OPEN [boyxboy] ✓

thirty-two:: when he meets the family.

THIRTY-TWO: when he meets the family.

"Lanny, shut the fuck up." It was nearly eight o'clock when my game had ended and apparently Paul had invited his friends as well -who were legal adults so I honestly didn't expect them to even think of showing up- and they'd seen about half the game. Obviously, with Paul in the crowd, I hadn't really noticed them, the only thing I was worried about was the game and him being proud of me. I couldn't stop smiling since I'd gotten off the field in a haze, Ben running into the locker room afterwards (despite the fact that he definitely wasn't allowed to) and congratulated both Andy and I, even taking the time to call Casey's pass 'fucking golden' and even the kids who were blatant homophobes, found it in them to look happy.

Even out of the locker room and back to the car, I was excited, not even noticing when Paul had kissed me in front of his friends. And we'd got in our respective vehicles, deciding to go out and celebrate... Even though I'd be happy with just a shower and then cuddling up to Paul but a victory dinner didn't sound too bad.

Ben had joined in, Andy going home with his parents, and we'd driven to the pizza joint that Paul had basically mouth-fucked me on the stall door and still, I couldn't stop smiling.

Brandon, originally pumped for me (which happened to be so weird), had become annoyed by around nine thirty when we were sitting in a booth and Landon wouldn't stop singing. Apparently his ukulele had been sitting in their car and he just couldn't resist playing it on the ride there as well as in the restaurant... amazing we hadn't been kicked out yet.

Landon had paused his energetic strumming of Happy by Pharell, pouting over at his twin brother who looked like he was ready to throw the tiny guitar,  "Why?"

"Why're you singing?"

Lanny smiled brightly, that same façade of brightness I'd come to know him for. Singing, he shoved his brother's arm gently, "Cause I'm happy-"

"I'm not fucking happy anymore, change the song." And that was the end of that when Lanny had looked down in his lap, sadly, like a kid who'd been reprimanded and put his uke in the case by his feet.

It was silent again, all the other conversations around the table halting until Ben had spoken up, taking a bit of his triple cheese pizza and raising it slightly to me, "J Man you seem happy."

And I resisted the urge to bury my head in Paul's neck, awkwardness consuming me when everyone looked over and I bit my lip, "I feel good."

And good was an understatement considering the fact that this was the best I'd felt in weeks.

"That goal was pretty solid, goalie didn't even wanna try and block it," Brandon chuckled, leaning back in his booth and that was honestly what confused me about Brandon. I'd assumed he'd hated me because of my making Paul cry that one time and honestly, I wouldn't blame him but with the smirk on his face and the kind words, I'd been wrong.

Skeptically, I nodded and found myself nervously scratching the back of my neck, a habit I'd picked up from Paul and tightened my hand around his underneath the table.  Seeing not many people in the restaurant or near enough to watch, I leaned over to place a small kiss on his exposed neck, right over the hickey that I'd placed there a few days before. His skin was still tinted a deep burgundy and I bit my lip at the shiver he'd given off, Rilee laughing.

"Congrats, Picasso, you got yourself an MVP." She giggled out these words and that was when I looked over and noticed my phone in her hand. I wasn't 110% of her going through my phone but honestly, I had nothing to hide. It was just... weird.