Thorne

Thorne

" N o flowers? What is this shit?"

Ky's green eyes bounce all over me as he strolls into the kitchen, arms raised above his head to tie his hair back. A smirk plays over his lips when he catches my eyes dropping to the patch of toned stomach and trail of hair revealed above his waistband, and my mouth goes dry.

He looks so fucking good.

That usual messy bun sits on top of his head now that he's fixed the elastic in place, but he's wearing a white short-sleeve, button-up shirt and beige slacks. Against his tanned skin, he looks like he should be strolling beach-front or on some magazine cover, and I suddenly feel so damn inadequate.

Somehow, after all these years between us, I'm left fumbling and tongue-tied, without a clue how to do this.

A date.

Apparently, I'm left rudderless when it comes to something so mundane and normal.

"Fuck you very much, I cooked you dinner, that's your flowers." I tuck my hands in my pockets. "That shirt looks good." I concede, giving him a dip of my chin.

The tips of my ears heat.

Ky runs his tongue over his lips, purposely letting me shift uncomfortably in the wake of my sort-of compliment. "Our girl picked it out. She said you'd like it."

That makes me a puff of air gust out of my lungs, a chuckle coming from me, as I glance down at my own attire.

"I bet she chose that for you, too." He crosses the space between us, and tugs on the loose collar of my navy-blue dress shirt.

I swallow and make a noise that I suppose is an agreement.

"Ven said you were nervous."

"He doesn't know shit."

Those green eyes dance. "Did you know this is my first date?"

"I've been there for damn near every moment of your life," I grumble. "Fucking fitting that I'd have to be the one to date you, too."

My heart is trying to climb out of my throat.

"You're cute." He leans forward and kisses me, in that way he does. A simple gesture that makes me feel whole in a way I can't damn explain. It's as if he reaches into my brain and fits pieces back together that previously had been scrambled and scattered, allowing them to feel something approaching a sense of calm.

The scratch of his beard tickles my lips, and the hit of mint lingers on my mouth when he draws back. "So, what's the plan?"

Suddenly, I'm nervous as hell. What if he hates it?

"I'm not gonna hate it." This idiot can read me like a book, and I both love and equally despise that fact, depending on the occasion.

"We're not going out anywhere… is that ok?" One hand wraps around the back of my neck.

"Sure. If I don't have to put shoes on, and I can take my shirt off, you know I'm happy as a clam."

"At least leave your shirt on for the date." I huff, and gesture for him to follow me out to the deck area.

"Yes, sir." He bumps my shoulder. "Does that mean I can guarantee sex on the first date, if I promise to leave my top on?"

"Christ." Running my fingers through my hair, his laughter follows me out through the doors to where everything is set up waiting for us.

Our girl has been more than industrious.

There are garland lights strung everywhere, lighting up the space with a warm amber glow set against a pastel orange evening sky. Just as promised, there's a large screen, and already loaded and waiting to press play is some ridiculous old-school horror film, one that Ky loves to talk about endlessly given half a chance. Something about the revolutionary use of melted plastic and wax to recreate the special effects of people's faces falling off.

He loves that kind of crap, and I suppose that means I get the pleasure of watching him enjoy it, even if I couldn't care less about the movie itself.

As I cross to grab us each a beer, I realize he isn't on my heels anymore. Turning around, I'm not exactly sure what I'm witnessing. It's an expression that, in all our years of being together, I'm not sure I've ever seen.

"You did all this? For me?" His eyes are wide as they bounce around.

"Not just me. Foxglove, too. I'm sure she convinced Ven to help as well; you know how he is with her."

"I'm…" He scrubs a hand over his beard.

"Swept off your feet? Ready to get on your knees for me?" I tease. The asshole inside me has woken up at the sight of him struck speechless, getting rid of the lingering nerves for the moment. "Come on. Have a drink and let's eat some food. Then we're gonna watch your silly little movie, Harris."

"You're definitely getting laid tonight." He taps the necks of our beers together.

"I should fucking hope so."

___

"Man, you really went all out on this." Ky leans back in his seat, stretching one arm behind his head. He looks at me across the table with hooded eyes and a glow hitting his cheekbones from the couple of glasses of wine and pasta alla Norma I cooked for us. "I feel like I could be in Sicily or some shit right now."

"Next time, I think I'll try doing that sauce a bit different." I swirl my wine in the glass.

"Nah, you nailed it. I'm being serious. That was insanely good."

I shrug and take a sip, watching his profile as he looks out over the familiar sight of the forest wrapping around the compound.

"Reckon you would've done something like that? Cooking, or cheffing, I mean…" He keeps his eyes somewhere far away on the horizon, but the question is directed at me. "You know… if things had been different?"

My weight shifts to lean back as I let my mind wander for a moment. Who knows what our lives would have looked like. Caring parents. Families. A loving home. Except, that's potentially a whole different world where Hawke and I grew up and didn't know any of the people we've both come to love so fiercely. Which means it's hard to reconcile the worst possible goddamn things happening to you in life with the fact that it ensured you would find the best and most powerful love you've ever known.

In my case, multiple times over.

Running my fingers through my hair, I let my heavy breath gust out through my nose. "Maybe… but you only think I'm good at cooking because I actually follow a fucking recipe. Unlike your chaotic squirrel-on-acid shit whenever you're in the kitchen."

Ky tilts his head back and laughs, exposing his throat, and that sends a coil of heat through my stomach. How did I go so long not recognizing or acting on how I felt about him? It seems unthinkable now, to not be able to love him and take care of him as more than just a brother .

I guess it always was that for me, and I was just too damn scared of rejection to ever allow myself to dare to think it could be more.

"I think you'd have rocked that. Probably ended up some celebrity pin-up boy cook. Plus, you'd have jizzed your pants every time someone said Yes, Chef to you."

He cackles into the night air as I clear my throat and drain the last of my wine.

"And you wonder why no one took you on a date before now?" Setting my glass down, I push up out of my chair. "Come on, you little shit. Now you get to cuddle and watch your film because, apparently, that's the sort of crap we're supposed to do on a date."

Those green eyes glitter like two emeralds, reflecting the strings of lights hanging overhead.

"Can I be little spoon?"

"Fine."

"Do you promise not to bitch when I want to pause it and tell you all the cool stuff about how they did the gory effects?" He runs his tongue over his bottom lip, hitting me with a look that is pure mischief. One he absolutely knows I'll give in to each time because, evidently, when I love someone, I turn into the biggest fool on the entire planet.

"Give me the running commentary." I settle on the outdoor couch, with my back leaned up against the cushions, and wave the remote in his direction.

Ky plops his ass down and then wriggles around like a puppy, until he gets himself settled against my chest.

"Are you quite done?"

"Yup." He pops the p and swipes the remote out of my grasp.

The movie starts playing with the world's longest series of opening credits to endure because that's what movies used to have, apparently… back in the day.

"You didn't ask me." Ky nudges my foot with his own.

"Didn't ask you what?"

"What I would have done… or whatever."

"Because I already know the answer to that."

"Oh yeah?" His voice is laced with curiosity.

"You would've had your fancy pretty boy cock out on camera for money. If not on one of those apps, you definitely would have been a fitness influencer who spent more time wanking on live stream than actually doing anything gym related."

Ky's shoulders shake as he descends into a full-body laughing fit while tucked up against me. I'm trying to fight the smile that wants to crawl across my lips, but hardly succeed.

Eventually he blows out a long breath, getting himself back under control.

"Man, you're not wrong. Bet you'd have been my most generous patron, too."

This time I just shake my head into the night air. "Dreams are free, Harris."

As he keeps snickering to himself, the ghoulish organ music plays, and the opening ‘fright' scene starts rolling.

"I don't know if it means anything, or if I'm just being a sappy romantic, but I'm glad it was you."

"Me?"

"For my first proper date." He tips his head up and sneaks a smile my way.

My fingers tighten where they're threaded with his, resting over his chest. Our hands linked over his heart, with his head resting over mine.

"I'm glad it was you, too."