Disclaimer: First of all, Corny belongs to Luis and Luis belongs to Corny. Ironside and all its characters belong only to Holly Black. Do you see me in that equation?

This is a fanfic in response to Happy Birthday Corny, by Crematorian.

Enjoy!

The beads swung left, then right, and left again. Two sets of eyes, one hazel and one golden, followed as if hypnotized. Left, right, left right.

"Corny, any more staring and I'll be accused of hypnotizing without a permit."

"Maybe you shouldn't have such shiny beads threaded through your hair." The said beads made a clattering sound when Luis spun around to face him.

"If I recall correctly, it was you who bought me these." Luis fingered string of teal beads that captured a forelock.

"That doesn't mean I want you to wear them everyday."

"In fact, that is what I thought you meant."

"I'm flattered you like my gift that much, and wouldn't it be a nice to have a change every now and then?"

"You don't like my hair style? Since when do you care about appearances?" Luis glanced quickly at the wall clock, the hands declared it fifteen minutes after ten; plenty of time to laze until the lunch with Mrs. Stone.

"That's not what I meant! I love your hair. You're stunning."

"Then what's the problem?"

"See how they cling to your hair? It looks like confining pieces of rope."

"…I'm not seeing your point."

Corny mumbled something unintelligible.

"What?"

"Sit down."

Luis complied, sitting on the edge of the bed beside a still lethargic Corny stretched on his side gazing with attractive hazel eyes. Corny had awoken to a golden eyed kitty's rough tongue licking his cheek.

The kitty (they had argued over Corny's choice of Lawrent and Luis' choice of Lyra. Corny won by a landslide. Only due to the fact the kitten was a boy and not the girl Luis originally thought it was; certainly not because Corny's kisses were heartrendingly sweet) was nearly 2 months old. The cat's second pregnancy had been successful with the delivery of five beautiful kittens. While Corny's mother had given away the other four, they had kept the golden eyed one with black fur and a dashing white stripe down its side, extending to the belly. The kitten had immediately taken a liking to Luis the moment he visited on the following weekends. It now left Corny's side to crawl over Luis' lap.

"What are you doing?"

Corny had sat up and threaded his fingers through his hair. "I'm unbraiding your hair."

"Why?!"

"So I can run my fingers through it. You know, I use to braid Janet's hair." Luis relaxed and allowed him to do it, even if he was nervous at the change in hair style.

With care and patience, Corny nimbly undid all the cornrows and combed the hair down with repeated gentle brush strokes.

"Corny, I suddenly don't want to do this anymore."

"Hush, you're such a baby."

"Hmm, that feels nice. Do it again."

"How about a French braid? That's hot."

"You have a thing for hair?"

A vicious tug was his answer.

Without even looking, Luis knew that a light blush adorned Corny's countenance. The mirror, so conveniently hung on their dresser across from the bed, gave Luis a reflected image of what he and Corny would appear from outside perspective. He sat on the covers enclosed between his fiancé's covered legs as Corny focused on the straightening his dark locks of hair.

Fiancé.

Automatically, his azure eyes, one milky blue from injury, lowered to look at his left hand's reflection. Adorned there, lay a beautiful translucent ring and with drop of amber stone.

They had not actually set a date for the ceremony. In fact, they were going to tell Corny's mother this afternoon. He could only hope for the best. He'd watch for signs. Usually, when Corny's mother was displeased at something, her lips would purse tightly into a straight line, and the wrinkles at the forehead would furrow. The eyes, so much like Corny's own, would flash disapprovingly.

Luis' eyes rove up Corny's face. His expression was of the utmost concentration as he focused on untangling the mess that was Luis' hair. Corny was not particular handsome or dashing in the general opinion. Sharp and sleek in cheekbones rather than broad like the common man's; his face was one that would easily slip through the mind's eye. Luis figured that was his cue to look repeatedly to remember.

But it was not his features that attracted Luis (that was a good bonus though). He remembered when he first met Corny on the steps of Maubry's house. His slender features were hardened cynically; his eyes alight with wicked pleasure as he lied scathingly.

Corny broke through his thoughts when he kissed lingeringly behind his earlobe. He had finished taming the hair to a sensible straightness and was threading his fingers through the dark locks. Gently he separated the length of hair into three, pulling and weaving soothingly into single thick braid.

Luis found himself quite enjoying warm fingers combing his hair and vowed to let Corny do this again. So maybe he was the one who had a thing for hair…

Regretfully, Corny finished with a twist and a hair tie at the end. Luis looked at himself in the mirror on all sides, swinging the thick coil and missing the clanking of beads. He supposed this look made his features refined and sophisticated.

He turned around to face Corny, "What you think?"

"I was right. You are hot in a French braid."

He stole a kiss from the other, feeling the bite and flicker of a familiar tongue.

Luis glanced at the clock again, expecting it to be a little before eleven. He blinked, stunned. Fifteen minutes after ten? Wasn't it… The second hand did not move.

"Uh, Corny?"

Corny hummed in acknowledgement.

"What time is it?"

"You can read time," he glanced at the clock, "10:15, what's the problem?"

"It was 10:15, like 20 minutes ago."

"Shit! The clock stopped! We're late!" Corny stumbled out of bed and out of bed, still in his boxers.

Luis hummed to himself, he got an eyeful.