Unexpected Liaisons - 23. Presents and Responsibilities

It was like the damn box was burning a hole in his pocket. All week he’d put off asking Zander the question that he already knew the answer too. All week. But everything else was great. The house no longer seemed too empty, Zoltan had emailed to say he was safe and well, and Zupan had been able to think of nothing but what his brother would have said if he knew what Zupan was going to do.

He was going to ask the man he loved to marry him. The idea went around and around his head, especially during training, and Zupan found himself on the track in his murderball chair, wheeling round the circuit like it was the only thing that mattered. He’d told the coach, who had clapped him on the arm and told him that when Zander said yes, the whole team were going to get him well and truly wasted in celebration. The sponsors didn’t care, which wasn’t something Zupan had even considered, because there weren’t that many good, charismatic, mad as hell murderball players in the country to be picky about whether or not Zupan had changed tack and wanted to screw boys. in fact, the Olympic sponsor had said it was a good thing, because he was showing ‘positive reinforcement of a gay lifestyle’ and something else to do with ‘non-sexuality stereotyping’ which Zupan didn’t give two hoots about either.

He rolled around the track for a while longer, until he heard feet, thudding along on the track behind him, interrupting the bass beat drums from his headphones. He pulled out one bud and listened.

Thud, thud, chunk, thud, thud, chunk…

“Hey Issac.”

“Hiya Zu,” Issac was sounded only slightly short of breath, and Zupan realised how fast he was going, and slowed, just a tiny bit, “How’s it going.”

They did another half lap before he answered his friend.

“I know he’s gonna say yes.”

“OK.”

“He knows I’m gonna ask him.”

“Alright.”

Zupan squealed to a halt and Issac practically jogged past him.

“Then why am I so shit scared of asking him to marry me?”

Issac looked at him levelly for a moment.

“You done with practice? That is a conversation that needs a drink.”

Zupan got the drinks in, a pair of corona’s with lime, and this time the bartender remembered him, and pushed the lime’s down before he handed the drinks over. Zupan had the good grace to thank him before he rolled to the table where Issac was waiting.

“Let’s see it then.”

Zupan pushed the little ring box across the table. Dark brown leather, cream coloured velvet pillow, hiding the perfect ring. Issac turned the thing around in his hands and handed it back.

“That’s beautiful. I mean really. Bay found it?”

“Yeah, and Billy loved it too. It’s completely perfect for him.”

“So I see.”

“So why am I scared?”

“Zu, you kinda should be scared.” Issac sipped his beer, and Zupan felt like that was some kind of joke he wasn’t getting.

“Huh?”

“Six months ago, you were a straight, hard-hitting murderball player who hadn’t had a serious relationship in years. Many years.” Issac smiled, “This is a big deal, Zu. You’re in love, I think maybe for the first time ever, right?”

“Yeah. Issac I don’t get it, are you saying this is a bad thing?”

“No, Zu…” Issac shook his head, as though to clear it, “This is the biggest decision you’re ever gonna make. Hell, I know I want to be with Bay for the rest of my life and we’ve been together nearly a year but I still think he proposed, I’d freak out and run for the hills. You need to be sure that this is what you want.”

Zupan looked at the ring. He could well imagine the band around Zander’s slender fingers, he could see the boy’s delighted smile, his super pink lips grinning as he tried it on. Hell he wanted to see Zander in a tux, dressed up for the day, knew that it would mean more ‘special underwear’ and didn’t care. There were a dozen girls he could call and have within an hour in the city, but none of that mattered anymore. He needed Zander.

Zu drained his beer and grinned at his friend.

“Oh yeah, this is exactly what I want.”

Surely there could be no wrong way to propose? Zupan wheeled himself home at break neck speed. He couldn’t get down on one knee, there wasn’t going to be a big celebration or a fancy dinner. He was just going to rock up and ask the man he loved to marry him, what could be more simple? What could possibly go wrong?

He didn’t beat Zander home, which was annoying, but entered into a kitchen full of the scent of Chinese food from down the road, and the site of Zander, for some happy and inexplicable reason, shirtless, at the counter, unpacking the takeaway boxes.

“Hey baby.” Zander smiled at him, and ran a hand down his chest. Zupan followed the action with his gaze and licked his lips.

“Hey yourself,” Zupan set his brakes and offered a hand to the boy, “C’mere a sec.”

Zander tucked himself into his lap, hooking his legs under Zupan’s calves. Several hot kisses later Zupan remembered what he was supposed to be doing. He dug in the pocket of his jeans until his fingers closed around the little box. He hugged Zander against his chest.

“Zan?” He pulled out the box and pressed it against the boy’s sternum, holding it there, “Zander…” Deep breath, “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Zander’s blue eyes flicked between the hand pressed against his chest and Zupan’s face. The excitement was barely contained below the surface: they both knew where this was going.

“I bought you something. I love you.” Another deep breath, Zupan cracked open the box and held it in Zander’s lap, “Marry me?”

Zander kissed him so hard, Zupan thought he might pass out from the force of it, and then the boy really looked at the ring and started a sort of high pitched hyperventilation. Zupan didn’t understand what he was saying, but it sounded happy, and he was getting peppered with kisses every time Zander stopped for air.

“Well?”

“Huh?”

“Will you marry me?” Zupan was laughing now, pulling the ring from its box, letting the light shine off the stones.

“YES!” Zupan held off kissing him, took the boys hand and on the third attempt with his useless fingers managed to get the ring on right. Zander settled it over his finger, then kissed the shining band, “It’s so beautiful.”

“Nah, you’re more shiny than that.” Zupan kissed him, running fingers up the back of his skull. Zander groaned. “You wanna go out to celebrate after we eat or do you wanna stay in and celebrate?” Zupan grinned and ran his hands down Zander’s spine, making the boy shiver.

“Um… stay in.” There was a soft thump from the bedroom, “I sorta got you a present too.”

“You did?” Zupan turned to look at the bedroom door. There was another soft thump, like a heavy pillow, followed by a whine, “Zan? What the heck is in our bedroom?”

“Um…” Zander hopped off his lap and went to the door. “Don’t freak out OK? He’s your present.”

“He?” Zupan wheeled himself around to face his fiancé. “He?”

Zander opened the door. Sitting on the floor was a puppy. He was black and tan, with big feet, a massive pink tongue and perked up ears that flopped over at the top. He scrambled across the floor in the fluffy, uncoordinated bundle, and pressed himself to Zupan’s legs. He reached over and scooped up the puppy.

“His name is Caesar. He’s a German Shepherd – American Pit Bull mix.” The puppy started licking his fingers, “He’s a service dog.” Caesar nosed his way around Zupan’s chest, snuffling and snorting, “Well, he will be. He’s in training.”

“You bought me a dog?” Even with the evidence trying to nuzzle a hole in his shirt, Zander couldn’t really believe it, “Hey there Caesar, hey buddy.” Zupan clicked his tongue, because he couldn’t click his fingers, and the dog looked up at him with big toffee brown eyes, “Who’s a good boy then?” he ruffled the dog’s fur, rubbing his ears.

“You like him?” Zander came back over and kissed his fiancé, “You really like him?”

“Yeah, he’s perfect.”

Turned out a twenty week old in-training service dog could do a lot more than nuzzle and lick. Zander had been given a clicker trainer, which he handed to Zupan and together they ate Chinese food and allowed Caesar to get to know them. He would sit and lie down easily, give his paw, leave things when he was told to and take treats very gentle from either of their hands. When Zander dropped his chopsticks, the dog walked around the table, scooped them up gently and placed them in his palm. Zupan clicked the clicker and gave the puppy a small treat. The dog, sat, yapped and Zupan petted him distractedly.

“Service dog huh?”

“Yeah.” Zander’s eyes went wide and suddenly he clapped a hand over his mouth, “Oh my god. I’m sorry. Babe, I didn’t mean-”

“Whoa, whoa.” From his propped up position on the sofa, Zupan pulled his boy against his side, “I’m not mad babe. You’re way more sensible than me.” Zupan kissed his fiancé and took a moment to touch the ring on his finger, “I know I’m stubborn as hell. And he’s a good looking pup, the guys on the team’ll love him.”

“So you can only accept help from dogs and pretty boys?” Zander put down the egg fried rice and swung his leg over Zupan’s lap, sitting in his crotch. He wriggled. “That seems fair.”

“Well, just one pretty boy in particular.” Zupan wrapped one arm around Zander’s hips and nuzzled his crotch. He could feel the ring on Zander’s finger, cold and hard on the back of his neck. He smiled.

Caesar whined.

“Dammit.” Zupan let Zander sink back into his lap, “Sexy blow jobs are going to have to wait, babe. He’d going to have to go out isn’t he? Where’s he sleep?”

“He could sleep the kitchen? He’s totally house trained, so he’ll sleep wherever his bed is.” Zander sat back on the sofa and ate some satay chicken while Zupan transferred to his chair. “The trainer can work around your schedule too. She’s gonna be here tomorrow at ten am.”

“Trainer?” Zupan frowned, “What trainer?”

“His trainer. The woman who bred him. He’s only a baby Zu.” Zander walked to the back door with him to the little garden. Zupan let the dog out and Caesar went straight to one corner of the grass and lifted his leg obediently. “He needs proper handling so that he grows up smart and clever. That was the deal. She’s gonna work with you, you’re gonna work with him and I’m gonna love you for the rest of my life.”

Zupan turned from the puppy to his fiancé and found the boy smiling, playing with the ring on his finger, layers of metals merged and forged together, set with stones that shone like Zander did when he smiled, just like that.

“How did I get this lucky?” Zupan hugged the boy against his side, kissed his hip, “You’re the most amazing thing that ever happened to me.”

“Ditto big guy,” Zander smiled one of those sexy, pink smiles, “Let’s say we put this little guy to bed and then I can show you just how lucky you are?”

Zupan clicked to the dog, stroked him as he came past, and sent him to bed. Zander was already naked in the doorway to the bedroom, and Zupan didn’t want to waste another minute before joining him. He’d asked the boy he loved to marry him, and it was all so good.