the end

It had been months since Ti moved in with Reece and Zaire, and life had settled into a rhythm that felt like home. The apartment, though small, was filled with love and laughter. Ti had taken to helping Zaire with his homework, braiding his hair when it got too wild, and teaching him how to fade the edges of his action figures with clippers. Reece, who once kept everything bottled up, had slowly opened himself up to the idea of relying on someone else-not just for Zaire, but for himself too.

It was a quiet Friday evening when Ti and Reece sat on the couch, Zaire tucked into bed after an exhausting day at school. Reece was curled up against Ti, his head resting on his chest while Ti absentmindedly rubbed slow circles on his back. The TV played quietly in the background, but neither of them was paying attention.

Reece shifted, his hand resting on Ti's thigh. "You ever think about what's next?" he asked softly, his voice carrying that rare vulnerability he only let Ti see.

Ti looked down at him, his fingers stilling for a moment before resuming their gentle strokes. "What you mean, what's next?"

"Like... for us. For Zaire. I don't want him growing up the way I did," Reece admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

Ti's hand moved to cup Reece's jaw, tilting his face up so their eyes met. "He's already got more than you had, Reece. He's got you. And now he's got me too. We're not gonna let anything happen to him."

Reece swallowed hard, nodding. "I know. But I can't keep doin' what I'm doin'. Not forever. I want more for him. For us."

Ti leaned down, pressing a lingering kiss to Reece's lips, his thumb brushing against his cheek. "Then let's figure it out. You don't have to do it alone, you hear me? We're a team now."

Reece's lips curved into a small smile, the kind he saved only for Ti. "I hear you. I'm just not used to all this... somebody havin' my back like this."

Ti smirked, leaning back against the couch and pulling Reece closer. "You better get used to it, Little Daddy. You ain't goin' nowhere."

Reece rolled his eyes, though the smile didn't leave his face. "You callin' me that in public now?"

"Maybe," Ti teased, his fingers tracing the waistband of Reece's sweatpants. "But I think you like it too much."

Reece didn't argue, instead leaning up to kiss Ti again, this time slower, deeper, as if he was trying to say all the things he didn't have the words for.

A few weeks later, Ti and Reece stood in the kitchen together, cooking dinner while Zaire worked on a drawing at the table. The smell of seasoned chicken filled the air, and the sound of Zaire's crayons scratching against paper added to the comforting domestic hum. Ti moved behind Reece, wrapping his arms around his waist and pressing a kiss to the back of his neck.

Reece chuckled, leaning back into him. "You tryna distract me, or what?"

"Just admirin'," Ti said, his hands sliding lower, resting on Reece's hips. "You look good in my shirt."

Reece shook his head, though his cheeks warmed. "Boy, if you don't get back to them mashed potatoes..."

Ti laughed, pressing another kiss to Reece's neck before letting him go. Moments like this, where everything felt so simple, so right, reminded Ti why he had fought for this. Why he had fought for them.

That night, after Zaire was asleep and the dishes were done, Ti and Reece lay in bed together, the room quiet except for the sound of the city outside. Reece lay curled against Ti, his head on his chest, as Ti's fingers traced lazy patterns on his back.

"I love you," Reece mumbled, his voice heavy with sleep.

"I love you too, Little Daddy," Ti replied, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. "Always."

Reece looked up at him, his eyes soft, his walls completely down. "We're good, huh?"

Ti smiled, his hand cupping Reece's cheek. "We're perfect."

And for the first time in a long time, Reece believed it.