I know it's a risk, but...

You still did all of this without telling it to any of us!

( He's impressed, but still. How dare you, Sinbad.

And yeah, not the time to say that, not if you want to have your balls still around.

He's definitely sulking, and huffs when Sinbad wraps around him, but makes no move to dislodge the other man, or try to strangle him again. He makes his own notations, and carefully looks at them all, a spare sheet of paper quickly getting filled with calculations. It takes a little while, but he eventually sighs, half defeated, half accepting. )

It's definitely a risk, and I'd have to go back over our own numbers at home, but... I think we should go for it. The benefits outweigh the risks, at least from what I can see.

( A pout. ) You did good, Sin.

[ Sinbad presses a kiss to the top of his head at those words. ]

Try not to sound so put out with me for it. I wanted to surprise you with something - all of you.

It certainly is a surprise to find out you're financially in charge of a large building, complete with offices and housing.

( He deadpans it, but then he looks up at Sinbad, his expression growing at least a little bit fond. ) Thank you. Just... no more buildings. Not without talking to us first.

[ He shoots Ja'far an innocent look, giving him a charming smile. ]

We only need the one.

[ ... For now. ]

( Ohhhh he knows that look. He definitely knows that look. )

Sin.

[ Sinbad just laughs and reaches to scoop him up in his arms, spinning him in a circle, grinning happily. ]

I'll behave. This will keep us busy for quite some time, after all. Shall I show you the rest of it? Wait till you see the bedroom.

( Ja'far startles, gripping onto Sinbad while he's spun around, finally laughing as the other man holds onto him. He can't deny it makes him a bit giddy to see Sinbad like this again. It's like they're younger again, and Sindria was just a dream-

A dream he dearly misses.

But still, he has Sin. He has the man he loves, at the very least. )

You'd better. And yes. Show me our new home.

Come and see. [ Sin smiles, setting him back on his feet with an indulgent expression. ] Oh, and the kitchen, too. I know the appliances are all still new and strange, but I've been assured the kitchen holds the best there is to offer. So you can experiment again as much as you like. There's a firepit out on the patio, too, for when the weather grows warmer, so we could cook out over an open fire if we want to, as well. Apparently, that's a sort of novelty here.

[ He sounds amused by this fact. ]

( He follows after and smiles back at him, feeling a bubble of love and pride rise in his chest at Sinbad's expression. Really, the man was ridiculous, but he couldn't help it. It was like years ago, when he first led them home. )

A novelty? Perhaps we should host a Mahrajan to show them what cooking over a fire is like. ( He's joking, mostly, but it's done warmly - even he misses home. )

[ Sinbad just laughs at that before leaning close with an impish grin. ]

Should we make the mandatory attire a leaf? I bet Aspen can grow us ones that are big enough.

( Oh, being teasing are you? Two can play at that game. )

Oh? I'm not sure Aspen could grow one small enough for you, then.

[ That has a spark igniting in his gaze as Sinbad's lips curve in a knowing smirk and he drags Ja'far close against his chest once more, pressed flush against him. ]

Mmmm, that's not what you were saying last night.

( Goddammit Sin, let him insult you teasingly for once. )

I'm surprised you even paid attention to what I said, then.

[ He slips a knee in between Ja'far's legs, pressing up against him teasingly, even as he backed him towards the nearest counter in the kitchen. His smirk only grows. ]

Oh, trust me, I was paying very close attention to every word you uttered. Every little whimper, every little plea.

( Oh my god, are you going to leave him high and dry in this kitchen you haven't even paid for yet? Might as well play this for what he's got, I guess.

He leans in close, hitching one leg around Sinbad as the man presses up against him, trying to fight the fact he is honestly getting a little excited by it. )

Then you know I told you to do your work, as well.

[ Oh, that is not his intention at all. Smiling as Ja'far presses against him, twining a leg around him, he just keeps him pressed back against the counter. ]

I remember that part as well. And I have - You saw the finished product of that, after all. Now I have something different in mind to finish...

( He laughs a little, feeling a bit giddy as Sinbad presses him further against the counter. )

I guess I did. I'm not sure what to admonish you for, now. ( He leans in, feeling bold with their continued flirtations. ) Not kissing me?

Is there a reason you must admonish me at all? [ Sinbad merely counters this with a grin - one that widens when Ja'far continues to flirt with a new sense of boldness. This is new, and he likes it.

Wanting to encourage it, he leans in, brushing his lips teasingly against Ja'far's in a whisper-light kiss. ] That is a problem easily solved, you realize.

Usually. ( He chuckles, fond and happy as Sinbad leans in, brushing his lips against his. )

I suppose. ( He gives him a peck on the lips, hovering just out of touch for a moment, before leaning in and kissing him again, this time properly. He still feels like he should be choking the man for suddenly surprising him with a building, but he feels happy, too. Sinbad wanted to show him this, and now he wants to show Sinbad that small bubble of joy he feels. )

And now?

[ There's an indulgent smile in Sin's voice, lingering on his lips as he peppers Ja'far's own with quick, playful brushes of his own, teasing and light. ]

Mmm, maybe I'll just have to figure out a way to keep distracting you from it then...

Do you really want me to bring up this building when I'm comfortable enough to kiss you right now?

( He's mostly teasing, but that threat is still there - he certainly has not forgotten. )

But, yes, I think you should. ( He snorts, bringing in Sinbad for a deeper kiss, cupping his face into his hands. )

[ Sinbad just laughs, grinning impishly. ]

What can I say? You're fun to distract.

[ But he does lean in to deepen that kiss, his hands sliding down over Ja'far's arms until the come to rest against his hips, teasing as he keeps him caught against the counter. ]

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