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"You got me… a collar?"
Big’s eyes go wide and worried where he's kneeling when he realizes the implications of such a gift. “I didn’t– That’s not–”
“Oh, sweet boy, no… That’s not what I meant,” Tay interrupts him before either of them overthink it, running a soothing hand through Big's hair. “I was just surprised. No one has… gifted me jewelry like this in a long time.” No one had bothered to try and guess at what he liked.
He knows his taste is too particular and that he’s difficult to please, especially with regards to jewelry. He and Time had quickly established a system where Tay would pick out things he wanted, Time would buy him one or two of them for whatever upcoming holiday or anniversary, and Tay would buy himself the rest. Kinn enjoyed making a show of outbidding Tay on jewelry simply to gift him the treasure at the end of the night. Any other gift was just another social obligation he would have had to track and wear publicly to appease whatever socialite Time had business with. Anyone he cared about enough to be honest with always gave up eventually; Tay has never liked surprises.
Well. Usually he didn't like surprises.
Big continues to be the one exception. Like everything Big does for Tay, he’s obviously put great care and thought into the gift. The brilliant necklace glows against the black velvet box Big has used to present it to him. It’s an asymmetrical reverse collar, open to one side and decorated on each end by an organic cluster of star jasmine blossoms and buds. Each open blossom is accented with a flawless gem. The craftsmanship is pristine even to Tay’s scrutinizing eyes, and the intricate design is exactly the sort of thing Tay loves.
Tay’s eyes snap down to the collar on Big’s throat, a solid metal ring with a nearly invisible clasp.
It might seem plain, almost spartan, except for the tiny faceted diamond set in the center of a delicate etched star jasmine that Tay knows is hidden at the nape of his neck. That and the fact that it was crafted from nearly pure platinum.
Judging by the weight of the bejeweled piece Big has gifted him, Tay knows it’s made from the same exquisite material. They contrast perfectly, the collar in Tay’s hand ornate and dazzling, complemented by the simplicity of Big’s. It must have cost a small fortune, something that means far more to Big than it does to Tay. Where Big’s collar is a statement of his obedience and Tay’s commitment, this collar – this gift – is a statement of adoration and devotion.
Tay runs a finger against the edge of Big's collar, the metal skin-warm and satin smooth from its patina. He hooks his finger under the front of it, where his name is etched on the inside of the collar, and tugs, bringing Big's face close enough to kiss.
He licks his thanks fiercely into Big's mouth, bites it into Big's lips, and presses it into a line of kisses under Big's jaw. Before they're both frantic with it, he stops and whispers his thanks between them like a secret.
“Would you like to put it on me?”
Tay offers the necklace back to Big, who accepts it with an enthusiastic grin. He stands, circles around behind Tay, and carefully removes the glittering collar from its box before draping it around Tay’s neck. Tay watches the light that refracts off the diamonds flicker on the wall as Big firmly settles the necklace. Tay reaches up to run a finger over the black sapphire that settles right at the base of his throat, admiring the delicate platinum vines and the petals hammered thin.
Tay looks at himself in the mirror across the room. The work of art around his neck is stunning, but even more staggering are the adoring eyes of his sweet boy behind him, meeting his gaze through the mirror. They look like a matched set, and it satisfies the part of him that is fierce and possessive.
The collar feels like a crown.