Eric's Pov:

I took my place at the podium and discreetly cleared my throat to begin my valedictorian's speech. I leaned forward resting my elbows on the stand and stared out at all my peers and their families and friends. I looked down at my note cards ready to begin my long and eloquent speech. As I opened my mouth looking back at everyone flashes of my senior year flew through my head and I decided to just wing it. Screw being conventional, that's just not me.

"Sooo I wrote a really long classically boring speech complete with 'we are the future, anything is possible if you just reach for the stars and all that other played out crap, that's spouted at every graduation since the hell we all know as school was invented. But as I was flashing through my note cards just now I had a sudden realization. Though we are the future and we can do anything we set our minds to we honestly don't want to hear that crap. So I decided to get real. From here on out things will get harder and more complex for us as we navigate the real world. This is the time for us to experiment and explore all possible avenues of life. Yes our main focus should be finishing our education and finding a grown up job since we're all officially grown ups being thrust into an unforgiving and at times cruel world. But this is also the time to screw up, take chances, expand our horizons not just educationally but spiritually, emotionally, socially and sexually! Be true to ourselves regardless of the consequences and embrace life. So that one day when we're old, gray and falling apart we can look back on our life with a happy sigh knowing we rocked this bitch! So in closing, to my fellow graduates I wish you good luck, success, great friends, awesome lives, fulfilling timeless love and lots of epic mind blowing sex! P.S I love you Steven! "

I stepped back smirking at the faculty as my peers roared and cheered. Several, including my closest friends that I now consider family wolf whistled and screamed out that they wished me epic mind blowing sex too.

I glanced over to where Steven sat as I made my way back to my spot to await my diploma to see him grinning proudly at me. Deborah my newest buddy, Patrick and the girls all sat with him cheering me on with smiles. I blew a kiss to Steven shivering at his arrogant smirk but turned around as the names began being called. No time for dirty thoughts I'm about to finish this shit!

"Presenting 2017's graduating class!" Delilah's cheer was drowned out by cheering students and family members alike as we threw our caps up in celebration of finishing our last year of high school.

KT and Daniel rushed up to smother me in a hug and make rushed plans to get together in a couple of days then ran off to greet their parents. John strolled up to me holding hands with a guy that looked vaguely familiar.

I cocked my head to the side trying to place where I knew him from. John being his usual out spoken self made the introductions.

"Hey baby boy, loved the speech. This is Sean, he's the manager at Flaming Banana. I'm gonna keep him around for a while. He gives excellent head and has got the tightest little ass I've ever had the pleasure of slamming into."

I smacked John in the back of the head. "Just because you think certain things doesn't mean they're actually supposed to be said idiot." I chided.

Sean shrugged. "It's true through. Besides the only reason I tolerate his big mouth is because he's so good with it and lays the pipe like a champ!" He shot, quirking a brow at John who chuckled.

I reached a hand out to shake his. "Nice to see you again and I can see that John's finally met his match."

John glared at me. "Hey just cause you want happily-fairy-after doesn't mean I do. I'm joining the sluts for life brigade."

I felt arms slip around my waist from behind and leaned back into Steven's embrace. "Ohh I wouldn't bet on that. Sean's been know to leave the biggest player heart broken and pitifully trailing after him for just a crumb of affection." He teased snickering when John blushed and flipped him off.

"Well I'm gonna go get trashed and take Sean for a fun night at Leather and Lace. Care to join?" He cooed running a hand over both of our arms.

Steven laughed and shook his head. "Why should we go there when we already have everything at our house? Except an annoying perverted friend that would no doubt try to bug both of us."

"Yeah we're just gonna go eat and head home." I added ignoring John's eye roll.

"Already acting like an old ass boring married couple." He teased pulling Sean with him for a night of drunk kinky sex.

As we walked to the exit I saw my parents waiting as if to pounce on me on my way out. Steven pulled my hand up and kissed the inside of my wrist.

"Relax baby, you don't know that they're here to start trouble." He soothed.

I grunted. "Hello you've met them. When have they ever been anything but troublesome?"

He gave me a dry look as they met up with us. My mom chewed her bottom lip nervously while my dad looked between me and Steven.

He cleared his throat and stretched out his hand to me. "Congratulations Eric." He muttered gruffly. I raised an eyebrow crossing my arms and leaving his hand hanging there.

Steven slid his hand in and shook it. "He may not say it but he's glad y'all came tonight." He said speaking mainly to my mom since dad was looking anywhere but at him.

Mom released her bottom lip and smiled at me. "Eric we're so proud of you."

"Thank you both." I muttered glaring at Steven.

"We were just going to dinner would you two like to join us?" Steven asked smiling winningly at my mother.

Her small smile grew into a grin as she nodded. From the corner of my eye I caught her pinching my dad's arm.

"Yes that would be nice, thank you for inviting us Mr. Becker." My dad formally accepted.

Without another word I grabbed Steven's hand in a vice grip and pulled him out, leaving my parents to follow or not. I honestly hoped not because this was just a disaster in the making. I didn't say a single word to him the entire fifteen minute ride to the restaurant.

"You are in such deep shit right now!'' I growled as we got out of his car.

He gave me a look that I was incapable of fighting with. "Baby, they came tonight didn't they. At least they're making an effort. Give it a chance and see how dinner goes. If it's a disaster then you can kick me in the balls."

"I get to kick you in your balls and you can't wear a cup. Did I ever mention that I used to play soccer? It's still not an even trade though." I muttered as we walked into the entrance.

"I love you baby and before they get here I just want to say congratulations and I'm so fucking proud of you. I can't believe you didn't tell me you were going to be valedictorian? No wonder you got your pick of schools!" He cooed wrapping his arms around my waist.

"Are you sure you don't care which one I choose? Cause it affects you too so you have every right to weigh in on this."

He rolled his eyes. "Eric we already talked about this. I don't care as long as you're happy and I'm with you. Now I see your parents walking up and I'd like for you to give this an honest shot."

I sighed pulling out of his arms but laced my fingers with his. "You soooo owe me for this. Like seriously owe me!" I whined quietly.

"I know that it'll be a trying hour for you but I'll make it worth your while." He cooed giving me a hot look.

"I'm soo gonna hold you too that! So to be clear, I get to kick you in the balls if tonight sucks or I get kinky fuck-fest if it goes smoothly? Just because you want me to try and work things out with those assholes before I leave for college."

"Yes so it's a win-win. Now paste on a polite smile and let's try to enjoy dinner."

My parents walked in as the hostess came up to greet us.

"Right this way Mr. Becker, I already informed Chef Luke that you and Eric had reservations tonight and he said dinner and drinks are on the house and that he would drop by your table when you're finished to make sure you were happy with your service."

I laughed at Steven's annoyed look. "Charlene how many times have I told you to call me Steven?" He sighed sadly. "I'm beginning to think you like Eric more then me."

She snickered. "I was trying to be professional considering you're the boss."

He rolled his eyes. "I am not in any way the boss. I am just a small silent partner. Chef Luke is the boss and you better not let him hear you say anything other than that."

Mom delicately cleared her throat and I bit back a sigh. "Charlene you sexy temptress is there any way you could switch our table to a four person sitting? My uhh parents came with us."

"Oh course anything for my favorite guys." She cooed pinching my cheek and winking at Steven.

She led us to a table that wasn't anywhere near as romantic as the one we were originally supposed to have but I nodded my thanks.

We sat down and for a solid two minutes it was silent, until our waiter Mathew came to take our drink order.

"And I'll take a very large scotch on the rocks please Mathew and get Steven the same. Thanks" I said after everyone else ordered their drinks.

He returned moments later and deposited the drinks on the table saying he'd be back in a moment to take our food order.

"So um what's good here?" Mom asked looking over her menu.

"Everything." I answered taking a savoring sip of my scotch.

"The steak is great but so is the lobster with prawns Mrs. Stevens." Steven added giving me a disapproving look.

"Please call me Michelle. So um you own this place? I thought you were Eric's track coach."

"No I don't own this place. When the economy took a dive my sister and I invested jointly to save it. But Chef Luke is the actual owner and has really turned this place around."

"So you are my son's coach and dating him?" My dad asked pointedly looking at how we were holding hands

"No he isn't my coach. He was for a while but he was just temporarily filling in since I got the last coach fired." I snapped.

Steven interrupted smoothly cutting off my father's no doubt snide retort. "I was his coach but I quit a while back and we started seeing each other shortly there after."

"So where are you teaching now?" My mom asked taking a dainty sip of her wine.

"No where. I've decided that teaching really wasn't for me."

We ordered our food and the awkward conversation continued.

"So you're jobless?" Dad snorted then looked at me with a disappointed glare. "Not only is my only son gay, he's dating a jobless pedophile."

Steven started to speak but I pinched his hand shaking my head no since I couldn't speak because my mouth was currently downing the entirety of my scotch.

I set the tumbler down with a loud sigh as I caught my breath.

"Okay so here is how it's going to be. Dad you obviously don't want to be here and shocker, I don't want you here not even a little bit. SO for the remainder of this dinner you will sit there and shut up. I don't want to hear another bitchy word out of you and if you cant handle that then I'm sure the waiter can kindly show you the exit. Mom you haven't acted like a bitch yet but just as soon as you do, you can take my uptight bigoted ass-hat of a father and leave me in peace permanently. Understand?"

Steven once again tried to smooth things over. "What Eric is trying to say-"

"He already said Steven so cut it out or I'll make you sit there quietly in the corner like my father. We're doing nothing wrong by dating and you aren't a fucking pedophile just because you're six years older then me and I'm not going to listen to anybody talk shit about you or us as a couple!" I snapped.

He chuckled and raised his hands. "Alright baby I was just trying to help."

"Eric I.. It's not that I don't want to be here it's just that this is hard for me to accept." My dad inserted.

"Yeah well that isn't my problem. Accept it or don't I honestly don't care. Now can we please have a normal dinner like civilized people or do you need a time out like a naughty two year old?"

"Have you heard back from any of the colleges you applied to?" My dad asked politely.

"Yeah all of them. I got acceptances to about 10 with athletic scholarships to half of those but I'm still debating between two of them."

"Isn't it a little late to still be thinking it over?" He asked looking scandalized.

"I have a little more time before the deadline. It's a major choice with lots of things to consider." I answered as our food was served.

"Which universities are you considering? So I can cut them a tuition check." Mom said cutting into her steak.

"New York University and Oxford are the two contenders but I already have a track scholarship for NYU and Oxford extended a partial academic scholarship so I can cover the first couple of years. I don't want your money." I didn't speak bitterly but I didn't want to feel beholden to them since they paid for my education.

"Well the least we can do is pay for your housing and bills while you attend since you don't want tuition money. Especially living in New York, everything is so expensive there." Dad said smiling proudly since he'd gone there.

I rolled my eyes. "I didn't say I was going to NYU. I'm honestly leaning towards Oxford."

"Why? What about your friends? You're going to leave your... um boyfriend? How could you possibly leave the states? Is a degree from there even considered valid here?" He snapped.

"Actually it is and it's considered even more valuable then the ivy league colleges here in the states. Plus John and Daniel are going there and Kourtney is going to an interior design school near by." Steven answered.

"So you'll be rooming with them? That'll save you some money and there's less chance you'll become home sick with everyone there." Mom said smiling reassuringly if a bit awkward since it's unnatural for her to be so nice.

"No I'll be staying with Steven. Whether I go to NYU or Oxford."

"How is he going to help pay for a flat if he doesn't have a job? Did you have to hook up with a dead beat? Just because he has a pretty face doesn't mean he's relationship material. Why cant you find yourself a nice boy from a good background like you have? Especially now that you're going to attend the medical program at a prestigious school. You don't need to lug around dead weight!" Dad growled looking at him shrewdly.

Steven finally had his limit. "Look Mr Stevens I understand that you don't approve of Eric and I dating. However I personally don't care about that and I'm confident that neither does Eric. But since you are his father even though you haven't really acted like one in all the time I've known him, I'll lay your fears that I'm a gold digger after your money via him to rest. I wont be paying for a flat in either place because I already own homes in both cities. I guess in the general term of things I don't actually have a job. I do however own more business then I can count with both of my hands, that I can assure you have garnered me more then enough money to buy your 'fortune' a hundred times over. So if you have no other concerns you'd like to vent can we get on with dinner?"

"So Steven tell me a little about yourself." Mom cooed sweetly no doubt utterly blissful that he was loaded. Money and power.... her number one priority.

He shrugged. "I'm 24, went to the University of Texas and graduated with honors with a dual master's degree. As I said a second ago, I have several business, speak several languages, and I love your son."

"And you're just going to uproot your life to follow Eric where ever he chooses to get his medical degree. He'll make an excellent surgeon just like his father you know."

"I'm not pursuing a career in surgery. I've already told you I was thinking about psychiatry but I've decided to remain undeclared for at least the first year or two. Until I'm absolutely sure it's what I want."

Steven grinned. "Well Eric and I have discussed it already and as I have incredibly competent staff I have no need to be here. Besides only a few of my businesses are here in Dallas. So yeah as long as Eric wants me to go I'll gladly go. Besides if something was to come up it wouldn't take much to fly back and set things in order."

I snorted. "Especially when you have your own jet. And what the hell was that comment about as long as I want you to go? I'll always want you with me."

He grinned dropping a light kiss on my lips. "Then I'll always be with you. Which works out great for me since that's what I want too."

"So um without trying to sound rude aren't you a little... um worldly for Eric?" Dad asked nervously shrinking back from Steven's glare.

"He doesn't seem to think so." Steven snapped challengingly.

Dad seemed to grow a bit of a back bone though and sat forward slightly, surprising me with his next comment.

"Well let's get one thing clear. I don't give two shits how much money you have or how hoity toity you are with your foreign languages. I better not find out you're just using my son for a piece of ass. I may be uncomfortable with his lifestyle and at times come off as an uncaring asshole but that isn't the case and if you hurt my son I promise you there will be hell to pay!"

Steven grinned. "I can assure you that I'm not going to hurt him and that I love him very deeply. You know Alexander I like this side of you, I hope I'll get to see more of it in the days to come. Since one day I'll be calling you my father in law."

A:N: So this is the end my lovelies! It's been a fun journey and I want to thank all of you for sticking with our boys as they figured things out and came together. I love each and every one of you. Especially those that voted and commented. You guys are awesome and absolutely rock!

I'm sad that it's over but I left it this way so I have the option of writing a sequel, not guaranteeing it just saying that it's a possibility. Once again thank you all for your support and interest.