30
Theo's suspicious eyes dart over to me as we drive, and finally, I heave a loud sigh. "Are you going to explain why you're giving me the side-eye, or am I supposed to guess?"
"Guessing is always fun."
"Well, you can't possibly still be mad at me for the incident with your brothers, since you promised you were over it." Despite the… rocky start to our dinner with Sam and Devon, we ended up having a great night relaxing with them both. It gave me a long-overdue chance to get to know them.
Theo is fortunate to come from a family who has supported and loved him throughout his life. He once told me the story of coming out to his parents, and it read like a cheesy joke.
"Mom, Dad… I'm pretty sure I like boys. Does that make me weird?"
"Well, shit, son. Your mom likes boys, too… I guess that makes me the weird one."
"Mom! Dad said shit!"
Life continued as usual, and Theo always had his older brothers to watch over him.
"Earth to Dante!" He waves a hand in front of my face as I shake out of my thoughts.
"Sorry, what was I supposed to be doing again?"
"Guessing why I'm looking at you funny."
"Right. Do I…" I gasp loudly as he narrows his eyes. "Do I have a dick growing out of my forehead? Maybe I've turned into a Dickicorn. He must have… yes, that has to be it." I turn to him, somber, and reach for his hand. "I can't keep it from you another minute. Please understand that I never meant for this to happen, but I am a weak man. There he was, majestic and inflated. The scent of rubber and chlorine was a temptress in my nostrils, rainbow horn flowing in the breeze. It doesn't mean I love you any less, but what Horny and I have is very real, too."
"You monster," he stage-whispers. "How could you? Well… I guess now is the best time to tell you… it's not just you who's been weak. I've been seeing Wante on the side."
"Which side?" I ask, placing a hand over my heart.
"All of them!" he wails, and I can't hold it back anymore as I crack up.
Once our laughter subsides, I squeeze his hand that's in mine. "Seriously, though, what's with the suspicious stares?"
"You are such a homebody that it confuses me when you willingly suggest going out in public."
I scoff quietly. "For the past four years, I've gone to the bar with you after half of our gigs and practices."
"Because you were secretly in love with me and wanted to serve as a cock block."
I mean, he's not wrong. "Was it really a secret, though?"
He tries to hide his smile as he twists to look out the window. "No, it wasn't. Not at all."
"You always saw straight through me."
"Nah, I just always saw you ." I turn, and he gives me a doe-eyed smile before he shakes off the expression. "God, the sweetness physically hurts sometimes, doesn't it?" With a burst of laughter, I toss his hand back in his lap, done with his shenanigans.
"Nooo, Dante! I was kidding! We can be that sappy couple who make kissy faces at each other if that's what you want. We can even do the Eric and Sticks smolder, be super serious and everything." He scrambles out of his seat and attaches himself to my side as I park. "Look! See?"
I twist and come face to face with him, his duck lips and squinted eyes staring right at me. With a snort, I push him away, shoving my hand against his face. "What the actual fuck was that supposed to be?"
"Stop, you'll ruin my brooding! I've been practicing so hard!"
"For how long?"
"At least fifteen seconds now!" he shouts in indignation.
"You just look constipated."
He appears thoughtful. "We should buy the two of them a bottle of fiber. I bet it would solve a lot of problems."
"You know who doesn't need fiber, because everything he does is literal perfection?" We glance at each other with matching nods and say, "Tai," in perfect unison.
"He probably shits rose petals," Theo sighs, and I roll my eyes as I give his shoulder a jostle and nod towards the bar. As we walk, he continues his thoughts. "I bet he doesn't even have to try. Like, his asshole blows the toilet a kiss, and then it's just…"
"Theo! I really, really don't want to think about that."
"Even if it's magical?" he whispers with a grin.
"Even then," I mutter, grabbing his hand and weaving our fingers together, trying to distract him and regain control of this conversation that's gone off the rails.
Inside, we spot two stools side by side at the far end of the bar and hurry over before someone else snags them. After the bartender drops our drinks on the counter, Theo turns to me, sucking on his straw in a very distracting way. "Tell me something about yourself that I don't know."
As I think, I take a long swig of my beer, the glass cool against my lips. My head bobs in a slow nod as I say, "When I started training, I was working as a debt collector, barely getting by. My trainer saw my natural talent, and he convinced me to jump into exhibition matches."
His eyes get wide. "I didn't know you'd fought in front of people."
"My first match was against a heavyweight champion I had almost no chance of beating." Theo's eyes narrow and his mouth drops open a sliver, but I talk quicker and interrupt him. "But then one day I ran up a set of stairs and realized I could do anything I put my mind to, and… hey!" I shout a laugh as Theo reaches over and runs his fingers over the ticklish spot on my side.
"Funny," he says, his eyes squinting so much it's a wonder he can see, "that sounds just like the plot to Rocky."
"Does it? Huh. I didn't even realize… what a coincidence."
"You ass," he mutters.
I can't stop my grin as I continue to chuckle, but my amusement fades when I notice a man hovering behind Theo. I poke my head around him to get a better view. "Can I help you?" He wrings his hands in front of him, obviously nervous.
Theo turns and looks at the guy, whose eyes get even wider. "Oh, wow…" he breathes, his attention darting back and forth between us. "You're Theo, right? And… and Dante?"
In an instinctive move, I grab Theo's shoulders and pull him towards me as I give a cautious nod. "And you are?"
"A huge fan of Falling Absent!" he says, breaking out into a shaky smile, and my grip on Theo relaxes. "I've been to every one of your local shows, and it blew my mind to see you guys here! Would it be possible to get a picture with you?"
"Of course!" Theo preens, pulling the guy, whose name is Jason, in between us as he takes a selfie of the three of us. After chatting for a few more minutes, Jason walks away with a star-struck smile, and Theo matches it with his grin as he turns to the bar and grabs his drink.
A few curious heads have turned in our direction, but no one else approaches. "How'd you like that taste of the celebrity lifestyle?" I tease.
"Might need to hire a bodyguard, eventually."
"You've got me," I grumble, knitting my brows together.
Theo's face lights up as he twists his body to face me, wearing a huge smile. "Did you just puff up like a turkey?"
"No," I mutter, knowing I totally did.
"You did! You went all ‘I am strong man, must smash things!'"
I lean into his ear and plant a kiss on his jaw. "Yeah? You want me to smash things?"
"You will not sidetrack me with my horniness," he chides, and I chuckle as I recline in my seat. We drink another round at the bar before Theo flashes those giant baby blues at me. Those things are fucking weapons as he makes them huge and asks me to dance with him.
This must be some kind of magic, because those cyan pools have me powerless to say no.
Grudgingly, I let him lead me to the dance floor, and I do little more than sway to the beat of the music while he moves around me. My lack of rhythm doesn't seem to bother him, because he looks positively thrilled that I'm out here.
His lithe body is hypnotic as he dances, shoulders and hips in perfect sync with his arms and legs as his face radiates happiness. Others watch him move, but his attention stays fixed on me.
The world has never been generous to me, but I've become adept at accepting it. I had come to terms with the fact that it can be a harsh place, and thought I'd learned my role in it. Not happy, but okay. Sufficient.
My entire life, I never felt lucky. Never felt like I deserved more.
Not until this.
Until him.
A slower song plays over the speakers, and he throws his arms around my neck as mine land on his waist. The rest of the world becomes insignificant as he rests his cheek on my chest.
My fingers trace up the soft curve of his spine as he relaxes into me, and when he tilts his head up and finds my eyes, I can't help myself as I dig my fingers into his hair and lean in for a blistering, claiming kiss. For once, he has nothing snarky or sassy to say. He simply smiles at me like I'm the only person he sees.
Sudden emotion clogs my throat. "My God, how I fucking love you," I murmur.
His smile is affectionate as he kisses me again, not needing any words as he pours his love into it.
It's all just perfect.
When the song ends, Theo plants another sweet kiss on my lips before saying, "I'll be right back, okay?"
He scampers off after I nod, retreating to the side of the dance floor and feeling self-conscious without him here. I anxiously wait for him to return, reverting to my awkward shuffle between my feet.
Right as the DJ takes the mic, he breaks through the crowd and heads towards me again. His expression of absolute joy fills me with instant fear. Nothing good ever comes from that level of happiness.
"Ladies and gents, we've had a special request. This song goes out to Dante ‘Twinkle Toes' Barrera, from your loving boyfriend." My mouth drops open as he throws his head back in a cackle, and the opening riff to Macarena blasts through the speakers.
My head is still shaking in disbelief as he takes hold of my hands, pulling me into the midst of the lively crowd who have flocked to the dance floor. "Unbelievable," I yell at him over the noise.
"You said you know how to do this one!"
I make a show of rolling my eyes before throwing my arms straight out in front of me, right on cue with the music. Theo laughs for the whole song, and I make an absolute fool of myself to keep the contagious delight on his face.
A little added shimmy to the hip roll makes him squeal and clap his hands, and as I watch his eyes crinkle in a giant smile, it dawns on me that I've never been this happy in my entire life.
We leave the bar exhausted, and I'm still drunk on this feeling as he holds my hand and plants kisses on my lips whenever we brake at a red light or stop sign.
For the first time in ages, I'm not paranoid and on edge. There's nothing that can dampen the high he brings me, so I surrender myself to it. I'm completely lost in him, oblivious to everything happening around me.
Nothing else matters.
Nothing else even comes close.