Treasure Hunt (boyxboy) [Rewrite]

Treasure Hunt | Twenty-One

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Treasure woke up just before dinner had finished cooking. She was groggy and agitated, but thankfully took her pain meds with no problem, also letting Zach console her on the couch while they watched a movie together. Loran was still upstairs, pouting. He wanted to act like a child? Fine, let him.

"Zach, Treasure, please come eat." I set them plates in their usuals spots as the table.

"Should I go get Dad?" Zach carried her to the table, bridal-style. She was practically clinging to him.

"No." I pulled T's chair out so that he could set her in it. "I texted him. If he wants to come down and eat, then he will."

Zach knew something was up, but he didn't question it as he sat. And just when I thought he wouldn't, Loran came down the steps and in silence, sat across from me.

"Were you crying, Dad? Your eyes are red and puffy." T, so observant, especially at the worst times.

"I'm fine, hon." He offered her a smile before shooting me daggers. "How was school, Zach?"

Zach hesitated, his face pinking but I don't think Loran noticed. "It was fine. I had a math test that I got a perfect A on."

"That's great — I'm proud of you."

Our son's face lit up like a Christmas tree. He thrived on positive reinforcement, compliments, and encouragement. "I have finals coming up in a couple weeks, I think I'm gonna pass them all."

"Better than I did." Loran chuckled. "Uncle Logan and I used to have most of the same classes, just at different times of the day. We'd switch places and take the tests for each other. Our teachers would be like 'why is your work identical?' And we'd say 'because we are.' They were never amused, though. We had to keep it up all throughout high school so that we never got caught. This is one of those times I'm glad your not a twin."

"Well now I wish I was." Our son rolled his eyes. He was quiet for a few minutes, pushing the food around on his plate. "Can I ask you a personal question?" Loran initially hesitated, but I could see him nodding. "How did you know you liked men?"

I mentally put my face in my hands. Of all the times he couldn't chosen to ask, it had to be now?

Loran sighed, resting his chin against his hand. "When I was with my girlfriend at the time, who happened to be your mom, and I thought of my best friend, instead. You were almost one Halloween party away from not being made."

Zach crinkled his nose at that, and Treasure laughed, although I (thankfully) don't think she fully understood what Loran meant.

"Did you ever tell him that you liked him? Did he feel the same?"

"Zach, maybe these questions are better for after dinner?" I suggested.

"Sorry." He went pink in the face.

"We'll talk about it afterwards." Loran confirmed and Zach nodded in agreement.

Even though she had slept for nearly four hours on the couch, a warm bubble bath and a bedtime story was enough to put her back to sleep later that night. Zach hadn't come back downstairs after he'd followed Loran, he'd probably went to sleep, too.

Speaking of Loran.

I wasn't in the mood. We kept spare pillows and blankets in the hall closet, so I grabbed a few and resorted to the pull-out couch in the living room. Despite having it since we moved in four years ago, I don't think we'd ever once used it as anything other than a couch.

I fell asleep to old reruns of George Lopez, and woken up to a pitch black living room, a pair of strong arms holding me, and a warm body behind me.

"What are you doing?"

I could tell by his uneven breathing that he was awake. "Why are you sleeping on the couch?"

"You wanted me to leave you alone." I said, shortly. "So I did."

I felt his hot breath against my neck as he sighed. He leaned over me, cupping my face to look at him. It was too dark to actually see him, but I could feel his face just inches above mine. "I shouldn't have said what I did."

"No, you really shouldn't have."

"I could say I'm sorry a million times over, but I know it won't make up for how I acted. You were right. I was mad about that, but I guess it is different when it's your own kid."

"It's okay to hurt," I brushed my thumb over his bottom lip. "You both did what was best for yourselves, even though it hurt the other one, unintentionally. But don't you think it's time that the hurting stopped...for Treasure's sake?"

"I said a lot of things that I'm not proud of," his voice was low, quiet, guilty. "Do you think he'd listen?"

I kissed him, hard, his body melting into mine. "It's a start."