“Oh my god,” I interrupt his vain little show. “You’re a smug one, aren’t you? Trust me, I can be your friend just fine.”
Marcus laughs and lies back in the grass with his arms under his head. “Just making sure, can’t have your rampant lust disquieting the domestic bliss of the house,” he teases, lightening the mood by fucking around and being an ass.
“Hey, Tristan. I think your buddy here has had too much to drink. He’s having delusions of grandeur,” I call out.
Before Tristan can say anything, Darryl comes walking up. “It doesn’t take booze to give him those delusions. He’s always been a smug fucker,” he says, plopping down heavily next to Marcus.
“Et tu, Brute,” Marcus declares in a faux offended tone.
Darryl ignores him and pokes him in the ribs. “Budge up, I’m tired,” he declares before laying his head on Marcus’s stomach.
“Get your big ass head off of me,” Marcus grumbles playfully, trying to shove Darryl off of him.
“But Marcus, you’re so comfortable,” Darryl whines while refusing to budge.
The two of them devolve into playful banter, and I catch Qi’s eyes on me. I give him a dramatic eye roll, and he shoots me a beaming smile. Can’t believe this is about to be my life, but it’s worth it for Qi’s sunshine smiles.
GRADUATION
Qiang’s POV
Today is Tristan’s, Darryl’s, and Marcus’s graduation day. While they spent most of the day with their families and getting ready for the ceremony later this afternoon, Qi and I spent the bulk of the day just hanging out until it was time to meet up for their graduation. Since Tristan’s and Qi’s friends are really trying to get in some get-to-know-you time before they go their separate ways, Qi and I swung by and picked up Owen and Paxton so they could come with us, too.
Of course, just as Tristan’s parents went to Qi’s graduation, our parents are going to Tristan’s. But we take separate cars from the parentals because we plan to hang out at Marcus’s after graduation tonight. And I think I heard our mom talking to Tristan’s mom about going out to dinner with Tristan’s and Marcus’s parents after the ceremony, since ‘us kids’ already had plans.
It’s during the drive to graduation that I finally tell Qi I’ve decided to move in with them. I’m still not convinced it’s the greatest idea because things are happening between Marcus and me that shouldn’t be happening. He’s got a crush, and I’m thoroughly displaced at the realization that I can’t completely deny I have one back.
But I’m also an adult, and while the close proximity to someone I have no business playing with isn’t the best idea, I think denying myself the chance to spend time with my brother on those grounds alone is both stupid and cowardly. I just need to keep this crush or whatever the fuck it is under control and to myself. Even if we weren’t all moving in together, Marcus would still live in the land of nope, absolutely not. I just need to keep reminding myself of that.
Qi’s exuberance knows no bounds. Despite the seatbelt making his movements clumsy and awkward, he still manages to wrap his arms around me with excitement, exclaiming about all the ways this will be the best year ever.
When I was younger and thought I knew everything, the hero-worship I received was understandable and even expected. As I grew up and realized I didn’t know nearly as much as I thought I did, that hero-worship never changed. However, my understanding and expectation of it turned into being grateful for it and not taking it for granted.
Once we get to the venue, Qi runs straight up to Tristan and throws his arms around him. Tristan looks handsome as ever. Even though he and Qi are roughly the same height, Tristan, beingslightlytaller, still seems massive next to Qi with his athletic bulk. His hair is styled the same way it was when he took Qi to prom, with his long locks feathering around his ridiculously handsome face in waves. He looks like a seventies heartthrob, and more eyes are on him than anyone else. Not that Tristan cares about that; he only has eyes for Qi. Everyone else can just eat their hearts out.
I know the moment Qi tells Tristan I’m moving in because Tristan’s eyes meet mine, and his face breaks out into a huge smile. It’s amazing to watch the moment Qi’s happiness becomes Tristan’s. I don’t even think it matters what’s making Qi happy; as long as it exists, it’s enough for Tristan to appreciate it. I give him an upnod and take in the rest of their party for the few minutes we have before they have to take their places for the ceremony.
Darryl looks rather dashing in his bright blue robes, which match his eyes and contrast with his warm, chestnut skin. He’s a tank ofbulky muscles and height that towers over all of us by a few inches at least, which in my case isn’t saying much, but Tristan, Marcus, and Qi are all six feet and a couple of inches, and he towers over them, too.
My first impression of him wasn’t great, but now that I’ve gotten to know him a bit, I realize he’s just a wise, playful, big ass teddy bear. It’s also apparent that his friendship with Marcus and Tristan means everything to him, and even though he’s excited to play for his dream team, he’s also sad to be parting from them.
Marcus is gorgeous and refined in his robes. But then again, he’s always gorgeous,ridiculously so. His body is built for speed, with strong legs and wide shoulders. His face is beautiful, with cool, dark brown skin and long dreads tied back into a half ponytail. He has high cheekbones and a sharp jaw that accentuates his long neck and prominent Adam’s apple. And it’s damn near impossible not to get lost in the deep pools of his obsidian eyes. Sometimes I fear that if I look too long, I’ll drown in them and never come back up for air.
As if he can sense my eyes on him, he flits his deep, soulful eyes in my direction, and I quickly look away before I get even more caught up in him than I already am.
Up to this point, I have only met Tristan’s parents. Trevor Donovan is a jovial man, but his wife, Dawn, is the true embodiment of her name. She and I hit it off instantly when we first met about a month ago, bonding over the budding relationship between Tristan and Qi. It is absolutely no wonder or surprise that Tristan is the way he is once you meet his parents.
The only difference between them is that Tristan hides his true face when he’s not around the people he loves. He purposely creates a barrier between himself and most of the world to protect himself, a habit that I think Qi is slowly starting to break him of.
This is the first time I’m meeting Marcus’s parents or Darryl’s mom. Although I don’t really think I’ve truly met Darryl’s mom. She never even looked at me–or anyone else, for that matter–during the introduction and barely touched my hand before focusing her full attention on the cell phone in her hand. In fact, I’m not even sure I’veseen her make full eye contact with her son, even though it’s his graduation day.
I’ve seen Darryl’s eyes flit wistfully towards his mother once or twice, but each time, the wistfulness is chased away by a hug or a pat on the back from Tristan’s or Marcus’s parents. His mother can’t seem to be bothered with him, but his best friend's parents are fawning over him as much as they are their own sons and each other’s sons.
I can see in the uplift of Darryl’s eyes each time it happens that the gestures don’t go unnoticed. It’s something so simple, and yet so profound, and my heart is expanding around it. I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face as I watch these people effortlessly and naturally fill in the empty spaces that Darryl’s mother is leaving behind.
Maybe that’s part of the bond between them, the brotherhood I’ve heard Qi mention time and time again. These three boys have been raised as a joint effort by Tristan’s parents and Marcus’s. Or maybe that’s just the way it seems, since I’ve heard from Qi that Darryl’s parents aren’t really around much and that he floats between Marcus’s and Tristan’s houses more than he goes home.
An arm weaves around my waist and turns me more towards Marcus’s parents, and the heat of where he’s touching me and the rampant tingling of my skin let me know whose arm it is before I even look up to see Marcus’s face looking down at me with a huge grin. My fault really; I took my eyes off of him so I wouldn’t drown, and he seized the opportunity to sneak up on me.
