“I like your family,” Paris said with a grin as he flung himself on Nate's bed. The smaller boy’s parents had sent them up here after they’d finished eating.
“Get off my bed,” Nathan grunted before plopping down next to him.
Paris chuckled, “Your mouth says one thing, but your actions imply another.”
Rolling his eyes, Nathan groaned, “You make me feel bipolar. One minute I can’t stand you and the next…”
“The next…” Paris murmured before he rolled on top of Nathan a pecked at his mouth.
“The next I want to bash your face in.”
“Aww, you always say the sweetest things,” Paris replied with a chuckle and another short kiss.
“Stop kissing me,” Nate said petulantly, a girlish blush coloring his face.
“But I love kissing you. It is the greatest joy in my life,” he replied cheekily.
Snorting, Nate slowly got used to the barrage of kisses and gradually began returning them. They were shortly interrupted by a small knock on the door. Nate pushed Paris away from him and told them to enter.
Sammie poked her head in, “Momma says it’s almost time for me to sleep. Will you read me a story?” Well, she didn’t say it exactly like that. She said it with all the articulation a three-year-old could muster, but Nate could understand her after being around her so long. Paris barely comprehended a single word she said.
“Yeah, I’ll read you a story,” Nate said, preparing to rise off the bed.
“Wasn’t talking to you,” she said cutely and gave Paris a happy look with big baby doe-eyes.
Paris was taken aback. He’d never been around little kids before and didn’t know what to do, “Um, sure,” he said hesitantly.
He stood up and gave Nathan a confused look.
“Go follow her to her room and sit in the white rocking chair. She’ll pick out a book and sit on your lap. Just read it and she’ll fall asleep before you’re done.”
Sam ran over and grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the room. Nathan laughed as he watched them leave. He plopped back down on his bed and pulled out his homework.
Paris closed the book and realized Nate had been right, she was completely asleep. He set “Goodnight, Moon,” on the floor carefully and picked her up like a bride. He went over to her pink white bed and laid her in it, pulling the blankets around her tenderly. He sighed and quickly made his way back to Nathan’s room.
“She’s out,” he said, entering the room. Nate was working on his math homework diligently until Paris interrupted him.
“Thanks,” Nate replied, “Normally I would have to do it and end up staying up late to do this.”
Paris stretched out next to him and looked at the work he had done, “Man, I hate that stuff. I took it at night so it was a whole lot easier. Plus I got out of school early so I could go to shoots and stuff.”
“You haven’t had any in a while,” Nathan said quietly, his exhaustion apparent in his voice.
Paris’ hand started rubbing his back and Nathan was sure it was going to put him straight to sleep, “I’ve been having problems with school so I’ve had to cut back or I’ll have to repeat a year. I’ll do a lot more during the summer, though, and hopefully more next year.”
“What trouble are you having?” Nate’s voice was groggy, but he was as limp as a rag doll from relaxation. Paris shifted so he could work at the knots in his back with both hands.
“I’m not getting my assignments in on time, I’m not paying attention class, and I’m not doing well on my tests,” Paris replied.
Nate frowned, “In what classes?”
Chuckling, Paris answered, “All of them.”
“You should start coming over more,” Nathan said, bliss evident in his voice, “On days when you don’t have shoots or anything. You can help me with the kids and dinner and I’ll help you with your school work.”
Paris nodded, “That would be cool.” He dug deeply into a stubborn knot and made Nathan moan softly. He smirked.
“Plus we can spend more time together,” Nathan said cautiously, “I like this, spending time with you and talking to you. It’s seems more like we’re an actual couple and less like you’re stalking me at school.”
That comment made Paris laugh, “Yes that does seem to correctly describe our relationship. You are incredibly tense.”
Nathan grunted softly and replied, “I’m under a lot of stress. I’ve got two kids to take care of, I have to keep my grades up, I have to do all of the housework and,” he added sarcastically, “There’s this guy at school that just won’t leave me alone.”
“When do you find time to draw?” Paris asked, working on his lower back.
“I don’t,” laughed Nathan, “That’s why I’m not any good at it. Sometimes I will when I’m coloring with Sam, but other than that I’m too busy cleaning or cooking or helping Ben with his homework. I did all of the cleaning before they both got home today.”
“Where does Sam go?” Paris asked, “She’s too small to go to school.”
“She goes to pre-school in the morning then one of the other moms who stay at home pick her up and bring her by when I get out of school, or some days Mom will pick her up depending on her schedule. Ben just rides the bus home. He’s in third grade.”
“You guys are spaced really far apart.”
“Mom got pregnant with me when she was fourteen. Dad was seventeen. They got married and Dad went to a community college while Mom took care of me and lived with my grandparents since Dad’s parents kicked him out of the family. Then Dad supported Mom and put her through school so once she had finished her degree they had another kid. Then Mom freaked out when she turned twenty-nine and wanted another kid so along came Sammie. And that’s my family.”
Paris listened intently as Nathan spoke softly.
“Dad was never around when I was growing up. He was always too busy working or studying or going to classes. Maybe that’s why I’m… like this.”
“Shut up,” Paris said gently, “The reason you are ‘like this’ is because I need you. That’s entirely it. I need you to be by my side and make me into a decent human being. In the past few weeks I’ve… I don’t even recognize myself. I’m going to my classes, I’m treating girls like actual people and I… I feel better. Even if we aren’t perfect, I feel like I’m different somehow.”
“We’ve barely spent any time together. How have you possibly changed that much just by following me around all of the time?”
Paris was silent, just massaging Nathan’s back, thinking intently about the question, “Because there’s something in my life that actually matters now.”