** BRIAN **

I WOKE UP THE NEXT MORNING AND OPENED MY EYES without moving. I was lying in bed under the blankets and I could see the back of Allan’s head, his golden shoulder and his right arm, which was on top of our covers. For a few minutes I enjoyed watching the up-and-down rhythm of his body as he breathed in his sleep. I couldn’t even remember my dreams, but I was sure reality was infinitely better.

It was so nice and different, this time. All along, the first image in my mind when I woke up was Allan’s smile. Now he was there in front of me. Naked in my bed. He was finally mine the way I’ve always wanted. Finally, I knew for sure he wanted to be mine just as much as I wanted to be his.

I wanted to be the best boyfriend I could. I wanted to make him happy and I wanted my life to be spent with him. I knew I was still very young, but I started navigating by myself through life when I was much younger. I knew time would still teach me uncountable lessons, but above all, I knew I wanted to learn them by his side. And, as much as we both had shown the previous night how we loved to say we belonged to one another, I didn’t want to treat him as a possession. He was his own person, and that’s who I fell in love with. I would never force him to stay against his will. I was taking to myself the goal to love that sleeping man in front of me so much that he would stay because he would think it were the best for him.

I wanted him to want to spend his life with me.

As I thought about all those things, I watched him sleep. Then, he turned round and opened his eyes.

‘Oh my,’ he said, meeting my eyes in the semi darkness, ‘I think I really died. They even sent an angel to pick me up.’

‘Oh my God, Allan. You’re not even entirely conscious yet and you’re already cheesy. How is that possible?’

‘I don’t know! It’s the sight of you. It makes me think all sort of things.’

‘Such as?’

‘Such as “how can anyone be so gorgeous?”, “how can anyone sound so sexy?”, “how can anyone have the most amazing fingers I’ve ever seen?”. You know, those things.’

‘Honey?’

‘Yes, love.’

‘I think you might have a hand fetish.’

Allan laughed hard, his voice still hoarse from sleep and excessive usage last night.

‘What are your plans for today?’ He asked.

‘Not much. I just have this four-thirty class with the sexiest man I’ve ever seen. It’s so hard to be professional around him. I keep telling myself to stay away because I’m his teacher and I need to behave myself, but every time he smiles, I want to ravish him and drag him to my bed and do naughty things to him. What about you?’

‘Well, on any regular Friday, I would get up and go to work. But today is actually the first day of my vacations, so I guess I’ll just get up, leave your place for a while so I can be a socially acceptable boyfriend who gives his significant other space and then I’ll come back for my four-thirty class and then I’ll tease you for two hours straight with as many smiles as I can just to see you suffer.’

‘Damn, boy’, I said with a smile. ‘If what people say about honesty being the key to a successful relationship, I guess we’ll spend eternity together.’

‘Isn’t that the goal?’

‘Yes. One day at a time. All of the days in the end. But there’s something bugging me.’

‘And what is it?’

‘About being a “socially acceptable boyfriend” like you said. Doesn’t that involve listening to your boyfriend and doing as he wishes and tells you so?’

‘No, baby. That’s spoiling and being submissive.’

‘Oh. And would it be too bad to trade? I don’t give a crap about society. I’d much rather have my boyfriend spoil me so I can later bring him to bed and show him who’s the boss round here.’

‘You’re barking a very loud bark, mister, but I’m not seeing much of a bite. NO! Shoot! No! I take it back! I take it back! Brian!’

But it was too late. I was already on top of him, locking his arms and lovingly biting him from neck to toe. Then I kneeled next to his head and started lowering my body towards his face.

‘You’re the one talking too much. Let’s see what else this beautiful mouth can do.’

As I already knew before, that beautiful mouth could do a lot. A lot.

When we were done, I laid on top of him and started pecking his neck.

‘So. You’ll stay here. You’ll have your regularly scheduled class as you’re supposed to and I’ll be nice and professional. Then, you’ll stay here and spend the weekend with me. Don’t get me wrong, I totally respect your personal space and I’ll never have a problem with you wanting to go places, but this is our first weekend as boyfriends. It’s only natural our fire burns even more. That means this time you’ll stay with me. Got it?’

‘Yessir,’ he said with an exaggerated salute, but opened up that smiled I loved.

‘Allan?’

‘Hm?’

‘Seriously now. Don’t ever think I’d disrespect you or your wishes, okay? Sure, being bossy turns me on, but you’re far more important.’

‘I know, sweetie. And I didn’t feel disrespected. Sure, we’ve been dating for what? Twelve hours? But we’ve known one another for almost a year now and we spent so much time together that I know how much you care for me.’

‘That I do.’

‘Brian?’

‘Hm?’

‘There is something you need to know. Something I’ve been hiding from you all these ten months.’

‘What is it?’

‘I love you.’

‘Oh, my love. That I’ve known for a long time. What is it you were you hiding from me?’

He sighed in defeat and whispered things he wanted me to do to him with my fingers.

‘That. That’s what I’ve been hiding all these months.’

I laughed as I started following the exact order of his request. When my fingertips first touched the spot he had told me to, I said:

‘Allan? I love you too.’