“So we should get married?” Fox was trying really hard not to laugh, but I wasn’t holding back on mine.
“Stop laughing, I’m not sheltered or anything. I know about gay guys, and you can get married. You’re obviously together, so just get married and get on with it.”
“And then once we’re married?” I was enjoying this far too much.
“Then you live together, here at school, and I sleep on the sofa. I need some space for my stuff, if I get some, and then we can start being family.”
“We’re going to be a family?” Okay. This was perhaps getting a bit…quick?
“Told you, I’m choosing this time. I’ve had enough of all the crap. I think Headmaster Riley here would make a good dad, and Ms Blessing thinks you should think about it. I heard her, and I think it’s a done deal.”
“And me?” Had to be said?
“You don’t see how Mr Riley here behaves around you? Man, you must be blind. Do you need glasses?”
Okay, I took it all back. This kid?
“He’s very handsome,” I said, trying to be diplomatic and calm. “Mr Riley, I mean.” I had no idea what to say. How to say things. What was going on here as Fox just laughed.
“How do I look at Mr Fairweather, Bailey?”
“See? You’ve lost this already. Now you’re calling me Bailey. So next, you should get that sofa sorted so I can have a proper place to sleep at yours. You said it yourself. I shouldn’t be sleeping on the floor.” He looked almost triumphant. “And you look at Mr Badweather like you want to eat him.”
“Bailey,” I warned. Inappropriate.
“You said it, earlier. You said he looked good enough to eat.”
Oh gosh. What was happening here?
“Oh and when we’re all married and that, we should all be called Fairweather. It’s a cool name.”
“And you’ve decided this?” I said weakly, as Bailey just grinned.
“Yup. And for the record, I’m not gay. But you two are, and that’s cool. I already had a mum, and I don’t need another one.”
“And on that note, we should head back for lunch.” Fox sighed, getting up. “Come on, Butcher. Take Winter’s lead and make him run a bit; he still hasn’t pooped.”
“Don’t think that I’m not serious about this. You’d make a good dad. Just sayin’, and well. My choice. I decide.”
“It’s… It’s your life,” I agreed. Fuck. Not my place. And I shouldn’t be encouraging him.
“Poop time, Winter!” Bailey shouted and ran off.
“That told us,” I said gently to Fox, hoping he wasn’t as weirded out as I felt.
“We’re getting married?” He grinned.
“Not the worst of his ideas,” I admitted, a smile brewing on my face.
“It…doesn’t work like that,” he stuttered out, clearly unsettled again.
“I know that,” I reassured him, and now I did it. I grabbed his hand. Held it. “But it’s nice to dream, isn’t it?”
“It is,” he agreed. Then we walked back. I almost thought home in my head, but he was right. Things didn’t work that way.
The way things worked? Was like this.
Where we walked through the door and I tried to wash my hands in the kitchenette sink and he just came up behind me and yanked my trousers down. Right to my ankles.
