“You can have him back now. Fucking thief.” Felix glares at me.
“What?!” How did this get turned onto me? Benjamin laughs, eyes swollen and red. He’s so beautiful.
“Fe says you took me from him. I’d still be with him if it weren’t for you.” I shoot Fe a glare.
“Listen here brother—this was set into motion a very long time ago. Ask Mom—she’ll tell you.” Both of their heads whip toward me and I immediately realize I let our brotherly taunting out me. “I uh… might have cried to her once or twice.” Felix bursts into a fit of laughter. Benjamin grabs my face.
“Aw—my sensitive boy. Poor baby.” He’s using his baby-talk voice and if we were alone, I might just let him do it. But right now—I’m blushing. So, I smack his ass. Not hard, just enough to startle. He yelps.
“Watch it.” He nods once—cheeks burning, eyes heating as he stares up at me.
“So—” Felix says, taking the attention away from my horny boyfriend. “Let’s play Alex’s game of who can find the most pictures of Bear. They’re all over the house. GO!”
“What the fuck?”
“Josh—see me on your way out.”
???
A few hours later our friends have left, and Benjamin and I are eating a piece of the Aaron cake—sitting on the floor in front of the couch.
“Ugh.” He groans. “Listen—I loved the party. Five stars. But fuck I’m exhausted.” I chuckle at him, bumping our thighs together as we eat.
After a few minutes of idle chatter, I can’t take the nerves anymore, so I excuse myself for a moment. The black velvet box is pretty enough for a jewelry holder. Inside on the red velvet pillow is his gift—the one I’m terrified he won’t like. I keep reminding myself I know him well, to calm down, and I walk back into the living room. I sit next to him again and when he looks at me, I hold out the box.
“What’s this?” He asks, looking between me and the gift.
“Your birthday present.” I say, giving him a nervous smile.
“Aaron. This huge-ass party was more than enough. You didn’t have to get me anything else. This already meantso much to me.” He’s staring at me like I’m crazy for even thinking of buying him the present.
“Open the damn gift or you won’t be coming on my dick tonight.” He snatches the box out of my hand and I laugh—successfully easing my nervousness. He gives me one last cautious stare.
Benjamin opens the black box and proceeds to choke on his own spit. Laying on the cushion is a bracelet. It’s thin and dainty like the rest of his jewelry—an 18-karat gold chain with an A in the middle that’s lined with diamonds. Lab-grown—obviously.
Slowly, he turns his head to look at me—hands shaking.
“Aaron. What the fuck is this?” He sounds panicked—like I just handed him a child.
“You don’t like it?” Fuck. I really thought it was perfectly tailored to him. I really thought I’d done good with this one.
“Like it? It’s the prettiest piece of jewelry I’ve ever seen in my life.” My heart warms again and that fear—that tension leaves my body.
“So what’s wrong?” He stares at the bracelet again, mouth opening and closing for a moment before he’s able to respond.
“How expensive was this? You just started working at The Pen House. You can’t… no. Not for mybirthday. You have to return this.” Benjamin tries to shove the now-closed box into my hand and I deflect.
“Woah, woah. For one—why the hell are you sayingmy birthdaylike it means nothing? I literally followed you into death, so forgive me if your literal birth is a big holiday for me.” Benjamin’s bottom lip begins to tremble, eyes widening. “Second—why does my job matter? If I couldn’t afford it, I wouldn’t have bought it. Third—” I grab his jaw, feeling his falling tears soak into my skin. I’m studying his face, trying to find if there are any hidden issues here. “Since when do you command me?”
Now—to be fair—quite frequently do I do what Benjamin tells me to. Or don’t do what he says not to. But not in these matters and not in the bedroom. He’s lost his mind.
I watch his eyes heat—widening just a bit more. He blinks twice.
“Right. Never. So, you’ll be good and keep it?” When Benjamin blinks once I let him go and he opens the box again.
“It’s like… did you look through my phone?” Startled by the question I lean into him—tilting my head.
“What? What are you talking about?” He’s still staring at the box.
