25

It was a quiet night at Ti's apartment. The lights were dimmed, and the soft hum of a playlist filled the space as Ti lounged on the couch, his feet kicked up and his mind wandering. He hadn't seen Reece much today—he'd been busy handling some things for Zaire. But now, with the weight of the day off his shoulders, he was looking forward to some one-on-one time with his man.

Reece had been acting a little distant lately, but Ti figured it was just work and life catching up to him. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was on Reece's mind. He'd been quieter than usual, almost like he was thinking too much. Ti ran his fingers through his locs, waiting for Reece to finally get home from the store. When the door opened, Ti didn't look up at first, but he heard Reece's footsteps and felt him come closer.

"Yo," Reece said, his voice low, but soft—almost like he was hesitant about something.

Ti turned his head, his eyes catching Reece's for the first time tonight. He studied his man's face. Reece was still wearing his hoodie and joggers, looking like he just got out of a session at the gym. His fade was freshly lined up, his muscles still taut from the workout. But something in the way he was standing, the way his posture was off just slightly, made Ti's chest tighten.

"What's up?" Ti asked, sitting up on the couch, ready to listen.

Reece paused, his hand on the doorframe as he glanced back toward the kitchen. After a moment, he dropped his hand and walked over to Ti. He sat down beside him, keeping a little space between them at first, like he was trying to figure out how to bring up the topic.

"I've been thinkin', man," Reece started, his voice softer than usual, like he was trying to find the right words.

Ti raised an eyebrow, leaning toward him. "About what?"

Reece exhaled slowly, looking down at his lap for a second before meeting Ti's gaze. "About us. About... me and Zaire. About you."

Ti's heart skipped a beat, but he kept his expression neutral. He'd never been the type to push for answers, but with Reece, it was different. He wanted to understand what was going on in that head of his. "What about us?"

Reece took a deep breath. "I want you here. With us. For real, Ti." He glanced at the doorway, like he was half-expecting Zaire to come running out, but then his focus shifted back to Ti. "I want you to move in with me and Zaire. I need you here. I want this... us... to be permanent."

Ti blinked, taken aback. He'd thought about it before, but hearing it out loud, hearing Reece say it like that, made it all feel real in a way that it hadn't before.

"You sure about that?" Ti asked, his voice low as he took in Reece's expression. There was no hesitation in his eyes, just certainty. Ti could see the depth of what Reece was saying.

"Yeah, man," Reece replied, his hand brushing against Ti's as he turned to face him more fully. "I don't want this back and forth. You, Zaire, me—we're all a family already, you know? I want you with us. Every day."

Ti felt his chest tighten at the words. He'd already fallen for Reece, no question about that. But moving in was a whole new step. Still, the idea of waking up next to Reece every morning, seeing Zaire run around with them both in his life—it felt right.

Reece's hand found Ti's, his thumb tracing the lines of his palm gently. "I love you, Ti. And you know I don't say that lightly. I want us to do this for real."

Ti's heart softened, and a smile tugged at his lips. He squeezed Reece's hand. "I love you too," he said softly, his voice carrying the weight of the words he'd said so many times before but meant just as much each time.

Reece's face lit up at the confirmation, and without another word, he leaned in and kissed Ti, slow and tender, like he was trying to savor the moment. Ti responded just as softly, pulling Reece in closer, his hands sliding to the back of Reece's neck as he deepened the kiss.

When they broke away, Reece rested his forehead against Ti's, a playful smirk on his lips. "So, what do you think? You moving in with me, or what?"

Ti chuckled, his hands moving to Reece's waist, pulling him even closer until their bodies were flush against each other. "I think I can make that work." He looked down at Zaire's room down the hall, imagining the little guy waking up and running straight to him. It made everything feel right.

Reece grinned, leaning back just a bit to look at Ti with soft, adoring eyes. "You sure? 'Cause I'm not letting you get away that easy."

"Shut up and kiss me, Little Daddy," Ti teased, his fingers threading through Reece's hair, tugging him back into another kiss.

Reece didn't need to be told twice. He kissed Ti again, deeper this time, his hands sliding down to Ti's waist, holding him tight as if trying to keep him there forever.

After a few moments, Reece pulled away, resting his forehead against Ti's once more, his breath coming in short bursts. "I'm serious, though. I want you here. No more playing around. You're mine, Ti."

Ti smiled, his hands still resting on Reece's waist, his fingers drawing small circles on his shirt. "I know, Little Daddy. I'm yours."

Reece grinned, brushing a hand over Ti's cheek, his voice lowering to a more teasing tone. "And don't you forget it."

Ti chuckled, pulling Reece into a final kiss before standing up. "Let's go out tonight, just the two of us. A real date."

Reece raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "A date? You treatin' me?"

"Always," Ti teased, pulling Reece up with him. "But this time, you better look fine, 'cause I'm taking you out for a night you won't forget."

Reece grinned. "I like the sound of that."

As they got ready to head out, Ti couldn't help but feel a sense of calm wash over him. This was right. Everything about it felt like it was falling into place, and he couldn't wait for the next chapter with Reece and Zaire.