Page 84 of Filtration Play
“Are you sure you don’t want to keep driving to a park so I can rail you under the stars?”
“Please don’t tell me you packed your cock to my family get-together.” Ollie clutched the steering wheel.
Fin cracked a grin as they sailed across the highway. “It’s like you don’t even know me. I’ve got my pack ’n’ play model on, so I’m always packing, sweetness.”
Ollie’s cheeks heated. The first time they’d been together, he’d gotten to enjoy that model well. Such an unforgettable fuck. And the sex kept getting better. But even more than that, even in the short few weeks since they’d made things official, any remaining tension of wondering where he stood with Fin had vanished.
“Right, like I need to be thinking of that when we’re visiting my family.” Ollie rolled his eyes.
Fin grabbed their junk and squeezed. “Not my fault your brain’s always on my cock. Don’t worry. If I survive tonight, I’ll dick you down real good. You’re coming home with me, right?”
Home. The word was so simple, and yet it meant everything to Ollie. The moment Fin had started letting him in, thefloodgates opened. All this affection, care, and neediness they’d clearly been holding back for years. They were independent as fuck and didn’t hesitate to keep their own interests, but they always invited him into them too. He chose to pass on the board game nights, the same as they passed on his football games.
“Yeah,” he said. “I’m crashing with you tonight. I left my phone charger at your place anyway.”
He pretty much lived in his apartment in name only, but he was fine taking this at whatever pace Fin needed to. Though truth be told, if they asked, he’d move in ASAP.
Ollie pulled behind one of the many cars littering the street that belonged to his siblings. Now that they were older and a fair amount of them dating, family gatherings became huge with minimal effort.
“How many fucking kids are in your family?” Fin asked, their eyes bugging out.
“I’m one of five.” Ollie turned the ignition off. “Jules you know, and he’ll bring Cal and Kay, but Izzy will be the focus tonight, and she’s dating a guy…Steve, I think? And Luke’s the middle child, though I don’t know if he’s bringing anyone. And Ames is closest in age to me, currently single. And that leaves us.”
“You know this shit is alien to an only child with a Garbage Patch family, right?” Fin scrubbed at their arms. “I’m going to overstep somewhere or blurt out something inappropriate. It’s my default.”
Their nerves broadcasted loud and clear, and seeing them like this was…well, it was damn cute, but Ollie valued his life, so he’d never say that out loud. He rested his hand on their thigh. “Remember, you’re dating the fuckup rebel kid of the family, so anything you do or say won’t be as bad as the shit I’ve pulled.”
“No wonder we get along.” Fin nipped at his earlobe. “Thanks, sweetness. Let’s head on in.”
Like a switch had flipped, Fin broadcasted the bluster they normally did rolling through life. The only difference? Ollie could tell it was a mantle they wore. He’d seen enough of the real deal to know.
He slipped out of the car, and the crisp air smacked him in the face. Nights here were cooler, which was welcome with the amount he tended to sweat. He walked up the familiar steps to his dad’s house. It hadn’t been that long since he lived here, but in that short while, he’d noticed all the details. Somehow, in his time apart, this place had changed, just like he had.
Dad had taken over more space, something he’d never been able to before, and set up a workshop for carpentry projects. The cracked pavers on the walkway had been repaired, and the house had been powerwashed after years and years of going untouched. Since his five kids had moved out, Dad could breathe again.
The twinge of nostalgia socked him in the chest as he approached the front door. Fin matched his stride, showing no fear. Pride thrummed through his chest. He’d dated in high school occasionally, but they were short relationships, never ones worth braving the Hale family chaos. And then he’d dated Asher for a year, but something had held him back. Maybe all that time, he hadn’t been ready for his family to view him differently. He was so used to being the youngest, the fuckup, the one causing problems that he hadn’t been prepared for them to see this side of him.
A guy who worked a career he loved with a steady paycheck.
A guy who’d figured out a hell of a lot more of who he was, even past his new labels of queer kinkster.
A guy who could reach out for help because he believed others wanted to give it rather than think the worst.
And being with Fin had helped him get there. He reached down and offered them a hand, and they took it without hesitation.
Ollie pushed the door open, and the familiar wall of noise greeted him. Even when a gathering was just the family, they all tended to get loud.
A kid’s shriek echoed, and a small, Kay-sized blur almost raced by them, but she skidded to a halt.
“Uncle Ollie,” she screeched, then launched herself right at him, all brown hair in pigtails and perpetually sticky fingers.
He scooped her up with one arm and gave her a squeeze, his other hand entangled with Fin’s. “Hey, kiddo.” She was five, so not as easy to toss around as when she’d first come into their lives, but she only got cleverer and more mischievous with each year. He loved it.
“Who’s that?” Kay asked, staring at Fin.
“This is Fin—”
“I’m your uncle Ollie’s partner,” they said. “Who’re you?”
