Chapter 25

Dean

I'd given myself an ulcer practicing the conversation I wanted to have with our server, but it'd been worth it to see Joel's excitement.

And to show him that I wasn't going to avoid what he wanted just because I didn't get it.

By the time Marshall went to put in our orders and chat with the manager—something I wasn't going to feel bad about—I had two names and no plan at all, other than passing them along to Tate.

I was supportive but not an idiot.

"M—Tate's going to be so excited." Joel bounced in his seat, barely able to keep from saying Master, but after a few seconds, his head cocked. "How long do you think it takes to learn to hurt someone?"

That wasn't going to be the way we phrased what they were doing, but I pushed his wording to the side for the moment. "What do you mean?"

What he'd asked definitely hadn't been what he wanted to know. I just couldn't decide what the question should've been.

He blinked a few seconds and looked like he was replaying the conversation. "Oh yeah. I left out the other part."

Yep.

"That's okay. I just wanted to make sure I answered your question correctly." Because as it stood, it hadn't made any sense. I couldn't even get embarrassed about it, so I knew I was missing something important.

"I wasn't sure if we had time to learn the skills before the semester ends and then I started thinking about summer." Going more serious than I'd seen in a while, Joel frowned. "We usually go back to our houses for the summer but that's not…is that still the plan?"

I could see that he didn't approve but I was proud of him for asking instead of just announcing that he wasn't going to let us do it.

"I don't think Tate's thought about it and I know I haven't." He hadn't mentioned anything, at least. "My first thoughts to your question are that I don't want to be separated for that long and that I need to work."

They were random but they were what had popped into my head, so I didn't hold them back. Joel immediately started nodding, though, so I didn't worry about my very practical list. "You save money for the school year. I remember. That's very important for us to consider."

It felt like he understood my requirements but wasn't sure how to work around them yet.

"What are your first thoughts?" I was pretty sure I could guess, but I wasn't going to make assumptions yet.

I'd wait and do that if his verbal explanation didn't make any sense.

"Well." Clasping his hands in front of him, he rested them on the table and gave me a very thoughtful expression I was pretty sure was completely fake. "We're not going to ignore that you need to save money this summer. You've done it the last two summers and it's worked very well for you so far."

I was taking too many classes to deliberately add extra stress if I didn't have to.

"Yes. I like not having to split my focus during the school year." I volunteered for projects and in clubs, but I wasn't going to add a job if I didn't have to. "Thank you for understanding."

But.

He was doing his best to look relaxed and grown-up, but it was like he was acting professionally instead of reacting. So to me, that said his first reaction had been to pitch a fit. Like, a throw himself on the floor and demand life be fair fit.

I was proud of him for not making me live through that again. Once had been enough. But it made me realize just how much he didn't like the idea of us being apart for that long. "How do you think we can manage to handle both our goals?"

When he let out a deep breath, I did my best to not let on that I could see his stress. "Staying together is important to both of us, so I know there's a way to work it out."

And I'd figure out what to tell my family when the time came, not that I thought they'd be an issue.

Last summer I'd gotten entirely too many questions about what my plans were going to be going forward, and they'd sounded like they'd expected me to start doing more on my own. I wasn't sure I liked the whole you're a grown-up thing, but I was going to take advantage of it.

"Good." Looking brighter and less like he was trying to come across as what he imagined a real adult would look like, he focused all that energy on me. "How?"

Daddy to the rescue?

Was this some kind of boyfriend rule I hadn't been aware of?

"Well, do you have any ideas?" I was not going to claim responsibility for all of this just because of something weird his mother said or the internet had told him about. "You always have good ideas."

He was smart.

He just liked having someone take care of him.

"Yes, you're right." The one thing he wasn't was modest. "Okay, we have options."

Hopefully.

"My family doesn't have the space or the patience to deal with us." I'd already started easing them into the whole I have two partners thing, but living at their house with a BDSM relationship was something different altogether.

Frowning, Joel nodded. "My mother said they might not let us sleep in the same room either. Evidently that's a thing in some families."

Well, at least I hadn't been the one to have to explain that part.

"I'm not sure about that, honestly, but she's probably right." Bringing one guy home would've been hard, so I wasn't sure what they were going to do about two…and about Joel's habit of calling me Daddy. "We'll figure them out, though. I'm not worried."

That just felt like something that would work itself out in time, but it had Joel looking at me confused. "Really? I was expecting you to be more worried about them."

Probably based on a lecture from his mother.

"It's not logical, but the closer we've gotten, the less I worry about them." I shrugged as Joel tried to work his mind around that. "I think because you're my…let's call it my primary family. The more my focus is on you, the less I worry about them."

Think.

Think.

Think.

And he grinned.

When his smile was ear-to-ear, he sighed like I was wonderfully romantic. "I'm worry special to you. Thank you."

Okay, well, he was kind of right even though that wasn't how I would've put it. "You are. You and Tate are what matter to me."

Sitting straighter and doing a little wiggle in his seat like he was wagging his tail, Joel looked adorable and ecstatic at his new status. "Then we'll figure out how to make this summer work. Let me ask some questions. So making money is the important part? Not a specific job, right?"

"Yes. Making money is the goal and nothing I've done back home would really push my career forward. I'm not worried about that with a summer job." I'd done everything from try to get people to buy new lawn care services to working for my uncle's pizza place. "What are your goals for the summer?"

We hadn't really spent time thinking that far ahead for the most part but I had a vague memory of him talking about summer sessions. "Were you going to take an online class this summer?"

"Yes." Joel jumped at the slight tangent and told me all about his summer class and the rumors he'd heard about his professor. "But it's online, so I don't have to physically be here. I'd been planning on taking it at home. My parents' home, not our home."

Our home.

"You might remember this better than me, but we can stay in the building, right? We just have to give notice and do a few things like that? Fill out some kind of paperwork?" There were a weird mix of people in the building, but I thought some of them stayed year-round.

I was starting to wish I'd paid more attention to the gossip and kept to myself less.

"Yes." Joel nodded without having to think about it. "The first neighbors we had lived here all year. Someone's parents were assholes, and I think abusive, but it was hard to figure out who? They were confusing."

Most of the people in our building would fall into that category so it didn't surprise me.

"What if we did that then? Do you think there are enough jobs around campus that it would work out?" I really didn't want to have to work next year.

Joel might want me with him for the summer but I wasn't sure he'd like me having a job next fall and having that sucked up all my extra time.

His face scrunched up but he didn't shake his head. "I think so. I know there are a few professors that are going to be looking for students to do boring stuff. It pays well because of some kind of grant but it's sorting through spreadsheets."

I'd take boring as long as it came with a nice paycheck.

"I can handle that." And there would probably be other options for temp stuff for the summer. "How does that plan sound to you?"

And he finally shook his head.

"No. I'm positive I'm supposed to ask that question because otherwise I'm being greedy." Looking firmly convinced, Joel sat straighter and looked like a news broadcaster. "How does that plan sound to you? Just because I want you with me for the summer doesn't mean I automatically get my way."

He'd definitely gotten a new lecture from his parents.

I was guessing his dad, but it could've been either one.

"First of all, I'm glad you told me what you wanted." I didn't want that to ever change. "Secondly, you aren't being greedy because you've been very reasonable with your expectations and you've been helping me to brainstorm."

He hadn't done as badly as he seemed to think.

"Lastly, I would like to stay here for the summer with you and Tate as long as we can work it out." It'd also give my parents a bit of space after I explained a bit more about what was going on in my life. They weren't going to do anything drastic but they were going to be slightly offensive and ask stupid questions.

"We'd be more like real partners living together without having to go to class." Doing another happy wiggle, Joel's excitement made me grin. "We'll be grown-ups."

I wouldn't go that far, but it'd be interesting.

I also wasn't sure what being a grown-up meant to Joel under those circumstances, but if it was anything like the rest of our dinner, I was going to stand by my interesting vote.

He sat straight.

He was polite.

He talked about the future.

He discussed goals and where we should take our first vacation.

It was like watching a method actor learn to be an adult and it was completely charming. Fake as hell. But it was adorable and the most fun I'd ever had on a date.

But thankfully, it was over once we made it home and he bounced into the apartment. "Master, I was wonderful on our grown-up date and made small talk and we had good conversations."

Tate was doing his best not to laugh as he wrapped his arms around our wiggly sub. "I'm so proud of you. Did you have fun being on a grown-up date with your Daddy?"

Yeah, he wasn't big enough for me to be Dean any longer.

"Yes. I was such a good boy and I gave him good attention and we made plans for the summer, so now I don't have to worry." That sparked a new memory for him because he bounced and sucked in a breath. "I'm worry special and so are you. We're amazing and he loves us so much he worries about us more than his second family. We're the first ones now."

Tate went still for a second before he smiled wider and nodded. "We're worry special? Yeah, I think that means he loves us very much."

For fuck's sake.

My well-planned-out romantic dinner and declaration just went out the window, but Joel was so happy, I took it in stride. I also couldn't be frustrated when Tate was the one who looked stunned and slightly confused. It was usually my role and it was fun getting to see him going through it.

"Come tell him, Daddy." Joel didn't seem to realize I hadn't told him yet either, but I wasn't sure the logistics of the conversation mattered to him.

He was worry special and not afraid to share how important that was.

Chuckling, I couldn't think of a good response to give that didn't sound ridiculous or sarcastic, so I gave both of them kisses instead of trying to find words. Joel just sucked up the attention as we sandwiched him between us, but Tate was doing his best not to laugh.

I could see his terrible sense of humor shining from his eyes but he managed to keep most of his commentary to himself as he teased me. "Do you have something to tell me?"

"You're worry special." I couldn't resist teasing him back. "I'm glad you understand how important that is."

Tate's hand wandered lower and squeezed my ass, but his eyes were still sparkling. "Thank you for making me feel special."

"And loved." Joel was nearly bouncing he was so excited. "We're the most important family to him."

Tate raised one eyebrow, giving me the impression he needed a translator. But I didn't want Joel to feel like he hadn't explained the situation, so I gave him another kiss and nodded. "Yes, you're both now the people who are the most important to me and you're the first group of people I consider family."

I couldn't decide when that had changed, but at some point, they'd grown from friends to so much more, and I wasn't going to hide that from them.

"And as my first family, I love you very much." Yeah, not quite as romantic without the nice dinner and flowers, but Joel's excitement lit up the room better than candles.

"I love you too and so does Tate." Joel's helpfulness knew no bounds. "He loves being worry special and thinks you're amazing. Me too."

His confidence when it came to us knew no bounds either.

"He thinks you're spankings and pain special." Those two made me have the weirdest conversations, but Joel lit up like a Christmas tree.

"He does." Doing a happy wiggle between us, he pushed his ass against Tate's groin. "Thinking about spankings and how much he loves us makes him hard."

I managed to keep my response to a chuckle, but Tate groaned. He must've done something I couldn't see because he made Joel squeak and laugh as he got back at him. "See?"

No, but he'd enjoyed whatever Tate did.

"No, but we can fix that." Giving Joel another kiss as I ignored the questioning look I got from Tate, I did my best to project a Joel level of confidence. "How about we make love and he can show me the best ways to make you beg and moan? Then I'll really be able to see."

Joel's sigh was filled with tenderness and romance. "You have the best ideas, Daddy."

It seemed like our date night had just taken an interesting turn.