LIGHTHEARTED
Marcus’s POV
Qiang’s laughter lights up the mostly dim kitchen. Tristan and Qi headed downstairs shortly after we got back from dinner, and Qiang and I made our way to the kitchen for a drink and haven’t left it yet.
The awkward tension from the restaurant is long gone, replaced by lighthearted, surface-level conversation. They are sitting at one of the barstools, their legs propped up on the stool in front of them, with their head tipped back with mirth as I regale them with some of Tristan’s, Darryl’s, and my crazy antics.
“Oh my god, that would have been a sight to see,” Qiang chuckles.
“It was; my mom scolded all three of us while she and Dawn worked to get the congealed flour out of our hair. And then she would stop long enough to scold Dawn because Dawn dismally failed at hiding her own amusement at the whole thing.” I laugh at the memory of a food experiment that had turned into a food fight in Tristan’s kitchen during our sophomore year of high school.
“Definitely sounds like Dawn,” Qiang agrees, reminding me that they’ve been close since they connected over Qi and Tristan’s prom.
Not gonna lie, I’m hoping they get close to my mom like that, too.Doesn’t hurt that my mom openly admires Qiang, and Qiang seems to really gravitate to her as well. Obviously, part of that hope is because of what Qiang and Icouldbe if I could somehow break down their walls and get them to really see me.
Beyond that, most of it is knowing that Qiang and Qi will be part of our family in some capacity, and, like anyone, I want that to be cohesive. I want Qiang to feel welcome in our family, because regardless of how they are part of it, they are still unequivocally part of it.
But instead of openly reflecting on any of the nice directions my thoughts are headed, when I open my mouth, it’s the jealousy from earlier that comes out.
“Gio seems to have some pretty big heart eyes for you.”
“I could say the same about Imani with you,” Qiang says.
I furrow my brow in confusion. “Who’s Imani?”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me?” Qiang mutters under their breath. “The gorgeous girl who was with Gio, who was looking at you like her next conquest. Ring any bells?” they say with a mixture of sarcasm and irritation, and I’m wondering if I wasn’t the only one stewing in jealousy tonight.
“Didn’t really notice. I was distracted by someone else,” I point out—no point in hiding it since it was obvious where my attention was throughout the entire dinner.
“Shameless,” Qiang scoffs with a blush.
I clear my throat. “So Gio could potentially be a hook-up for you?” I ask, not wanting to know the answer, but not wanting the conversation to end, and now I’ve landed on what could possibly be the worst fucking subject ever. I’m so fucking weird around Qiang; it drives me to distraction sometimes.
Qiang shakes their head. “Doubtful. He’s nice, but I know he’s a jock. Finding out after the fact is one thing; going into it knowing is different. It’s why anonymity works so well. It avoids these moral conundrums.”
“So you’ve hooked up with football jocks over the years?”
“Once or twice, but again, I didn’t know they were jocks until afterthe fact. I mean, sometimes you can tell just by looking at someone, but then again, some guys are just gym guys,” they point out.
“Do you have hook-up rules?” I ask, not really sure why I’m still stuck on a conversation I don’t really want to think about.
The thing is, I know they are like me. But they aren’t hung up on someone like I am. So them eventually hooking up with someone is pretty much written in stone. Just because I can’t seem to get my usual act together doesn’t meantheyhave any issue in that field at all. As much as I hate the thought, I don’t think I’m going to have much choice but to get used to the idea of Qiang sleeping with people who aren’t me.
“Doesn’t everyone?” They shrug it off like it’s no big deal.
“I guess so.”
“So what are yours?” they ask, and I guess it’s fair to answer first since I’m the one who brought it up.
“No repeats. Protection is non-negotiable. I don’t mind hickeys if they’re hidden, but I don’t like pain. It brings me out of the mood,” I list off.
Qiang nods their head. “I don’t really mind repeats, as long as emotions stay out of it and no one becomes enough of a habit for feelings to creep in. Obviously, protection is a necessity. Not a pain person, either, and no kissing. Ever.”
I raise an eyebrow at that. “Really? That’s like the best part.”
Qiang huffs. “And the most emotional one. Sex without kissing is perfunctory. It serves the purpose of getting off and having fun. Kissing makes it personal, and I don’t need that.”
“So like, have you ever kissed anyone at all?”
