“Alright bossman, I just want to say I’m happy for you, for you both. He makes you smile a hell of a lot more than you used to.” The fucker just laughs when I flip him off and focus back on my sketch, wanting to make this dragon sparkle.
He does make you smile, you love him and that is okay. Let yourself love him Gav.
My inner Adam pipes back up when I’m alone again. Do I love Pete? I don’t know. I mean I know I could love him. I’m sure as fuck falling for the disaster twink that he is. But do I deserve him? Fuck no. Letting myself love him or admitting even to myself that I do or I could is so fucking selfish. But I can’t give him up.
PETE
I jump out of Gavin’s arms so fast I almost fall over. It’s imperative that Ryan doesn’t see my phone. Could you imagine if I was the one that ruined the surprise? I would be banished from the family. Exiled. The horror. It does make me sad though that I have to keep this secret from my man but I have sworn an oath not to tell a single soul that my big brother is going to propose to Ryan during the art show tomorrow night. Dashing back through the shop I hide in the break room as I scroll through the family group chat for updates. I have technically already done my part in this whole thing. I made the puppies black tuxes and all I have left to do is bring them inside from the car when the time is right. Drew has this whole thing planned with military precision and I sure as fuck am not going to be the one to ruin it.
Drew:Does everybody remember what to do tomorrow and what time it needs to be done?
Kim:Yes General Dickwad, we haven’t forgotten in the five hours since you last asked.
Val:Awww give him a break he’s nervous. Do you think Ryan will say no? Is that it? Also, I have to bring the kidlet. Rick is working overtime. But she’ll be good, I promise.
Me:Ryan is not going to say no. Stop panicking Drewster.
Drew:I’m not worried about Ryan, I’m now worried about Val’s feral child kidnapping the puppies, AGAIN.
Val:Hey that happened once!! And Vi was very sorry.
Me:Do not let her post pictures of the puppies’ suits!! Not until Ryan has seen them.
Val:I caught her doing a TikTok dance to WAP, so she no longer has her phone. Her life is over apparently.
Kim:So how mad are you going to be if I’m like a tiny bit late?
Drew:Jesus Christ this is going to be a disaster.
Chuckling, I slide my phone back into my pocket and head out to my man. Hopefully he is ready to shut down for the night and take me home. I’m not sure when I started to think of his place as home but that’s exactly what it feels like when I walk into his place and kick my shoes off next to his. We have fallen easily into a routine of cooking together, watching trash TV snuggled up on the couch then stumbling to bed with our mouths fused together. But best of all is waking up with his big arms anchoring me to the mattress as he snuggles in behind me. His massive cock nestled right between my ass cheeks where it belongs. We travel to work together and tease each other all day long before heading home again. Rinse and repeat. If it wasn’t for the fact that I would be royally screwing over Jordan by moving out and leaving him to pay full rent, I would have just moved my stuff into Gavin’s place already. Bit by bit, until one day I just lived there and he wouldn’t even know how it happened. I’m a genius mastermind. I should write a book. How to trap a bear and other gay life hacks.
A laugh bubbles out of my throat at that idea and Gavin’s head lifts to look at me.
“What’s so funny?” He brings me back to the here and now. With another successful day under our belt I stride into his office and park my ass on his lap so he knows it’s time to wrap things up. That’s how it is now. We move around each other like we have been together for years and not weeks. We anticipate each other’s moves and moods and act accordingly without thought. I still pinch myself sometimes because I can’t believe this is my life and that it’s real.
“Nothing babe, just Jordan being Jordan.” I shrug, then give him a quick kiss to divert him from my little white lie. Thankfully he doesn’t call me on it. Just grabs a handful of my ass and squeezes.
“Are you ready to get out of here?” he asks, pushing his sketchbook to the side as I nod.
“Oh yes, more than ready.”
The art show goes off without a hitch. The event raised almost ten thousand dollars for the LGBTQ+ Youth Center and I couldn’t have been more proud of the guys. Ryan’s lot of Rainbow Mafia superheroes were as popular as expected and Gavin’s hauntingly beautiful Geisha sold right away too. Carter decided to take a different approach than the others. Instead of producing pre-made sketches to sell, he set up a little booth and drew hilarious caricatures of anybody willing to donate a hundred dollars or more. It was a massive hit.
When all the artsy excitement passed and the evening rolled around it was time for the proposal. As expected Ryan said yes to my brother’s Marvel-laced speech and naturally everybody was enamored by the puppies and their tuxedos. I must have handed out at least fifty of my fresh off the printer business cards. Yes that’s right, I officially have business cards and a business. Well an Etsy shop but we all gotta start somewhere.
I watch my brother and his new fiancé dancing with their arms wrapped around each other and Ryan naturally trying to cop a feel. I’m so happy for them. Drew is practically beaming and looking at his husband-to-be with cartoon heart eyes and it’s just so cute. They have come a long way and deserve this happiness. My eyes move from them to my own little path of happiness and I can’t help hoping that one day Gavin and I will be dancing at our own engagement party while I try to climb him like a tree. He’s standing by the makeshift bar talking to Carter and laughing. I’ve noticed he does that more often these days and I can only hope that I am at least part of the reason he feels lighter and laughs easier.
The bell jingling above the door to the shop pulls my attention away from my man and I see a huge guy duck under the doorframe to come inside. His eyes widen as he takes in the amount of people in the room along with the music and dance floor. Clearly he was not expecting a tattoo shop to be hosting a party where most of the guests are in suits and formal dresses. It’s pretty obvious this guy is lost, he looks like he could squeeze my head and pop it right off my shoulders with one hand, but his body is hunching in like he is trying to make himself smaller than he actually is. A shy giant, hopefully a BFG. Time to be a good host and help the poor guy out.
Knocking back the last of my drink I make my way over to stand in front of the behemoth. “Can I help you?” I ask, loudly because I swear he’s two whole feet taller than me. He looks down at me and it’s only now that I am right in front of him that I see the resemblance. “Holy shit, you’re Ryan’s brother!” I say, grabbing his arm to pull him over to the happy couple but as I tug nothing happens. I try again and my shoulder almost comes loose from its socket. When I look back at him, he looks panicked as he shakes his head.
“You okay, Jellybean?” Gavin asks before I have a chance to ask Ryan’s brother – fuck why can’t I remember his name – what’s wrong. Turning to look behind me I see Gavin and Carter both standing with their arms folded over their broad chests, I assume aiming for intimidating. Although the way Carter's eyes are moving over the copious amount of tattoos going from this guy’s neck and disappearing below his T-shirt is anything but intimidating. So this is Carter’s type.
“Roman?” a familiar voice asks and I realize that Ryan and Drew have now joined our little party at the front entrance, likely drawing even more attention than the huge man – Roman – did when he entered.
“Um, hey baby bro, I’m out,” he says with a softness to his voice that is a complete contradiction to the whole vibe he has going on. Roman must be at least six foot five or six with dark hair pushed back off his face. He’s dressed in all black from head to toe and his look is completed with a badass leather jacket. Kinda gives me motorcycle club vibes.
“You’re out as in… you’re gay?” Carter asks, sounding way too hopeful as he pushes a little closer to the guy who still has his head down watching Ryan through his lashes.
