The Burning Barn [BxB]

Chapter 7

Beau reached for the nearest pillow, burying his face into it before letting out yet another loud groan. As if on cue there was a loud thump on the wall from the room next to his followed by his little sister's annoyed shouts.

"Quit whining. I'm trying to sleep, ya bastard" She shouted. Beau rolled his eyes and forced himself to sit up and get dressed. He pulled on the usual jeans and t-shirt before stumbling down the stairs. He reached for a granola bar before heading outside and walking toward the barn, half-heartedly eating his breakfast.

The one thing that kept him motivated while finishing his chores wasn't the idea of getting out of the scorching heat or going upstairs for more sleep. Heck, it wasn't even getting time to spend by himself reading in the hay room like he usually did. This time it was getting to see that blondie that just wouldn't leave his head.

How could things be any better? He had Lukas, the unconditional love of his family, he had a few scholarships lined up to pay for college and most of all Lukas had said that he loved him. This was easily the best-case scenario for as long as they lived in Tennessee.

Maybe he'd go to Austin, Texas. It was a nice city and he knew that Lukas's dad wanted him to stay in the south. He could be out and proud with Lukas there... Or maybe somewhere in Florida or the west coast. Heck, maybe even New York (although his parents would probably never forgive him due to their undying hatred for the state ever since Shelby lost her engagement ring there). The world was filled with endless possibilities and he could explore all of them with Lukas.

Beau had always been labeled the golden kid because of his bright smile and positive attitude. But he had never truly felt like the golden kid. He had always felt out of place and different... But for the first time ever he knew who he was. He was Beau Martin, he was gay, he was unconditionally in love with Lukas and he was the golden child of Tennessee. He would never stop smiling because his life was shaping out perfectly and Lukas always loved Beau's smile. And that was a promise.

Beau practically danced as he completed his chores one by one. His good mood from the night before was contagious and made each chore feel like a blessing and opportunity handed to him. They were like stepping stones to reaching what he truly wanted. And what he wanted was to get them done as swiftly as possible so that he could go see Lukas and ask him to be official.

Beau grinned feeling accomplished as he admired all of his hard work. The barn didn't necessarily look perfect, but it was enough to get by and that was what counted. All of the animals were fed and content, everything was put in its place, and the smell of manure wasn't as prominent. 

He quickly headed off toward the trails leading through the fields and toward Lukas's house. He spotted the familiar barn that was painted the same white as Lukas's house. Only it was much more chipped and worn. There were a few patches from storms and definitely wasn't in its golden years. But it was still stable and functioned well enough to keep the animals warm and dry.

Beau happily walked into the familiar setting. He glanced around noticing two tanks of gasoline in the corner, a few tools in another corner, and most importantly Lukas attempting to work while Ophelia tugged at his pant leg. Beau chuckled as he watched the small puppy repeatedly try and get Lukas's attention only to be shrugged off with a light-hearted laugh. Music played from Lukas's speaker and his eyes finally landed on Beau.

There was a slight twinkle in his gaze and his smile seemed to brighten. His features were still relaxed like they always were - Lukas never seemed tense or stressed out, even when he probably should be. Instead, he was just happy, and staring at the boy he loved only made it better.

Beau wasted no time flinging himself into Lukas's arms for a tight and warm hug. Lukas's embrace made his heart dance and sent streaks of warmth through his body. Just being around Lukas automatically brightened up everything.