On the Right Side of the Tracks

Chapter Nine

"What's your problem Chris?" Jake snapped, standing up. Piers had grabbed his hand so he wouldn't escalate the situation, but Chris stepped closer in range. Jake, however, had no true intention of hurting Chris. Not in front of Piers. His shoulders relaxed, but the glare on his face never vanished. "I do care about him. So what's it to you?"

Chris' brow furrowed in thought, glancing at Piers to see a similar look. He turned back to Jake calmly, "I don't mind it."

"Good because you don't get to decide-" He cut Jake off with an arm wrapped around his shoulder.

"Just be careful with him, alright? We haven't seen him in so long... everyone misses him, not just you." Chris spoke gently. "It would be best not to cause drama the second he's back anyway."

"Yeah right." He mumbled pushing away from the man and sitting down next to Piers once again. "How are you feeling now?"

Though his voice sounded like a whisper, he answered honestly. "Better now..."

"That's good, I'm glad."

Piers got out of the hospital a week ago and was settled back into his family home, though his family wasn't sure how they felt about a man coming to their house to see their son. Or that he's a mercenary from a foreign country.

He sat at the kitchen table, the awkward silence overbearing as he took a bite of the soup they had made. He swallowed thickly and glanced around at the faces. He's known them his whole life, but with Jake sitting beside him eating casually he feels like he's in a home of strangers. Even if his family disliked him possibly being with another man, they loved and supported him no matter what. They just didn't know where to begin or how to try.

Jake noticed Piers look down towards his food in discomfort and his brow furrowed, noticing the stares in him from around the room. He sighed and set the spoon in the bowl, being the one to break the silence. "Good weather out." He started, unsure what to say. Piers glanced at him and smiled slightly right as thunder crackled outside.

"Not anymore." The two men turned towards Piers' father, who had chuckled at his sons reply.

"It was for the moment. Hm..." He seemed to think silently to himself for a moment before asking something. "So, have you two kids decided what you want to be to one another yet?"

Jake sputtered over his words while Piers stayed silent, face dusting a light pink. "Jake needs time to-"

"Don't give me the excuse son, listen Jake. Life is short. And we want grandchildren."

"Dad I can't-"

"So hop to it sport."

Piers' jaw dropped and he felt like hiding in a closet, covering his face in embarrassment. Jake's jaw was also dropped, shocked by the order he was given. How the hell was he supposed to give this guy grandchildren if both of them were male? Then it dawned on him. He wanted them to begin dating so that they could adopt in the future. His mind began racing, his brow doing the thing it normally does when he's in deep thought.

Then he turned towards Piers and examined his reddened face, thinking about what kind of life they'd have. He stopped himself quickly when he realized that might ruin real plans for their future. Ones he would make with Piers. Ones that he wanted to make with him. He smiled before going back to eating the dinner in front of him as Piers remained shocked.

His mother nudged him gently with her elbow. "Eat your dinner honey, you need to get food in you. The doctors said you were mostly malnourished because of being trapped for so long."

Piers snapped back into reality, having been lost in thought wondering what Jake would be like as a father. He hoped, silently, he would be a better father than himself so that their children grew up gentle and innocent. Not cocky and hot-headed. The thought of them adopting a boy and him facing head to head with Jake amused him slightly. He began eating. Of course the doctors lied to his family saying he'd gotten trapped for months with barely any food. It was the truth after all. Just not all of it.

The thought of the sickening smile of the male made his chest tighten and heart race. He hates the thought of him, the way he looked over his body and smirked. It made his stomach feel disgusting. His whole body felt like it had been sexually abused. But it hadn't been. They tested it and he hadn't been touched. This relieved the pain in his stomach. As he slowly continued to eat the dinner table got more awkwardly tired.

After dinner Piers and Jake sat across from each other in his room. Jake sitting on the bed while Piers sat perfectly perched on his study desk. Jake admired Piers' room. It felt welcoming to him. He couldn't look Piers in the eye, both men anxious and shy. Piers finally broke the silence after a long pause. "So..."

"So..." Jake continued, swallowing semi-thickly.

"About what my parents said... I'm sorry if it-"

"It's okay. It's preparing me for my decision." Hearing that made Piers' chest tighten once again. Jake stood up and began approaching, causing red to find Piers' face. His breathing quickened and he sucked in a breath when Jake stopped inches in front of him. Their legs were touching as his chest fluttered. "I want to try this. Us I mean. You and I."

"You... Really?" Jake adored the innocent sparkle that shown in the male's eyes, smiling proudly to himself.

"Yes."

"Then ah..." He saw how shy and awkward he had become. "Why'd you have to get so close?"

"So that I could do this." With that Jake leaned forward and gently placed a kiss to Piers' lips, eyes closing as they did so.