On The Ropes

Round 21

Javier's POV

"Dude, this is ugly as fuck." I heard from across the room, making me look up from where I laid on Rodney's bed.

Why am I still here? Well... I don't know.

I guess because we still have to have a big serious talk about our dynamic before we all separate and get back to our personal lives.

"It don't look ugly, Osito." I shook my head as I watched Zavier try on his cap and gown. "You look very handsome."

"I know I look handsome, Javi. The gown shit is hideous." He complained as he frowned at his reflection. He groaned quietly, then threw his head back. "At least I only gotta wear it once." He muttered before he quickly took the cap and gown off.

Once everything was off, he left the room and walked over to the bed and flopped down beside me, a slight pout still on his face as he laid his head on my chest.

"Don't pout, Osito." I told him as I looked at my phone. "You're cute no matter what you wear."

There was a moment of silence, then I felt my phone being taken from me. "You ain't even lookin' at me, Javi." Zavier said as he held my phone.

"I am lookin', Osito." I assured him. I wrapped my arms around him, watching as a wide smile started spreading across his face. I gave him a small smile in return, taking in the diamond grillz he had in his mouth. He rarely ever doesn't have a pair of grillz in. "I'm goin' to the gym today. You wanna go wit' me or stay wit' Roddy or Antwon?"

The question made his pout return. "Ion know. Why we can't all go together?" He asked as he sat up until he was straddling my lap.

I know he knows what he's doing...

"We can't do everything together, Osito." I reminded him. "We all got our own lives."

"Nuh uh, I don't have my own life." Zavier argued while shaking his head. "I just share Antwon's life."

... This boy.

"You're goofy, Osito." I told him as I poked his cheek, causing him to grin again. He laughed and started rocking side to side, causing me to grip his hips to stop him from moving. "Don't do that."

"Why, cuz I'm sittin' on your dick?" He asked, making me give him a deadpan look. "Oh nooo, whatever will I do." He continued dramatically.

Rolling my eyes, I moved him off of my lap and listened to his evil laughter. "He think I'm cute, he wanna have sex." His laughter followed me as I got out of the bed and shook my head at him.

I can admit that I'm feeling a bit giddy to get to the gym today. Tyreek is back, and he specifically asked to see me so we could talk business.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about my life lately. I've spent so much of my life taking care of my family—It's what I had to do, and it's what I've loved doing. But I also put my life on hold for them.

I have an opportunity to do something I've always wanted to do and make something of myself with it... As much as I want to focus on my family, I also don't want to let this opportunity pass me by.

Shouldn't I be able to have both? To be able to take care of my family and make my own dream come true?

My thoughts raced as I made my way out of Rodney's room. I stopped in his living room when I saw Antwon laying on his stomach on the couch, leaning down to kiss the top of his head and watching as he looked up with a smile. "Hey, Eyebrows." He greeted me.

Sometimes I really do understand why he makes Rodney so flustered... He's got this sort of sultry voice that he weaponizes against Rodney, but sometimes he uses it on me.