How could he expect anything less from his boyfriend?
Fiancé?
The idea of marrying Branson, of building a life together by their own rules, defining physical affection in their own ways, made him almost giddy. This was the kind of relationship he’d sought his entire adult life, and now he’d found it. No pressure, no scorn, no demand for sexual intimacy, no jokes at his expense. Only kindness and acceptance and love.
But rushing to marry so Branson’s chances of gaining custody of his brother was not how he’d expected their relationship to progress. And he hadn’t given any real thought to moving out of Dad and Liam’s house, where he’d lived for the last few years to help with Dad. Then again, Dad was in incredible health, despite most alphas only living into their late sixties. While Dad had had a minor scare with sleep apnea a few years ago, he’d been steadily improving, which kind of baffled his doctors.
Tarius wasn’t going to complain.
Dad had retired years ago, and Liam didn’t work, so maybe they didn’t need Tarius underfoot anymore. Maybe they hadn’t for a while, but were too polite to say anything? It wasn’t as if Tarius ever had a bustling social life, or had ever invited someone over to meet the parents. What if they thought Tarius was lonely?
We really need to have a conversation.
He and Branson didn’t speak much on the elevator ride to his floor, or the short walk down the hallway. The path was so familiar now that Tarius didn’t have to look for the apartment number. Branson unlocked the door, and Tarius followed him inside the cozy space that smelled like coffee and Branson’s woodsy cologne.
“I guess I should give you a key, huh?” Branson said as he shut the door behind them. “Seeing as how we’re engaged and all.”
His shy smile was too adorable not to kiss him. “If you want to.” Tarius squeezed his hip. “Engagement can mean anything we want it to mean, just like our relationship is ours to create. But if you do want to give me a key, I promise not to abuse your trust. I won’t sneak in and rifle through your things for blackmail material.”
Branson chuckled. “I keep all my blackmail material password protected.”
“Damn.”
“Do you want coffee? I can make a pot.”
“Sure, thanks.”
Tarius settled at the kitchen table while Branson got the coffee brewing. Branson grabbed a package of sugar cookies from the cupboard and brought those to the table with him. “So the big question is who else do we tell about all this,” Branson said. “Obviously, you should tell your parents. Um, your sire and Liam.”
“I definitely need to tell my sire, and since he can’t keep a secret from Liam, he’ll need to know. What about all our brothers? They don’t need to know the specifics until after the DNA test, but Emory has an inkling that something’s going on. Holding him off over the weekend is going to be a challenge.”
“You’re right.” Branson picked up a cookie and studied it like it held the answers he needed. “I might be able to tell Emory and hold off on Caden, but if I tell Em, he’ll want to tell Eriq. I guess if we keep it to just who lives at the house? Triplets aside.”
Tarius chuckled. “I don’t think the triplets are going to know or care about this for at least another year or two, when they’re doing more than knocking down blocks and mimicking Uncle Branson’s cuss words.”
“Hey, I am very careful not to cuss in front of the toddlers. I’ve heard all the stories about how much I loved to repeat cuss words when I was three, and the last thing I need is for Shylo to start running around the house screaming ‘Oh shit!’ like I did.”
“I remember something similar when Linus was about that age, but I don’t know who he picked it up from.” Saying his baby brother’s name reminded Tarius of last night’s huge accomplishment: Linus dancing at the Gala with his bondmate. Linus had been so confident, so strong, as he and Miko danced among family and friends. It was Tarius’s favorite memory of last night, right next to dancing with Branson.
Branson finally took a bite of that cookie then put it down. Chewed and swallowed, and he gazed longingly at the coffeepot, which was beginning to spew its final drips of liquid into the carafe. “I guess it’ll depend on who’s at the house when I go over. Dad needs to know, and probably Em, too. Even if Eriq is home, he’s discreet. What about you?”
“I’m discreet.”
He snorted and flicked a cookie crumb at him. “Dork. You’re going to tell your sire and Liam?”
“Yes. I’m honestly surprised they haven’t bombarded me with texts or calls yet, considering we were at the Gala together, and then I didn’t come home last night. Liam is incredibly perceptive when something’s up with one of us kids.” It would never not be strange to refer to himself as a kid, since he wasthe same age as Liam, but Liam was an omegin and had a deep, parental streak that extended to all three of Isa Higgs’s older children. “Linus is still at home, but I bet he’ll be too infatuated with Miko to notice anything’s up with me.”
“Probably. They are very sweet together. I’m glad Linus had Miko during his recovery.”
“Me, too.” And while Linus could walk on his prosthetic using a cane, his recovery was far from over. Linus was determined to run again, to climb stairs, to do all the things he’d once done with two natural legs. Maybe even learn to play soccer again. Their family would rally behind whatever Linus wanted to do.
“So, um, should we tell our parents together? One pair at a time?” Branson stood to pull two mugs out of the cupboard.
“Well, since we’re announcing an engagement, I think together is better. Probably seem strange if we aren’t.”
“True.” Branson chuckled as he poured them each coffee, careful not to drip. “For all my cousins and friends love to tease me about being a bachelor, they’re going to shit bricks when they hear this news. Not the long-lost brother thing, but being engaged after only just announcing we’re dating.”
Tarius smiled as he accepted a steaming mug of fragrant coffee. “We march to the beat of our own drum.”
