❮❮❮Ash❯❯❯

"You shaved!" I grin at Nick as he comes down the patio steps showered and covered in a new set of boring clothes.

"Like the garden?" He asks, getting closer to me.

"I don't remember the pillars." Four stone pillars surround a generous patch of garden in a rectangle with shallow stone steps leading to a small fountain. It's all very retro.

"They are new, added for more privacy as well as more greenery." Nick points to the sprawling green vines bridging the pillars to the outer wall.

"Sit with me, right here." I pat at the step  below.

"Why?"

"To hug you from the back."

Nick smiles and lowers down. I lean on the pillar and make him lean on me. He chuckles, "I'm heavy."

"Shut up. Where is Buffy?" I drape my arms over his shoulders and press my cheek to his. Freshly shaved cheeks are the best in the world.

"Loading the dishwasher. He has manners. Unlike someone who refuses to pick his plate and wipes jizz in his host's bedsheet."

"If you keep comparing my habits to his I will..." I can't think of a threat right away because he is getting hold of my knees and extending my legs on his sides. I kind of forgot that he always does these little things. Correcting my limbs, arms and neck when I act as my sloth self.

"You will…?"

I push his shoulders away remembering why I am cross. "When your maid comes in next, I'll go to the kitchen naked and stand in front of her!!"

Nick starts laughing. Like, it's the best thing he has heard in months. Maybe it is. Who is here to entertain him like me?

How the fuck was he living all alone?

"Why didn't you call?" I ask the question I have been asking myself everyday since he has left.

He abruptly stops laughing and pulls my arms back around him.

Well, well.

Buffy thought that my rubbish teenage horny song was not worth sharing. It has done its job now. Didn't it?

"Did you miss me very much?" I ask and place my feet in between his giant thighs. If he gets up now I'll be riding his back like a monkey.

He nods and leans his head on my chest.

I'm dead.

Like, how did that happen? If I had known all it would take him to lean on my chest was this separation I would have done it… I don't know… it is not that easy. I sigh and rub my nose on his jaw.

"Was it really bad? Did you write my name on toilet walls?"

He doesn't laugh. "I should have called. I'm sorry. It is stupid. I didn't know what to say."

"You should talk. With the people you love. If not, Buffy will lecture you."

He chuckles. "His lectures are good."

"Ew. You didn't hear them day in and day out. But not knowing what to say is no excuse. If you had called I'd have talked for both of us."

His fingers gently brush against my knuckles making me glue to his body. Sex is definitely not enough. There is so much of him. Like beyond sex. Like so much Nick to explore beyond his carrot.

"I thought missing you was bad. But when I thought of calling you it somehow made the missing worse. But not talking to you was the worst. Sorry."

"Good. But I already forgave you."

"Why?"

"You own a copy of all my songs, even the single you hate. Why did you buy that?"

He shrugs. "It's yours."

"You are the best!"

"I was planning to surprise you by dropping in at some concert," he says.

"Wait at the back stage to say boo?"

He chuckles, "like you tried today?"

"Tried? You were totally shocked! Admit it." I shake his shoulders.

He turns his face to mine, "I was and I am happy you are here now, though I don't know what to do with you."

And that's it. He didn't ask me why I didn't call him. If this was Buffy he would have made a huge deal. Well, if it was Buffy he would have called me the very next day and given one of his martyr speeches and had me flying in the next available flight. Well, if it was Buffy, he wouldn't have chosen himself over me in the first place. He wouldn't have left me at all. Which is bad.

They are so very different and yet so very in sync with me. We are a fucking fabulous package.

I kiss his cheek. "Do what you always do."

"Which is?"

"Be Nick. Now the great boyfriend of Buffy and Ash."

He scoffs. "Great? I have not been in any romantic relationship. And now you want me to be in two at the same time and be great at it?"

"Me too. Only Buffy has experience in relationships. But who cares. You will be great. We will all be great."

He watches a nameless grey bird taking flight from the lawn.

"Won't you be jealous if I date Rob?"

I kiss him again. "Have you seen his eyes? Do you know how it feels when he looks at you with those two eyes? It's like…"

"Soft… so soft and all consuming."

"Yeah." I sigh. We are forming a fan club for Buffy. Right here. It has two members with life long membership.

"Exactly like yours."

I'm stumped. Like… Do they both have a fan club for me? Like, to talk about my eyes and dick and my awesomeness?

"I know." I say, even though I don't. How didn't I know that I gazed like Buffy? I didn't know I could look like butter!!

He pats my hand and laughs. "Do you now? Liar."

I huff and snuggle. "Buffy says I'm super vain. Like narcissistic."

"You are many things, Ash."

It is the truth. I came here prepared to convince Nick to make Buffy a part of us. But when he said he would like something with Buffy but not me I was surprisingly okay with just standing on the sidelines. At least for the time being. Maybe I am just like Buffy. A tiny bit.

"All I want is for us to be together. You can date him. But don't you dare hurt him a third time."

"Third?"

"You hurt him very badly back when he was new."

He turns around and sits facing me, with a pinched forehead. "When?"

I hug him tightly and it feels super awesome to feel his giant arms around my back. Stupid Nick is finally giving me hugs.

"What's it?" He asks, soothing me with his voice and hands.

"He cried, Nick. Like so much pain. You have to make it up to him. He thinks he is a rat. Fucking do something!" I punch his bicep.

"Oh…"

I look up. "Yeah, oh! What the fuck were you thinking? Do you know how difficult it is to seduce him? He volunteered you a kiss and what did you do? Broke him!"

"Shit."

"What's he even doing? I have so many things to do. We are losing light!"

"Why do we need the light?"

"Photos! BUFFY!"

❮❮❮Rob❯❯❯

I'm standing in the kitchen watching the dishwasher instead of opening the door and going to the garden.

Boss is sitting in the open circle of Ash's arms. They both look so happy.

I don't want to intrude. It is their moment.

I have read about relationships involving three people after Ash brought it up. There are a lot of challenges and so many fine lines to consider.

I have not been too concerned about the nuances. Deep down I have believed Boss won't accept me.

But Boss has shattered that belief. He wants something with me. He has kissed me and let me make love to him. I grip the counter and close my eyes. This memory, today, is enough for me. I have lived a million years today.

I will happily let them be together instead of worrying over what I should or shouldn't do when they are hugging or kissing or laughing.

It is confusing. That I have to participate and yet should not be overbearing.

It is easier to wait for the dishwasher to finish.

An ear splitting call of my name punctures my bubble.

There goes my dilemma.

I fully open the door and walk over to them.

Ash grins wide the moment he notices me.

"It's a good thing there are no houses close by. Otherwise neighbors would think there is a monster called Buffy." I say as I come to a halt in front of them.

Boss pats the step below him. "My ears would bleed if they're not dead already."

"Ha… ha… ha… sit down, Buffy. Face diagonally and here…" He presses his phone in my hand.

"What am I doing?" I sit down.

"Smile and click on the red circle when we all look pretty." Ash says and leans back on the pillar behind him.

Boss leans on him and wraps his arm across my chest and pulls me closer to his body.

Oh, Jesus.

I lift the phone with nervous fingers.

We are all wearing casual clothes. Old t-shirts and track pants. If Ash isn't complaining I'm not going to. Ash is wearing clothes that's all I'm concerned about.

"Say cheese." Ash says and shows all his teeth. Boss and I laugh at that face and it is pretty in my book.

But Ash thinks otherwise and drags us around the garden taking picture after picture.

"Why do you need so many, Ash?" Boss asks when he forces us all down on the grass sprawled out like a three pointed star, holding our hands, while his phone is hanging down from a cradle made of vines.

"Shut up and smile."

Of course we don't know how to smile like Ash. We try.

"SMILE!" He screams and then gives up and starts taking photos of our feet together. Just feet. Six Big toes decorated by tiny ones.

No faces. No instruction to smile.

"Thank you, Jesus." I mutter to myself. But Boss hears it anyway and smiles at me and I smile back and Ash goes, "Aaaaah!!!! Why can't you do this when I ask!"

I shrug. "You are a bad director."

Boss groans, "you said that on purpose."

I just grin. I missed this. This thing we have. I'm relieved we still have this. Sex hasn't ruined it.

We spend another twenty minutes under Ash's directions and take a million more pictures.

Sudden inspiration strikes him and his eyes light up.

"Important pose! Nick, lift me up! Bridal style!" He pushes the phone into my palm and stands in front of Boss.

Boss sweeps him off his feet, without question. By this point we will do anything to get this ordeal done.

I barely click a snap when Ash starts wiggling down.

"This is not the pose! Put me down."

"This is the bridal lift. Is it not?" Boss asks me, confused.

"It is." I assure him. I can't keep the smile back. We are taking bridal pictures. Jesus.

"This is horizontal! I want vertical! Like lift me above you and our heads should touch."

"Oh. Okay." Boss wastes no time in lifting Ash.

Ash bends his right knee just so and looks down at Boss with a grand smile.

Boss smiles back.

I tap and tap and tap the heck out of his phone.

Ash gives him a kiss before landing on the grass.

"Next you." Ash points at me.

I put my hand out to Boss to give the phone but Ash grabs it. "No, you lift Nick."

My breath hitches.

"What!!" Boss cries, "he can't. Do you know how much I weigh?"

"Of course I can," I say, offended that he thinks I can't.

"He can. Now go, we are losing light!"

I don't think we will lose light for another three hours. Ash is just extra.

"No. It's risky. He may hurt his back." Boss stares at me critically. Assessing.

I'm becoming as eager as Ash to do this. "Stand on the top stair, just for a second. I won't strain myself. I promise."

Ash drags Boss to the set of stairs around the pillar garden. "Stop worrying. He won't drop you."

"Please…" I say and take a wide stand in front of him.

Boss sighs. "Root through the heels and engage the core, slightest twinge—"

He stops his instructions as I spread my fingers in his waist. I give him a cheeky smile. "I know. Just relax and stay light on your feet."

He raises his eyebrows. "I know."

"Oh my God. Do it already!" Ash cries. He is precariously kneeling with one knee on the grass, angling the phone in an odd angle.

"You need to stand," I inform him.

He rolls his eyes but obeys.

"Ready?" I ask Boss.

He nods. I nod. I'm nervous. I want to do it right. I want to lift him up above me and have him gaze down at me and… I just want to.

I take a large breath and do everything I should do for a steady weight lift.

With one loud hump I have him up in the air with a loud gasp.

Actually I don't know who gasped. We are both wide eyed and staring at each other as if the other is going to drop dead. His hands land on my shoulders and years of training pays off.

I stand still.

"That's enough!" Boss says, looking oddly excited.

"SMILE!" Ash cries.

I take a step sideways, testing my ability.

"ROB!" Boss screams and his fingers grip my shoulders harder.

I take the split second decision.

In quick bursts I swirl him around and Boss screams louder than Ash has ever done.

When I let go of his waist we are both laughing, breathless and shaky.

He leans on me for support and l feel stupidly happy.

His right arm curves on my lower back. He looks up at my face and presses hard on my spine with his palm. "Any pain?"

I grin proudly. "No."

"Idiot." He is smiling and this is how flying must feel. Airy and boneless.

"Wonderful." Ash calls out and my face grows warm.

Christ, he is gonna tease me to death.

"I took brilliant pictures and videos!" Ash waves his phone and places it on a pillar's decorative curve and announces, "now, me!"

Boss chuckles and winks at me. "Let's see how you do."

"What do you—" then it clicks in my brain.

Boss steps back and Ash steps forward.

"No!" I say alarmed.

"I promise to not drop you, Buffy. Come on."

"Boss, you can't be okay with this!"

"You walked into it."

"You will break your bones!"

"I won't! I have been lifting weights!"

I snicker at that. "Those are baby weights! We didn't even have two pound dumbbells! Seb got them just for you."

"He is lifting weights?" Boss asks, surprised.

Ash grins at him. "I have so many surprises for you."

And my heart brims with love. I can let him try. But his bones are important to me.

"Come on, tell me how to lift you." Ash claps his hands.

"Help me, Boss."

He chuckles again. "All right. Fact is, Ash can't lift you up. We need props to balance your weight."

"I CAN!"

Boss pets his nose. "If you train as per my instruction manual for the next twelve months, you can."

Ash huffs, "I hate that manual."

"Then props it is," Boss says and his gaze roams over my body and, "actually, I can hold on to his legs from the back while you grab his waist."

After four failed attempts and fits of laughter, I find myself holding on to Boss with my shins and Ash with my forearms—everything being captured in Ash's phone.

"Put your forehead on mine!"

"Impossible." I grit out. Boss is behind me, gripping my thighs and roaring with laughter.

"Don't be mean, Buffy."

"It's physically impossible. You are already shaking!"

"Do it!" His lean fingers dig up my hip bones.

Boss takes pity on me, and moves a step forward and lifts me a bit higher.

I sigh and put my head on top of Ash's.

"I love you," he says and I blink and lean away to look at him properly.

And then I'm lost in his gaze. In his love.

"Kiss me," he whispers.

Boss loosens his grip on my legs and I'm finally able to stand on my feet and grant Ash's wish.

"I'm so horny right now," he declares when we part.

Boss sits down on the steps. "I'll just rest here. You guys go ahead."

Ash drops down on his laps. "Buffy will fuck you and I will fuck him. Okay?"

Boss grins, "I don't do ass."

Ash rolls his eyes. "Sure you do."

"From where does he get his ideas?" Boss questions me.

I place my hands on my cheeks to stop the burning and shake my head, "not from me." I have no clue about his preferences in bed. All I know is the moans he can draw out when he blows a stranger.

Ash punches his chest. "Stop trying to be so mysterious. Milo told me."

I gulp at that information. How did Milo know?

"This is why you shouldn't give him a Secpho. He found the weakest link."

"I'll give him a call." I murmur, and think of the things to ask him.

"If you terrorize him, I'll kill you." Ash snarls and turns to Boss, "so, ready?"

Boss hugs him closer to his body. "My… highway as you call it, is under repair. I can't do it."

Oh… his piles.

"What do you mean repair?" Ash asks, upset and worried.

If I let Boss explain, he may end up giving Ash a long winded explanation and make him more worried.

I sit down next to Boss and wrap an arm around Ash's back. "He has little nasty bumps on the highway. They need to smooth out on their own. Otherwise they will—"

"I don't need a lecture, Buffy. I know piles." He shuts me off and looks up at Boss. "You fuck me, I will fuck Buffy. Okay?"

I choke on a laugh. Boss shakes with it.

Ash slaps his shoulder. "What now?"

Boss rubs the tip of his nose against Ash's. "The thing with the baby carrot is, it can work only once in twenty four hours."

Ash gasps. "I should have known. All these hot muscles need a caveat! That's your rotten carrot!"

Boss twists his ear. "Rotten? Who finished last? You both took your sweet time sitting on it. Fuck. I can't believe I just defended my dick."

I erupt in laughter and when I finish I have two pairs of eyes on me.

Christ, why are they staring at me?

Ash gives me a searing kiss and gets up. "I have work to do. I'll be right back. Stay here."

He saunters off leaving me in a mess of emotions under the green sky of the garden.

"What is he up to?" Boss asks.

I'm suddenly struck by the fact that we are alone. Our thighs are touching slightly and it is too much. I watch the twines running across the pillars covered with lush vines above our heads and wonder how long this will last. This weird uneasiness of having him so close to me. It is following me like a shadow. I can't shake it off.

He wants you, Rob. It is okay to touch him.

"Rob?"

I clear my throat. "Do you remember the last time he made us do this?"

"When? I would remember if I was forced to smile this much."

"Not photos. He made us stand still to draw portraits."

"Oh, that. I remember that night." His voice drops a few decibels.

"He has a video of us talking. Recorded us. The whole conversation."

He turns his head in surprise and I almost forget my next words.

Keep talking, Rob. And breathe.

"It's with the mirror. You could see both our faces. Staring at each other," I stop to collect my thoughts. "What I mean to say is, photos can't be worse than that. It's just stills of our feet and face and h—" I all together forget what I plan to say.

Boss has his eyes on me and he is speaking. "Do you know when I stared at you for the first time?"

I shrug, going for nonchalance. "Recruitment." He scrutinized everyone with eagle eyes.

"Wrong."

It's my turn for surprise. "Then?"

"On your first Friday night training at the academy, I was in Martin's office. Staring at you for god knows how long. I asked him, 'who is the tall twig of a boy sweating the blood he doesn't have?' I knew you would be in my team that night. I called dibs on you and went home thinking about you for no good reason."

The garden is too silent. I think about birds because I can't think about what he just said and not ask for more of such confessions. Tell me everything. Make me feel good with your words. That will be needy and vain.

Boss decides to make me vain on his own. "That was just the first of my staring. I often catch myself watching you. I always have to remember not to do it. You were… when you leaned for… I regret that night, Rob. I'm sorry for—"

I stop him, "please, no. You don't have to explain."

He smiles, sad and somber. "You deserve to know what a fuck up I am. I fucked up that night and spent numerous nights playing it out differently. At the least, I should have told you why I couldn't do it. I thought it was the right thing to do. I thought I shouldn't start anything with a much younger man who worked for me. I still think it was the right thing. I just wish it was different. You drove me crazy. Fuck. Oh, fuck."

He closes his eyes and leans his head back on the pillar.

His admission is not what I expected to hear. If only he had hinted it back then... I would have... I don't know what I'd have done.  I don't know what to do now. I tentatively place a hand on his arm, "Boss…"

His eyes open and he smiles, "Nick. Will you ever use it?"

"It's difficult. You are always Boss."

His hands move about and he has my face in his hands before I can blink. "Say it. Nick."

I wet my lips. "Nick."

"Again."

"Nick."

"Again."

"Nick…"

"Again."

"Boss…"

He kisses me. So very slow. His lips gently press against mine and his tongue slowly slides over the brims. He kisses me like I'm the last scoop of ice cream left on the earth. Excruciatingly slow and gentle. Savoring every lick and bite. I'm melting though. I want him to hurry up and finish me.

"Boss…"

"Nick…"

It takes everything in me to not take over the kiss. I inhale a shaky breath and exhale his name, "Nick… Nick… Nick… Nic—"

The kiss moves forward and lets me peacefully melt in his mouth.

"This is how I dream of that night," he whispers.

I shudder at that. "I had no idea. I thought…" I can't finish that sentence. I can't say what I thought. It is self deprecating and pathetic.

His thumb wipes over my left cheek.

Stupid tears.

"Rob, I like you. I have liked you for years. I want to try every crazy thing Ash has planned for us and date you and see where this goes."

I love you. I want to say. I shouldn't. Like always, he is right. We don't know where this can go. Ash and him are in a unique place but him and I are in the regular relationship lane. He just admitted his attraction to me. I can't confess my love.

"Are you okay with polyamorous relationship? We never finished that talk." I ask.

We ate food, cooked food, they took showers and ate again and here we are.

He chuckles and kisses my cheek. It is more intimate than the kiss we just shared. It is so intimate I want to cry shedding big fat tears.

"I ran off from LA wanting to figure out my shit and spent months here listless and frustrated. It took for the two of you, --the same two people who I was running away from-- gracing my door steps to give me a real smile. I have not been this peaceful in a long time. I am happy. I can almost believe that I conjured up both of you out of pure desperation. This is a dream. A dream I didn't know I needed."

"But do you like the dream?"

"Very much. So very much."

My heart goes to this weird pace where it doesn't know how to do it's one job. I gently ease back on the pillar. I can't speak when he looks at me like that. Boss mirrors my position. We are just two men leaning on a pillar with shoulders brushing together.

I can handle that much.

"I was thinking about what you said earlier. About Ash's wealth and media. I don't know how this is going to work. Ash doesn't seem to worry about it."

"I'm sorry I upset you."

"You were trying to help. I was too caught up on this… today… I wasn't thinking about the future. I didn't think I could have that kind of future with both of you."

He hums. "We will take it slow. I agree, there is a lot to discuss and I have zero idea how to be in a relationship. I suppose we should date a lot. Get to know each other. How does it work? Do all three of us go somewhere together?"

I slightly turn. Because I can't handle not looking at him. "From what I have read, there are different types of dating. But Ash thinks dating is overrated."

His brows knit together in thought. "Well, he can't go on a movie date unless the whole theatre is empty."

"I think that's why he doesn't want them." I kind of understand what Ash wanted me to understand about his life.

He sits straighter and crosses his ankles. "Let's see what we can do. How long is he off the radar?"

"Another eight days, until his next recording. I can't believe we spent almost the whole day and yet didn't speak of anything important."

He nods in understanding. "Ash hates discussing important stuff."

"He hates me when I point it out."

He laughs, "I can imagine. Are you planning on continuing the job?"

I gulp at the question. "I honestly didn't believe you would agree. I have to resign now. Don't I?"

He shrugs. "You should discuss this with him. You already know what I will say."

"Look for another job," I guess.

He leans his head on my shoulder. I want to cry.

"No. Learn something you have interest in."

Oh.

"Jonas is going to university this fall. He got the letter yesterday."

He takes my hand in his. "I always knew he would get in. Do you want to go to university?"

"Jesus, no." I tentatively slot our fingers together. It feels surreal.

"What do you like to do?"

I think about it half heartedly. "Ash is pestering me to try editing. He thought my video was nice. The one I sent you."

He lifts his head up and studies my face. "Do you like editing?"

"I just use a software Boss. It's no big deal."

He lifts his eyebrows in silent reproach.

"I like doing it, Nick. But only for people I know personally. I made one after Ava's birthday party."

"I love my video. You won't believe how many times I have watched it. And if Ash says it is good, it is high praise. He has an eye for such things. Think about it. I'm sure you don't have to go to university to learn it. You can figure out later if you want to do it for a price."

He gently squeezes my fingers, reminding me of our contact.

"Did you figure out?" I ask.

He leans back on my shoulder and I find the courage to scoot closer to him.

"I haven't figured anything out. I decided it is okay."

"It is," I say.

"Now I don't have time to think about it. Ash has given me new problems to solve."

"You don't have to worry about his security. Only Kester knows where we are."

"What about future trips? Are we doing long distance? He is going to keep flying back and forth. This is going to put you in limelight soon enough if you don't quit. You have no self control."

I gulp at the remark. "I don't do anything in public."

"Today, you kissed him multiple times just for the sake of it. It's bound to happen when in company sooner or later. It is risky. "

"I…" I stop not knowing what to say.

He lifts our connected hands and kisses mine softly. "I know," he whispers.

I close my eyes. How is this my life?

He lets go of my hand and sits up.

"I'm telling you this so that you are aware of the risks. I'm not trying to convince you against this. Us. But at the same time I don't want you to be pressured by Ash or me… we will try to do the whole poly dating under the radar. So that you will be free to decide when the time comes." He turns his head and stares at me. "If you don't like our dynamics, promise me Rob. You should tell us and let go. There will be no percussion for you."

Again, I want to tell him, I love you. I won't ever want an out. But it is too naive. What if he wanted an out? I ask him something else.

"Is it weird? With Ash? It is surreal for me to watch when you give him a hug or a kiss. It feels strange for me to sit so close to you. I don't know if this is normal." Somehow being naked in bed was easier than sitting closer when dressed.

Boss… Nick nods his head and leans back on the pillar. "It is hard with you. I have so many suppressed feelings that it's hard to space it out and not smother you with all of my stuff."

I bite my tongue if not I'll say, smother me. Me too. I too have so much.

Thankfully he is not looking at me, so he continues. "With Ash, it is different. It is not something I had all along, sex wasn't something that mattered. I don't know if I can explain. This situation reminds me of a story."

The living room patio door opens and Ash sprints to us on full speed. I grin and brace for the impact.

He falls on both of us. His head lands on my lap. I never understood his trust with falling on people. He'll just drop and expect the people under him to carry his weight. It's his favorite stunt.

"What are you guys talking about?" His butt is on both our knees. I stretch my legs further so that it is somewhat comfortable for him.

"Story. Bo… Nick is going to tell a story." I say and feel myself blush.

Jesus Christ, it is just a name.

"Nick, huh? Huh?" Ash's face dances around mine as I try to avoid his gaze.

"Leave him alone." Boss, no, Nick says.

"I left you together for a second and now you are both chummy chummy."

"We are always chummy," he replies.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's get on with the story."

Nick takes hold of his legs and extends them. "I forgot what I was going to say."

I chuckle at the familiarity of that notion. It is an Ash effect. Oh, yes. "Story about kissing Ash." I remind him.

Ash sits up. "WHAT? When did you kiss me? Why do you guys kiss me when I am not awake to appreciate it?"

Nick grabs his hands, "not a real life story. It is fiction about a prince and his servant."

"Sounds sexy."

"Let him first tell it, Ash."

"Okay, okay." Ash settles on my chest and plucks Nick's collar. I press the whole of my side to his and feel fuzzy when his rock hard muscles flex at the contact.

Nick clears his throat.

"As I said, Once there was a prince. He had a loyal, personal servant. The prince was very attached to his servant and the servant would do anything for his prince. When the time came for the prince to select a bride, he couldn't pick one. He found faults at all the ladies. The servant wasn't ready to marry when his prince was still single. Years went by like this. The king got tired and ordered the servant to find out exactly what his son expected in his bride. The servant set out to find his master's dreams. One evening he gently asked his prince,

'How do you imagine your life with your wife to be?'

The prince tried to come up with things he wanted in his future life but he couldn't think of any because he had everything in his present life, right now. That's when he realized what he wanted or rather who he wanted. So he asked the servant, 'will you do anything for me?'

The servant said, 'yes, my prince.'

'Anything?'

'Yes.'

'Will you marry me?' he asked.

The servant said yes. The king was not happy but he had many heirs to worry over so he blessed the union. The servant became the prince's husband.

A few days after the wedding, a royal court lady asked the servant, 'how is being the prince's husband? So much changed for you.'

The servant shrugged. 'Nothing has changed.'

'Nothing?' the lady was surprised. 'there must be something new.' she pressed.

The servant thought for a moment. 'oh, I don't know if this is important. But before, I could only kiss his feet, but now I can kiss his lips too,' he said. That's the story. Well, that's not the whole story but that's how I feel about kissing you." He finishes and I understand.

For him, sexual intimacy with Ash is just an extension of their deep shared connection. It's new but not strange for him.

"Am I your prince?" Ash asks.

"Yes," Nick says.

Ash lifts his right leg in front of his face. "Kiss my feet then."

Nick chuckles and presses it back down. "You are a brat."

"You can't take that back, Nick. I'm your prince and I expect you to bath me, clothe me and kiss me and blow me and be my slave."

"That wasn't the point of the story at all." I say.

Nick straightens up and looks at Ash. "Speaking of stories, do you know there are stories about you on the internet? Badly written sex stories."

"Yeah?" Ash says, confused.

I'm confused too. Ash knows there are fanfictions. Once an interviewer had some questions about it. Maybe Boss isn't aware.

He narrows his eyes. "You already know? Doesn't it make you angry? That people think it's okay to write about your body in such a way? It wasn't even a very teasing photo. Just an open shirt!"

Ash crawls over to Boss' lap and hugs him.

"I can't speak for others, Nick. But if I see a photo of half revealing boobs or half down underwear I don't care about the person in the photo. It's the body. If it turns me on then so be it. I'm a pervert."

That's… I can't do that… at all. I don't know how that even works.

Boss shakes his head. "That's different. You don't publicly advertise what is going on in your brain and make others fall for it too."

I suddenly remember Ash's sexy song diary and blush anew.

Ash grins. "Hah! Nick, admit that you fell for it! Did you wank reading sex scenes about me?"

Boss snorts. "I have reported them to Kester. There were many. I flagged them all."

Ash laughs hard. "You are too precious. Come on, let's go inside." He stands up and gives me a hand. As if.

I swat it and stand up.

"I'll be back in a minute." Boss gets up.

"Where are you going?" Ash frowns.

"Just a quick perimeter check."

"Boss, it's my job now."

"It's no one's job. We are on vacation."

We both ignore him.

"You don't know the place. I'll not be able to relax."

I can understand his need to be careful. We did take all precautions so that no media leaks could happen of Ash's location. But one never knows.

"You worry too much! That's why your carrot shrunk!"

I drag Ash with me as Boss starts towards the main gate with a chuckle.

❮❮❮Ash❯❯❯

"Are you happy?" I ask Buffy.

He nods and continues drinking the water.

"Really happy?" I ask again.

He nods again and puts the bottle back in the fridge and pulls me to him. "I am happy."

"Am I allowed to say, 'I told you so?' or is it too narcissistic of me?"

He smiles, "you already did that. When we were in bed."

I can't remember. I shrug, "how happy are you? On a scale of Nick's dick to yours?"

He blushes beautifully and scolds me. "Will you please lay off the dick jokes?"

I pull his head down, "how happy?"

He sighs and kisses my forehead and walks back to the living room.

I follow him because I want a big kiss. And a mega hug. I gave him everything I promised. I fucking got us together. It's going to be awesome here on out. Everything is going as per my plan.

He slumps down on the couch and I settle next to him. "Well?"

"This… all of this, feels too much. Too good to be true. I feel like someone is going to jump out and say 'caught you, Rob!' I'm scared. I don't know how to be happy without being scared. When I stop to think about it, I can almost believe that I am going to mess this up. I didn't expect this, Ash. I don't know how to absorb this… Boss… liking me…"

It's me, who gives him a mega hug with my two measly hands. "I was scared. Wasn't I? It is okay to be scared. Not very scared. That's bad. Just a bit. Like, I saw a baby video. He was this squishy little thing trying to get down from the bed. But he was scared. But he was happy to try. Like, he wiggles his diaper-ass teeny tiny bit and looks down at the floor and wiggles again and laughs like he is on hydrogen gas. Have you ever inhaled that gas? It makes you crazy. Like, you keep laughing for no reason. I saw a video. You will laugh just seeing them laugh like stupid."

Buffy starts laughing into my neck and hugs me super tight, making my toes tingle.

"Jesus Christ, Ash. I love you. And it is nitrous oxide not hydrogen."

"I don't fucking care what it is." I murmur. I must have died. I'm in heaven.

He chuckles, "I know," and then he looks up with butter eyes and then kisses me. My toes fall off and my lips are numb and it is the best fucking feeling in the whole fucking universe.

My phone buzzes on the table.

Oh, it's time.

"NICK!!"

Buffy groans. "Now what?"

Nick comes in through the kitchen. This house is a fucking maze, really.

"It's all clear."

I roll my eyes. "I told you. Come on, sit down. Let's call Hen."

"What?" Buffy shrieks at the same time Nick freezes, middle of taking a step.

And people call me dramatic.

"No… he can't have any shocking news," Nick says and hurries over to sit down next to me.

"Wrong, he can't have any prolonged stress. Also, I checked with Sara and made sure he watched some gay stuff as ground work for this."

"Shouldn't we do this in person?" Buffy asks.

"No time. I have other people to inform. I'm on a schedule here. I'm starting with Hen."

"People? Schedule? When did you schedule?" Nick asks, crossing his arms.

"Last week."

Buffy scowls. "What schedule? You didn't tell me about any schedule."

I wave an arm, "you'd have started worrying over it."

"How did you make plans about this… dating thing even before talking to me?" Nick asks.

Dating thing? Hah!

"I knew you would agree," I say and get up. I need my iPad.

"What if I had said no?"

I grin at him. "You would not. You love me."

I go to the bedroom looking for my tablet.

"How can he be this confident about something that isn't in his control?" Buffy asks.

"Right? It's my love. I should be the one telling him."

"I don't understand him."

"But it's not over confidence in my case."

"I know."

"He wasn't always like this."

I smile hearing their back and forth and shout from the bedroom. "I can hear you! Keep talking."

They go silent. I grab the tablet and come back to the couch.

Hen picks up the call right away.

"Hi, Hen!" I grin and wave my hand.

"Seeing your teeth is the best way to start my day."

I laugh and show him my back teeth.

"Nice photo! Is that Yosemite?" He points behind me.

I tilt my body to see it. There is a waterfalls picture.

"Hi, Rob! Didn't see you there." Hen greets. Because I have tilted the angle of the tablet and now Hen can see Buffy next to me. Nick is still out of the frame.

By the look on his face he wants to stay out of it.

Tough.

"Hi, Henry. How are you?" Buffy smiles like he is going to be executed.

This is Hen. I don't know why they are scared of him. I put the tablet on the table so that the whole couch is in focus.

"Good, good. how are— Nick? When did you come back?" Hen's eyes bulge out in surprise. I wish I could hug him. Distance sucks.

"Henry..." Nick drags out.

"He didn't fly his lazy ass. We came here." I put in.

"I thought you were angry with him."

"Not anymore. I want to make an announcement about my relationship. Listen."

Buffy's knuckle bones pop up on his thigh next to me. Nick takes a deep breath. Weirdly, seeing them tense makes me calmer.

Hen doesn't notice them. "Oh, God. Finally. Go ahead, go ahead. I was waiting forever to hear this!"

"I'm in love with Nick Glenli and Robin Torres."

I move closer to the screen to see his reaction. He blinks and blinks again.

"Wait, what? What happened to F?" He asks slowly.

He doesn't look stressed. Good.

Nick growls. "How did I fucking forget about her?"

"Who is F?" Buffy asks behind me.

"Ash's girl. He was in love with her." Nick answers him.

"What?" Buffy's voice cracks.

"I thought she had you wrapped around her little finger." Hen laments.

"AAAAHHH." I scream.

Hen completely missed the whole poly relationship thing!

I look between Hen and Nick. "I give you sixty seconds to figure this out. Stop being dumb and start using your heads!"

"You love a girl?" Buffy asks, his eyes clouded. "Why—"

I yank his arm. "Shush for a minute."

Nick rubs his mouth with his right hand and stares at my fingers around Buffy's arm.

He figured it out.

Hen moans on the screen. "Who the heck would create a nickname out of another nickname using a freaking middle letter?"

I cackle. "You are both close minded idiots!"

Buffy shakes my arm. "I don't get it."

"You are F. We just assumed he was talking about some girl he met somewhere. There was never a girl." Nick says and runs his hand over his face. "How did I fucking miss this when it was happening right under my nose?"

Buffy still looks lost. But I don't have time to explain it. I have to hide all phones.

Hen sighs, "I was so sure it was that cute Fefe from Rio."

I snicker, I don't even remember her. "Pathetic, Hen. Now that I have crushed your arrogant ass, can you acknowledge what I told you?"

Hen rakes his hands over his shiny head. "These two hooligans? Couldn't you find anybody else?"

For some reason his rude comment relaxes both Nick and Buffy. I'll never try to understand thug life. It's illogical.

"As you know very well, I found so many but hand picked these two."

Hen sighs. "And of course you want two of them. One won't do for you."

I burst out laughing. "I miss you so much. You were right Buffy. I should have told Hen in person. I want to eat that face!"

"Stop your kinky stuff," Hen says.

"Your loss. Anyways, that's the news. I'm officially in a poly relationship with Nick and Buffy. Are you happy for us?"

He smiles, "I am surprised. Only a bit. I should have expected something of this sort. Knowing you, there is no way you would have settled for a boilerplate relationship. The nedia is going to have a field day when this gets out. But that's for another day. I'm happy, my boy. I have a big speech prepared. You know, for your girlfriend. It's useless now."

"Oh my God! Do you have a 'Ash quiz'? You are my best friend!"

"It's not a quiz. More like precautions."

He laughs as I glare at him.

"Get lost. Bye."

"Wait… I want to talk to Nick and Buffy."

"Do it later. Is it time already? Oh, it is. Hen, check your Twitter. Bye." I cut the call.

Oh, breathe. Breathe. It's all going to be fine.

"Give me your phone." I ask Nick, who points at the table. "Oh, good." I get up. "Buffy, yours?"

"Why? What is there on Twitter?" He grows suspicious and his phone starts ringing.

He jumps up and takes the phone from his pocket. "It's Tolan."

Nick's phone starts ringing on the table.

Nick peers down at it like it's a dead bug and whispers. "Marty."

I grab Nick's phone, silence it and stuff it in my pants.

My phone buzzes on cue. It's Kid. I stuff it in my other pocket.

"What the fuck did you do?" Buffy's hands shake as he unlocks the phone.

I reach for his phone. But he takes two huge back steps away from me and it's too late. His eyes grow wide as he looks at the screen. "You didn't!"

"It's just an announcement. We have to ignore it for today." I say and follow him to get his phone.

He stops walking backwards and stares at me with blazing eyes. I pluck the phone from his hand and start running.

He will kill me for sure if I stay in his vicinity.

Before I can go a safe distance, he catches hold of my arm in a tight grip and turns me around. His phone flies from my hand.

Buffy barely registers it. Which is concerning. He is really mad.

He proves it by gritting out his words. "You need his fucking consent! You can't do shit like that without asking him!"

Consent? What the fuck?

"Buffy, you didn't ask me before seducing me!"

"I didn't seduce you!"

"You burst my fucking clocks."

"I know nothing of your fucking clocks!"

"You did a strip tease! Did you ask my permission?"

"When did I—" he looks confused for a second and then his face clears, "I was getting into a fucking pool! And this is not about me you idiot. It's about him!" He points in the direction of the couch. Where Nick is still sitting like a statue.

"What about him?"

"We had months to discuss this, Ash. But we dumped everything on him today and you went and told the whole damn world when he wants to take things slow."

"What slow? He literally told me he wants to marry me and kiss my feet!" I stomp one of the said feet in frustration.

"IT WAS A FUCKING STORY!"

"STOP FUCKING SCREAMING!"

Buffy shudders and unfurls his fingers and massages my arm. "You don't understand." He whispers.

I clearly don't.

"Did you want to do the proposing? Because Nick doesn't want to. Do you remember? He told us in our happy hour."

Buffy groans, again angry. "Fuck you. It doesn't mean you can completely skip that part!"

"Talk for yourself!"

"Oh, yeah? Ash, tell me then. Where the fuck is my fucking ring?"

❮❮❮Nick❯❯❯

My brain is frozen.

It takes me forever to even blink.

They are still shouting at each other. I look at my tablet on the sofa table, debating if I want to really know what he tweeted. I haven't yet processed Henry's acceptance. I don't know if I am ready for Ash's tweet.

I can almost guess it.

One of the photos.

My blood turns cold thinking of all our poses. I was so drunk in joy to not foresee this. Ash is impulsive and now he has to face the shitstorm. We all have to. His whole career is done for.

Did he tag the location in the picture?

That springs me into action. I pick my tablet and open the twitter app with a wildly slamming heart. I follow only a handful of people, it shouldn't be hard to locate his tweet.

It is the first tweet in my feed.

My body slowly settles down as I see the photo. There is no location tag. It is just our photo and two simple sentences. It is posted from his main account managed by his PR team. Which means he has asked them to post it. Then I notice the date and time under the tweet.

It stands out for some reason.

Oh, Ash.

He has not done this impulsively. As he said, he has pre-planned it all. This is one of his well crafted projects shining brightly for it's brilliance.

Today is the anniversary of his moving into the LA home without his father. The time was what I set on the wall clock as Ash instructed the angle and time. It was just the two of us that afternoon. He joked that we were a couple moving into their new house. Maybe he wasn't joking. Maybe he never jokes.

I scroll through the first few comments and smile. The photo is driving his fans nuts.

I scroll back up to the caption and stare at it. Buffy's arguments make sense.

It is true. They dumped everything on me. I did have a different plan for how we should move forward.

The thing with the plans I make for myself is they are no plans. They are not concrete. I mostly have a loosely made up idea that I am afraid to put into action. I find reasons to avoid what I yearn for so that I don't fail.

Ash has given me a way out. He has made it all concrete.

I can't hide what I have started with them like I thought.

Marty already saw the tweet that's why he was calling. The whole team must know by now. The PR team approved this. The staff in the house and in the studios they will all know. It is so easy to connect and link.

What will they think of me?

Some of them will say what Marty feared. That I groomed a boy to meet my filthy needs, that I'm sealing the deal for his money.

Does it matter?

Also Henry didn't think so. He didn't say one suspicious word against me. Thomas didn't think so. They are the ones who know both of us. They believe me. Isn't that enough?

I love Ash, I'll always love him. Rob is my dream come true. I'm not getting any younger. Why can't I live the life Ash is gifting me?

I sigh and get up. Time to settle their quarrel.

"You are literally trying to force his hand!" Rob is shouting at Ash.

Ash shakes his head. "You are so dramatic. I have to talk to Kid. He is supposed to cross post." He slaps his phone over his ear and walks away without noticing me.

"Rob…"

His shoulders slump as he turns towards me. "Boss…"

"I saw the tweet."

His face drops. "I'm sorry. I didn't know he was going to do it. I wouldn't have let him. It doesn't have to mean anything. You can just ignore it."

I can ignore it as he says or accept that I want it too. I'm tired of not doing what I want.

"I put a heart on his tweet."

His eyes brighten and well up in an instant. "You did?"

I nod and step closer. "I have this one wish from a very young age. A longing for a family. Completely unlike the one I grew up in. I dreamed of a family filled with love and caring and promises that were treasured. As I grew up I altered the traditional setup of the dream to accommodate a husband instead of a wife. When I got Ash, I changed it to add him as a permanent fixture. Now I'm ready to change it and add you. But are you okay? I promised you that we would go slow. Because I want you to be sure. I know you love Ash. But do you think you can—, it's a silly question." I stop and wonder if there is a way to ask such a question. Who even can answer that question without dating?

"Boss—"

I look up and my heart leaps up in pure joy. I don't know if he will ever use my name to call me but at that moment with that one emotion packed word and with that tear filled gaze he has set my heart free and the words I have been saving for future, flow out of my mouth like a released dam.

"I have been in love with you for quite some time now. I don't know when it happened. It's inevitable actually. Who wouldn't fall for someone like you? Gentle and fun and knowing. Rob, I—"

He falls into my arms and sobs.

I hold him tight. "I wanted to give you some space before telling you. I love you. I too want a yes. I'll get the rings."

He sobs harder. He doesn't say anything. For all the times he has responded correctly without waiting for my questions, it is my turn to read the answer in the way he is holding me and crying.

Ash comes back and takes in the scene and balls his hands into fists. "What did you do, Nick? Why is he crying? I hate it when he cries. I told you not to hurt him. I told—"

I pull him closer and press him to my side. "I told him that I love him."

He rolls his eyes with a scoff. "You should have waited another three years, Nick."

"You didn't give me a choice."

Rob sniffles, "he said he gave a heart to your tweet."

Ash smirks. "You did? How many likes does it have? Did you read the comments? Kid says it's blowing up social media. I should hope so. He asked me for a video for YouTube. I could have given him one but I said no. The sequence of our bridal pose videos will crash the whole fucking internet. But I'll not share them even for a billion views. Do you remember that time when bandwidth servers almost crashed during my song release? Servers should be like rock bass. Like, boom, boom, boom. I should invest in server clouds. Is it a thing?"

Rob starts chuckling and Ash smiles proudly at the back of his head and whispers to me. "You should blow him. He likes it more than fucking. I didn't know and almost died trying to take his dick in."

Rob groans and tries to hide himself in my body.

"What should I do for you?" I ask Ash. I haven't yet shown them what they're signing up for. Slow, I'll go fucking slow and make them both beg.

"So many things. But taking your carrot and highway into consideration there are only a handful of options left."

I smile at him. "Only a handful?"

His eyes go wide. "Oh my God! I knew you'd be arrogant in bed!!"

Still forehead pressed on my shoulder, Rob tilts his head at him. "No one can compete with you on that. You fucking sang that trashy junk like it was a literary master piece."

"He is completely seduced!"

"You are completely delusional."

I am still getting used to the way Rob cuts Ash mercilessly. It both amuses and amazes me. I would have thought Ash would hate it. They are at each other's throats constantly and yet somehow found the other's love.

Where does that put me?

Throughout the years I have only done what is expected of my job. Now what? I can't tease and make fun of him like Rob. Ash will always be my precious prince. I will always treasure his trash and feel lucky.

"Out of bed, What should I do for you Ash?"

After a single beat of silence, in one of his rare moments, he answers with all seriousness he can muster.

"Be there, that's all. I'm better now. I don't need you for running my life. I need you for other things. Like, one day, I'll take a car and go on a long drive… like, just me, all alone. But when I come back home I need you to be there at the door to look proud and say…"

I tap his nose, throat tight and heart heavy. "That's my Ash."

Ash grins with bright eyes. "Yeah. And I want Rob to say, 'there are poor people walking for miles daily and you bought a fucking fifth car for—"

Rob straightens up and narrows his eyes at Ash. "I never said anything against you driving on your own."

Ash turns to face him and points a finger. "You yelled at me for getting a new car."

"It was unnecessary!"

"It's for me to drive!"

"You think the learner's test is a scam."

"Why do I need to write a test to drive?"

"You are worried you will fail."

"Are you calling me dumb?"

I slowly realize that they will be at this all evening if I let them. I guess the referee role for their screaming matches is mine now. I slide my hands on their backs and pull them back to my chest which effectively brings their argument to abrupt halt.

Ash breathes a content sigh. "Is your carrot finally ready?"

Rob chuckles and wraps his long arms around both of us, tight and secure.

I sigh.

This is my life now, if I want it. I don't know how everything will work out. It will take us weeks to even discuss all the concerns. But I know Ash will find a solution for any challenge put forth. I know Rob will be pragmatic enough to keep us floating. I also know some of the unparalleled offers already guaranteed in this deal.

Ash, Rob, big hugs, little kisses, shouting matches, brain freezes and carrot jokes.

Forever?

Yes, sounds wonderful.

*A*

Yay! We are going to have sex again.

*R*

I'm engaged. Jesus Christ.

***
The Tweet:

***The End***