Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Wednesday Briefs: Super Trooper #27 (5.3)

Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

Chan has been caring for Evan at his apartment, after he was wounded in the line of duty. Everything is great until an unexpected visitor throws Chan for a loop. Balji arrives at his wife's behest to see if all is well with Chan. See what's happening in this week's chapter of Super Trooper. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them! Their links follow my tale!  Enjoy!

Super Trooper #27 (5.3)


Evan had agreed to meet Chan’s family without hesitation, instinctively sensing that accepting the invitation would please Chan greatly. He’d never been introduced to a lover’s family before. That only underscored the seriousness of the situation, at least as far as he was concerned.

Not to mention, he’d never felt this way about anyone before. He was both excited and nervous at the prospect of meeting them.

Chan’s family had to be nice, judging by the way Chan had turned out, he reminded himself. Not all families were like his own. Even though in his line of work, he’d seen a fair number who were too close for comfort, some of whom had done terrible things. Yes, there was good and evil in the world. Didn’t mean one had to accept it, or brood about it. That’s one reason he became a state trooper. To do what he could to right the wrongs mankind liked to inflict upon itself, at least on a small scale.

“I love you too,” he heard Chan murmur. He wound his arms around Chan, being careful of his injured wrist, which was already doing much better. As the doctor had told him, considering what had happened, it could have been a whole lot worse. At least his injury didn’t require any surgery. And he wouldn’t lose any function in his wrist either.

Evan gently stroked the top of Chan’s ear. These past few days had been the happiest of his life… and all because of Chan. Being with him every day—waking up together and going to bed together—was beyond wonderful. He hated to see it end. But after tomorrow, he wouldn’t have any excuse to impose upon Chan’s hospitality.

Unless…

“Chan,” he began softly, unsure just what he intended to say, and unsure how Chan might react to his idea. Spur of the moment? Maybe. Unprecedented? For him, yes. But that didn’t mean the thought hadn’t been in the back of his mind for the past few days, just now coming to fruition at the thought of their pending separation.

“Yes, Evan?” Chan’s face was tilted up toward him, his beautiful dark eyes like liquid pools of mocha flecked with gold, his lips so close and so very kissable.

“What would you say if I said I think we should live together?
* * * *
Chan thought his heart would stop at Evan’s unexpected words. Surely, he’d heard him wrong. Surely, he didn’t just suggest that they… as in the two of them… as in Evan and him… should… should actually live together… in the same home…

Caught by surprise, his mouth dropped open, and every coherent thought left his brain. Was this a dream? If so, please never let him wake. Words failed him at that moment, his heart too full of the love he bore this gentle loving man who made feel special, who made every day a great one just by being in Chan’s life…

He found himself searching Evan’s gorgeous jade eyes for something, and what he saw reflected there was nothing but love… and maybe a little apprehension? What was wrong? Belatedly, Chan realized he hadn’t said anything in response to Evan’s question, perhaps giving the impression he wasn’t willing. That was far from the truth, though. He didn’t have to think hard to know his answer.

“I would love to live together with you,” he blurted out, and was rewarded to see the slight frown lines on Evan’s face relax once more. “Are you… are you sure?”

“Very sure,” Evan assured him. “I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.”

Chan was sure too. Since he’d moved into his own apartment, he’d never had so much as a roommate, but when he was still at home, he’d had to deal with his siblings, who could be a handful at times. And every minute he and Evan had spent together during Evan’s convalescence had been golden. He couldn’t imagine waking up to find Evan’s side of the bed empty. He wouldn’t have to now.

Which brought up another question.

“Where shall we live?”

Apparently, Evan hadn’t thought about that either. They looked at one another and laughed.

“Good question,” Evan said. “You know what? I could use more tea, what about you?”

That opened a discussion of several minutes, with each one volunteering to wait on the other. In the end, they both went to the kitchen, boiled water in the kettle, and then steeped two cups of Darjeeling tea. Chan carried everything back to the living room where they seated themselves on the sofa, facing one another.

“How would you feel about giving up your apartment and moving into mine?” Evan asked. “Now, before you say anything”—he held up one hand, as if to ward off an argument which Chan might make—“let me just say that while your apartment is nice, mine’s a little bigger. Plus it’s closer to work for you. And closer to your family, right?”

Very valid arguments indeed. Especially being closer to Chan’s work and his family.

“It’s just a suggestion. I don’t want to force you into anything you’re not comfortable with,” Evan continued.

Chan had spent nights in Evan’s apartment, and was already comfortable with it. While he liked his own apartment, he wasn’t, as they say, wedded to it. In the end, it was just a place to live. He’d rather live anywhere with Evan than in a palace by himself. Not that he lived in a palace, far from it.

“I would love to move into your apartment, if you will have me.” Chan laid his hand on top of Evan’s in a gesture of confidence.

Evan’s smile was radiant. He enclosed Chan’s hand in his warm grasp. “I’m so glad. I didn’t know how I was going to leave you tomorrow.”

“Now you don’t have to.” Chan leaned toward Evan, and Evan toward him, and their lips met in the middle.

to be continued

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