When they move in together, John’s surprised they don’t just use one of the numerous apartments and townhomes Harold already has around the city. It becomes apparent rather quickly that Harold wants to get something that’s them, not just him, and especially not just a cover story.

“But couldn’t we have hired a designer at least?” John asks, tired after a day of shopping for dishes and furniture and everything else a new apartment needs. He’d rather be getting shot at, but he knows better than to tell Harold that.

Harold gives him an unimpressed look before returning to his examination of a set of navy blue curtains. “It’s important that we make the space ours,” he says. “It’s harder to do that with a decorator.”

“Sure,” John says, though he’s not sure he understands., Maybe because he hasn’t lived somewhere he could really call his in a long time, even counting the places Harold got for him before they got together. But if Harold wants him to, he can try. “I like the slate gray.”

“Hmm.” Harold looks at John’s choice for a long moment before nodding, a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth that makes John want to kiss him right there in the middle of the store. “I think that will look very nice.”

So maybe John’s not so bad at this. And well, if he can get Harold to smile like that, then maybe the whole shopping thing isn’t so bad either.