Pran stilled. Patâs breath was still warm against his lips, his hair sweat-damp, his eyes shiny and warm, and just slightly unfocused. Pat looked positively love-drunk. Pran could imagine he looked the same.
âYouâre just saying that because of the orgasm,â Pran said, warm and slow. His body felt like molasses, his limbs undone, his body sagged against Patâs.
Pat shot him a mock-offended look, tugging Pran closer to him, hand firm on his waist. Despite only recently coming down from his high, the movement sent sparks across Pranâs skin, and he couldnât help but lean in closer.
âIâm not joking, Pran,â Pat said, with a slight frown.
âWeâve been dating for three monthsââ
âTechnically weâve been dating for five,â Pat countered, eyebrows furrowing. "If you count the bet."
âWeâre sophomores in collegeââ
âSo the college part is the problem? Fine, weâll wait until weâre out of college,â Pat said with a simple shrug. âI can wait two more years.â
âYou know the architecture program is five years instead of four, right?â Pran raised an eyebrow.
Pat made a sound of distaste and Pran couldnât help but tuck his face into Patâs shoulder to cover his laugh.
âOh so weâre engaged now?â Pran pulled back to raise a challenged eyebrow. âYou decided that?â
âI mean you havenât disagreed.â
âI havenât agreed to anything either.â
âAlright then. Say âyes,â Pran.â
Pran pulled his lips into a firm line. âNo.â
Patâs face dropped a little.
âWhat if I want to be the one to ask you?â Pran questioned, and slowly Patâs face began to light up again.
âItâs too late, I already asked you. You lost.â
âYou think that was a proper proposal?â Pranâs lips twisted as he tried to hide his smile. âAsking me to marry you after coming inside me for the first time? You think thatâs the story I want to tell our kids?â
Pat groaned. âPraaan.â
âOur first time was that good for you?â
âI would hardly call that our first time.â
âAlright, fine. First time having penetrative sex.â
âWell yes it was good for me. And it wasnât for you?â Pat huffed, before Pranâs earlier words finally began to really settle into his head. âWait did you just suggest having children together in the future?â
Pranâs face, against his better wishes, began to heat up. âI, uhââ
âYou want to have a family with me,â Pat teased, poking at Pranâs cheek.
Pran tried his very best to give what he hoped was a heated look.
âSo you want to have kids with me, but you wonât marry me?â Pat jutted his bottom lip out.
âShut up,â Pran darted his tongue out. "I hate you."
âYou werenât saying that five minutes ago,â Pat grinned, hand slowly making his way south of Pranâs waist.
âPat,â Pran started in a warning tone.
Pat tutted, raising his hands up in mock surrender. âYouâre no fun.â
âThatâs not what you were saying five minutes ago,â Pran threw back at him.
Patâs eyes glinted and his hands cupped Pranâs face. âWant to play a game?â
âOkay,â Pat grinned, leaning forward to peck Pranâs lips. âIn that case, I love you, Pran. So will you please, please marry me?â
Pran couldnât help the laughter that burst out of him. âWhat kind of game is that? You purposefully lost a second later.â
âI always let my lover win,â Pat smiled, giving him a wink. âBecause thatâs just the kind of husband I am.â
âHusband?â There was something about the word that sent a wave of emotions coursing through Pran. It felt like something Pran had always longed for. That he thought he could never have. Never with Pat.
âIâll be yours if you let me,â Pat said, his voice low. Steady. No hint of hesitation. No doubt cast in his eyes. âMarry me?â
Pran couldnât help but think of their parents at that moment. Their friends knew and accepted them, but their parents were still in the dark. Neither Pat nor Pran addressed that fact. Neither wanted to think about it. To think about the chaos that would erupt when their parents discovered they were together.
But in that moment Pran began to realize maybe he was meant for a different kind of family than the one he grew up in. Maybe even if his parents didnât accept him, didnât accept their love, maybe itâd be okay.
And at this point Pran was greedy. He didnât want to let Pat go. And if his parents truly loved him, they would come around. They would have to. And if they didnât⊠well then, Pran was willing to let them go. For this. For this love. For Pat.
âI love you so much,â Pat said, his voice reverent, like Pran was something to be worshipped, before he dragged Pran in for a kiss.
âI love you.â
âI love you.â
âI love you.â
They got out the words between their soft kisses before it began to fall into something deeper and headier and suddenly Pran was being rolled onto his back again. He let his eyes fall closed, arms wrapping around Patâs shoulders, kissing him hard and fast and with everything in him, only half-hearing the sound of Pat scrabbling for the condom box with his free hand.
Pran didnât really understand the term making love meant until that night. But now he knew. Because when Pat was with him, all he could feel was that love coursing through him. Pat inside him, Pat all around him, Pat encompassing him and everything he was and would ever be.
But it still didnât stop Pran from saying afterwards:
âWeâre never telling our kids the story of how we got engaged.â