Cards on the Table - 61. Chapter 61 Deal Me In

Cards on the Table

 

 

Chapter 61

 

 

“This sweater looks dope on you. I knew it would.” Bodie fingered the dark blue cashmere after pulling away from a second hello kiss that had Nate feeling a little breathless. They were alone in his room, and this was the first time they’d seen each other since their swim two days earlier.

“Ah, thanks. I love it. Got me some killer style,” he said with a cheeky grin. “It’s too hot in here to keep it on, but I wanted you to see how good it looks.” Nate did a slow spin, mainly to cover a nervous swallow.

“Fits you perfectly, and I definitely picked the right color. If you hadn’t worn it, I’d have pestered you to put it on. It’s way better than that Christmas sweater you had to wear.”

“Hey, I liked mine,” Nate insisted as he faced Bodie again. “Besides, it was worth wearing anything to see Uncle Mike get razzed. I had a blast giving him a hard time. We all did. Miranda made the perfect choice.”

“Well, I did have a little to do with it,” he said with a smirk that deepened his dimples. “My mom and her weird ideas, eh? I kind of liked my fruitcake sweater too, though. I never would have worn that a year ago… like, no freaking way.”

Nate turned and busied himself with arranging his two pillows up against the wall, under the window ledge over the single bed, before he remembered to take off his sweater. Damn, he was nervous. He folded it carefully because Kendall had explained why a hanger wasn’t the best idea.

Bodie plunked himself down on the bed, leaning back on his elbows.

Nate could feel those blue eyes follow him as he walked to the dresser. “I thought it was hilarious, your choice, and… I don’t know… brave I guess. What made you decide to wear that one?” he asked as he returned and sat next to his boyfriend. They wriggled into place with their backs against the wall, adjusting the pillows until they were just right. The thick, rounded ledge was at the perfect height for their heads’ comfort.

“You.”

“Me? Oh, you were trying to make me laugh?”

“Nah, it’s easy to make you laugh,” he teased in a voice Nate loved to listen to. He smiled, calming down somewhat as he enjoyed the feeling it gave him. He leaned in a little more as Bodie continued. “What I meant was how everything has changed since we met. I feel a crapload better about myself, and I don’t give a bug’s behind what those guys think anymore.”

“Those guys? You mean your friends? Sorry… ex-friends?”

“Yeah… Evan, Dan, Kyle… or anyone else for that matter. I was hoping at least one of them would drop by on Christmas like they used to because I wanted to show them I like who I am.”

Nate grabbed hold of a nervously fidgeting hand, sighing when Bodie entwined their fingers. It seemed they both were nervous. “I get it. If it was me, though, I might have been too scared to wear that sweater in front of my old crowd.”

“You would? Why?” He turned his head, and Nate did the same.

Was that disappointment on his face? “Truth?”

“Of course truth.”

“Okay. No matter how hard I try, I can’t forget all the garbage my supposed friends spouted. At first, all I cared about was how Josh had reacted, and my dad. But now I’m reliving all the stuff they said and did when they turned on me. I can still see those looks, like I’d suddenly become less than dirt in their eyes.”

“When you’re trying to sleep? The nightmares?”

Nate nodded, but turned his head away before he answered. He hadn’t even talked about these newer nightmares with his uncles. “Sometimes, yeah.”

“Hey,” Bodie said soothingly. “It’s hard to forget how they made me feel, that’s for sure, and I’ve had my share of bad dreams, but since you, it’s mostly gone away. I hope it does for you too.”

Nate’s head swung back at the concern he heard, bending his elbow and raising their still joined hands. He attempted focusing his attention on them rather than Bodie because it was easier to open up that way. “It is getting better, and you and my uncles really help. I don’t feel so lost when I wake up from one, like before. I know it’s just a dumb dream. So… you’re really over the way they treated you?” His eyes flicked to his boyfriend’s.

Bodie studied his face in those few seconds before shaking his head. “I wouldn’t say over, no, but I didn’t get the verbal abuse you did.” He pulled their hands close and planted a soft kiss on Nate’s. “At hockey, yeah, but not at school.”

Nate felt a new tension in Bodie before he finally spoke again.

“I don’t have the dreams anymore, but I still think about those times. It was mostly how Evan, Dan, and Kyle dropped me… like our friendship relied on me being into chicks. Fucking stupid. I think I just wanted to provoke a conversation and get a chance to say ‘what the fuck, guys?’ Hell, I even wore that fruitcake sweater again yesterday in case one of them did end up coming by.”

Nate turned slightly, and settled his gaze back on Bodie. “But that might have freaked them out… it’s kind of an in their face challenge, don’t you think? I mean, it’s almost like throwing your gloves down in a hockey game.”

“No, you’re right, and I thought about that, but I want to show them that I’m me, like it or leave it. They were the ones who threw down their gloves first, and the truth is I’m pissed at the way they acted. It doesn’t matter anyway, because none of them bothered.” Nate heard the disappointment loud and clear, despite the smile Bodie valiantly wore.

“So, you’re stuck with just me,” Nate said, but he realized right away the joke fell flat.

“Stuck with you? Don’t ever say that, Nate. Those guys are unfinished business, that’s all, and the only reason I want to take them on is because of you and me. I don’t hate who I am anymore. I wouldn’t trade being a ‘fruitcake’ for anything, and that’s because I have you.”

Nate smiled. “It is nice having a boyfriend… someone who gets what you’re going through.”

A silence settled that had Nate wondering. Bodie had tilted his head back on the ledge, looking at the ceiling. Had he said something wrong?

“It’s not about having a boyfriend. It’s about having you as my boyfriend.” Bodie kept his gaze upward. “Do you get what I’m saying?”

“I… yeah, I think so, but….”

“But what?”

Bodie was now staring at him, and the look made his mouth go dry. “Are you saying not just any boyfriend would have made you want to take them on?”

“That’s what I’m saying. I was messed up before you, Nate. You make me forget… no, not forget… you make me not question myself anymore. I’m not stupid enough to think that happens easily, like with just anyone. Don’t you feel that from me? Like we were destined or something?”

Nate stared at him blankly. What was he supposed to say to that? He knew what he felt….

“I sound like an idiot. Sorry, I’ve missed you and I’m being all heavy… that sounded lame as fuck, and you’re right that I shouldn’t want to confront anyone. There’s no point to it. So, what do you want to do today?” Bodie moved to get up, but Nate’s hand kept him in place.

“I want to talk.”

“Haven’t we done enough talking? I was getting too serious, wasn’t I?” He looked uneasy, bordering on distraught, and Nate hated that.

“Bodie, no. I wasn’t saying you shouldn’t call those guys on what they did. It’s just… I don’t want them hurting you again, and that’s all I was getting at. If or when you do it, I’d like to be there, but only if you want. And you didn’t sound lame either. I’ve had a lot on my mind since Christmas. I was listening, though, and I liked what you said… I liked it a lot.”

“You did? Okay, good. And I get it now, about my friends, but that’s the thing. Because of you, they can’t put me back in that place. I have way too much to live for.” A smile blazed across his face, but, in a heartbeat it turned sheepish. “Damn. Sorry. Wasn’t thinking about you being without your family for the holidays. I’m such a dolt.”

“Stop saying shit like that! Please,” he said in a softer tone. “You’re the farthest thing from a dolt, and yeah, I miss them and stuff, but that’s not what I meant. It’s you… you and me… that’s been on my mind. My uncles said I should talk to you.”

“Your uncles? Oh… about what?”

All of Nate’s nervousness returned, but he knew they’d been right. He had to voice his fears because they hadn’t gone away. “You know when we went swimming?”

“Yeah. I loved doing that with you.”

“Me too.” Taking a deep breath, he continued. “Okay, I might say something dumb, and I’m for sure going to blush… oh jeez.” Nate tugged his hand from Bodie’s grip and tried to hide his face with both arms.

“Nate, what’s wrong? Did I do something…?”

He heard the apprehension in Bodie’s questions, and winced at how he was screwing this up. “Crap! No… no… nothing’s wrong, and you didn’t do anything. I got scared, is all.”

“Scared?”

“Yeah, and I know it sounds stupid. I love what we have, but… I’m afraid of us losing it.”

Bodie twisted on the bed so he was half facing Nate. “Why would we lose it? You’re not moving are you?”

“Well, yeah, but right next to you,” Nate said, smiling as he felt some pressure lift, if only temporarily.

“Oh, jeez… you scared me.”

“Sorry. See, I’m the one getting heavy now.” He lowered his head because he felt the blush coming. “It freaked me out when I saw you in your speedo.”

“What? Why? Was it a good freak or a bad freak?”

“Oh, heck. You looked amazing… so hot, and that’s what scared me. Fuck, man, you could have any gay guy you wanted, and I’m younger than you, and I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t want to wait, and I just need you to know….”

“Wait! You mean sex?” He lowered his voice on the last part.

Nate took a deep breath and nodded.

Bodie nodded slowly back. “I think I see what you’re getting at.”

“You do?”

“Um, I think so, because I felt pretty much the same thing. It’s about thinking I look good… I saw the way you looked at me, Nate. You tried to hide it, and so did I… the way you affected me when you came out of the change room. I already knew you looked good, but to see you like that… dude, I couldn’t even talk, and… and that’s why I jumped in the pool so quick. Am I close?”

Nate swallowed and nodded. “Yeah.”

“So, it’s not so much about waiting as it is about us not lasting? You’re worried about that, and think maybe not waiting is a way to keep us together?”

Nate thought for a few seconds. “Yeah, I guess that’s it. I mean, I’m not sure. I don’t know. The fact is I am only fourteen.”

“So am I, Nate.”

“Yeah but not for that long, and you sure don’t look it.”

“Neither do you. And I’m fourteen for three more months. Jeez, I’m only about eight months older.”

“Two months and one week. And you’re almost nine and a half months older.”

“Oh. All right, whatever. Do you think that’s going to make me want to get laid nine and a half months sooner than you do?”

Nate groaned. “Okay. When you put it that way it sounds pretty stupid. My uncles said there was no right age… they said arbitrary, but you know how they talk.”

Bodie grinned. “It’s because they’re old, but don’t tell them I said that. They are right, though. And yeah, it does sound stupid, but I had the same dumbass thoughts about you. When I saw you, I thought how in heck did I deserve you? I’m just a kid, and you are the hottest guy I’ve ever seen. I’m talking, like, on TV or in the movies. For real, Nate. You’re so fucking beautiful, I almost can’t think straight sometimes.”

Nate giggled. “The last thing I want is for you to think straight.”

Bodie grinned, snorted, and then giggled too. “Now that would probably be a real reason why we wouldn’t last.”

Nate’s giggle turned into laughter, in a much-needed release of the tension he’d been feeling. “So… we’re both thinking the same stupid stuff then?”

“Appears so.”

“Maybe that’s a good thing. I don’t know… my mom always tells me not to fret about the future. Just pay attention to now.”

“My mom’s said something similar to me more than a few times. It’s her business mantra too. She tells me to accept stuff, learn from it, and move on. And my dad’s always saying worrying changes nothing.”

“Sounds like our parents are a lot alike, except my dad wasn’t very cool for a while there.” The smile slipped from Nate’s face.

“Yeah, but he is now. I’m probably going to be a nervous wreck when I meet the guy, though. He sounded tough when I talked to him, and I could tell how much he cares about you. I hope he likes me.”

“He’s back to the dad I know, so don’t worry about him. He’ll like you, I promise, and if he doesn’t, too damn bad. You’re stuck with me. Is it okay to say that now?”

“This time, yeah, cause it’s the smartest thing you’ve said so far, other than that part about me being hot.” Bodie grinned and tried to look smug. That got him another giggle. “I want to be stuck with you, Nate, and you are definitely stuck with me. Our parents aren’t wrong, but I think you’re right that it’s good we’ve been worrying about the same stupid stuff.”

“Yeah?”

“Uh huh. It means this isn’t just some kid thing. We might be young, but this… us… it feels grown up, and no, I don’t mean the sex stuff. I really do want to take that slow, I swear.”

“See, I knew that. I really did. Uncle Mike said I got blasted by hormones.” He grinned, but he watched Bodie closely.

“I got the same wallop you did. I don’t know if we can even do competitive swimming together.”

“Why not?”

“Because I can’t be jumping in the pool every time I see you in a bathing suit.” His blush caused a similar reaction in Nate.

“Oh, good point. I’d have to do that too. My uncs say it’ll get easier and we can control them. Uncle Mike says we have to think with our big heads and not our little ones.”

Bodie smacked his forehead and groaned through a pained smile. “My dad said the exact same thing. He and my mom set down some rules.”

“Rules? Rules for what?”

“For when you sleep over. Because you’re going to sleep over, right?”

“For sure. It’ll be awesome. I haven’t asked about it yet, but Uncle Kendall and Uncle Mike trust your parents. So, what are they?”

“Nothing big. They asked about restrictions when I slept at your gram’s house. I told them we were allowed to sleep in the same bed—they know about your nightmares so they were cool with it—but that we had to keep the door cracked open. They said we had to do that too, at our place, and wear tee shirts and shorts to bed like we’ve been doing.”

“That’s it?”

“Yeah… oh, and I have to have my night light on when you stay over.”

Nate grinned, and tried his best not to full-out laugh, but it was difficult. “You have a night light?”

“Shut up. I… ah crap… I used to be scared of the dark when it was storming out, but I’m over that now. It used to freak me out when lightning would suddenly light up my room.”

“Aww… that’s adorable.”

“Hey… you’re pushing it.” Bodie threw his pillow at him, and then leapt.

The tussle that followed had Nate laughing so hard he was gasping for breath. “Stop! Please stop. I hate being tickled.”

“Gonna stop making fun of my night light?”

“Yes… yes, I promise.”

Bodie flipped around and laid his head on Nate’s stomach, breathing heavily as he stared up at the ceiling again. “I really love you, Nate. You never have to worry about me wanting someone else. I might be young, but I trust what I’m feeling and I know what I want. Everything about you makes me happy. Do you… do you trust me?”

Nate swiped at his eyes, thankful he could do it unseen. He knew Bodie would understand, but…. “Yup,” he mumbled, taking a few deep breaths. Bodie started to shift, but Nate stopped his intention by stroking the short gold waves on his head. He settled back down. “I really love you too. Uncle Kendall told me love keeps growing, and he’s right. He says just when he doesn’t think he could possibly love Uncle Mike any more, he does.”

“When did he tell you that?” Bodie asked, barely above a whisper.

“Yesterday, when I asked him.”

“Asked him what?”

“I asked him why he was so sure I didn’t have to worry about you getting impatient and moving on.”

“Nate, I swear….”

“I know. I believe you… hormones remember…? I wasn’t getting enough blood to my brain.” Bodie chuckled while Nate was thankful he couldn’t see the blush that heated his face. I can’t believe I said that out loud.

“I wasn’t getting enough either, and I was just as affected. What did he say?”

“What? Oh, yeah… Uncle Kendall. He said there were no guarantees, but he was a good judge of character, and what he saw between the two of us would grow. I asked him what he meant, and that’s when he said that about love… and Uncle Mike.”

“And that was it?”

“No… he asked me… he wanted to know what I liked most about you. I think it was kind of a test. I didn’t figure that out then, but last night when I thought about it, I realized he was trying to get me to see for myself. He does that a lot.”

“I know what you mean. It’s a dad thing. So, what did you say?” Bodie tried to raise up, but Nate held him in place.

“If you look at me I’m going to stop talking.”

“Really? Okay, fair enough. I like it here just fine.”

“I like this too. You being here, using me as a headrest. Your hair is so soft.”

“Are you stalling?”

“Maybe. I told him… I said I wasn’t sure.”

“You aren’t?”

Nate felt Bodie tense slightly. “Well, besides the obvious, it’s hard to pick one thing because every time I see or talk to you, there is more and more I find to like… and we click more and more too. When I explained all that to Uncle Kendall, he said ‘there’s your answer, Nate.’

“He told me it’s what he and Uncle Mike see happening between us, and that tells him it’s real. He brought up when we went skating. They saw… I don’t know… something. Um, he said I can trust what I see when you look at me—that you can’t fake that—and that’s when he said what I already told you. Then he said the typical dad stuff about how even though we have something special, we still have a long way to go, and we should take our time and just enjoy this part.” Nate swallowed, waiting for a response. It took a couple of minutes to come.

“Can I move now?”

“No. Not yet.”

“Okay.” Bodie sighed, but it sounded more thoughtful than annoyed. “Kendall is a very smart guy.”

Nate chuckled, relieved the conversation had resumed. “I’m sure he’d like hearing that.”

“I’m serious, but he’s more than just smart. I trust him… Kendall notices things, and he really cares about people. You remind me of him sometimes. I think we should just chill. We know what we feel and Mike and Kendall see it in both of us. I like that. It makes me feel calm. Does it do that for you?”

“Listening to you is making me feel calm.”

“Cool. I like that even more.” Nate could hear the grin in his voice. “Do you think straight couples think about these things when they’re our age?”

The question caught him off guard. “I have no idea. Girls are different, but I suppose when it comes to couple stuff, it’s probably the same. Maybe it’s harder for gay guys because of all the other hassles. For sure we have to worry about things that straight couples don’t. Why’d you ask?”

“Just wondering. I’ve never been in love before, and I’ve never felt so fierce about anything.”

“Fierce? Good word, dude.” Nate totally understood that. “It’s the first time for me too… thought I was, but you showed me I wasn’t even close.”

“See, I don’t even like hearing you say it’s the first time. Right away I’m thinking I hope it’s your last time. Is that silly?”

“No way. It’s the same for me. Maybe we’re just really lucky we feel this fierce already. Who cares where other couples our age are at?”

Bodie sighed again and turned his head slightly in Nate’s direction. “I agree. We are lucky. It is scary though.”

“Being in love? Ah… yeah, I guess.”

“I don’t mean the feelings, Nate. I mean the fear of losing it… of doing something wrong to screw it up.”

Nate swallowed. “That’s exactly what I was worried about… waiting too long and losing you because I wasn’t….”

Bodie cut him off. “You know that absolutely won’t happen, right?”

“I do now. I trust my uncles’ opinions, but until this… us talking, I kept going in circles in my head.”

“Can I move now?”

“Um, yeah. Sorry.”

Bodie twisted around, and Nate couldn’t look away this time. “Why are you sorry?”

“For not wanting you to look at me when I was trying to explain.”

“Well, first of all it was no bad thing to rest my head on you while you played with my hair. That was… intimate… in the best way. And for another thing, if that made it easier for you to spill, then no worries.”

“Intimate, eh?”

“Heck yeah. Dude, I could lay there for hours and have you do that. It was the best. That’s all I want and all I need. Being with you and spending time talking, and yeah, kissing, holding your hand…. snuggling.”

“And that’s enough?” Nate was already certain of the answer, but had to ask anyway.

“Is it enough for you?”

“For sure. I can’t help thinking about other stuff, though.” Nate fought to maintain eye contact with the intense gaze directed at him. “But, I’m not ready. Well, parts of me are,” Nate uttered with a giggle.

“I’ve noticed, and I guess you have too?”

Nate’s amusement morphed into laughter. “A bunch of times, yeah.”

Bodie blushed. “It happens a lot… practically every time we touch. I can’t help it.”

He looked so cute that Nate’s laughter quieted. “At least we have something to blame it on, according to Uncle Mike.”

“We do? What’s that?”

“Hormones.”

“Oh yeah… damned hormones,” Bodie said drily, setting Nate off again. The feel of his boyfriend’s body as it pressed against his side had a calming effect, and the shared laughter slowed to a few groans from both. “So, we’re good?”

Nate nodded. “As good as it gets. I feel a lot better. Uncle Kendall was right.”

“About talking?”

“Yeah, and about protecting what we have. That’s what we’re doing, isn’t it?”

“Yup, and I’m all for that.”

“Uncle Mike was right too.”

“I forget. What did he say?”

“He said we could control those damned hormones. Remember? Think with our big heads instead of the other ones?”

“Oh. Yeah, we can do that… my other head has a one track… I was going to say ‘mind,’ but I’m not sure it has a brain.”

Nate started giggling again. “Neither does mine… I am sure of it.”

“So we’ll just ignore them, at least when we’re together,” Bodie said with a snicker. “I can’t ignore him completely.”

“I can’t ignore your little one either,” Nate teased, feeling more confident, “but, I’ll try.”

“Little? Did you just say little? Why you….”

The tickle assault caught Nate unawares and before long he was squealing as loud as his depleted lungs would allow. “Please… I was just repeating what… it’s not… little…,” Nate gasped out.

“Do you take it back?”

“Yes! Yes! I take it back….” Nate managed to squirm his way off the bed and onto the floor.

Bodie stared down at him with a flushed and happy face. “I won.”

Nate still suffered from the exertion, but he managed to get enough breath out to say, “You cheated.”

“Did not.”

Nate gulped more air. “Yes, you did.”

“Nuh uh.”

“We have to make a deal that tickling is not allowed or I’m going to have to hurt you… your choice?”

Bodie rolled over, his head facing up but hanging over the mattress edge. “Sorry, can’t make that deal. I’ll try, but no promises.”

Nate reached up from where he lay, playing with Bodie’s hair once again. “Well, since I don’t want to hurt you, I’ll have to trust that you’ll try your best.”

Bodie groaned at the movement of Nate’s fingers. “We have to trust each other, right?”

“Right. That’s another thing Uncle Kendall said. We have to trust ourselves and each other.”

No words were spoken for a few moments, but Nate felt totally relaxed. He closed his eyes, but didn’t stop massaging his boyfriend’s scalp. He opened them when Bodie flipped over, and their eyes locked.

“There is one deal we can make if you want?”

“Oh yeah? What?”

“Just so we both know where we stand, and we don’t worry what’s going on in each other’s head, let’s make a deal to swear off heavy duty stuff until we are both fifteen.”

Nate wasn’t expecting that. “Oh. So when I turn fifteen, we…?”

“No, Nate. We don’t suddenly act like bunnies or anything. That’s not what I meant. We would have the next year with no pressure. I don’t want us to get twisted in knots over ‘should we or shouldn’t we.’ Do you get what I’m saying?”

“Loud and clear.” Nate blew out a long breath.

“So?”

“So, what’s heavy duty stuff?”

“Ah, what do you think it is?”

“Oh, jeez… um… naked? I guess… blowj… ah, oral,” Nate said, feeling the heat climb his neck, “and….”

“Yeah, I know the ‘and,’” Bodie blurted out quickly, saving them both from saying it. “Okay, that’s the same as I was thinking.”

“What about hands?”

“Hands? Touching is going to be hard not to do, but let’s try not to go too far, okay? I mean, we’ll see how it goes? And we talk. If I do something that makes you uncomfortable, you’ll tell me, right?”

“Yup, I will. Same for me.”

“So, deal?”

“Deal.”

Nate grinned when Bodie slid off the bed and hovered partway over him. “May I kiss you, boyfriend?”

“Yes, you may.” The touch of Bodie’s lips sent a shiver through Nate. The next year was going to be challenging, no doubt, but like his uncles had said, life wasn’t easy and they had gone through some difficult stuff already.

Finding and protecting love, when a month ago he and Bodie were trying to find a reason to live, was worth any effort it took; they only had to look at Michael and Kendall to see that. He kissed back, wrapping his arms around the handsome blond boy. He didn’t have to fret anymore. They now had defined limits he felt good about.

Bodie pulled away and rolled over onto his back. “Whew. Damned hormones.”

Nate agreed, chuckling as the surge of physical excitement ebbed only slightly. “We can handle them.”

Bodie turned his head and their eyes met. “Yes, we can.”

Nate jerked at the rap on the door before it swung wide open. “Good Lord, do you guys ever stop?”

“Jeez, Uncle Mike, you startled me.”

“That’s cause you were sucking face again.”

“No we weren’t… okay, we were, but just one kiss.” Nate’s tongue slipped out when he finished.

“Yeah, right. Put your tongue back in before you bite it off. And what was all that screaming a few minutes ago? Huh?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about… I wasn’t screaming,” Nate answered, looking at Bodie with a smirk.

“Screaming, squealing, singing soprano, it’s the same difference. So? Are you guys good?”

“Yeah, we’re good,” Bodie answered. “Thanks, Michael.”

“What are you thanking me for?” Michael’s little smile told Nate he had an inkling.

“I was actually thanking you and Kendall. You’ve given us good advice, and you went to bat for me,” Bodie said with a grin. “Nate told me what you said about hormones and stuff.”

Michael’s face became serious. “You’ll do well to listen to Kendall. I learn from him every single day, and he’s never steered me wrong yet. He won’t steer you wrong either.”

“We know. We’ve talked, and we intend to stick to our guns. We won’t let you down.”

“Hey, you guys are lucky enough to find something special while you’re young. Don’t get all bent out of shape about it. You’re still wet behind the ears for God’s sake, and don’t worry about letting us down. Just concentrate on not letting yourselves down. And talk to each other. Anyway, I came up here to see if you two were good with going into town for supper? We’re thinking pizza. Your grams’s been doing enough cooking, and we want to give her a break.”

“Oh yeah, that sounds awesome,” Nate enthused. “Are you talking about DaVinci’s Pizzeria?”

“That’s the place.”

“Oh, man, they have the best pizza. You’ll love it, Bode.”

“Sounds good to me.”

“It’s a plan then. We’ll leave around four. If you guys want something for lunch, make it yourself, okay? There’s still ham in the fridge, but the turkey’s all gone.”

“Okay, Uncle Mike.”

“Thanks, Michael.”

“And keep the noise down, will ya? Jeez. It’ll be nice when you hit puberty and your voice finally breaks, Nephew.”

He blocked the pillow flying at his head with the door. “Ya missed, loser.” They could hear him laughing all the way down the stairs.

“I love that guy,” Bodie said, chuckling. “So what do you want to do for the day? I’m not hungry yet. Are you?”

“Nope. I’m saving as much room as I can for pizza. How about we go build a fort in the backyard.”

“Are you serious? You wanna build a fort?”

“Yeah, why not? I build at least one every year, and it’s good packing snow out there. Then maybe we can have a war with the uncs.”

“Okay. I’m in. You know Michael will try to destroy any fort we build.”

“Yup. That’s half the fun. He can try. We just have to get Uncle Kendall on our side somehow. It can be done,” he said with a grin. “Come on, let’s roll, boyfriend.”

“Okay, okay. Help me up.”

“God, you’re big.” Nate groaned as he pulled him to his feet.

“That’s more like it,” Bodie said, smirking.

Nate chuckled and shook his head. “I won’t make that mistake again. Bodie?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m really glad we talked. I was getting in my own head too much. My mom says I do that a lot.”

“That’s because this matters to you, Nate, the same way it does to me. I totally understand. We’ve got each other, right?”

“Right.”

“Good. Now let’s go build our first house together.”

Bodie took off out of the room and down the stairs with a surprised Nate close on his heels. On the surface, it was only a joking remark, but Nate had seen something in Bodie’s expression that made him flush with pleasure. Who knows? Maybe someday.