Boomer sits there like the well-behaved dog he is, and when he sticks his tongue out, it looks like he’s smiling. Elliot takes about a hundred photos before Blaine suggests, “Why don’t I take one of the three of you?”
I shift my gaze to Elliot, and his face lights up. He climbs up the first two steps, putting him on level with Boomer, and I take the first step. Blaine drags over a chair to stand on, and we smile as he takes our photo.
I hand Elliot the hat before I scoop Boomer up in my arms and put him back on the floor. Blaine shows us the photo, and my breath hitches at the sight of us. All three of us look so fucking happy.
If you had told me three months ago the guy I would rescue from a broken-down elevator would become my entire world, I would have laughed in your face.
And yet here we are, so fucking in love, and now we have a dog.
But the thought is put on hold because it wouldn’t be a firehouse without a call ruining the moment. My spine tenses on instinct as I listen to the dispatcher read out the call.
“Go. We’ll tidy up and be on our way,” Elliot says. He grabs a handful of my shirt and presses a quick kiss to my lips.
“Don’t worry, we’ll get to it when we’re back. I’ll see you in the morning.” I kiss him again, then ruffle Boomer’s furry head quickly before saying bye to Blaine.
I hop into my turnout gear and climb into the truck. The fullness in my chest doesn’t ease, and I find myself smiling to myself as we head out the door.
There’s a single, loud knock at the door before the sound of jingling keys and the lock disengaging. I hook my fingers into Boomer’s collar so he doesn’t dart for the door as it swings open. Ernie comes barreling in, followed by Blaine and Alex. Once the door is shut behind them, I finally let him go.
He launches himself off the couch, and the two dogs start playing, emptying Boomer’s overflowing toy basket within seconds.
“I’ll put this in the fridge,” Alex says quietly, holding up the cheesecake I asked him to make as a surprise.
“Thanks. There’s some money on the side for you,” I reply, and he waves me off.
“I don’t want your money, Hunter. We’re family now, and family doesn’t pay for cheesecake.”
“Did someone say cheesecake?” Elliot calls out as he hurries down the hall from the bedroom. He was supposed to be getting dressed, but I’m guessing by the fact that he’s only wearing his boxers, one of my plaid shirts, and socks, he must’ve gotten distracted.
At least he’s wearing both socks this time.
Blaine turns to his brother and sighs. “Do you ever wear pants?”
Elliot glances down at himself, then shrugs. “It’s my apartment. If I want to spend the day in my underwear, then I’ll do that.”
Blaine shakes his head, an affectionate expression on his face.
“Who are you to ask me, anyway? The garment police?” Elliot grins, playfully shoving his brother before disappearing back down the hall.
“Remember your pants!” Blaine calls after him.
“I’ll remember your pants next time I walk into your apartment and you’re naked!”
Alex is laughing as he takes a seat on the couch.
After they left the station yesterday, Blaine and Elliot ended up talking it out, and Elliot reassured him that he doesn’t feel let down or failed by his brother. He agrees he, too, wonders whether things would have been easier for him if he’d received his diagnosis earlier, but he isn’t upset by it.
Elliot returns wearing his pair of pajama bottoms with otters on them and flops back onto the couch next to me. I’ve prepared dinner for whenever we want to eat, so all I need to do is cook the pasta and put the salmon steaks in the oven.
“Shit, have you seen this?” Alex asks suddenly, glancing up from his phone.
Blaine looks over his shoulder, his brows nearly hitting his hairline as his eyes widen. “Fuck.”
“What?” Elliot asks, climbing over me, then throwing himself on top of Blaine to look at Alex’s phone.
“Mitch has been traded to Toronto.”
“What!” Elliot yelps.
