Page 82 of Touch In Excess

Rami loved his family. A lot. He was close to them, and Skye couldn’t stomach being in the way of that. So what would he do?

What could he do?

“I can literally hear you panicking harder.”

He let out a watery laugh and rubbed both hands down his face. “I don’t know how to stop.”

“Just breathe. He loves you as much as you love him, right?”

“Yes,” Skye said. He could answer that honestly and with full confidence. After the live was over and Rami dealt with the admin side of collecting money and making sure there were no dangerous threats said in the chat, Rami led him to the bathroom.

They undressed carefully and spent a short forever simply touching under the warm spray with bubbly hands and soft lips trading careful kisses that got them both heated but ultimately led nowhere. It was perfect.

Rami put together another snack tray, and they ate in bed withPonyoon mute because Rami said just watching the animation helped him feel relaxed. Eventually, they dozed off ineach other’s arms and woke the next morning much the same way.

Their lives had to separate eventually. Rami was still unsure what he wanted to do with the channel, but he needed to get back to his art, and he needed to call his parents to arrange a time to go visit.

And Skye had appointments, though what he really needed was this time to crisis over them because he didn’t want to give up his job. He loved his job. He just needed to make sure that it was the right thing for the both of them.

“What does he think?”

“About my work?” Skye asked.

“Mm. He’s never asked you to quit, has he?”

“No. And I wouldn’t ask him that either,” Skye told him. “He sees it far more black and white than I do. It’s ridiculous that he’s the one who’s okay and I’m the one losing myself.”

“You’re not losing yourself. You’re in love,” Jet pointed out. “Most of us now have been there. And we’ve all made it work. You might be the odd one out, but I’m willing to bet you just need time to breathe.”

“Yeah,” Skye said. He had a little time. And he was starting to feel a little more normal now that he’d gotten everything off his chest. It made him feel oddly better that Taylor actually did struggle sometimes. It made the whole thing feel a bit more rational, and that was what he needed. “Do you think his parents will like me?”

“I think any parent who doesn’t like you for their son isn’t looking out for their interests,” Jet told him seriously. “You are one of the best of us, Skye. And I mean that.”

Skye felt warm all over. And comforted. And safe. This was his home and his family, and just then, it hit him that he really could have both. “Thank you for being one of the best things that ever happened to me.”

“Save that sappy-ass shit for your boyfriend,” Jet said with a grimace, then laughed and pulled him close. “But I could say the same thing. And I’m happy for you.”

And God, it had been so long, but Skye could finally say he was happy for himself too.

Epilogue

“I feellike this is going to be too much.”

Rami turned and looked at Skye, his brow lifted in that way that told Skye he wasn’t sure if he should be flattered by his concern or annoyed. “For you or me?”

Skye sighed. “Both. Either. I’m just stressed.”

“About my family?” Rami asked. He held out his hand, and Skye felt a wave of comfort when he took it.

Skye nodded, biting his lip. ‘What if they don’t like me?’

Rami’s brow furrowed, and he glanced away from Skye toward his parents’ front door. The house was nothing special. It had the same look as most of the other houses on the street. It wasn’t where Rami grew up, he’d told Skye. His parents had sold that place and got something bigger so they’d have room for their grandkids, so they got one of those build-a-home places in a gated community.

Rami hadn’t loved it, but since he’d moved out to live in his grandfather’s place, he liked it a little better.

“Skye?”

“Mm?”

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