Is This Enough ||MxM || Lgbtq+ [ON Hiatus]

Chapter 28

Leonardo's P.O.V

Faced with the intrusive presence of the paparazzi, equipped with their camera flashes, the welfare checks from the police force, and the need to adapt to the remote work expectations of my employer, we had our work cut out for us. To take a break from the stress, we decided to enjoy some racing games and take a much-needed breather.

"Ha, you suck ! I win again." He had a huge grin on his face as he basked in joy and pleasure from achieving his tenth win. His laughter echoed in the air as he celebrated his triumph.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. I still can't stand this game. Plus, knowing you, I bet you cheated."

He snatched the bag of Doritos from our coffee table and said, "You're such a sore loser! You're mad cause you lost, huh?"

With a frown finding its way to my lips, making his claim true, I said, "Ugh, I mean what's the point of playing if I don't come out on top? Let's do it again - winner takes all this time!"

"Okay," We sealed the deal with a handshake, and he gave me a generous head start of ten seconds. Despite the slim margin and sabotage, I managed to win!

"C'mon, are you pouting?" I teased with a grin.

"Whatever, it's still 10-1," he sulked. "Let's go again."

I reminded him of the stakes of our wager as he plunged his hand into the bag of Doritos. "Alright, you won. This time." He pulled his hand out of the bag, only to find crumbs. He heaved a heavy sigh and rose from the couch, leaving a tush-sized dent. "Now I gotta go get more."

"We should get a dog," he called out. Returning, he sat down and was met with my perplexed expression as I was evidently unsure of the notion.

Getting a dog was a big decision that was almost the same as having a child, and I wasn't ready to make such a massive, long-term commitment. What would happen if our relationship ended - splitting up with someone and dividing a pet was a difficult task to think about. What was the best way to say this without coming off too harsh? "Where's this coming from?"

" Uhh, no idea. Me and Wes were gonna adopt a pet, but things got busy, ya know?" he said.

"Do you reckon we could handle having a pet? What if something bad happened to one of us, who would look after it? Vet bills are very expense. And what if we got too attached and it ran away?" I said, ending my rambling.

" I used to own a dog and have done some dog sitting in the past, so I'm pretty sure we can tackle anything. Nothing bad's gonna happen. Even if something does, Wes will take care of our dog."

It was clear that when Vinnie had made up his mind, it would be futile to try and oppose him. "Alright, cool, but no tiny dogs, okay? I'm not up for dealing with a Chihuahua. We're getting from a shelter. I don't feel comfortable dealing with breeders."

He placed a soft kiss on my cheek, before pulling out his phone. In our relationship, Vinnie was inclined towards taking risks and trying new experiences, while I was addicted to my comforts.

We packed some snacks and hit the road for a 2-and-a-half-hour drive to the closest animal shelter. He kept me entertained with his corny jokes which were so bad they were good. After a long journey, we pulled up to the shelter. The building was adorned with depictions of wildlife, while the walls were painted a mocha brown, topped with a bright red roof.

"What dog are we thinking?" he asked, as we got out of the car.

I smiled and said, "Whichever one we're drawn to." The yelps of excited puppies could be heard in the distance, and the reception was filled with a calming aroma of pine.