It was just so nice to spend all my time with Irving, and as much as I wanted Brick to be there with us, too, I knew we’d be pushing things too fast if we asked him to move in with us straight away. But if he moved in to Irving’s place, the three of us would be able to see each other as often as we wanted. The apartment was so close to the Steel Rose, I just knew it would be able to provide Brick the stability he needed and might guarantee he actually stuck around, instead of changing his mind and running away again.
Irving seemed to warm up to the idea, too. We spent the afternoon and early evening mulling over the details. We laughed about how much fun it would be to live together, and he showed me the arcade game he was building and told me about the different punk albums he loved. It was so easy to imagine him living in my house with me and filling it with our memories together, I practically called Clark right then to tell him the plan.
When Brick got back from work, though, I realized I might have been drifting into fantasyland again. Pushing through the front door, he had that familiar swoop of red hair, and a serious swagger that still made my jaw drop. His eyes flashed with determination, and I suddenly felt anxious that he wouldn’t want to make a life with us at all. Maybe, now that everything was over, he would turn away from us, like that first time he almost hooked up with Irving.
But Brick walked with purpose, and as he crossed Irving’s living room, it was clear he wouldn’t be turning away. When he reached us, he pulled me close for a kiss and then turned to Irving for the same. His hands landed on each of our bodies, pulling us close to him as our lips met, and all the worries seemed to disappear.
“Thank you,” Brick said, our lips finally parting.
“What are you thanking us for?” Irving asked, his voice unsteady from the kiss.
Brick rubbed his hand across his stubble, looking over our bodies like he was taking us in for the first time. I instinctively grabbed Irving’s hand, and when I did, he and I fell back to the couch together.
“I tried that breathing trick you told me about. Helped me skip some trouble.” He thought for a second, glancing between us, my skin hot from his emerald eyes. “And after last night, I’ve been feeling good all day,” he added.
I tangled my legs up in Irving’s. My heartbeat started pounding faster. Whatever fantasies were twisting their way through Brick’s mind right then, I couldn’t imagine, but I knew I was ready for them.
Irving turned to me, a big grin on his face, and I knew we were on the same page. “We had an idea,” he said. “So you don’t have to move into a motel again.”
Brick leaned back on the edge of Irving’s desk, kicking up one leg. He furrowed his brow a little, thinking about what Irving said carefully. “What’s that?”
“You should move in here,” I jumped in. “I live in a house not too far away, and my roommate is going to move out. So Ezra could move in with me, and you could live here!”
“You can start staying here whenever you want,” Irving added, “instead of having to do the motel again. I can start sleeping at Ezra’s as soon as you’d like, so you can have a place to yourself.”
Brick stared back at us, his eyes narrowing. He tapped his boot against the ground a few times, like it was helping him think. I bit down on my lip to stop myself from blurting out a million different things.
“I don’t need any more handouts,” he finally said, his voice low and calm. “You’ve done enough for me. I won’t have you giving up your home because you think I need it.” He waved his hand in the air, then kicked his boot back against the desk. “I’ll be happier in a motel and taking care of myself like I’m used to.”
“It wouldn’t be a handout,” Irving said, pulling my hand closer to his chest. He had that stern, serious look on his face that I remembered from when we first met. Instead of frowning at the world, now it reminded me of Brick’s expression in a certain way. It was like they were both intent on setting something right.
“What else do you call it when you give someone an apartment?”
“I wouldn’t be giving it to you,” Irving objected. “You’d start paying rent as soon as you got back on your feet.”
“Damn it,” Brick cursed softly, shaking his head. “And after I was feeling so good.”
I watched Brick grit his teeth together, clearly upset. I wanted to comfort him and touch him, but I was too worried he would just shove me aside.
“What is it, Brick?” Irving asked.
“I should be the one taking care of you both,” he said, biting the words.
Irving blinked, still holding my hand close to his chest. “Brick, I would be moving in with Ezra because he and I want to live together,” he said. “And we’re asking you to move in here so you can be close to us. It’s not out of pity or something.”
“Yeah,” I echoed. “We want you to, like, stick around, Brick.”
He shook his head, almost startled. “You don’t need to give me an apartment to convinced me to keep hooking up with you two. Trust me. Most guys aren’t up for the kind of stuff you’re up for. I’ve been looking for you for a long time.”
A tiny groan escaped Irving’s lips, and I cuddled a little closer to him, my cheeks tingling from Brick’s straightforward charm. “Trust me, Brick,” I said. “We’ve been looking for you, too. But this isn’t about the sex. Or at least, it’s not only about the sex. Irving wouldn’t offer to give up his apartment for that, no matter how good you are in the sack.”
Brick shook his head again. I realized he actually didn’t understand what we were saying. The idea that we would be interested in a serious relationship with him was so far out of his mind, he didn’t even recognize that we were offering it. It reminded me of how many stories must have still stayed lurking in his past and how much damage Brick had lived through. With Irving by my side, there was nothing in this world I wanted to do more than reach through to him and make him see the reality.
He was a good man, and we understood that. Both Irving and Brick grew up without the love I knew at home, but I truly felt I could bring some of that light into their lives. I knew what it was like to care about people you could rely on. It was surprising to realize, but the three of us could rely on each other, if only we would come together and see it.
“What do you want from me then?” Brick asked. “I heard you last night. You two love each other, so why would you want a guy like me sticking around for more than some kinky sex?”
“Brick,” Irving said, the words coming out firm. “We want you to be in a relationship with us. In a real way, where we spend our time together and plan a future. We want you to stick around, Brick.”
