Dichotomy of Love - 17. Part Two. Chapter Five.

For the first time since they arrived, the sun was hiding behind dense clouds. It was still warm, but the cooler temps felt good. Like home.

Perry sat at the edge of the green with his parents, under the eave of the patio bar, with an ice-cold beer as they watched Kyan teach the kids how to golf.

Noah’s brows scrunched together and his tongue peeked out as he lined his shot up. God, Noah reminded him of Kyan. They were both adorable when they concentrated. He really loved how focused they got. Once, Noah got so into lining his toy trucks into a perfect line that Perry had to physically insert himself into the boy’s line of sight to get his attention.

Perry laughed as the twins whacked the ball as hard as they could, in any direction, with whatever club was in their hand. Maybe it was time to put them into baseball. Sports were not on the top of Kyan’s list. He never played them growing up, so they weren’t a blip on his radar, but Perry loved sports. A not-so small part of him wanted to coach the kids.

Coach Perry. He bit his lip, and then Gracie caught his eye. He laughed as she rolled around on the ground, not even pretending to be interested in golf, her pale yellow summer dress bunching up, revealing the blue and red Iron Man undies she begged Jessica to buy from the boy’s department. He wasn’t sure what sport she’d be interested in, but he would bet every dollar he had in the bank it would be something solo. He pictured her decimating her opponents in tennis, or maybe even stock car racing.

Or, heaven help them, debate club. Perry might have to sit that one out.

His gaze went back to Kyan, who was managing the chaos like a light afternoon shower and not a winter monsoon. He didn’t flinch at any of it, wasn’t annoyed or stressed that his kids weren’t acting like mini-adults. He simply enjoyed them as they were.

Nearby, a group of drunk men were finishing up on the eighteenth hole. One guy in particular, an older man in his sixties with gray hair and a white golf cap, made a lewd gesture with his club, then cursed when he hit his ball into a sand trap.

Maybe behaving like adults was not the high bar people thought it was.

“Should we be expecting a formal announcement soon?” Trudy asked as she sipped her pineapple martini.

“Mom,” Perry chastised, then glanced at Kyan nervously.

“Oh, hush. We’re out of earshot. Besides, he’s more than a little occupied.”

“Still. You could be a little more chill.” They were getting sloppy with their discreteness. Even though his family knew about them, Perry wanted Kyan to feel some control over how and when he came out to them.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“Probably not.”

She frowned, genuinely upset. “And why not?”

“Because it’s early. You make it seem like he and I have been secretly dating for a year when it’s only been a month, and it’s not even dating. Most of what’s between us isn’t much of anything at all,” he lied.

“Only because you haven’t talked to him about it. You always run from things that make you uncomfortable, but you need to talk to him. If you don’t, you’ll risk losing him.”

Perry laughed. His mom was being absolutely ridiculous. “I’m not running, Mom. And I’m not going to lose him. Kyan realized his attraction to men — to me — only four weeks ago. I’m not going to rush him by confessing my love for him. Besides, we did talk.”

That got Trudy’s attention. Even Jed leaned forward, suddenly interested in the conversation.

Kyan looked up, catching Perry’s gaze. His brown eyes sparkled in the sunlight, all mischievous and victorious that he caught Perry watching him.

Perry raised one brow, letting Kyan know he didn’t care. He would watch him all he wanted, from sunup to sundown.

Kyan’s expression brightened even more before going back to what he was doing.

“Let's just say feelings are mutual,” he told his mom.

“I know.”

He looked at his mom and laughed. “Oh, you do now?”

His dad looked at Perry with a crooked grin. “You two are about as subtle as two dogs knotted.”

Perry rolled his eyes. “Thank you for that.”

Trudy whacked her husband’s shoulder, forcing him to sit back in his chair. “What your dad is trying to say, is that Kyan wears his feelings like a badge of honor. It’s clear he likes you. We know that. It’s not a secret. That doesn’t mean you guys shouldn’t have a real heart-to-heart.”

“We don’t need to have some big, lengthy heart-to-heart. We said what we needed to say for now. Since we arrived in Hawaii, Kyan has been forced to accept his in-laws are financing his life, and he had a come-to-Jesus about his relationship with you two versus his relationship with his parents,” Perry explained. “I think the poor guy could use a vacation from this vacation. He deserves to just enjoy the last four days. He knows I have feelings for him. When Kyan’s ready to address it on a deeper level, we will. Until then, we have fun until it’s time to go home.”

The answer seemed to appease his mother. She downed the last of her martini and happily watched her grandbabies on the green. They were wonderful grandparents, and Perry was glad they’d cleared the air with Kyan. Maybe now the kids could stay the night with them more often. Perry loved his nieces and nephews as if they were his own, but this vacation had exacerbated his need for alone time with Kyan.

Gracie appeared out of nowhere and shoved a handful of dandelions in Perry’s face. “Look whats I finded! A pwickly globe!”

He took a flower and spun it between his fingers. “It’s a dandelion. You're supposed to make a wish and then blow the flower like this—” He gently blew the seeds into the wind.

Gracie’s face shone with wonder as she watched the little flower parachutes float into the breeze. She blew on the flowers she gripped so hard, only a few petals floated away. Then she was off, scavenging the area for more prickly globes.

“What did you wish for?” Trudy asked.

Perry only smiled and took a sip of his beer.

****

Perry, Kyan, and Noah tiptoed out of the suite. Golfing and dandelion harvesting wiped out the younger kids. They’d be asleep for a while.

Kyan knelt down and let Noah climb onto his back. “I hope they nap this good when we get home.”

Noah smiled as he bounced on his dad’s back, arms wrapped tightly around Kyan’s neck. “Me, too!”

“You love this me and you time, don’t you?”

Noah nodded, and his smile lit up the long hallway. Perry walked beside them. He scratched his nephew's back affectionately. He was the best kid ever. Perry was very proud of him. He was so good with his siblings and had sacrificed a lot, as the eldest usually did.

He couldn’t remember the last time Noah had one-on-one time with his dad.

Perry stopped in the middle of the hall. “I might head to the room and take a nap myself. Give me the monitor, and I’ll stay until the others wake up. You two have fun.”

Kyan frowned. “Are you sure?”

He ruffled his nephew’s hair. “It’s not often you get time to spend with just Noah. Get it while the gettin’s good.”

Kyan pushed his hip out so Perry could take the monitor clipped to his pocket. “Thank you.”

Perry went back to his room. He was tired. The first half of the vacation was full of peaceful days spent by the pool. The last few days they spent making the most of their time on the island; hiking, bike riding, studio tour, pineapple farm, finding sea turtles. Perry toed off his shoes and fell face first on the bed.

****

“Hello?” Ava hollered through the monitor. Her words were static and muffled from pressing against the monitor. “We’s awake now. Come get us pleeease.”

Perry laughed and went next door. Little Gracie had sleep creases on her face, and Henry sat in the middle of his bed, looking like he didn’t know what was going on. Perry gave them a little time to wake up, made sure they used the bathroom and got everyone ready. He had no clue where they were going, but they’d figure it out.

Gracie was never very clingy, but she clung to Perry, and he soaked it up while the twins weaved their way down the hall and through the lobby until they found Jessica and Charlie, who had been pretty sparse as they did their own thing. They all walked to the beach together. The kids were still sleepy, so instead of playing in the sand, they snuggled in a cabana and people watched. Gracie remained wrapped around Perry like a sloth.

Perry watched Kyan and Noah come zooming around the corner from the far side of the resort, walking as fast as they could without running. Noah’s cheeks flushed pink as he pushed his body as fast as he could. When they reached the edge of the sand, they sprinted the final stretch to the cabana.

“I take no prisoners!” Kyan shouted in victory as he slapped the wooden corner pillar first.

“No fair!” Noah cried, though he was grinning too much to be upset.

Kyan plopped down on the end of Perry’s chaise lounge, his chest heaving. “Fancy seeing you guys here.”

Perry laughed and told Kyan about how Ava summoned him through the monitor, then gestured at Gracie, who was still on his lap, and mouthed, clingy as fuck. Perry squeezed her little guts out because he loved that she was clinging to him.

The affection was too much. Gracie huffed and squirmed out of Perry’s arms. “You no squeeze me,” she said as she threw herself into her father’s arms.

They sat around for a while, trying to figure out what to do. The kids didn’t want to swim. There weren’t any events happening. Restlessness and boredom were beginning to descend upon the vacation. The kids bickered about who got to sit in the green lounge chair and what they’d eat for dinner. Gracie got angry when Ava told her she couldn’t have soda for dinner because it’s not healthy and began hitting and pinching.

The more the kids bickered, the more Kyan apologized. It did not surprise Perry when Kyan grabbed the vicious little growling terror and stood as Gracie flailed her arms and legs. “If you guys don’t mind, I’m going to take the kids back to the room and put on a movie. I think they need a lazy night in. It’s going to be room service for dinner.”

“If you want, Charlie and I can take the kids so you can have a break,” Jessica offered. Kyan glanced at the twins, who were still fighting over the chaise, and Jessica slyly winked at Perry while Charlie bit her lip to keep from laughing.

His family was less discreet with each passing day. It was only a matter of time before everything was out in the open. It was fine by Perry. He wanted to hold Kyan’s hand in front of them, but he was trying to respect Kyan’s privacy.

Oblivious to the teasing, Kyan adjusted Gracie on his hip and blew sun-streaked brown strands out of his eyes. “Mom and Dad have done a lot with the kids this week. I kind of feel guilty for not spending more time with them. This might be them wanting my attention.”

“Well then, Charlie and I will head to the fourth-floor grill for some dinner. Are you coming with us, lil’ brother?”

Perry glanced at Kyan. “Umm.” Things were going so well, and they had not spent an evening apart since Kyan’s initial quarantine when they arrived. Selfishly, Perry wanted to spend every second with Kyan, sex or no sex, but the sex was amazing. In the end, Perry had no qualms if Kyan wanted to spend the evening with his kids. He respected the dedication Kyan showed his family.

Kyan smiled as if he knew the war raging in Perry’s head, his eyes crinkling sweetly. “Go with your sister,” he told Perry.

Kyan was right, of course. Perry should have dinner with Jessica and Charlie but…

“I could help with the kids.”

Kyan shook his head, and before Perry could argue, Kyan had wrangled Gracie’s chokehold from his own neck, enlisted Noah’s help to herd Henry, and then took Ava’s hand. Perry watched as they walked down the long boardwalk until they disappeared into the hotel.

While he was distracted, wondering if he should chase after Kyan, Charlie snuck up behind him and tightly wrapped her arms around his neck. “Mom! I got him. You grab his legs, and I’ll grab his hands. We’ll force him to spend some time with us.”

Perry burst into laughter. He grabbed her arms and flipped her over his shoulder until she was a pretzel between his legs. “You think you’re funny?” he said as Charlie hung upside down, her long blonde hair sweeping through the sand as she struggled, her face red from laughing.

“It’s the only way we can get you away from Uncle Kyan!”

He held his niece for a moment longer, then released her. She dropped into the sand with a thud. Charlie sat in the sand, smiling, with her legs bent under her butt. Her neon pink tank top was disheveled on her slim body. She was an adult who could order adult beverages, and yet, in that moment, she reminded him of the Charlie who used to demand all his attention. When she was little, they spent all their time together. He taught her how to wrestle and hunt deer before she grew up and ditched him for her friends and then moved away to college. He missed his Charlie.

Perry held out his hand, pulled her to her feet, and then in for a hug. “There is nothing I’d rather do than have dinner with my favorite Charbroil.”

“I’m your only Charbroil.”

“Exactly.”

Charlie grinned and wrapped her arm around his waist. Together, they walked down the boardwalk, the ocean roaring next to them as they headed to dinner. Even though Perry yearned to spend every second with Kyan, there was nothing he’d rather do at that moment than eat dinner with Charlie.

****

Turns out his little Charbroil wasn’t the cute and innocent girl he remembered. He let her think she was being sneaky, that he didn’t see her swapping out his drinks when he wasn’t paying attention. He glanced at her suspiciously, but she only batted her lashes innocently. He should have called her out, but he was having too much fun seeing this new side of her. And she was having too much fun getting her favorite uncle drunk.

Perry stumbled to the door and fumbled, trying to line his blue Turtle Bay silicone wristband up with the lock.

“You alright?” Charlie asked, an air of victory in her voice as he struggled to unlock his room.

“I got dis,” he slurred as he steadied himself, focusing intently on the lock again. The mechanism clicked softly, and he raised his arms victoriously, stumbling a little as he did.

Charlie was laughing as the door closed behind him. Safe in his room, Perry stood up straight and snorted. While he was buzzed thanks to Charlie and her nonstop drink refill, he was nowhere near drunk enough to stumble.

What Charlie didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her.

Perry took a quick shower and was about done brushing his teeth when there was a light knock on the door. He knew Charlie or Jess would pound on his door, which meant…

Kyan dangled the monitor from his finger and smiled slyly. “Up for some company?”

Standing there in sweat shorts, an old tee, and damp hair, Kyan had no idea of his impact. How his smile alone gave Perry arrhythmia. They’d been apart for three hours, and the need to have Kyan against him was utterly blinding. The fact Kyan couldn’t wait either made it even worse.

Perry fisted Kyan’s shirt and yanked him into the room.

“Well, hello to you, too!” Kyan said, laughing.

Perry grabbed his neck, brought their lips together, then pulled Kyan’s shirt over his head and pushed his pants down. In less than a minute, Perry had him naked on the bed, and good Lord, the sight sent him from zero to spontaneous combustion every time. The dip where his hip bone met his belly, and his legs, so long and supple, Perry just wanted to devour him.

Kyan grew bolder every time they were together, but tonight, Perry had plans. He released Kyan’s lips and kissed his ear and down his neck. Kyan lifted his hips, trying to find friction against Perry’s thigh.

Perry pinned Kyan’s hips to the mattress. “I’m going to suck you off again.”

He felt Kyan’s dick twitch. The man groaned as if waiting another second for Perry to touch him was the worst thing in the world.

“Have you ever had your ass played with?”

“I’ve done it, yes. But no one else.”

Another first. Perry’s dick bounced happily in the air and he slipped a finger between Kyan’s cheeks, gently brushing against his hole.

Kyan’s hands flew to Perry’s shoulders, and he squeezed, digging his nails into Perry’s tanned skin.

Perry grinned. “Was that okay?”

Kyan nodded eagerly.

Perry’s heart hammered furiously. He knew there were a few things he could offer Kyan that his sister couldn’t, but Dayna was more of a one-plate meal deal than he realized. That was fine. Perry would be Kyan’s all-you-can-eat-buffet. He was going to tick every one of Kyan’s unchecked boxes.

He sucked Kyan into his mouth. He wouldn’t come up for air until the morning if he could. He worked him slowly, wrapping his tongue around the most perfect dick he had ever tasted and sucking from base to tip. When Kyan was an absolute mess under him, Perry spit on his fingers and slid them into his ass. Kyan slammed a pillow over his face and screamed as he convulsed into Perry’s mouth.

Perry smiled. He felt a little smug on the inside. There was no greater achievement than taking Kyan to new heights.

“Are you kidding me?”

Perry lay beside Kyan and removed the pillow from his face. Kyan was blotchy from exertion, and his hair was damp and plastered across his forehead. Perry loved it.

He kissed Kyan’s cheek, nose, and lips. “Was that okay?”

“‘Okay’? Holy shit, that was next level.”

Perry kept kissing his face. “And the butt play?”

Kyan smiled and turned his head just in time to catch a kiss on the lips. “It’s something I’ve wanted to try for a while. Dayna and I talked about it once or twice, but let’s be real, if she wasn’t interested in blowjobs then ass play was out of the question. I’m not complaining. I respected her desires and would never push her to do something she wasn’t comfortable with, but man, I was missing out. I have never nutted so hard in my life.

“That was just the beginning. If you want it to be.”

“Oh, I want. I want a lot.

“Perfect, because we’ve barely scratched the surface.”

Kyan grabbed Perry’s face and brought their lips together. They made out slower this time. Perry was still hard. He knew Kyan could feel it, but he expected nothing in return. It was his default setting, to assume Kyan wouldn’t want to reciprocate. Of course, Kyan always surprised him, which shouldn’t be surprising anymore. If he let Kyan lead the way, they’d be further along sexually. Not that it mattered. He enjoyed the slow pace. Kyan was worth savoring, and the newness of everything was his favorite phase. Like a favorite meal you can’t get enough of, so you take one bite at a time, carefully memorizing each flavor in case they take it off the menu.

Kyan rolled them over, so he was on top of Perry. Kyan’s damp hair hung around his face as he gazed down at Perry with a wicked smile that Perry was falling in love with. “I want to try it.”

Try it? Perry froze. Was Kyan talking about anal? Was he seriously ready to cross that threshold already? Perry figured it would be a while, which was fine. There was so much for them to do in the meantime, but if Kyan was ready, then Perry would absolutely make accommodations.

“I want to suck you off,” Kyan clarified, having no idea what direction Perry’s brain had gone. “I won’t be as good as you’re used to, but I want to try it anyway. It should be kind of good for you. I mean, you wouldn’t judge me if it’s terrible, right? You could do me a few more times if you want. That’s not an excuse to get more blowjobs,” he hurried to explain. “I would study what you’re doing and try to replicate it. So far, I haven’t paid attention to the technical stuff because I was really distracted, but I think if you did it again, I could, you know, pay more attention and then I can give you a blowjob.”

The man was a treasure. There was no better soul in the world. He ran his thumb over Kyan’s full bottom lip, then kissed him. “I’m happy to give you a hundred more blowjobs, but you’re overthinking it. You don’t need to get a blowjob to know how to give one. They’re simple. At the very worst, you’ll give a perfectly acceptable blowjob, which is still a great blowjob. At best, you’ll blow my mind.”

“Like you just did to me?”

“Exactly.”

Kyan sat back and looked at Perry’s flagged erection. “I can do it now?”

Perry laughed. Kyan was so fucking adorable. “Tomorrow,” he said. “I had a lot to drink tonight, and it can make everything taste really bitter.”

“Fine.” Kyan stroked Perry with both hands. “I’ll do this instead,” he said, feigning disappointment. “But tomorrow...”

Perry closed his eyes and let Kyan bring him off with his hand. He was so turned on it didn’t take much. As he grew closer, he took over and told Kyan to sit back.

The sight of Kyan straddling him was the best fodder. He grabbed Kyan’s hips and adjusted him so his butt was on Perry’s dick. Kyan knew exactly what to do. A few minutes later, Perry grabbed the nearby pillow and muffled his own cries.

****

The next morning, Perry plopped into the empty chair and groaned as he buried his face in his arms. “Why is the sun so bright?”

“Someone not feeling great this morning?” Charlie asked as she clanged her silverware loudly, dropping it carelessly on her plate.

Perry’s hand shot out and covered the utensils to make them quiet. “It’s your fault,” he chastised. “I don’t know what you did, but it’s all your fault.”

“Me? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Me? I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he mocked. “Liar.”

Charlie grinned and excused herself to the buffet. Perry knew she would return with a plate filled with gross-smelling food just to spite Perry’s ‘hangover’. When the little troublemaker was out of sight, Perry sat up and straightened his cutlery.

Jed smirked and sipped a cup of black coffee. “I take it you’re feeling alright after all?”

“I was onto her evil plan before she finished forming it. By the way—’ he pointed at his sister, who was dressed immaculately for the day. No doubt ready to head into town for more shopping. “You should be worried about that little girl of yours. She’s quite dangerous.”

Jessica laughed. “Don’t I know it!”

When he saw Charlie descend the three steps that separated the buffet from the tables, Perry deflated, slumping over and covering his eyes. He groaned. “I should probably get something in my stomach, though I don’t know how I’ll manage.”

He got up, and his niece snickered as he lumbered to the buffet area. He looked at the food and pretended to gag, inwardly smiling when he heard Charlie laughing behind him.

Perry was starving. He loaded one plate with a bagel, smoked salmon, cream cheese, and some capers, then glancing over to make sure Charlie was otherwise engaged, popped a sausage link in his mouth and hid a couple more under his salmon because they were the best he had ever eaten. He loaded a second plate full of fresh pineapple sticks.

When he returned to the table, Kyan and the kids were sitting down. Jessica took one look at his massive pile of fruit and laughed. “That’s a lot of pineapple. Pretty acidic, don’t you think?”

He shoved a giant chunk in his mouth. “Nope.”

Kyan was busy settling the kids, but he must have been listening because Perry caught him smiling. Jessica might’ve been oblivious, but Kyan wasn’t.

While his parents and Kyan took the kids to get food, Perry devoured his fruit and willed the day to fly by. But it dragged on. They did a little swimming and took the kids on a bike ride. At lunch, Perry had another large plate of pineapple. Mostly to gross his sister out, who’d realized what was happening. He had nothing better to do with his day than annoy her.

Perry twiddled his thumbs as they wandered around the resort. Two weeks was a long time to be away from home. He looked at his watch and groaned. There were three days left of vacation, but it felt like nothing compared to the six hours left before the kid’s bedtime.

****

Henry tugged on Perry’s shirt as they left dinner. He had been abnormally quiet throughout the meal and had barely touched his food. “Can you carry me?”

Perry picked him up, and Henry immediately laid his head on his shoulder. Perry frowned. “Are you okay?”

Henry didn’t respond.

He looked at Kyan, who was watching with concern. He rubbed his son’s back and kissed his head. “Are you just tired?”

Henry shrugged.

“Maybe we should go back to the room, just to be safe?” Kyan suggested.

In the elevator, Henry squirmed in Perry’s arms, trying to find a comfortable position. The doors opened, and Henry sat up in Perry’s arms. His eyes were hollow, and his face was pale and clammy.

He looked through Perry like he wasn’t there.

Oh, shit! Perry bolted down the hall as fast as he could, trying to get to the bathroom before Henry lost his stomach, but it was too late. They were two doors away from home base when Henry vomited all over Perry.

Puke ricocheted off his shoulders and chest, splattering everywhere.

Kyan tried frantically to open the door while the kids screamed and clung to him, but the damage was done.

Perry stood in the middle of the hall while poor Henry continued to empty his little stomach of everything he’d eaten that day.

Perry saw his parents exit the elevator from the other end of the corridor. They saw Perry and Henry and rushed down the hall. Henry’s green eyes drooped and his head lolled from side to side. Poor kid.

“I’ve got Henry. Can one of you help Kyan with the kids, and the other call for housekeeping?” He asked. Ava and Gracie were screaming, completely traumatized. If it wasn’t a scene from a horror movie, it should be.

His parents got to work. Jed shuffled the three kids across the hall, into their room while Trudy stayed in the hall and took care of everything else.

Kyan got Henry cleaned up while Perry showered. The three lay in Kyan’s bed all night.

Luckily for Henry, he had not eaten five pounds of pineapple.

Unluckily for Perry, all that pineapple had been in vain. But as he looked at his nephew, looking absolutely miserable as he slept restlessly, Perry couldn’t find it in himself to be upset about his evening plans. This was parenthood, and although Perry wasn’t Henry’s father, he was in love with their father, and there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for him or his kids.