Connected To Him (ManxMan) ✔️

Part 2: Chapter 54

Chapter 54: Moving Out

Six Months Later

Giddy. That was the best way to describe Clark's energy. Giddy. It was there the moment he invited Ethan to dinner Saturday night and persisted as they got out of the door. Ethan wasn't surprised when he saw Santiago was waiting for them outside of the glass restaurant doors. Him and his boyfriend shared a deep hug, the warm lighting washed the young couple in a comforting glow. Ethan watched, smiling softly in the way he often did when he saw the two of them together.

The chosen restaurant was comfortable. It looked to be a family-owned Italian place. The servers either resembled each other or bickered in that familiar way. Ethan amused himself by watching them interact whenever Clark and Santi got hung up on each other. This wasn't incredibly rare considering the giddiness that Ethan noticed earlier. It wasn't just Clark who possessed it but his boyfriend too. Both of them were buzzing with energy. Eventually, Ethan got the feeling that he was out of the loop, waiting for a secret to be shared.

With one side of the booth to himself, Ethan could put his elbows up on the table and spread out as he read the menu. Without worrying about his proximity to others, he was able to focus on what he wanted to eat and made his choice faster than ever. A few minutes later, their orders were placed and Ethan found two pairs of eyes burning into his skull.

"What is it?"

Santiago seemed almost startled that Ethan noticed something was up. He scratched the back of his head, glancing at Clark briefly before looking away altogether. It was a pretty clear sign that he expected Clark to deal with it.

Ethan crossed his arms across his chest, quirking a curious brow at the young pair in front of him. Clark was avoiding his eyes now, trying to communicate silently with Santiago while Ethan watched. The two bickered through whispers for a while, leaving Ethan to sip tiredly at his drink.

Finally, Santiago turned to face him. Child-like giddiness was replaced by a sense of fearful determination. He was prepared for what was to come even if he dreaded the consequences. Ethan gripped the inner flesh of his arms tightly, preparing himself for the bad news.

"We're moving in together."

Santiago let the words sit in the air, waiting for Ethan to react with some sort of rage or displeasure. Instead, a smile broke out. Ethan reached across the table, getting Santiago's hand in his left palm and Clark's hand in his right.

"Are you serious? That is amazing!" He explained. Once the two processed that Ethan was excited for them, their own excitement shone through again. Finally, Ethan was in the loop, that giddiness passing between all three men seated at the blood-red booth. "Wait, how is that supposed to work?"

"My parents were paying for most of my school so, now that I'm graduating, they're paying my rent until I get a job," Santiago explained, a few of his previous jitters returning.

"And, I am moving into full status as an interior designer with Meagan's company so the pay is increasing too."

Ethan looked across the booth at the two of them, pride shining in his eyes. He's been Clark's sole guardian for over two years, watching him heal and mature before his very eyes. And Santiago was one of the men who helped him find that peace again. Now, they were ready to move into a new stage of their lives. Together.

"And I'll be sending Clark money every month to help with expenses."

Clark's eyes widened, covering Ethan's hand with both of his own. His palms felt warm and strong, larger than Ethan remembered them to be. He really was growing.