Chapter One

hi!!

welcome to

The 100th Match

!

hope you guys will enjoy this story. i’ve been working on it for a long time, so sorry it’s coming out this late (original publication was supposed to be in october, then november).

btw, this will be a slowburn. also, a quick psa, please don’t get too irritated at alistair mcclair. keep in mind that he considers himself a ‘straight’ man, so of course he won’t be adjusted to everything. but he’ll figure everything out… eventually.

enought of me talking, enjoy this read! bye!!

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Alistair McClair

It was all quiet atop the penthouse. A glass of wine in one hand, and my sweet cat on my lap. Everything was perfect. Until the doors opened loudly with a loud thud.

“What the fuck is this?!” My girlfriend, Pamela Beck, stormed into my living room. Her shouting caused my cat to hop off my lap and leave quickly, knowing Pamela’s bullshit.

“What am I supposed to be looking at?” I asked her, taking a sip of my wine.

“Why is this white Birkin handbag stained with wine?!” She angrily yelled. I took another sip of my wine. Her eyes sharpened on the glass of red in my hands. “It was you!”

“Now why would it be me?” I asked with a smug face. “Why would I spill something on an expensive bag I bought for you?” I also asked.

“I can’t believe you.” She huffed. I stood up and set my glass down on the table in front of me. Pamela’s gaze was crazed, almost like she was on the verge of attacking someone.

“Well, that’s a shame.” I replied. Pamela threw the bag at me. I quickly caught it before it hit my face. She let out an irritated huff and stomped her heel.

“You know what? I can’t do this anymore.” She said. “We’re over!” Pamela shouted. I didn’t react.

“Damn.” I replied.

Pamela turned around and began to walk out. But before she fully exited, she turned around.

“You know, if you keep with this type of attitude, no one will ever love you.” She left, not without flipping me off.

Did I care? Not at all. I knew Pamela. I knew that she adores expensive things. And I knew that tainting something dear to her would be the driving cause for her to break up with me. By that way, I won’t be blamed for the breakup and can move on with my life, knowing I lost nothing significant.

Only a few seconds after Pamela left, my door opened and my assistant walked in.

“What was it this time? Did you serve her the dish she hated? Or did you keep making that clicking noise with your pen?” Meredith Chester, the best assistant asked me.

“Take a guess.” I handed her the wine-stained Birkin bag. She looked at it and whistled.

“Whoo! Damn. That’s one way to get a girl upset.” She replied. I walked away from the living room and through my halls until I reached my bedroom, with Meredith in tow.

“Can you make an appointment with-”

“Already did. You have a meeting with the matchmaker in one hour.” Meredith quickly replied.

Like I said, the best assistant.

Meredith is a lesbian, as she so clearly stated when she started working for me. So I won’t date her. I may be an ass, but I know how to respect consent. It’s basic decency.

I entered my closet and took off my lounge wear and stripped down naked. Meredith stood at the doorway and kept typing away at her tablet while I looked for a great suit.

“Oop! TMZ has already published about your and Pamela’s breakup.” She turned the tablet and showed me an article. A video played, with my now ex-girlfriend walking out of my building furious.

“Paparazzi. You give them a bite and they take the whole cake.” I remarked and returned to change.

“Uhh, sir? What do I do with this?” Meredith asked while holding up the bag. I looked at it until I came up with an idea.

“Take a picture and send it to the company. Turn it into a limited edition bag.” I replied.

“And then what? Put it in your closet? You don’t have any designer bags in there.”

I thought about it. “Keep it. I won’t need it.” I told her. She cheered to herself.

Once I was done changing and made sure my cat was all set, I entered the elevator with my assistant and made our way to the parking lot. The doors opened on floor 10 and someone got on. I didn’t look up from my phone, but could feel who it was.

“Damn, broken up once again.” He said.

“Fuck off, Kostas.” I told him.

“You sure you aren’t gay? What is this, your 99th breakup?” He asked. Meredith stepped on his shoe to silence him. “I’m just messing with you.”

“Don’t you have a meeting uptown in a few minutes?” Meredith asked him.

“On my way there. Just wanted to have a chat with my best friend.” Kostas put his hand on my shoulder. I swatted his hand away. He chuckled and got off at the first floor.

“Lunch in a few hours.” I told Kostas.

“Got it. I’ll bring the plates and cups.” Kostas replied and gave me a charming smile. He left the elevator as it closed and took us down. Yeah, he’s annoying. But I still consider him a close friend.

The driver was ready and was quick to get us to the matchmaker’s office. As soon as I walked into his office, he sighed loudly and rubbed his temples.

“Seriously, Alistair?” He asked. I just smirked like an innocent child.

“Sorry. Guess we weren’t a match.” I replied. The matchmaker’s assistant walked in with a similar packet.

“Well, you know what to do.” He said as his assistant handed me the packet of papers. “Fill out the form, and then I’ll use it to find a good match.” He just sighed. I took a seat and filled out the questionnaire with Meredith helping me with some of the responses. As soon as I was done, I handed him the packet, which he forced himself to take.

“I hope we find the right one this time.” I told him.

“Me too.” He said. He fixed his glasses. He looked down at my packet and then back up at me. There was a small glint of… mischievousness.

Meredith and I went back to the building in the downtown business district of Seattle. My employees greeted me and some informed me of some business that they were working on closing or starting.

In an hour, the results of my matchmaking came out. I, along with several other board members and the publicity team, convened in a conference room to see who I would be paired with next.

“I hope it’s not one of those vapid influencers.” Kostas said.

“I thought you liked them? You said they were fun to mess around with because they were ‘stupid’.” A member of the PR team said.

“Remember Ex 76? All she ever did was record her and Alistair’s life. They ended when Alistair didn’t want to go to the Saddle Ranch that opened here in Seattle.” Kostas said.

The rest of the team talked while I typed on my phone, My tie was contraining my circulation. I just wanted to return to my apartment at the top of the building and change out quickly. Maybe even see my cat and continue my petting session with her.

“Oh, the results are in!” Meredith said. We turned to the TV that was mounted on the wall in the center of the conference room. Meredith connected her tablet to the TV and showed her screen.

“Who is it? My bet is on Minerva Berd.” Kostas said. The team argued until the screen loaded in.

“And your new match is… Calvin Fischer!” Meredith loudly announced.

I thought she was pulling on my leg. Did she just say a guy’s name? No, Meredith sometimes jokes around like that. Surely she’s lying. I stood up from my seat and walked closer to the screen, hoping that my eyes were playing tricks.

But sure enough, there it was. Plastered in huge white letters behind a pink backdrop. There was the name ‘Calvin Fischer’ clear as day.

“What the hell is going on?!” I loudly said.

“It must be a mistake! Let me call the matchmaker!” Meredith said and quickly typed on her phone.

“If anyone here is involved in this prank, I swear to God I will fire your ass and make sure no one hires you in the north-west!” I told everyone in the conference room.

Meredith returned with her phone on speaker and placed it in front of me on the table.

“Is something wrong, Alistair?” The matchmaker asked. I can hear the smile in his voice.

“Tell me why a fucking guy is listed as my next match! Are you insane? Did you take the wrong fucking pills this morning? What is this?” I asked. The conference room fell silent as we waited for his response.

“Look, Alistair. I’ve really tried. I’ve set you up with influencers, models, actresses, and even America’s princesses, and none of them have lasted for at least a month. A guy can be a way for you to explore more options.” He said.

“Yep, you’re insane!” I said. “He’s insane!” I told the conference room. “Take it back. Find someone new.” I told him.

“I can’t. You know I can’t. Once a match is made, the two can’t break up until either party splits the relationship face-to-face.” He informed me. I clutched the phone tightly in my hands.

“You asshole.” I hung up out of frustration and handed the phone back to Meredith.

The room remained silent while I paced back and forth, muttering to myself. Not even Kostas tried to make a joke. In fact, he looked terrified.

I then turned to the screen. “What does he look like?” I asked. Meredith swiped her tablet. The next page was a picture of Calvin and his interests and hobbies.

“Aww! He’s adorable!” Kostas said. I glared at him to shut it.

I observed Calvin’s photo. He had light brown, shaggy hair that fell over his forehead. The background seemed to be a party. He must be a party-person. But then I looked at his huge sweater that he wore. No, he must be somewhat shy if he hides himself behind such hideous attire. Not to mention, one of his eyes was covered by a balloon he is holding. But despite it, a huge smile was plastered on his face.

“I… have an idea.” A member of the PR team said. I asked her to elaborate. “Why not use this to your advantage.” She said.

“Oh yeah!” Another PR member said. “I’m sure that you dating a man will cause a lot of buzz. Your image can definitely use some improvement.”

“What improvement?” I asked her.

“Doesn’t matter.” The third PR member said. “Regardless, this can benefit us. Just date him for a few days and move on with life.” He said.

“But I’m not gay!” I said.

“At this point, you might as well be.” Kostas said. “You’ve had 99 exes. And who knows? After this, you might have another 99 exes. You really don’t have a choice, Alistair.”

I calmed myself down and sat back at my desk. I stared at the table and thought to myself. It’s not a bad idea to use this relationship as a way to increase my approval rating. And besides, I could really use the business from the gay community. It’s an untapped source that I’ve yet to exploit.

Maybe this Calvin guy could be the key to my company.

“I’ll do it.” I said.

“Really?” Kostas said in surprise. The rest of the board team and PR team were also shocked.

“I’ll date Calvin Fischer for a while, just enough to fix my reputation. Then once I’m done, get him to break up with me.” I explained. The PR team nodded and let me know what to do.

Meanwhile, Meredith just gave me a small disapproved look.

“All on board?” I asked. The entire room agreed to my plan and were dismissed. All that was left was me and my assistant. “So tell me, where does this Calvin guy live?” I asked her.

“Uhh, not far. He works in the art district.”

I groaned. “Great, another ‘artist’.” I said. “Guess I’m going to be stuck with useless museum visits and white paintings that mean nothing.”

“Come on, give him a chance.” She said. “Who knows, he might be your true love.”

“I seriously doubt that.” I replied. “Get ready, we’re going to meet him.”

“Great!” She typed on her tablet.

We once again returned to the parking lot and got into the car. Meredith gave the directions to Calvin’s workplace and the driver began to drive there. I all-the-while sat back and tried not to imagine the fact that I was going to ask out a man.

But it’ll just be a short-term thing. And once I’m done with him, I’ll toss him aside and move on to the next person. Nothing will come of this besides new business and a bit of gossip.

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thxs for reading! head on over to the next chapter!

Chapter Two

Calvin Fischer

‘Just a touch of red here. Mix some of the orange with it to get a brighter shade.’ I thought to myself. I fixed my posture by extending my leg off the ladder. Then I went back to painting. This painting should be done in maybe two or three more weeks, at most.

“Calvin!” Someone yelled. I was too engrossed in my painting to look down. “Calvin!” They yelled again.

“Yeah?” I asked, not taking my eyes off the painting.

“You might want to come down here!” I recognized the voice as belonging to Evelyn.

“I’m busy!” I shouted back.

“I’m serious, Calvin.” She replied. “Just come down here!”

I huffed and looked down. Evelyn was standing down there with two people beside her. One was a woman with brown hair, styled neatly and slightly curled. Next to her was a frightening man, who exudes complete dominating energy. His eyes, sharp blue eyes, gazed at me. I could already tell that he was judging me.

Something about his face also intrigued me. Not because of how handsome he was, but just something about him. ‘Dummy! That’s Alistair McClair!’ my brain told me. That’s when it flashed. This is Alistair McClair.

“Coming!” I quickly yelled upon realizing who he was. I almost slipped but grabbed myself on the ladder. “Sorry for the wait!” I bowed to both of them, Alistair and who I assume is his assistant.

“Uh, Mr. McClair,” Evelyn said. “This is Calvin Fischer, the man you want to see.” She said. I glanced at her, but she too seemed confused.

“I’ve been expecting you, Calvin.” Alistair said in his deep voice.

“If this is about buying my art, I should let you know that you must contact my boss and a deal will be made.” I said. Alistair looked insulted.

“Are you kidding me…” I heard him mumble. This situation was getting tense. I brought my sleeve up and covered one of my eyes. I played it off as something was in my eye.

Alistair turned to his assistant. She just nudged and whispered something to him. The man seemed to be hesitant but rolled his eyes. He finally turned to me. He ignored me rubbing my eyes.

“Will-you-go-out-with-me?” He asked quickly. It almost sounded like he was speaking another language.

“Huh?” I asked.

“I said-” He calmed his voice down. “Will you go out with me?” He asked. When those words left his lips, I froze in my spot. Then, I started laughing.

“Good joke! Did Evelyn put you up to this?” I asked while chuckling. I turned to Evelyn. She was both confused but gave me the signal to cut it out. “Oh, you’re serious!”

“Yeah. I am.” Alistair said. I brought my hand down and stared at his face. Sure enough, there wasn’t any sign that he was joking. He was telling the complete truth.

“I thought you were straight.” I muttered. Part of me refused to look at him.

“Sexuality is fluid. That’s what I was told.” Alistair replied, though his tone sounded like he had rehearsed that line.

“I- I need to consult.” I said. I grabbed Evelyn’s wrist and pulled her to a side wall. “What’s going on?” I asked her.

“Literally have no idea! I just thought he wanted to commission you for a painting. Not ask you out.” She replied. “I didn’t even know Mr. McClair swung on the same team.”

“Could this be a prank?” I asked.

“Alistair isn’t the pranking type. Everyone knows that. It’s how five of his past relationships ended. If he’s asking you to go out with him, then he’s for sure being serious.”

I sat on a nearby stool and pondered. “Maybe I should date him.” I said.

“Are you sure you’re ready for that? What about Terry-”

I shushed her. “Don’t bring up his name.” I told her. She nodded.

“Right, well, it’s your decision. But no matter what, I’ll stick by your side.” She held out her hand for me. I took it and she helped me up. “I just hope you’re ready to be the center of attention.”

“I think I can handle it.” I replied. After coming to terms with this, we walked back to Alistair and his assistant. His assistant was looking at some paintings hanging on the wall.

“Are you selling these?” She asked, pointing at one of the drawings.

“Yes, but at the moment, all artworks are being saved until the exhibit in a few weeks.” Evelyn replied. The assistant nodded her head.

“So, Calvin, did you come to a decision?” The assistant asked.

“Yes, I did.” I replied. I then turned to Alistair and looked into his eyes. “I’ll go out with you.” I told him. His face was indifferent. Not sure if he cares or if he’s doing this for show.

“Then congratulations on being my 100th match.” Alistair said. In a quick move, Alistair grabbed me by the shoulder and said, “Smile” at me. I put on a smile as Alistair hugged me close to him. A quick flash went off from where the assistant was standing.

“Perfect!” She said. “The photo came out great.” She typed a few things but then stopped.

“Is everything okay?” I asked her.

“Your eyes.” The assistant said. “Alistair, have you seen his eyes?” She asked. Alistair gently grabbed me by my chin and made me look up at him. I thought I was tall, but this man towered over me.

“Hmm.” He grunted. “Are you wearing contacts?” He asked.

“Uh, no. It’s heterochromia.” I said. “This one,” I pointed to my left. “Is brown. And this one,” I pointed to my right eye. “This one is blue.” I explained.

“Interesting.” Alistair said. He didn’t let my chin go until his assistant called out to him.

“Let him go, Alistair.” She said. She then turned to me. “You, what’s your user?” She asked me.

“My user?” I asked.

“Your Instagram user. To tag you in this post.” She said. I told her my username and she put it in. “And done!” She made one final click.

Almost instantly as she posted it, my phone began to vibrate. I pulled it out and saw several notifications of people following me and liking all my posts. Then messages and DMs came in. Then several friends began to call me.

“I guess we’re done.” Alistair said. “I’ll be in contact soon.”

“O-Okay.” I replied. He began to walk away until I grabbed the sleeve on his suit. “Wait!” I called out to him. He turned around and looked at me. “I hope we have a great relationship. Even if it’s short.” I stuck out my hand.

Alistair shook my hand with his firm hands. He pulled away and looked at his palm. I noticed a bit of red paint on it.

“Whoops!” I said. Alistair simply pulled out a handkerchief and just wiped his hand.

“Meredith! Let’s go!” He said. The assistant, Meredith, gave me a glance to reassure me that I was going to be fine. The two walked down the hall until they disappeared. I was standing in the same spot until I noticed that Evelyn was missing.

“Evelyn!” I called out for her. She was nowhere to be found. I walked to her office and saw her on the phone.

“Yes! Of course! We can get it shipped to you in a few days. It’ll cost extra- oh, excellent!” She said.

“Uh, everything okay?” I asked.

Evelyn finished her call and looked up at me. “It’s amazing, Cal! We’ve sold 5 of our limited edition paintings already!” The phone began ringing again. “Oh, there’s another!” She picked up the phone and began answering.

It was getting late. I let her know that I was leaving for the day, to which to let me. The rest of my coworkers patted me on the back for “bagging a rich guy.” Whatever that means…

My phone kept going off. I wasn’t even safe in my car as I turned on the radio to hear music only to be met with the hosts talking about Alistair’s new boyfriend.

“Out with gals, and in with- Cals? Businessman Alistair McClair already made headlines when he ended his relationship with Pamela Back this morning. But once again, he is back, and this time, it’s for his new boyfriend!” The co-host said.

I turned the radio down and just kept driving.

‘Shit! I need groceries!’ I said to myself, knowing I was going to have to get out of the car. Luckily, there was one near my apartment, I just had to go inside and get my things, then dip.

But that didn’t happen. As soon as I stepped in, the TV in the store were all displaying segments of Mr. McClair’s new boyfriend, his 100th partner. Of course, I was recognized and followed around.

Just when I thought my day couldn’t get any worse, even my apartment wasn’t safe. The old Italian grandma that lived next door stopped me and asked me if I was a ‘checca’. I had no idea what that meant, I just retreated to my apartment.

I signed up for this, I can’t complain. Though, a bit of privacy would be appreciated. The only call I took that day was from my mom.

“Mom-”

“Calvin! Is this you on TV? Are you dating that rich guy? Explain what’s going on!” Mom quickly said.

“Can you calm down? My head’s been hurting.” I said. “Yes, that’s me. I’m… dating Alistair.”

She was quiet on the other line. “Well, if he treats you like that Terry fellow, just let me know and your father will go break some knees.” She said.

“Mom, he’s a rich guy with security. How is dad going to get to him?” I asked. I changed out of my paint-stained clothes and got ready to shower.

“Your father has his ways.” Mom replied. “Calvin, just know that dating someone like Alistair isn’t gonna be easy.”

“I know, mom. I’m expecting it.”

“I’m serious, Cal. There’s a reason why he’s had 99 exes. Just read the stories about people’s experiences with him. He might not be a huge red flag, but the red alarms are warning you.” Mom told me.

“Got it, mom. I’ll keep an eye out.” I said. I talked with my mom some more until she needed to hang up. I also gave a quick goodbye to my dad.

I was back in silence in my apartment. I took a shower, changed into some comforting clothing, and began to make dinner. A show was playing in the background to provide ambient noise.

Maybe I should get a dog. It’s a little too lonely in this place. But I’m ‘dating’ Alistair now. Hopefully he’ll provide some comfort. But knowing how he is, I sort of doubt that.

Midway through dinner, I received a text on my phone. The text came from a random number. All it said was:

Friday, 7 pm @ Blockhouse.

There was nothing else said. But I knew the location. Blockhouse is one of Seattle’s exclusive places. I heard that you need to make a minimum of 200K a year to even be put on the waitlist. And it’s a restaurant owned by Alistair McClair.

Not to mention, there’s a dress code required to even get in. It’s only Tuesday! I need to find the right outfit in a few days.

What have I gotten myself into?

Chapter Three

Calvin Fischer

“Uh, excuse me.” I said to one of the waiters walking by. This was the sixth person to ignore me. Getting in was easy, since the bouncer knew my name. But now, as I stood in the lobby of the restaurant, no one was helping me out.

“Hi, how can I help you today?” A waiter said.

“Yes, I-” I replied until a man bumped me from behind. I saw a more professionally dressed man and a young woman under his arm walking past me. The waiter was talking to them, not me.

“I have a reservation under Townsend.” The man said. The waiter nodded and flipped through a tablet.

“Yes, Dennis Townsend. Please come with me.” The waiter walked into the main dining hall, followed by the guy and his partner. Leaving me alone.

My phone began ringing. I checked and saw it was the number that had texted me the time and place for the date.

“Hello-”

“Where are you?” The voice I recognize as belonging to Alistair said.

“I’m in the lobby. I’m sorry, Mr. McClair. But I have no idea where to go.” I replied. I thought he hung up until he sighed loudly.

“Hang tight.” He replied, and abruptly hung up. I waited for a few more minutes in the lobby, until I felt someone watching me. I looked up and saw Alistair standing a few feet away from me.

I couldn’t help but admire how handsome he was. His suit was perfectly fitted on it, outlining his body’s upside down triangle shape. His hair was neatly styled, slightly slicked back. The five o’clock shadow on his face added a more masculine look to him.

So I happily walked over to him and stood face-to-face with him.

“Good afternoon, Mr. McClair.” I said, holding out my hand.

“Good afternoon, Calvin Fischer. I hope your day has been pleasant.” He replied and shook my hand. So professional. “Follow me.” He said.

He guided me through the dining hall. Several guests and servers greeted Mr. McClair with respect. Some of the servers who ignored me had shocked faces as they finally recognized me as Alistair’s boyfriend.

Rather than sit at one of the tables in the dining room, he went through some doors in the back and we went up some stairs. There was a second floor that I didn’t know existed. Up here was also populated with other patrons. All of them looked even richer than the ones below. If you blew this place up, the GDP of Seattle would probably fall by 80%.

Still, we walked through the inside part and entered into a balcony area. A large table was set that faced over the bay. I got a beautiful view of the sunset.

Before I could pull out my seat, Alistair did it for me. He then commanded me to sit and then pushed my seat in. He returned to his side.

“I’m sorry for the delay.” I said. Alistair grabbed a napkin and placed it on his lap.

“It’s fine.” He replied. “Really.”

“Thanks for understanding.” I said.

A waiter came by and took our drinks order. I got lemon water while Alistair stuck to plain water. Our menus were given. Upon seeing the price, I began to check for the cheapest item, which was a salad.

“If you’re worried about price, don’t be. I’m paying.” Alistair said. I thanked him, but made a mental note to repay him back one day.

In the end, I stuck to a simple salmon dish. Alistair went for a pasta dish. The entire time, we didn’t talk. Alistair just looked out at the bay. Eventually, I grew tired of the silence and decided I needed to make the first move.

“So, what made you ask me out?” I asked him. Alistair was caught off guard but gave me his whole attention.

“My ex broke up with me.” He replied.

“Oh,” I said. Yeah, Evelyn wouldn’t stop talking when she found out that Mr. McClair was single. She even had fantasies about him asking her out. “I graduated from the University of Washington. I majored in art. Where did you go?” I asked.

“I didn’t go to college.” He said.

“Really? But you’re so successful. I would have imagined you went to an Ivy or something.”

“Education does not equate to success.” Is all he said. I felt like I said something wrong, so I took a sip of my water.

The food came rather quickly. I began to eat slowly. I watched Alistair use his fork and eat some pasta. After each bite, he wiped his mouth with a napkin. He must not like getting dirty.

“What do you like to do in your free time?” I asked.

“Work and play with my cat.” He said.

“You have a cat? Nice! What’s its name?” I asked him.

“Strangers are prohibited to know her name.” He replied. I let out a chuckle. At least it shows that he cares for his pet. So… green flag?

“Right, right. Uh,” Crap! I ran out of questions. I asked the basics. And I don’t want to ask those simple questions like ‘What’s your favorite color?’ or something of that sort. “What do your parents do?” I asked. “I’d imagine they’d work in something like law or investing-”

“Don’t make inferences.” Alistair was quick to say. He took a twirl of pasta and ate it. I watched him eat it slowly and swallow, then drink a sip of water. “But since you asked: My father was a carpenter and my mom was a nurse.”

Was.

“Oh, right. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make assumptions. I’ll be wary of that next time.” I said. I lowered my head, realizing that I do indeed talk too much, just like my mom told me before I went on this date.

“I know you’re overthinking right now. It was just a small slip-up.” Alistair assured me. I looked up, his eyes looking at the city. I turned to the city and saw that the buildings in the business and financial district began to light up.

One of those tall buildings belonged to Alistair. It had his company’s logo at the top of the tower, lit up for all to see. It was his way to let the world know that it was property of McClair Enterprises.

From where I sat, the sun shone its golden rays on Alistair’s face. His beauty was elevated more, with his skin resembling melted gold. He almost looked… warm in some way.

“Take a picture, why don’t you?” He said.

“Uh, can I?” I asked. Alistair gave me a side glance but allowed me to. I pulled out my phone and captured a photo of him. He is absolutely ethereal.

Nothing else was said beyond that. We finished our food until it was dessert time. I ordered a small lava cake while Alistair opted for a small bowl of pistachio ice-cream. Part of me wanted to yell at him for his taste, but this is the man that’s paying for my meal.

Before the waiter left, Alistair whispered something in his ear. The waiter nodded and left. When the food came, Alistair got his ice-cream. But I noticed mine was a cheesecake, not the lava cake I ordered.

So I held up my hand before the waiter left. “Excuse me?” I asked, loud enough for him to hear.

“Is everything okay?” The waiter asked, returning to my side.

“I don’t mean to be a bother, but I ordered the lava cake and received this.” I pointed to my dessert. The waiter pulled out his notepad and scanned through.

“Oh, my mistake. I’ll get that fixed for you.” He grabbed my plate. “Sorry for the mix-up.”

“It’s fine. Take your time.” I replied. The waiter nodded and left to get me the right plate. I turned to Alistair, who was watching the entire interaction. He didn’t say anything, just watched.

The waiter returned, this time giving me what I ordered. I thanked him and was able to enjoy my cake. I tried to press Alistair for more information, mainly what his plans were for the weekend and such.

All he replied with was that he needed to do some cleaning. I, meanwhile, told him my plans of visiting my parents. This piqued his interest, and he asked me how often I visit my parents. To which I said, every weekend. He just let out a small smile and returned to eating.

The bill came, Alistair placed his black card on the bill. I insisted on the bill and placed a few 20’s for the waiter as a tip.

“So, where’s the contract?” I asked.

“Huh? What contract?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.

“That contact. Don’t these types of relationships need a contract that establishes the boundaries and those kinds of things?”

Alistair let out a deep, heart-felt chuckle. His laugh almost scared me. Not because of how deep it was, but because it shows that he’s capable of laughing.

“You watch too many movies, Calvin. There is no contract. You just have to date me. If you stick around long enough, you’ll join me for galas and events. And if you make it far enough, you’ll get to live with me. But just know, no one has ever made it to that point.”

I felt like he was challenging me. “There’s always a time for firsts.” I said.

“Time will tell.” He replied. “But there is no contract. The moment you want to end this relationship, just say the words and we’ll go our separate ways.”

“Got it! And what about sex?” I asked. Alistair became flustered.

Achievement: New Alistair Emotion Unlocked!

“Gosh…” He muttered. “Don’t bring that up.” He said. I didn’t press the matter any further.

A man in a suit walked up to Alistair and whispered in his ear. The two exchanged a few words, with Alistair furrowing his eyebrows.

“Got it. I’ll be there.” I heard him say. The waiter then returned with Alistair’s card and the receipt. “It’s time to go.”

I stood up from my seat, then Alistair did too. Before we left, I stacked our dishes so that the server didn’t spend too long organizing them. My boyfriend (first time using that) took us through the restaurant and back to the front of the establishment. A valet driver came with his car and handed him the keys.

“Do you have a ride?” He asked me.

“Yeah, my friend is picking me up.” I checked my phone quickly. “She’ll be here in a few minutes.”

“Okay.” He said. His eyes were glancing at his car. “See ya.” He said. He gave me an awkward handshake and then quickly entered his expensive car. And he left the parking lot.

As soon as he was out of sight, I sighed loudly. I scared the valet man, who then asked me if I was sick and needed an ambulance. Evelyn came a few minutes later to finally pick me up. As soon as I hopped in the car, she began to squeal loudly.

“Oh-em-gee! How was it? Was he cold and dismissive like everyone says?” She asked. A car honked their horn behind us. Evelyn began driving out of the valet.

“He was…”

“Charming? A great listener? Exuding sexual energy? Was he on the verge of pinning you against the wall and having his way with you?” She asked.

“He was fine.” I replied. I saw my friend’s smile drop.

“Seriously? Fine? Come on! You went on a date with Seattle’s most wanted boyfriend. And he was fine?” She asked.

“If you insist…” I explained to her my experience with Mr. McClair. About how he was mostly silent and gave crumbs of answers. But also how he was observant during some times.

“Wow. The guy sounds like an enigma.” She said.

“Indeed he does.”

“Welp, there’s always more dates. And you’ll have more time to get to know him.” She assured me. I leaned my head back on the headrest and closed my eyes.

“Question: Do I have to come in on Monday?” I asked.

“Uh, duh! I know you’re feeling uncomfortable because everyone is constantly bothering you. But it’ll die down soon.”

“Fine.” I replied.

I’ve had a long, tiring day. So I slowly began to close and fall asleep. Until I remembered that my mom needed heirloom tomatoes tomorrow. At which point, I sat up and demanded Evelyn drive me to the nearest supermarket.

Chapter Four

Alistair McClair

Monday rolled around. I was a bit excited for the new work day, because there was a packet of pens from a Japanese company that I’ve been excited to try. I encountered a worker on the elevator, as she scanned through some papers.

“Good morning, Mr. McClair.” She said.

“Good morning, Katherine.” I replied. I always make sure that I know all my employees’ names. From my top directors to even the janitor.

While Katherine was sifting through her documents, I noticed a photo in the stack. I reached and grabbed that paper and pulled it out. The employee didn’t contest and let me do it.

The picture was a photo of me, arms crossed with my company’s logo behind me. But plastered in rainbow letters underneath was the phrase ‘Now LGBTQ+ Friendly.’

“Who made this?” I asked Katherine. She stuttered a bit but maintained her composure.

“The publicity team insisted that we get these out as soon as possible.” She replied.

“Thank you for telling me.” I told her. The elevator opened to her floor and she got off. I kept riding until I reached my floor. As soon as I entered, Meredith came running out, waving a pride flag and handing it to me.

“How’s my favorite gay CEO?” She excitedly said.

“Can you… not?” I said. She pulled out a small pride-pin and hooked it on my suit jacket.

“Can’t. We’ve got huge things happening. I’ll brief you on them.” She said. We walked to my office, while Meredith informed me of all the new changes that my company is holding.

I sat on my desk and noticed a framed photo that someone put. It was the picture that Calvin and I took on the day I asked him out.

“So, how was the date?” Meredith said, taking a seat in front of me.

“Fine.” I said. Meredith began snickering. “What’s funny?” I asked.

“You said fine.” She said. “You’ve always described your prior dates as repulsive or a waste of time.”

“If you’re saying what I think you’re saying…” I warned her.

“I’m not! I’m just pointing it out.” She crossed her leg over the other. “Tell me about him. What’s he like?”

“Very talkative.” I said.

“But that’s fine, right? You’re a man of few words. Having a talkative partner is a great counterbalance. But was he talkative like annoying or comforting?” She asked.

“Strangely comforting.” I replied. “And I know that he’s a genuine person at heart.”

“Oh no. Did you do the wrong order test?”

I nodded. “I just told the waiter to bring him the wrong food. Instead of making a fuss, he was calm about it. Treating waitstaff is one way to tell if a person has good character.”

“Right. You did that test a few times, and most of them failed.” Meredith described. “Well, there’s a few pictures that need some touching up.” She stood up and began to walk out of my office.

“Where’s Kostas? I didn’t catch him this morning.” I told her.

“He’s off somewhere. Said something about emergency meetings. He should be back soon.” Meredith informed me. I thanked her and let her carry on her task.

The pride flag that was given to me was still in my hands. Honestly, I’ve never really thought about gay people. A few months ago, it was brought up during a meeting that we needed to appeal to the gay community. The concern wasn’t dismissed, but we were in the process of a huge deal so it was sidetracked.

Am I going to exploit my relationship for business gain? I mean, I am a businessman. It’s a capitalist society, where it’s eat or be eaten…

“Guess who just signed five new clients!” Kostas announced as he barged into my office.

“Could you be any louder?” I asked him, setting the flag to the side.

“I’m telling you, Alistair. This gay thing might be an advantage! I just signed 5 new clients that we’ve wanted their business from. They agreed after they heard that announcement that you were dating Calvin.” Kostas sat in a seat and placed his legs up on my desk.

“Hmm.” I grunted. I grabbed a pen and began to poke Kostas legs to get him to remove them off my desk.

“I guess you dating Calvin has been a good thing! Imagine how many more deals we’ll get by June!?”

“If it’s working, then it won’t be so bad to date him.” I replied.

Kostas looked at me with a smirk. “Aww. Did Calvin already enchant you? Was the date that good?” He asked.

“I’m in direct sight of your eye. This pen can easily enter there.” I warned him. Kostas chuckled out loud.

“Classic Alistair: Refusing to share his emotions and threatening his best friend.” He stood up and placed the files for the documents that needed signing. “Maybe you can get something else out of this arranged relationship.”

“I’m fine the way I am.” I replied. Kostas glanced at me up and down.

He smirked. “Sure.” He left my office.

While finishing up work, I received a text from a random number. When I checked, I saw that it was Calvin Fischer’s number.

‘Hello, Alistair! How have you been? I hope you’re good. I haven’t heard from you since Friday and was wondering if everything was okay. You don’t have to open up. Just send me a quick text that you’re okay!’

God, even in text he talks too much.

‘I’m fine. Just busy.’ I replied as simply as I could. But it’s a weird feeling, having him be so insistent on how I’m doing. Must be a gay thing…

‘Oh, okay. I’ll stop texting and let you get back to work.’ His reply was quick.

‘K.’ I replied to him. But as the day had ended and I retreated to my apartment at the top of the building, there was a weird feeling of silence. I’m used to the silence. It’s comforting when no one is disturbing the peace.

Before I went to bed, I received a call from the same number, Calvin’s. I let it go to voicemail two times, but sighed when I knew that he wasn’t going to give up.

“What?” I asked as soon as I picked up.

“Did I wake you? Were you asleep?” He asked quickly in a concerned voice.

“No, you didn’t.” I said. I rubbed my eyes with one hand and stared out the window, looking down at the city below me.

“How was your day? I saw the photos your company posted.”

“It was fine. Had a few meetings. Why are you calling me?” I asked.

“Can’t a guy call his boyfriend before he goes to bed?” He said. He called me his boyfriend. I know that he technically is.

But hearing it outloud from my partner sounds so foreign. I think I hate it.

“Well then, goodnight.” I said.

Before I could hang up, Calvin shouted, “Wait!” I stopped myself and groaned quietly so he couldn’t hear.

“What now?” I asked.

“Uh, when can I see you again?” He asked.

“See me?” I asked back.

“Yeah! See you. Face-to-face. It’s been a few days and we should catch up.” He said. I just wanted to go to bed quickly, so I replied with whatever came to my mind.

“Tomorrow. Come by my office at 12 for lunch.” I quickly said.

“Right! Got it. 12.” He repeated.

“Goodnight.” I said.

“Nighty-night, Alistair.” He replied. I hung up the phone and connected it to my charger.

It was now 10:10, ten minutes past my regular bed time. I took a few breaths, said goodnight to my cat, and managed to sleep quickly. Luckily, those ten minutes didn’t affect my sleep, because I woke up the next day energized. I did my morning routine, got dressed, and left for my office.

As soon as I exited my apartment, Meredith was there to greet me.

“Hello, handsome.” She said.

“Good day, Meredith.” I replied. She handed me a hot cup of coffee.

“Your usual 3 sugar, one pump of cinnamon, and milk foam cup o’joe.” She said.

“Thank you.” I replied. We entered my office and got to work, with my assistant giving me a run down of my schedule for the day.

“And you have a meeting with Chris Brandenburg for tomorrow. That should be it.” She said. I was zoned out for the entire time, and remembered a certain phone call from last night.

“Meredith, what are we having for lunch?” I asked.

“Hmm? Oh, Chinese. Why? Do you want to change it?” She replied.

“Place an order for an extra meal.” I said. I began to dig through my drawer, looking for a different pen to write with.

“Who’s joining us?”

“Calvin Fischer.” I replied. I successfully found the pen.

“Glad to see that you’re inviting him. I’ll place the order.” She smiled and was ready to walk out.

“This doesn’t mean that I like him!” I shouted at her.

“Of course it doesn’t! Bye-bye!” She said, before leaving my office. I sat back, knowing that she was going to tell Kostas, who was going to tell the rest of the office workers.

Throughout the remaining morning, Calvin texted me if the plans were still on. I assured him that they were still on, and that the security at the front knew to look out for him. He’s a very panicky person. Something I noticed about him…

A few of the interns left to get the food, while I finished up a bit more work before lunch time arrived.

As I was walking to the conference room, ready for lunch, I received a text on my phone.

‘X’

That text made me stop in my tracks, turn around and begin running to the elevator.

“What’s going on?” Meredith asked me, noticing my urgency.

“Emergency!” I replied. Meredith understood what these ‘emergencies’ mean, so she nodded and let me continue my path. As soon as I got into the elevator, my assistant joined me.

“Need me to do anything?” She asked. I kept pressing the button to the garage level of the building.

“You guys go ahead with lunch.” I replied. I could feel my hands shaking and a bit of sweat formed on my forehead.

“What about Calvin?” She asked. “He’s still joining us?”

“Just keep him company.” The elevator doors finally opened to the floor I had clicked. “Whatever you do, don’t leave him alone with Kostas!” I said as I ran out of the elevator.

“Got it! Go take care of that thing.” She replied, the doors closing. I held up my hand, and my personal driver came quickly to get me.

After I told him where to go, he nodded and went on his way. Then I pulled out my phone and began to call someone. There was no time to be relaxed at the moment. I just need to get to my destination and make sure that everything is fine.

---

thanks for reading the first four chapters! new chapters every wednesday and saturday. hope to see you all throughout the story. goodbye!

Chapter Five

Calvin Fischer

There was the McClair Enterprises tower, the tallest building in Seattle. I stood right outside the office area and was just looking up at the looming tower. I snapped out of my thoughts and realized I needed to walk inside. I ignored the paparazzi who were taking pictures of me and entered.

As soon as I stepped inside, I unfolded my umbrella and patted my shoes on the carpet below me to get rid of any rain water.

Inside the lobby, people walked around with files or coffees in their hands. People talked in either parlay or perhaps business. But their chatter would stop when I walked past them, as each one of them stopped to look at me.

“Is that Alistair’s boyfriend?” I heard a woman ask.

“Yeah, that’s him.” A man replied.

“He does have different colored eyes.” She replied.

Ahead of me was a metal detector and security guards. I watched as an employee pulled out an ID, removed anything metal, and walked through. Stress began to fill me up, as I wondered if Alistair did in fact tell the security that I was coming.

One thing that also began to make me feel out of place was my outfit. I wore what I thought was casual, a knitted sweater and black pants. But everyone around me wore suits and skirts in monotone shades. My damn sweater was bright blue and had Nemo and Dory knitted on it!

It was my turn to pass through. I didn’t have an employee badge, but luckily, one of the security guards recognized me and let me pass without needing identification. All that was left was for me to enter the elevator and go to…

Right, I have no idea which floor to go to. There were dozens of floor buttons. I randomly pressed the top floor, because I imagine that’s where Alistair was. I waited for a few minutes until the doors opened.

The top floor had grand windows, with a desk in front and a door leading into, what I assume it, the penthouse. Before I could open the door, a voice called out to me.

“Alistair doesn’t allow strangers into his apartment, ya’know.” I turned and saw a man leaning against the front desk. Where did he come from?

“Uh, do you know where Alistair is? We’re supposed to be having lunch.” I told him. The guy strided over to me. He was of a muscular frame, his suit hugging tightly to his torso and legs. His skin was an amber tan. His curly black hair fell over his forehead, and his nose was slightly big, but insanely attractive. Is being attractive a requirement to work here?

“Alistair had to leave. But you can hang out with me.” He said. He pulled out the receptionist’s chair and sat on it the opposite way but facing me. “I’m Kostas Nicolatis, Alistair’s best friend. But he won’t ever admit that out loud.”

“Nice to meet you, Kostas. I’m-”

“Calvin Fischer. Yeah, I know. Everyone does. It’s not everyday that a multi-millionaire dates a guy who paints circles for a living.” He replied with a smirk.

“I do more than circles.” I said.

“Hah! Yeah, sure.” He stood up and placed his hand on my head. He patted my hair like I was a child. He was taller than me, but I’m just under 6’.

“I’ll just call Alistiar.” I said. Kostas chuckled. Suddenly, a pair of hands slapped Kostas’ arm. He removed his hand from my head and rubbed his injured spot.

“Ow! What the hell, Meredith!” He said. I turned to my left and saw Meredith, Alistiar’s assistant, staring at Kostas.

“Get away from Calvin. He’s not allowed to talk to strangers.” Meredith said.

“I’m not a stranger!” Kostas said. “You hurt me…”

“Stop being a baby.” She said. She turned to me and gave me a small smile. “Alistair had something come up. But he’s asked for you to join us for lunch.”  She told me.

“Right. Well, I should just go then and wait for him.” I said. But Meredith placed her hand on my shoulder.

“Just join us. We’re having Chinese.” She said.

Kostas’ eyes lit up. “Can I join?” He asked.

Meredith sighed. “I guess.” She replied. Kostas cheered to himself. That’s how I ended up in a random conference room, a box of chow mein in front of me. Kostas and Meredith were talking with one another.

“So, Calvin. Tell me: What’s your opinion on Alistair?” Meredith asked.

“You know, the usual.” I replied, trying not to make a clear inference. Kostas rolled his eyes.

“Come on!” He said. “You’ve got to give us more than that.”

“I only knew about Alistair because he attended one of our art shows a while ago. He scoffed at most of the paintings.” I explained. This is true. It was an art gallery from a few months ago. I didn’t have anything up that night, and I didn’t interact with him at all. But I did hear from Evelyn and others about how Alistair acted that night.

“Yeah, Alistair isn’t a huge fan of art.” Meredith said.

“I also knew some parts about him because my friend, Evelyn, has a huge crush on him. I knew that he has an extensive dating history, and that he’s a tough person to get along with.”

“Sounds like him.” Kostas said.

“Yeah, he may be tough to get along with. But I hope that you can be one of those few people that is able to get through. You’ll find that Alistair is a great person underneath.” Meredith said. I looked at her, seeing that she was being genuine.

“Hah! Yeah right. Everyone knows how Alistair is. You’ll be lucky to last until next week.” Kostas chuckled out loud.

“Be optimistic, jackass.” She said.

“Where did Alistair go?” I asked the two of them.

“Beats me.” Kostas said. “Sometimes, he’ll drop everything he’s doing and leave without saying a word to anyone. We have a theory that he has a mistress and child. Others say that he has a twin and he and his sibling switch places.”

“Oh…” I said.

“But those are theories. No one knows for sure.” Kostas added. I turned to Meredith, who looked like she knew something but was holding back. She is his assistant, afterall. She might know.

“I just realized I don’t know Alistair’s birthday. Can you tell me when it is?” I asked them.

“May 17. He turns 30 this year.” Meredith said. “How old are you?” She then asked me.

“25.” I replied.

“You’re an artist, right?” She asked. I nodded in reply. “What are your parent’s professions?”

“My mom is a fashion artist and my dad is a graphic designer. I guess you can say that I got the art genes.” I chuckled.

“I heard that artistic people are very kinky. Are you kinky, Calvin?” Kostas asked. I choked on my food and guzzled down water to clear my throat.

“I uh…” I stuttered.

“Don’t answer him, Calvin. Kostas is just being a freak, like always.” Meredith said, while silently scolding Kostas. “But I am interested, who have you dated in the past? You already know that Alistair has 99 exes. But what about you?”

“I’d rather not talk about him.” I replied. I fiddled with the sleeve of my sweater. I guess the other two noticed this and didn’t ask me about my ex.

Halfway through lunch hour, the door to the conference room opened up abruptly. Entering the room was the man himself, Alistair McClair. He was slightly panting, and his hair a bit unkempt. His eyes scanned to Kostas, then Meredith, then me.

“Is everything okay here?” Alistair asked, walking in and sitting down next to me. I was immediately attracted to his cologne, which made me lean a bit closer to him.

“Ev’rything’s cool, man!” Kostas said. Meredith pulled out a takeout box and slit it over to Alistair.

“We were just talking with Calvin.” She said to Alistair.

“Thank you for keeping him entertained in my absence.” Alstair said to the two of them. He then turned to me. “My apologies for the abrupt emergency. Next time, I’ll inform you, should such inquiries arise again.” He said.

I was ticked off by his sudden compassion. Not that he’s constantly rude or self-centered, but rather because he’s apologizing, an out-of-character thing from him. Not to mention, he’s taking my feelings into consideration.

Where the hell did he go?

“When’s the next date?” Kostas asked.

“Date?” I replied.

“You two are dating, right? You need to go on another date.” He said.

“It would be nice…” I said. I looked to my side and saw Alistair chewing on his food silently. He looked down and didn’t say anything.

“I think you should choose the next place, Calvin. Pick a spot for you and Alistair.” Meredith said.

Alistair finished chewing, set his chopsticks down, wiped his mouth, and finally spoke since arriving.

“That sounds like a great idea.” He said.

“Really?” I asked.

“Of course. Pick the next spot for us to go.” He said. I blushed and hid my face away from him.

“Okay…” I muttered. Alistair didn’t react. He continued eating.

Lunch came to an end. I offered to clean up our mess. Before he left, I said goodbye to Alistair. He just acknowledged me and left for the elevator, where the doors closed and took him away.

Part of me was a bit bummed out. I know we’ve only been dating for a week, but I just want to see Alistair show that he’s trying for us. I don’t feel entitled to deserve his attention all the time. But I would hope for him to at least be happy to see me or even text me first.

Meredith must have seen how sad I was because she sat next to me.

“Don’t feel down, Cal.” She said.

“I just want him to at least look at me.” I replied.

“Alistair, from the times I’ve known him, isn’t a sentimental or affectionate person. He has friends, and treats his employees like we’re a family, but we can all feel that he keeps some distance between us and him.” She explained.

“And his past relationships? What was he like with them?” I asked.

“Out of his 99 exes, he only ever got alone with two of them. Shelia Nester, ex 62. And Rima Williams, ex 89. As for how Alistair acted with his other ones, it was neutral. He just didn’t care for them. Some of them he went out of his way to annoy them and get them to break up with him quicker.”

“Is going to do that to me?” I asked her.

“From what I’ve seen this past week, it doesn’t seem likely. You’ve dated Alistair for a week already. You’ve already dated him longer than 75% of his past relationships.” Meredith assured me.

I thanked her for the talk. However, it seems that all it brought was more questions. Not even the closest people know the full story of his life. It sort of seems to be a tier system. The closer you are, the more you know. But no one has yet to reach the highest of the hierarchy.

Kostas was kind enough to take me back to the lobby. My opinions on Kostas are somewhat positive. He seems like a nice guy, and cares deeply for Alistair.

As I was leaving the building, several paparazzi walked up to me and bombarded me with their cameras in my face.

They were all asking me if we had broken up. I remembered from a conversation with Evelyn that the paparazzi could tell when Alistair and his partner broke up based on how they walked out of his building. If the partner walked out of the building upset, it means that they got broken up. If not, it could be something else.

I was quick to dispel their concerns, and told them that our relationship was going well. To be fair, it sort of was. We have another date planned.

My only concern at the moment was to choose a place for our next date. It needs to be intimate enough for a date, but not too romantic for such a young relationship.

Chapter Six

Alistair McClair

Frankly, I wasn’t too keen on another date with Calvin. The first date was… fine. He was tolerable to be around. But now I have another date with him. And he’s choosing the place. I just hope it isn’t a museum.

Meredith, for some reason, kept insisting that I act like a gentleman. Something about needing to show Calvin that I am in this relationship and it’s not one sided. I lightly agreed to her demands.

The day was Saturday, and Calvin insisted that I didn’t know where the date was. He gave directions to my driver and told me that he was going to wait for me there. As I arrived, I sighed loudly when I saw we were at the aquarium. We could’ve gone to some botanical gardens or to the opera. Instead, I’m spending my Saturday looking at fishes.

“Alistair! Over here!” I heard Calvin yelling. I saw Calvin standing near the entrance. He was waving his hands in the air, clearly catching mine- and everyone else’s- attention.

I approached him, with him having a child-like expression on his face. That’s when I pinpointed that expression was called happiness. Something I’m definitely not feeling tonight.

“Ready to go in?” He asked.

“Yes.” I replied. I walked ahead and walked through the automatic doors. Calvin followed close behind, guiding me to walk up to the front desk.

“Two tickets, please!” Calvin told the woman at the front. Before I could pull out my card to pay, Calvin had placed his card on the counter. “I’m paying today.” He told me.

“Fine.” I said. Our tickets were handed, and we made our way into the exhibit.

“Woah!” I heard Calvin say in awe. His eyes were scanning every area of the room, as different halls led into different rooms that were full of other animals. “This is amazing!”

Calvin walked up to a large glass wall that had fishes on the other side. He placed his hand on the glass and just looked up at bigger fishes swam by. I stood a few feet away, looking down at my phone.

“Take a picture!” He said.

“What? Why?” I asked.

“Just do it!” He said. I hesitantly agreed and used my phone to snap a few photos of a parrotfish. Calvin gave me a look. That’s when I realized that he wanted me to take a picture of him.

“Done.” I said. He smiled to himself.

“Your turn.” He told me. I stepped back.

“I’m good.”

Calvin just sighed and turned back to look at the fishes. I turned around and saw my security guard watching us. I gave him a nod, and he returned the gesture. Calvin must have spent 15 minutes, pointing at all the fishes.

At some point, a small child walked up to him and two began to point at all the fishes. The child laughed and Calvin was making him laugh. During this time, I just watched him and didn’t interfere.

“Ready to go?” Calvin asked me. I snapped out my weird trance and turned to him.

“Sure. Let’s go.” I said. “Lead the way.”

He scanned the room until he spotted a place he wanted to go to. The sign above it said ‘Touch Tide Pool’. Calvin grabbed my hand but quickly let go and apologized for the sudden gesture. I dismissed it and the two of us went towards that area.

This room was decorated with sea styled paintings on the wall. There were large tanks with different animals located everywhere. But in the middle of the room, in a large pool-sized tank, was a shallow water filled area. In this tank, several small animals were hanging about.

“This is the touch tide pool tank. Have you ever seen one?” Calvin asked me.

“No.” I replied.

“Well, the idea is simple. These are animals you can touch. So long as you’re careful, you’ll be fine. Try it.” He said. I took a few steps back.

“You do it. I’ll watch.” I said. Calvin didn’t object. He rolled up his sweater sleeve and stood at the edge of the tank. He reached his hand in and began to chuckle at how weird the animals felt.

“Ew! This sea anemone feels strange.” He said. I began to twiddle with my fingers and had to force myself to stop.

I wasn’t exactly dressed for the aquarium. I had on a suit, like I always wear outside my apartment. And besides, I don’t want to get this suit dirty with sea water.

But as I watched Calvin playfully touch the animals, not caring that he was getting wet, I had a strong urge to join him.

So I walked up and stood next to him. Calvin was touching a sea urchin. He turned to me as I began to roll up my right sleeve.

“You’re joining?” He asked.

“Clearly.” I replied. He smiled and returned to whatever he was doing.

I scanned around the area where I was at. Each of the creatures that I saw just grossed me out. But I landed my eyes at a single bat starfish near the surface, laying on a rock. I slowly reached forward, my finger ending up in the cold water.

My finger grazed over the starfish slowly, feeling the strange rough skin. After a few seconds of touching it, I pulled my finger out and began to panic a bit. I searched around the room and found a sink to wash my hands at. I thoroughly washed my hands using soap and water provided.

Then I called over my security guard. He had been watching me intently and knew just what to do. He pulled out a small squeeze bottle of hand sanitizer and I used it to cleanse my hands of anything dirty.

“Are you okay?” I heard Calvin say from behind. I turned and saw him looking worried. “Do you need help?” He asked, reaching forward to touch my hand.

“Don’t-!” I jolted back. I turned back to the sink and re-washed my hands again, and reapplied hand sanitizer. Once I was done, I calmed myself down.

I turned back around to see Calvin. He had his eyes down, looking at the floor and obviously feeling guilty. But I can’t blame him. I didn’t warn him. He’s not at fault.

“I’m sorry, Calvin.” I said to him. “I just don’t like… getting dirty.” I said.

“It’s okay. I shouldn’t have touched you when I was just putting my hands in sea water.” He replied. “Should we go somewhere else?” He asked.

“If you want to. Don’t let me stop you from having fun.”

Calvin decided that we had enough of the tide pool. He washed his hands and used my hand sanitizer. Then, we left that room to go to another one.

We continued the day, looking at some other things. Surprisingly, I didn’t hate this date. I found myself tolerating many of the moments during this. And it helped that Calvin was there to provide useless commentary along the way.

He insisted we pass by the gift shop. This time, I offered to buy things. He got himself a blue whale plush, and he gave me a seahorse plush.

“Do you want boba?” He asked me.

“Never tried it.”

Calvin stopped and just stared at me. “You’ve never had it?” He asked.

“That’s… what I said.” I replied. Calvin muttered something, but he began to walk down the sidewalk, away from the aquarium. That’s when I decided that I should probably follow him.

“Can’t believe you’ve never had it before.” He muttered.

“Where are you going?” I asked. I turned and saw my security personnel following close behind. Poor guy. I don’t think he expected us to walk around so much. I’ll give him a long break once this date is over.

My date continued to say nothing but walk down the street. There was one point where I had to hold him by the back of his sweater because he was almost walking into oncoming traffic. He finally stopped and stood in front of a large, modern-looking shop.

“Can you finally explain what’s going on?” I asked.

“We’re here to get boba.” He replied. He opened the door for me and allowed me to enter first. The first thing I felt was how much colder it was here. And the outside was already cold.

“I know it’s not the right temperature for boba. But you should at least try it.” Calvin said. I watched as he walked up to the register. “I’ll take two milk teas, please.” He said, paying for the stuff.

I scanned the building I was in, taking into account the cleanliness. I chose a small booth and sat down. Calvin returned to where I sat and joined me.

“It should be ready soon. Trust me, you’re gonna love it!” He said. I wasn’t too excited to try it.

The order was ready. Calvin returned with the drinks in hand. “Drink up.” He said.

I grabbed a wide straw and punctured the plastic lid. Before I could even try it, Calvin was already taking huge sips.

“Gawd! It’s so good!” He said, his mouth full of boba.

“Chew with your mouth closed. It’s disgusting.” I remarked. He giggled and covered his mouth with his hand.

The straw touched my lips, and I gave a large sip. I first tasted the milk tea, then the boba landed on my tongue.

“Chew it.” He said. I slowly chewed on it.

Not bad…

“Do you like?” He asked.

“It’s fine.” I replied. I pulled out my phone and pinned this place on my map so that I can ask someone to get me more in the future.

We sat in silence just drinking our things. I kept glancing at my watch, seeing how much time was passing by.

“Are you ready to go?” He asked.

“If you are…”

Calvin stood up and grabbed our cups, throwing them away.

“Let’s go. This date’s been long enough.” He said, but I could sense some disappointment in his voice.

As we were leaving, it began to rain. My security handed me an umbrella. When I saw that Calvin was still standing under the covering of the boba shop, I walked over to him and signaled for him.

“Join me.” I said.

“You sure?” He asked.

“Do it or I’ll leave you behind.” I said. He quickly walked over to me and joined my side. Now we’re both dry. “Do you have a rise home?” I asked.

He glanced at his phone. “Shit!” He muttered.

“Everything okay?” I asked. I began to walk and let him follow next to me.

“Nothing. I’ll just hail a cab.” He said.

“In this weather?” I asked. That’s when I pulled out my phone and texted someone. “I called a driver to take you home. Just wait for five minutes.” I said.

“Thank you, Alistair. I really appreciate the gesture.” He said.

“No problem.” I replied. My car pulled up, and my driver opened the door for me. I handed Calvin my umbrella. “Take it.”

Calvin took my umbrella and held it up. He thanked me again.

“I’ll text you later.” He said.

“Okay.” I replied. I remembered Meredith’s words, to try and be compassionate to him. So I grabbed Calvin’s free hand and gently placed a soft kiss on the back of his hand.

His face immediately turned red. He had to look away, but the thing about blushes is that your neck turns red too.

“I look forward to your text.” I said. I then turned and got into the car. Calvin gave me a wave. Then I drove away.

About 30 minutes later, when I returned to my apartment, Calvin sent me a text that he got home safely. He’s out of the rain and safe and sound.

---

thanks for reading this chapter! your support really means a lot to me! see you on wednesday for chap. 7!!

Chapter Seven

Alistair McClair

I was slightly angry today. Instead of being at work, I was forced to go attend a photoshoot as part of a future magazine. Photoshoots were the worst. You stand around in tight fitting clothes as cameras and lights are shoved into your face. I never knew that owning my own company would entail this.

“You’re not going to make a fuss today, are you?” Meredith asked me.

“I’ll… try not to.” I replied. “But I’m walking out if they try making me wear stripes!” I said.

“I’ll make sure there aren’t any stripes.” She said. The photographer finally arrived, along with his crew. They began to set up everything while I was prepared by the prep team.

The first outfit was brought out. As per my request, I was given a private room to change in. When I was done, the prep team would make any adjustments necessary. The photographer then instructed me on the poses I needed.

The session was interrupted with a knock on the door. A security guard opened it, and Calvin Fischer stumbled in.

“Ah, Mr. Fischer! You’re late. Get him ready!” The photographer said.

I turned to Meredith. She walked over to me.

“What’s he doing here?” I asked. It’s not that I hated him, just curious.

“Let me find out.” She said. Meredith left and talked with a few people. She then returned. “Apparently, they want some photos of you two.” She said.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked her.

“I just found out, like you.” She said. I saw her typing on her tablet. “But there’s no wrong in getting some professional photos of you two.”

I agreed, because honestly, I didn’t need an argument. I just want to get this photoshoot done and leave. Calvin emerged from the dressing room in a simple suit. He looked so… awkward. Like he didn’t know what to do.

“Can I get the lovely couple in the middle?” The photographer asked. I took my spot and Calvin took his. But he kept some distance between us. “Closer.”

Calvin side-stepped until he was barely touching my shoulder.

“Just–” The photographer walked over to us. He placed Calvin in front of me, but made his body face me. “Now look into each other’s eyes. Look like you’re in love.” He said. I looked down at Calvin.

I stared into his eyes. His different colored eyes. The light blue on one side. And a dark brown on the other. Meanwhile, he looked into my eyes full of admiration.

“Yes. Yes! That’s it! Perfect!” The director yelled. “Now, Alistair, place your hands on his waist. Hold him tightly.”

Again, I agreed. Both of my hands came upon his waist, holding him. And by default, I pulled him closer to me. The gap between us was much closer. Calvin let out a small squeal.

“Is this okay?” I whispered to him.

“Yeah. It’s okay.” He replied. The closer proximity allowed me to smell Calvin. His cologne, a simple earthy tone, complimented him nicely.

“Great! And you, Calvin, place your right hand on his chest!”

Calvin followed the demand and placed his hand on my chest. He’s touched my hand before, and I did kiss his hand a few days ago. But this felt close.

A few more pictures were taken, until we could finally release each other. The both of us were escorted to our own dressing room and given a new outfit. This one was more casual. Calvin looked styled in his outfit.

This session was different. There were multiple props. For one, both of us had to sit across from one another and pretend to play chess. During another shoot, the two of us were reading books, but sitting close to one another.

“Break time!” The director said. I sighed and quickly left for the bathroom. As soon as I entered a stall, I relaxed myself and did a few breathing exercises.

I finished up in the bathroom, washing my hands thoroughly, and returned. Meredith had gotten me a simple muffin and a side of fruits. She then handed me chopsticks and I began to eat.

“Mind if I join?” Someone asked. Calvin was right there, holding a plate of food.

“Sit.” I replied. He took a seat in the available chair.

“God, these shoots are so long.” Calvin complained.

“Just imagine being Alistair. He has to attend these at least once every two months.” Meredith told him.

“The horror.” He said. “Uh, Alistair. Did you get my text?” He asked.

“Yeah.” I replied. I stabbed a piece of my muffin with my chopsticks and ate it, covering my mouth with my hand.

“So what do you think? Are you down?” He asked.

“What’s going on?” Meredith interjected.

“I asked Alistair if he would like to attend the art gallery that my boss is hosting. We’re going to be selling a few pieces.” He explained.

“Oh, that sounds amazing! Can I join?” She asked.

“Of course! Evelyn was hoping that I could invite you.” He then turned to me. “So, are you going?”

I set down my chopsticks, wiped my mouth, and folded up my napkin. “I’ll attend.” I said. Calvin and Meredith both cheered. “But don’t expect me to buy anything.”

“It’s fine. I honestly just want you to see my work.” He muttered. Meredith placed her hand over her chest and cooed.

It was time for the next session. We were told to change into some loose fitting knitted clothes. I sighed because I could finally take a break from these unbreathable clothes.

For our final pose, a large couch was brought in. I was instructed to lay on the couch. Then Calvin was placed in between my legs, him laying his back on my chest.

“Now act like you’re in love.” The director said. Not knowing what that meant, I brought my hands over his stomach and hugged him close. I could feel him shiver upon my touch.

He adjusted himself, leaning more into my back. Calvin peaked his head back and looked at me. Something caught his eye, because he turned around more.

“Your skin is so beautiful.” He whispered to me.

“Thanks. I stick to a regiment.” I replied.

“Must be complex if it’s that clear.” He said. I felt myself leaning in closer to him.

“Not too complex.” I replied.

“Good! Good! Hold that pose.” The director shouted.

Despite the flashes of lights and clicks of cameras, I couldn’t focus on any of that. Instead, I just leaned a bit closer to Calvin. Maybe he had something on his face, or maybe it was because his eyelashes were splendid.

Either way, I caught myself leaning closer to him. To the point where I could feel the warmth of his breath on my neck.

Before the space between us closed, the director shouted, “Cut!” I jolted from the shout and turned my head up. “That’s enough for today. We’ve got what we need.”

Now, Calvin and I were left in a precarious state. We were both still sitting.

“I’ll get up.” He said. As soon as he stood up, I could feel the warmth go away. I followed behind and got off that damn couch. “Can we get out of these clothes now?” He asked.

“Yeah. Unless you want to keep them, of course.” I replied.

“I kinda like them. I look nice.” He said.

Yeah, he kind of does.

“Kay, I’ll go get changed out of these.” He said. He stepped away slowly until he was out of sight. I felt a hand on my back, rubbing me.

“Everything okay?” My assistant asked.

“Mhm. Why wouldn’t it be?” I asked.

“Nothing. Nothing at all.” She replied. I also went to get changed out of my clothes.

Meredith was outside the building by the car.

“Where’s Calvin?” I asked.

“He took an Uber home. Left a few minutes before you came out.” She told me. I was sort of expecting him to be waiting for me so we could say our goodbye. But he must be busy.

The ride back to the office, Meredith kept glancing at me. Everytime I turned to her, she would look down at whatever she was doing. I didn’t ask her why she was looking at me, because then she would probably start talking nonstop about something meaningless.

“How was the photoshoot?” Kostas asked as he barged into my office. I might have to fire my security guard because Kostas keeps coming into my office like he owns the place.

“You already know.” I said.

“Right. You hate them.” He sat on a nearby chair. “And Calvin?” He then asked.

“What about Calvin?” I asked.

“He was there, no? How was his first time at a photoshoot? Poor guy must’ve been scared.”

“He was fine.” I replied. “Can we not talk about him?”

“What’s gotten into you? You’re acting… off. Did Calvin do something to you that made you question yourself?” He asked.

I was clutching my pen tightly. Kostas was sitting there, giving me a smirk. It’s like he can read the thoughts that I am pushing away. What thoughts? I’m not worried about anything. I’m fine that way I am.

“Watch your mouth, Kostas.” I sneered at him.

“Alright, big boy.” He chuckled. “But there’s nothing wrong with liking a guy–”

“Get out.” I said. I needed to watch my tone, so I suppressed how badly I wanted to yell. But there was anger in me. “Please get out.” I said.

Kostas didn’t talk back. He just stood up, handed me a few files, and quietly left my office. I finally let go of the pen in my hands, letting it fall off onto the floor. The tension in my chest loosened a bit.

I leaned back in my chair and caught my breath. I then began to uncuff my sleeves and loosen my tie. These damn restraining clothes.

While I was calming down, Meredith entered my office.

“Do you need a therapist?” She asked.

“Huh?” I asked, looking at her. Meredith was standing in front of my desk.

“I said: Do you need a therapist? You’ve been acting so strange for the past few days. If you want, I can set up an appointment–”

I abruptly stood up and leaned over my desk towards her.

“Never fucking ask me to go to therapy” I warned her. Meredith gulped and took a step back.

“Jerk…” She muttered, and she left my office.

I sat back in my seat and rubbed my head. As soon as I said those words to her, the guilt settled in quickly. She was just asking about my wellbeing, and Kostas was just being playful, like he always is. But instead, I was quick to push them out.

Why am I so… angry? Could it have been the photoshoot from earlier. My mood only worsened after I left, where Calvin didn’t even say goodbye.

Is it possible that I’m just getting used to him, so his silence just caught me off guard? That shouldn’t make me upset. Calvin shouldn’t make me upset.

But he does. I’ve only been confused about a handful of things in my life, and this might be one of those times.

---

finals are almost over!!! i can finally relax!!!

Chapter Eight

Calvin Fischer

After the photoshoot was over, something felt off between Alistair and I. The two of us cuddled on a couch, wearing soft clothing and in close proximity to one another.

Then, it felt like we were on the verge of kissing. Either I’m being delusional and nothing was going to happen… Or, Alistair was going to kiss me.

The tension that I got from that, combined with Alistair still holding onto me, even after the director ended the shoot, it made me feel weird. It might stem from the fact that Alistair, in the nearly three weeks we’ve been dating, hasn’t shown any affection.

Besides that kiss on my hand on the day we went to the aquarium, and the accidental graze of the shoulder or grabbing of hand, nothing else exists. If we weren’t dating, people would’ve just seen us as friends. Actually, I’m sure even friends are more affectionate.

With Alistair, all I get are small slices of conversation and the occasional giving me a ride home. However, I refuse to lose hope. I have a feeling that there might be something more hiding.

It has been a week since the photoshoot. I did eventually text Alistair. He replied in his usual one worded response. We didn’t talk on the phone, we didn’t meet up, and we didn’t even act like a couple. I still wondered if we were still dating.

That following week, I received a text from a new random number. When I called the number, the voice belonged to Meredith, Alistair’s assistant. And she told me that we needed to talk about something.

I met with her at a cafe, near McClair Tower. We ordered ahead and sat across from one another.

“Why did you want to meet me?” I asked.

“Tell me, Calvin. Have you ever dated a straight man before?” Meredith asked. Welp, getting right into it.

“I did. In college. I dated a guy who was experimenting. It was an… interesting moment.” I replied.

“What was that moment like?” She asked.

“It was sorta hectic. He was affectionate at some moments, but then other times, was distant. It sometimes felt like I was his hidden mistress that he didn’t want to be seen with.” I replied. “Plus, his emotions were out of whack. Sometimes, he struggled with the idea that he was also into guys.”

“And why did you two break up?”

“It was exhausting. The mental games, the ups and downs. I knew that it wasn’t a healthy environment for me.”

“So, if the same thing happened to Alistair, would you leave him?” She asked.

“Huh?” I asked. “I– It’s a serious question.”

“We both know that at some point, Alistair will come to terms. And when that happens, you must be there to help him along the way.” She said.

“Where is this coming from? What’s happening with Alistair? Is he okay? Should I be worried about him?” I asked several questions.

“That’s the problem. I’ve known Alistair for years. I was his assistant when he created his company from the ground up. I watched him get rejected from multiple investors and get told that he would amount to nothing. And yet, at this current time, I have no idea what’s happening to him.” Meredith explained.

I fiddled with a napkin between my fingers.

“So, why am I being told this?”

She reached her hand forward and stopped me from playing with the napkins.

“Because I know Alistair. There’s things about his past that… nevermind. But when Alistair trusts someone, he’ll see them as family. Alistair loves to keep people around him, but also make sure that they don’t know everything about him. So when, and I mean when, Alistair falls for you, please, assure me that you’re not going to bail on him.” She told me.

“I promise I’ll stick by him.” I said.

“Good.” She said. A waiter came by and handed us our food.

“By the way, do you know Alistair’s parents?” I asked. “I’ve noticed that you said that he treats others like family, but I’ve yet to hear about his family.”

She had that look like she wanted to say something but refused to.

“I’m not at liberty to discuss Alistair’s personal life. I’m the only one who knows, and he would prefer it stays that way. Unless you manage to get him to tell you.” Meredith told me.

“Okay. Thanks.”

I took a sip of my coffee. It was back to silence between us. But it’s given me time to think. What happened in Alistair’s life to make him so distant. Why does he allow so few people to be close to him? These were many questions that were now added to the enigma of Alistair McClair.

“You got Alistair to try boba.” Meredith said, breaking the silence between us.

“Yeah, I did. I wasn’t sure if he liked it. But he surely wasn’t disgusted by it.”

“He did enjoy it. He ordered it for the whole office on Friday as a treat. It seems that you’ve already been opening his eyes to new things.”

“I’m just being the boyfriend that I am.” I said.

Her face blushed. “You called him your boyfriend. That’s adorable.”

As we kept talking, I felt like I was being watched. Like holes were being bored into the back of my head.

“So, I’m not saying that I beat that bitch, but she did have to get veneers after our fight.” Meredith said.

“Calvin? Is that you?” I heard someone say. Both Meredith and I turned and saw a woman with blonde hair and an expensive purse in her hands walking up to us.

“Uh…” I stuttered. The woman took off her glasses. As soon as she did, I saw Meredith roll her eyes.

“What do you want?” She asked the woman.

The woman ignored her. “Hello, Calvin.” She said. “I’m Regina Church.”

“Hello.” I replied. “Do I know you?” I asked her.

“You’ve probably seen me online, promoting my clothing and makeup brand.” She said. I shook my head. “Well, regardless, I also dated Alistair.”

“You dated him?”

“Yup! Number 50. And you’re 100.”

“So, I’m double you, I guess.” I said. I saw Regina’s eye slightly twitch.

“Guess so. Anyways, I have to go. Can’t wait for you to join us.” She said.

“Join what?” I asked her. But she had already left. I watched as Regina Church picked up a coffee from the counter and left the coffee shop. “What was her deal?”

“Oh God. I need to warn security that Vagina Church is lurking around.” Meredith said. I giggled at the nickname.

“What’s the history of her? I’m assuming from your reaction and needing a warning that she has a horrible past.”

Meredith sighed. “Regina Church. Was Alistair’s 50th partner. She was one of those people that believed that the world should bow to her. And with a rich man by her side, she truly felt unstoppable. No matter what, she always made it a point to show everyone that she was rich, and they were not.” She explained.

“What caused their breakup?” I asked.

“Regina wanted to get married to Alistair right then and there. They had only dated for three days by that point. Alistair called her crazy. The two fought, and Regina had to be escorted out of the building. She broke up with him, claiming that Alistair didn’t deserve her.”

“Damn…” I muttered.

“But it gets worse. For the next five partners that Alistair had, Regina would stalk them and harass them online. This actually caused one of the breakups, because she couldn’t handle Regina and her minion followers.”

“So, what ended it? She hasn’t stalked me.” I said.

“Alistair threatened to take her to court. Then she backed off. There’s been a few crazies, but Regina Church takes the cake.”

“Right, right.” I said. “If Alistair and I ever break up, I’ll make sure that I don’t become attached. I’ll just thank him for the time we spent together and go on with my life.”

She sipped her coffee. “Hopefully that day never comes.” I heard her whisper under her breath.

I returned to drinking my coffee, trying to forget my encounter with Regina. From the short interaction we had, I could tell that there was something going on with her. Especially that twitch in her eye when I said I was double her. Almost like she felt threatened.

“Enough about exes. Are you excited for the art exhibit?”

“I am! I have a few works that are being displayed. I’m not sure if anyone is going to buy them, but at least people will see them.” I said.

“Seeing as how Alistair will be in attendance, many wealthy people will be there too. And who knows, Maybe even Alistair will buy one.”

“I doubt that. He’s made his stance on art very clear.” I replied.

We finished up our lunch date quickly after that. As we were packing up, Meredith did give me some interesting words.

“Just you wait, Calvin. Soon, you’ll be seeing a new side of Alistair.”

“What does that mean?” I asked her.

“Gotta go. I have some interns to introduce to their boss. Bye!” She said. I watched as she left and began walking into the direction of the McClair building.

Meanwhile, I walked and found the nearest bus station. While waiting for the bus, Evelyn began to call me.

“Hey, Ev.” I said.

“What did the assistant want? Did you guys talk about Alistair?” Evelyn asked.

“Obviously.” I replied. “Just some stuff about him. I also met one of his exes.”

“Really? Oh-Em-Gee! Who was it? Number 32: Marietta Gould? Number 78: Kristen Monroe? Who?” She asked. I forgot that she has an obsession with Alistair.

“Regina Church.” I replied. Evelyn gasped.

“And you’re still alive? Either Regina was in a good mood, or Lady Luck wished her fortune upon you.”

“I’m guessing you know about Regina and Alistair’s history.”

“Duh! It was all over the internet. Their breakup was the biggest news of the year. It was bigger than exes 1 and 2. Tell me all about it when you get back.”

“Got it. Are we staying late tonight?” I asked. The bus pulled up. The advertisement on the outside was promoting a construction project being funded by McClair Enterprises. I got on the bus and paid the fare.

“Yeah. We need to prepare for the art gallery soon.” She said. I took my seat in the back of the bus.

“I’ll be there soon.” I said and hung up.

I leaned my head on the window and closed my eyes. But right as I was falling asleep, my phone rang. It was a text from Alistair.

‘When is the art show?’

May seem like a simple question, but this is the first time he’s ever texted me first. It’s a small gesture, not much. But for someone like him, it’s a major step in our relationship.

---

finals are over, which means i can spend some of my free time writing more chapters!

thx for reading! see you on wednesday for chap. 9!

Chapter Nine

Calvin Fischer

Tonight was the art exhibit. And Alistair is attending. At least, I hope he still is. He did promise that he would come tonight, but I’m keeping my expectations low.

Evelyn instructed how the event was going to play out. The studio was changed, and walls were set up. Different sections would be designated for a single person and their art. And each artist must spend their time near their area, in case any buyers have questions.

Once we were all in position, the doors opened. People flooded in and all began to look at the art. I had several people ask about mine, to which I was able to provide a description of them. From past events, people don’t buy the art immediately.

Rather, these times are used as places for people to talk to one another. And sometimes, they may buy an artwork or two. But that only occurs until much later, near midnight. People were just enjoying the snacks and silence of the gallery.

One hour into the event, Evelyn walked over to my station with a cup of water in her hands.

“Here.” She said, handing me the cup.

“Thanks.” I replied. I chugged the water quickly, then crushed the paper cup.

“When’s Alistair arriving?” She asked.

“Not sure. He hasn’t texted me all day. But I think he might show up.” I told her.

“M’kay. He may be a millionaire, but just know that I will still close the doors at midnight.”

“Got it.”

Before she left, Evelyn glanced at me quickly. “Has Alistair bought you a gift?” She asked.

“No. I mean, he bought me something from the aquarium gift shop. And he paid for our meal during our first date. But he hasn’t bought me anything.” I answered.

“Alright. Maybe gifts aren’t his thing.” She said.

“Is that my Cal?” A voice yelled. I turned and saw my mom and dad walking towards me. I quickly ran over to them and hugged my mom.

“What are you guys doing here?” I asked them.

“We wanted to see your art. We have to support our son, don’t we?” Mom asked. Dad held a handful of crackers in his hand and was snacking on them.

“I just came for the snacks.” Dad said with a mouthful. Mom took a cracker from his hands and ate it.

“Uh, wanna check my collection?” I asked. I stood to the side and let my mom and dad look at my work. The two of them began to examine my work.

“What’s this one?” Mom asked.

The painting she pointed to was a canvas that I painted from memory. The skyline was dark, but there were blobs of yellows, oranges, and whites to mimic lights. The bottom half of the painting was the same at the top, but upside down and wavy to look like a reflection in water.

No one knows where it is, but my memory does. It’s the balcony view from the restaurant, on the first date I had with Alistair.

“It’s a skyline.” I told mom.

“It’s pretty…” Mom sighed. “You’ve grown into an amazing young man. Right, Richard?” Mom asked dad.

“Yeah yeah. Evelyn, you got any peanut butter?” Dad asked my friend. Evelyn, who had been standing beside me, replied that there was some at the snack table.

“We’re gonna keep looking around.” Mom said. “Oh, and when does Alistair come?”

“Not sure. But hopefully soon.” I said.

Mom kissed my cheek and left to look at the rest of the gallery. I leaned back against the wall.

“Your parents are so nice.” Evelyn said, also joining me against the wall.

“Yeah, they are.” I said.

An hour and a half passed by. By now, it was two hours until midnight. I had sold two paintings, which was great for me. As of now, it’s projected that this will be the most successful art gallery.

Still no sign of Alistair. I had a conversation with Kostas a while back about Alistair and how he spends his weekends. Apparently, every weekend, he goes off the grid and doesn’t answer anybody. He treats those days sacred and makes sure no one interferes with his days.

Which would make sense as to why he didn’t answer me all day. Surely, it must be an important matter if no one can know about it.

Right as the clock hit 10:30, the gallery fell silent. I wondered if perhaps Beyonce or The King of England came, so I walked over to the entrance. Standing there, looking down at his phone, was Mr. Alistair McClair himself.

Once again, like always, he stood tall and without a care. His suit fitted nicely to his body. The sharp features on his face gave him a rugged look. But he was incredibly handsome. This is the man I’m dating.

“Calvin.” Evelyn said, putting her hand on my shoulder to get my attention. “I need you to do a favor.”

“Anything.” I replied to her.

“Give Alistair a tour.” She said. I tried arguing, but she told me that I needed to do this because Alistair and I are dating.

So I walked up to him, as he ignored the stared of people. “You came.” I said. He looked up from his phone.

“Yeah. I promised, didn’t I?” He asked.

“Yeah, you did.” I replied. “Want me to show you around?” I said. He put his phone into his pocket.

“If you don’t mind.” He said. I held my hand out, and he gracefully took it. Our fingers interlocked with one another. This is the closest form of affection, besides the kiss on my hand.

I guided him to the first section of the art gallery.

“This is Jeremy’s work.” I said. Jeremy, my co-worker, stood tall but I also saw him shivering from nerves. Alistair looked at the paintings carefully.

“That looks like a vagina.” Alistair said. I gasped.

“It is. It’s my girlfriend’s. I took inspiration.” Jeremy replied. I could see Alistair glaring at the painting.

“Okay then. Next section!” I said. I guided him to another part of the room. Luckily, Susanna was next. And I’m sure her paintings will be great.

“Hello, Calvin.” Susanna said. “And hello, Mr. McClair. Welcome to our art gallery.” She said. At least she’s respectful.

“This is Susanna. She draws a lot of jellyfish.” I said. Her paintings were certainly beautiful. She’s able to blend bright and vibrant colors and give them a jellyfish shape.

Alistair inspected the paintings. He didn’t say anything, but that could mean a good thing.

“Great work.” Alistair said to her. Susanna blushed.

“Thanks. That means a great deal.”

We continued walking around the gallery, looking at everyone’s work. We took a break in between and had some snacks. Alistair had a water bottle, no food. During that time, Meredith was able to come by and check out the work.

Finally, we made it to my section.

“And this is my work.” I said. “I handpainted all of these.”

Alistair leaned in close to my artwork. As he scanned them, there was one that he stopped on. It was the skyline I painted of our first date.

He pointed at it. “Is this from Blockhouse?” He asked, saying the name of the restaurant.

“Yes. I loved the view and wanted to paint it.” I said. “I used mainly rectangles and circles to paint this. But I used those simple shapes to paint a complex story.” I explained to him.

Alistair kept his eyes on the drawing. He must have stared at it for nearly 10 minutes. He just scanned the painting. As if he was looking for any mistakes between the strokes of the brush. Finally, he stood back up.

“I’ll buy it.” He said.

“Wait? Really? Are you joking?” I asked him. He kept a stoic face.

“Do I look like I’m the type to joke?” He asked.

“Right! Sorry.” I called Evelyn over, who was watching us from a distance. “Evelyn, you remember Alistair. He said he would like to buy this painting.” I explained to her.

“Okay, Mr. McClair. I’ll reserve the painting and send it over to your address.” Evelyn said.

Alistair just nodded at her. Evelyn took the painting from the wall and walked to a back room for storage. She returned with a receipt and the payment was made right then.

“So, wanna see anything else?” I asked.

His attention shifted to another painting I made. This one was two square paintings on the same canvas. The one on the left was a deep brown color. And the one on the right was a light blue color.

“Are these supposed to be your eyes?” He asked.

“Mhm. I hope I got the shade right.” I replied.

He turned and gently grabbed my chin. He lifted my face up to meet his eyes. Alistair then leaned down, until he was a mere few inches away from my face. He glared at me, bearing deep into my irises.

“Hm.” Alistair grunted. “You got the shade right.”

He then let go of my face. I blushed and looked away from him, while he continued to look at the rest of the paintings.

“Thank you, Alistair.” I said.

“No problem.” He replied.

Fuck! Things are awkward now. At least, for me. Alistair doesn’t seem to get uncomfortable in situations. And if he does, he plays it off like he doesn’t care. The man just grabbed my face and looked into my eyes, the windows into someone’s soul.

Do you see how awkward that is? How is this man so… handsome without trying? It must be a gift.

“Alistair. Look!” We both turned and saw Meredith walking over to us with a small painting in her hand.

“You bought something?” Alistair asked her.

“Yeah! Look! It’s a turtle!” She held up the painting. It was one of Shawn’s collection of ocean animals.

The mood was now lighter. Alistair hung around, looking at other drawings. Some people conversed with him and talked about business stuff. I stuck by his side, to show everyone what a happy couple we were.

Right as I was explaining a story to Alistair and Meredith, there was a tap on my shoulder from Evelyn. She had a worried expression on her face.

“Yeah?” I asked her.

She leaned into my ear. “Terry’s in the back.” She whispered.

A bit of panic arose in me. I played it off and excused myself from the group. Evelyn led me to the back entrance of the studio.

“Want me to be there with you?” She asked. I held up my key chair, which had pepper spray.

“I got this.” I said. She nodded and left me to my own device.

Slowly, I opened the door. I was scared, but it’s been over a year. I’ve grown and feel stronger. So I exited the studio and came face-to-face with my ex boyfriend.

---

y’all ali actually showed up to cal’s art show. he even bought something that reminded him of their first date :)

Chapter Ten

Alistair McClair

Calvin excused himself, but I did catch that he looked frightened. I don’t think he knows how obvious his facial expressions are. I can see when he’s scared, happy, nervous, and even blushing. Honestly, he’s kind of shit at hiding his expressions.

But it’s also entertaining to see how he tries to hide himself.

“You bought a painting.” Meredith said.

“Yeah. I liked it.” I said.

“Where are you going to put it?” She then asked.

“Probably in my office.” I replied. She had a goofy smile on her face. “If you have something to say…”

“Wha- I have nothing to say. Can’t a gal just be proud of her boss-slash-friend? Who do you take me for, Alistair?” Meredith jokingly teased.

“I know how you are. Me buying one of his paintings isn’t a declaration of love. I just liked it. That’s all.” I said.

“Okie-dokie. Sure. Mhm. Whatever you say.” Meredith said. I’m not going to change her opinion. Once she’s made up her mind, it’s almost impossible to convince her otherwise.

Calvin had been missing for a few minutes by this point. I didn’t see Evelyn either, who whispered something in his ear before he took his exit. Meredith caught onto this, as she asked if we should go looking for him.

“Give it five more minutes.” I stated.

Five minutes passed, and he was still gone. By this point, I became alert. So Meredith and I began to walk in the direction that Calvin had traversed through. We caught up with Evelyn, and told her to take us to where Calvin was.

She escorted us to the back of the building. Before I opened the door to the back, I heard a bit of a loud argument.

“Just give me one more chance, Cal! I promise, I’ll treat you like the king you deserve to be treated like.” I heard an unknown voice say.

“I told you, Terry! The answer is no! I already have a boyfriend!” Calvin replied.

“Who? That Alistair guy? He’s gonna break up with you eventually! Just leave him and come back to me.” The guy said.

“Stop! Get away!” I heard Calvin struggling. I quickly opened the door and saw Calvin pinned against the wall, with a random guy holding his neck.

In an instant, I landed a punch on the guy’s face. The guy let go of Calvin and seethed in pain. I placed him behind me to protect him.

“Heh. I guess your boyfriend came to protect you.” The guy spat some blood on the floor.

“Just leave, Terry!” Calvin yelled from behind me. I stared at the guy, easily showing that I can take him on.

“Whatever…” The guy muttered. He quickly ran down the street and disappeared into the night. Once I knew he was out of sight, I calmed down. Evelyn bent down somewhere near where Calvin had been pinned and picked up his keychain.

I began to walk and head back into the studio, but Calvin was clutching onto my arm tightly. I looked down and saw his face was red and his eyes welling up with tears. Something took over me, and I hugged him close.

“Let’s get you inside.” I whispered in his ear. He nodded, but I could still feel him shaking against me.

As soon as we got into the building, Evelyn locked the door and instructed us to head into her office. Once inside, she pulled out a first aid kit. I had to sit on a chair next to Calvin because he still didn’t let go.

“Are you hurt anywhere?” Evelyn asked.

“N-No. I don’t think so.” Calvin replied with a quiver in his voice.

“Your neck. Can I see your neck?” I asked him. He agreed and tilted his head up. There were finger marks forming on his neck.

“Oh God!” Meredith muttered. “We need to call the cops.”

“No! You can’t!” Calvin was quick to say.

“Calvin, this man hurt you. He needs to be in jail.” I told him. Calvin lowered his head, but then looked back up with tears in his eyes. “Who was that man?” I asked him.

“My ex…” He muttered.

The room became silent. I grabbed a handkerchief and gave it to him. That’s when he realized he was crying and he wiped them.

“He was not the best person.” Calvin said. “Terry was possessive and didn’t let me see or talk to anyone. He accused me of cheating on him when I would text a friend. This went on for a long time until I decided I had enough.

“Luckily, I managed to break up with him and moved in with Evelyn. It took another few months, but he finally backed off. He came today because he was trying to get me to take him back. Then he attacked me, and that’s when you guys came.” Calvin explained.

I placed my hand on his shoulder and brought him closer to me.

“I need to check on the guests. I’ll be back.” Evelyn said. She made her exit, leaving just me, Meredith, and Calvin.

“Why don’t you want us to call the police?” I asked him.

“He threatened me. If I were to ever contact the authorities now, he would leak all my explicit pictures online.” He said.

“I can do something about it.” I told him. “I’ll deal with this Terry guy and get him out of your life.”

“N-No! If you come for him, he’ll still leak those pictures. And I don’t want to hurt or damage your reputation. I don’t want people to have a tainted view of you because my pictures were exposed.” Calvin said.

“Just let me call-”

“No!” He firmly said. “Just let sleeping dogs lie. As long as we don’t bother or come across him, we’ll be fine.” Calvin said.

I turned to Meredith. She just shrugged, unsure of what to do.

“Fine. I won’t provoke him.” I said. “But if he ever lays another hand on you, I will do more than threaten him.” I said.

He looked up at me and nodded his head. “Okay.” He said.

I kept him laying his head on my shoulder. Occasionally, he let out a small shiver. But he calmed down when he clutched my bicep tightly.

Evelyn returned and informed me that the art exhibit was closing in 10 minutes and that most of the guests had left. Many of the other artists began to pack their things and were asking about where we’d gone. She lied and said we left early.

After closing time, Evelyn and Meredith both went to clean up the gallery area. Meanwhile, I sat beside Calvin and made sure he was well rested. I handed him a bottle of water and made sure he ate some snacks.

By the end, nearing midnight, the place was cleaned up. We had to leave.

“Make sure he’s well rested.” I told Evelyn.

“Yes, Mr. McClair.” She replied. I had placed an almost-sleeping Calvin in her car. She volunteered to let him sleep in her house for the night.

I dug into my wallet and pulled out a card. This one had my personal number. “Call me if something happens.” I said as I handed her the card.

“I will.” Evelyn replied. “I’ll make sure that painting gets delivered to your office.”

“Thank you.” I replied. Before I left, I stroked Calvin’s face and felt his warm skin.

Returning to my car, Meredith was already inside with her painting she bought in her lap.

“Ready to go?” She said. I turned on the car.

“Yup.” I said. I turned on the heater and began to drive us back downtown.

“Did you know about Calvin’s ex?” She asked.

“No.”

“Poor guy. He wasn’t even worried about having his pictures leaked. He was more worried about your reputation.”

“It’s selfless.” I said. “That’s a good quality in a human.”

“Are you falling for him?” She asked.

I kept my eyes on the road, driving past the dark streets. Raindrops began to fall, hitting the window and roof of the car. It began to feel cold. But Calvin was warm. His warmth, while he was hugging me, was comforting.

There was an inkling feeling that I needed to protect him. When I saw that guy holding his neck, there was a moment that my brain told me ‘Save him.’ I didn’t even have to hesitate to protect Calvin. It was almost… instinct. But it was probably because he was a person in trouble, and not just because he’s my so-called ‘boyfriend.’

“I don’t know” I muttered.

I wasn’t sure if Meredith heard me. When I turned to look at her, she was lightly snoring. She can take the guest bedroom tonight.

During the morning, I texted Calvin if he was okay. It took him a while to reply. He had a long night, so it made sense that he replied nearing mid-day.

Luckily, he was doing good. That relaxed me a bit.

In the middle of the week, Kostas entered my office. Once again, not knocking on my door.

“Package for Alistair McClair!” He announced.

“Am I going to need to put a padlock on my door?” I asked, while holding out my hand for the package.

“Not until you say please.” He teased me.

“Give me the damn package.” I said.

“Ugh! You’re such a prude.” He sighed, handing me the package. He took a seat on a chair and watched me as I opened the box. “Is it a sex toy?” He asked.

“Seriously. What’s wrong with you? Were you dropped as a baby?” I asked him, non-rhetorically.

“Were you born with a stick up your ass?” He asked back. I didn’t reply and opened the package.

Inside was the painting that I bought the night of the exhibit. The painting of the view, where Calvin and I had our first date. A beautiful painting.

In the box was also a pamphlet that contained information about the artist. Calvin’s picture was on it, him smiling brightly. I hadn’t noticed I was smiling to myself.

“Calvin.” Kostas said in a dreamy voice.

“Is there something else you need?” I asked.

“Right.” He said. He handed me an envelope. “We lost a client last week.”

“Why?” I asked, noticing it was a company from the east coast. Some small tech start-up.

“They parted ways because, get this, they didn’t agree with ‘the lifestyle Alistair McClair has chosen to live.’ Crazy, huh?” Kostas said.

I crossed my arms over my chest. “Crown jewel?” I asked him. He flipped the papers on my desk to another document.

“A manufacturing plant that makes their tech products.” He said. I smirked at him.

“Buy it and sell it back to them at a mark-up.” I explained.

Kostas also got a smirk on his face. “Already did. Great minds think alike.” He said. He stood up from the seat. “Where are you putting that picture?” He asked.

I scanned my room. I then saw an empty spot on the wall behind me to my left. When people walk in to talk to me, I want them to see that painting and admire it. Just like I do.

“Right there.” I pointed to that same spot.

“Nice. Gotta go now. Toodles!” He said, walking out of my office.

A few minutes later, I received a text from Calvin. I was quick to drop everything I was doing and reply to what he had sent.

Chapter Eleven

Calvin Fischer

The night of the art gallery, I experienced several different waves of emotions. When my ex appeared, for a moment, I was worried that the nightmares I had with him would come back and take me away.

But then, my savior came. Alistair was quick to save me and take me away from that place. It was the first time that he grabbed onto me. He protected me that night. Even after the altercation was over, he continued to let me hold onto him.

I knew that I had to make it up to Alistair. That week, I called him because I wanted to thank him. He tried to say that it was no problem, but I insisted.

That Friday, I entered his building and went up the elevator to his floor. Meredith was there to greet me, and she allowed me into Alistair’s office. I sat in an empty chair and looked around his office.

His office was located on the third highest floor of the building. I could easily see out of the large window that was placed behind Alistair’s chair. Probably to show people that he is the man of the sky. That in this building, he’s God.

The walls of his building were partly covered in thick philosophical or classical literature books. There was a statue of the head of Venus on a pillar. On one of the walls next to the window was the painting that I made, that Alistair bought. The fact that he put it up in his office, for everyone to see, brought joy to me.

After waiting for a few minutes, the door opened and Alistair came walking in with a briefcase in hand.

“You came.” He said, looking at me.

“Yeah. Did you forget?” I asked. He walked over to behind the desk and took his seat. He placed his briefcase on the desk.

“No.” He said.

I grabbed my bag and also placed it on the table. “I brought food.” I said.

“Lucky for you, I’m starving.”

I smiled as I began to open the tupperwares and placed paper plates on the table. Alistair removed some likely important documents and placed them to the side. After laying out all the things, I opened the large tupperware.

“I made some lasagna. It’s not Michelin star or made from cheese from a rare cow that only lactates in front of Beyonce. But it’s homemade.” I said.

“Homemade will always be better than a restaurant.” He said. I cut a piece and placed it on his plate. Alistair unfolded a napkin and placed it on his lap. Before he ate, I used some hand sanitizer to clean his hand. I opted to do the same, just to be respectful.

I began to eat. Not to be biased, but I do believe my cooking is quite fantastic. I hope that he’ll like it too.

“How is it?” I asked him. When I looked up, he had already eaten half of his share.

He covered his mouth and finished chewing and swallowing. “Good.” He said.

“There’s more, if you want.” I told him. I continued eating. I felt like he was staring at me. So I looked up and he was indeed looking at me. “You want more?” I asked him.

He looked away, a small blush forming on his cheeks. “Please.” He muttered in the softest tone I’ve ever heard him speak in.

“You don’t have to be scared.” I assured him while serving him another serving. He nodded and continued eating. “Anything planned this weekend?” I asked, trying to make conversation.

“Stuff.” He replied. Once again, being discreet.

“I’m gonna go out drinking with my friends. The art show was a huge success and they wanna keep celebrating.” I said.

“Don’t drink too much.” He said.

“I’ll try not to. I’m actually a lightweight. What about you?” I asked him.

“I rarely drink.” He replied. I pressed him for more details. “I don’t like drinking. It tastes bad. Maybe a glass of wine here and there. But even then, it’s only once in a blue moon.” He said.

“Well, that’s fine. You don’t have to drink to have fun.” I winked at him.

I went back to eating, munching away at my food. My phone rang and I saw the notification.

“No-fucking-way!” I groaned, clicking on it.

“Everything okay?” He asked.

“Ugh! No. I was bidding against someone for this jacket. I’ve tried everywhere: Poshmark, Depop, even Ebay.” I said.

“Let me see.” He said. I showed him the jacket. “Why not just buy it from the company?” He asked.

“Can’t. Too expensive. I got a huge bonus from the art show, but I’m not gonna splurge it on a jacket. I’m sure someone else is selling it. I’ll just keep looking.” I said. I placed my phone down, but made a mental note to keep looking online.

After we finished with our meal, I cleaned up everything and gave the leftovers to him.

“Uh, by the way. My parents want you over for dinner soon.” I said. Alistair was caught off guard.

“Huh?” He asked.

“They’ve yet to meet you. They want to see the man that’s dating their son.”

He looked nervous. “Could we hold that off, for now?” He asked.

“Sure. No problem. Take your time.” I said. I grabbed my bag and stood up. “I’ll be leaving now.” I said and began walking.

“Wait.” I heard him say. When I turned around, he was already making his way to me. Before I could say anything, he pulled me into a hug. “Get home safe.” He said. I kept my hands to my side, unsure of what to do.

“Yeah! I will.” I said. He let go quickly and cleared his throat.

“Bye.” He turned back and left for his seat. I took that moment to quickly skedaddle out of there. On my way out, Meredith gave me a wink. I know that she was listening to our conversation.

While going down the elevator, that hug that Alistair gave me made me feel all warm inside. He initiated contact by himself. He was going to miss me. We’re making great progress.

That next day, I received a package in the mail. I didn’t order anything, but saw that it was directed to me. When I opened it, I saw it was the jacket that I was trying to buy. And it was new.

Naturally, I knew it was Alistair. He confirmed it when I called him. I did let him know that I owe him one.

I ended up wearing that jacket when I went out drinking with my friends. We all gathered at a bar that we frequented and took a shot each.

“This one goes to Calvin, and for bagging a rich guy!” Evelyn said. I chuckled and downed my first shot.

Evelyn and I went onto the dance and began to enjoy the rhythm of the music. It was only one shot, and I could already feel the effects starting to kick in.

Still, I went back to get another drink. While at the bar, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and saw a woman smiling at me.

“You Calvin Fischer?” She asked.

“Yup! That’s me!” I eagerly said.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Talia Hopkins.” She said.

“Oh…” I said, not knowing who she’s supposed to be.

“I’m Alistair’s 81st ex.” She said. “The one that almost spilled wine on him at a charity event.” She also added.

Immediately, I felt strange vibes from her. Just like I did with Regina Church. I knew I had to make my exit, but in a subtle way.

“It was nice meeting you. I have to go now.” I said.

“So do I. But it was nice meeting the famous Calvin.” She said. I grabbed my drink and left the bar, walking over to Evelyn. When I turned back, I saw that Talia was gone.

“Who was that?” Evelyn asked in my ear, over the loud music.

“Talia Hopkins, one of-”

“Alistair’s exes.” She finished. “Yeah, she’s part of the psycho squad. Definitely keep your distance from her.” She warned me.

She wasn’t wrong. During my free time, I look at some of Alistair’s exes. I’ve only caught up on the first 20. But even then, there are some strange women that he dated. Not all of them, but there’s always a handful.

The night progressed and I began to lose count on how many drinks I had. There was a moment where I sat on the dance floor and almost fell asleep because of how knocked out I was.

“Hey! Calvin!” Evelyn shouted. I turned and saw her walking towards me, with a woman in tow. “I’m gonna head out.” She slurred.

“O-Okay.” I said. The woman behind her began to kiss her neck.

“Stop. Not here!” Evelyn said in a chuckle. “Okay. Bye-bye!” She waved at me as she walked out of the club.

Once she was gone, realization hit that she was my ride home. I was too drunk and didn’t have any way to get home. And the rest of my friends were planning on hitting a few more bars to continue the night.

So I stumbled out of the bar and began to tread down the dark street. There was a light sprinkle, but not enough to wet me. I then began to hear some wet footsteps behind me. When I turned around, no one was there.

I began to walk more until I found a bus stop. I took shelter because the rain was starting to get heavier. I didn’t hear the footsteps anymore, but one can never now.

“Fuck…” I muttered. The alcohol began to make my head hurt. I took a seat on the bench and pulled out my phone.

Then I clicked on a contact.

“Hello?” He asked.

“Alistair…” I stuttered out.

“Calvin? It’s the middle of the night? Are you okay?” He asked.

“Uh, I need help.” I said.

“You sound drunk. I told you to watch your liquor.” He reprimanded me.

“Stop getting angry at me! I-I need help. I’m alone. My ride left me for a hook-up. And I think someone was following me.”

I heard him sigh. “Where are you at?” He asked. I looked at the bus sign and told him the direction. “Stay there. I’ll be there quickly.” He said.

“You’re coming?” I asked.

“Yes.” He said.

“Kay-kay. Thanks…” I said. My body began to give out, as I hung up and leaned back on the bench.

I forced myself to stay awake, at least until Alistair came. This proved to be difficult, as every drink I had tonight decided it wanted to make me sleepy. My arm was most likely red from the amount of pinches I gave myself in order to knock me back awake.

The rain was much heavier now. To distract myself, I checked on my phone and saw what the weather was going to be like.

According to it, there was a likely chance of heavy rain for the next day and may extend to Monday.

‘I love rain.’ I muttered to myself, falling back and feeling myself drift into sleep.

My eyes, before shutting, could vaguely see a pair of headlights coming down the street. I wasn’t sure if it was Alistair’s. I hope it was, because I’m way too tired to find out.

---

hey guys! i want to know your

thoughts on this story so far? enjoying it?

Chapter Twelve

Alistair McClair

I could barely see through the rain pelting on the window of my car. But I could make out the light from the bus stop. Parking next to it, I exited my car with an umbrella over me. There was Calvin on the verge of sleeping.

“Wake up.” I nudged his shoulder.

“Hmmm. No…” He groaned. I sighed, extended my hand out into the rain, and got a handful of rain water. I then threw that water at his face. “What the–”

“Get in.” I told him. He was caught off guard for a moment as his face was still dripping with water. Calvin stood up and got under my umbrella. I walked him to the passenger side and made him get in quickly.

I lightly cringed, knowing that I was going to have to get the inside cleaned.

Then I got in my seat and put his address into the GPS.

“Dammit!” I said.

“Everything okay?” Calvin asked. He was reclined in his seat. But he held out his hands on the heater to warm them up.

“Calvin, the streets to your apartment are closed down due to flooding.” I told him. I wasn’t sure if he picked that up because of how drunk he was.

“Mm.” He groaned.

There wasn’t anything else I could think of. He is clearly out of it. His parents must live far away. His friend may also be drunk. With no other choice, I drove us back downtown and made my way to my building.

“You’re sleeping in my apartment tonight.” I told him.

“Yay.” He said in a sleepy daze.

“There’s a few rules you need to follow. Number one, stay in your room. Don’t think about exploring any place. Number two, Don’t be messy. I like to keep everything clean. Number three, my cat is above everything. So no touching, petting, playing, or even speaking to her. Got that?” I said.

He was drawing on the fog of the window.

“Jesus… I told you to watch your intake.” I said. “Idiot…”

“Don’t call me that. I’m really sensitive.” He pouted.

“What if I didn’t pick up? You would’ve frozen to death on the bus stop alone! All because you wanted an extra damn margarita.” I said. I gripped the steering wheel tightly.

The only sound that was heard was the rain falling on the car and the wind-shield wipers as they worked to get rid of the rain.

“I’m sorry, Alistair.” He muttered. “I just got carried away.”

“Just don’t do it next time.” I assured him. I finished the ride while he got a bit of sleep. I entered the parking garage and entered my designated spot.

A security guard escorted me to the elevator. Calvin was still asleep, so I had to place his arm over my neck and drag him alongside.

I put Calvin in one of the guest rooms that is near my room. The tricky part was getting him out of his club attire and into something more comfortable. All of my clothes were too big, but I was able to find something that sort of fit.

“Goodnight, Calvin.” I whispered in his ear as I put him to bed.

“Wait.” He said. I turned and saw him looking at me. There was a huge blush on his face. “I need to thank you for the jacket.”

“Huh? Oh, it’s fine.” I replied. Calvin got out of the bed and stood in front of me. His pupils were slightly dilated. His brown iris looked darker, while his blue iris looked brighter.

“No, I really need to thank you.” He muttered with a smirk.

“You’re drunk, Calvin.” I said. “Go to sleep.”

“No. I don’t think so.” He got down on his knees.

“What are you doing?” I said as I took a step back.

“You need to relieve some stress, Alistair.” His hands came up to the hem of my pants. He fiddled with the strings and loosened them.

Why wasn’t I stopping him? I could easily grab his hands and stop him from doing what I knew he was going to do. But I couldn’t. Partly because I was in shock, but also because part of me wanted this.

Calvin had dropped my pants. He looked up at me. Lightning flashed, and his face became illuminated for a quick second. That light seemed to have knocked me out of whatever trance I was in.

“Wait.” I blurted out. I grabbed his wrists, which were on the verge of pulling my boxers down. “You need to stop.”

“Okay…” He stood back up. “Night, Alistair.” He leaned up and placed a small peck on my lips. Calvin stumbled over to the bed and quickly laid down.

In a quick moment, he was fast asleep.

I was still standing in the middle of the room, with my literal pants down. When I looked down, I saw that I was hard. In a quick movement, I put my pants back on and ran to my room.

As soon as I got inside, I locked the door and got on my bed. I tried to sleep, but everything that happened in the past few days has been concerning me. Normally, I could easily solve any dilemma by just thinking about the question for a while.

However, this question is puzzling me the most.

Why do I care so much?

I care too much about Calvin. I care about him when he’s out. I care about him not wanting to be out in the rain. I care about him and refused myself and take advantage of him.

In the past few days, I’ve been thinking a lot more about Calvin as a person. He’s an easy going person, a great person to get along with. He’s funny, either intentional or unintentional. Calvin is also caring at times. He understands boundaries, when sober.

And the phone calls. Sometimes, I’ll catch myself looking at my phone waiting for him to text me or call. And even if I myself don’t initiate the conversation, I can be certain that he’ll text me goodnight.

Calvin has also received Meredith’s approval. She’s been with me for years. And thus, she has formed a new sense that she named ‘Ali-sense.’ Part of this sense includes how I interact with my partners.

And according to her, my interactions with Calvin have been more self-conscious. Before, I did many actions to provoke my partners and get them to break up with me. However, this time, I’m more patient with what I do. I don’t judge too quickly, I take Calvin into consideration for many of my choices, and even care for him more.

And that’s mainly due to him caring for me. Calvin cares about me. He’ll text me, he cooked for me, and understands my concerns about cleanliness.

During our date at the aquarium, when he saw how uncomfortable I felt with being touched with dirty water, he didn’t see me as a freak. Instead, he stood by my side and waited for me to wash my hands. He even used the hand sanitizer that I had.

Tonight, when he called me that he was alone and didn’t have a ride, I didn’t hesitate to drop everything and go out to find it. I felt panic. Panic over losing him. He’s a person that is making me feel worried to lose him.

Having a person that makes you worried that you’ll lose them has to be the greatest sign of affection.

When Calvin tried to blow me, I wasn’t shocked that he was initiating it. I was shocked because I didn’t once try to stop him. Two past girlfriends tried to do that, and I stopped them quickly. Calvin almost did it.

I was still hard. And I knew that I wasn’t going to sleep tonight.

I pulled out my phone and went online to search for porn. But this time, I decided to check out the gay genre.

As I scrolled through the thumbnails, I felt myself getting harder. I had never felt such a feeling before. There were times when I was worried that it would keep swelling.

There was a simple video I found of two men. I clicked on it and waited for it to load. It started with the simple cringe dialogue that porn is known for.

Then, they began kissing. And something just captivated me. I couldn’t look away. It was like my brain was absorbing everything being shown. And the gears began to move in my head. Sexual desires that I thought were nonexistent were now coming in.

As I watched the two men begin to get it on, I slowly began to jerk myself in my pants. God, it felt so amazing. Before, I just did it to get rid of a hard-on. Now, the nerves felt so amazing. I was actually enjoying this.

One of the men in the video laid back, while the other guy got on top. The camera zoomed into the area between them.

‘How is that supposed to fit?’ I thought to myself. There’s no way that I could go all in there, right?

But he did manage to fit it in. Meanwhile, the guy on his back was moaning loudly. The guy on top quickly began to thrust into him. I matched my jerks to the two of them.

While watching, I imagined myself and Calvin in that same position. I imagined Calvin under me, begging for me to make him feel good.

Those vivid imaginations only drove me further to jerk faster. Right as the men on screen moaned loudly, I grunted and climaxed.

I spent a few minutes catching my breath. I just had the best orgasm of my life. And not only was I watching a video of two men doing it, but I was picturing me and Calvin doing that.

Once I got all my emotions in check, I stood up and cleaned myself in my bathroom. Then I returned back to bed and got under my sheets. I faced my window and saw the rain falling and hitting the window.

The city down below was still shining. I could barely see the cars driving down each avenue.

None of those down there can see me as I began to question my sexuality. For the longest time, I thought I was straight. Of course, that was confusing because women never interested me. Then Calvin happens.

He rewired my brain. Or perhaps it was always wired that way. And the right person needed to come along to flip the switch and turn it on.

I know it’s going to take more thinking and self-reflection to truly begin to understand what I am experiencing. I’m going from thinking I was a straight man who was just unloveable to finding a guy that may possibly be the one.

To call him the one is a bit of a stretch. We’ve only been dating for nearly a month, which means that Calvin Fischer is officially my longest relationship. And honestly, I don’t want this relationship to end.

Maybe Meredith was right, I am falling for Calvin Fischer.

She’s not going to let me live this down. She’ll say ‘Told you so’ for weeks to come.

Sleep began to take over me. I shut my eyes and snuggled into my blanket, beginning to wish what Calvin’s body felt like.

I began to wonder if he was warm too and if I would sleep better with him in the same bed.

I’ll keep these imaginations to myself at the moment. Maybe as Calvin and I get closer, I’ll be able to express and say the things I want to say. And hopefully he will understand me.

And hopefully, he understands that this is all new to me. I hope he has the patience to guide me as I begin to explore myself more.

But knowing Calvin, he’ll be by my side and won’t leave me. Because that’s the type of person he is.

---

pov: alistair after this chapter

thx for reading! last chapter for 2023! see you in 2024!

Chapter Thirteen

Calvin Fischer

There was a loud ringing noise that I was hearing, its sound slowly beginning to wake me up. As I reached my hand over, I felt around with my hand and found my phone. Still groggy from just waking up, I saw that my mom was calling me.

“Hello?” I muttered. I placed my arm over my eyes to shield it from the sun coming in through the window.

“Calvin! I’ve been calling you for 5 minutes! Why didn’t you answer?” Mom quickly said.

“I was asleep.” I replied.

“Did you drink too much again? Gosh.” I heard her huff. “Are you okay? I saw on the news that your street is flooded.”

“Flooded?” I asked. I don’t remember much from last night. I remembered drinking, and then stumbling out of the club. It was raining, I think.

“Calvin. Are you going to be fine?” She asked.

“Mhm. Yeah. Gotta go.” I quickly said goodbye to her and hung up. I checked on my recent calls and saw that I had called Alistair in the middle of the night.

That’s when something hit: My blankets are not this soft. My hands began to feel around the bed. Not only were these blankets and pillows much softer, they also weren’t mine. Was I kidnapped last night?

The bright window that was blinding me looked suspicious. As I got off the bed and checked the outside, I quickly jumped back, seeing that I was high above ground. So, I was kidnapped by a person with hella good sheets and lives in a tall building.

I scanned the room I was in. It was spacious, bigger than half of my apartment. The room was nicely decorated to feel like a home. I also noticed that I wasn’t in my clothes from last night. Instead, I was in a basic t-shirt and some joggers, which were a few sizes too big.

My clothes were on a nearby chair, neatly folded up. Next to them was a pair of slippers. I slipped them on and decided to try and leave the room. Luckily, my kidnapper seemed to have left the door unlocked.

I exited into the hallway and walked down slowly. Then I heard the sound of a door opening next to me. A figure stepped out and I quickly jumped back.

“Jesus!” I yelled. A tall figure walked out wearing a weird, thick blue mask. The man wore a tight fitting shirt and some sweats. I took in their beautiful stature. I have no idea who he is, but I’m down bad.

The man muttered something.

“What?” I asked, still slowly walking backwards.

The man then removed his mask. It was Alistair.

“Good morning.” He said. A sense of relief washed over me, as I now knew that I wasn’t kidnapped last night. I most likely called him last night and he came over to rescue me.

“Good morning.” I replied. He was still holding onto the blue mask contraption. “What’s that?” I asked.

“Ice mask. I’m icing my face.” He said.

“Oh, right.” I muttered.

“In your bathroom, there’s a spare toothbrush. Wash up and meet me at the dining table.” He simply said. He put on his face mask and returned into his room, closing the door behind him.

I did as he told me and returned to my room. In the en suite bathroom, there was a new toothbrush and some basic essentials. I fixed myself up and walked out my room. As I treaded down the hallway, I eventually found the large kitchen.

The table was quite small, with only 8 seats in total. I would have imagined him to have a longer one. I selected a random seat and waited for Alistair.

“You’re here.” He said as he stepped into the kitchen. I turned to him and smiled at him.

“Took me a while.” I said.

“Let me get you something fixed for breakfast.” He said.

“Oh, you don’t have to. I’m fine.”

He looked at me. “I am offering. And you’re going to accept it.” He sternly said. I sat back in my seat and agreed.

While he was clanking around with pots and pans, I began to think about what happened last night. This is partly the reason why I hate drinking. Yet, I still went ahead and did that.

A few minutes later, Alistair returned and handed me a plate. He made a simple omelet and a cup of coffee. He returned to the kitchen, then came back with utensils and coffee and cream for the coffee.

“Thank you.” I said to him.

“No problem.” He replied. He didn’t make himself breakfast. But rather, a simple smoothie.

“You aren’t eating?” I asked. Alistair took his seat across from me.

“I’m going to the gym in a bit.” He said. I didn’t talk any longer and just ate my food. Probably the best omelet I’ve ever had.

“What happened last night?” I asked him.

“You got drunk.”

“Right… right.” I muttered. “And how did I end up here?”

“You called me.”

“Sorry about that. I hope I didn’t disturb your night. I’ll make sure not to call you next time.” I told him.

He set his cup down. “If you’re ever in trouble, don’t hesitate to call.”

I turned away and blushed. “Got it.” I finished up my food and drink and thanked him for the meal.

I waited for him to finish his smoothie. But it was a long time because he drank slowly. I do remember that on our first date, he ate his food slowly.

“This shirt feels nice. How much was it?” I asked as I looked down at the black shirt I was wearing.

“$1,150.” He replied.

“Really? No!” I began to remove the shirt. “You have to take this back. I’ll ruin it.” I said as I began to hand the shirt across the table.

“Keep it.” He said. I saw him as his eyes were discreetly looking at my body. Right. I didn’t have a shirt on anymore. He let me keep it, so I put it back on. I’ll treasure this shirt for the rest of my life.

Something brushed up against me on my legs. “What the fuck?!” I jolted back. When I looked under the table, I saw a brief white tail jump up on Alistair’s lap. As I looked back up on the table, I saw a gorgeous white cat sitting on the table.

The white cat’s beautiful fur was neatly groomed, not a single hair out of place. Just from looking at it, you can tell that it feels soft. And its eyes are a bright shade of blue, similar to Alistair’s. The cat sat near him, sticking out its chest as if it was telling me that it owns this place.

“Cat…” I said. Alistair brought his hand up and began to scratch its head.

“Calvin, meet my cat.” Alistair said.

“What’s its name?” I asked. Alistair turned to his cat and whispered something in its ear. The cat looked at me and walked towards me on the table. It then sat and looked into my eyes.

After a few minutes, it let out a small meow and returned to Alistair’s side.

“Incredible.” Alistair said.

“What? It just looked at me.” I replied.

“She merely tolerates you. In cat, that means that she probably won’t hiss at you.” He explained.

I was still confused. “So… what’s her name?” I asked again.

“The Destroyer of Realities; The Omnipresent and All-Seeing Being Beyond the Universe; The Malicious and Malevolent One with No Boundaries.” He said in a deeper voice.

I tilted my head to the side.

“Or just Luna for short.” He added.

“How long have you been… alone here?” I asked.

“Not long. You know, you’re the first, besides me and Meredith, that Luna tolerates.”

“She tolerates you?” I asked. “But you’re her owner.”

“I am her provider. I buy her food and toys and get her groomed. In return, let me pet her and she lays on my lap. But she is Luna, and one never knows the truths of her.” He explained. I was still a bit confused about his obsession with his cat. He must be one of those cat people.

“Where did you get her?” I asked.

“She was a gift from one of my clients. His cat had just given birth, and he offered me one.” He said. “Fun fact: Luna is currently living her 6th life. She refuses to tell me much information about her lives, but she gives just enough information.” Alistair said.

I noticed that he was getting a bit excited talking about his cat, Luna. This is a happiness that he rarely shows. I don’t want to end it, so I just let him keep talking about his monstrous and mysterious cat.

“Like her second life. She was the model that the Egyptians used to build the sphinx. Her fifth life, she was one of TS Eliot’s cats that inspired him to write Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. But she won’t tell me which cat she was.” He scratched her head. She let out a small pur.

“What about her first life?” I asked. He stopped scratching her and turned to me.

“No one knows.” He whispered to me.

Personally, I found it adorable that Alistair has this deep of a connection with his cat. I also found it adorable that this cat, even though she doesn’t speak, has lore that her owner created. It’s just… adorable.

“Anyways, I’m getting ahead of myself.” Alistair said. “Do you need me to take you home?” He asked.

“Could you actually take me to my parent’s house? I like to spend Sundays with them.” I replied.

“Of course.” He replied. He stood up and walked over to the living room. I stood up and followed him, while Luna also walked behind me.

“Where are you going?” I asked him.

“Taking you home. Is that not what you want?” He asked.

“Let me get my stuff first and change.” I said.

“Just get your stuff. You can keep the clothes.” Alistair said. I agreed and left to the room I had stayed in. All my stuff was packed together. I even took the toothbrush with me because honestly, it was the best toothbrush I’ve ever used.

Luna was waiting on top of a table. Before I left the door, I extended my hand to try and scratch her. She was quick to hiss at me and I backed away.

“Alright. Not yet.” I muttered.

Alistair was waiting inside the elevator for me. He pressed the close button and took us down to garage level.

He wasn’t wearing a suit. In fact, this is the first time I’ve seen him not wearing a suit. In all our past encounters, the date, the exhibit, even during his work time, he always wears a suit. And his suits are always neatly tailored. These clothes that he’s wearing at the moment, were for relaxing at home.

But what did I expect? Alistair is a normal human being. He doesn’t wear suits 24/7. No, he’s allowed to wear normal clothes.

Alistair escorted me into the passenger seat of his car. This one was a different color from the black one he normally drives. It isn’t overall flashy, but definitely expensive looking.

“Address?” He asked, getting into the driver’s seat. I gave him my parent’s address. It’s not like he’s a serial killer. He’s a rich guy and my boyfriend.

He began driving out of the parking garage and entered the busy street. Not going to lie, I kinda miss that cat. Hopefully, in the future, I’ll get invited back into Alistair’s apartment and see her.

---

happy 2024! this year is going all about me! but i will be hoping that you all have a great year too.

i have many things planned this year. will you be there with me?

Chapter Fourteen

Calvin Fischer

After a quiet drive to my parent’s house, Alistair pulled up to their driveway and let me get out. But before I did, I saw his hand on his lap lightly twitching. Upon closer look, his fingers were moving slowly toward my direction.

He isn’t the type to make direct contact. And when he does, it is always by surprise. So I inched my hand closer to his.

“Want me to hold your hand?” I asked him. He jumped a bit from this, and tucked his hand back onto the steering wheel.

“Maybe next time.” He muttered. There wasn’t any eye contact. And I already missed his eyes.

“Well, this is me. I’ll… go now.” I opened the door. As I got out with my clothes in hand, I felt something grab my– or Alistair’s– shirt.

“Goodbye.” Alistair softly said. I turned around and saw him looking down but still holding onto my shirt.

“Goodbye, Alistair. Text me when you’re done with your workout.” I said. He looked up and gave me a soft smile.

“Okay.” He said.

“You can let go now.” I told him.

“Right. Sorry.” He let go of my shirt. I gave him another wave before closing the door on him. He turned on the car and exited the driveway. He looked at me one more time and then drove off down the street.

There was a loud thunderous roar and a flash of light. A bit of rain began to fall on me.

“Crap!” I said and ran to my parent’s roofed porch. I can’t get this shirt dirty or stained with water.

The front door opened and my father stood there, clearly still half-asleep. He scanned me up and down and yawned.

“The whorehouse is 3 miles away.” Dad said, then closed the door.

“Seriously?” I said. “Dad! Let me in! I’m cold!”

The door opened and mom was on the other side. “Get in. Hurry.” She said. I got in and removed the slippers at the front door.

“Thanks a lot, dad.” I sarcastically said. He sat on the couch and raised his mug of coffee at me.

“Anytime, kiddo.” He cheered. I rolled my eyes. I set my clothes on a stool nearby.

“Was that Alistair driving?” Mom asked. She handed me a mug of coffee.

“Yeah. I uh… stayed over at his place.” I replied. Both mom and dad stopped drinking their coffee.

The two have been weary about my love life ever since my breakup with my toxic ex. I’ve caught them doing background checks on every person, both male and female, that I know. For a while, my dad even hired a person to follow my ex to know his whereabouts.

This stopped after I forced them to. I understand that they care and only want what’s best for me. However, I feel that I deserve to live without my parents controlling everything from the shadows.

When they heard that I was dating Alistair, they were worried because of his long history of exes. They’ve toned it down since then, but still have their concerns.

“Did you two…” Dad said.

“No. We didn’t sleep together.” I took a seat on the couch opposite to them. “I needed help last night, and he was the one that I called.” I explained.

“If he wants to do anything that you don’t want–” Dad said.

“I know, dad. But I’ll be fine. Alistair isn’t the type to do that kind of thing. He’s actually quite the gentleman.”

Mom smiled heartily. “Good to see that you’re in a more healthy relationship.” She set her cup of coffee on the table in front of her. “And what was Alistair’s decision to join us for dinner?”

“He said not at the moment.” I replied.

“That Alistair…” Dad muttered. “I did some research on that guy. He never talks about his family.”

“Maybe he just doesn’t want his personal life out there.” I told my dad. Dad still had a questioning look on his face.

“The man has had all 100 of his partners in public, including you. And yet, no one has ever heard of his parents.” Dad said.

“What if they’re dead?” Mom asked. “Maybe it’s a sensitive topic to talk about.”

“Still. Alistair never talks about his personal life. Nor his young life. There’s mainly been a few stories told by his former classmates and friends. But either way, all we know is the Alistair McClair that we’re told about.” Dad explained. “Has he told you anything, Cal?” Dad asked me.

“I met his cat this morning.” I replied.

“Do tell.” Mom said.

“Her name is Luna. She’s a white Persian breed. She has the most beautiful blue eyes; they look just like Alistair’s.” I said. I opted not to tell them about Luna’s past lives– the stories that Alistair created. Those stories seem to have been something that he felt confident in sharing with me.

“Ah, yes, Luna.” Dad said. Does this man know everything about Alistair? “The cat that was a gift from Mr. Maxwell Knox. She’s quite a beauty. I hear that Luna has play dates with Taylor Swift’s cat.”

“How much research did you do on my boyfriend?” I asked my dad.

“Not enough.” He replied.

“Why don’t we eat breakfast? I’m tired of just drinking coffee.” Mom got up from the couch and walked to the kitchen.

“And you, Mister Artist, are gonna go get changed.” Dad said as he also stood up to help mom. I got my clothes from last night and brought them to my old room. I changed into clothes that won’t make me worried that I’ll get dirty.

While changing, I dropped my earphones under the bed. As I got down on my knees, I slowly began to remember last night, after Alistair had picked me up. I remember him putting me in his car and driving us to his apartment.

I remember Alistair helping me into the elevator and taking me up. I could barely remember as he also struggled to get me out of my wet clothes and put on some new ones.

But the most shocking moment out of all of those was when I got on my knees and tried to give him a blowjob.

“Oh God!” I said as I stumbled back and sat on the floor. “Oh God!” I said even louder.

The memories were vague, but I could also slightly remember Alistair looking down at me with a hard blush on his face. He didn’t push me off. When I was down to his boxers, I could recall that he was hard.

I tried to give Alistair McClair a blowjob. And he didn’t stop me. I mean, he did eventually. But before that, it was as if he himself wanted it. From that point, my recollection of that night faded, meaning I must have fallen asleep.

Me, being the shocked person I was at the moment, let out a loud shriek.

In a few seconds, my bedroom door opened and my mom and dad bursted into my room.

“Are you okay?” Dad asked as he held a knife in his hands. My parents looked at the floor and saw me sitting there while consoling myself. “What happened now?” He asked.

“Shush, Richard! The boy is obviously distressed.” Mom told my dad. She knelt down next to me and began to rub my back. “Honey? Are you okay? Are you remembering something embarrassing?” She asked.

I nodded yes.

“Just know that most likely, whoever was there, probably forgot about it.” She assured me.

But I knew damn well that Alistair isn’t going to forget that. Maybe he won’t bring it up. To be fair, it was an uncomfortable moment for him. And I know that I’ll have to apologize to him, since I tried to do something to him.

Mom and dad left my room to leave me to think to myself. I laid on my carpeted floor and rubbed my palms on the fabric.

I’m gonna have to apologize to him for my behavior that night. However, I can’t just go up to him and say, “Hey, Alistair! Sorry for attempting to suck you off while I was plastered. We good?”

For now, I’ll push this issue to the side and think of something.

Later during the day, Evelyn began to call me. She sounded a bit tired, either from the alcohol or from her night with her one-night-stand.

“How did you get home? It was pouring last night.” She said.

“I called Alistair. He picked me up and took me to his apartment.” I replied.

She let out a small giggle. “Did you two…”

“Oh, God no!” I quickly replied. I omitted the details of what I tried to do to Alistair while drunk.

“Come on, Cal. You and him have been dating for nearly a month. And you guys haven’t even kissed on the lips. Do you know how frustrating it is for all of us?” She asked.

“All of us?” I repeated those words.

“Yes. There are thousands of people who watch your interactions. It’s so frustrating whenever you two do the bare minimum. It’s like watching snails fuck.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m just following Alistair’s pace. It’s clear that he hasn’t really been in a serious relationship. And the fact that I’m a guy just adds to it all. I’ll wait a year just for him to kiss me on the cheek.” I told her.

“You’re such a sweet person, Cal. Just remember that there’s a fine line between being patient to a person, and them taking advantage of it.” Evelyn said.

Not saying that she’s wrong, but there is some truth to her sentiment. I will wait for Alistair. But at some point, it’ll reach a time when we’re merely dating just because the label says so.

So while Alistair hasn’t openly held my hand or proclaimed his love to me or asked me to move in or offer to throw himself into a fire when I die, at least something happened today. Alistair opened up to me about his cat.

Luna the cat, a close figure to him. And Alistair was eager to tell me about her stories.

Not only that, but before I exited his car, he desperately wanted to hold my hand. He may not have gone for it, but there was a small inkling sensation, telling him to reach for me. Which means that there is a bit of attraction on his part.

As for me, I’ve been attracted to Alistair since the moment I met him. And who wouldn’t? He’s the most handsome man I’ve met. Everything about him is just perfect. From his sharp jawline, to his icy blue eyes, and even his bushy eyebrows.

Though I’ve realized that I haven’t expressed how handsome he is. I’m sure he hears it sometimes. But as his boyfriend, it is my duty to let him know that he’s the sexiest man to walk this earth.

My goal for the next time I see him is to compliment him on something. Whether it’s his clothes or how styled his hair is, I’ll point it out to him.

“Calvin? You there?” Evelyn asked.

“Yeah. I’m here. I was just thinking about something.” I replied.

“I was telling you that the pictures of the photoshoot between you and Alistair were published yesterday.” She informed me.

“Really?” I asked as I searched on my phone for the pictures.

“I found the magazine at the store. Wanna see?” She asked. I agreed and we began to video call. She showed me the magazine, which used a very intimate picture of me and Alistair.

“What’s that behind you?” I asked.

She turned her camera to her bedroom wall. On her wall were cut out pieces of several magazines, all of them being cutouts of me and Alistair. She could see my shocked expression.

“I’m not a stalker! I swear! I just like the photos!” She was quick to say.

“I’m gonna… call you later.” I said. She kept pleading but I just hung up and threw my phone on my bed.

Truly, I have no words. I’ll just take a nap. I’m done for today.

---

gonna be doing a double upload tonight. enjoy!

Chapter Fifteen

bonus chapter because i felt like chap. 14 didn’t have much content in it. enjoy :)

Alistair McClair

The past few days have been on my mind, maybe too much time. I kept inspecting every minute- second- of my time with Calvin Fischer. From the moment I found him half-asleep on the bus stop, to the moment I dropped him off at his house, those hours may have changed something in me.

I always thought I was straight. It made no sense, now that I think about it, because I was never attracted to women. They never did anything for me. Some were great friends, some were horrible. But that’s the same with men I’ve met.

They’re either amazing people, or scumbags of the earth.

Calvin is a different story. Something just attracts me. I await his texts and I long for him to smile in my direction.

Needless to say, I’ve been doing my own personal research. I’ve checked online forums for men who were similar to me- that is, men who thought they were straight their entire lives only to discover the underlying feelings that emerged late in life.

From my research, many times, these men either didn’t have the opportunity to spend time with men or they were suppressed. I’m glad to say that my case wasn’t the latter. Rather, I had always dated women and never delved into men.

Whether it’s because I was constantly told to date a woman, or perhaps because all TV shows and movies I watched were hetero couples, I never got with a man. It wasn’t until a month ago that Calvin was matched with me.

Since then, something I’ve noticed is that I don’t hate the idea of us dating. Sure, it’s still strange to say that he’s my boyfriend. And I’m not used to having someone that wants to get close to me.

Though, I can definitely get used to it.

During that week, Meredith entered my office to give me a briefing of some current events.

“Something’s up with you.” She said, as she leaned forward in her seat to inspect me better.

“New regiment, maybe.” I replied. She glared her eyes at me.

“No, not that.” She replied. “You kinda have like… a glow.”

Her face began to lighten up in excitement. Her eyes widened as she held her hand forward and pointed at me.

“Don’t tell me: You and Calvin did it!” She said.

On point, the door opened and Kostas entered my office, with him also sprouting a gleeful smile on his face.

“You and Calvin fucked?” He said loudly.

I rubbed my temples. “Am I going to have to lock my office?” I asked myself. Kostas took a seat next to Meredith.

“Did they actually fuck?” Kostas asked her.

“I think so. Look, he’s blushing.” She replied. I looked at my reflection on my computer screen. A small blush was on my face.

“We didn’t… do anything.” I said.

“So why the blush, hm? Something happened between you and Calvin.” Meredith told me.

“Why do I have to tell you guys everything about my life?” I asked.

“Because you have no other friends.” Kostas replied smugly. Meredith elbowed him on his side. “I mean- because we’re your friends.”

I sighed and leaned back in my seat. From the reflection of my computer, I could also see the painting that I bought from Calvin. Sometimes, I catch myself staring at it without even noticing. The painting just entraps me into it.

“He slept over on Saturday.” I said.

“Wow, that was anticlimactic.” Kostas said.

“Ignore him.” Meredith was quick to interject. “That sounds like a huge step. You never let anyone in your home.”

“Even better,” I said. “He met Luna.”

Meredith gasped. “No!” She gasped out. I nodded in confirmation. “And did they get along?”

“Yup. She didn’t try to bite him like she did with Kostas.” I said. Kostas looked grumpy and let out a huff.

“Ridiculous. I bought Luna the best cat food in the north-west, and she still doesn’t like me.” Kostas said.

“Aww! Is baby grumpy because kitty doesn’t like him?” Meredith said in a baby-voice while pinching at his cheeks.

“Knock it off. Can we get back to the main event?” Kostas brushed her hand away from him. He then turned to me. “What else happened that day?”

I explained most of the details of the time Calvin spent in my apartment. From the moment I got the phone call to the time I dropped him off. However, I did leave out my desire to hold his hand.

Meredith had a smile on her face, while Kostas was smirking at me. Both are different expressions, and I can already tell what they’re thinking about.

“Well?” I asked them both, awaiting their response.

“Well what?” Meredith replied.

“I know you two have something to say. So just say it.”

Kostas let out a small chuckle. “If you insist. Who’s going to bottom and to-” Meredith placed her hand over his mouth quickly.

“None of that.” She said. “As much as we would like to input our decision, at some point, you’ll have to do it yourself.” She said.

“Wait? But I-” I tried to say but I quickly shut down.

“Look, all I’m going to say is that you have all the cards, so play the game. It’s better to play than stay on the sidelines.” Meredith told me.

“Oh gosh, enough with the cryptic messages. Just tell me.” I groaned.

“You’ll figure it out.” Meredith said. “Ew! Fucker! Did you lick my hands?” Meredith pulled her hand away from Kostas’ mouth. Her hand was covered in saliva.

“It was in your own fault.” He replied.

“Kostas, don’t you have a client meeting soon?” I asked him. He glanced at his phone.

“What do you know, I do indeed.” He replied. “See ya! Let me know what happens.” He said to Meredith. She flipped him off with her hand that he licked.

Kostas left the room, leaving just me and Meredith.

“What else was on the agenda?” I asked.

Meredith was confused for a moment. “Huh? Oh, right.” She scanned through her notes. “I think something is going on with Ronald Farraway.”

“Ronald, huh?” I said in a chuckle. Ronald was a senior member on the board of directors. It’s no secret that he’s been wanting to get me removed from my position. In past meetings, he’s gone out of his way to oppose almost everything I request.

“Yes, sir. He was seen last week with another board member, Quinn Newfield. They were spotted sharing a drink at a pub just a bit from here.” She explained.

“Should this be something I need to keep my eye on?” I asked her.

“Maybe not at the moment. But it’s definitely something of interest.”

“Could he be trying to get the votes to kick me out?” I asked.

She scoffed. “Impossible. Most of the board members are loyal to you. If they even attempt to try and oust you, the rest of the board will happily remove them first.” Meredith said. “It’ll take a huge scandal for them to even think about looking in another direction for their leader.”

“You really sound passionate about this.” I said to her.

“Well, duh! You’re a great leader. Every one of your employees loves you. If you’re gone, they’ll go with you, including me.” Meredith said.

I smiled at her. “You’re a great assistant.” I told her.

“If I’m that great, give me a raise.” She replied.

“You get paid double the medium salary of a normal assistant.” I told her.

“Then give me a spot on the board. I have some genius ideas for this company.” She said.

“I can’t, Meredith. You already know that I can’t just give you the role.” I said.

“Fine.” She rolled her eyes. “I’ll get that spot one day. I’ll be the highest paid assistant in all of the entire state.”

“Is that all?” I asked her. She was done gloating about her future success and scanned her notes. After a few minutes, she decided to check her phone.

“Actually, there is one more thing.” She said. “I just got an email from Clarence Chamberlain.”

“Clarence? The guy that owns that financing company in Oregon?” I asked.

“That’s him. He’s inviting people to a gala he’s hosting and wants you to attend.” She showed me her email. I read the words on it.

“It also says that I need a plus one.” I remarked. Meredith held up her hand, as if to say she didn’t want to go.

“I’m going wine tasting with some buddies of mine. So I can’t.” She said. Then a smirk appeared on her face. “Buuuuuuuut… I do know someone you can take.” She hinted.

“Clarence is allergic to cats.” I replied. She raised an eyebrow at me.

“Are you that stupid?” She asked. “Don’t answer!” She then pointed at something behind me. I turned and saw she was pointing at the painting that I bought from Calvin.

“You want me to take Calvin?” I asked. She nodded. “But, I don’t think he’s used to those kinds of events. What if he’s not ready?” I asked.

“He’ll be fine. He can easily charm everyone. And it’ll be nice for you two to be seen together. Your fans have been asking for more pictures of you two.”

“Fans?” I asked her.

“Duh! Do you know how many bl fans have been following your lives? You and Calvin are the next big thing.”

I looked back at the painting. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to invite Calvin. He could accompany me to this gala, which I usually spend alone with no one to talk to. And besides, we’ve sort of formed a much closer bond.

“Fine, I’ll take him.” I replied.

“Excellent. Make sure you let him know about the invite.” She said.

“I thought you were going to tell him.” I told her.

“Nah. You need to do this. Just ask him if he wants to go to Oregon and stay at a mansion and drink champagne and eat hors d’oeuvres. I’m sure he’ll accept.”

“But what if he says no?” I asked her. She gushed at this.

“He won’t.” She stood up from her seat and patted her skirt. “Ask or you’ll never know. I’ll leave you to it.”

Meredith walked out of my office, leaving me to do it myself.

But I knew that this couldn’t be something I needed to ask over the phone. I was going to ask the guy to come with me for a weekend out of state.

This needs to be a conversation that we’ll need to have face-to-face. Though, I’m slowly becoming more nervous every time I have to see him again. And I’m not sure why.

---

currently writing chapter 39. yes, 39. kinda tired but i don’t want to stop.

Chapter Sixteen

Alistair McClair

I paced back and forth in my office, repeating a single line to myself over and over again. I needed to memorize a single sentence. But memorizing it isn’t the problem. It’s getting the courage to say it out loud.

A few hours before this, I called Calvin, asking him to come to my office. He was a bit confused as to why I needed to see him, instead of just texting him. There was a small realization that I rarely ask Calvin to talk face to face. He’s used to me just texting him to say things, not talking to him. I’ll need to work on that.

As I kept pacing, there was a knock on my door. Meredith poked her head in, informing me that Calvin was waiting outside. I stopped my pacing and set my cards away. Then I fixed my suit, making sure it was neatly organized.

“Let him in.” I told her. She winked at me and disappeared. A few seconds later, the door opened wider and Calvin entered my office.

Calvin stood at the door of my office. He jumped when the door closed behind him. Poor guy looked scared. He was all alone in my office. He refused to meet my eyes. Instead, his attention was focused on my shelves, containing many books.

“Why are you standing there? Take a seat.” I spoke to him. He flinched but slowly walked to one of the chairs in front of my desk.

“You asked to meet me?” He asked. It was only a few days ago that I tried to hold his hand before he got out of my car.

“I did.” I replied. He kept his eyes distracted. This bothered me, as I needed his full attention on me.

If we’re going to have a proper conversation, as a couple, I need him to look at me. It’s a sign of trust and understanding.

“Calvin, could you look at me?” I asked him. He turned his head. Finally, I could see his brown and blue eyes. They’re beautiful. “There we go.” I muttered.

“You wanted to talk?” He asked.

“I have a question to ask you.” I said.

“Go ahead. I’m listening.” He replied. He relaxed a bit in his seat, his shoulders slumping down and his knee stopped shaking.

“I uh…” Fuck. I had practiced this for nearly an hour. And now, I’m croaking.

“Uh-huh…” Calvin replied.

“Do you want to go to oregano?” I asked quickly.

He tilted his head and chuckled. “Oregano?” He asked in a small giggle. I clenched my fist and felt my face get hot and red. Are the gods cursing me right now?

“Shit!” I muttered. “I meant Oregon. Do you want to go to Oregon with me?” I asked him, finally able to say the sentence correctly.

“For what?” He asked.

Context, idiot!

“A gala. I got invited by a client. It’s going to be for a weekend. We won’t be there for long.” I added.

He leaned forward in his seat. “And you want to invite me?” He asked while pointing at himself.

“No. I called you here because I wanted to invite someone else.” I replied. “Of course I’m inviting you.” I said.

Calvin blushed. “I don’t know. I’ll need go check my calendar.” He said.

“I checked with Evelyn. She said that you have something called a ‘Nothing Day’.” I replied.

“Oh, that’s just a day where I do… nothing.” He said.

“So, you aren’t busy.” I confirmed.

“No, doing nothing is doing something. I can’t explain it, but it just makes sense.” He said. “Anyways, do I need to bring anything for this trip?”

“Some clothes. Night wear, lounge wear, and something fancy for the gala. And a small tip, soft underwear. Those events are long and you’ll need something soft underneath.” I said.

“Got it.” Calvin replied. He stared ahead at something until he raised his eyebrows. “Did I tell you that I met one of your exes on the night I went out drinking?” He asked.

I perked up at this. I know that eventually, Calvin will come across my exes. Afterall, I have 99 exes just roaming this city. Most are in the northern areas of the city, where the rich and affluent live. And Calvin lives in the eastern part of Seattle, a more relaxed area.

Meredith had told me about her encounter with Regina Church, one of the more toxic exes of mine. Though Meredith did insist that nothing happened, part of me wonders if she told Calvin anything off-putting.

“Which ex was it?” I asked.

“Talia Hopkins.” He replied.

“Ah, Talia.” I said. I leaned forward on my desk. “What did she say?” I asked.

“Nothing really. She just greeted me. But there was something off about her. I don’t know. It was like the vibes she was giving off weren’t right. You get me, right?” He asked.

“Mhm. Sure.” I replied.

No, I didn’t ‘get’ him. But I know Calvin. He has good sense when it comes to determining people. He gave me a chance, of all. And so much has happened since I’ve started dating him. It’s not a bad idea to suggest that Calvin knows what he’s talking about.

For now, I’ll ask Meredith to keep an eye out on the past partners that have caused problems. First two of my board members might be conspiring behind my back, and now Calvin has been approached by two of my exes.

I say approached because I know Calvin isn’t actively looking for them. He probably doesn’t even know what most of my exes look like. Which can only mean that these exes are either coincidently showing up in the right places, or they’re actively searching for him.

“From now on, anytime you meet an ex of mine, let me know.” I told him.

“Why? Not all of them are bad. What if some just want to say hi?” He replied back.

“Fine. But if any of them give off these strange vibes you claim, let me know.”

He brought his hands on the desk and placed them on top of mine. His hands were so soft. They had a bit of dried paint on them that was lightly faded. He tried to wash them off but some was still left.

“Is there anything I need to know, Alistair. Remember, I’m your boyfriend. You can tell me and trust me with anything.” He spoke in a soft tone.

He smiled at me brightly. His light brown hair fell from his face. There was an urge to move them out so I could see his beautiful eyes better.

“Nothing to worry about, yet.” I said, saying ‘yet’ in a lower voice.

“Kay. Don’t hesitate, though. I’m just a phone call away.” He said.

Calvin’s fingers began to rub my hands. I looked down and saw his fingers lightly moving side to side. Such a small gesture, yet it felt so intimate to me.

“Is this okay?” Calvin asked.

“Yeah.” I muttered.

After a few minutes, his hands moved and flipped my hands over. I sat back, as Calvin began to grab each individual finger and massage it. The massage was relaxing, with my fingers needing something to calm down with.

“You’re very tense.” He said.

I shifted in my seat a bit.

“Are your shoulders tense too?” He asked.

“Yeah. But it’s fine. I’ll get a chiropractor or something.” I replied.

“Can I?” He asked.

“What?”

“Give you a massage. I’m not licensed. But maybe I can help relieve some of that stress.” He said. I hesitantly agreed. Calvin stood up and walked behind me.

I felt his hands land on my shoulders. Quickly, his fingers dug into the skin of my shoulder. Immediately, I felt a sense of relief, feeling as if my worries were melting away.

“Can you remove your jacket?” He asked. I agreed and removed it, placing my jacket on my lap.

Calvin continued his massage on my shoulder. He focused mainly on my delts and neck area, where most of the tension was at. He kept doing this method where he swirled his thumbs into the knots on my backs.

“Do you feel better?” He asked, his hands stopping.

“Much better.” I replied. “Thank you.” I said.

“Of course.” He returned to his seat. I twirled my shoulders back, feeling them crack. I then put back on my jacket and sat back.

“How much?” I asked as I pulled out my wallet.

“Excuse me?” He asked in a tone that sounded of offense.

“How much for the massage?” I asked.

Calvin let out an audible scoff. “Seriously? Come on, Alistair. I’m your boyfriend! Massages come as part of the package. You don’t need to pay me, this is a favor.” He said.

“Oh. I’m sorry. My apologies.” I said. I quickly put my wallet away and looked away from him.

“You’re learning. And that’s okay. Sometimes, people just do nice things because they want to. And that’s what I’ll always do for you, Alistair.” He said.

He was genuine in his words. He’s been selfless since we’ve met. How could I be so stupid?

“Right. I’ll work on doing that too.” I replied.

“Good.” He said. His stomach let out a loud growl.

“Are you hungry?” I asked.

“N-No. I’m fine. But I should leave you alone so you can have lunch.” He got up from his seat.

“Hold up.” I called him. “Why don’t you join me?” I asked, feeling my face heat up a bit.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to intrude if you have a lunch date with Meredith or Kostas.”

“I’m sure. Join me for lunch.” I assured him.

“Alright. But I’m owing you back for lunch.” He said. I stood up and walked past him.

I turned around to meet him. “Can’t a guy just buy his boyfriend lunch without being owed back?” I asked him. He seemed to have remembered his words and blushed.

“Of course he can.” He shyly replied. I opened my office door and let Calvin step out first. I followed close.

On the other side of the door was both Meredith and Kostas, acting like they weren’t listening in on our conversation. I knew they were because Kostas was dusting a potted plant and Meredith was stapling some Post-It notes.

“Seriously?” I asked them.

“Huh? We were just…” Kostas stuttered out.

“And then we…” Meredith replied. I facepalmed myself. Not only do I have to add a lock on my office door, but now a camera to spot any eavesdroppers.

“We’re going for lunch.” I told them. “Do you two want to-”

“Yes!” Kostas and Meredith jumped and said at the same time.

“Great. Kostas, you’re paying.” I said.

“Huh? Why me?” He asked.

“Cause you’re wearing those God-awful shoes.” I remarked.

“I don’t know, they look kind of stylish.” He replied. I rolled my eyes and escorted a confused Calvin to the elevator, with the other two in row.

As soon as we got in the elevator, Meredith and Kostas began arguing over where we should eat. The conversation came to an end when Calvin suggested we have Korean BBQ, and I backed him up.

I think this relationship thing will be even better than I ever expected it to be.

---

Chapter Seventeen

Alistair McClair

It was one week before the gala. And I knew that I needed to brush up on my gentleman etiquette. You’d think that I knew how to treat a partner. However, because none of my relationships ever reached come-with-me-to-a-gala status, I didn’t know how to properly escort someone.

Which is why I called upon Meredith to help me with this. On a Friday afternoon, she brought all the necessary things for this quick crash course.

“Step one, when escorting Calvin, place your hand on the small of his back and carefully walk him forward.” She said. We stood at the front of my apartment door.

I was confused with her instructions until she grabbed my arm and placed it on her back.

“Ohhhh…” I muttered. “Got it.”

“Great. Remember, walk slowly, but not too slowly. You want to look like you’re showing him off but that he’s yours.”

“How do I–” I asked. I walked us forward through my front door. Meredith kept giving me tips, such as standing up straight and also clutching her torso closer to her.

“Good job.” She said. She stepped away from me. “Next part we’re doing is seating. I’m sure you know a bit about this.”

“Yes.” I replied. The dining table was reorganized to look like a table for two.

“Before you even think about sitting, your attention all goes onto your partner. Pull out my chair and show me towards it.” Meredith explained.

I walked to one of the chairs and lifted it up to prevent it from scratching the floor and making a loud noise. I signaled my hand to the seat, and Meredith walked and took a seat on it. I then carefully slid the chair in, following her directions.

“That was great. Now you can go to your seat.” She instructed me. I pulled out my chair and sat in it. I did my usual routine, placing a napkin on my lap and making sure my table mat was parallel to the table.

“Can I take-a your orders?” Someone asked. I looked up and saw Kostas in a waiter’s outfit. He also had on a fake mustache and had a weird thick Italian accent. He isn’t even Italian.

“What is Kostas doing here?” I asked Meredith.

“Kostas? Who is this-a Kostas? I am Mario Luca Rosso.” Kostas said.

“We needed a waiter.” Meredith said. “Don’t worry, I made sure he isn’t going to do anything stupid tonight. Right, Mario?” She asked.

“Of course, Signora Chester!” Kostas– I mean Mario– actually, fuck that. Kostas.

“Can we order now?” I asked.

“Si.” He replied. Kostas went on a lang tangent about the specialty of tonight and how amazing the chef is. In the end, we didn’t have anything of what he said. So we just asked for the “House Special,” which was just leftover lasagna from last night.

“Where’s Luna?” I asked.

“She’s in her room.” Meredith replied.

“How’d you manage to get her there?” I asked. Kostas placed our plates of food in front of us. He rolled up his sleeve and showed us his arm that was covered in scratch marks.

“Il tuo gatto è una stronza.” He muttered.

“Vaffanculo.” I replied to him. Kostas huffed and left back to the kitchen, probably to raid my pantry like he usually does.

“I heard you call Calvin your boyfriend.” Meredith said.

“We’ve been dating for over a month. I figured it’s time I start using that word.”

Meredith ate her food while I took small sips of my water. I wasn’t too hungry. Instead, I reverted back to that massage that Calvin had given me a few days ago. I could really use that after my workouts.

“Ey! Alistair! You listening to me?” Meredith asked. I turned back to her. She had already finished her meal. “Lost you there for a minute, buddy. You okay?” She asked.

“Yeah. I’m fine.” I said. I could see Kostas raising an eyebrow at me from the kitchen.

“As I was saying, are you staying at Clarence’s home or at a hotel? I need to know to book a room right now.” Meredith told me.

“Clarence Chamberlain’s home is exquisite. I shall take up residency there.” I replied.

“I’ll let him know. And you should inform Calvin that too.”

I ate my food slowly. The only thing that could be heard was Kostas humming a song in the kitchen and my cat’s meows that traveled through the air vents. My poor Luna, I’ll get her soon.

“Have you and Calvin done anything sexual?” Meredith asked.

I dropped my fork onto my plate.

“Meredith? What the fuck?” I asked.

“It’s just a question. Normally, by now, people would’ve already hooked up. But have you and him even kissed on the lips?” She asked.

“No, we haven’t.” I muttered.

Now I feel like shit. I rarely show any physical affection. Actually, I don’t even show emotional affection. We have small moments here and there. Though, I haven’t even told him that I like him.

And I think I do like him. I’m always thinking of him. And recently, I’ve caught myself having certain fantasies about him at night when I’m trying to sleep. I don’t give in to them, but I really want to.

“Do you think anything is going to happen during the trip?” She asked.

“I doubt it.” I said.

I returned to eating my food until I was done. Kostas took our plates and left to get us dessert. While waiting, I was watching Meredith as she scrolled on her phone. At some point, I saw her make a weird expression upon seeing something.

Meredith quickly looked at me, a slight panicked expression on her face. I asked her what was wrong. She seemed hesitant to tell me, but in the end agreed.

“It’s Regina Church and Janet Daniels.” Meredith said, showing me a picture of my 50th and 65th ex.

“Mamma mia!” Kostas yelled from the kitchen.

“What are they up to?” I asked. I stared hard at the picture of the two women. They were both smiling and standing next to each other.

“From what I can tell, they both must have attended some opening event. But get this, the caption says ‘We both have two things in common.’ What do you think that means?” She asked.

“Could be different things. Maybe that they both dated me. Not sure what the other thing is.” I replied.

“What if they’re planning something?” Meredith jokingly asked.

“You never know.” I said.

After dinner was over, Meredith helped me on how to escort her up from her seat. She then made me practice the walk over and over again. Eventually, I was able to do it correctly. In the end, Meredith gave me some additional advice to be more of a gentleman to Calvin.

Eventually, I demanded Kostas to release my Luna from her room. He was reluctant, but agreed. Upon opening the door, Luna pounced onto his legs and refused to let go. I waited for a while, enjoying the view, until I clicked my tongue for Luna to come to me.

Kostas, with an injured leg, went to get his small wounds patched. Meanwhile, I sat on my couch and let Luna sit on my lap. As I rubbed her head and she purred, Meredith sat next to me and began to swipe on her phone.

“We need to pick your outfit for next week.” She said.

“You know what I like.” I said to her. She nodded and began to scroll through what outfits I’ll need next week.

Kostas returned from the bathroom, waddling and sitting on my left. I watched the TV while petting my cat slowly. She purred and leaned into my hands.

“How do two guys have sex?” Kostas asked.

Both Meredith and I glanced at each other, then turned to Kostas.

“Out of all questions…” Meredith muttered.

“I’m serious! Alistair! Do you have any idea?” He asked me.

I visibly became red in the face. Yeah, I sort of know how two men do it. But that’s only because of the videos I watched when I was going through a moment of realization. I don’t have the right information for that.

“Sort of.” I replied.

“Do tell.” Kostas turned and leaned his head on his hand, which was resting on the couch. His left side of his face was slightly squashed by his palm.

“It’s pretty simple. A man sticks his… ya’know… into the guy.” I said.

“Where? Does the other guy’s dick open up and that’s where it goes? Give me more information.” Kostas said.

“I’m not even going to bother.” I heard Meredith say from behind.

“It goes up the other guy’s… rectum.” I said. I could feel my face getting much hotter. Kostas saw this, because he smirked at me, knowing that he was getting me riled up.

“Wow. Interesting. But why? Does it feel good? I’m pretty sure men don’t have clitorises.” Kostas remarked.

“Idiot! Ever heard of the prostate?” Meredith snapped. I jumped a bit from her sudden frightening voice.

“The what?” He asked.

Meredith grunted and chose to ignore his question, muttering something about him failing basic biology. I briefly explained what the prostate was, and that it can be considered a pleasure area for some men.

After explaining everything, Kostas simply replied with, “I’m going to try it out.”

“Whatever. You do you.” I said to him.

“And what about you and Calvin? When the time comes, who is going to be getting it up there?” He asked.

“It’s called bottoming and topping, idiot.” Meredith interjected.

“Right, that. Who?” He asked.

“I’ll make a decision when it comes down to that. For now, I just want to get this gala over with.” I remarked.

Truth is, I have been thinking about how it would work. Would I go for being the top or bottom? From the “extensive” research I’ve done, bottoming is a bit of commitment. You have to have a balanced diet, clean yourself out, have to worry about fissures and bleeding. Meanwhile, the top just simply slams it in.

Honestly, maybe for my first time, I’ll consider topping, since that seems to be the easier option. Whether Calvin agrees to this, who knows? It would be my first. And Calvin seems to have some experience in doing it.

As it was approaching night, Kostas left and Meredith was getting ready to leave. Before she left, I stopped her to inquire about a certain topic.

“Can you get someone for…”

“Already did.” She replied.

“Are they qualified?” I asked her.

“Relax, Alistair. They’ll be fine. Go and have fun. They’ll understand.” She said. I thanked her and she left my apartment.

Once the door closed, Luna brushed up against my leg and meowed at me, requesting food.

“Let’s get you fed.” I said as I walked to the kitchen. “Sorry, no sacrificial virgins or interdimensional salmon, but we’ve got Fancy Feast!”

She looked up at me with her blue eyes, the pupils dilated upon seeing the can of food. Then I fed her while I groaned after seeing all the snacks Kostas stole from my pantry.

---

hi!

luv you all!

Chapter Eighteen

Calvin Fischer

What to wear around rich people? It’s a question that I– and probably millions of other Americans– wonder to ourselves. In the case that, hypothetically, you start dating a rich guy and are soon invited to a gala with other rich people, you must learn about the proper way to dress.

And lucky for me, I have no idea what to wear. When it comes to my salary, I earn a good amount of money. At least enough to afford a nice apartment and have spending cash for a few things. But I don’t have $1,000 t-shirt money like certain blue-eyed handsome men…

Which led me to the conclusion that, if I can’t afford expensive designer clothing, I’ll need to at least look great in the stuff I wear.

So I spent almost two weeks– from the moment Alistair invited me to the gala– getting a good outfit styled. Evelyn spent her free time just stitching nice for me. She was later paid with Lorde tickets as a thanks.

The day came for us to leave for Oregon. After a quick goodbye from my parents and friends, I left for Alistair’s building. There, he escorted me into his car.

The ride to the airport was quick. He had his own private jet, because of course he does. Throughout the ride to the airport and once we were in the sky, Alistair kept asking me if I was okay.

I had only been in a plane maybe five times in my life. But never in a private one. I wonder how much CO2 emissions this lets out. I should talk to Alistair about that.

After a few hours in the sky, with me panicking about the plane crashing, we landed in Oregon. Alistair was quick to get out of the plane. I’m pretty sure I saw him breathing heavily once we exited the plane.

“So, what now?” I asked Alistair. The two of us were standing on the tarmac. It was dark out and cold.

“The car will be here shortly.” He replied. I rubbed my hands together and shivered from the cold. “Here.” He held out his hands. I placed my hands on top of his. Alistair began to rub his fingers, creating friction and heat.

“Thanks.” I said while my teeth were chittering.

“Mhm.” He said. His fingers kept warming my hands up, but his eyes were looking around.

“Uh, can I ask you something?” I said, breaking the silence between us.

“Yeah.” He replied, looking down at me. Our close proximity terrified me. I haven’t really been this close to him.

“I want to thank Mr. Chamberlain for inviting us and letting us stay in his home. What do you think he’ll like?” I asked.

He heartily chuckled. “He’s a rich man. He can buy whatever he desires. Just leave it at that.” He said. But he must’ve seen my face drop, because he added, “But he loves his wife. Maybe that’ll help you.”

I began to think of a way to thank Clarence Chamberlain until my thoughts were disturbed by a pair of headlights shining on us. I turned and saw a black car driving towards us. It parked beside us, and the driver got out from the driver’s seat and opened the door for us.

“Sorry, McClair! Busy night.” The driver said.

“No worries.” Alistair replied. “Could you get our bags? They’re right there.” He said. The driver nodded and left to collect our suitcases. I wanted to help, but Alistair lightly pushed me into the car.

I got into the car and sat a bit away from Alistair. He began to type on his phone while I looked at the snacks that the car came with. After a few minutes, the driver returned and began driving the car.

“What can I expect at the gala?” I asked Alistair. He looked up from his phone, turned it off, and put it away into his coat pocket.

“Usually, the days are spent with us doing whatever we want, either in the Chamberlain mansion or in the city. On Saturday night, we’ll attend a gala where we’ll drink and talk to people. Sunday will be a brunch and then we’ll go home.” Alistair explained.

“But why? What is the purpose of this?” I asked.

He shook his shoulder. “Honestly, I wish I knew. I sort of just started to get invited to them when my business took off. It is a great way to meet new people and I’ve gotten new clients. But it would be easier if we just did a Zoom call.”

I chuckled at his last statement. “Then why don’t we turn this car around and go somewhere else?” I asked.

“Oh, where to, exactly? Portland. I’ll be caught dead before entering that city.” Alistair replied.

The car kept driving until it began to approach a large gate. The gate opened, and we entered the property of Mr. Chamberlain. His property was mostly large fields of occasional flower bushes and fountains. At the end of the driveway was a large, spacious home. No, not a home, a mansion.

Standing on the porch was a man with silver hair and a charming smile on his face. He was dressed nicely with a simple suit. Next to him was a beautiful woman with brown hair and gray streaks. The couple stood under a bright white light, giving their heads and shoulders a hazing glow.

The car parked in front of the porch. The driver opened the door and Alistair was first to get out. I followed soon after stashing a few of the snacks into my pockets. Upon getting out of the car, I shivered upon meeting the nightly cold.

A jacket was placed over me. I turned and saw Alistair had removed his own jacket and put it over me.

“Thanks.” I said to him.

“No problem. Stay warm.” He assured me. He left towards the porch, going up the stairs and shaking hands with the man, who I assume is Clarence Chamberlain. I witnessed as the two men exchanged a handshake. Alistair then turned to the woman and kissed both sides of her cheek.

Alistair then turned to me and waved me over. I froze in place, because it’s cold. I took a step and walked towards him. As I got closer to him, I let out a chuckle in my throat when I saw Alistair’s nipples pointing forward. Must be the cold.

“And this is Calvin Fischer. He will be joining me for the weekend.” Alistair told the couple.

“The famous Calvin.” The man said. “Clarence Chamberlain. Nice to meet you.” He held out his hand. I gave him a handshake in return. “And this is my wife, Hannah.” He then introduced the woman next to him.

“Nice to meet you.” I said. She held out her gloved hand, which I lightly grabbed and planted a kiss on it.

“Now that we’re done with the pleasantries, let’s head in. It’s quite cold out.” Clarence said. He and his wife entered their home. Alistair and I followed close by. A wave of warmth washed over me as soon as I stepped in and the door closed behind us.

A man took the coat that I was wearing and informed me that it would be taken to our room. He also informed us that our luggage would be there.

Our room? So me and Alistair are going to be sleeping in the same room. Would we be sleeping in different beds or together? Knowing Alistair, it’ll be different beds.

“You two. Come! We’ve got hot chocolate.” Clarence yelled.

A hand landed on my back, just above my buttocks. When I turned to my left, I saw Alistair looking forward, but his cheeks had a bit of a blush to them.

“Walk.” He said without looking at me. Without hesitation, I walked towards the living room, with Alistair keeping his arm on my back and walking me forward. His fingers lightly gripped onto the sides of my hip and attracted me closer to him.

We followed the couple into a large kitchen. Hannah told us to sit near the white marble island. Alistair pulled out my chair and let me sit first. He then sat next to me.

“It’s been a while, Alistair.” Clarence said, sitting across from us. His wife returned and placed two cups of hot chocolate topped with marshmallows in front of us.

“It has. I’ve been caught up with a few things.” Alistair replied.

“I could tell. I’ve seen the articles and publications. The last time you were here, I always considered you a straight man.” Clarence replied.

“To be fair, no person looks gay or straight.” Alistair interjected.

“Right.” Clarence cleared his throat. “Still getting used to it.”

I grabbed the warm mug, which was decorated with Christmas drawings of snowflakes, and took a sip of the hot chocolate. It traveled down my throat. After savoring the taste, the scolding heat began to settle in and my tongue began to sting.

“But I want to know about you, Calvin.” Clarence directed his attention to me. “I want to get to know the man that Alistair is dating. Tell me, what do you do for work?”

I turned to Alistair. He picked up his own mug and took a large sip, without any reaction to the heat. “Answer him.” He told me when he set his mug down.

I placed my mug down and rubbed my warm hands on my thighs. “Uh, I’m a painter.” I replied. The silence from him meant he wanted more information. “I sort of do different types. Abstract, realism, modern.”

“Interesting. And have you made any paintings for Alistair?” He then asked.

“Uh, he bought one of them. But… nevermind.” I quickly said. If I were to make Alistair a painting, would he accept it? Or would he do what most parents do when their kids give them a drawing: placing it in a box and forgetting about it.

“Wow. Well, Hannah here has been begging me to get her some new artworks for the house. If you ever want to do some commissions, give her a call.” Clarence told me. His wife gave me a nod of assurance.

“I’ll think about it.” I replied.

“Clarence, look.” Hannah said to her husband. “He does have the eyes.”

The two turned to me and leaned forward, essentially laying across the table to stare at my face. Their eyes were scanning me, as if they wanted to see if the rumors about my eyes were true.

“Alistair, he is a beauty.” Clarence said. “I think this one might be it.”

“It’s too early to say.” Alistair replied. The couple sat back in their seats.

“Are you sure they aren’t contacts?” Hannah asked me. I felt a hint of offense.

“Nope. Born this way.” I said to them. Hannah nodded and took a sip of her hot chocolate.

The night went on as we engaged in conversation for a few hours. I seemed to have gotten along with Clarence and Hannah. I had the most joy in their talks. I thought I was going to be meeting some stuck-up rich people who only talked about money and business. But I was proven wrong. They’re actually down to earth people.

Alistair didn’t say much. He only spoke when spoken to directly. Which is common for him, since he never engages in conversation willingly. And he always made sure that his responses didn’t warrant any follow up questions.

It’s almost as if he knew there was going to be talks, and he did research on how to avoid it as much as possible. I really wanted to see him speak to others besides me, Kostas, Meredith, and Luna.

And because of that, I didn’t tell him that there was marshmallow fluff on the corner of his lips. I also signaled for the others not to speak a word.

It was almost midnight when we had to end our interactions and needed to recede into our room. Clarence gave us a rundown as to what we can expect tomorrow. Needless to say, I’m actually excited for this weekend.

As we walked to our room, Alistair leaned into my ear to say something.

“Just so you know, you can give me art if you want. I’ll hang them up.” He said. I turned to him. He gave me a small smile.

“Bet.” I said. He raised an eyebrow. “Nevermind. I’ll paint you something soon.” I let out a giggle over the excitement.

When we got to our room, it was grand, and big. There was only a single bed, but it was big enough for the two of us to sleep on opposite ends. Our luggage was placed at the foot of the bed, ready to be unpacked.

“I’m going to shower.” Alistair said. He rushed to open his suitcase and grabbed a few garments of clothing. Then, he rescinded into the bathroom. I stood at the bedroom door, just confused slightly.

But I also began to unpack my things. I also put a framed picture that Alistair brought of Luna and placed it on the bedside drawer.

The door to the bathroom opened. Alistair popped his head out. Judging from his bare shoulders, he wasn’t wearing anything on his body.

“There’s marshmallow fluff on my face.” He said as he looked blankly at me. “Were you ever going to tell me?” He then asked.

“Uh… no.” I smirked. He huffed and closed the door.

I’m wondering how this weekend is going to go. I’ll be keeping a close eye, because I feel like this gala will present new opportunities for our relationship.

---

close proximity plotline? yes please! trust, this gala is going to bring them closer…

Chapter Nineteen

Calvin Fischer

By the time it was time for us to sleep, Alistair and I stood at the foot of bed and just stared into the mattress.

“Wanna spoon?” I asked him eagerly.

Alistair gave me a side glance. “No. You take the left, I’ll take the right side.” He told me. I pouted but agreed to go to my side.

The comforter was soft and felt warm on my skin. I faced the window that looked out of the property and onto the lawn. From my spot, I was able to see a few paths illuminated by lamps. They look fun to walk on.

I didn’t hear anything from Alistair. I turned my head around and saw him with his hands in a prayer. He was muttering to himself. I chose not to interrupt him. But I did admire how at peace he looks.

“Amen.” He muttered. He put his hands down then turned to me. “Do you need something?” He asked me.

“No.” I simply replied.

“Then goodnight.” He said. He faced the opposite direction. I took a few seconds to admire his back and how sculpted it was.

“Alistair… you asleep?” I whispered. Instead of replying. I heard a small snore coming from his end. “Kay, goodnight.” I whispered and turned to my direction.

I slowly shut my eyes and began to fall asleep. This would be the first time I would be sleeping in the same bed as Alistair. We’ve been dating for over a month, and this is our first time in bed together.

My eyes slowly opened. Because I was facing the window, the sun was shining into my face. I instinctively covered my eyes with my hands. I was also able to pick up some grunting noises. At first, my mind thought that Alistair was jerking off.

I sat up in bed. Alistair’s spot was empty. The grunting sound was still going. When I looked onto the floor, I saw Alistair, shirtless, doing pushups. His back was slightly covered in sweat. A perverted part of me wanted him to say my name while he was grunting.

“Good morning!” I said, using up any remaining energy in me.

He jolted back, grabbing his shirt and covering his torso. There was a slight panicked look on his face. “Look away!” He told me.

I complied and looked away from him, facing the window. He was quick to cover himself up. Based on the few hints of his body, either from slips of his shirt or from how tightly fit they are, Alistair has a great body. So why was he scared of me seeing him?

It was actually a small conversation Evelyn and I had a while back. She mentioned that, despite how amazing he looks and how great his body seems to look, he’s never had a photoshoot without a shirt. And even if he’s only wearing a shirt, it’s never white. Just a dark color.

“Is everything okay?” I asked, still facing away.

I could vaguely hear his feet slapping against the floor. Then the bathroom door opened and closed. I got off the bed, feeling the cold under me.

Knocking on the bathroom door, I leaned into it and asked, “Is everything okay? Do I need to call someone?”

He was quiet for a while until he did. “I’m fine. I– I just need a moment.” He replied with a hint of a stutter in his voice.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt you or scare you like that, Alistair. I won’t ever do it again.” I apologize. After what seemed like a minute, the door opened and Alistair exited the bathroom, with his shirt back on.

He muttered something, but I wasn’t able to pick it up. “I’m sorry.” He said. “I didn’t… I was shocked and reacted quickly. It wasn’t your fault.”

I didn’t question the matter. That reaction was instinct, like he’s done something of this sort similar. This just adds another layer onto the enigma that is Alistair McClair.

“So, can I use the bathroom?” I asked him. He opened the bathroom door all the way.

“Go right ahead.” He told me. He stepped out of the bathroom, leaving me to my own device. I did my normal routine and got dressed. Alistair’s routine took an entire two hours. Luckily, it doesn’t seem like we were in a rush.

When Alistair was done, we left our room and descended downstairs. Laughter was echoing through the halls. At the kitchen table, where we sat last night, were two couples.

“Good morning you two.” Hannah said, emerging from the kitchen. She walked over to us and insisted we sit down. “Breakfast is out. Can I get you a coffee or some juice?” She asked.

“Coffee, please.” I replied. Alistair asked for water.

The two other couples next to us stopped their conversation until the silence was broken when the two other men greeted themselves and their partners to us.

The first couple were named Joseph and Felicity Foy. They were a young couple and were close friends with Clarence through a shared interest in hunting. The other couple were named Carol and Dylan Price.

I mainly talked with the women, Felicity and Carol. I quite enjoyed them. Felicity kept bragging about her trips to Africa. Meanwhile, Carol bragged that she’s friends with some European royals. We didn’t believe her until she showed us pictures, where she was in attendance of a royal wedding.

Sometimes, I glanced over at Alistair and saw how he was getting along with people. Just like last night, he didn’t add much into the conversation. But at least he was somewhat entertained.

Clarence and Hannah made an appearance right before breakfast ended. Clarence announced that he wanted to give us a tour of the estate. I checked in with Alistair to make sure he was fine with this. He was.

So off we went. The men walked forward and were given a masculine version of a tour. Clarence wasn’t afraid to talk about the nitty gritty details of the lands. He talked about the harsh labor he and his crew had to do.

However, it differed with Hannah. She instead told us about how beautiful the place is and what her future plans were. Her plans included several garden parties and raising grandchildren here.

Our group took a break near a pond. I settled in a bench that was under a willow tree and stared into the gorgeous pond. I saw an occasional bright orange koi fish swim by. Alistair would then join me at the bench.

Alistair had been on his phone during a large portion of the trip. So I had to ask. “Is everything okay?”

He looked up from his phone. “Yes. Everything’s fine. Just some business. I’m waiting for Meredith to reply.” He shook his knee up and down. I placed my hand on his knee to stop him shaking it.

“I’m sure everything is fine, whatever it is. Just sit back and take in the scenery.” I told him. He sat his phone screen-down onto the bench and leaned back into the bench.

“This feels… nice.” He softly muttered.

“I would love to have a place like this. A nice pond and paths that I can take to paint more landscapes.” I mentioned.

“Is the city not enough?” He asked.

“Seattle is nice and all. But at some point, you get tired of buildings and artificial parks and overpriced falafels. Sometimes, having a view like this is just what the mind desires.”

Alistair looked forward to the pond. His eyes seemed to be scanning the entirety of the nature that was presented in front of us.

“It is nice.” He replied.

Once the tour ended, it was time for lunch. When we returned to the main house, there was lunch prepared for us. Each of the couples sat together and ate together. Something that I watched the three other couples do was feed one another.

Meanwhile, I ate with no small talk from Alistair. He also ate his food quietly. But something that was interesting was seeing Alistair eat his food slowly. Alistair also wiped his mouth after chewing.

Alistair and I were returning to our room when we noticed many servants walking around. Upon listening to their chatter, I pieced together that they were getting the ballroom ready for the gala tonight.

We had a few hours to get ready for the event tonight.

“Is there anything I need to know about anyone at the gala tonight?” I asked Alistair. I sat on a chair and watched him dig through a drawer where he put his clothes.

“Just don’t talk about politics or how much people make.” Is what he replied with. “Oh, and that thing that happened in DC. It’s a sensitive topic.”

“Right. Are we going as a couple?” I asked.

“Obviously.” He walked over to me and leaned down close to me. His arm extended forward, reaching behind me. “You are my boyfriend, afterall.” He muttered in my face.

I shivered and turned away. Alistair stood back up. In his hand was his phone, which was placed on the desk behind me. I then watched as he entered the bathroom and locked the door behind him.

While he was showering, I too got my outfit ready. Alistair took a while in the shower, but came out. When I finished my routine, I showed him my outfit.

“Not bad.” He said. “Love the tie.”

“Thanks.” I said, holding it out for him to see. “Evelyn helped. She insisted we make it look like the Starry Night painting.”

The clock struck 7, the beginning of the gala. However, my boyfriend insisted we go an hour late so we can make an entrance. And at 8, we walked into the ballroom and faced the crowd.

Alistair walked tall and proud, with no ounce of fright or hesitation in him. His arm was placed on my back, walking me. As we walked, several people came up to him and greeted him. Alistair also introduced me to them as his boyfriend.

I don’t think my face was as red as it ever had been when he kept saying, “This is Calvin Fischer, my boyfriend.” He doesn’t show emotions, but part of me sensed that he was into saying that.

He settled at a table that was located in the back window. I was able to see outside and look at that pond from earlier. A waiter took our orders.

“Who’s that?” I asked, pointing to a table where a large man sat. Next to him was a much thinner woman, obviously too young for him.

“That’s Tobias Stern. Owns some oil reserves in the Middle East. The woman next to him might be some random hooker that he’s paid for the evening.” Alistair described.

“Oh. And them?” I asked, pointing to a middle-aged couple that sat to our right.

“Amanda and Gale Greenman. They co-own some bakery franchises. Rumor has it that the two engage in… outside relationships. If you know what I mean.” He nudged my arm with his elbow.

“Yeah.” I said. I sat and played with the table mats. When that got boring, I searched up how to make those napkin swans and tried to do it myself. While I was struggling, Alistair grabbed a napkin and made it himself without a tutorial.

Is there anything this man can’t do? Well, maybe hold down a normal relationship.

The food arrived eventually. While eating, people passed by us and introduced themselves to us. Soft music played through the ballroom.

An hour into the event. Clarence and Hannah came up on a stage and thanked everyone for coming. As they stated, the gala was also going to be used as a charity event and some things would be auctioned.

I never understood rich people doing auctions and charity galas. Why not use the money that they’re going to use for the gala and donate it? And then ask their rich friends to also donate. Never really made sense to me. But it’s not my money.

I mostly ignored the auction. But at some point, they brought out a signed copy of Wuthering Heights, which I wanted so badly. Alistair must’ve seen me leaning forward, because he placed his hand on my chest and brought me back.

“You okay? You’re acting like it’s crack and you’re a crack addict.” He said.

“Sorry. It’s just, I’ve always wanted a signed copy of Wuthering Heights. But I’ll just sit back.” I replied.

Alistair had a look on his face. I couldn’t decipher it. When the auctioneer began to list different prices, there was a call for a high price. When the auctioneer asked for another bid, Alistair raised his paddle and called for a price double the previous one.

I turned to him in shock. He turned to me, I noticed a small upcurve on the corner of his lips. “Is something wrong?” He asked.

“I– No. Nothing is wrong.” I replied. No one dared to refute Alistair’s bid. And it was sold to him.

Still confused, I watched as a person walked over to Alistair with a small tag, basically saying that after the auction he needed to pay. He handed me the ticket.

“A gift.” He muttered. I took it from him and thanked him over and over again. He just turned away, a small blush on his face.

Maybe this gala won’t be so bad. So far, we’re off to a great start.

---

how adorable :)

so sorry for not uploading this on the scheduled time! i’ll make it up to you guys with a double upload on wednesday!

Chapter Twenty

Alistair McClair

After the auction ended, I left to go and pay for the book I bought Calvin. I thought back to a conversation I had a long time ago, where I never really buy Calvin gifts. I’ve bought him food, and let him have my clothes that one time.

Therefore, this gift can be considered a kind gesture. A way for me to show him that his opinions and words are still taken into consideration by me.

As I returned back to the table, I saw a person sitting on Calvin’s left side. Upon closer look, I realized the person was Justin Halls. I’ve only had a handful of interactions with him, but that’s all I needed to determine that he’s a man full of himself.

And it didn’t help that he’s a handsome man. I’ve seen many men and women flock to him. And thus, he’s had a reputation for many one-night stands.

Calvin let out a loud chuckle after Justin said something. As I got close, Calvin looked up at me and waved at me.

“Alistair! Come! Look who I met.” He said to me while signaling to Justin.

“Oh, I know you.” Justin said. He stood up from the seat and held out his hand for me. I gave it a shake.

“Justin.” I remarked.

“You two know each other?” Calvin asked. I quickly let go of his hand and took my seat on Calvin’s right side. Justin also sat on Calvin’s left side.

“Yeah. We’ve met each other a few times. Though, Alistair has never really talked to me. Just a ‘Hello’ here and there.” Justin replied.

“Justin was just telling me about his recent trip to the Seychelles. He was talking about the house he bought on the beach side.” Calvin said.

“With his parent’s money, of course.” I muttered. Calvin asked what I said but didn’t repeat it.

“Anyways, how do you know Clarence?” Calvin asked Justin. Justin took a large sip of his glass of wine.

“I became acquainted with his son during my time at Columbia University.” Justin replied. “And my parents and them also went to Brown together. So, my family and theirs are quite connected.”

“Interesting.” Calvin said. “I’m gonna go get some food from the snack bar. Alistair, want anything?” He asked me.

“I’m okay.” I replied. Calvin then asked Justin if he wanted anything. A smirk came on his face.

“I shall go with you.” Justin said. The two stood up and walked through the tables and other people. They reached a far wall, where several tables were lined up with food.

Watching closely, I observed how the two of them interacted. Sometimes, Justin whispered something in my boyfriend’s ear, and Calvin would let out a small chuckle. They ate their food and kept refilling their plates.

The two of them returned to the table. Calvin had stacked his plate with sweets. I lightly cringed at the amount of sugar he was going to consume.

“Want a cookie?” Calvin asked me while holding up an iced cookie.

“I’m okay.” I replied. He just shook his shoulders and munched on his food. Justin got some sushi and seafood. I didn’t even have to look because I was able to smell it from where I sat.

I love seafood as much as the next person, but the smell sometimes bothers me and overstimulates me. I moved my chair slightly away. While the two were busy talking, I pulled out my lip balm and rubbed it under my nose.

Now, the smell of shellfish and fish was replaced with sweet mandarin.

Calvin continued to talk to Justin. Part of me was feeling slightly off. I was watching my boyfriend be entertained by a random stranger he just met. I couldn’t even talk to him.

“Alistair isn’t too fond of art.” Calvin said.

“Damn, that’s too bad. I like a man who can express his inner art. I find it quite… appealing.” Justin replied.

Anger boiled in me. So I decided to add into the conversation.

“Actually, I do find some art interesting.” I interjected.

“Really?” Calvin asked. “I thought you hated it. What kind of art do you like?”

“Uh, Caravaggio.” I stated. “And Georges de La Tour. Really enjoy how he uses a single light source to convey the intimacy of his paintings.”

Calvin sat shocked. “But you always talk about how boring and useless art is.”

“I hate contemporary art. But Renaissance, mannerism, and Rococo paintings are great.” I said.

“We’ve got to have more of these discussions when we get back to Seattle.” Calvin said.

“Hey, want to go and check out that ice sculpture?” Justin asked Calvin. Just great. When I had something interesting that I was able to talk to Calvin about, he had to be distracted.

Calvin agreed to go check out the ice sculpture. The two left and hung around the ice thing. I think it was a mermaid or something. Since he wasn’t here to see, I reached and grabbed one of Calvin’s desserts.

While the two were at the sculpture, a few other people walked up to them. The people talked and introduced themselves to Calvin.

Once again, anger was boiling up inside me.

But I consider myself a patient person. So I sat back and waited for Calvin to return. After 15 minutes, he was still talking to several people.

At one point, I watched Justin place his hand on my boyfriend’s shoulder. Even from where I sat, I could see Justin’s fingers rubbing the coat of Calvin’s suit.

In my hands was a napkin that I clutched onto tightly.

A loud, boisterous symphony of laughter erupted from where Calvin was. I saw everyone was laughing. Calvin had a smile on his face. And Justin had placed his hand across Calvin’s back and hugged him close.

By this point, the anger that had been festering in me for too long took over. One second, I was sitting in my seat. The next, I had walked over to where Calvin and others stood.

“Calvin.” I called him. He lightly jumped. Justin quickly removed his hand from my boyfriend’s back.

“Is everything okay?” He asked as he turned around to face me.

“Come.” I grabbed a hold of his wrist. “Something’s come up.”

“Oh. Okay!” He said a quick goodbye to the people he was just talking to.

With a tight hold on his wrist, I began to lead him out of the ballroom and into the normal house.

“Alistair. Are you okay? You look upset.” I heard Calvin say from behind me.

“I’m fine. Just hurry up.” I replied, not bothering to turn around. I kept leading him through the halls of the mansion until we reached our room. I quickly unlocked the door and entered, then made Calvin enter the room.

I locked the door and didn’t turn around. I faced the door and controlled my breathing, which I had only just now realized was erratic.

“Alistair. Talk to me. Are you okay? Do I need to call someone?” He asked.

I slowly turned around to face him. There he was, Calvin Fischer, standing just a few inches away from me. He had his phone out, ready to call someone for me.

“Sit.” He placed his hand on my shoulder, trying to get me to sit on a nearby chair. “Let me call Meredith.” He scrolled through his contacts.

I grabbed his wrist, stopping him. I took a step closer to him and took his phone from his hands. Then I threw his phone onto the bed, still holding his hands and interlocking our fingers.

“Oh my God…” I muttered.

“Huh?” He asked. He looked up at me with his beautiful eyes. His light brown hair had become tussled, a few locks falling onto his forehead.

I let go of one of his wrist and brought my hand up to rub his cheek. He shivered a bit from my touch, but leaned into my hand.

“Alistair?” He asked.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done to me?” I asked him.

“Not at all.” He replied innocently.

“That’s just it. You’re driving me insane, and you don’t even know it.”

“Alistair…”

I placed my free hand onto his back and brought him close, so that our chests were touching. He leaned his head up and stared at my lips, then at my eyes.

“Do you want to kiss me?” He asked in a soft voice.

“Would that be okay?” I asked him. He chuckled.

“God, yes it would.”

“I’ve never kissed a man before.” I said.

“Don’t think of it like kissing a man. Think of it as kissing someone you desire.” He told me.

I nodded and closed my eyes. I swallowed in anticipation and leaned my head down. Our lips touched, just for a second, until I pulled my head back. I opened my eyes and saw that Calvin had puckered his lips.

He opened his eyes and looked at me. There was no disdain or disappointment for our short kiss. Instead, he smiled.

“That was a good start.” He said. A blush formed on his face.

“Not good enough.” I said.

I let go of Calvin’s other wrist. This hand came up to gently grab his chin and pull him up. I then pulled my face down and placed my lips on his more furiously. I closed my eyes, and felt myself into the kiss.

We moved our lips. And it was amazing. I knew I needed more. My lips began to move rougher. Calvin let out a grunt. I could slightly taste the pistachio macarons he ate earlier.

My tongue began to graze over his lips. I wasn’t sure how to go about with this kiss. I was merely copying what I had seen on TV shows and movies.

Calvin began to take the lead, as he opened his lips and slipped his tongue into my mouth. His tongue felt weird at first. But as our mouths got used to one another, I felt a sense of relaxation. It was as if the puzzle pieces that were there were finally assembled.

Because now, I’ve had the full picture.

I like Calvin Fischer. The man that I had been matched with is the only person who has ever made me feel this way.

Still holding onto Calvin, I stepped him to the bed and laid him on it. I climbed on top of him and continued my attack on his lips. Calvin’s hands began to roam my back, touching me gently.

“Wait.” I said, stopping our kiss.

“Did I do something wrong?” He was quick to say. “I can change positions or maybe–”

“N-No. You’re amazing.” I stopped him. “It’s just, I don’t think I’m ready to go all the way.”

“That’s fine.” He said. I took a step back from the bed. Calvin sat up and gave me one of the warmest smiles I’ve ever seen. “We don’t have to do anything tonight. We’ll go at whatever speed you want.”

I nodded and leaned back down to kiss him.

“I can’t believe it took me that long to kiss you.” I said.

“I can’t believe it either.” He replied.

“I’m going to go get dressed. Uh, I’ll be back.” I told him. He nodded and let me go to the bathroom.

In the bathroom, I looked at myself in the mirror and let out a small chuckle. I couldn’t believe it. I just kissed a man. And it wasn’t just any man. It was Calvin Fischer.

This does arise some new questions about myself that are only just starting to come in. What does this mean for my sexuality? Have I been living a life of lies? What if Calvin and I ever breakup, which I don’t think will happen anytime soon? Will I go back to dating women or expand my pool or matches?

These seem to be problems for Tomorrow-Alistair. For now, I’ve got to get ready because there is a handsome man in my bed, waiting for my kisses.

---

they did it! they finally kissed!

so smut

–

Chapter Twenty-One

Alistair McClair

The next morning, I woke up to a strange sensation on my body. It was a foreign feeling. It was warm, and made me struggle to breathe.

When I looked down, that’s when I saw that it was Calvin hugging me. His face was planted between my pecs. His messy brown hair was sticking in every direction on his head. The breath that escaped his lips warmed onto my chest.

“Calvin…” I whispered to him. I placed my hand on his head and lightly shook him.

“Go away…” He muttered. He turned around. As soon as he did, the warmth in my chest was gone.

“Wake up. We’re leaving today.” I said. He didn’t say anything. I got out of bed and walked to the bathroom, where I brushed my teeth and did my morning routine.

While looking at myself in the mirror, I saw my neck covered in weird marks. From what I’ve seen in movies and on Kostas, these are called hickeys. And this is my first time ever having them. I wasn’t sure if they were permanent, though I don’t think they are.

Back in the room, Calvin was still sound asleep. I went to his side of the bed and looked at him. He was sound asleep. The sun shone on his face angelically. I touched his face and felt a stubble that he hadn’t shaved.

It wouldn’t be a sin for me to call him beautiful. Or handsome. Truly, Calvin is a beautiful person, inside and out. It only took me over a month of us dating for me to see that.

Then the question came into my head. There’s no way I can claim to still be straight. When I think about it, women never turned me on. And from what I’ve gathered from the past few weeks, only men– Calvin– turn me on.

I exited the room and looked down at the front of the door. There was a wrapped item with the tag addressed to me. I picked it up and examined it. The package was the book I bought for Calvin the night before.

“Calvin. Look what arrived.” I announced as I re-entered the room. Calvin turned around and slowly sat up in bed.

His eyes were slightly opened. His hair was even more messy sitting up. But through it, he still managed to remain handsome as ever.

“Huh?” He asked. I reiterated what I just said, while holding out the package.

“It’s for you.” I said. He got the package and looked up at me. “Open it.” I told him. He unwrapped the brown paper and saw the book.

A wide smile came on his face. “It’s amazing!” He said. He looked up at me and almost jumped off the bed. He rushed off the bed and walked to me, giving me a tight hug. “Thank you!” He squealed.

He looked up and wanted to kiss me, but he stopped himself.

“Everything okay?” I asked. “You know you can kiss me now, right?”

He shook his head. “I’ve gotta brush my teeth first.” Calvin rushed into the bathroom. I sat on the bed, his book on my lap, and waited for him to come back. When he finished, he joined me on the bed and sat next to me.

“Now?” I asked.

“Yep!” He replied. I turned my head and we both leaned into each other and began to kiss. It still felt strange, but I can get used to it. Part of me already has.

I stopped kissing him and just held one of his hands in my hand. I rubbed his fingers and let out a huge sigh. It was similar to a sigh of relief.

“I know you must be a bit confused right now. But… as your gay boyfriend, I’ll happily answer any questions that you may. So ask away.” He assured me.

I leaned back into the sheets and turned to him. I placed my right arm on the pillows and signaled for him to lay down next to me. He happily did so and snuggled up onto my torso.

“Was I always gay? Or is it just something that came up now?” I asked.

He rubbed my shoulder. “No one just suddenly turns gay. That just isn’t a thing. You’ve probably always had these tendencies, just never knew them.”

Calvin kept rubbing my shoulder softly.

“Am I still Alistair McClair? Or does me being… gay… change anything?” I asked. He let out a chuckle.

“You’re still the same Alistair that I met at my art gallery. The same Alistair that owns that tall building in Seattle. Your sexuality doesn’t need to define who you are.” He assured me.

“Another question,” I said. “This is my first time with everything.”

“That’s okay. Being with a man can be challenging for those discovering themselves.”

“No, I mean. This is my first time with everything.” I muttered. I hoped it was low enough for him to hear. Unfortunately, based on how gentler his rubs on my shoulder are, he definitely heard me.

“You’ve never gone that far with anyone?” Calvin asked.

I lowered my head in shame and shook my head. “Never. I’ve never done anything sexual either. Us kissing last night was the most intimate thing I’ve ever done in my life.” I admitted. I could feel my face turning red.

I felt like such a wimp. Everyone that I know has done things before. I always hear about Kostas’ and Meredith’s sexual escapades. Sometimes, I’ll even hear my employees talking about who they did over their weekend.

Those conversations always made me feel left out. And thus, I never told anyone about my lack of experience. I mean, I’m 29 years old. And I’m still a virgin. Am I even normal?

“I know you’re probably feeling upset, maybe even ashamed of your lack of experience,” Calvin said, completely knocking me out of my thoughts. “But I can assure you that, if the time should come, I will gladly help you along the way.”

When I looked at Calvin, he had a small smile on his face. His hair was still a mess, but I knew damn well that he’s still attractive.

“Really?” I asked. He nodded.

“Of course. But I don’t want to feel like I’m forcing you to do anything. Whenever you want to do it, ask me and I’ll help.”

I began to lean my head to my right until it landed on Calvin’s shoulder.

“Thank you, Calvin.” I said, hoping that the thanks would imply more than just our recent conversation.

“No problem, Alistair. I’m your boyfriend. I’m here to help you with anything that you need.” Calvin rubbed his head on my head.

“Hm. It’s pretty interesting to think that the only person I fell for was a guy and not the past 99 girlfriends I’ve had.” I muttered.

There was a quick knock on the door. I didn’t want to get up, but I had to at some point. I left Calvin’s embrace and opened the bedroom door. Clarence stood on the other side with a huge smile on his face.

“Morning, sleepy-heads.” Clarence said. I placed all my weight on one leg and crossed my arms over my chest.

“Good morning.” I replied.

“We were going to have breakfast soon. But Hannah insisted we turn it into a brunch. So head on over to the sunroom at 11.” Clarence informed me. I thanked him and closed the door when he left.

“What did he want?” Calvin asked.

“Brunch.” I replied, quickly getting back in bed and going back to Calvin’s arms. “But I kind of don’t want to go.”

“Aww. Are you now attached to me?” He asked.

“I think I was attached to you for a while now, but was too scared to do anything.” I replied. Calvin began to stroke my hair.

“Well, you may not want to go. But I’m hungry.”

I looked up at him. “Fine. Brunch it is. Go get changed.” I said. He kissed my cheek as he was getting ready to get off the bed. “Fuck it.” I muttered.

I grabbed Calvin’s face with my two hands and brought his face down to my level. My lips were quick to kiss him and our tongues touched one another. This is so amazing. Why haven’t I done this before?

An hour before brunch, Calvin and I finally got showered and dressed (separately). Calvin went ahead while I waited back to make a phone call.

“Yeller?” Meredith said in a nasally voice.

“What did I say about ‘yeller?’ Stop saying it.” I rubbed my nose in frustration. “How is it over there?” I asked.

“Good. Kostas had a client meeting in the north. And I just finished scheduling your meetings for this week. We should be ready for the upcoming days.” Meredith replied.

“And how are they doing?” I asked in a softer and quieter tone.

“ They’re doing great. They miss you. But I told them that you were out for a business thing.“ She said.

“Great. Calvin and I will return from our peregrination in a twinkling.” I replied.

“Please stop with the fancy words! Did you read a fucking thesaurus as a baby?” She cried out.

“Stop propelling quixotic rhetoric. Now will you pardon me, I have a convocation with two septuagenarians before the noon sun.” I chuckled to myself. Meredith huffed and hung up on me.

As the phone call ended, I walked out the room and closed it. I walked into the sunroom and saw Calvin, Clarence, Hannah, and the other couple from yesterday sitting around a table. Calvin turned to me, his cheeks stuffed with food like a squirrel, and waved me over to him. There was an empty spot next to him.

“Perhaps not. Personally, I enjoyed the movie and thought the scene with the skunk and the mask was fun.” Hannah chuckled.

The other woman, whom I remember as Carol, slightly gagged.

“What’s going on?” I leaned over to Calvin.

“We’re talking about movies.” Calvin whispered back. “The food’s good.”

I grabbed only a small pastry and served myself coffee. I watched as everyone talked together. My eyes slowly traced back to Calvin. I watched him eagerly eat food and talk with people. Without thinking, I grabbed a napkin, then grabbed Calvin by the chin, and pulled him close to me.

“Your mouth is dirty. Let me clean it.” I said to him. Using the napkin to clean his face, I wiped the crumbs off. When I was done, I pulled away slowly.

“Get a room, you two.” Hannah said.

“Sorry.” I muttered and let Calvin’s face go. His face was flushed red.

“Thanks.” Calvin muttered.

I didn’t eat much during breakfast. Instead, I just watched Calvin in awe. For some reason, everything he does is just enchanting. All his movements were light and with grace. I almost asked him if he could serve me coffee, just to see how he moves.

The day went by quickly. We didn’t do much, except lay around and even helped clean up the gala.

As we were packing our suitcases, I made sure to get a special place for the book I got Calvin. We said our goodbyes to the homeowners, thanking them for allowing us to stay in their home.

“Can I ask you something?” Calvin asked as we were in the car on the way to the airport.

“Go ahead.” I replied.

“How are we going to be in Seattle?” He asked. I knew what the question meant. I never showed him affection. Last night, when we kissed, was the most I’ve done to show my affection for him.

When we return to Seattle, will I be open with him? Or will I cower and continue to hide my true feelings?

“I’m not sure.” I said.

Calvin placed his hand on my thigh.

“Take your time. I’ll be here.” He said and smiled at me.

I thanked him for understanding. But I know that I’m going to have to work on showing him the affection he needs, and deserves. Maybe it’s time to change for him. So he knows that I’m thinking about him.

---

finally we’ve reached a huge step!

let the games begin.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Calvin Fischer

As soon as we landed back in Seattle, I breathed a sigh in relief and almost jumped for joy. Here I was, back in my motherland! 

“Do you want me to take you home?” Alistair asked me.

“Please? I’m tired and just want to sleep.” I said. Alistair had a car ready for him. He put our luggage in the car and then told me to get in. 

“Your parent’s home or your condo?” Alistair asked.

“Condo– Hang on. How do you know I live in a condo?” I asked him. 

“I have many resources, Calvin.” He said. “Don’t underestimate me.”

“Okay, boss-man.” I chuckled. Alistair started the car and drove out of the tarmac and into the parking lot. From here, he left the airport and began to drive towards my home. 

As much as I wanted to fall asleep, I knew that I couldn’t in Alistair’s car. This is mainly because, after long trips, my sleep always results in me having the loudest snores. Alistair and I may have made out already by this point, but me snoring is a bit farther into a relationship.

I forced myself to stay away until he pulled up into the parking lot of my apartment complex. 

“Wow.” Alistair said.

“What?” I asked him. 

“I thought you were going to live somewhere more flashy and expensive. This is quite modest for a painter.” He said.

“I sometimes prefer basic things.” I replied. “But your apartment is nice too.”

“Well, this is where you can get out now. Make sure you shower and take a nice nap. You have work tomorrow.” Alistair told me. 

“Right.” I said. “Thanks for the ride. I’ll get my luggage myself.” I got out of the car and went to the trunk to get my bag. I packed rather light, and was able to easily hold it. But Alistair always insisted on taking my bag for me. 

As I was walking to Alistair’s window, I saw him leaning his head back on the headset. He had his eyes shut and was slowly breathing in and out. 

“Alistair.” I said. “I’m going in.”

“Alright. Text you later.” He said. I stood there for a moment. Alistair slowly leaned his head out of the car. I took this as my cue to lean down and kiss him on the lips. “I was waiting for you to do that.” He said.

“You’ll never have to wait long for me to kiss you.” I replied. I was getting ready to leave until I saw him yawn. 

Then an idea came into my head. 

“Hey, Alistair,” I leaned against his car door. “Why don’t you come inside and sleep. That way, you won’t be sluggish on the drive to your apartment and possibly get into an accident.”

“Are you sure?” He asked. “I don’t want to bother you in your residence.”

“Come on, Alistair. I’ve slept in your home before. And we’ve already slept together.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say ‘slept together’ exactly.” Alistair added quickly.

“Right. But just come inside. I’ll make us some lunch and we’ll sleep. But if you still feel uncomfortable, you can have the bed.” I explained. Alistair was in thought, as signified by his furrowing of his eyebrows.

He then sighed. “Fine. I’ll park quickly.” He said. I nodded and stood at the front of the condo complex. I watched Alistair park his car in the parking lot and then get out. He didn’t bother to take out his luggage. 

I reached out to grab his hand. And he accepted my advance. I then began to lead him into the lobby, where I greeted the security guy. 

We took the elevator up to my floor. Being in such an enclosed space with Alistair the day after he kissed me is a strange sensation. I wonder if he’s going to do that thing like in movies or K-dramas where the rich CEO kisses me inside the elevator.

Ding

The elevator doors opened on my floor. Guess my fantasy isn’t coming true. The two of us got out and I walked him, while still holding his hand, to my condo.

“Here we are. Home sweet home.” I unlocked the door. Alistair was holding my luggage and yawned. 

The door opened and I stepped aside to let him in. Alistair looked around my apartment and walked towards a couch, where I instructed him to place my bag on the couch. I offered him something to drink, and he asked for water. 

“I’ll cook us something. Do you want to take a shower here?” I asked him. Alistair finished chugging his water down. 

“If you don’t mind. I need to get the ‘Oregon Air’ off of me.” He replied. I led him to the bathroom and showed him how to use the shower. He thanked me and I left to start cooking. 

The realization hit me like a truck when I realized that Alistair McClair was showing in my bathroom. He was getting naked in my bathroom and washing himself with the products that I wash myself with. 

I almost cut my finger with a knife because I was too distracted, thinking about Alistair in the shower. By the time Alistair finished showering, the food was cooking on the stove. 

“Can you watch over the food while I shower too?” I asked Alistair. He emerged from the hallway with a tight fitting shirt and short shorts. His black hair was wet and dripping onto his shirt. 

“Okay.” He replied, eyeing me. He knows that I’m checking him out. 

“Just let it simmer. I’m making my mom’s special stew to get our energy back up. Be right back.” I took a final glance at his body, noticing that this is my first time seeing his legs. 

I don’t know if I’m just a pervert, but I’ve always found legs to be sexy. Alistair’s were perfect. I looked up and he was smirking at me. 

“Want a picture?” He asked me. I stuttered an apology and ran to my room to get a change of clothes. Then it was my turn to shower. 

Alistair had left the bathroom in the state it was before I left for the weekend. Actually, it’s in a better state because the towels were properly folded and some of my clothes that I had left on the floor were in the laundry basket. 

I had a quick shower, knowing that my everything-shower was going to have to wait for the next day. After I finished and returned to the living room, I saw Alistair standing next to a wall and looking at a picture.

“Whatcha doing?” I asked as I walked up behind him. 

“I was looking at this picture. Is this you and your family?” He asked. 

“Yup! That’s me,” I pointed to a younger version of me. “And that’s my mom and dad. We went to Disney World. It was so fun! Have you ever been?” I asked.

“No.” He replied.

“Seriously?” I asked in bafflement. “Not even Disneyland?” I asked. 

He shook his head. “Nope.”

He looked me in the eyes, as if he was waiting for me to judge him. “Well, that’s okay. But we’ve totally got to go one day.”

“Maybe…” Alistair looked closer to the picture. “Are you wearing contacts?” He asked. He was referring to the fact that both of my eyes were brown in the photo. 

“Yeah,” I bashfully said. “I used to get picked on for my eyes. So I wore brown contacts to hide the blue one. But I’ve since grown to appreciate my freaky eyes.” I told him.

Alistair leaned down to my level and stared at me in the eyes. “Your eyes are damn gorgeous. Don’t ever forget that.” 

I blushed and turned away. “Thanks. It means a lot, coming from you.” I left him to check on the stew. Once I saw that it was boiling, I turned it off and let it cool down for a while. 

After the stew cooled, I served the both of us a bowl and placed them on the table. I may not have a grand table with a view of Seattle. But mine is wood with almost an almost wilted vase of roses in the middle.

“This is magnificent.” Alistair said.

“If you think that’s good. You should try my mom’s. It’s so damn good.” I said to him. 

“Maybe I should meet her one day.” He remarked.

“Perhaps… The offer still stands. My parents are insisting on meeting you.” 

“We’ll make that appointment soon. But not at this moment. There’s several company things I need to do.”

“Perf! My mom is gonna love you!” I was silent. Then I remembered about Alistair’s parents. But specifically, about the mystery surrounding them. “And what about you? When can I meet your parents, or parent, or parental figures?” 

Alistair stopped eating and was glancing around the room quickly. “Look. This looks like a good place to put Wuthering Heights!” He quickly said, getting up from the table and pointing to an empty spot on my shelf.

Why was he deflecting the question? His urgency almost alarmed me. Could he be hiding something? Perhaps he doesn’t like his parents or doesn’t know them. Either way, based on his past about him being silent about a family, there’s definitely something going on with him. 

“Actually, I was thinking of putting it on my bedside.” I said. Alistair walked over. I watched him grab a napkin and wipe his forehead. 

“Why? That book cost nearly five figures.”

“It’s a book that should be read. I’m not going to put it on a shelf and never touch it.” I told him. 

He brought his hand up to my head and messed with my hair, which was almost dry. “You’re very adorable.”

“Let’s get back to our food.” I said. “The stew is getting cold.”

With bellies full and us well showered, the two of us were tired and wanted to sleep. I escorted Alistair to my room, where I showed where he was going to sleep. He got on my bed and snuggled into my sheets.

As I was leaving, I heard him call out to me. “Calvin.” I turned around and saw that he had moved to one side of the bed. “Sleep here.” He patted to the spot next to him.

“Oh, I don’t want to bother you. And besides, I sleep terribly.” I told him.

He once again patted the spot next to him, this time harder. “Come.” He said. I knew that I wanted to sleep next to him. The previous night when we slept together was probably the best sleep I’ve ever had. 

I walked over to my bed, which when Alistair was laying on it felt like his bed, and laid next to him. 

He faced forward. I watched his fingers slightly twitch and him giving me some side glances.

“Want to cuddle?” I asked. He nodded. “Just ask. Actually, you don’t even have to ask. Hug me whenever you want. Kiss me and hold my hand. That way, I know that you’re doing it because you truly want to.”

Alistair’s right hand reached to grab my hand. It was such a tight grasp. As if he’d been craving for my feel. 

“Can I hug you?” He asked. 

“Yeah.” I replied. 

Alistair began to move down and placed his head on my chest. Both of his arms hugged me tightly. I placed my chin on top of his head and smelled him. 

“Better?” I asked. 

“Mhm.” He grunted out. Within only a few seconds, I could hear him slightly snoring. His warm breath against my skin, and his arms hugging me tightly to him, refusing to let go. 

I then looked out my window, watching the cars pass by and people walk on the sidewalk. Then, my eyes began to close and I followed Alistair to sleep.

---

luv you guys! thanks for the support! i really appreciate it! see you on wednesday.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Alistair McClair

Monday came by, and it was another day of work for me. After Calvin and I had our nap, I hesitantly returned back to my apartment. Before I left, I stole one of Calvin’s shirts as a memento. He did take one of my shirts, I guess it’s only fair.

But now I’m wondering if this makes me one of those creepy boyfriends who becomes obsessed with his partner. Truth be told, I’m probably already obsessed with Calvin, and these feelings are only just coming up now.

I also gave the shirt to Luna, so she can get accustomed to the scent of Calvin. If I’m going to accept him as my boyfriend, Luna has to accept him as another slave.

The door to my office opened, and Meredith Chester stormed in with a smile on her face.

“Morning, Alistair!” She announced.

“That’s it. I’m calling a locksmith to come and put a damn lock on the door.” I said.

“You look happy.” She said. I looked at my reflection on my computer screen. I wasn’t smiling, just had a neutral expression.

“No I don’t.” I told her. Meredith took a seat and crossed one leg over the other.

“I’m your assistant. I know almost everything about you. But there’s also other clues that give off your happiness.”

“Elaborate.” I said.

She pointed to my tie. “You aren’t wearing a mono-chromatic tie. This one has stripes. Last time you wore stripes was when the deal with that Italian company went through. Next, your hair is slicked back, not a single strand out of place. Which means that you haven’t run your hands through it out of frustration.

“Also, the IT department received some doughnuts this morning. I asked the head of the department, and he explained that you just walked onto their floor this morning and gave the company card to some interns. All those signs point to you being happy! Hah! Caught you!”

I let out a giggle. “The IT department had a surplus and the interns voted on doughnuts. My hair is like this because I used hairspray this morning, not gel. And the tie is because my other ones are at the dry cleaners. So no, Meredith Virginia Chester, I’m not happy today.” I told her.

“You called me by my full government name. Last time you did that was when we got our first major deal.” She clapped back.

I rolled my eyes in a bashful way. “Fine, whatever.”

“Was the trip that good?”

“Pretty good.” I replied. I leaned in, and she leaned in also. “Calvin and I made out.”

“What the fuck! Seriously?!” She yelled. I sat back to get away from her screeching voice.

“Yes, we did.”

“Was it amazing and magical?” Meredith asked.

I stared off in the distance and remembered that night. The two of us grabbing one another and our lips crashing against one another. And I wasn’t even drunk. It was done without any sort of influence.

Except for one… longing.

“It was perfect.” I replied.

She chuckled. “Texting Kostas about this.”

“Listen. When is that meeting with the Chinese investor for our joint project?” I asked her.

“Thursday. They’re coming to discuss the final details, then the plan will go through for the new Park.”

“Okay.” I replied. I typed something on my computer until I came across an email from a magazine company. I read it and saw it was sent to me but dedicated to Calvin.

“What’s wrong?” Meredith asked.

“A magazine article wants to interview my boyfriend.” I told her.

She squealed. “You called him your boyfriend. Oh, I think my BL heart is going to pass out.”

“You done? Anyways, what should I tell Calvin? I don’t think he’s done an interview, besides the paparazzi pressing him outside the building.”

“Just tell him that he’s going to be interviewed. I can help him if you want me to.” Meredith said.

“Yeah. That would be great.” I said. “I’m going to meet Calvin’s parents in a few days.”

“You know this means that you’re going to have to sit with his parents and talk to them, right?” Meredith said.

“I know. I’m a bit terrified. But I’ll manage.”

Meredith finished her tasks– which she could’ve done at her custom-made marble desk– and left my office. This left me alone in my own office. As soon as the clock struck lunch time, I pulled out my phone and called Calvin.

“Hello?” Calvin answered in a sing-songy voice.

“Calvin. How have you been?” I asked him, holding my eagerness back.

“Pretty good. I’m doing a new painting right now. It’s inspired by that koi pond that Mr. Clarence had in his home.”

I chuckled at his adorableness. “Do you take commissions?” I asked.

“Sometimes. Why? Do you want one?” He asked.

“Actually, I do. Can you do a portrait of Luna?”

“Uh, sure! I can do it. I’ll need to get the materials and some toys to calm her down.”

“Oh, my Luna is quite photogenic. She’ll stand still while you take the pictures.” I replied.

“But I’m going to need payment. I don’t just draw things for free.”

“I’ll pay in kisses.” I replied.

I could hear Calvin giggling on the other end. “That was both cheesy but romantic.” He said, his voice hinted with a bit of laughter.

“Did it convince you, though?” I asked him.

“Strangely, it did. Alright, I’ll do it. Let me deal with this and I’ll make some time for you and Luna.”

“Great.” I said. I was quiet on my end, trying to find the right words to say. This is probably the longest phone call I’ve ever had that wasn’t about business. How do I keep the conversation going?

“Alistair? You there?” Calvin asked.

“Huh? I’m here, I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.” I was quick to reply. “Calvin, I got an email from People’s Magazine. They want to interview you. Would you be okay with that?” I asked him.

“What kind of interview?”

“It’s a one-on-one session. They’ll ask you questions about your work or personal life. If you’re nervous about it, Meredith has offered to teach you what to do during an interview.” I added.

Calvin let out a hum. “It wouldn’t be a bad idea. Maybe I can promote my art.” He wishfully said. I made a mental note to let all my business associates know that they should buy their art from Calvin’s work place.

“So you’ll do it?”

“Mhm. Why not?” He said.

“I’ll let them know.” I received an email notification from my work laptop. It needed my current attention. “I have to go, Calvin. Something came up.”

“I’ll leave you to it. Text me later, will ya?” He said.

“I’m going to call, not text. Goodbye, Calvin.”

“Bye-bye, Alistair!” He cheerily said. I hung up and saw myself smiling on the reflection of my phone. This man is driving me fucking crazy.

Meredith and Kostas both barged into my office with happy smiles on their faces.

“That was fucking beautful! You’ll pay in kisses? Classic!” Kostas said.

I stood up from my desk and began to call someone. “Hello? Griffin Locksmith? Can I make an appointment for later this week?” I said.

As I walked out my office, Meredith and Kostas followed me and kept gushing about the phone call they overheard. As much as I wanted to tell them off, I actually needed the two of them for the emergency notification I had just received.

And also, their enjoyment of this brings a small smile to my face. It’s nice seeing them seeing me be happy because for the first time in my life, I was in a relationship with someone who didn’t annoy me.

“Are you two done? We’ve got something from Cherrington Projects that needs our attention.” I told them as we entered the elevator.

“Yep. We’re done.” Meredith said. The two of them stood behind me in the elevator. As soon as the doors closed, the two idiots behind me began chuckling.

“What’s so funny?” I turned around to see them.

“We just find it cute that you’re acting like a love-sick teen who just fell in love for the first time. It’s really adorable.” Kostas said.

“Is it now?” I asked them.

“Of course. Everytime you were around one of your past girlfriends, you looked like you wanted to end yourself. Or end them. But with Calvin, even when he’s not around, we can see you smiling to yourself.” Meredith explained.

“Is it that obvious?” I asked.

“To us, yes. And we’re pretty sure that the rest are catching on.” Kostas said. “But don’t worry. Only your real besties know whatssup!”

“We were not besties.” I told Kostas. He frowned.

“Meanie.” He muttered. Meredith laughed at him.

“We have to go uptown. Are you two ready?” I asked them.

“U-huh!” The two replied.

When we came onto the job site, I met up with Yousef Cherrington, who informed me of something suspicious that he heard a while back.

After our conversation, I came to find out that Ronald Farraway, the board member that had been going against me, had emailed Mr. Cherrington if he was willing to pull out of the deal. When Mr. Cherrington asked why, Ronald implied that a future controversy was going to put me in hot water.

I made sure to tell Kostas and Meredith that we needed to do something about Ronald. From his past actions, it seems like he’s trying to possibly get me to step down or lose profits, encouraging the rest of the board to expel me.

While I don’t usually worry, and a coup has been attempted before in my company, something about this feels stranger. It could be because I’m worried about collateral damage, in the form of Calvin Fischer.

I’ll talk to some of my other board members, and try to make sure that we’re all on good sides. And we’ll need to make a censure, or some sort of symbolic silencing, of Ronald Farraway.

For now, I need to get ready for the Chinese partners for a future project. And I’ll be awaiting Calvin’s first interview.

---

congrats y’all! you have officially made it halfway through the story. it’s only going to get more hectic from this point on.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Calvin Fischer

Before I got on this couch, ready for my interview, I was taught a few things by Meredith. She went over the basics, such as sitting confidently, making sure to have a pleasant smile, not talking about politics or any controversial topics, and so forth.

The woman who was interviewing sat across from me and had the makeup team giving her some last minute touches. She then shooed them away as a person behind a camera counted down to zero.

The woman began to speak to a camera, introducing herself and then me as a special guest. It was my turn to introduce myself.

“Thank you for having me on tonight.” I said.

“You’re quite the talk online, Mr. Fischer.”

I chuckled. “Yes, I’ve seen the posts and articles about me.”

“People have many questions,”

“And I have the answers to hopefully all of them.” I interjected.

“First off, you first made headlines when Alistair announced his relationship to you. Do you feel like there’s any pressure regarding the fact that you’re not just Alistair’s 100th partner, but his first boyfriend?” She asked.

“Oh, definitely. Being his 100th match sort of makes me want to be a great partner. And being his first boyfriend just adds onto that level. At some points, I wonder if I’m doing a good job.”

“Has Alistair assured you of any of your worries?”

“Many times. He’s never said it. But the ways that Alistair has sometimes looked at me with admiration, or the times when he’ll send me random texts throughout his day, they assure me that he feels a close connection to me.” I said.

The interviewer leaned a bit forward. “You work in the arts. I know that you’ve sold a few paintings. Any special works coming out soon?” She asked.

“Well, I’m working on a few pieces at the moment. I don’t want to give too much away, because they’re private commissions. But all I will say is that they’re quite sentimental.”

“Are any of them for Alistair?” She asked with a hint of curiosity on her face.

“Uh, yes. He specifically asked for one.”

She sat back in her seat. “You and Alistair seem to be getting along greatly. Reports from Clarence Chamberlain’s party have stated that the two of you were rather close, and he even bought an auctioned item. Was this auctioned item for you?” She asked.

“Indeed. I expressed interest in the book that was being sold. And next thing I knew, he was bidding on it, double from the previous highest bidder. It was probably his first gift to me.”

“Do you have any plans to repay Alistair?”

I sighed. “I’m in the works for something. I don’t have the luxury to be able to buy whatever I want. But I am an artist, and I hope that I’ll be able to come up with something that will mean a lot to Alistair.”

She asked me a few more questions until we went on intermission. I stood up from the couch and went to the table where the snacks were. Evelyn came up to me and patted my shoulder.

“How am I doing?” I asked her. She squealed and hugged me.

“You’re doing amazing! You’re handling all the questions so confidently.”

“I’m just waiting for this to end, honestly.” I replied.

“Why? You look like you were having fun.” Evelyn said.

I brought my hand up and pushed my hair slightly back. “I have to get things in order for Alistair’s birthday.”

“His birthday? When is it?” She asked.

“May 17. But I want to get it ready now.” I said.. I drank from a water bottle. A bell went off, meaning that the interview was starting back up soon. I quickly handed Everlyn my food and drink.

“Go.” She said. Before I returned to the couch, I turned around to face her.

“By the way, you’re invited to Alistair’s birthday. It’s gonna be small, so don’t expect something like a circuit party.” I told her. She smiled and assured me that she would be there.

The time came for the second part of the interview to begin. We picked up right where we left off. Then there was a question that rubbed me the wrong way.

“Is dating Alistair a way to make your ex jealous?” She asked.

I was a bit flabbergasted. Part of me wanted to just storm off the set. But I hid my awkwardness behind a light-hearted chuckle.

“Ah, no. Not at all. I don’t like to think of my ex having anything to do with my relationship. He’s simply just a man that I once dated and broke up with.” I said. I hoped that she wouldn’t press any further.

“Got it. And what’s your opinion of Alistair’s other exes? I’m sure you’ve at least ran into a few of them during the past two months?” She asked.

“I don’t really want to say an opinion of someone whom I’ve never met. I’m sure that each lady that Alistair has been with has a special quality about them.” I said, hoping to deflect the question.

“Awe, come on. Give us something. I’m sure that you must feel a bit special, knowing that you lasted the longest out of all of them.” The interviewer said. I looked to my left, seeing Evelyn having a worried look on her face.

“Could we get to the next question, please?” I asked.

“Of course.” She said. But the bright smile on her face had slightly dropped. She must be upset because I refused to answer

She went on to ask me some more simple questions, mostly about my life and my relationship with Alistair McClair. She did try to revert back to the questionable questions she tried to ask, but I was quick to shut them down.

Once the interview ended, I was quick to get my microphone removed and leave with my best friend in tow.

“That lady was kind of a bitch, right?” Evelyn asked as I started the car.

“It was irritating whenever she tried to get me to talk about Alistair’s exes or my ex. I get they’re trying to get a good headline, but that’s not the way to go about it.” I said.

Evelyn opened her bag and handed me some sandwiches she stole from the snack table. “Still, did Meredith prepare you for asshole interviewers?” She asked.

“No, she didn’t.” I muttered and began to drive. I dropped Evelyn at her workplace. I took this as an opportunity to go and visit Alistair at his workplace.

While waiting in the lobby, several men dressed in black entered the building. I was confused and looked around. The men all formed a circle at the front of the entrance. The doors opened, and Alistair and some guy walked in, both talking to one another.

“Oh my, they’re both handsome.” Some worker next to me said.

“What’s going on?” I asked her. She jumped and turned to me.

“Oh, Calvin. That’s Qian Han from the Han Development Team. You haven’t heard of it?” She asked.

I shook my head. “Nu-uh.”

“They’re Chinese investors who invest in real estate and construction. McClair Enterprises and Han Development Team are working to create a business center that’s estimated to cost billions. But the return interest will be worth it.” She explained.

“Is that a good thing?” I asked, not sure because I’m not properly up to date with corporate talk.

“It’s a great thing. Not only will McClair Enterprises earn a lot from the deal from the revenue and renting of office spaces, but we may even tap into more rich foreign investors to work with.”

I thanked her and watched as Alistair and Mr. Han entered the elevator. The men in black waited around the elevator and a sign was placed over it, stating that it was out of order.

I took a different elevator up to the top floor.

The first person to greet me was Meredith. She was shocked that I was here, but still welcomed me and took me to sit down at her desk.

A few minutes passed until the door to Alistair’s office door opened. I heard Alistair deeply chuckling as he and Mr. Han walked out the office. Mr. Han was holding a box in his hands as his team escorted him to the elevator.

“So, I’ll email you the remaining office. Then we should be set.” Alistair said.

“Of course.” Mr. Han replied. “Then we’ll start with the ground breaking ceremony.”

“Bye, Mr. Han.” Alistair said.

“Goodbye, Mr. McClair.” The two bowed and smiled at one another. Alistair looks so professional that for a moment, I almost forgot that a few days ago he was making out with me on a bed.

Mr. Han entered the elevator with two men and the two left down the elevator. Then Alistair’s small smile changed to an even bigger one when his eyes landed on me.

“Calvin.” He said, walking over to me.

“Hi, Alistair. I hope I didn’t interrupt your meeting.” I said. Alistair had walked over to me and pulled me into a tight hug. He was the first to make physical contact with me without being told to.

“I missed you.” He said.

“Me… too.” I said as I struggled to breath in his bear hug. He let go and grabbed my face, making us kiss.

“Let’s go into my office. Meredith, order food for us. Have you eaten, Calvin?” He asked. I was a bit full, but agreed to eat with him because I know how much he likes it when we share a meal together.

I entered his office and saw that my painting that he bought was still hanging on the wall. On Alistair’s desk was a bright red box with gold engravings on it.

“Mr. Han gave that to me as a gift. It’s some rare teas.” He opened the box and pulled out a vial of dried leaves. “Apparently, these are an aphrodisiac.” He smirked.

I looked away and blushed. “What did you give him?” I asked.

“Chocolate. Mr. Han has quite the sweet tooth and prefers American chocolate over anything. I gave him some of the best.” He sat in his chair, while I sat across from him. “How was the interview?”

I hesitated but told him everything that happened, including the pushy interviewer.

“I’ll talk to someone about it. I’ve got it covered.” He said.

“Thanks.” I said. It was quiet between us. But unlike before, where it was awkward, something was different between us. It was calm, and I actually enjoyed it.

“How are your parents?” He asked.

“They’re good. My mom is really excited about the dinner.” I replied.

“Do I bring a gift?”

I chuckled. “Ha! Duh!” I said. “Just kidding. You don’t have to. Just bring your fine self and all will be well.”

He nodded. But something tells me that he’s going to indeed bring a gift.

Meredith eventually brought us our food. She took a seat next to us. Then Kostas barged into the office, bringing his own lunch to join us. Both Meredith and Alistair groaned loudly, but I offered him to join us.

Later that night, Alistair created a group chat with Me, Meredith, and Kostas. He sent us a picture with a set of keys, saying that no one was allowed to barge into his office without his permission.

Later that week, I got a package from him. It was the spare key to his office. With a note saying to not be afraid to enter whenever I want.

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enjoying this story? i hope so…

Chapter Twenty-Five

Calvin Fischer

“Is Alistair anywhere nearby?” I asked Meredith.

“No. He’s gone to the bathroom.” She replied in a whisper.

“Good. I called the bakery and they’ll have the cake ready tomorrow. You distract Alistair in his office.” I explained to her.

“Then, when the day ends, I’ll bring him up to his apartment where we’ll surprise him.” Meredith then added.

“Sounds like a plan. Make sure to keep it on the low. We don’t want him finding out.”

“Got it.” Meredith whispered back. I heard the sound of a door opening on her end and then the voice of Alistair. She then hung up quickly.

Meredith and I have been planning for Alistair’s birthday party. Every year, according to her, he has a small celebration with just a cake. While I may not be able to rent out an island or an amusement park, I still want his day to be special.

Plus, Alistair is turning 30 years old. Which means that this one needs to be even more special. The other people invited are Evelyn and Kostas, whom both agreed to bring drinks and food.

A coworker walked into my space of creativity and tapped on my shoulder. “Calvin, come! They’re airing your interview.” She told me.

I washed my hands and left to where everyone was gathered around the TV. Even though it was my interview, I still sat in the back to avoid looking at it. Evelyn shushed everyone as the commercial ended and it showed the woman who interviewed me.

“Oh, God…” I muttered and hid my face.

The only good thing that came from the interview was that Meredith sent me a picture of Alistair watching it. The picture reminded me of how kids sit in front of a TV as they’re deeply engrossed in their show. In this case, however, it was a grown man sitting in front of his TV watching his boyfriend on it.

After the interview ended, I returned to my space of working to continue my drawing. People came up to me and congratulated me on my interview. I thanked them, but secretly was waiting for it to be time to leave.

Work ended, and I was in the breakroom getting ready to leave. Then Alistair began to call me.

“Hello?” I answered.

“Is this Calvin Fischer? The handsome man from TV?” Alistair asked.

I chuckled. “This is him. Are you a fan?” I asked, deciding to play along with him.

“Huge fan. I know that it’s not ethical, but would you like to go on a date with me? It would make my entire year.” Alistair said.

“Sure. Anything for a fan.” I said. Alistair let out a few chuckles.

“But seriously, I really enjoyed your interview. The only thing I didn’t like was that the camera wasn’t on you constantly.” He said.

Even though he couldn’t see me, I still blushed and turned away. “Lucky for you, I’m always just a phone call away.” I replied.

Alistair told me briefly about his day. I listened as he talked about random meetings and phone calls and whatever else he could think of. I didn’t once tell him to stop or interrupted him. I was just happy that he’s opened up to me this much.

I heard purring coming from his end. That’s when he told me that Luna was right next to him, sitting– loafing, as Alistair called it– on top of his cashmere sweater.

“Calvin, can I be honest?” He said.

“Always.” I replied.

Alistair took a deep breath. “I’m nervous for the dinner.” He admitted.

“Why? There’s not much to be worried about.” I said.

“Well, I’ve never done something like this before. I’ve never met a partner’s parents, let alone sat down with them and talked and had a meal. What if I say something off-putting or upset your parents. I want to make a good impression on them.” Alistair said.

I could slightly relate to him. This is his first relationship, and it makes sense that he’s a virgin when it comes to doing adult relationship things.

“Look, you’ll be fine. Just try not to think of them as my parents, but rather some old friends that you’re getting to know.” I assured him.

“What if your parents ask something… personal?” He then asked.

“I’ll talk to them about that. I’ll make sure that my mom and dad know what to not ask or when to stop pestering you for answers.” I said. Alistair thanked me.

Based on everything I’ve known about him, some things to steer clear from are family, early childhood, past relationships, and his novice experience in dating someone.

That means that we’re limited to business, early adulthood, fun facts, and particularly cats. My mom likes cats. Maybe she and Alistair will find something in common. The main one I’m worried about is my dad.

Ever since my breakup with Terry, my ex, my dad has been protective over who I’m interested in. Even when I announced my relationship with Alistair, my dad was still skeptical. And Alistair is a businessman. My dad isn’t just going to let anyone date his son.

“So, I have to go do something. I’ll call you when I’m done.” Alistair said.

“Sure. Go do whatever you need to.” I said. “When can I see you?” I asked him.

“Mm, soon. Not sure because my schedule is packed for the next few days.” He replied.

“Right. Then call me soon. And tell Luna that I miss her.” I said.

“I will. Bye, Calvin.” He said with a chipper in his voice.

“Goodbye, Alistair.” I replied, and I hung up the phone.

As I looked into my locker, I put back on my painting clothes and returned to the studio and back to my spot. I began to set up my painting materials again. A single light was turned on above me to let me see what I was doing. Tonight, I’m staying afterhours to finish a personal project.

“It’s late, Calvin.” Evelyn said, appearing next to my canvas.

“I have to work on this. It’s urgent.” I replied.

“You should be home. It’s getting late.”

I poured a bit of paint onto my pallet. “Can’t. This needs to be done quickly.”

Evelyn walked to my side so she was able to see what I was drawing. She whistled and admired it.

“Nice cat.” She remarked.

“Thanks. It’s Alistair’s cat.” I replied.

“What’s its name?” She asked. I stopped painting and pulled out my phone, scrolling through it until I found the special note that I had written down a while ago.

“The Destroyer of Realities, The Omnipresent and All-Seeing Being Beyond the Universe, The Malicious and Malevolent One with no Boundaries, The Cat Named Luna.” I read from my notes.

“Can’t I just call her Luna?” She asked.

I frantically shook my head. “You can’t! Her name is jinxed, so only those worthy can speak her nickname. And since you’re a stranger, you are forbidden.”

Evelyn looked at me, then began to giggle while clutching her stomach. “Did Alistair say that?” She asked between breaths.

“Sort of. The Destroyer’s Lore is complex, and should not be taken lightly. Trust me.” I showed her my arm, which had a scratch that Luna gave me after I tried to pet her.

“Fine. Jeez! You and Alistair are strangely weird…” She muttered that last part.

I continued my painting, while Evelyn brought out a small desk and chair. While I painted, she finished some paperwork. It was almost 8 when we decided it was time to go home.

As the two of us walked to the parking lot, I felt a strange feeling, like I was being watched. I think I had this feeling once. Now that I think about it, I had this exact same feeling several weeks ago when I stumbled out of the bar drunk.

That night, while I was walking in the rain, I had a strange feeling, like I was being watched. I ended up calling Alistair to pick me up. And that was the night when he brought me to his apartment and let me crash in his spare room.

Maybe is was just deja vu.

“What’s wrong?” Evelyn asked. I stopped walking and looked forward to our cars, which were parked next to one another.

“Something feels off.” I said. I reached into my bag and pulled out pepper spray. Evelyn, who probably began to feel this strange vibe, also did the same.

“I don’t like where this is going.” Evelyn muttered to me.

I crouched down onto the floor, placing the side of my head onto the gravel of the parking lot. Between both of our cars, I could see someone there. Both of their shoes were easily visible. I quickly came back up and told Evelyn what I saw.

“Should we attack?” She asked. I agreed. She was going to go one way while I went the other. That way, the person will be trapped and we’ll be able to pepper spray him.

My heart was racing as the two of us got into formation. In a quick move, we jumped and tried to see who it was, but they wore a black mask that covered their face entirely. We pepper sprayed them, but they managed to run past me, almost knocking me onto my back.

“Calvin!” Evelyn shouted as she ran towards me. She helped me off the ground and patted my pants. “Are you okay?” She urgently asked.

“That didn’t go to plan.” I tried to make light of the situation.

“Welp. What do we do now?” She asked. We both inspected the area where the person was at. Nothing was damaged. It didn’t seem like they wanted to break in.

“Do you think they were male or female?” I asked.

“Definitely female. I got a glimpse at the body shape. But why would a female be here, stalking us after work hours?” She asked,

“Probably one of Alistair’s exes.” I joked. Evelyn gave me a glare. “Kidding. But what do we do? Call the police? She didn’t really do anything besides push me.” I said.

Evelyn decided that we would check any of the security footage and keep it in storage. We also agreed to tell Alistair. Firstly, because he’s my boyfriend and deserves to know what happened. But also, something of this stinks of a jealous ex.

In the end, the two of us went home. It was a hectic night. Evelyn did call for additional security for the studio, just in case anyone tries to break in.

When I got home, I did my night routine. I received a call from Alistair, and his voice just seemed to calm me down. His smooth and happy tone was changed, however, when I told him about the incident in the parking lot.

He, of course, had many questions. I answered most, excluding why I was staying late, which prompted Alistair to want to contact the authorities. Which sounds like a good idea, but I fear that nothing will come of it.

Alistair and I had a long talk that night. I kept assuring him that the dinner with my parents is going to go well, and that he’s freaking out.

Our phone call ended. As I was falling asleep, I began to wonder about Alistair’s parents.

The most I, and most people in his circle, know is that his mom was a nurse and his dad was a construction worker. But that’s all that is known. Alistair doesn’t even have a family picture.

And no one even knows if he had siblings. Is he an only child, or are there others in his family? Judging by how awkward he’s reacting to the upcoming dinner, and any question about family, I can only conclude that something more complex is going on with him.

I let out a yawn and saw that I should really go to sleep. But I couldn’t, because I was too excited about Alistair’s 30th birthday.

Then I remembered that there should be two other people that I should invite to the party. Shelia Nester and Rima Williams, the only two exes that Alistair gets along with. And besides, the more the merrier.

This party needs to be the best that Alistair has ever had in his life!

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i literally get nervous when i’m writing around my family cause no one knows that i do this.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Alistair McClair

As soon as I rang the doorbell, Calvin opened the door and smiled at me.

“You made it!” He eagerly said, a small blush forming on his face.

“Of course I did.” I replied. Calvin stepped aside, allowing for me to enter. Before I could get into the actual house, he instructed me to remove my shoes at the front door. I still obliged.

Afterall, I’m not too keen on wearing shoes indoors. I’ve always either worn slippers or socks around my home.

As I entered, I was hit with a smell of something cooking, possibly a meat dish. Soft music was coming from somewhere, but I couldn’t tell from where. Some footsteps approached from a hallway to my left.

“Welcome.” A woman announced as she walked into the living room. She reminded me almost of Calvin. She had black hair instead, and her nose was slightly bigger.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” I nervously said. I held out the bouquet of flowers I had brought. She gladly accepted them and offered me something to drink, to which I asked for just water.

Calvin’s mother introduced herself as Chloe Fischer Granados. But she insisted I call her Chloe. Calvin and I sat on one of the couches. The buoyancy and softness of it reminded me of… home.

“Dinner’ll be ready in a moment! You two just relax!” Chloe shouted from the kitchen.

“You’re doing good,” Calvin whispered to me. “All you need to do now is meet my dad…” As soon as he said those, I heard some footsteps coming to the living room, from the same hallways Chloe came from.

Appearing from the hallway was a burly man, slightly taller than Calvin. He had a rugged stature, a bit on the heavy side. A thick mustache covered the bow of his lips. His eyes, an ocean blue, scanned me intently. He looked like an older– an macho– version of Calvin.

“Dad,” I heard Calvin say in a sigh.

The man walked over to me. I stood up to meet him. Despite being taller than him, he still frightened me. He is the father of Calvin, my boyfriend. Therefore, in this household, he commands respect.

“I’m Alistair McClair,” I said as I held my hand out. He glanced at it, then shook it. The expression on his face did not change whatsoever.

“You dating my son?” He asked in a gruff voice. For a moment, I was taken aback. It was such a sudden question. And he knew the answer. I guess he wants me to say it.

“Yes, sir. I am dating your son.” I replied.

He then smiled and pulled me into a hug, patting my back. As he was hugging me, I hugged him back. Though, for a different reason.

“I’m just messing with you,” I heard him say. I glanced over at Calvin, he was hiding his face but chuckling at the same time.

Finally, he pulled away from our hug. Now that he had a smile on his face, I didn’t seem as scared of him anymore. He wasn’t this terrifying father who was threatening his son’s date with a gun. Instead, he looked like a dad that would tell silly jokes and dote on his wife.

A perfect father…

“Why don’t we sit. I’ve been standing too long.” He said. He introduced himself as Richard Fischer, Calvin’s sperm donor as he referred to himself.

While I’m not much of a conversationalist, I did try to talk a bit. I am here for his parents to get to know me. Which means that I can’t be my reserved self that I usually am. I needed to open up to these people, show them the side that Calvin sees.

And it’s not that I hate talking. On the contrary, I can talk for hours about niche things. I just happen to know when to shut the fuck up, something many people nowadays don’t know.

Right as Richard was finishing telling us a story about his childhood, Mrs. Fischer walked into the room and informed us that dinner was ready. Rather than eat in the kitchen, she brought us to a patio.

It was getting dark, so they turned on the lights. I sat next to Calvin, and his parents sat across from us. Calvin served me food, per his request. I was indeed correct, pot roast.

“Alistair,” Mrs. Fischer said. “How was work today?” She asked. It’s a simple question.

“It was fine.” I replied. I remembered in a book I read about how to carry a conversation, which stated that you should provide more details to your answers. “The future business center project is coming along. We hope to start construction in June.” I replied.

“That’s right,” Mr. Richard Fischer said. “I heard about that project. It’s gonna be big.”

“It sounds like a difficult thing. Make sure you don’t stress yourself out.” Mrs. Fischer said.

“I’m used to it. I can handle a bit of stress.” I replied.

“That’s what Calvin said when he was trying to finish a painting by staying up for two days straight. He ended up in the hospital because he was too exhausted.” Mrs. Fischer said, with a giggle in her voice. I turned to Calvin, who was hiding his face but clearly glaring at his mom.

“Really?” I said. Calvin turned to me with a small blush on his face.

“I thought I could handle it. I’ve survived off three hours of sleep during college.” Calvin said.

“Speaking of college, did you go anywhere?” Mrs. Fischer asked.

“Uh, no. I didn’t attend college of any sort.”

“What about high school?” She then asked.

“I went to Grand Ridge High. Graduated as salutatorian.” I said. I saw Calvin look at me. So did Mr. Fischer, who I know has done research on me.

“Interesting…” Richard said.

“Calvin told me that your mom was a nurse and your dad a construction worker.” Mrs. Fischer said.

“Yes. My mom worked night times at the local hospital. My dad did construction work for some contractors.” I replied. Something about the way they reacted intrigued me. I think they wanted to ask more, but they held back.

“What’s your plans for June?” Mr. Fischer asked.

“June? Well, I have that business center coming up…”

“That’s nice, but you’re an out-and-proud man. Surely that means you’ll do something for Pride Month?” He then asked.

Pride Month? The most we’ve done for Pride Month was offer rainbow cups for one of our coffee chains. And I think we may have sponsored a float at a parade to promote our new line of athletic clothes. But I, personally, have never done anything for that month.

“I’ll think of something.” I said.

I ate my food. I can definitely see where Calvin gets some of his cooking expertise. His mother’s cooking is comforting. Sort of reminds me of staying home from school and my mom making me a hot meal to help with my sickness.

The rest of the dinner passed by smoothly. They asked the right questions that weren’t too personal. Calvin must have told them about what to ask and what not to mention. And knowing Calvin, he must know what makes me uncomfortable. He truly is amazing.

After the dishes were put away, we remained out on the patio. I talked about a childhood story where I tried to ride a bike but failed. I also told the story about a time when I almost fell in a shark enclosure at an aquarium. This got a good laugh out of them.

The time was almost 9. Before I could leave, Calvin’s parents asked him if he could leave the room. I knew what this was. This was the talk that the parents have with their child’s partner. Here, I will find out if they accept me or reject me.

“Richard and I were thinking,” Mrs. Fischer said. “And we think that you’re a good match for our boy.”

I exhaled through my nose. It was a sigh, but I didn’t want to audibly let one out. “Thank you. I won’t let you or him down,” I told them, holding in as much of my excitement.

“At first, I wasn’t so sure about you. You don’t exactly have the best track record,” Mr. Fischer said. While that was a bit insulting, it was understandable. “But during the dinner, I saw the way you looked at Calvin whenever he talked.”

“I thought for a moment you were going to remind me of–” Mrs. Fischer cut herself off.

“Of what?” I asked. The two looked at each other, as if they were talking to one another without speaking. Calvin told me that this is something they do randomly, and that he hopes one day he’ll find someone to do that with.

Mr. and Mrs. Fischer leaned in closer to me. “Calvin’s ex, Terry.” Mr. Fischer whispered to me. That name, Terry. I remember that guy. The one who tried to get Calvin back during the art gallery. And the one who has those pictures of Calvin that he’s worried about being leaked.

But I didn’t tell them this information.

“Gosh, how we hated that guy! He used to tell Calvin to be quiet because he talked too much. But when he talked around you, you just stared in admiration. That’s the moment we knew that you aren’t the heartless womanizer people claim you are.” Calvin’s mom said.

“The what?” I asked.

“Anyways, let’s go inside. It’s getting cold.” Mr. Fischer announced. We stood up and entered the home. Calvin was sitting on the couch, scrolling on his phone. He looked up when we entered and walked over to me.

“Are you guys done?” He asked.

“Yes.” I replied.

“Then I’ll escort you out.” Before we could leave, Mrs. Fischer handed me a bag with containers of leftovers. I thanked her and informed her that lunch was on me next time.

Calvin walked me out of the house and into the driveway. It was cold, but I felt warm inside my coat.

“I hope they didn’t scare you or anything like that.” He said.

“No. Your parents are really nice. I hope I’ll get to see them some time later.”

We reached my car. I unlocked it but didn’t get in yet.

“We haven’t gone on a date in a while. Should we–”

“Schedule one?” I was quick to ask. “I’ll make plans.”

“You don’t have to.”

I placed the leftovers on the hood of my car. I brought both of my hands to grab his hands and raise them up to my chin. His palms were warm, and I nestled my face into them.

“Let me do it.” I told him.

“Very well. You’ll decide the next date.” He said.

“I should probably get home. Luna is probably wondering where her servant went.”

“Okay.” He said. I brought our hands down.

My right hand came up to cup his face. I leaned in and kissed him. There was a hint of strawberry from the ice cream we had eaten earlier for dessert.

Before I could get into my car, Calvin slipped one more kiss, which I was happy to give him.

“Bye, Alistair!” He said, his voice overpowering the sound of the car starting up.

“Bye, Calvin!” I replied. I pulled out of his driveway, but still kept my eyes on him.

Calvin kept waving at me. A smile was on his face. It’s a look that I’m falling for. Someone who is happy to see me is such a feeling that cannot be described. Not by every single word in all the languages that have and will exist.

As I drove down the street, my heart began to race as I thought of just how perfect Calvin is as a partner. Fear settled in at first because of how foreign such a sensation is. But as I calmed myself down, I came to the realization that this is normal when one is in love.

Am I in love? Maybe, I’ll give myself time to figure that out. No one is rushing me to find out. Not even Calvin will rush me to find out. He’ll be patient, like he always is with me.

---

i’ve been writing on wattpad for over two years for free y’all…

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Calvin Fischer

“Guys! Meredith just said that they’re on their way!” I announced it to Kostas and Evelyn. We turned off the lights and hid behind the couch. Luckily, I thought ahead and brought a toy to distract Luna, so she doesn’t give away our location.

“Stop pinching my ass!” Evelyn said to me. 

“Sorry.” I replied back. The door to Alistair’s apartment opened. We could vaguely make out the conversation between Alistair and Meredith. 

As soon as he turned on the lights, the three of us jumped from behind the couch and yelled “Surprise!”. Meredith threw a handful of confetti, while the others popped a confetti cannon. This causes Luna to get scared and scratch Kostas’ legs.

I’m pretty sure Luna doesn’t like him.

Alistair had a surprised look on his face. For a moment, I thought he was going to be upset. But instead, a smile came on his face. 

“This is amazing…” He said. 

“Thanks. We spent two hours on it.” I replied. He scanned the living room, which was covered in streamers and ribbons. I didn’t know Alistair’s favorite color, so I just assumed blue and white because that’s the color scheme of his cat. 

“This is truly amazing, and very thoughtful.” Alistair kissed me on the forehead. 

“Well, come over here and get your birthday hat on!” Meredith instructed him to sit in a decorated chair, designed for him. She placed one of those cone hats on him. 

“I’ll get the food!” Kostas said. Evelyn got the drinks. 

Before we ate, there was a knock on the door. I opened it and saw two women standing there. One of them had jet long jet black hair and brown, almost black, eyes. The other woman had short strawberry blonde hair, and her eyes were green. 

“Uh, you two are…” I said. I noticed they had gifts in their hands.

“Rima.” The jet black haired woman said. 

“And Shelia.” Strawberry blonde woman said. 

“Right!” I opened the door and stepped inside.”Come in. We’re about to have pizza.” The two walked in and placed the gifts on the front table. 

Alistair saw who walked in and came over. He greeted them both, giving them two kisses on the cheek. Kostas and Meredith also greeted them. It was like they were close friends. 

We all sat at the table. We ate pizza, though Alistair used a knife and fork to eat it which caused a few minutes of us poking fun at him. 

After lunch, everyone lazed around the living room. I left Meredith and Evelyn to greet the two new guests.

“Hello.” I told the two ladies. 

“Sorry we were late,” Shelia said. “Our plane landed late and traffic was heavy.” She then added.

“It’s fine.” I replied. “Alistair is happy that you two are here.”

“You know, we’re the only three that have a good relationship with him.” Rima said. 

“I’ll say,” I replied. “What’s your guy’s story with him? How come you guys are the only exes out of the rest 97 that are on good terms with him?” I asked them both. 

Rima went first. “Eh, I just didn’t freak out over his antics. I knew something had to be going on with him, but he isn’t the type to open up. You understand, right, Calvin?” She asked me. I agreed with her, because I’ve seen it myself. Sometimes, Alistair will just be quiet and look deep in thought, but he never says what he’s thinking about. 

“As for me,” Shelia said. “Honestly, our breakup was kinda amicable. We both knew that we weren’t a good match. But I do sometimes keep in check with Alistair, just to see how he is doing.”

“Got it.” I muttered. 

“I always had suspicions that Alistair may not be into women,” Rima said. 

“Girl, no you didn’t.” Shelia jokingly said.

“I’m serious. I even asked him straight up if he was into men based on how he can never settle long enough with a woman. He shut that down quickly. But, I guess I might have been prophesying the future.” Rima replied.

I turned and saw Alistair sitting in his chair with Luna on his lap. He was smiling as Kostas was possibly telling a joke. He glanced at me and winked at me. 

“Calvin, have you noticed something off about Alistair?” Shelia asked.

“There’s a lot.” I told her.

“But specifically about his parents.” She then added.

I glanced back at her. “Yeah, he doesn’t like to talk about them. I wonder why.”

“No one knows,” Rima said. “It seems that only he and Meredith know about the parents. But I don’t even think Meredith knows the whole story.”

“Could they be dead?” I asked in a quieter tone, so only they were able to hear. 

“You guess is as good as mine.” Rima said. 

I finished talking with them until it was time for cake. After weeks of pestering, Meredith was able to get Alistair to tell her what kind of cake he likes. Surprisingly, he likes to keep it simple with just simple vanilla. Nothing too fancy. But he did say he only likes it from a special type of bakery. 

Which happens to be located in a small bakery on one of the poorer sides of Seattle. The woman even knew who Alistair was, and she made a special batch for him.

The cake was presented to him. There was a glint in his eyes, and I thought he was going to cry. The icing on it said ‘Happy Birthday Ali’, which the woman at the bakery wrote without any instructions. 

He ate his cake in peace while the rest of us talked and enjoyed our slices. Then it was time for gifts. 

“Open mine first.” Kostas said. He pulled out the largest box, which was almost two–feet tall. Alistair raised an eyebrow, but opened the box. It was a large cat jungle-gym. 

Technically a gift for Luna. But according to a quote from Alistair, “Any gift from me is also a gift to Luna.” This cat might be the one thing he loves above anyone else.

“Is this a–”

“Yup! And I got it for Luna. Maybe she can stop scratching me.” Kostas said. I turned to Luna, sitting on the couch as she licked her paws.

“It’s amazing.” Alistair said. Next was Meredith, who gave him a new tie set for special occasions. Rima got him a nice watch, and Shelia got him a soft coat from one of her trips to Kashmir. 

“My turn.” I said. I specifically asked to go last. As the birthday boy’s boyfriend, I do believe that my gift will be the best. 

I handed Alistair my gift, a large wrapped canvas wrapped in purple wrapping paper. Alistair glanced at me, and then began to remove the paper slowly. 

The gift is a large painting I made of Luna. She was posed on a seat in front of one of the windows in the apartment. While Alistair was out, Meredith was able to take a picture of the cat for me to use a reference. 

It’s also the reason why I’ve been staying late at work. It was to finish the painting as soon as possible, but making sure that the quality was still good. 

“Calvin…” Alistair said. He turned the painting around for the rest of us to see. “It’s beautiful!” 

He set the painting down and stood up, walking over to me. He kissed me and just barely picked me up off the ground. 

“So you like it?” I asked him.

“I love it. It’s perfect.” He said. He went back to it and picked it up. “Now I have to find the right place for this. I want people to see this when they’re here.” 

As the party began to wind down, people began to get tired. Alistair’s exes were the first to leave, since they had a trip the next day. Kostas was going to leave, but had fallen asleep on Alistair’s couch. He only woke up because Luna laid on his face and stopped him from breathing. 

Meredith and Evenlyn took a spare room, separately. Before I could go to sleep, I was cleaning up the kitchen and living room. When I was done, I headed for Alistair’s room, where he insisted I sleep with him.

Just as I was about to enter Alistair’s room, I could hear him talking. 

“Uhuh, yeah, sure.” He muttered. “Thank you.”

Who was he talking to? Is this part of his mysterious background that no one knows about?

“I know. Just tell him that I’m on a business trip, he’ll understand. If he misses me, tell him that I’m bringing him his favorite snacks.” Alistair said. 

Him ? He’s talking to someone about another person. Plus, why does he want this person to tell someone else about his whereabouts. More specifically, lie about where he’s at. 

“Thank you. I love you too. I’ll see you guys soon.” He made a kissing noise. Then he must’ve hung up.

‘I love you too.’ I clearly heard that! Could it be a family member? Or a significant other? What is going on and who was he just talking to!

I waited for a minute before entering the room.

“Alistair?” I knocked on the wall. Alistair called out to me from the bathroom. I walked in and saw him scrubbing his face. “What are you doing?” I asked him.

“Cleanser.” He replied, then continued scrubbing. I saw on the counter an unopened toothbrush. I waited for Alistair to finish before being allowed to brush my teeth. 

Alistair waited for me to finish. He then told me that there were some spare clothes on the bed for me. So while I changed in the room, Alistair was finishing his night routine. 

This reminded me of our night at Chamberlain Manor. Only this time, he wasn’t scared to touch me or be near me. Instead, he embraced me and kept bothering me with kisses. 

Before he went to sleep, I needed to ask him a question. 

“Alistair, I want to know your backstory.” I said. 

His hands clenched onto my sides. “Uh, where is this coming from?” I sort of heard a quiver in his voice. 

“You’ve met my family. You know where I work and live. You know my friends. I’ve met your friends and have even made out with you. Yet, I barely know anything about you.” I said. I then looked at him. “I want to know you. Don’t you trust me?” I asked. 

“I do trust you.” He said. He then sighed. “It’s just, I’m worried that if I show you, you’ll look at me differently.”

“You’ll still be Alistair to me. Whatever you’ve been through in the past won’t change the way I see you. I promise.” I told him. 

He kissed me on the tip of my nose. “Very well. I’ll show you everything about me.” He replied. 

I felt like I had achieved a new goal! It was a bit manipulative of me to ask him that trust question. But I needed to know about Alistair entirely. We’ve been dating for over three months. I believe I should know more about him.

“Go to sleep, Alistair. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I said. 

“Okay.” He muttered. He began to let out small snores. I watched his face, glowing from the moonlight. 

Luna left her bed and laid near our feet. She curled herself into a ball and also began to sleep. 

I kissed Alistair on the forehead and closed my eyes for my third night with him.

---

happy valentine’s day my loves! <3 <3

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Alistair McClair

I put off showing Calvin my past for two weeks. Partly because I was busy, but I also needed to get the courage to even do so. I’ll be showing my boyfriend what my past is and why I hide it.

On a Saturday morning, I picked up Calvin from his apartment complex and began to drive us to the southern part of Seattle, which is one of the poorest parts of our city.

I could see Calvin looking out the car window in a questioning look.

“Are we going the right way?” He asked.

“Yes.” I replied. He looked at the street, at all the rundown apartments and stores on the verge of closing.

After we arrived at our destination, I drove up to a walled off area. The signs on the outside had my company’s logo, as it was an area under construction. I parked on a nearby street and turned off the car.

“Here’s our first stop.” I said, getting out of the car. Calvin followed close behind, as I led us past the construction signs and into the apartment complex.

“Where are we?” Calvin asked from behind. I walked up to one of the doors and stood next to it, looking at Calvin.

“My home.” I replied, signaling to the black metal door against a wall of light blue paint that was slowly chipping away due to poor maintenance. This was one of several apartments in the complex. There must have been 15 others, all crammed in this small block.

I opened the door and stepped inside. Calvin was a bit hesitant, but trusted me. He entered and began to look around the apartment.

“It was different a few years back. But for the most part, it’s the same.” I said. Calvin walked around the apartment, surveying the dingy walls and popcorn ceiling.

The most light that was here was from the window near the front door and the overhead light.

“This is where I used to do my homework!” I pointed to a table near the window. “I used to sit here and do my work while my mom cooked. Then my dad would come home and he and my mom would talk until it was my mom’s turn to go to work.” I said, mentioning my parents for the first time.

“Your mom and dad…” Calvin muttered softly.

I walked over to a small couch that faced the eastern wall. “I liked to sit here and watch TV on the weekends. My parents would sit next to me and they would hug me tightly.”

I turned to Calvin, who was just looking at me intently. This must be a lot of information for him to grasp. But he asked for this.

“There used to be a bed here.” I signaled to an empty corner in the living room. “This used to be where my mom and dad slept.”

Several stories began to come to mind upon looking at these objects. I told as many as I could remember. Calvin never interrupted me. But instead, he was deeply engrossed in whatever I was saying.

“Want to see my room?” I asked him.

“Yes, please.” He replied.

There were three doors in a small hallway. One was a closet, just barely big enough to fit a single person inside. The next was a bathroom that had its basic necessities but lacked a window. But the third door was my room.

My old room was a single 8x8 feet room. It was big enough for a bed, a small TV, and a dresser. The room– the apartment as a whole– was littered with several of my dad’s own construction projects. I asked for a bedside desk, so he attached a wooden board on the side of my bed that I could pull down.

“It’s lovely.” Calvin said, no hint of a lie in his voice.

“It is. It might be nostalgia bias, but this was truly the best place.”

I sat on my bed and patted a spot for Calvin to sit in. He seemed to be deep in thought.

“Ask away, Calvin. You must have a lot of questions.” I told him. He turned to me.

“I don’t exactly know how to ask them. I don’t want to say something and come across as insensitive.” He said.

“Would it help you if I phrased them for you?” I asked him. He nodded. “Well, I once told you that my mom was a nurse and my dad was a construction worker. They didn’t earn much. They had their own bills to pay, and they had to look after me. So we lived from paycheck to paycheck.

“It sounds difficult. But when you’re raised your whole life in the struggle, the struggle just seems like life. And with them raising a young boy, their lives only got more difficult. But they didn’t give up. Sure, they lacked money, but they repaid it with love and affection. And from what I later saw in life, that’s something even the richest of parents can’t afford.

“I don’t really talk about this past because I don’t want people to look at me as some sort of wunderkind who made it out of poverty. I don’t want people to look at me and think, ‘That’s the guy that was poor but now isn’t.’ I want my present to speak for me, not my past.”

Calvin placed his hand on my shoulder. “Even if people think that, it will only make you look better. Unlike most people who were given large handouts from mommy and daddy, or who were given their positions due to nepotism, you got yours through hard work.” He explained.

I brought my right hand towards my left shoulder to feel his hands. “Perhaps…” I replied. We sat, looking around my room at all my certificates and medals that I got through my years of schooling. The trip ended, and it was time for our next stop.

“By the way, what are you planning with that apartment complex? Are you going to demolish it and get rid of your past?” Calvin asked.

“I was planning on renovating it. Make it better for others.”

We drove a while longer, until Calvin pointed out something familiar. “That’s where I got your cake at!” He exclaimed. I parked in front of the bakery and got out.

As soon as we walked in, an elderly woman from behind the counter yelled out, “Ciao, Ali!”

“Ciao, Signora Marchetti!” I replied. The woman slowly came out from behind the counter, walking over to me and giving me a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“I was wondering what you’d be coming. Your partner came a few weeks ago to get your cake.” She said.

“No wonder my birthday was even more special this year.” I said. She blushed and turned away. “How are Anna and Ricardo?” I asked, referring to her children.

“Pretty good. Anna is in the back right now.” She said. I signaled for Calvin to come closer.

“Calvin, this is Francesca Marchetti, who owns this bakery.” I said.

“I’ve been in Ali’s life since he was a tiny child.” Mrs. Marchetti said. “His parents used to always bring him here on his birthdays for his cake.”

“And I’ve kept that tradition in place.” I replied. Anna, Mrs. Marchetti’s eldest daughter emerged from the back and brought out some scones she had prepared. Before we left, we got some scones for the rest of the trip.

Calvin was enjoying his treats while I kept driving through the streets of my hometown, pointing at some of the things that brought back memories. Anything I could remember, I said it out loud.

I drove past by my old high school, Grand Ridge High. I parked on a street across from the PE field, where a sports team was training in the distance.

“This is where I went to high school. There’s also a middle school attached, where I also attended.” I told Calvin.

“Looks like a fun place.” Calvin said. I turned to him slowly.

“Don’t lie. It looks like a dumpster. The school barely had enough funding for new textbooks. Overall, it’s a shitshow.” I spat out.

Calvin placed his hand on my shoulder. “Did you have bad memories here?” He asked.

“Is it that obvious?” I asked. Calvin nodded. “Remember what I said about myself in reference to high school?” I asked.

“Yeah, that you graduated as salutatorian.” He said.

“Well, I was originally supposed to be valedictorian. I had the highest grades, did all my community service hours, and even had gotten an early acceptance into Stanford.” I said.

“But…” Calvin said.

I sighed. I clenched my jaw, turned to the school, and had a feeling of wanting to burn it down. “Kaylee Moore. The principal’s niece. Despite her being ranked 14th in the class, she was pushed up to first, and I was moved to second.”

I could see from the corner of my eye as Calvin looked at me with pity, something I was worried he would do if I let him in.

“That’s– That’s insane! Did you tell anyone? Surely that’s illegal” Calvin said. I just chuckled and rubbed my eyes.

“What do you think? I tried talking to the board. I even had a few people on my side. But we were threatened with being banned from graduation. Which means that I was forced into silence. And my hard-earned spot was taken from me.”

I glanced down at my lap and balled my fists in anger.

“You said that you got into Stanford. What happened with that?” He asked.

“The school needed to inform Stanford about my sudden drop from first place. So, they lied that I was caught cheating on an exam. Then gone was my scholarship. I still had my acceptance, but without that scholarship, I would’ve struggled to pay for the first year alone.

“I could still vividly remember hearing my mom crying at night, and my dad comforting her because they felt like failures. Here, they had a son get accepted into one of the best schools on the west coast, but they couldn’t afford to send me.

“Right then and there, I made the choice not to go to school. I didn’t want my parents to struggle with paying my tuition. That summer, I joined my dad at his construction site. It paid very little. Still, I gave most of my paychecks to my parents. They always refused, but I forced them to accept it.”

Calvin handed me a tissue. I saw my reflection in the rear-view mirror. I hadn’t noticed that a few tears had escaped. I wiped my tears, slightly humiliated over Calvin seeing me this way.

“Sorry…” I muttered.

“Don’t be.” He replied. “Let it all out. You’ve been holding this in for too long.”

I nodded in reply and finished wiping my tears.

“So, whatever happened with Kaylee Moore?” He asked.

“Mrs. Valedictorian. She got a spot in Vanderbuilt. I heard she only lasted for two years before dropping out and marrying some accountant. I think she now sells Herbal Life to her other housewife moms.” I explained.

“And you?” He then asked.

“What do you mean?”

He giggled. “I mean, yeah, you weren’t valedictorian. You didn’t go to Stanford. Your life may not have gotten the way that you wanted it to go, but I think you’ve made quite the name for yourself today.”

I smiled at him, because in some way, he was right. Who cares if I didn’t graduate with that title or get a degree. I made it to where I am without needing connections or handouts. That’s the definition of success in my eyes.

“We’ve got more things to see.” I said, turning on the car and slowly driving by my old school.

“Do you still have bad blood with this school?”

“Sort of. But it’s not the school’s fault in itself. Just with the people that allowed for such injustices to occur.” I replied.

“You should open up a scholarship opportunity. Show the school that you still made it to the top. And then offer some of these kids a chance. I’d imagine that somewhere in that school is a kid just like you, with big dreams but small opportunities.” Calvin said.

I side-glanced at him. There was an expecting smile on his face, his naiveness that charms me to him. Perhaps he’s right. It’s time to set aside my hatred.

The day is still young. I have more to show to Calvin on my journey to let him into my past. But the next stop might be the second toughest memory on this highway for me.

---

we finally finding out his backstory ;)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Alistair McClair

After driving a bit aways, I parked in the parking lot of a doughnut place. The doughnut place, like many other places here, is slightly worn down. But the sign that said ‘Open’ was a display that it’s still operating.

“We’re here to get food?” Calvin asked.

“Sort of.” I replied.

We got out of the car and walked towards the front of the store. At the front, there are a few tables and chairs for patrons to sit at. They’re mostly used by homeless people, who perch on these spots and ask incoming and outgoing customers for spare change. This morning, no one was here.

And no one was sitting in the spot that I specifically wanted to see. I instructed Calvin to sit across from me. Hesitantly, I sat in the seat that I remembered. As soon as my behind sat on the cold chair, all the memories came flooding in.

“You look sick.” Calvin said to me.

“In some ways, yes.” I replied, with a quiver in my voice. “Do you know why I brought you here?” I asked him.

He shook his head. “I thought we were gonna get food. Though your reaction before we even sat down implies that this is another difficult place from your past.”

Of course he caught on. “I’m going to tell you a short story. This will be the first time I’ve told anyone about it. Not even Meredith knows about this. And when I’m done, don’t say anything. Don’t feel sorry for me, but also don’t leave me.” I said.

“I’m not going to leave you, Alistair. I’ll sit here and listen to you.” He said.

I took a deep breath. Before I could even speak, the memories washed over me like a sudden wave. For a moment, I didn’t want to tell the story out of fear that I would suddenly be transported back in time to relive that moment. Though, Calvin’s shoe rubbing against my pants brought me back to reality. And I came to the obvious conclusion that it’s just a memory now.

“11th grade. I still remember the exact moment. I was in third period, AP US History. Adalyn Castillo had approached me that she wanted to go on a date with me.”

“A date? I would guess it was here.” Calvin said.

“In a sort of way. It was my first time going on a date. I still remember coming home and mom and dad being so excited about me going on my first date. They even spent some money on getting me new clothes. And then they gave me more to spend.”

I began to swipe through my phone, skipping the hundred of photos of Luna until I found the picture I was looking for. The photo was taken right before I went on my date. I was wearing a white button up and black slacks that my mom ironed.

Even now, I feel guilty because she sleeps during the day but she still woke up and made sure I looked good. My hair was gelled back, because I had watched a movie where a guy had the exact style when he courted a woman.

And the smile on my face topped it off. A cheeky, nerdy smile.

I showed this picture to Calvin, who remarked about how adorable I was.

“My mom dropped me off and so I waited. I think I waited for almost an hour. When it began to get late, I started to call Adalyn, but she never answered. It wasn’t until the next day of school, when I walked past her and her friends did I hear them laughing.

“Turns out, they just wanted to ask me out as a joke. I wasn’t the most social kid, mostly keeping to myself. But I never knew that my silence would be seen as a mockery to others.” I swallowed a lump in my throat.

“I don’t think you’ve ever recovered from that,” Calvin said.

“Probably,” I replied. “I don’t know. I guess I just sort of gave up on relationships. I’ve had friends, but could never seem to settle down.”

But then I reached my hands forward to grab Calvin’s hand.

“Though, I guess now I’ve found the right one after all this time.”

Calvin brought my hands up to his lips and kissed the back of my palms.

“Wait here.” He said, standing up and entering the doughnut shop. I waited outside as I watched Calvin go up to the counter and order.

After a few minutes, he returned outside with two cups of warm coffee and a small box of doughnuts.

“What’s this for?” I asked.

“I figured I should give you that date you were never given. Make up for lost time, in a sort of way.” He said, handing me my cup and placing a glazed doughnut in front of me.

“Who knows. Maybe it was faith that I was stood up on my first date. So that you can make it special and fix it.” I remarked.

We both sipped our coffees. This was how I imagined my date to be like. A simple sit down with simple food.

“Can you tell me about your rise to success? I want to know how you managed to form one of the biggest enterprises in the north-west.” Calvin asked. I admired his curiosity.

“You know how I told you that I worked with my dad in construction? Well, I sort of had an idea that would’ve involved the process of building certain blocks and apartments under a sort of contract, where the items would be used simultaneously to ensure that the projects match.” I explained to Calvin.

He seemed a little confused, so I explained it to him in simpler terms.

“Oh, that makes sense.” He said, finally understanding it.

“I came up with it when my dad’s boss complained about needing some tools that were in another lot. I wanted this idea to come to fruition. And I needed a donor.”

“Right. I remember Meredith telling me that you got rejected by a lot of people.”

“I did,” I said. “I met Meredith at a bar. I had just had a meeting with a potential investor. But he turned me down. Meredith overheard me and she gave me some tips. That night, she decided to quit her job and come work for me.”

“That must’ve been a huge gamble.”

I nodded in agreement. “Yeah, it was. I even called her foolish. But she stayed by my side and the two of us worked on finding investors. We hit up businesses, banks, and I’m pretty sure we even asked a mob boss for money.

“In the end, the owner of a small cafe agreed to give us the money. Have you ever seen that cafe in the lobby of my building?” I asked.

“Yeah. Park’s Coffee House. Were those your first investors?”

“Yes. We made a deal that if my idea becomes a success, I can either pay him back the full money with interest or help him expand his business. Needless to say, there’s over a dozen locations all over Seattle.” I explained.

“Wow…” Calvin placed his elbows on the table and placed his hands on top of his fists. He leaned closer with curiosity. “You truly are a success story. And what about Kostas? When did he come into play?”

“Ah, Kostas. He was newly graduated from Dartmouth. He just walked into our small office one day. He had nothing. No resume, no recommendations. All he was powered on was a charming smile and Red Bull.

“He wanted to work for me, because he claimed that he wanted a challenge. He had seen a newspaper about my growing business and figured he could help. He was hired on the spot, and the company grew bigger from then.

“With all of our knowledge pooled together, we found the right people to connect with. We knew the right business deals and pretty soon, three years ago, we moved into the McClair Tower. Which now leads us here.”

“That’s sooooooo interesting.” Calvin said with full admiration. “Honestly, I could hear you talk about your business for hours and never get bored.”

“That’s nice of you to say. But no one would hear my words.”

Calvin sipped his coffee slowly. “You never know.” He replied.

After the coffee and doughnuts were done, it was time for us to leave and finish off our day. Currently, it was noon, and we needed to get to the final destination. This will be the last piece of my past.

“A park.” Calvin pointed out.

“Yeah. Edison Park. Still remember falling into the wood mulch. I even tried to send a letter to the mayor if he could switch it out for something softer, like sand.” I replied.

He chuckled. “I could just imagine you when you’re little. You were probably the most adorable kid.”

“Not that adorable. Quite awkward, as my dad liked to refer to me as.”

“How would you describe yourself?” He then asked me.

I turned left onto the freeway. “Not sure. I’ve never really thought about how I see myself. Ambitious, maybe. Stubborn.”

“True, true. But I like to see you as caring, level-headed. A great lover. The perfect boyfriend, if I may say.”

I glanced at Calvin without turning my head away from the road. He sees the good in me. Not the ‘Business Alistair’ that most are familiar with.

“Take a nap. We’re going to be a while.” I said.

Calvin must’ve finally noticed that we were driving far away from not just my hometown, but Seattle as a whole.

“Where are we going?” He asked.

“I’ll explain when we get there.” I said. I began to turn on the windshield wipers, as it started to begin raining. I also turned on the heat so Calvin could be more warm.

“Alistair, you truly are an enigma.” He said, turning to his look outside his window. I could barely see his reflection, but he had shut his eyes eventually and was most likely asleep.

During the drive, there was a weird thought that just came into my head. And that was: I did not feel any shame or guilt when I was telling Calvin about my past. Part of the reason I never told anyone about what I went through is because they would either feel pity or tell me that it wasn’t a huge deal.

For some inane reason, I imagine Calvin would say something along the lines of, “It wasn’t a huge deal. Other people have gone through worse.” When he didn’t say that, I felt stupid.

Of course he wouldn’t say that. Calvin isn’t the type to mock one’s life. He understands the different paths that have led us to where we are today.

Rather than feel pity for me, he was in awe and bafflement over my rise to success. And if I may say, he was a bit confused on how a boy from a low-income neighborhood managed to create one of the largest enterprises in the state.

Even I sometimes will find myself in bedazzlement of how fortunate I was to make it to where I am today with little to nothing in my name when I first started.

Call it luck or me just having the right cards, I did it. And I am just fortunate enough that all the choices I’ve made in the past have led me to finding stability and even love today.

The ride almost came to an end. Calvin had woken up after I accidentally hit a huge bump in the road.

“Mm, where are we?” He groggily asked.

“An hour or two outside of Seattle.” I replied. Calvin looked outside the windows and looked at the small village we had entered.

By now, it had stopped raining.

“This place is so beautiful.” Calvin said.

“I know. It’s the perfect place.” I replied.

I drove past by the small shops and homes until we reached somewhere near the seaside. A small house was located on some grass, with a few feet leading into the sand and then the water.

“What’s this place?” Calvin asked. I know he must have several questions. It’s simply too much to say.

“Come on.” I said, getting out of the car. I heard Calvin also get out on his side.

The front door opened with a loud thud.

“Ali!” A voice called out. I turned around and saw her waving at me with a huge smile on her face.

I then ran to her, ready to hug her.

---

back with another chapter! see you on saturday!

Chapter Thirty

Calvin Fischer

“Ali!” A person yelled. I turned to the front door, where a woman was standing there with a huge smile on her face. 

Upon hearing the woman, Alistair turned to her and almost ran to her.

“Mom!” Alistair replied back.

Mom? Is this Alistair’s mom? This whole day, I’ve been hearing stories about Alistair’s parents. Am I going to finally meet them for the first time?

Alistair and his mom met each other on the porch, hugging one another. I stepped a bit closer to get a better view. 

It was absolutely incredible. Alistair McClair, businessman who is feared by many and is known for his stoic face, is here hugging his mother. Despite him being much taller than her, he looked like a child, clutching on his mom. 

Alistair’s mom brought his face down and placed a few kisses on his face. “How’s my sweet boy?” She asked him. 

I couldn’t see Alistair’s face from where I was standing, but his neck was slightly red. 

“Good. I’ve missed you.” Alistair replied. The two shared a few more pleasantries, until Alistair pulled away from his mom and turned to me. “Come.” He waved me over. 

I walked over to them. I could finally get a good look at the woman. She was the striking image of Alistair, but a female version. She has his jet-black hair, but slightly lighter with gray strikes. She also had his icy blue eyes. 

“Calvin, meet my mom.” Alistair said, bearing the widest smile he’s ever displayed. 

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. McClair.” I stuck out my hand. 

“Just call me Jocelyn. Mrs. McClair sounds like I’m an old lady.” She said. She hugged me and was quick to point out the color of my eyes. “They really are different colors.” She remarked. 

“That’s one of my favorite parts about him.” Alistair interjected.

“Come inside! It’s going to start raining soon.” Jocelyn said. She was quick to open the door. Alistair grabbed my hand and led me inside. 

The inside of the house was quite warm. The furniture was a sign that this place was lived in for several years. The thing that caught my eye was a wall, just above a fireplace, that had several framed photos of Alistair. Dozens showed pictures of Alistair receiving awards or meeting influential people. 

“Don’t look at those.” Alistair said, coming up from behind me.

“Leave him be, Ali. Calvin probably thinks that you’re adorable.” Jocelyn said. I stared at a photo that showed a younger Alistair. He didn’t have stubble, and his hair was slightly shorter. And I think his suit was too short for him. 

“That was when I signed my first Fortune 500 company. As you can see, I didn’t yet have a sense of style.” Alistair. I turned around and saw he had removed his blazer. 

“You mom is right, you are adorable.” I said. 

“You boys hungry? I’m making something to eat.” Jocelyn said. 

“Famished.” Alistair replied. His mother gave him a kiss on the forehead and she messed up his hair a bit. He really is like a child around her. 

“I’ll go set up the den.” She said, leaving towards what I assume is the kitchen. 

Alistair then turned to me. “Your shoes. You should take them off.” He said. I apologized and removed them right then and there. 

“This place is nice.” I remarked. 

“It’s the perfect place for them.” Alistair said. “Mama!”

“Yes, my sweet boy?” His mom replied. 

“I’m taking Calvin to see dad.” He said. 

Dad? First his mom, and now his dad. So they are alive. Both of them. And they’re both living in a small cottage on the seaside. 

“Are you sure?” Joceyln asked. Alistair responded with a simple nod. “Okay then. I gave him some banana pudding because he wanted it. You know I can’t say no to him.” 

“Got it. We’ll be down shortly.” Alistair said. He took by the hand and slowly led me to some stairs, where we ascended upwards. Along the way, there were several other photos, mostly childhood ones of Alistair. 

We passed through a hallway until we reached the end of it, where a door was closed. 

“Before we go in, please don’t speak loudly. Just introduce yourself. If he asks you a question, answer it politely.” Alistair told me. I felt a bit off by his statement, but nonetheless agreed. 

He knocked on the door a few times.

“Come in!” Someone yelled from the other side. Alistair opened the door slowly. The room was homely, with a bed being placed in the center and a few chairs scattered around. 

For a bit, I was disoriented because it felt like I was in a new place. Surrounding the walls were several shelves filled with books of all sizes. 

“Alistair!” A voice said. When I stopped focusing on the books, I saw a man in bed with a book in his laps. He had graying hair and wore reading glasses. Up close, you can definitely tell that he’s Alistair’s father. 

“Good day.” Alistair replied. His reply felt off. With his mother, he was quick to jump and hug her. 

“And you brought a friend.” 

“Yes. This is Calvin Fischer.” Alistair nudged me forward. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” I said, sticking out my hand. 

He shook mine back. “Names Russel. Though my friends call me Russ.” He said. I noticed one of those stands next to his bed that reached over to create a makeshift table. On that table was a light blue bowl and spoon with residue of pudding. 

Alistair and I sat near Russ’ bed on some chairs.

“So, tell me Calvin, how is it like dating Alistair?” Russel asked. Straight to the point.

“Pretty good.” I replied. “He’s a bit stubborn. And he hasn’t been in a serious relationship before but he’s learning along the way.” 

“Stubborn? Definitely.” Russel said.

“I’m right here.” Alistair said. Russel let out a chortle. 

“We’re just messing around.” He said. Alistair and his father spent a while just talking about random things.

The entire time, I watched as Alistair kept a professional demeanor. It sort of reminded me of when he has a meeting with a client. But said client is a close friend. 

Finally, Russel said something that struck me as off. “So, uh, Alistair. When are you introducing me to your sister?” He asked.

I quickly turned over to Alistair. I saw his face drop, but quickly covered it up with a smile. 

“Soon, Russel.” Alistair replied.

“Sweet!” Russel cheered. 

“Huh?!” I said a little too loudly. Both of them turned to me. “What’s going on?” I asked. A sister? Alistair never mentioned a sister before. 

“Alistair has a sister. I think you met her when you came in. She was nice enough to let me live here. I’ve been flirting with her but she never accepts my advances. But she brought me banana pudding earlier after I begged her.” Russel then explained.

Slowly, the puzzle pieces began to come together. But I still needed more information. 

“Uh, Russel. How old are you?” I asked. 

“26! But I ain’t getting any younger. You think you could put in a good word for me, Alistair?” Russel asked Alistair.

“Sure. But first, you need to get better.” Alistair handed him a random book he found from a shelf behind him.

“You are such a saint.” Russel said. He then sighed loudly. “Alistair… That’s a nice name. I’ll name my son that.” 

The door to the bedroom opened. Jocelyn walked in with a small smile on her face. “Lunch is ready, boys.” She said. 

“Be right there.” Alistair replied. 

“I’ll bring you yours, Russel.” She then said. I turned to Russel. He had rolled up his sleeves and relaxed back to flex his biceps. 

“Take your time, sweetie pie. I ain’t going nowhere.” Russel said with a smirk. I saw Jocelyn smile at him, but then her eyes began to water and she quickly left the room.

“We’re going to leave and have lunch.” Alistair said, standing up from his seat. 

“Go and eat.” Russel said. “It was nice to meet you, Calvin. Don’t be a stranger. You’re always welcome here.” 

“Of course, Russel.” I said. I shook his warm hands and thanked him for his time. He smiled at me innocently. 

Alistair and I left his room and walked in silence back downstairs. None of us said anything. The den was set up and food was served. While we ate, I saw Alistair comforting his mother, as she tried hard not to break down. 

I think I can piece together what’s going on. 

“Alistair?” I said to him. Alistair turned to me. 

“Yes, Calvin?” He asked. 

“Uhh…” I muttered out. 

“Alzheimer’s.” He told me. “My dad has Alzheimers.”

“Oh.” 

“Diagnosed four years ago. It got worse over time. So I got this place and set up my parents here. Eventually, my dad began to think that I was a close friend and that my mom was my sister.”

One thing that I noticed about Alistair is his explanation when it comes to talking about difficult things. Many people will elaborate more with their feelings. But Alistair lays out all the information, as if he’s reciting a rehearsed play. 

His mom collected the empty plates and left to clean them. Alistair sat next to me and placed his hand on my lap. 

“I’m sorry I never told you.” He said.

“Stop. This is something you shouldn’t feel guilty about! In fact, I feel guilty for making you show me this when I knew it’d be uncomfortable for you.” I told him.

“It was only a matter of time. You’re the closest person to me, and you deserve to know everything.”

I kissed Alistair on the cheek. “At least now you won’t have to go through this alone. Does Meredith know?” I asked.

“Yeah. She covers for me whenever I have to leave for an emergency.”

“And Kostas? Does he know?” I asked.

“No. I want to tell him. But he once told me about how his uncle died of Alzheimer’s and how badly it fucked him up. I don’t want to burden him with the thought of my dad eventually succumbing to his condition.” 

The rain began to start. The pelting of the raindrops hit the glass roof of the den. 

“So that first time when you invited me to have lunch in your office and you weren’t there, did you check on your dad?” I asked.

“Yes. My dad is undergoing some trials to help him. But when there’s an emergency, I receive an ‘X’ text. Those are the times when I drop everything and check on him.” 

I kissed his arm and shoulder. “Please, don’t ever suffer alone.”

“Only if you promise to suffer with me.” He jokingly asked.

“Of course. We’re in this together, aren’t we. If you hurt, I hurt.” I told him. He kissed me on the lips.

“We’ll wait out the rain before we go home.” 

Alistair and I went inside towards the living room, where Jocelyn was sitting on a couch with a large book in her hands.

“Calvin! Come! Want to see Alistair’s baby pictures?” She asked. 

Alistair groaned loudly but I refused to take the opportunity for granted. With a phone in hand, it was time for me to take some pictures of young Alistair and use it as blackmail against him in the future.

---

there it is y’all, alistair’s parents have made their appearance!

Chapter Thirty-One

Calvin Fischer

“Mom, I have to go run to the store. I’ll be back.” Alistair told his mom.

“It’s fine. Don’t be late.” She replied. She handed Alistair an umbrella and kissed his cheek.

“I’ll be back, Calvin. Mom will entertain you.” He told me before he left out the front door.

I had finished taking a picture of a 13-year old Alistair who was wearing his father’s construction coat. Jocelyn sat on the couch next to me on the couch and watched me.

“Do you love Alistair?” She asked out of nowhere.

Part of me was startled at such a direct question. “Huh?” I asked.

She chuckled. Her smile created crow’s feet on the corner of her eyes, and the smile lines around her lips showed signs of a happy life. “Do you love Alistair? I’m just curious.”

It’s a tough question to think about. Alistair and I have been dating for over three months, his longest relationship. I know that he cares for me. This whole day has been a showcase of Alistair’s feelings for me, as he’s finally allowed me to enter his life.

“I think I do…” I muttered softly.

Jocelyn sighed in relief. “I’ve been encouraging my Ali to find a partner for so long. When he first began dating, I thought it would only take a while. But 99 women came and went, and none of them were the right match.

“I just never expected for a man to be his match. So long as my boy is happy, I’m happy too. Just don’t break his heart. I fear that he’s far too delicate than he lets on to be.”

She’s his mother, afterall. So she knows the psychology of Alistair. Of course I’m going to take her words into heavy consideration.

“How was Alistair like growing up?” I asked.

Jocelyn picked up one of the photos of Alistair and his dad standing next to a small blue car.

“He was an interesting kid. He didn’t cry much as a baby. Russel and I thought there was something wrong with him, so we took him to a lot of doctors. But they all said that some kids are born like that. When he went to pre-K, he didn’t make any friends. He wasn’t as social as the other kids.

“This went on for his entire time growing up. While other kids were playing outside, Alistair was inside either reading a book or tinkering with his father’s tools. Sort of a nerd, if I might imply. At least he was an easy kid, and we never had any problems concerning his future.”

“But you at least had to have had some worries about him.” I implied.

“I’m sure he’s told you about the date that stood him up.”

I nodded. “Yeah. I could tell it was a tough story to tell.”

Jocelyn nodded with agreement. She scanned through the photo album and pointed to another picture. In this one, Alistair was a bit older, probably when he was 19 or 20. He was standing in front of a wooden wall, but he did not smile.

“My theory, from what I can tell, is that fake date might have done some things to him when it comes to him dating.”

“How so?” I asked, more intrigued.

“Well, it was a humiliating experience for Alistair. So maybe that’s why he didn’t like dating anyone for too long and would prefer to end it quickly. If you get burnt by the stove, wouldn’t you spend as little time away from the fire?”

I thought about her words carefully. Perhaps there is some sort of explanation as to why Alistair, for a long time, couldn’t keep a partner.

“So what makes me the exception?” I asked.

“Not sure. It’s not like Alistair just suddenly became gay out of nowhere. I reckon that he just suppressed his feelings for too long. He was too career driven and didn’t allow anyone to get close to him. So when he was introduced to a man as his 100th match, he was probably slightly intrigued to see where it goes.” Jocelyn explained.

She picked up a photo and smiled at it. She then handed it to me.

“Here. Keep this one.” She said.

I took the photo and looked at it. This photo was a young Alistiar, probably 25, holding up a newspaper with the title ‘The Man of the Hour: Alistair McClair!’ The newspaper had a picture of Alistair sitting at a desk, looking stern. Behind him was Meredith.

“That was his first time on the papers.” She then chuckled. “He went up to a newsstand and bought as many copies as he could carry.” Jocelyn then stood up and walked over to the wall where all the pictures of papers of Alistair were pinned.

She scanned around until she pointed at one and called me over. There was the newspaper as held by Alistair.

’The Man of the Hour: Alistair McClair!

Up-and-coming entrepreneur Alistair McClair has been making waves in southern Seattle with his expanding business ventures. Joined alongside his trusty assistant, Meredith Chester, this duo has been rising in rank!’

I got a closer look at the rest of the pictures. Some of him holding awards and meeting people, and others that are copies of contracts. The photo in the middle of the collage of memorabilia is one taken recently.

The photo was when Alistair was still a child. His parents both looked younger and were smiling and holding his hands.

“That was when we took Ali to a carnival. We both had the day off and had just enough to splurge on him.” Jocelyn said. “We sadly didn’t have enough for a final ride on the merry-go-round. Ali promised that he would one day make enough money, then we could go on any ride we wanted.”

Then, like a broken dam, the tears just began to spill out of her eyes. I didn’t know what to do, so I did what I would do with a crying friend. And I comforted her by placing my arm over her.

“I’m sorry,” She muttered between sniffles. “It’s just… with Russel’s condition, I sometimes just feel alone. Alistair calls every day– multiple times– but I just wish that he was lucid to be able to see what his son accomplished.”

“I’m sure that before his condition was fully settled, he was proud of what Alistair was achieving.” I assured her.

Still, she cried in my arms. “I know that my Russ is still in there somewhere.”

I led us back to the couch, where after a while Jocelyn managed to calm down.

“Alistair will take care of you guys,” I said. “You guys did an amazing job raising such a fine young man. Now, it’s his turn.”

“You’re definitely right about us raising him right.” She said as she both chuckled. “And you, Calvin. As the man that my son is in love with, make sure you take care of him.”

In love with sounds a bit far-fetched.

“I think we both take care of one another, if I’m being honest.” I replied.

The door opened and Alistair stood there, closing his umbrella and removing his shoes.

“Everything okay?” He urgently asked upon seeing his mom with tears.

“I’m fine,” She replied, though her voice gave a quiver. “I was just having a talk with Calvin.”

He seemed to understand. “I brought dad’s favorite gum.” He placed a bag from a local grocery store on a counter. “Calvin, we have to leave soon.”

“Really?” I asked.

“Yes.” Alistair replied. I turned to Jocelyn.

“It was really nice meeting you.” I said.

“You too, Calvin. I hope you’ll visit us again soon. Just tell my son that you want to see me.” She told me.

Alistair and I went upstairs to Russel’s room. He was asleep in his bed, snoring lightly just like Alistair does. Russel had a book that was open and placed on his lap.

“Goodbye, dad.” I heard Alistair mutter and kiss his dad’s forehead. I also said goodbye to Russel.

Jocelyn gave us some leftovers to take for the road. And just like that, we drove away from the cottage on the seaside and made our way to the highway.

“Your parents are really nice.” I said.

“They were the best parents that one could ask for. They didn’t have much, but gave me exactly what I needed.” Alistair said.

As Alistair kept driving, I kept glancing over at him. His expression felt different. His jaw was clenched, and the veins on his hands were bulging from gripping the steering wheel tightly.

“Alistair, are you okay?” I asked him. Alistair’s eyes began to water. He pulled over on the side of the highway and looked down.

“I don’t know…” He whispered. He placed the top of his head onto the steering wheel and looked down at his lap.

I watched as tears fell and landed on his pants, leaving splotches of wet marks. He was crying. Alistair McClair was crying right next to me.

Like I had done earlier with Jocelyn, I placed my arm behind Alistair and brought him closer to me. He lightly cried onto my shoulder, barely making any noises except a few muffles.

“I’m just so worried for him. I don’t want to lose my dad!” Alistair said, his voice slightly hoarse.

I didn’t know what to say. So I did the only thing a good boyfriend can do: And that’s comfort my crying partner.

“I know one day it’s going to happen. But I just want him to know that his son accomplished our dreams. What if he leaves without even remembering who I am?”

Alistair was crying full blown. I reached into a small compartment in his car and found a packet of tissues. Using one, I wiped away his tears that kept falling from eyes.

“Everything is going to be okay.” I said.

“How do you know?” He asked. His question wasn’t meant to be aggressive, but desperate.

“I don’t. So long as you know that it’s going to be okay, then it will be okay. You shouldn’t focus on the when or how at the moment. You have your dad now, even if he doesn’t know it. Don’t take advantage of that.” I told him.

Alistair used another tissue to blow his nose. “Okay…”

“Okay then.” I replied. Alistair needed a few more minutes to regain his composure. Once done, he kissed me on the lips and thanked me for my words.

“Fuck, I cried in front of you.” He slightly chuckled.

“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about.” I reminded him, letting him know that showing emotions isn’t a bad thing.

“Let’s get back. I’m sure Luna is probably wondering where her servant went.”

“Do your parents know about Luna?” I asked.

“Yeah. I bring her sometimes and show her.”

“And Meredith? I’m sure they must know who she is because she was there when you first started.” I said.

“They’ve met Meredith. They actually wanted me and her to start dating. But they stopped when Meredith told them about her sexuality.”

By now, Alistair had begun to drive the car. He received a call and answered using his car. He has one of those fancy ones.

The conversation was with Alistair and someone I’d never heard of. When the conversation ended, Alistair had a gloomy expression.

“Everything okay?” I asked.

“Yeah. But I need to go to New York for some meetings.”

“So what’s the problem?”

“I need someone to look after Luna and my apartment while I’m gone.”

An idea came into my head. “I’ll do it!”

“Really?” Alistair asked.

“Yeah! And I’ll do it for free.”

Alstair was a bit hesitant, but agreed with my proposal. He of course did let me know that there would be a few rules. And warned me about Luna’s complicated demeanor.

Either way, I’ll be in charge of his apartment for a whole week. I’ll be by myself where Alistair lives. And thus, I can look at his things without him knowing.

---

i hope that showing alistair’s past will explain a bit of his behavior. if not, oh well.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Calvin Fischer

“So Luna’s schedule is on the counter, along with her food and instructions. I showed you the camera room. Don’t hesitate to use my stuff.” Alistair dug into his wallet and pulled out a card. “Here, take this. Buy whatever you need. New clothes or maybe just a gift for yourself.”

“Thank you!” I eagerly took the card. This rich man is giving me his card. Of course I’m going to take it without hesitation.

“I’m off now. I’ll be back in a week.” Alistair kissed me on the cheek. “Be good. Luna tells me everything.”

I stared at him. “I– Alright. Whatever you say. Everything is going to be fine under my watch.” I said. Alistair looked a bit conflicted.

“Bye.” He said, kissing me one more time. He then left the front door and was gone.

“Reow…” Luna meowed from behind me. I turned around and saw the white furball looking up at me with her icy blue eyes.

“Welp. Looks like it’s just me and you, Luna.” I told her. I swear, this cat gave me one of the stinkiest glares ever. She turned and walked off to her own personalized bed.

Alistair and I had already had breakfast right before he left. So when you’re in a big apartment by yourself, it’s a common instinct to begin to look around.

Despite being here a few times, there was much of Alistair’s apartment that remained unexplored. I skipped at the doors I already knew until I found a room I didn’t know. Inside here was a gym. Alistair did say that he makes sure to work out at least four times a week.

And as his boyfriend, I can definitely tell that he lifts…

Another room I found was full of just ties. Alistair does like ties.

“Holy shit!” I loudly yelled. I had opened one of the doors and found a literal pool inside! How have I never seen this before? It’s a fucking pool. In his apartment.

My God, how rich is this man?

After doing a final take on the apartment, and making sure all the doors were closed, I returned to the living room. I plopped down on the couch and turned on the TV.

“What do you want to watch?” I asked Luna. She had her arms crossed and was staring at me. “The Aristocats it is.” I replied.

I watched the movie until it ended and then found something else to watch. While the movie was playing, I went on my shopping carts to some stores and bought the items I needed.

At first, I felt slightly guilty because I was spending Alistair’s money for myself. But… he did say I can buy what I want. And if you think about it, it’s also an investment for him. Because I’ll look good just for him.

My timer on my phone went off. Luna jumped a bit.

“Lunch!” I announced.

On the counter in the kitchen was a list of instructions on how to prepare Luna’s food. This required three types of cat food, in different proportions that had to be measured expertly on a scale. It needed to be mixed for a certain amount of time. Then water heated up to a certain degree was poured in to make it softer and stirred again.

Once that was done, it needed to be scooped– not poured– into a special metal bowl. The mixture is to be topped with some extra kibble. I then needed to clink the side of the bowl three times, so Luna knows it’s time to eat.

“Here, Luna.” I said. Luna walked over and began to sniff the food. “Is it to your liking?” I asked, waiting for Luna’s response.

Then, she began to eat it. Success!

“You’re so poshy.” I muttered. Inside the fridge were some leftovers that Alistair’s mom gave us. I heated that up and enjoyed a nice meal on the table that overlooked the city of Seattle.

A few hours passed then. I heard the elevator ding and then the doorbell ring. When I checked the security camera, I saw Kostas on the other side, his face directly on the camera.

“Let me in!” He said. I rolled my eyes and unlocked the front door. Kostas barged in and sat on the couch. “This whole day has been stressful.”

“What are you doing here?” I asked him.

“Rude.” He muttered. “Alistair told me to check on you in case you might’ve gotten lost in his apartment or burned it down.”

“Does he really think I would do that?” I asked.

“Nope, just me. But he did ask me to check on you. By the looks of it, you’re doing good. You’re even wearing his clothes. Do you miss him that much?” He asked. He laughed when he saw me blush and look away.

“He is my boyfriend.”

“Own it, baby! That’s your man. Don’t be afraid to say it.” Kostas pulled out his phone and took a picture of me. “Gonna send this to Meredith.”

“Please don’t.” I walked to sit next to Kostas.

“Hang on, aren’t you supposed to be at work?”

“My work is painting. I just have to bring my materials wherever I want and work from there. And it helps that my boss is my best friend.” I replied.

“Can relate. The amount of times I’ve taken days off because I just couldn’t come in.”

Luna walked into the living room and climbed up on the coffee table in front of us. She just sat there and was watching us.

“The devil is here.” Kostas said.

“She’s actually really nice.” I reached forward and began to pet her. She purred in my hands.

“Why is she so nice to you but not me?” He pouted. Kostas also reached his hand forward but Luna was quick to hiss at him.

“I think you’re trying too hard to get her to like you. If you let her come to you, then it won’t feel forced.” I told Kostas.

“Yeah. whatever, cat-whisperer.” He retorted. “My work here is done. I’ll be leaving now.”

Kostas stood up and began to walk towards the front door.

“Wait!” I called out to him. Kostas turned. “Did you know that Alistair has a pool here?” I asked. Kostas nodded.

“Yeah. I have some swim trunks in my office. Sometimes, I’ll just come up here and use his pool to cool off. You seriously never noticed? Going to the pool then to his movie theater is such a fun time.”

“There’s a theater?” I asked loudly.

Kostas chortled. “Looks like you have more to explore.” He left the apartment.

“There’s a pool!” I whispered to Luna. She had curled up on the spot where Kostas had sat.

A few days had passed. It was one day before Alistair came home. During the day, while I was painting and using Alistair’s view of Seattle as inspiration, there was a knock on the door. When I checked the camera, I saw a face that I didn’t recognize.

“Who are you?” I asked from the microphone.

“Uh, my name is Ronald Farraway.” The older man said. “I’m a senior board member of McClair Enterprises.”

He held up his ID badge, which did show that he was an employee. Plus, this building has good security, meaning on one was just able to walk in without being seen by security.

“Do you need anything? I’m sure you know that Alistair is out until tomorrow.” I told Ronald.

“Alistair had some documents that needed to be turned in. Would it be okay if I can just get it from his office?” He asked.

Many alarms rang. But seeing as how I sort of remember Ronald from an article, I opened the door. Though I did keep in mind to make sure that I watched him closely.

“Come in.” I said. He entered and I escorted him to Alistair’s second office. On the desk were a few folders with some papers inside.

“Here they are.” Ronald said.

He began to reach forward. However, something felt off about him. I wasn’t sure if it was an aura or intuition, but I placed my hand on the pile before he could pick them up.

“I’m sorry, Ronald,” I said. “But I’ll need to ask Alistair if it’s okay to take these files.”

Ronald’s face dropped. A glare came on. “Trust me, he would want me to have these files.”

“Do you have proof?” I asked, realizing I should’ve asked him that first before allowing him to enter.

“I–” He stuttered. That proves that he doesn’t have the authority to be given these. Which means that he’s up to something.

“I think it would be best if you leave.” I said bluntly.

I could feel Ronald try to pull the files but I firmly planted my hand on it. He gave up and just sighed in frustration. He agreed and I walked him back to the front door.

As I closed the door in his face, Ronald scoffed at me and left for the elevator. This was definitely odd. And later that night, during my dinner, I left Alistair know about the entire interaction.

“Is there something to be worried about?” I asked.

“A little,” Alistair replied. “Ronald and a few other board members have been forming some weird alliance. I suspect that Ronald is trying to get me deposed.”

“They can’t do that, can they?” I asked.

“They’ll need a majority vote when it comes to ousting the chairman, which is me. Since there are 10 other board members, not including me, they could afford to lose one vote.”

Alistair sounded so calm. As if the company that he built from the ground up isn’t being slowly taken away from him.

“Do you have a plan in mind?” I asked him, knowing that he probably would.

“Threats, then stripping some of their powers. But as board members, they still retain a bit of control. Honestly, Doomsday is only a matter of minutes now.”

“By the way, the IT department is throwing a party and I went ahead and ordered some things for them. I hope that’s okay.”

“That’s fine. I’ll be there tomorrow morning. Could you do me a favor?”

“Anything.” I said.

“Could you make me breakfast? I know it sounds like a lot. And I shouldn’t be asking you to do things out of your way, but I’m just really exhausted and coming home to a nice meal would be the highlight of my week–”

“Yes, Alistair. I’ll make you food. Don’t overthink it. You let me be here and even let me use your money. Don’t hesitate to ask me anything from now on.” I told him.

“Great.” He said. “Can I speak to my Luna?”

I reached the phone over and placed it near Luna’s ear.

“Luna? It’s me! Do you miss me?” Alistair said in a baby-voice. “I’ll be back tomorrow! I promise. I’m bringing you some new toys.”

I listened as Alistair just talked to Luna without any response.

“I wish cats could talk.” Alistair sighed out.

“Boy, do I have the musical for you…” I muttered.

“What?” He asked.

“Nothing.” I replied.

“I have to go to sleep now. I’ll be back tomorrow early.”

“And your breakfast will be ready for you.” I replied.

Alistair and I gave each other one final goodbye before hanging up. I went to check out the kitchen and began to plan what I wanted to cook for him. Luckily, it seems that I have just enough materials for a nice spread.

I was still working on my painting, and I have to do my laundry soon. Though, I don’t mind accomplishing almost nothing this week.

---

<3

Chapter Thirty-Three

Alistair McClair

The elevator dinged and opened. I got in and pushed the button for the IT floor. The elevator ascended a few floors until it stopped and opened again. 

“Good morning, Mr. McClair.” 

“Good morning to you too, Paul Ouellette.” I replied to the head of the IT department. “Are you on your way to the party?” I asked, since Paul hadn’t clicked any of the buttons.

“Kind of have to be there, since my employees are expecting me.” He said. 

We both waited in the elevator as it went up. I felt like Paul was watching me. I turned and he was indeed looking at me. When he noticed I was confronting him, Paul turned away and faced forward.

“Everything okay?” I asked while raising an eyebrow at him. He seemed startled. 

“Uh, yeah. Sorry. Just thought you had some aftershave on your beard.” Paul muttered. 

Paul was quick to shut up. He sighed in relief when the elevator opened and we exited into the IT department’s floor. Upon entering, the cheers and celebratory shouts of office workers rang through the floor.

The party had transferred from the small break room towards the much larger conference room. 

“Alistair!” Meredith called out. I was greeted by several other employees as I made my way to Meredith, as she sat in the corner of the room with a drink in her hands. 

“I see you’re already enjoying the drinks.” I remarked, looking at the glass of champagne in her hands. 

“It’s free, so of course I am.” Meredith reached under the seat and handed me a bottle of water. I took a seat on the empty chair next to her. 

“Something’s off with Paul,” I whispered to her. 

“How so?” She whispered back.

“Not sure. He was staring at me in the elevator.”

“Maybe he was just scared of being in an enclosed space with his boss. It’s pretty common.”

She could be right. But I have a weird intuition that Paul Ouellette wanted to say something, however, he bit his tongue. 

As CEO, I didn’t need to stay long for the party. Meredith and I returned back to my office to continue and work that needed to be finished. 

“When are you going to call Calvin?” Meredith asked.

“Soon. Why are you asking?” 

Meredith let out a small giggle. “Nothing. I’ve just noticed that you’ve been calling Calvin spontaneously. You’ve never dated anyone that you just felt like calling.” 

“We’ve been getting closer. Nothing to really care about.” I mentioned. 

“That’s where you’re wrong. Alistair. And as your assistant and friend, I can tell you that falling for Calvin is a big deal.” 

A knock came from the door. “Alistair! Let me in!” Kostas said. I almost forgot that I had a lock installed a while back. 

“Open him.” I ordered Meredith. She unlocked the door and Kostas entered my office with a grin on his face. 

“Guys! Guess what?” He asked. None of us replied. “I’m gay!”

Meredith and I looked at each other, then back to Kostas. 

“No, you’re not.” We both replied. 

“Yeah, you’re right.” Kostas approached my desk. “But I know someone who is.” Kostas placed a large box on my desk and pulled out a Pride flag.

“Oh no…” Meredith muttered. 

“That’s right, baby! It’s the first day of Pride month. Which means that this whole month is about my favorite Skittle person.” Kostas began to place several rainbow items on my desk. 

“This seems over the top,” Meredith said. 

“Nope. Not enough. Luckily, I can make an order on the new McClair Pride Stationary Set.” Kostas grabbed a rainbow pen and notebook and showed them off. 

“Are we selling these?” I asked, grabbing one of the pens. 

“Yup! Already being sent. Except for a few states in the south, we’re expected to sell out.” Kostas had a beaming smile on his face. 

“Let me guess, you want me to do something for this month.” I sighed. Kostas eagerly jumped. 

“You know me so well! The PR team and I came up with the idea of you and Calvin posting some photo dumps. We also have you two making an appearance on a float during the Seattle Pride Parade. Also, it would be nice if you can make some donations to some charities that–”

“Why don’t you write all this down and email it to me.” I said. 

“Already did. Check your email.” 

I checked my emails. One of the recent ones was indeed from Kostas. Meredith and I went over the list. “That’s fine.” I said. 

Kostas ended his talk and left my office to finish his work. While I was distracted, Meredith began to go through my computer. I turned and saw her opening my Word document and reading the first few lines. 

“Three dollars and fifteen scents. That’s all I had when I was eight years old and asked the old woman at the bakery for a scone. And I ended up leaving that bakery with my three dollars and fifteen cents, along with 10 strawberry scones.” 

Meredith was scanning over the few lines until she turned to me. 

“What is this?” She asked.

“Uhh,” I muttered. “It’s my… book.” I replied. She raised an eyebrow and stepped back.

“You’re going to write a book?” She asked. I nodded in reply. “Why?”

I shook my shoulders. “You know how I showed Calvin my past? He mentioned that my story could be a valuable one to other people in the same position that I was in. So, I’m going to start writing one.”

Meredith tilted her head to the side, like a confused puppy. 

“I don’t really plan on releasing it any time soon. It’ll probably take me a while to write.” I added. 

“Right…” She said. “Could be interesting. I still can’t believe you told Calvin about your past. Not even I know your full story.” She said.

“Lucky for you, I’ve got an autobiography coming out in…” I counted my fingers. “7 years. You can read all about it there.”

Meredith lightly slapped the back of my shoulder. “Good for you.” She said to me. “It’s about time you became open about your past. How far are you going to tell the story?”

“I was thinking up until now. As I’m writing along, I’ll be adding on more. I really want to include my story with Calvin.”

“Oh my God.” Meredith muttered. I turned and saw her placing her hand over her mouth and her eyes watery. “That’s so adorable. Ugh!” She gushed.

My phone began ringing on my desk. I saw Calvin’s contact show up, meaning he was calling me. Meredith took this as her cue to leave. 

“Hello?” I eagerly said. 

“Someone is in a happy mood.” Calvin giggled. 

“Well, of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?” 

“I wanted to call because I miss you.” He said. 

“We literally saw each other yesterday after I came back from New York.” I replied. 

“Still. I miss you and Luna.” He said. “So what are you going to do about that Ronald guy? What are in those documents?” He asked.

“Well, I can’t tell you what’s in them, as that’s not allowed. As for Ronald, I’m closely monitoring him. I’ve got a few ideas on how to… silence… him.” I replied.

As much as I wanted to tell Calvin all about everything, I know that there are some lines I cannot cross. The documents that Ronald tried to take yesterday were some proposals for future investments. For him to get his hands on such critical documents could be detrimental to the future of my company. 

“Are you sure everything is okay there? I’m worried that Ronald and possibly the others will do something that could hurt you and everything you’ve built.”

“I’ll be fine,” I muttered. “So long as I keep my eyes on them, everything will be in order on this hill.”

Calvin’s care for me is touching. Slightly strange for me. 

The day ended a few hours later. As I was exiting the building, on my way to the underground parking garage, I saw a familiar car parked. The black car’s license plate had a heart symbol, very reminiscent of my 37th girlfriend, Krista Horton.

The elevator dinged. In a quick move, I hid behind one of the cars and watched who came out of the elevator. A woman came walking out, wearing a headscarf and a large black coat. In her hands was a file with a few papers inside. She turned around and looked to where I was hiding. 

I must’ve chosen a good spot, because she didn’t check. But now I know that was definitely Krista. Although she was wearing large shades, her red lipstick and pearl necklace is a distinctive feature of her, something she always wears. 

Krsita walked towards her car, where she got in quickly and left the parking lot, without turning on her headlights to hide herself. 

Once she was gone, I was quick to get in my car and drive off. 

Questions rang through my head, as I began to wonder what my ex would need to be doing in my building. It wasn’t to see me, that’s for sure. Perhaps this might have something to do with Ronald Farraway and his quest to have me deposed.

Although that sounds like a conspiracy theory, I should know too well. I’ve seen first hand as many other CEOs get voted out of their positions and lose their jobs because of an internal coup.

And I refused to allow myself to go through the same thing. I’ve built my company from the ground up myself. The success of McClair Enterprises is all thanks to me and my two close confidants. 

After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day. And it certainly didn’t fall in one day. 

At least, not without a fight.

I tasked Kostas with keeping a close eye on all the board members. And to report to me if any of the nine members do anything that is worth investigating. 

As the end of the week came, I needed to do one of Kostas’ bullet points for this month: A photo dump on my social media.

However, pictures are something that I lack. Over the nearly four months that Calvin and I have been dating, I really only have one picture of us together, that being the first one we took on the day we met. 

Luckily, Meredith and Evelyn have a habit of taking random photos of us together. And they were more than happy to send some over to me. 

These photos were spontaneous moments, such as the two of us eating together or me kissing Calvin on the forehead. I ended the montage with the painting that Calvin made and that I bought during his art exhibit. 

I was swiping through Calvin’s photo slideshow. He definitely took more photos. Some of them were taken at the aquarium, our second date, and at Chamberlain’s mansion where we first kissed. 

And his final photo was me, him, and Luna sitting on my couch smiling at the camera.

---

<3

Chapter Thirty-Four

Alistair McClair

Despite the current dangers that were most likely to unfold in my company soon, I still had to stick to a routine of an aligned schedule. On today’s agenda, getting on a float for Seattle’s Pride Parade.

“Do I look gay?” I asked Calvin.

“Definitely.” Calvin replied. He fixed my rainbow tie, a gift from Meredith, and then patted any dust off my shoulders. “You look kinda nervous.”

“No, not at all.” I replied. Truth is, I was indeed nervous. It’s one thing to say that I have a boyfriend and kiss him. Getting on a float for a Pride event just seems so… gay.

“Come on! It’s time for us!” Calvin said.

We emerged out of the small compartment and entered the open area. The first sense that was heightened was sound. The sound of cheering could be heard as many voices, possibly thousands, cheered out.

Slowly, my eyes adjusted and I could see that the sidewalks were flooding with onlookers. It was waves of colors and heads that were extending upwards to get a peak. I waved to the crowd, while my other hand was on Calvin’s back, bringing him closer.

“They love us.” Calvin whispered in my ear.

“I think they just love you.” I replied.

A piece of confetti from the float ahead of us landed on Calvin’s cheek. I wiped it off and let my hand linger on his face.

“Are you going to kiss me?” He asked abruptly.

“Uh, can I?” I asked.

Calvin looked slightly offended. “Why do you ask for permission? Sometimes, it’s okay to not be such a gentleman.”

I leaned downwards and kissed Calvin on the cheek. He reciprocated the kiss, leaning deeper into it. The crowd cheered even louder. Despite my eyes being closed, I could feel the flashes of cameras on my eyelids.

“See, they love us!” Calvin happily said.

He’s right. They do love us.

Calvin leaned forward against the railing and waved at the crowd, greeting them all like fellow friends he hadn’t seen in so long. His hand waved eagerly at both sides to make sure everyone received his attention.

As for me, my attention was solely on him. No one else. He’s been having all my attention for some time already.

Holy shit. I think I’m in love with Calvin Fischer.

It’s the only probable cause for my recent feelings. Because ever since I’ve met Calvin, I truly began to understand what it’s like to have something to look forward to.

When I check my phone, I always look for his texts. When I lay in bed, it’s his voice that I last want to hear. When I eat lunch, I’d imagine Calvin next to me, also eating and telling me nonsense.

So, without much thought, I easily came to the conclusion that I am in love with Calvin Fischer. I might as well have solved 2+2, because it was easy to find the solution.

Calvin had been calling me to join him to wave to the others. I stepped up against the railing and gave small waves to the crowd.

However, it’s slightly difficult to concentrate when I’ve just found out that the man next to me is not only the man I’m in love with, but possibly my soul mate. And using that term– soul mate– sounds like a stretch.

But I’ve never been in love before. I thought I was incapable of it. Calvin is the only one who has ever made me feel the way I do currently. Soul mate actually doesn’t encapsulate it all.

He’s perfect.

After the parade ended, I drove Calvin home. Then I drove back to my apartment, where Luna was quick to greet me.

My revelation needed to be told. And my mom is just the right person to tell this to.

“Mom. Can I ask you something?” I asked.

“Sure, Ali. Ask me anything.” Mom replied.

“When did you know that you were in love with dad?” I asked.

“Oh,” Mom replied. Based on her tone, she was probably smiling widely. “I guess it’s just an instinct sort of thing. Like, when you walk in a room, you can tell if they’re there or not. Or when you want to ask them a question, but you already know the answer, but you still ask them for reassurance.

“But the moment I truly knew I was in love with your dad was a feeling of drowning. When I was around him, I could almost drown in our love. And when I was away from him, I was suffering from thirst for him. He was the water I craved, and the liferaft that floated me to safety. He was my killer and savior.”

“Wow,” I muttered.

“But he was also great in bed, so that helped too.”

“Aw, gross, mom!” I groaned. Mom began laughing.

“Why are you asking me this? Is this for your book?” She asked.

“Maybe,” I replied.

Mom clicked her tongue. “Ali, I know you. I can tell you’re lying.” I heard a bit of rustling on her end. “Is there something you want to tell me?” She asked in a quieter tone.

“There is, actually,” I said. “Mom, I think I’m in love with Calvin.”

“It was only a matter of time, honestly. Based on how I saw you looking and talking to that guy, it’s quite easy to see that you’re over the moon for him.”

“Wait, you noticed but didn’t say anything?”

She let out a hearty chuckle. “You don’t help a bird when it’s hatching. You needed to come to this conclusion on your own terms. Because when you come to the realization, the satisfaction will be all worth it.”

Mom was indeed right. And while it may have taken me too long to figure it out, I eventually did.

“Now for the real concern, do you think that Calvin is in love with me too?” I asked.

Mom was silent on her end for a while. “Even though I held my reservations when it came to your feelings, I’d think that I should tell you my observations from when I met him.”

“And your consensus?”

“That boy is truly in love with you. When he was with me, he would not stop talking about how much of an amazing man you are. He bragged about your achievements like they were his own feats. And his infatuation with your past, wanting to know everything, made me believe that he is in it for the long haul.”

“He does seem to be very affectionate towards me.” I remarked.

“Oh, please. That’s an understatement. The two of you could not be any more obvious.”

“So now comes the difficult part,” I mentioned. “How do I tell Calvin? I don’t even think he’s heard me say ‘I love you’ to anyone that wasn’t you or Luna.”

“If it was me, I’d do it as soon as possible. Telling Calvin that you love him now will give you more days to say it to him in the future. And you don’t want to miss out on those extra days because you’re a coward.”

Mom was right– like always. It’s best if I just come forward with all of this now rather than wait any longer.

“Thank you for this conversation, mom. You’ve really helped me so much.”

“That’s what mothers are for, my Ali. Make sure you take the right steps in the future when it comes to Calvin.”

“Yeah, I will. I definitely plan on us being a long term sort of thing.”

“I sure hope so. Calvin is an amazing person.”

“He is. He really is. Bye, mom.”

“Bye, Ali!” Mom said.

I leaned back on my chair. I then spun around and looked at the painting I had bought from Calvin. It hasn’t moved an inch since it’s been there.

“Meredith!” I called out. I waited a few seconds until the door opened and she walked in.

“Yeah?” She asked as she approached my table.

“I’m going to need your help with something.”

“Is it a good or bad thing? I know there’s that thing going on with the board of directors.”

“No, not that. I want to do something good for Calvin in a few days. I’m sure you heard the phone call that I had with my mother.”

“I didn’t hear anything.” Meredith protested. She looked away, a blush on her face. She was clearly lying. She heard the entire thing.

“Either way, I want to do something special for him. And I was thinking of using the roof.”

“The roof?” She raised an eyebrow. “But you never let anyone up there.”

“This time, I’m making an exception.” I replied.

“Let me guess, candlelight dinner overlooking Seattle?” She said. I nodded. “Would you like the view to face the Space Needle?”

“That sounds perfect.”

Meredith began to type on her phone quickly, as she began to write down all the details for this special date.

“And for the food?”

“Get the same order we got at Blockhouse, during our first date.”

“Anything else to make the night more… magical? Perhaps some flowers or a helicopter ride.” Meredith suggested.

“Honestly, I think I just want us to have a nice dinner without anything too crazy. Calvin is a modest man. He doesn’t need much to be impressed.”

Meredith agreed with me and left my office to get everything in order. I then called Calvin to let him know to keep his Friday night cleared.

“Calvin. Are you free on Friday night?” I asked.

“Yeah, I am.” He replied.

“Great. Come to my building by 5:00 pm.” I said.

“Is something wrong?” He asked.

“Not at all. I want to tell you something. But it needs to be said in person.”

“I’ll be there, then. What’s the dress code?”

“You could wear a potato sack and still look presentable. Just wear anything.” I said.

“Then I will be there on Friday night.” Calvin said.

Once the phone call ended, I began to search online for some jewelry that I wanted to give him. Even though I said I didn’t want to go all out, hearing Calvin’s voice just now reminded me that he deserves all the greatest things in this world.

So after spending nearly a quarter of a million dollars, I still didn’t feel satisfied with the amount of things that I bought.

If I could, I’d give him the world. But if not, then at least my world .

---

thanks for all the continuing support for this story! it really brings a smile to my face when i see your comments. see you on wednesday <3

Chapter Thirty-Five

Alistair McClair

I had to force myself to stop readjusting the flowers on the table. They’d been fixed before, but I felt like they weren’t in the perfect position. Eventually, I stopped when the sound of the elevator rang, meaning Calvin had reached the top floor.

Per my request, Meredith had fixed up the roof with a table and some chairs. Our view is facing the Space Needle, an iconic symbol in Seattle.

“Alistair!” Calvin called out. I scurried to the door that leads up to the roof. I was quick to greet Calvin.

The dress code, as stated by me, was to wear whatever he wanted. He chose to wear the dark brown jacket that I had bought him a while back.

“Welcome.” I said, placing my hand on his back and bringing him forward towards the table.

“I never knew you could access the roof.” He said.

“I rarely come up here. But it’s a great place to come up to sometimes.” I replied. “Sit! Dinner will be coming soon.”

I pulled out Calvin’s seat and let him sit. And then I pushed in his chair like the gentleman I hoped I was.

“You said that there was something you needed to tell me.” Calvin said. He grabbed a napkin from his plate and unfolded it, placing it on his lap.

“There is. It’s a rather urgent matter. But first, let’s have dinner.” I said. I lifted up a finger, and both Meredith and Kostas, dressed as waiters, walked from behind a corner and brought our first course.

Calvin sat, slightly giggling as my two friends placed our food in front of us. Kostas was quick to return with the drinks; water for me and lemon water for Calvin.

“Hold on, is this from-”

“Blockhouse.” I finished his statement. “Yeah. I got one of the chefs to make it in my kitchen so it’s perfectly fresh.”

Calvin blushed and placed his hand on top of mine.

“Only the best for my best.” I said.

“You’ve gotten so much more sappy, Alistair. Sometimes, I wonder if you’re the same man that first asked me out.”

“Honestly, I don’t think I am. But that’s a change that I’ll gladly accept.” I replied.

Dinner went by quickly. Dessert was brought over, my pistachio ice cream and Calvin his lava cake. This time, the order was correct, and I did not make any secret tests on him.

“Dammit!” I grunted.

“Everything okay?” Calvin asked.

While we were having our dinner, clouds began to cover the sky in a blanket of dark grays. Methodical planning would have placed my proclamation of love for Calvin at the exact time the sun set on the horizon.

Instead, the sun is nowhere to be seen, and the sky is darker. This is not going according to plan.

“Meredith!” I called out. She came running towards me, also a panicked look on her face.

“I know!” She was quick to say. “I swear, we checked with several meteorologists. They said it was going to be clear skies.”

“Well obviously, it isn’t.” I retorted.

“You know how the weather is,” Meredith replied. “Nothing we can do now but just roll with it.”

Calvin, who had been hearing our conversation, walked over to us.

“Alistair, whatever you need to tell me, just know that it doesn’t have to be perfect.” He rubbed my shoulder.

But, he was right. For all he cares, I could confess to him inside a car in the middle of a freeway, and he’d still appreciate the effort.

“Calvin, there really is something I need to tell you.” I said. I glared at Meredith, who took the hint and ran off somewhere.

A breeze of wind wisped past us, tussling our hair into the direction it was flowing in.

“Truth is, I am–” A loud clap rang from the distance. Then it was followed by a flash of white light. In the distance, I could barely see a strike of lightning.

Then the rain started. It was too cliche. The moment when the man who thought he couldn’t fall in love, and then does so. And when he wants to confess his love, it starts raining and ruining the original plans.

“Fuck it,” I muttered to myself. I brought my hand up and pushed my wet hair back.

I grabbed Calvin by the torso and pulled him in closer.

“I love you, Calvin!” I shouted against the rain, hoping that my voice was stronger than the rest of the world.

Calvin was a bit confused. I wasn’t sure if he was confused because he couldn’t hear, or couldn’t believe that those words would come out of my mouth.

“What?” He asked back.

“I said: I love you, Calvin Fischer!” I shouted. “And I’m sorry it took me too long to figure it out! But I do love you.”

Calvin began laughing. His face was slighted red, and he leaned up and kissed me on the lips.

“I love you too, Alistair! I just didn’t want to say it because I was scared it would freak you out.” He replied.

I embraced Calvin in my hands and the two of us kept kissing and touching noses. I refused to let him go, because he was too warm in my hands.

“Let’s head inside.” He said in my ear.

Agreeing, I raced us towards the entrance of the building, where Meredith and Kostas were waiting for us. They glanced at me, and I nodded, and the two cheered.

“Why don’t we have some hot chocolate and watch a movie?” I suggested.

“I’m down!” Kostas replied.

Since this day is about love, Calvin insisted we watch a cheesy rom-com movie. Hot chocolate in one hand, and Calvin leaning into my other one, we snuggled close to one another and gave each other the warm to battle against the cold outside.

“Could you imagine dating a rich guy?” Kostas commented.

“Idiot, you’d be the rich guy that the woman would date.” Meredith replied.

“Yeah, but would I hide my wealth from her?” He then asked.

“It seems to be complicated.” She replied. “On the one hand, what if she’s after your money? But on the other hand, do you have enough trust in your partner to tell them a major part of your life.”

I took the empty mug from Calvin’s hands and placed it on the table in front of us. He brought his hands over my chest and rubbed my torso.

For a minute, I wanted to pull away from such close proximity. Calvin felt amazing, however, so I didn’t mind him hugging me.

“Alistair?” Calvin asked. I looked down at him. “I love you,” He innocently said.

“I love you too.” I replied. He blushed and looked away.

“Sorry,” He muttered.

“For what?” I asked.

“I-I don’t know. I guess it’s just a little weird to say it out loud. Especially to you.”

“Please don’t feel sorry to say it to me. How about this: Whenever you say it to me, I have to repeat it back to you. That way, both of us can say it to one another, and the other won’t feel bad about it.” I said.

Meredith let out a squeal from where she sat.

“I think it’s time for us to leave.” Meredith announced, standing up.

“Huh? But I was enjoying the movie–” Meredith put her hand over Kostas’ mouth to make him stop talking.

“I said: It’s time for us to leave!” She sternly said to him.

Kostas seemed a bit confused until Meredith leaned down and whispered something in his ear. A blush came on Kostas face.

“Oh, yeah, you’re totally right! We should leave.” He then said.

“You guys sure? It’s still pouring outside.” I told them.

Meredith put on her coat. “We’ll be fine. Uh, there’s a few things we need to take care of.”

The two were strangely acting suspicious. Calvin even noticed this, as he sat up and we both watched Kostas and Meredith change into the rain attire and get ready to leave.

“Uh, goodbye, then.” I said.

Meredith gave me a final wave. “Later, you two! Take care.” She announced, closing the door behind her.

“Uh, what do we do now?” Calvin asked.

“Do you… want to go to bed?” I asked nervously. Calvin messed with my hair.

“Sure, let’s go to bed.” He replied.

“Come on, then. You too, Luna!” I said. Luna refused to come with us. She instead planted herself on the couch and curled up on herself.

With no other choice, I put a blanket over her and made sure she was warm. Calvin and I then went to my room. It was a bit awkward. I think it’ll take me a bit of a while to get used to sleeping with Calvin.

I gave him a toothbrush and let him take a warm shower. I even gave him some clothes that I had brought to match his sizing.

“Which side do you want?” I asked him.

Calvin scanned the bed. “Left.” He replied. “But– Nevermind.”

“Please tell me what you want.” I told him.

“Could we spoon?” He shyly asked. “If you don’t want to, that’s okay.”

I walked to my side of the bed and laid in it. I patted his side of the bed, right next to me.

“Then tonight we’re spooning.” I replied. He blushed and slowly walked over to the left side, where he laid right next to me. “Big or little spoon?” I asked.

“Little.” He replied. Slowly, we adjusted and I hugged him from behind. I placed my head on top of Calvin’s head and sighed deeply in satisfaction.

Calvin wiggled his behind onto my lap slowly.

“Calvin…” I grunted out.

“I love you, Alistair.” He replied. Calvin kept rubbing himself against me. I could feel myself getting harder and also grinding against him.

“What are you doing?” I grunted out.

“Do you not like it?” He asked, slowing down his grinds.

“Of course I do, fuck.” I replied, grabbing his hip and making him continue his movements.

Calvin kept moving until he turned around and began to make out with me. I reached my hand down and felt him hard, stroking him from outside his pants.

“Is this okay?” I asked.

Calvin grunted and nodded. “Yes!”

He kissed me. Then I remembered why Meredith and Kostas left. They probably saw this coming. Did Calvin and I really exude that much sexual tension?

“Calvin, can we do it tonight?” I asked.

He slowly pulled away from me, leaving me moaning for more.

“Are you sure?” He asked.

“Mhm. I’m sure. I think I’m ready to go all the way.” I replied. Calvin, for a moment, looked me in the eyes.

“Okay then. If you insist.” He got off the bed. I asked where he was going, and he replied that he needed to get himself prepared.

So I waited on the bed patiently, hearing the water in the shower turn on. Knowing that in a few minutes, I will be doing it for the first time in my life, and with a man of all people.

---

the time has come people! get ready

!

Chapter Thirty-Six

Calvin Fischer

I opened the bathroom door slowly and peaked my head into the bedroom. Alistair was sitting on the bed, twiddling his fingers and nervously looking around the room.

“Are you ready?” I asked. He slightly jumped and turned to me.

“Y-Yeah,” His voice carried a bit of a quiver. “I’m ready.”

I walked over to the bed and got on, heading to kiss Alistair. Since we’ve done this before, he was fine with this and kissed me back. I could feel his hands holding back from touching me. I grabbed his hands and placed them on my bottom, to let him slowly get in the mood.

“How much do you know?” I asked him.

“A bit,” He replied. “I watched some porn.”

“Well, we aren’t going to do all that roleplay. Unless you want to…” I teased.

“How about lovers? It would be perfect.” He said. God, he look so adorable with his blue eyes looking up at me.

“Lovers it is.” I replied.

I reached for my shirt and pulled it off. I then got off the bed and removed the pants I was wearing, leaving me in just my underwear.

“Your turn.” I said. Alistair got off the bed and first removed his pants. But he hesitated when removing his shirt.

“I need to tell you something.” Alistair muttered. “Remember when I told you that I got into a bike accident at 14?”

“Yeah. You never wanted to get on a bike after that.” I said.

“It’s because, well,” He slowly removed his shirt. Upon removing it, I admired his hard chest, and quickly noticed the large scar on his left pec. It was almost four inches long.

“Oh,” I muttered. “Alistair.” I walked over to him. I saw Alistair lower his head, bringing his shirt up to hide his scar.

“This is why I don’t remove my shirt. Because I am ashamed of my scar.” He muttered. I brought my hand up and slick his hair back.

“Look at me, Alistair.” I said. “Don’t be afraid of your scar. It’s beautiful.” I said.

“You’re just saying that.” He replied.

“I’m serious. Your scar adds an additional sexiness to you. Don’t ever feel ashamed of it.” I said. I slowly removed his shirt and hands from his scar and placed my hand on it. “This is a part of you.”

I leaned toward his scar and kissed it. Alistair groaned and brought me closer. I kept assaulting his pec, eventually sucking on his nipples.

“Is this okay?” I asked. He nodded and begged me to continue.

Alistair picked me up and carried me to the bed, where he slammed me down on my back. His chest was rising from his hard breathing.

“Let’s do it now.” He said. He began to remove my underwear slowly and threw them away. Alistair scanned my hard dick and reached to grab it.

“Ngh!” I moaned out. Even just his touch excited me. Alistair got on his knees and opened his mouth, placing the tip on his tongue.

His tongue swirled around, licking the head. After teasing me for too long, I grabbed his hair and tried to force him to take me deeper. But knowing that he’s a novice, I calmed down my excitement and let Alistair go at his own pace.

I closed my eyes and leaned back. I could feel his mouth more tightly around my dick, and when I checked, Alistair’s face was red but he had my entirety down his throat. He began to bob his head up and down, his tongue tracing on the shaft.

“Al-Alistair!” I moaned out. He came up for air, strings of saliva connecting his lips to my dick.

“How was I?” He asked, smirking at me.

“Fuck me, did you take lessons or something?” I asked. He grabbed my dick and licked up the shaft.

“Maybe…” He smugly replied. He resumed his sucking.

“Stop! Stop!” I pulled his head away. “I don’t want to come just yet.” I quickly added.

“Oh,” Alistair stood back up, looking down at me confused. I glanced at his cock, seeing that he was hard.

“My turn, I guess.” I said. Alistair stepped back, but I lightly tapped on his chest and forced him to lay on his back.

“Go easy on me, please.” Alistair muttered.

“To be fair, you didn’t go easy on me.” I replied. I grabbed the hem of boxers and began to pull them down. I waited for the tent in them to be free.

Springing out, His dick slapped against his torso in a loud clap. I giggled and Alistair had a blush on his face.

“Oh… my… God.” I said. I grabbed his dick, his size beginning to worry me about how it was going to fit inside me.

“Is it not enough?” He asked with anxiety in his voice.

I chuckled loudly. “Seriously? Not enough? Alistair, this might be too big!” I said. He glanced away.

I did my job, a blowjob, eagerly. As someone who’s had a bit more experience, I managed to get him mostly into my throat, but there were a few inches that couldn’t fit. But I put my skills to use: jerking him, putting his balls in my mouth, and using my tongue to flick his tip.

Alistair concealed his mouth with his hands, I forced his hand off telling him, “I want to hear you moan.” He let out grunts and did not hold back from then on.

Right before Alistair climaxed, I pulled away and watched him eagerly writhe on the bed.

“Cal!” He pouted, his face red and sweat forming on his forehead.

“I’m not letting you finish so easily, my love. I plan on using you until we pass out from exhaustion.” I replied. I climbed onto the bed. “Missionary or on-fours?” I asked.

Alistair sat up in bed. “Uh, I’m not sure.” He replied.

“I’ll go on fours. It’ll be easier for you.” I said. I grabbed some lube and handed it to him. “But not everything comes easily. You’re gonna have to loosen me up. And considering your… endowment… you’re gonna need to use all your energy.”

He put some lube on his fingers, examining the consistency. “Got it.” He said. I got on fours, facing the headboard.

Alistair sighed loudly, and then I felt his fingers touching my hole. He slipped in one finger and slid it in and out. After a few minutes, he added a second finger. His fingers curled and touched my prostate.

I squealed loudly. “Fuck! Did I hurt you?” He asked and pulled his fingers out quickly.

“N-No. It felt good.” I said. “Keep going.”

He returned his two fingers and fucked me with them. A third finger was added, then a fourth. After almost 10 minutes, I was full blown moaning and biting onto the pillows.

“Alistair! Just put it in me! Please!” I moaned out.

“Are you sure you’re ready? What if I hurt you?” He asked.

“Just do it.” I turned around and glanced at him. His eyes were heavily focused on his fingers in my ass. “Put your dick in me right now!” I commanded.

“Okay. I’ll put it in.” Alistair said. He applied more lubricant onto his dick and spread it around. “I’m going in.” There was a pang of nervousness in his voice.

He tapped his dick on my hole. “It’s not a door. Just go in.” I said. Alistair chuckled, but pressed the tip of his cock into my hole.

He had done a good job stretching me, and the tip entered me easily. But as he continued with his remaining shaft, it slowly began to hurt more.

“Mm! Alistair! Did you get bigger?” I asked. I placed my head into the pillows.

“You’re so fucking tight, Cal!” He moaned out. “Fuck!”

Alistair added more lube until he slammed into me fully. I jolted forward, but he placed his hands on my hip and held me close to him. I have never felt so full before.

My right hand came down to my abdomen, and I felt a slight bulge.

“Fuck me, now.” I told him. Alistair started with light thrusts, barely bringing his dick an inch or two out and thrusting back in.

He continued this until he felt me get a bit looser, and started to fully fuck me. His dick will come out halfway, then enter me rapidly.

“Grab my hair, Alistair!” I yelped. He agreed, pulling my hair back. I leaned more upwards, until he was able to kiss my neck.

“Are you liking it?” He asked.

“Yes! Don’t you dare stop!” I yelled. Alistair began to kiss my neck. His kisses then turned to hickies.

Before either of us could come, I stopped him and made him pull out. I could feel my hole gape, cold air entering it and making me shiver.

“Lay down.” I told him. Alistair layed down and was looking up at me.

“What are you going to do?” He asked. I climbed over him, facing him, and lowering myself on his dick.

“What do you think? I’m riding you.” I said. Alistair moaned out as I impaled myself on him. I placed my hands on his pecs and squeezed them.

My fingers began to lightly pinch and flick his nipples, eliciting even louder moans from him. Alistair’s right hand jerked my dick, and his left hand pinched on my nipples. I was fucking myself on his cock, the bed was creaking underneath us.

“Calvin! I’m getting close!” He moaned out.

“Don’t hold back, baby!” I replied as I tried to not give out. His large length was starting to wear me out, and my legs began to feel like jelly.

I rode him faster, and Alistair also jerked me off faster. Our moans were in sync perfectly. Then, I felt his dick expand inside me, and felt him come inside me. His dick inside me and him jerking me off also made me come.

My dick sputtered on his hard chest and landed near his lips. His hand was also covered in my come. We both caught our breaths and were looking at one another.

“Ha, that was…” I said with heavy breaths.

“Oh, that fucking amazing.” He said in a daze. He used his hand that had been jerking me off and was covered in my climax to lick it clean. “Mm,” He said.

I slowly got off his dick, which had softened inside me. I quickly laid next to Alistair on my chest to make sure his come didn’t leak out of me.

I closed my eyes and felt Alistair rubbing my back. “Tired already?” He asked.

My eyes opened to see him looking at me. I pushed his hair back and leaned in to make out with him .

“Nah, I think I could go on for another round,” I said. “Or two.”

Alistair smirked at me. He kissed my back until he reached my bottom.

“I wanna try something.” He said. Alistair grabbed my legs and turned me around to lay on my back. Alistair brought my legs upwards, exposing my slightly gaping hole to him.

He leaned into my hole, sticking out his tongue.

“Wait! But you’re gonna-”

“Relax, Calvin.” He said. He looked at me between my legs. “I’ve tasted you already.”

I nodded and allowed him to eat me out. I moaned and was grabbing onto the blankets. His tongue managed to find that spot in me and get me to moan even louder. He might as well have been fucking me with his dick again.

I glanced to the side and saw that he had gotten hard once again. And he was slowly jerking himself.

My foot landed on his chest and pushed him back. I used the soles of my feet and placed them on his dick. Alistair quickly glanced at me, but leaned back when I used my feet to jerk him off.

Tonight, we’re going to be surprising one another with our tricks that we have never used before.

---

btw, alistair isn’t joo jaekyung or caesar sergeyev type big, but he’s still big-big (please someone get the reference).

Chapter Thirty-Seven

bonus chapter for hitting 1,000 followers! thank you all so much. whether you’re a reader & follower, just a reader, have read only one or more of my stories, thank you!

Calvin Fischer

Something tight was hugging me and grasping the air out of me. As I opened my eyes, the first thing I felt was slight pain and exhaustion. But then I saw Alistair McClair, looking down at me with eyes full of admiration.

“Good-” He placed his finger on my mouth to shush me.

“I love you!” He blurted out. I titled my head in confusion.

“Huh?” I asked.

“Sorry, I just wanted that to be the first thing either of us will hear when we wake up.” He replied. “Come on, I’m making us breakfast.”

I sat for a few seconds, flabbergasted at such a spontaneous and endearing thing he said. I’ve seen many men do this, even my dad. They’ll say the most sapphic and romantic thing ever and act like that just didn’t happen.

Alistair had put on a robe and walked to my side. “I read that after receiving it, it’ll hurt. So I’m going to carry you for the rest of the day.” His words were so caring. So of course, I let him pick me up and take me to the bathroom.

From there, he helped me brush my teeth and even cleaned me up. Between every minute, he would sneak in a kiss on any part of my body.

Alistair sat me on one of the seats at the island so I could watch him cook. I was joined alongside Luna, as she let me pet her softly.

“Thank you for being brave in showing me your scar.” I said. He turned around and passed me a mug of coffee.

“I really wasn’t sure how you were going to react. I thought you would’ve been grossed out or not wanted to sleep with me anymore.”

I held out my hands for him to come over and hug me. “I’ll still love you, no matter what. As long as you love me, everything between us will never change.”

Alistair kissed me on the cheek.

“So now that I’m more open about my scar, would you like me to remove this?” He asked, signaling to his shirt. I was quick to pull off his shirt and set it aside.

“There. Now you’re a proper sexy man.” I said. I traced his scar gently. “Do you smell something burning?” I said, sniffing the air.

Alistair quickly ran to the stove and removed a charred pancake.

“First batch is always the worst one.” He said.

“Take your time,” I reclined in my seat. “I’m enjoying the view.”

He made breakfast and joined next to me to eat. He tried to feed me, multiple times, but had to get him to stop being so touchy. It wasn’t until we were sitting on the couch when I asked him why he was being so affectionate.

“It’s because it’s just nice to have someone that I can hold hands with and say anything that I want.” He replied. “And last night just solidified our relationship. I see us being in this for a long time.”

“I never knew if your mom approved of me or not.” I said.

He placed his arm over and hugged me close to him. “She absolutely adored you. I think she might have actually preferred you as a son over me.”

“And your dad?” I then asked.

“Oh, I’m pretty sure he loved you! Said that you were a nice gentleman.”

“I want to visit them again.”

“We’ll visit them again.” He kissed my cheek. Luna sat in between our legs and placed her tail on my lap. “Can I be honest with you about something?” He asked.

“Anything.” I replied.

He placed his hand on my lap and rubbed his fingers. “Do you think we could go again?”

“Don’t tell me you’re becoming a sex addict, Alistair McClair.” I remarked.

Alistair didn’t seem to mind being called a potential sex addict. To him, us being in bed together was more time we got to be with one another. It was a chance for him to touch me in ways that he’s never done before with anyone else.

Sunday night came by. I spent my entire weekend at Alistiar’s apartment. Nothing was done during those days. Well, nothing that anyone should care about except for me and him.

Monday rolled by, and it was time for me to return to work. Evelyn was quick to meet me and bring me into her office, wanting details on my date with Alistair.

“How was it? Did he propose to you?” She asked.

“No, it’s far too early for that.” I replied. “But, he did confess that he loves me.”

She hugged me and squeezed me. “I can’t believe you’re the first person he’s said that to. I think you just might be the forever match.”

“Forever? Isn’t that too early to say right now? We’ve only been dating for a few months.”

She patted my shoulder. “As someone who’s been following the Alistair Saga of Matches, I can assure you that everything that man has done for you in the past months, he has never done to anyone else.”

She’s right. Alistair has kissed me, something he’s never done to any of his previous partners. He’s opened up to me about his past. And he even had sex with me, him being a virgin man.

And while I don’t want to inflate my ego, it is quite a compliment to be the one that Alistair has gotten the closest with.

“Now get back to work. I can’t be showing favoritism.” Evelyn told me.

“Oh, please. Everyone knows I’m your favorite.” I replied.

“Yeah, I don’t know why I even try to hide it.” She chuckled. “Still, go. You have a few projects to finish before the deadline.”

I thanked her and left for my station, walking bow-legged. Alistair had really done a number on me. Even while laying down, I could feel the slight pain in my ass from the fucking he had given me.

During lunch time, I was in the breakroom, eating the lunch that Alistair had packed for me the day prior.

Evelyn joined me and we chatted about random news we had seen earlier. However, our talking was interrupted when I received a phone call. The call was from a random number.

“Excuse me. I need to take this.” I said, exiting the break room quickly. I entered the hallway and clicked on the answer button. “Hello?” I asked.

There was silence on the other line. I waited for a bit until I was on the verge of hanging up until I heard a voice breathing.

“I warned you, Cal.” A male voice said. I almost instantly recognised it as belonging to Terry, my ex that has been a thorn on my side.

“Terry?” I asked in both annoyance and fright.

“You’ve forced me into this. So now, you and Alistair must go down.” He quickly hung up.

I checked on my phone and checked the phone number. When I tried calling it again, the voice answering machine said that the number was deactivated quickly. I then tried to call Alistair, since he had informed me to let him know whenever Terry tries to do something sinister.

But as I kept calling Alistair, he wouldn’t pick up. I called over a dozen times, but he never picked up. So with a sigh of stress, I entered the breakroom, only to see everyone looking at me.

I could feel their eyes as they looked at me, some giggling while others had panicked looks on their faces. I saw Evelyn having that same panicked look. As I sat back in my seat, I leaned over, completely confused as to what was going on.

“Evelyn, what’s going on?” I asked her, trying to forget that my ex just called me out of the blue.

“Uh,” She stuttered.

“Just tell me.” I said. She bashfully looked away and showed me her phone.

There was a TMZ article titled ‘Calvin Fischer’s Nudes Leaked!’. The first picture was a blurred image of me in front of a mirror. I know very well where this picture came from. It was sent to Terry a long time ago, back when we were still dating.

The pictures that he’s been hanging over my head, threatening me with exposure. I know he has to be behind this. His phone call was just a heads up.

“Evelyn, I have to go.” I muttered. I handed her the phone back, not bothering to get her answer. I quickly exited the break room and ran to collect my things.

Then I left for my car, where I got in and drove all the way to McClair Tower. Before I could even enter the building’s parking lot, I was bombarded with paparazzi who waited for me and took pictures of me. They tapped my window and almost climbed on top of my car.

It was thanks to the security guard, who pushed them away and allowed me to enter the parking lot. I parked in a visitor’s spot and walked into the elevator, pressing the top floor.

On one of the floors, Kostas entered and he had a visibly worried look.

“Calvin!” He said.

“Kostas! Where’s Alistair?! I need to see him right now!” I told him.

“I know. I saw the article too. But he’s in an emergency meeting.” He told me.

“What kind of meeting?” I asked, trying to get my mind off the fact that thousands of people are currently looking at my ass.

“Don’t know. It was an emergency board meeting.” He replied.

The elevator opened to the floor where the meeting was happening. Several board members walked out and were giving each other high fives and handshakes.

Among them all was Ronald Farraway, a thorn in Alistair’s side. He had the smuggest of grins and walked proud and tall.

“Good morning, Calvin.” Ronald said to me. I scoffed and stared daggers at him. “Good luck with those photos.”

Meredith walked up to me and held me back, as my hand had balled into a fist. Kostas stepped on Ronald’s shoes, causing Ronald to mutter something under his breath.

We watched as the board of directors entered the elevator and descended down, to wherever they went.

“Where is Alistair? I need to see him.” I told Meredith. She had been on her phone texting quickly. She looked up and escorted me and Kostas to a meeting room.

Alistair sat at the end of the long table, his head in his palms as he looked down. I had never seen him so upset before.

“Alistair?” I called him. He looked up and a small smile was on his face.

“Calvin.” He said in a small voice. I could tell he was trying hard to not sound sad.

“What’s going on?” I asked him.

“I should be asking you that.” He replied. I ran over to him and kissed him on the lips. “Uh, not sure how to say this. Meredith?” He asked.

Meredith and Kostas walked over.

“The board convened today,” She said. “They’ve voted in favor to get Alistair removed from his position.”

“What?” Both Kostas and I said.

“They can’t do that!” I said.

“They can.” Meredith replied. “They have full authority too.”

I turned to Alistair, seeing him sitting on the head chair of the table. He must be deep in thought. We were all deep in thought, unable to grasp the idea that Alistair, a man who worked hard to build this company from the ground up, might lose it all.

A knock on a door brought us back to the ongoing crisis. A man standing there with a backpack was looking at us.

“Alistair McClair?” He asked. Alistair stood up. The man walked to him, placed his backpack on the table, and pulled out a thick envelope.

“What’s going on?” Alistair asked.

“You’ve been served.” The man handed Alistair the folded and quickly left. I turned to Meredith, as she looked more and more stressed.

“A lawsuit?” She asked.

“Class action.” Alistair replied, not turning around to look at us but reading the documents.

“From who?” Kostas asked.

Alistair turned around, with the paper in his hands. “Regina Church.” He replied, saying this name of his 50th ex.

Nudes leaked, Alistair being deposed, and a class action lawsuit. Truly, and mean truly, what the hell is going on today?

---

now we’re in the thick of it. sorry, but these two can’t simply have sex and go about their lives normally ;)

once again, thanks for 1,000 followers! luv you all! mwah! <3

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Alistair McClair

If it wasn’t for the janitor, I wouldn’t have known about the emergency meeting that Ronald called. But I was able to make it in and listen to what they had to say. And their conversation only fueled my anger, but also confirmed something I had been suspecting:

There was indeed a coup in my company.

After the board voted to oust me from my spot, that’s when I saw the TMZ article about Calvin. When I saw Calvin worried for me, I wanted nothing more than to hug him and hold his hand. However, the previous meeting had left me shell-shocked.

And the situation was made worse by the class action lawsuit, brought forth by 7 exes. According to the lawsuit, they’re all looking for compensation and emotional damage from dating me.

In my opinion, that’s an absurd reason to sue someone. But nowadays, you can sue anyone for anything.

In my office, we all met up as we began to discuss what we were going to do.

“First, we’ll need to tackle Calvin’s problem.” I said.

“No way!” Calvin retorted. “My pictures are already out there. It makes no point to focus on a problem that’s already happened. For now, we should focus on the fact that you’re about to lose the company you built.”

Meredith gave me a look. “He’s right, Alistair. Is there anything we can do?” She asked.

Kostas scanned through a book. “According to the bylaws, a change in CEO will be set in stone after the end of a fiscal quarter. And the end of the quarter is June 30, so 12 days from now.”

“Is there anything about kicking the board of directors in the balls…” Calvin muttered.

“For now, you and the next CEO will have to come to an agreement regarding the passing of the torch. I reckon that Ronald already has one prepared, considering how quickly he and others were able to do a vote.” Kostas went on to explain.

“This- This is good.” I said.

Everyone looked at me like I was insane.

“If I’m able to stall on the agreement, then the change won’t go into effect. Unless they’re able to get me deposed for another reason, such as harming the company’s reputation.” I explained.

“The nudes leak,” Calvin said. “My nudes being leaked could damage the reputation of you, and in turn, the company. Not to mention, the lawsuit happening now. Call me crazy, but this all seems coordinated.” He explained.

“There definitely seems to be some connection with them all.” I replied.

“Do you think Ronald, Regina, and Terry got together and concocted this plan to get back at you guys?” Meredith suggested.

Kostas firmly closed the bylaws books he was reading. “I wouldn’t put it past them. It would take a lot of effort, but not impossible for them to do such a thing. Who are the exes that are suing you?”

Meredith picked up the legal document. “Regina Church, 50th ex; Talia Hopkins, 81st ex; Janet Daniels, 65th ex; Krista Horton, 37th ex; Elisabeth Landry, 47th ex; Louisa Rogers, 30th ex; and Nellie Young, 70th ex.”

“I’ve met a few of them,” Calvin said. “They’ve shown themselves to me. I thought it was a coincidence that I met them, but now it seems that they must’ve been planning this for a while.”

“That’s insane. Devising such a plan to get back at your ex is such a jobless behavior. Makes sense coming from four influences who depend on sponsorships to put food on the table.” Kostas rolled his eyes and scoffed.

“Well, they’re suing me in the millions. So they could win and not have to work for the rest of their lives.” I remarked. No one laughed at my comment.

“Fuck! I didn’t have time to finish my lunch.” Calvin muttered.

“Let’s get lunch. Might as well take advantage of all of this mess and eat something.” I said. Kostas commanded some interns to go get us food.

Lunch arrived 30 minutes laters. I ate my food while I kept thinking about my possible future. Where do I go from here? I created this company and made it into the empire it is today.

The one thing I’m mainly worried about is my parents. My dad’s treatment is quite expensive, since it isn’t on the market. And my mom is getting older and more frail. What if I no longer am able to support them?

Even though, according to the bylaws, I would get a nice paycheck, it still wouldn’t feel financially responsible to use it all up without another source of income. I can’t start my own new company because the bylaws forbid creating a competition.

But I refused to be backed into a corner. I have some ideas in mind on how to combat everything. And, unfortunately, I can’t tell anyone about it. Not even Calvin. Because part of the plan requires their blissful ignorance.

Then there’s the lawsuit brought forward by my exes. One of the lawsuits is from my ex, Elisabeth Landry, who claims that one of her ideas was stolen and used by me. This basis comes from a pair of shoes that we sell that had a small stitching that she claims she designed.

“I have a question.” Calvin said. All of us stopped eating to allow him to continue. “Do you think the employees will accept the transition of power?”

“A lot of people are loyal to Alistair,” Meredith commented.

Kostas chugged his water and wiped his mouth. “Who knows, a few might quit because they refuse to work with anyone else. And if people found out the petty way Ronald got into power, they won’t stand for it. And for Ronald to this during Pride Month! Seems a little homophobic to me.”

“I would much rather my employees not risk their jobs over some office politics.” I said. Meredith and Kostas pouted.

“Why not? Besides, Ronald is probably going to clean house and rid of anyone close to you,” Kostas said. “And that includes me and Meredith.”

“In that case, I’ll make sure to write you two glowing recommendations and draft a list of some places with open positions. I’m sure I can pull a few strings and-”

“Hang on! So you’re just giving up?” Calvin loudly asked. “Alistair, this is the company you built! And you’re just going to let some random sextagenarian take control of your company without a fight!”

“Are you upset, Calvin?” I asked, both admired and slightly turned on by his fiery passion.

“Damn right I am! I care about you, and caring about you also means I care about your career! I say we tell everyone what’s going to happen and try to cause enough outrage that Ronald and his goons will think twice about their plan.”

Calvin took a moment to calm his heavy breathing. Meredith glanced at me and shrugged her shoulders. “It could work.” She said.

I turned on my computer and entered my email. I began writing an email, detailing the imminent change in power and who will be taking over. After I finished, I turned my desktop over and let them read it.

“I will send this email to everyone in the company. In a few minutes, the entire building, from department heads to the cooks and janitors, will know that I am to step down after being voted out.” I explained.

“Yes, that’s good! Let them know that you were forced out and it wasn’t by your own decision.” Kostas remarked.

“Send it. Then, let Rome burn.” Meredith said with a smirk on her face.

I turned my computer back around and sent the email blast. Kostas’ and Meredith’s phone rang quickly. I leaned back and let out a sigh.

“What now?” Calvin asked.

“We wait. And hope that the hundreds of workers here take our side.” Meredith replied.

“But what if Ronald has been bribing people? Or has been placing puppets in the company for a while?” Calvin asked. “Personally, a little talk with workers won’t hurt.”

“I can go and reconnaissance the floors. See how it’s looking in terms of alliances.” Kostas said. I nodded and allowed him to leave.

“Is there anything you need me to do?” Meredith asked.

“Send an email to current and future business partners, letting them know that there might be a change at McClair Enterprises. And could you also create a budget list for my parents? I need to know how much their cost of living is.” I told her.

Meredith nodded and let me know that she was going to do that, and then promptly left my office to a lower level.

“And me? I want to do something too!” Calvin said.

I scooted my chair back and patted my lap, since there wasn’t a chair nearby for him to sit at. Calvin sat on my lap, his face turning a light shade of red.

“Let me handle your issue, okay Cal?” I asked. He nodded.

“But I still want to do something.” He muttered. I placed my hand on his lap and brought it up towards his groin.

“You want to do something for me?” I asked, cupping his cock that was starting to get harder.

“Anything.” He stuttered. I began to place my lips on his neck and breathed into it.

“Go to my apartment and make us something to eat for dinner. Play with Luna, and just hang around there. Then later that night,” I leaned into his ear and began to grip his dick. “Clean yourself out. I’m going to be really stressed out.”

He shivered on my lap.

“Is that all?” He asked. I kissed his temple.

“Mhm. Let me deal with everything.” I said. “Go, I’ll be fine.” I said.

Calvin slowly got off my lap. He glanced at my lap, seeing that I was hard.

“Damn, if only I could take care of that.” He said, biting his lip.

“Unfortunately, work has been hectic. So I’m afraid we’ll have to put this off until later tonight.” I replied. Calvin rolled his eyes. “But you know what they say: The more you wait for it, the better it is when you get it.”

“Shut up,” Calvin said.

Calvin glanced around my office until his eyes landed on the painting behind me. The painting of the view from our first date that I bought during his art show.

“What are you going to do with that?” He asked.

“What do you think? I’m going to keep it with me until the day I die. And then, after my death, it’ll be placed in The Louvre or The Prado Museum. And then, many generations after us will be able to bear witness upon the beauty that was crafted from your very hands.”

He wiped a loose tear that had rolled down his face. He chuckled to himself and turned away from me.

“No way it’s that important to you.” Calvin muttered.

“It is. I’ll cherish this for the rest of my life. When I move out of my apartment, that very painting is coming with me wherever I go.”

Calvin kissed me on the forehead and patted my hair. He looked into my eyes with full admiration.

“I love you, Alistair.” He said.

“I love you too, Calvin. Now go. Luna must be waiting for someone to feed her.” I said. Calvin gave me a final kiss on my cheek before he left towards the door.

He opened the door and must have seen someone waiting there. Calvin then turned back to me.

“Uh, Alistair. Someone wants to talk to you. Do I let him in?” He asked.

“Who is it?” I asked back.

“Some guy named Paul. Says he’s the head of the IT department.” Calvin replied.

“Let him in.” I said. Calvin exited first, then Paul Ouellette entered the office.

The man wore a loose button up, and his glasses were perched on his nose. Paul was shaking, tightly clutching his laptop to his chest.

“Sit.” I said, signaling to the chair in front of me. He walked over slowly and sat on it.

“Mr. McClair,” He said.

“Paul. Is there something you need to tell me?” I asked.

He nodded his head. “It’s something crucial that you’re going to want to see.” He said.

He turned on his laptop and placed it on my desk. As he typed around, he then turned it around and showed me a few pictures.

I glanced up at him, and he gave me a knowing look. Seems to me that Paul knows some information about the recent events that have been plagued.

---

time for them to take action, bitches!

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Alistair McClair

Paul Ouellette, the IT’s department head, nervously looked at me as I glanced at him, after looking at the photos on his laptop.

“I’m going to be honest, Paul. I have no idea what I’m looking at.” I told him. Paul turned the laptop around and saw that he had shown me a screenshot of the Victoria’s Secret website.

A large blush came on his face. “Sorry,” He muttered. At first, I thought that it was for his wife. But then I remembered that Paul doesn’t have a wife. Either way, I’m not judging.

Paul typed away. I still remember when I hired him. It was when Kostas needed more help with the tech side of things. While Kostas prides himself on knowing about Google Suites, he still required some additional hands. Paul was a man looking for a better job, and came onto the scene.

“Here, I found it.” He then showed me a different screen shot.

As I read through, I noticed that it was a text conversation between several people. I scanned through a few more texts until I pieced together that the conversation was between Ronald, Regina, and Terry.

This proves Calvin’s theory: That these events are all connected in one way. And it seems that their main targets were to topple Calvin and I.

“I’m sorry I didn’t bring this to you sooner. I was watching their chats and knew I had to keep collecting enough evidence.” Paul said.

I let out a small huff through my nose. “Don’t be sorry, Paul. The fact that you brought this to me either way shows that you got the courage.” I said. “Though, I am curious as to why now.”

He glanced away quickly, until he leaned in. I leaned in too.

“I was threatened.” He whispered.

“Paul, this is my office. You don’t have to be afraid. But who threatened you?” I then asked.

“Francesca Farraway.” He said. I furrowed my eyebrows. “She’s Ronald Farraway’s niece. She told me that if I told you about this, that I would be fired without severance.”

“Wait. Ronald’s niece? When did she start working here?” I asked suddenly. Paul jumped and leaned back in his seat.

“She started a few months back. She was placed as project manager, even though me and the others didn’t believe she wasn’t qualified.” Paul sputtered out.

I glanced back at the screenshots. “I truly had no idea that Ronald was doing this, hiring his family for higher positions. Is this happening anywhere else?” I asked him.

“Yes. In the past few months, new workers have been hired in the IT, legal, merchandise, PR, shipping, and more departments. I did some research on them and found that they all had some form of connection to several members of the board. Whether they be family or friends, their jobs were far above their qualifications. We all thought you knew, but judging by your reaction, I’m sure you had no idea about the recent changes in the company.” Paul said.

I shook my head. “No, I didn’t. Seems to me like I wasn’t CC’d on those updates.” I replied.

“And with your announcement of departure, more mayhem has broken in the building. Even the lunch ladies have been expressing their disappointment and hope that it’s all just a joke.”

I stood up from my seat and looked out the window, down onto the streets of Seattle.

“Mr. McClair, are you okay?” He asked.

I turned my head around. “I’ll be fine. Could you send me a screenshot of those chats?” I asked him.

“Certainly.” He replied.

“And how did you come across these chats? Your expertise doesn’t make it look like you ran into them by accident.” I raised an eyebrow to him.

“A while back, Ronald Farraway came to my office regarding a bug issue. As I was fixing it, I came across his chats. Since it was his company laptop, I was legally allowed to install spyware and monitor his computer.”

“You say legally. So in any case, you won’t be charged with malicious intent?” I asked.

“No malicious intent. Ronald, and all employees at McClair Enterprises, signed a contract that allowed the IT department to check their company laptops and install anything for the sake of the company.”

I chuckled to myself. “You’ve outdone yourself, Paul. You not only managed to get the courage to stick up to those corporate greeds, but out-smart them using the very laws they used to try to get me off the board.” I said.

“Does this mean I’m going to get a raise?” He asked.

“Something like that.” I replied. “Unfortunately, I cannot tell you my plans as anyone risks them.”

“And what will I do?”

I returned to my seat. “You will go back to your office and pretend like nothing is happening. You will tell your department that things will be changing and not to worry. Hopefully, if they see you calm, it will spread to the rest.”

“I don’t understand? Are you just going to let them kick you out? You have the evidence that they orchestrated all of this for personal gain. You can take them to the cleaners for this. And even get revenge for Calvin. I checked the law. What Terry did is classified as revenge porn.”

“I admire your passion, Paul. But like I said, I cannot tell anyone my plan. For now, I will bide my time and find the right time to strike.”

There was a glint in Paul’s eyes, as if he caught something that I said. “So you are planning to do something?” He asked.

“Maybe. We mustn’t sit around all day. You need to get back quickly before people wonder where you are.” I said.

Paul closed his laptop and stood up, heading for the door. He opened it and was quickly gone. I chuckled to myself, thinking about the ridiculousness of it all.

Quickly, I called my lawyer regarding the lawsuit. He also received a copy and gave me a rundown of what my exes were suing me for.

Essentially, they wanted compensation for what the media called them when we broke up, even though I never talk to reporters about exes nor have I ever told the news to say anything. Another prong in their lawsuit was a share of revenue from certain merchandise they claim were their ideas.

Whether it be shoes or a condominium complex, they wanted their share of the pie. According to my lawyer, many of these will be easy to drop. But he’s mostly worried about the public’s reaction to knowing about the lawsuit.

Perhaps that’s why the lawsuit came out today. So that the board can have an even bigger reason to kick me out. Along with Calvin’s pictures, this will add to an even bigger reason to kick me out.

I sent my lawyer the screen shots that Paul had given me regarding the plot from those three. My lawyer was able to give me some advice and also draft up a counter-lawsuit against my ex. As for Calvin’s ex, the nature of his crime could land him in prison for a while.

I finished the rest of my work for the day. I did send an email to any clients, informing them that future projects may be delayed. They all seemed to understand.

The news also got wind of my announcement to step down. And the front entrance of my building has been crowded with reporters. Meredith sent a company-wide email that no one is to talk to any news stations or they risk suspension.

Thankfully, no one else bothered me with any work when the clock hit 5. And I returned to my apartment at the top, which I might have to move out of soon.

As soon as I entered, Luna walked towards me and began to rub herself on my legs. Calvin turned the corner and came to hug me.

“How was work?” He asked, kissing me on the cheek.

“It was alright,” I replied. “And you? You didn’t go back to work.”

He patted my back and brought me to the couch. He made me sit and began to rub my shoulder.

“Evelyn was fine with me leaving and insisted I take a few days off.”

“That’s good.” I replied. I let out a moan as he massaged my shoulders and delts, which have been aching all day.

“You’re very tender here,” He mentioned.

I glanced back to see Calvin smiling down at me. Sometimes, I struggle with which eye I should look at: His bright blue one or dark brown one. But I always just settle for the spot between his eyes so I could look at them both simultaneously.

“You hungry, big boy?” Calvin asked. I nodded.

“I could eat.” I said. He leaned down to peck my lips.

“Let me finish up dinner. You go get changed.” He patted my shoulder. I stood up and rolled my shoulders backwards, feeling a bit of that tension go away.

After changing out of my clothes, I leaned against the island in the kitchen and watched Calvin. He was facing away from me and was humming a tune and shaking his hips. It was a view that I once heard my dad say that he liked to see from my mom.

I walked up behind him and hugged him, placing my head on his shoulder to look down at what he was cooking.

“Wanna taste?” He asked. I nodded, he brought up a spoon full of sauce and let me taste it.

“Mm, delicious.” I said.

“I’m trying a new recipe.” He said, continuing to cook.

I just watched him cook and felt his warmth against my body. This is something that I want to get used to.

“By the way, those nudes,” He started. “You haven’t happened to…”

“I have not nor will I ever see them.” I said. “Those pictures were posted in direct violation to your privacy.” I was quick to say. It’s true that I never saw those photos. I only saw a thumbnail from a news article, but instead of clicking on it, I made sure my lawyer sent them a cease and desist.

“I won’t stop you if you want to look at them.” Calvin replied.

“Why would I need to? I have the real thing in my hands.” I said, squeezing Calvin’s hips and rubbing my hands underneath his shirt.

“Wait until after dinner, Alistair. You know, I’m still healing from our first time.”

I kissed his temple. “Was I that fierce?” I asked.

He turned and kissed me back. “No, you were quite passive. It might have to do with me riding you until we reached the sunset.” He said with a snicker.

“Since we’ve had sex, I’ve had this inkling feeling of wanting to try several things.”

“We’ll start off slow and continue vanilla. When you’re more comfortable, then we can bring in some more fun things.”

“Like what?” I asked.

“I can’t tell you what I want to try, because then it’ll put a bias on you. I’ll allow you to do research and figure out some things you’d like to try. Now go set the table, dinner is almost ready.” He said.

I rolled my eyes but left to get the table set.

“Bondage would be nice to try.” I mentioned.

“We can try that one day.” He turned off the stove.

Calvin served food for the both of us. He placed a napkin on his lap, then I did too. Luna had her food in front of her and she began to eat. Then, we began to eat too.

---

:) thanks for the continuous support. seeing your comments continues to motivate me. hugs and kisses

Chapter Forty

Calvin Fischer

For the next four days, Alistair acted like nothing wrong was happening. He would wake up, shower, eat, and go down to his office. It was strange. Since I was living with him during my days off, I was able to get a better look at Alistair’s routine.

One of Alistair’s vital parts of his routine is his night routine. Strangely, he claims that it’s a way for him to destress at night. This would explain his sudden calmness right before going to bed and how easy it was for him to sleep.

Another is the gym. Four times out of the week, he’ll go to the gym for over an hour and then take a quick shower. And I honestly am not complaining. Personally, I’ll sit on a nearby bench and either join him or watch him. There’s just something about an attractive man grunting loudly while sweat runs down his face.

While Alistair was at work, Meredith stopped by because she wanted to talk to me about something.

“Have you noticed anything off about Alistair?” She asked.

“He’s been completely normal for the past few days,” I replied.

“Exactly. That in itself is strange. The man is about to be removed from his company but has not reacted.” She said.

“I thought you would know, seeing as how you’re his assistant and all.”

She let out a small laugh. “Truthfully, I don’t know everything about him. But as his boyfriend, I thought you might know.” She answered back.

I said, “I guess none of us know. He most likely has a plan. But I’m worried because, whatever his plan is, he’s obviously not executing it.”

“We know how Alistair is. My guess is he’s waiting for the right moment to strike.”

“And what are the board members doing?” I asked. “How is the gaggle of Judases and Brutuses?”

Meredith let out a frustrated sigh. “They’ve been parading around the building and have even begun trying to implement new policies.”

“Such as?” I asked.

“Ronald has already begun outlining a new policy for vacations. A thing people like about the current standing about vacation days is they get three weeks. And if you don’t use them by the end of the year, you can cash them out. But Ronald is going to decrease it to one week and remove the cash-out option.”

“Surely people won’t stand for this? I mean, one thing workers never stand for is interfering with their vacation days.” I said.

“And you’d be right. The backlash has been severe. And Alistair has caught wind of it. All he told them was that he’ll work his hardest to make sure that not much changes. But from what I’m seeing, everything will change.” Meredith explained.

I looked down at the table mats and stared into my cup of tea. “I have hope that Alistair is going to fix this. He’s the type to have an ace up his sleeve.”

“Whatever that ace is, he should really play it now before the end of the month. Because I’m frankly getting frustrated. So many of his clients have been calling, worried that their deals will be sifted out.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Ronald has a… certain way of wanting to run the company. Part of this is pulling out of deals with some clients who don’t meet his ‘standard.’”

“He’ll run this company into the ground if he even thinks of doing that. The company will bleed money.” I said.

Meredith seemed to agree and nodded her head. “Then there’s the lawsuit against Alistair.”

I asked, “What’s the status of that?”

“It’s moving forward. We managed to get one of them to drop her case, letting her know that it would just be a waste of her time and money. The rest are hellbent on getting their so-called justice.”

“There’s a bit of hope,” I said, though I wasn’t sure of that myself.

“Maybe. As for you, Alistair did ask me to send a file to the SPD. I didn’t open it, because that’s one of Alistair’s pet peeves. But it seems that it might be evidence to prove that Terry used your pictures for revenge purposes.”

“So Terry will be charged with something.” I muttered.

“Exactly. You could sue him if you want, for emotional distress.” She mentioned.

“I’ll need time to think about it. Part of me just wants Terry to be gone, and if I sue him, I’ll have to see him for at least a few more months.”

“I understand.” Meredith said. “Well, I should be heading out. There is still chaos on Mount Olympus that needs taking care of.”

“I’ll escort you out.” I said. The two of us stood up and walked towards the front door.

Meredith turned and hugged me. “So long as we stay positive, I’m sure that will rub off onto Alistair. You two need the support.”

“I’ll be fine, I’m mostly here for Alistair.” I replied. She pulled away and smiled at me.

“You really are the match for him.” She said. Her phone began ringing and she answered it. “Hello? Oliver Richards! I’ll let him know,” She gave me a goodbye before leaving for the elevator and returning down.

I spent a few more hours with Luna. I watched a short movie and cleaned up the apartment a bit and began to look into what I wanted to cook for Alistair until my thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.

When I checked the doorbell’s camera, I saw Ronald Farraway standing on the end with a punchable grin on his face.

“Open up!” He said. I refused until he pulled out a piece of paper. “This says that I am allowed to enter this place, seeing as how this is going to be my building soon.”

I looked at the legal document and tried to read the words but they were too small. After a few minutes of refusal, a security guard came from behind Ronald and opened the door. I stepped back as the door opened and Ronald stormed into the apartment.

“You can’t be here!” I protested. I ran to Luna and picked her up in my arms. She hissed at Ronald.

“I can, actually. Since this is going to be my new home in a few days.” Ronald said. He scanned the room and pulled out a measuring tape. “This’ll be a good spot to place my painting.” He said, pointing to the mural I made of Luna.“And I can put my watch collection here,” He pointed to where Alistair keeps his collection of rare pens.

“Stay back, Luna. Remember what Alistair said? You’re allergic to stupidity.” I quickly ran to the nearest room and placed Luna there. When I returned to the living room, Alistair was at the front door, panting.

“Ah, Alistair. Glad you could join us!” Ronald said. Alistair glared at Ronald. This was the first time I’ve ever seen him angry. It scared me a bit as he walked over to Ronald, eyes shooting daggers.

“I’ve been patient with you, Ronald. But you now enter here and disturb the two most important things in my life.” He sneered. Ronald took a step back, his expression showing fright.

The two were in a staring contest. Ronald pulled out the legal document but Alistair snatched it from his hands and tore it into pieces.

“I don’t give a damn about some documents! Until June 30, this is my home. So I’d suggest you leave before I call the actual police to escort you out. And trust me, by the time they get here, they’ll have to call an ambulance too.” Alistair said in a deep voice. His heavy breathing and glaring eyes made Ronald cower back.

Ronald turned to me. “You heard him.” I said. Ronald got his security guard and the two quickly exited the apartment. As soon as the door closed, Alistair walked over to me and embraced me into a tight hug.

“He didn’t hurt you, right?” He asked.

“No. Just got scared for a moment.” I replied.

“Any pain you go through, I will also suffer through it too.” He said. He pulled away and kissed me on the lips. “Now, where’s Luna?”

I opened the door and Luna quickly ran out and walked to Alistair. She rubbed herself on his legs and purred loudly.

“Despite Ronald’s claims, know that this is still my place of residency. And this isn’t his building. I still have a contract with the renters. And the moment I pull out the contract, Ronald will either have to create his own or move to a new building.”

I nodded and sat on a nearby chair.

“How did you know to come here quickly?” I asked.

“I got notifications when someone is at the door. When I saw Ronald, I stopped what I was doing and came here quickly.”

Alistair sat down while I offered to clean the mess of papers on the floor. I began to wonder where Alistair was going to live now that this place will no longer be under his ownership. Would he stay in the city or move to his parents and look after them?

“I called my mom earlier.” Alistair said. I sat next to him on the couch.

“What did you two talk about?” I asked.

“She was worried about me.” He replied, sounding very vague.

“She is your mother. Of course she’s going to be worried. With everything going on, I’m surprised she hasn’t come here herself.” I replied.

“She wanted to. But I told her that we’ll be fine.” Alistair said.

I said, “Seriously, what is your plan? Because all you’ve been saying is that you have a plan. But no one knows it. Are you sure there is an actual plan?”

Alistair chuckled. “I thought you trusted me, Calvin.”

“I do!” I quickly said. “I trust you! I guess I’m just worried that you’ll lose what you’ve worked hard for.”

“Part of the plan is to wait until the 30th of June. By stalling, it’ll drive Ronald mad since he desperately wants to take over. Thus, he’ll become desperate.”

“Then you’ll come in and make a deal that will backfire on him?” I asked.

“Precisely.” He said.

“And what if the board just decides to overrule your decision?” I then asked.

“Just wait and see. I’ll show you the end results.” He patted my knee. “Why don’t I help you cook tonight? You’ve been cooking for the past few days and I want to help.”

“Do you know how to prepare artichoke?” I asked him.

“Oh, that’s one thing I cannot do. Sorry,” Alistair said.

“No worries. Everyday is a new day to learn something new. You can at least cut the tomatoes.” I stood up and grabbed his hand.

Alistair stood up and followed me into the kitchen. I gave him an apron to wear and handed him the knife.

“Hold it like this and–”

“I know how to use a knife, Calvin.” He told me.

I rolled my eyes and threw him four tomatoes, which he almost dropped one. He proceeded to cut the tomatoes while I began on the other ingredients.

As someone who likes to cook, I have this pet peeve of not allowing other people in the kitchen. Mainly because I know what I’m doing, and other people will just get in my way which just frustrates me.

But Alistair and I were like a well-oiled machine. The two of us moved in synchronization, almost like we rehearsed this.

And in the end, we both made a perfect dish that was just as good as it looked. Overall, I hope the two of us will do more cooking sessions in the future.

---

you’re

almost done with this story!

Chapter Forty-One

Calvin Fischer

It was June 29, less than 48 hours until the board finalizes their plans to depose Alistair McClair from the company he created. And instead of being at the company, trying to at least wrap up a few loose ends, we were at Alistair’s parent’s house.

I had brought Wuthering Heights, the one that Alistair got me, so I could read it with Russel McClair. Meanwhile, Alistair would be downstairs talking to mom and helping her.

So, me being alone with Russel would of course lead to him asking questions. And luckily, Alistair predicted this and conditioned me on how to properly respond.

“Calvin, are you a painter?” Russel asked me after I had finished reading a chapter.

“I am. It’s my profession,” I replied.

He chuckled to himself and leaned back onto the headboard. “You know, my mom used to collect art works. But they were those contemporary works, like the white canvases and broken pieces of glass. She always implied that they had meaning, but I doubt that.”

“I don’t particularly do contemporary art works,” I said. I pulled out my phone and showed Russel some of the drawings I do. “These are the ones I do.”

Russel looked at my painting on my phone. He looked at them closely and would sometimes place his finger on the screen to stop and get a closer look.

“You certainly have talent, Mr. Fischer. I could see why Alistair wants to be with you forever.” Russel said.

“I’m not sure about forever,” I said, hiding my blush by looking away.

“Oh, because every time Alistair calls to check up on me, he always talks about how he sees himself settling down with you.” Russel said matter-of-factly. I stared at him in bewilderment, not understanding how he could just say something so blatant.

“He just might be eager,” I muttered. Russel turned to me and placed his hand on my palm.

“I’m not so sure, Calvin. Alistair is my close friend. And I know that he doesn’t play around when it comes to his emotions.”

There was a knock on the door. Alistair entered and was holding a bowl in his hands.

“Everything okay here?” Alistair asked.

“Ev’rything’s cool, man. Was just talking to Calvin here about the book he was reading me.” Russel replied.

“Great. It’s lunch time, Russel. Jocelyn made alphabet soup.” Alistair walked over and placed the bowl of soup on the small table. He slid it over so it reached across Russel’s lap.

“God, that woman can make such an amazing meal.” Russel was quick to dive into his soup, not caring that it was hot.

“I’ll leave you to it,” I said, closing my book and standing up. “Until next time, Russel.”

“And you too, Calvin. Bring that book next time.” He replied. I walked to Alistair and we both exited the room, walking through the hallway.

Lunch was served in the den. I sat in my seat and was served a bowl of alphabet soup. Alistair sat at the table and placed a napkin on his lap. I watched as his mother did the exact same thing. I guess I know where he gets it from.

“Did you hear about Eli?” Alistair’s mom asked. “Eli Northam. Your classmate from high school. He’s starting a high school reunion and he sent you an invite.”

Alistair didn’t mind this and didn’t look up from his bowl. “Tell them no.” He replied.

“You said that for your last reunion. Just attend for a few minutes and you can leave.” His mom said.

“I’d rather not. It’s better I don’t attend.” Alistair said. His mom glanced at me. I’m guessing she wants me to try and talk him into it.

“Why not, Alistair?” I said. He glanced at me. “You could just go for a few minutes. Just say hi and brag.” I said, not mentioning the fact that he might lose his company in two days.

Alistair sighed loudly. “Fine. I’ll go. But I won’t be showing off my riches. I have something better to show.” He winked at me. I giggled and looked down at my bowl.

I glanced up, not lifting my head, and saw Alistiar’s mom nodding at me.

“Why doesn’t Russel eat with us?” I asked.

“Remember when I told you that my dad was a construction worker? Well, after he got diagnosed, he also had other problems. One day, while at work, he fell and broke his back.” Alistair explained.

“So he’s bed ridden?” I asked.

“He sometimes gets to walk around, with the help of me or the nurse that comes by.” Jocelyn replied.

“Russel mentioned something about his parents. I don’t want to be too pushy, but does Alistair have grandparents?” I then asked. Alistair glanced at his mom, as if he was asking her if she was going to tell me.

“They never supported our relationship.” Jocelyn replied. “I got pregnant before getting married. They wanted the both of us to settle down quickly and raise a family. My parents especially wanted me to drop out of college and settle as a housewife.”

“And you guys didn’t,” I said.

She nodded. “I wanted to continue my studies, and Russel backed me. And since they didn’t want to be associated with us and didn’t want to be associated with a child born out of wedlock, they disowned us. And we struggled for a while, as Russel worked construction to pay the bills while I stayed home pregnant.

“I gave birth, got a nursing job that paid fairly in Seattle, and moved here. I’m sure Alistair has told you about his life growing up, as I went to work at night and Russel worked in the day. It was tough, but seeing Alistair’s happy face and getting to kiss my Russ is what kept me going,”

Alistair rubbed his mom’s back as she grabbed a napkin to wipe a few tears that had fallen down her face.

Lunch finished. I helped clean up while Alistair left to get Russel’s dirty dishes. I was looking out of the window towards the beach, imagining what it would be like to get in the water when summer comes.

“Careful, Calvin. You don’t want to drown the dishes now.” Jocelyn said. I glanced down and turned off the sink.

“Sorry,” I replied. “I was just thinking about how fun it would be to go to the beach when it gets hotter.”

“It’s one of the best times. Alistair just loves going into the water. When he was little, we never had time to go to the beach, so he loves it even more as an adult.”

Jocelyn began to dry the dishes. I looked at a small framed photo hanging on the window sill, him and his parents sitting at the den and smiling into the camera. Alistair looks almost the same as he does now, meaning it was taken not long ago.

“Uh, Jocelyn.” I said. She turned to me. “I’m sure you know about the current issues that are going on at his company, right?” I asked. I hoped she did know, otherwise I would’ve just told her something she didn’t know.

“I do. He was voted out by the board. He told me all about it.” She replied.

“And are you worried?”

“Hm,” She sighed happily. “We both know Alistair. And he will handle all of this.” She said. I was going to let her know of my concerns.

But this is his mother, the woman that raised Alistair. And if she says that he’s going to handle this, then I guess I can breathe a sigh of relief, for the moment.

A few hours later, Alistair left for the store while I stayed back and rested. He returned from shopping, placing several bags of groceries onto the counter. He tossed me a bottle of kombucha that he found and bought for me.

“Cal, my love,” Alistair said. I jumped for a moment because of the word– love– he called me. It’s a small gesture.

“Yes,” I said. “Anything you need?”

“Nothing. I just wanted to call you ‘my love.’ Honestly, rolls off the tongue perfectly.” He said, leaning down and kissing me on the cheek.

After a few more hours, it was time for us to leave the cottage by the seaside and return to the hectic place we call Seattle. I had forgotten for a while about the trouble that was awaiting our return.

Meredith called Alistair, and he picked up the call. “Yes, Meredith?”

“Are you on your way back?” She asked.

“Almost there. How are things in the building? Was everyone on their best behavior?” He asked. I snickered at his words.

“For the most part. Though, everyone could see Ronald getting antsy in his pantsy.”

“I assume it’s because I haven’t signed his deal.” Alistair mentioned.

“Pretty sure it is. He and Kostas got into an argument after Ronald told him that he was going to fire him as soon as the clock struck 12. So, yeah, overall, it was a good day.” Meredith said. She gave a final rundown of all things before hanging up.

“Hah, this is capitalist life in corporate America, Calvin. This is what the founding fathers wanted of us.” Alistair said.

“Cheer up, big guy.” I placed my hand on his lap. “How about we do something tonight? Tomorrow is my last day before I go back to work.”

He kept driving, not turning away from the road. But his eyes did a side glance at me, and his lips curled into a smirk.

“What do you have planned for me?” He asked.

“A few things. But first, we’ll need to cook dinner.” I said as my hand trialed towards his crotch. Alistair shivered under my touch as I moved my fingers along his length, tracing it.

“Cal…” He muttered. The veins on his hands bulged as he gripped the steering wheel tightly.

“Anyways,” I pulled my hand away swiftly. “What are you thinking of for dinner tonight? Stuffed bell peppers or quinoa?”

Alistair had a sad look on his face. “Seriously? You get me this riled up and just pretend like nothing happened? Meanie.” He muttered.

I laughed loudly. I watched as Alistair pulled into the parking lot of his building. He parked his car in his reserved spot and got out of the car. As he exited the car, I patiently waited for him to open my door, a gesture he always does.

But when nothing happened, I turned and saw Alistair leaning against the wall with a pout on his face. I looked down to his pants and saw that he was still hard. Probably upset at me teasing him.

“Oh, come on!” I opened the door and walked over to him. “Look, I’ll make it up to you later tonight.” I said.

He smiled at this and then grabbed my hand. “Perfect.” He began to drag me towards the elevator.

“Were you actually angry or just trying to get me to give in?” I asked. He winked at me.

“I am a businessman, afterall. It’s in my nature to find a way to get what I want.”

I rolled my eyes and got into the elevator first. He joined me and held my hand as we went up the floors. We stopped on one of the floors as both Meredith and Kostas joined us.

“So, what are we having for dinner?” Kostas eagerly asked.

“Uh,” I muttered.

“Who invited you?” Alistair asked.

“I did. We’re both starving and we’d appreciate it if we could be fed for the first time in three days.” Kostas said, trying to bear puppy eyes.

“Why not?” I glanced at Alistair.

“But–” He tried saying.

“Don’t worry.” I then turned to Meredith and Kostas. “Look, you two are just going to eat, then go home. Alistair and I have special plans for tonight, if you know what I mean.” I said to them.

Kostas nodded while Meredith’s face turned red.

“Can I watch?” Kostas said. Meredith lightly smacked him on the back of the head.

The elevator doors opened and we entered Alistair’s apartment. Luna was quick to run to Alistair and began to rub herself onto his leg, letting out purrs. I went to the room to get changed and then came back to the kitchen to get dinner ready.

As I was cooking dinner, I took a glance at the fridge’s screen and saw the date read ‘June 29.’ It won’t be long until D-Day, when hopefully nothing will change.

---

everytime i get a notification from one of my old stories, a part of me dies…

Chapter Forty-Two

Alistair McClair

“Hello?”

I said, “Good morning, Malik Waters. I trust that my case is going through smoothly.”

“It’s going great,” He replied. “Don’t forget, I have a great track record when it comes to winning cases.”

“I know. I heard about your defense at the Capitol. But this isn’t some espionage case, I’ve just got some jealous exes.” I said. It wasn’t difficult to get one of the best lawyers for my case. And my legal department has been working with Mr. Waters to draft some proposals.

“And thus you called me,” I could hear the smugness in his voice. “Don’t worry, Alistair McClair. I’ll get your exes in a row. You, on the other hand, should focus on the Roman senate who just stabbed their Julius in the back.”

“Don’t you worry,” I said, hanging up the phone. I checked the time, it read 10:37. “Meredith!” I called my assistant. She entered the office quickly.

“Something wrong?” She asked.

“This clock, it’s strange. Order me a new one. Maybe one of these old looking Victorian clocks, like Mr. Peter Endicot had in his office at London.” I told her. She gave me a weird glance, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

“Uh, do you want me to send it to your parent’s house or…”

“Are you joking, send it to the office.” I said. Meredith stuttered something but typed it on her tablet.

“Is that all?” She asked. I called over, commanding her to sit on a chair. I then turned my computer over to show her something.

“You think this house is big enough?” I asked her. She glanced at the screen, looking at the house listing that I clicked on.

“Are you going to buy a house?”

“Yes, I am.” I replied. “I realized that, while the apartment is great and all, I need a place to go on the weekends that isn’t in the city. A more quiet and remote area so I could actually live and not feel like an employee 24/7.”

Meredith squinted her eyes and leaned closer to the screen. I handed her the mouse and she began to click on the different pictures.

“There’s a pond.” She mentioned.

“Calvin liked the pond in Chamberlain’s house. It would be nice for him to have one he could see.”

Her face became red. “So, you’re saying that Calvin has some sort of input in your new home?”

I turned the computer back around and looked at the large home I was interested in getting.

“He does. Calvin mentioned a while back that he gets motion sickness from constantly living up here. Getting this house will make him more comfortable when he’s with me.” I looked at her, Meredith having a large smile on her face.

“I think it’s beautiful,” She said.

“The house or the gesture?”

“Ronald wants to talk to you right now.” Meredith said, ignoring my question. I huffed but agreed to see him.

Ronald Farraway walked into my office, looking around and probably wondering what he was going to do to this place. Knowing his taste, he would install a tiger rug on the floor, the head facing the front door as if it was going to attack newcomers.

“Ronald,” I feigned glee to see him. “What can I help you with?”

Ronald sat on the chair next to Meredith. He pulled out a packet of papers and handed it to me.

“Could you please sign this?” Ronald asked with his teeth gritted. “I’m sure you know today is the last day.”

I grabbed the document and scanned it over. There were some points that didn’t appeal to me, such as ‘Forfeit of future inputs in company post-departure.’ Ronald sat in his seat, expecting to see what I would say.

“No, thank you.” I tossed him the contract. He caught it in his hands and stuttered.

“You have less than six hours before the time is up! Do you want to step down with nothing? Not even a huge payout and severance? Are you an idiot?” Ronald angrily spat.

It truly is a sight to see such an old man yelling at a person half his age who completed more in life. This is the problem with today’s society. These old people don’t know when their time is up. And it isn’t until the final call of their death, when the rest are left to fix what had been broken by them.

“I am shocked, Ronald. That you would think so low of me. Afterall, it is my company that you are stealing from. The only thing you have is your limited pockets and limited friends.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Ronald asked.

“Nothing if you can’t understand it.” I replied. “Go. I’m still CEO for another six hours. I trust that you won’t make a fuss.”

Ronald angrily got up from his seat and left my office in a fury of anger. I could even hear his footsteps as he stomped into the elevator.

There was a notification from my phone. “Meredith, can you go downstairs and pick up a package for me?” I asked her.

Meredith did as she was told and returned a few minutes later with a parcel in her hands. She placed it on my desk and watched as I opened it.

“A pen?” She asked. I scanned the blue pen that had been crafted from opal and fitted neatly onto the casing.

“Yes.” I replied. I opened my drawer for pens and placed the blue opal fountain pen among its other companions. “There, now I have all of them.” Meredith walked over and glanced down at my collection that I had accumulated over the years.

“Uh, Alistair?” She asked. I saw her showing me her phone.

“Yes, I know.” I said. “I need to find a better place for my pens.”

“Whatever,” She muttered. “It’s almost time for lunch.” She said. It was indeed almost time for lunch. I got some interns to pick us some food and bring it to me. I then called Kostas over to join us for lunch.

I ate my food calmly, not too worried about anything. Eventually, Kostas asked me if I was okay.

“Yeah, it’s all good.” I said.

Kostas seemed unfazed, probably coming to the conclusion that I am going to fix this.

The clock struck 4:00. I printed out a copy of the contract that I hadn’t rejected from Ronald. And I grabbed my new pen and began to write my new additions.

At 4:15, I sent a blast message to 9 other people, instructing them to meet me at a certain time. Meredith and Kostas were among these 9, and both were confused but didn’t question my decision.

At 4:30, I called Ronald on the phone. “I’m ready. I signed the copy you sent on the 25th, since that seems to be the one I liked the most.” I blatantly said.

Ronald must’ve been caught off guard because he choked on whatever he was eating.

“Then shall we set up an emergency meeting?” He asked, a hint of mischievousness in his voice.

“Sure, why not?” I said and hung up the call.

Then, I stood up and locked my office, contract in hand. “Meredith, let’s go.” I said. She turned off her computer and followed me as I entered the elevator and descended down to the board of directors room.

Everyone was inside, prepared. But I did notice the food trays on the side that were partially eaten. They must’ve been celebrating early.

Ronald sat in my seat, facing opposite to where I was.

“So, you’ve agreed to sign?” He said, smirking at me.

“Yes,” I replied. “But I added some new provisions on the last page of the document. Just some extra things that I wanted to add, if you don’t mind.”

I kept my face calm so as to not give away any signs of underlying conspiracies.

“You want an additional severance for your cat?” He asked.

I nodded. “Yes, my Luna has quite the taste. Going to a civilian lifestyle is not in her nature. She was raised first by a Grammy award winning singer and NFL quarterback star. And now she lives with me.” I replied.

“And you also want the ability to keep your assistant and staff director.”

“Yes.” I said. “Meredith Chester and Kostas Nicolatis are close companions of mine, in and out of work.”

“Fine, it’s not like I was going to keep them anyways.” Ronald said. “Lastly, you want the name of McClair Enterprises to remain the same for three fiscal quarters? I don’t know about that.”

“I think keeping the name ‘McClair Enterprises’ for the next few months will help clients and partners to slowly get used to the new changes. Then you can change it to whatever you want.”

Ronald looked at the contract, then at me.

“Suit yourself, then. I guess you won’t use your… nevermind. I guess we have a deal.” Ronald said.

He was quick to sign the document with his pen. He then slid the document over to me through the long table. I stared at the paper before looking back at Ronald. Everyone’s eyes were on me. I could see their fingers twitching in anticipation.

“Before I sign, do you agree with all my additions?” I asked him for clarification. I briefly glanced at the cameras in the room. Luckily, a few years ago, Ronald decided he wanted to not only place cameras in the board room, but also microphones.

“Yes, yes. Just sign. It’s getting late.” Ronald impatiently urged me. I used my opal pen and signed my name on the document.

“There.” I said. Smiles etched on everyone’s faces after I dropped my pen.

“It was a pleasure working with you, Alistair. Now, it’s time for someone else to rule. I expect your office to be cleaned out. I’ll be nice and give you an additional day to clear out your house.” Ronald said.

“Après moi, le déluge.” I said to them and scoffed at them, walking out the boardroom. Right on time, everyone that I had called was there, waiting for me. But I did a quick roll call.

“Attendance! Raise your hand when called! Meredith Chester, assistant.” Meredith raised her hand. “Kostas Nicolatis, chief staff director.” He raised his hand. I then called other names. “Paul Ouellette, chief digital officer. Gianni Godsell, financial director. Holmes Esherwood, chief marketing officer. Jeremiah Veltman, chief information officer.”

All nine people that I called were present. There were looks of confusion among the crowd, most likely wondering why their now ex-CEO called them over to this floor a few minutes before the end of the day.

“Meredith, you said you wanted a raise, right?” I asked. She squinted her eyes at me. “Follow me.” I said, walking and leading us into the boardroom again. The board of directors were celebrating and didn’t notice us walk in.

I watched them pour champagne and talk with one another. It was Ronald who pointed me out and they all stopped their festivities.

“Is something wrong?” He asked.

I walked back to the contract that was still in the same spot I had left it.

“I’m here to execute one of the prongs.” I mentioned and lifted the contract. “As of today, all these nine individuals behind me are now part of the board of directors.” I announced.

The current directors all glanced at one another. Ronald’s face became red as he stomped over to me with anger.

“I beg your pardon? There was nothing in the contract that ever stated that! Are you playing a final joke on me?”

I could only chuckle. I called Meredith over to hold up the contract for me. Then, I pulled out my blue opal pen.

“Actually, there is.” I then pressed a button on my pen and highlighted a part under my normal additions. While I did write some additions that were read out loud, I also added some sneaky ones under it in invisible ink. And the light from my pen showed that.

“What?! That’s– You aren’t allowed to do that! This is illegal!” Ronald shouted.

“It’s not, actually. According to bylaws, written by you, invisible ink is permissible in documents.”

“Bastard! How dare you go behind my back like that!” Ronald became enraged.

“Funny, coming from you.” I said to him. “It is he who is at fault for being fooled in the first place. Did you really think I was just going to let you steal the company I worked hard for and step down without a fight?” I asked him.

“I– I–” Ronald kept stuttering.

“I did ask you, afterall, if you agreed to all my additions. Well, you confirmed it on camera and on paper. And now, my addition of 9 members will trump your current 8 staff, since there is a new spot and you are no longer allowed to vote.” I said.

I signaled to my people to sit at the table.

Meredith must’ve picked up on my plan, because she was the first to say, “Could we have a meeting right now?”

I glanced at Ronald. “You heard her. Once a board member calls a meeting, all are forced to attend.” I patted his back and pushed him forward.

Ronald walked over to the CEO chair and sat in it, glancing down at the table and shaking. Meredith stood up and patted her dress.

“I’d like to bring a vote of no-condifence on Ronald Farraway and dismissing him from his current position.” She said the standard textbook speech. “All those in agreement?” She said.

She, Kostas, and the other seven of my additions raised their hands. When the question asked for those who oppose, eight raised their hands, since Ronald is no longer allowed to vote.

It was a vote of more than half. And thus, in a few minutes, Ronald had gone from senior director, to CEO, to fired. And this was followed by the other directors who had stabbed me in the back. One by one, they fell under their own weight while I watched them burn for my own warmth.

“Don’t be so down, Ronald. This is just corporate America.” I said. Ronald didn’t move from his spot, just looked down his lap just like the other directors who had just been ousted.

“And now,” Meredith said. “I’d like to bring a motion to reinstate Alistair McClair as CEO. All those in agreement?” She asked.

Nine raised their hands, all in agreement. And thus, I was now in charge of my job. I walked to the head of the table.

“Excuse me, Ronald. You’re in my seat.” I told him. He glanced up at me and slowly got off the seat. I then took my spot and leaned back, smelling in the air.

“Welcome back, Alistair.” Kostas said.

“It’s good to be back.” I said. I tapped on the microphone. “Security, please come in here to escort some people out. We need to have a private matter only for board members.” I said.

As the doors opened, I watched everyone that had been fired get escorted out. Ronald gave me a solemn look, but I just winked and watched the door close on his face. Now we can celebrate, knowing that authority had been restored to its rightful owner.

---

four chapters left homies

Chapter Forty-Three

Calvin Fischer

I celebrated with Alistair for quite a long time. It’s not everyday that someone managed to avoid losing their fortune in such an outrageous way. I did have my doubts, considering the fact that Alistair hadn’t taken action for the longest time.

However, from what Meredith would later explain to me, his plan needed stalling. Alistair needed a few more things to collect, but also needed Ronald to feel on edge and eventually sigh in relief when Alistair gave in.

That is how he was able to deal such a hard blow and so quickly. By formulating a plan based on time, he was able to do what the council did to him, which was to strike quickly and deadly.

Alistair kept the information about his case against his ex on the low. He claimed that I needed to focus on my problem with my ex. Even though he said that our own problems with a combined factor, he didn’t want to bore me with the legal talk that would most likely make me tired.

I had to make a statement regarding my ex. When I saw the evidence against him, I saw that it was all orchestrated by Ronald, Regina, and Terry. This confirmed my theory I had a while back: This whole ordeal was connected.

While I waited for the results of Terry, who tried to get me to forgive him, I waited for the upcoming trial regarding Alistair’s exes. He already managed to get one of the exes to drop her case. But there were still more.

He had asked me to come to the trial for moral support. I sat at the front of the audience and watched the lengthy trial go on.

Alistair was right: This is making me bored. But the exes gave their testimonies. I tuned most of them out. They all had sob stories about how they were financially taken advantage of.

The one that I actually heard was Regina’s. She claimed that after her breakup with Alistair, her sales from her clothing brand dipped 3%. She also claimed that during her relationship, she had designed a few items that were then used for Alistair’s own clothing line.

I think the most entertaining part was Alistair’s lawyer showing the courtroom a drawing book that Regina had left after their breakup. In the drawing book, which contained a few items that she designed, were the ones that Regina claimed were stolen.

However, the designs were far off from how Alistair made his own. It was like watching someone say that a banana stole its design from an apple, it was incredible. Not to mention, that fact that this whole thing was a part of an elaborate scheme to cause the downfall of Alistair did not help either of their cases.

So, it was no surprise when the jury returned with a verdict that the exes were not entitled to compensation. While I knew that Alistair would be cleared, it was just nice to hear it out loud.

As for Terry Ghering, he was eventually charged with exposing my pictures. I was given the chance to see him, but I refused to allow him to see my face one final time before he was sent away.

I wanted him to forever wonder what my reaction was to him trying to destroy me.

One Saturday, Alistair picked me up from my apartment and handed me a blindfold.

“Shouldn’t you be handing me this in the bedroom?” I asked him.

Alistair rolled his eyes but let out a chuckle. “It’s not something sexual. Just put it on, and don’t remove it for any reason.”

Without fighting, I simply put on the blindfold and just let him drive me to wherever he wanted me to. I can trust that he won’t drive me to the woods and try to hunt me down.

He drove for what I could imagine was 30 minutes. I know because I was singing All Too Well 10-Minute Version three times in my head. Not the best way to remember time, but it was effective.

When the car came to a stop, I waited for Alistair to open my door and escort me out, the blindfold still on. He walked me forward as I felt myself stepping on gravel.

“You aren’t looking, right?” He asked.

“You could literally kill me and I wouldn’t even have time to react.” I simply replied. I could feel him walk behind me and place his hands on my shoulders.

“Alright, I’m removing the blindfold now,” He said, his fingers untying the blindfold. As it fell, I was temporarily blinded by the sunlight.

As my vision settled in, I was faced with the entrance of a large home. I scanned the facade of the mansion, looking at the brick walls that had vines growing on them and the windows that were large and grand.

“I don’t get it,” I said. Alistair came to my side, placing his hand on my back and began to walk us to the front door.

“I bought it,” He said. I turned to him quickly. He wasn’t lying. He was sincere.

“Bought it?” I asked. He nodded. “Why?”

“I figured that I needed somewhere to go that’s away from the city. Somewhere more relaxed and calm. Come on, let me show you inside!” He eagerly walked past me and walked to the front door. He unlocked it and held the door open for me.

I walked into the large home and could even smell the opulence. The foyer was large and grand, and I’m sure all the items here are made out of some sort of expensive thing.

“Want to look at something?” Alistair asked me. I was still taking in everything but let him show me whatever he wanted to show me.

“Is it for me?” I jokingly asked.

“It is,” He replied. I walked behind him through the halls until we reached a large room. The walls were covered in several grand windows, letting in as much light as possible.

As I scanned around, there were several book shelves and empty desks. The center of the room was empty with a clearing.

“This is for you,” Alistair said. “I wanted to get you something of an art room.”

“You got me an art room?”

He nodded. “Look, you can put your canvases here! And when you need them to dry, these windows open!” He walked to one of the large windows and opened it. A breeze of fresh air blew in and waved the curtains and my hair.

Alistair looked around the room with a smile on his face. He looked so proud at showing me this room. And I quickly stomped over to him and leaned up to kiss him.

For a bit, Alistair was caught off guard. I knew he gave into the kiss when his hands came behind me and began to hug me. He kissed me deeply as my hands came to mess his hair.

“I’m guessing you like it,” He muttered.

I nodded. “It’s perfect.” I replied.

“Good, because you’ll be here whenever you want to be here.”

“I don’t want to come here whenever I want to because then you’ll feel uncomfortable.” I said. He placed his chin on my head and breathed in my hair.

“You could never make me uncomfortable. I feel my most when I’m with you.”

Alistair showed me the first floor of the entire house. He always pointed at something and either made it about me, Luna, or his parents. He would point at a chair and say that Luna was love to sit there. Or he’d scan an empty wall and tell me that I could hang my paintings. And the house came with several electronic things, such as thermostats and locks. And Alistair would remark about how easy it would be to check on his dad.

Finally, we reached the backyard of the house. My eyes could see that it went on for quite a long time. But I could vaguely make out the back gate. According to Alistair, the back led to the neighbor’s house.

“Do you recall that pond that you were so enchanted by at Clarence Chamberlain’s house?” Alistair asked me.

“Yes, how could I forget? One of the most marvelous things I have ever seen,” I replied.

Alistair cheekily smiled and led me to a spot far from the back exit of the house. Under a wisteria tree was a large pond. The bits of sun that made it past the tree reflected from the pond water and created glows onto the trunk of the tree.

A nearby bench was placed. I took a seat and stared into the water. The center of the large pond was a statue of a man in a chariot, leading four horses.

“What’s that?” I asked, still in awe with everything I have seen so far.

“It’s inspired by the Apollon Fountains at Versailles. It’s the god, Apollon, leading his chariot.” Alistair described. He took a seat next to me and placed his hand over my shoulder.

“This place is beautiful,” I said.

“You were a big part of the inspiration of it.” He said to me.

I leaned my head on his chest and smelled in the fresh air. I closed my eyes and felt myself relaxing against Alistair. He began to stroke my hair softly, curling a few strands between his fingers.

“I love you so much, Calvin,” He said. I opened one eye to glance at his hand on his lap. “It kind of scares me how much I love you.”

“Why? I mean, loving someone can be scary sometimes, but you shouldn’t try to focus on the downside of it.” I replied.

The hand on his lap began to tighten in a fist. And Alistair’s hand on my head began to rub my scalp.

“I don’t know. I’ve always tried to limit how many people can get close to me. After my dad got diagnosed, I began to feel a sense of dread and worry. I constantly wondered when his time would come, and then my mom, and then Meredith, and Kostas, and Luna. Adding another person to that list just terrified me even more.

“Because all hellos lead to a tragic goodbye. So how could I possibly make myself and that other person live through the pain. The world is unpredictable, anything can happen. What if something happens to you, or my mom, or my friends? I don’t want to see anyone get hurt.”

Alistair let out a small sniffle, meaning that he was trying hard not to cry. I snuggled myself into his chest more to let him know that I was here for him.

“Sure, everyone dies at some point. But isn’t the journey of being human is to love? Love is a great gift. But being able to love is an even greater one.” I said. “Sure, we won’t be around forever. But knowing that when we die, we were loved will only make the transition from life to death that more satisfying.”

I looked up and saw Alistair with teary eyes. I leaned up to kiss him on the lips. Then, I used the sleeve of my sweater to wipe a tear that had fallen from his eyes.

He glanced at me. “Afterall, no one regrets love on their deathbed.” I said to him.

I stood up and held out my hand for him. He took his and stood up too.

“You said the world was unpredictable, right?” I began to walk us through a small trail that led around several trees and monuments. “That doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Beauty can be found in the strangest of ways.”

“Like how?” He asked.

“Me, silly.” I replied. “I heard about the story of when you found out you were matched with me.”

“Calvin, listen. I was just overreacting. I didn’t mean to-” I placed my hand over his mouth.

“Shut it, Alistair. Your reaction to being matched to a guy was understandable. How were you supposed to know that you would come to love me? And that’s the thing. It was unpredictable. I was matched with you and began dating you.”

“To be fair, the matchmaker did admit to me that he purposefully set us up.”

“Divine intervention or not, it was still out of nowhere. So, yes, life is unpredictable. It can be scary at all times. But if you find the right people to walk alongside with, this life won’t be difficult. Even in the toughest moments, you can count on those around you.” I explained to him.

Alistair was in deep thought. I watched him contemplate what I had said. Finally, he stopped me and leaned me against a tree.

“I guess you’re right, Calvin. Life is random. And I want you to be by my side every step of the way.” He said.

“I will. I always will be.” I replied. He kissed my forehead.

“Seeing as we’re here, let’s look at the guest house.” He said. I hadn’t realized I had walked us here.

“The house is big enough already. Why would there need to be an additional guest house?” I asked.

“It’s called a guest house. But I’m thinking of renaming it to Luna’s Home. She’s fitting for her own home.”

I stared in aghast as a damn cat was going to own a home bigger than mine. But then I remembered, this is Luna McClair. She only deserves the finer things in life.

The house, while nice, was only the setting ground for more fun memories for us to make. And such a big place should be filled with happiness and love.

---

3 chapters left! stay tuned!

one more week left.

Chapter Forty-Four

Alistair McClair

I kept looking at my reflection in the rearview mirror. Despite Calvin telling me constantly that I looked perfect, I still felt like there was something on me that was dirty.

“Alistair, that’s the seventh time you’ve checked your eyebrows.” Calvin said.

“Just making sure there isn’t anything off about me.” I replied. Then I took one final glance before returning my eyes to the road.

“Are you excited to see your class after over ten years?” He eagerly asked.

I replied, “No.” Calvin stopped jumping so much in his seat. “Honestly, most of those people were just people I went to class with. I don’t even remember most of them.”

“Yeah, but maybe there’s one friend you still want to meet.” He tried saying.

“I didn’t have friends.” I replied. “I spent most of my time studying so I could get into a good college. Maybe a few people that I talked to. But no one worth continuing to have communications with. Do you still talk to your high school friends?” I asked him.

“I– No. Not even most of my college friends.” Calvin said. He leaned back in his seat. “Still, if not to meet people, then to at least show off how successful you became. Isn’t that really the point of high school reunions, to brag to everyone else about how better you are doing in life?”

I chuckled and placed my hand on Calvin’s lap. I kept driving until we reached the banquet hall that the reunion was being held at. From the list of RSVPs, there are a few people here that I am not looking forward to seeing. Most are neutral to me.

Inside the hall was quite large. Calvin held my hand and looked up at me to give me courage. I could vaguely make out a few people that I went to high school with. Everyone had their tags on them. Mine read ‘Alistair McClair: Founder of McClair Enterprises.’

“Let’s say hello to someone,” Calvin said. I hesitated for a moment but walked towards the closest group of people.

“Alistair,” Someone called. I turned and saw Jeremy Wise, the man who had called to me. As soon as he said my name, several people that he was surrounded with turned to me and began to greet me.

I only knew their names because of their tags. Most were unrecognizable to their younger selves. Calvin was also greeted, his tag saying ‘Calvin Fischer: Painter and Alistair McClair’s Boyfriend.’ He wrote that himself.

Jeremy managed to get the group dispersed and asked me and Calvin to sit next to him. I knew this meant that he wanted to catch up.

“How you’ve been?” He asked.

“I’d say okay,” I replied.

“Okay?” He boisterously asked, a feature I very much remember about him. “Dude, you’re like crazy rich now. If I was in your position, I wouldn’t just say I was ‘okay.’”

“I guess you could say I’m comfortable then,” I said. Jeremy just rolled his eyes but did laugh. He then turned to Calvin, who sat beside me.

“And you’re Calvin Fischer. You know, I always wondered who was going to be the person that would steal Alistair’s heart. I didn’t expect it to be a guy, of all people.”

Calvin took a small sip of his drink that he had gotten. “What can I say? I’m quite the catch.”

We both looked at each other. I winked at him. “Damn right you are.” I muttered to him. He blushed and took another sip of his drink.

I glanced around the hall as people chatted with one another. Once in a while, I saw someone shriek and people would hug tightly, probably seeing each other for the first time in many years.

“Amazing, right? They could easily meet up whenever they want in real life. Instead, they choose to make a spectacle on this day.” Jeremy said to me.

“You’d figure their attention seeking behavior phase would be over.” I said with a bit of sass in my voice.

“Classic Alistair,” He nudged my shoulder.

“And how have you been?” I asked him, realizing that I hadn’t asked him anything about himself.

“Doing IT work at a law firm. Pretty fun, if I’m being honest.” He replied.

“Married?” I then asked.

“Nope, not yet. Haven’t found the right one.” He then leaned in closer and whispered, “And you? Are we going to see a future Mr. Fischer-McClair?”

I subtly glance dover to Calvin. He was distracted with the table cloth.

“Not sure,” I honestly replied. “Seems a little too early to call.”

Jeremy winked at me. “It’s love, man. No such thing as too early or too late.”

The night went on. A few people did come up to me to talk. Since I didn’t remember most of them, our conversations were short and fast. It was a simple ‘Hello’ and ‘How are you?’ Calvin seemed to be having a good time, as he was talking with several people.

In the beginning of this event, I had my reservations about coming here in the first place. Mainly because I was never close to anyone from high school.

Then there was the incident that I once told Calvin about. About the fake date that was created to humiliate me. I was worried that someone would remember that.

But then I remembered that, most likely, no one would remember what happened. It was over a decade ago. Anything that used to make me embarrassed or stay up at night was meaningless now.

“Alistair,” Calvin said to me. I turned to him. “I’m hungry.”

“I’ll go get you something. Stay here and don’t move.” I replied. I stood up and excused myself from the table and headed towards the snack bar.

There was music playing to my left. There was a DJ playing music. I later found out that the DJ is also a former classmate who dropped out of SDSU to start a career in music.

As I was getting food, I bumped into a guy and almost made him drop his food.

“My apologies.” I was quick to say.

The guy turned around and I saw it was Rupert Phipps. While I didn’t interact with Rupert much, the few talks we had were relaxed. He showed himself to be a reserved guy who just wanted to work hard in school.

“Alistair!” He said. “It’s been a long time. How have you been?” He asked.

“Good, good.” I replied. He had a plate with a few cookies and brownies.

“My wife is having cravings.” He mentioned.

I glanced at Rupert’s name tag. According to his profession, he was the principal of Grand Ridge High, the high school that we graduated from.

I pointed to his tag. “How did that happen?” I asked.

“Did I never mention it during school? It was always my dream to be a principal.” He said. I leaned my head to the side, slightly confused. “I’ve just always wanted to ensure the future generation. When the spot opened at our old high school, I took it and now I work there.”

“Please tell me you got rid of that horrid toilet in the main office bathroom that always got clogged.” I said.

“Trust me, it’s gone. No more kids getting scared that they broke a toilet. But I’ve also added a few changes to the school.”

“Like?” I asked.

“First, I fired a few people.” He said. He gave me a look. “Those people who took bribes and caused you to lose your status at Stanford.”

“Was it really a good idea to do that?” I asked him. “Won’t that cause a bit of uproar.”

He grabbed a cookie and took a bit out of it. “No. When I was working for the district, I heard hushed talks about the people who were behind your removal and the other shady things they did. It was only a matter of time until they were fired.”

“Guess you cleaned house at that school.”

“Damn right I did. Someone had to.” He said. “Overall, the kids are doing fine. With the upcoming school year, we’re expected to admit a few more students. I just hope the funding from the district will be able to buy new books.” He chuckled.

“How is Kaylee Moore doing?” I asked, referring to the girl that had taken my spot as valedictorian.

“She isn’t coming. You didn’t see the post?” He asked. I shook my head. “Apparently, she’s busy with work in Africa. But her husband’s page showed that they’re getting divorced. So some people here think that she’s just embarrassed about showing her face here.”

“And Adalyn Castillo?” I then asked, referring to the girl that had played the fake date prank on me.

“She’s over there.” He pointed behind me. I turned and saw her talking to some other people. She still looked similar to how she was a decade ago, but maybe with more makeup. “You gonna talk to her?”

I looked at her for a bit until I turned back to Rupert. “Don’t think so.” I said.

He nodded his head slightly, agreeing with me.

“Well, gotta go. The wife is gonna get angry if I don’t bring this to her.” He said.

As he was picking up a few more snacks and stacking them on his plate, I thought back to something that Calvin had told me. When I was telling Calvin about my past, he asked if I had any hatred for my past.

I may have not been dealt the best hand at life, but I was able to do something with it. Calvin mentioned that somewhere out there, possibly in the same school I attended, there is another kid just like me who may not have the opportunities I also didn’t have.

And who knows, maybe the next Alistair McClair could be out there with the potential to do something great.

“Rupert!” I called him. Before he could leave the table, he turned around.

“Yeah?” He asked. I walked over to him, ready to give him my idea.

“I would like to make a donation,” I said. His eyes widened.

“To the school? Alistair, you don’t have to do that.”

“But I want to.” I replied. “I want to make sure that you and the faculty and the students are able to get by this school year without worrying about books or materials.”

“It’s… very generous of you.” He smiled. “Uh, I can set up everything if you need me to.”

I pulled out my wallet and handed him my business car. “The number on the back. Call it and tell my assistant that I told you to call her.” I explained to him.

He glanced down at the card and then placed it on his plate of snacks. “Will do.” He said. “Thank you, Alistair. You have no idea that kind of change you’re going to do.” He shook my hand firmly.

“And I also want to open a scholarship program. Offer it to children who may not have a lot of money.” I said.

“That sounds like a plan. We’ll have to work out the details. But I’m sure that I can get it sorted out.” Rupert replied.

Rupert had to leave quickly to give the food to his wife. I also needed to select a few things for Calvin. And I returned to him talking to a large group of people and charming them with his words.

“Here you go.” I said, placing the plate in front of him.

“Thank you.” He replied. We both leaned into one another and kissed each other on the lips.

I ignored the looks from other people.

“Alistair, I was just telling them about the portrait I did for you a while back.” Calvin told me.

“Did you tell them how amazing it is?” I asked him.

He blushed and flicked my shoulder with his fingers. He talked to the people he was conversing with. I leaned back and watched him talk nonstop. His mom is right, he does talk a lot.

As the night came to an end, it was time for us to leave. The hall began to clear out. I wanted to leave because Luna was probably wondering where I was.

“Did you like it?” Calvin asked me as I started the car.

I glanced at the rearview mirror and saw former classmates walking out of the hall.

“Yeah, it was… entertaining.” I replied.

“That means you didn’t hate it.” He said. “Now take us home! Luna commands you!”

“Do you speak for Luna now?” I asked him.

“She gave me permission to. She ordered me as her Human Puppet Number 2.” I think he’s a bit drunk. I should’ve warned him not to drink too much.

“Let’s get you home, Calvin.” I drove out of the parking lot.

There was a sense of relief as I let out a sigh. I managed to confront a part of my past that always terrorized me. And now, looking back, my fears were over exaggerated. At least now, I can sleep a bit easier at night.

---

it’s time y’all! this saturday, april 13, will be the last ’

The 100th Match

’ day!

as per tradition on my account, the last two chapters will be uploaded together. which means you’ll get to read chap. 45 and 46 on the same day!

see you then for the finale!

Chapter Forty-Five

Alistair McClair

It has been a few weeks since the entire event at my company went down. Luckily, it seems that my company did not suffer too much. I did lose a few clients, who were hesitant about the stability and state of the company.

The board that I implemented has been eager to make sure that all activities are closely monitored. Nothing will escape their prying eyes. Kostas has been leading a team to fix any policies that Ronald and his cronies passed during their time.

As for me, I’ve still continued to work hard everyday. There isn’t a day that goes by where I’m not grateful for all the things I have been given and worked for.

During a small party at the Fischer’s residence, I was able to get to know more of Calvin’s family. They all seemed to love me and appreciated me for being a great match for Cavlin.

As for Calvin, I’m still in love with him, and always will be. Everything about our relationship is just perfect. Even our arguments are perfect, because we can easily make up after a few minutes.

I think I’ve created a new family, and I’m forever glad for that.

At my apartment, I was busy writing something when Calvin asked me a question.

“How were your first girlfriends?” He asked. I knew at one point, he would ask me about my extensive past of relationships.

“What do you want to know?” I asked him as I pushed my work aside.

“Well, I know that most of your relationships lasted only a few days. But surely the first few must’ve been something interesting.” He said.

I picked a grape from the bowl in the middle and popped it into my mouth, slowly chewing on it.

“They were fine, I guess.” I replied. “The first one, Theodora Pennington, was a nice woman. But we didn’t get along because her family grew up rich and I didn’t. Then the second, Lucy Carraway, was a bit more complicated. She was still salty because she was engaged before we dated.”

Something must’ve clicked in Calvin’s head. “Lucy! Right! Her engagement to the NFL star before he left her for someone else.”

“Exactly. So she wanted to use our relationship as revenge. It got tiring because of the constant photoshoots and her nagging. Then there was Madam Valentina Santana. She was a nice woman. No issues with her. We just weren’t a good match.”

“Who followed?”

“Delvene Duchess. Nice woman. But the problem was she spoke very softly. It was almost a whisper. But she was fine, we actually dated for over two weeks. Then it was Miriam Goodman.”

“Which matches were your favorite?” He asked.

“Shelia Nester, of course. And Rima Williams. They’re the only exes that I’m still in contact with.”

Calvin had a sad look on his face. I realized what he had wanted me to say.

“But of course, I can’t forget the best match of them all.” I said. Calvin perked up and looked at me with a huge smile.

“Who?” He teasingly asked.

“You, Calvin Fischer. The only one I fell in love with.”

This answer seemed to please him, because he got up from his side of the table and came over to mine. He straddled my lap and kissed me, holding my face in his hands.

“Good answer,” He muttered in my ear.

I hugged his torso to keep him in place. “You know I love you, right?”

He nodded quickly. “I know. You tell me every day, every hour. And if we were joined by the hips, you’d tell me every minute.”

“And every time I say it, I mean it more.” I told him.

No matter what day it is, I’ll always remind this man how much he truly means to me. If it wasn’t for him, I’d still continue to live my same boring life.

Life went on continuously. I always wondered to myself how my life would be if I had never met him. Calvin certainly opened many new doors for me when it comes to love.

My mom believes in soul mates. And she believes that no matter how or when or where, we’ll always meet our partner in life. She believes that Calvin and I were bound to meet at some point.

Do I wish I would’ve met him sooner? Yes, I do. At least I got the chance to meet him and love him. Which is a privilege not many others are able to experience.

A few more weeks had passed. And it was now September 12. That early morning, I received an email from The Matchmaker.

“Did you get the email?” Meredith asked as she barged into my office.

“Yes. But I’m confused. I thought I was done with the Matchmaker now that everything got settled and I found someone.” I replied.

“Silly, I forgot to tell you.” She chuckled to herself. “After six months of dating, the two of you go and do an interview as a sort of catch up. You and Calvin are just going to talk about how much you love each other and that’s all.”

Her explanation made sense. After The Matchmaker made my match with Calvin, he rarely messaged me, only for small updates. Calvin was eager to meet the man who had set us up in the first.

As I walked into his office, there was a new feeling that I felt washed over me. Before, whenever I walked in here, there was a sense of dread as I knew that I was going to be paired soon with someone I didn’t get along with.

However, this time, it was different. Instead of walking in with no hope for finding a partner, it seems that in my hands is my partner.

The Matchmaker waited in his office and smiled when he saw me and Calvin walk in. He no longer sighed in frustration.

“Welcome! Alistair, Calvin, sit. We have lots to talk about.” The Matchmaker said.

Calvin and I sat in the chairs and looked at the man who sat before us.

“Well, let’s get this out of the way,” He said. “Are you two enjoying your relationship?” He asked.

“For sure!” Calvin quickly replied.

It was my turn to reply. “Yes, very much.”

“Good,” He checked something off his list. “Calvin, what do you particularly like about Alistair?”

Calvin pondered for a while until his eyes lit up, “I like his passion. Whether it’s with his work, family, Luna, or me, he carries a strong passion with him. He makes these aspects the center of himself.”

The Matchmaker wrote something down until he pointed his pen at me. “And you, Alistair? What do you like about Calvin?”

“Everything,” I said. “But to be specific, I like his enthusiasm. No matter what we’re doing or where we are, he’ll find ways to entertain himself and me. He seems to make himself a ball of light that lights up the room,”

I then turned to him and held his hand. “You lit up my life,” I told him.

“Next up.” Matchmaker said. “What’s one thing you want to tell your partner that you’re concerned about?”

I turned to Calvin. “Calvin, sometimes it’s okay to focus on yourself.” I told him with sincerity.

“I didn’t know that was a problem,” Calvin remarked.

“It’s not! Well, sometimes you do have a habit of expending yourself when you don’t have to. You always insist on helping with the chores when you just got back from work. Or you’ll help people with their work even if you have a deadline coming up. It’s perfectly fine to say no.” I explained to him.

I hoped that my words came across as genuine. While his generosity is an endearing factor for him, I just wished that he wouldn’t strain himself. He needs to take care of himself. One such instance was when his pictures were leaked and his first focus was me, not himself.

“I’ll work on that,” He said. “My turn. Alistair, it’s okay to let people in your life. You’ve lived your life keeping everything to yourself. And while I appreciated you being able to open up to me, you should also be able to open up to others.

“You have Meredith and Kostas, but there are also other people at the company you could easily become friends with. I know that you and Paul have been slowly becoming friends, but everyone can see that you’re holding back.”

“So, you want me to open up more?” I asked.

Calvin nodded. “Yes. Open up more. It’s okay to share details. And also, I think you need some therapy. You have a tendency to keep everything clean and organized, even if it’s only a small hair in the shower or smudge on the counter.”

“I just like things clean.” I said.

He then pointed to the armrest of the chair. “You’ve been wiping the armrest with your sleeve for the past few minutes.” He pointed out.

I looked down and realized I had been unknowingly.

“If I need therapy, then I’ll try it.” I said to him.

The Matchmaker let out a sigh. “You know, this has probably been the best session out of any couple I’ve talked to. It’s like the two of you are made for each other.”

“Well, I do believe in soulmates,” I said. “And I know I found my other half.”

The Matchmaker finished writing a few things on his notepad before setting it down. He handed the paper off to his assistant as she took it to another room.

“One final thing. We’ll need a picture of the happy couple. Ya’know, for our website. We like to show off all the successful matches we’ve had.”

Calvin and I agreed. We stood by the wall and posed. I hugged Calvin close to me and placed my head on top of his. And I smiled. Calvin clutched onto my torso. While I couldn’t see his face, I also knew he was smiling.

“Smile!” The Matchmaker said, a flash going off. “Perfect! This will be up on our website in a few business days. If you want to pay the extra fee, we can dedicate an entire page for you filled with pictures of your time together.”

Calvin looked up at me and nodded. How could I say no to him?

“We’ll do it!” I told him.

There was a bit more information left for us to fill out. At the end, all the details were in place and the Matchmaker sighed in relief, knowing that he finally managed to get his toughest client to succeed.

On the drive back to my apartment, Calvin began to play his music and sing along. I didn’t listen to much music, but I will admit that his taste has been rubbing off on me.

“Kostas said that he wants us to pick something up for him.” Calvin told me.

“Seriously? Is it another cake?” I replied, already knowing where to turn upon the sudden change of plans.

“Come one, it’s his birthday.” He said.

“Yeah, 8 days ago. He needs to give it a rest. I swear, he does this every year.”

Calvin giggled to himself. “Next year, your birthday is going to be long too. Everyday, I’m going to get you a gift.”

“Oh yeah?” I said, giving him a side glance. “Well, your birthday comes before mine. And I have a few ideas on what I want to do.”

I parked at the bakery where Kostas made his order. Calvin quickly got out of the car and entered to pick up the item.

Meanwhile, Meredith sent me a text, letting me know that the plans have been made. I cheered to myself and then waited for Calvin to return. And when he did, with a box in his hands, he leaned over to kiss me.

“Say, Calvin. How many vacation days do you have left?” I asked.

“Like, two weeks maybe. Why?” He asked back.

“Clear your calendar. We’re going on a trip to somewhere special.”

Calvin eagerly jumped in seat. He stopped, realizing he was shaking the box in his hands aggressively.

“What do I need to bring? How many days? What resort?” He asked many questions. I began to drive the car and chuckle at his eagerness.

“All will be revealed to you in moments to come. Put your seatbelt on.” I told him.

“I love you, Alistair.” He said.

“You too, Calvin. I love you too.” I said to him.

I drove down the street, traversing through the busy streets. Despite the honking of the horns of and shouts of angry drivers, all my ears could focus on was Calvin’s beautiful singing, which calmed me down.

This was certainly a life that I’ve always dreamed of. And by some miracle, I got it.

---

last chapter out now! go read it!

Chapter Forty-Six

Alistair McClair

My life is great. No more could be said, honestly. Everything was exactly as I wanted it to be. My family is doing well, my business is booming, and my relationships are strengthening. I have reached a peak moment in my life, and everyday, it gets better. 

It was a cold day in January. Much time has passed, and in two months, it will be the one year anniversary of my relationship with Calvin Fischer. 

Upon the clock hitting New Year’s, I asked Calvin to live with me. He was hesitant to, but I let him know that I would make sure nothing changes in our relationship. He would have a driver to drive him to work and back, and we could split up the chores around the apartment. 

We were quick to fall into a routine. Waking up next to a man with messy hair and marks on his necks was never a sight I’d imagine seeing every morning. 

After lunch ended, I received a call from Calvin for a daily After-Lunch-Chats. 

“Alistair, how was lunch?” He asked. 

“Good. I ate the leftovers from yesterday. And you? Was your lunch good?” I asked.

“Pretty good. Evelyn was starving, though. And she ate some of it.”

“Then I guess I’ll have to fill you up later,” I teased. Calvin let out some chuckles. 

“Silly Alistair.” He said. After we talked, we hung up and I returned to working. 

Meredith entered my office with some folders in her hands. She handed them to me for signing off. But she also took a seat at one of the chairs in front of my desk. 

“Never knew getting a promotion would mean more work.” She huffed. 

“What did you expect, candy and teddy bears?” I asked her. She remained pouting. “You asked for a promotion for a long time.”

“Fine,” She rolled her eyes. “You have an over-the-phone meeting in an hour. And the engineers for the business complex want you to come down in a few days to check the progress.”

“Got it.” I replied. She stood up and was about to leave until she turned around.

“It’s great seeing you smile,” She said, giving me a wink. “You’ve changed a lot, and I think I speak for everyone when I say that it’s amazing.”

“Thank you for the notice.” I told her. 

I continued my work as normal. Even if what Meredith says is true, that I’ve changed, I don’t really feel it. Perhaps the changes aren’t something I can feel myself. Maybe I’m happier, and look forward to it everyday. 

As long as everyone else can tell, at least my influence has spread. I want people to remember me as the serious but sometimes happy guy. 

Some issues at work came up. But I told Calvin to go right ahead and enter the apartment. I was finishing up some assignments with Kostas. And when we finally finished, the two of us exited my office. 

“Alistair,” Kostas said. “I’m almost done with the hiring process.”

“Good. And how is the board behaving? I made you an executive member because I trust you.”

“They’re all on good behavior. Nothing to be concerned about. And if there is, I’ll report it to you lickity split!” He made a small salute. 

“Don’t say ‘lickilty split’ ever again.” I said, pressing the up button for the elevator. 

“Well, this is where we say goodbye.” Kostas said as the elevator opened. “Good luck. See you tomorrow.” 

“Until tomorrow.” I said as I stepped into the elevator. I pressed the top button that took me to my penthouse.

I entered my keycode and entered my apartment. There was barely anything turned on except for the TV and a small lamp beside the couch. There was a person laying there, Calvin. And on top of him was Luna. 

“Calvin,” I muttered, shaking his shoulder. 

“Mm,” He groggily groaned. He must be tired. So I left him on the couch and left to get changed. 

As I was changing, my mom began to call me. After I put my dad in the clinical trial, he slowly seems to be getting better. While it’s too early to call, he can at least remember the small activities he did the days prior. 

Small steps for a bigger leap.

“Mom, how have you been?” I said. 

“Very good, Ali. We’re just about to have dinner. Russ insisted he have macaroni, his childhood favorite food.”

“I could definitely go for some of your mac and cheese right now, honestly.” I said. I looked at myself in the mirror, noticing something off. 

“You and Calvin should come visit sometime. Maybe for the weekend. You didn’t get this house on the ocean side for no reason. Someone needs to use it.” 

“Mom, it’s January. Unless we’re in Florida or California, no one is going to the beach in the winter.” I told her, getting closer to the mirror to get a closer look at myself. 

“Still, you both should come. Take a break from work.”

“Can’t do. I just got back from vacation a few months back. And I can’t miss any more work after the whole debacle that happened with my past board of directors.” I told her. Though, I do miss her terribly. 

Even though I see my mom almost every week, I still miss her. Even the most mature man can miss his mother because he’s still her son, and she his mother. 

“Alright then. One day. Give my greetings to Calvin and Luna. I’ll see you on Saturday.” She said 

I said goodbye to her and then hung up. I got closer to the mirror and looked at my reflection. There was something off about me. I didn’t look older, nor was my hair graying. I shaved this morning, so my beard wasn’t a problem.

So what is it? Why do I look different?

Then it hit me: I was smiling. There wasn’t a reason for me to smile. I had just come back from a long day at work. I was tired and just wanted to go to sleep. 

On the corner of the mirror was a photo of Calvin and I. It was taken on our trip to Costa Rica. The two of us were smiling and posing together on the beach. It was a moment that I can still vividly play in my head.

There wasn’t a reason for me to smile. That’s just how I was. It seems that my life is at a point where smiling is just my default. No matter what, I’ve found happiness in the everyday things that I do. 

Whether it be a skip in my step or going out of my way to buy lunch for the staff, there was no doubt that my behavior in the last months has changed. 

Gone was the Alistair that was cold and secluded from everyone. The man that was seen as avoiding connections has since found himself with love and care. 

Alistair McClair, now rebranded as open. And while I’m not perfect, and there is still much for me to learn and grow, it has been a great journey to continue to be on. 

I kept looking at myself in the mirror as I changed out of my work clothes and into lounge wear. Gone was the strangling of the tie and replaced with a shirt that vaguely smelled of Calvin’s cologne. 

As I entered the living room, I saw a view of Calvin laying on the couch and lightly snoring. On his chest was Luna, as she purred and slept. The TV was on, playing a movie that I’m sure I’ve watched before but was too distracted with Calvin to pay attention. 

“Calvin,” I whispered. He turned his head towards me and opened his eyes a bit. 

“Mm, what?” He groggily asked. 

“What do you want for dinner?” I asked him. 

“Surprise me.” He replied, his eyes closing. Before I left, I felt him grab my wrist. “Kiss me,” He said to me. 

I chuckled to myself and bent down to place several kisses on his face. Then, I went to the kitchen where I spent a few minutes looking around to find out what I wanted to cook. 

While I was cooking, I made sure I didn’t make too much noise to wake up Calvin. He’s been talking about how busy work is with an upcoming art exhibit that’s being hosted. He’s been coming home incredibly tired and just falls asleep most days. 

Lucky for me, my cooking always seems to liven up his mood. 

A few minutes before the food was done, I heard something tumbling around. I ran to the living room and saw Calvin flailing his arms. Luna was perched nonchalantly on his face, probably suffocating him.

“Ah! Luna! Off!” I said. She glanced at me and hopped off of Calvin’s face, going to the other end of the couch.

“I swear, Luna wants to kill me!” Calvin said, catching his breath and sitting up. 

“Not really. I think she just thinks that your face is a good place to sit.” I mentioned. 

“Is that how you feel when I do it to you?” He asked. I let out an awkward chuckle to felt my face heat up. 

“Uh, go get washed up.” I let out a cough. “Dinner’s almost ready.” 

“You got it, sir.” He said. I stood up and left for the kitchen to finish cooking. After a few minutes, Calvin returned and sat at the island, watching as I cooked. 

“Your back is really huge.” He mentioned. 

“Is that a compliment?” I asked as I turned my head. He was ogling at my backside with endearing eyes. He almost looked hypnotized. 

“Of course it is. Most people won’t admit it, but the backside is one of the most attractive places on a man. But, there are other things too.” 

“Cool, write up a list and email it to me. I’d love to hear your input.” I told him. His face turned neutral. 

“This is just what I get for dating a businessman.” I heard him mutter. 

I turned off the stove and brought the pot onto a towel on the counter. I let it cool down while Calvin set the table and I began to get Luna’s food ready. Then, we sat down and I served us. 

As I was serving him, I noticed Calvin watching me. “Something on my face?” I asked him. 

“No,” He brought his hands up to touch my hair. “You look hotter with longer hair.”

“I do? I was going to get it cut soon, but…” I served him his plate. 

“Keep it like this. Maybe if you get a slight perm and make it a bit curly, it’ll look good.” Calvin said. He titled his head. “Actually, no. Curly hair doesn’t suit you. Just keep it like that. Trust me.”

“If that’s what my boyfriend says, then that’s what I’ll do.” I said as I served myself. 

“Plus, there’s more for me to grab!” He eagerly said. 

I shushed Calvin by grabbing a spoonful of food and shoving it into his mouth. He happily chewed on it, despite how hot it was, and swallowed it. 

“Delish.” He said. 

“Sure hope so. I’ve been watching some cooking videos. Going to try something with an emulsifier soon.” 

“A what?” He asked.

“Nothing. Eat your food.” I told him. He ate his food, and so did I. 

After dinner, Calvin insisted on doing the dishes since I cooked. I put on a movie and waited for him to come and sit next to me. 

Calvin was to my left, and Luna to my right. I watched the TV and once again smiled. Only this time, I knew the exact reason for it. 

It was because I was genuinely happy. Everything that I ever wanted was here. I no longer wondered about what I lacked. I am fortunate enough to live a life that I always desired for myself. 

Calvin leaned up to kiss my cheek. “Any plans tomorrow?” He asked. 

“Not much.” I replied.

“Good. Because I want to do something tonight.” He teased me. He got off the couch and walked towards the hallway. “I’ll be waiting!” He shouted. I watched as Calvin walked towards our room. 

I leaned back on the couch and closed my eyes. I could feel Luna’s soft fur. 

“Ain’t life grand?” I muttered to myself. 

Then, I got off the couch. I made a temporary bed for Luna and then followed behind Calvin. 

And as I closed the door behind me, there was a small feeling that my story wasn’t over. There is more to come in my life. And I’m only young. 

Because my life is perfect. Even if I lose it all, I’ll at least be happy about the memories I had. Though, I count myself lucky knowing that I won’t be losing what I have for a long time. Out of all things, we can thank love for being forever. 

THE END

it’s finally over! ’

The 100th Match

’ has now come to end after a long time. i am so happy with how this story came out and think it might be one of my personal favorites.

i want to thank you, the reader, for reading this story all the way through. your support has been incredible. every single comment, like, and read brings joy to me. i hope you enjoy this as much as i did.

now, time for fun facts!

1: this story actually takes place in 2030 (yes, seriously)

2: this story serves as a finale to Phase 1 and Phase 2. if you didn’t know, all my stories from Phase 1 & 2 are connected in a shared universe (i’ve references alistair mcclair in at least 2 other stories before this was even written). this happy ending serves as a happy ending overall to all the shit that has gone down.

3: much inspiration for this story was based on the show ’

Suits

’. i imagined the aesthetics and atmosphere of that show, just imagining the characters as if they were lawyers in new york.

4: this is the first story where i used a writing tool to plan everything out. i used to use a notes app to collect everything but used Campire to fix everything, which i think worked out.

5: i wrote an entire calender with a list of

all

of alistair’s exes. every. single. one. spent way too much time on it honestly.

6: alistair’s birthday is may 17; calvin’s is november 2; meredith is december 14; kostas is september 4

7: kostas was not supposed to be a close in this story. originally, he was just going to be a side character with very few lines. it wasn’t until i wrote the first chapter that i liked how he was written and carried him over.

8: i genuinely have no idea where the name ‘alistair mcclair’ came from. i’ve tried to figure out where i possibly got it from, but do not remember.

9: an original storyline would’ve included a major argument between calvin and alistair, but i was unable to fit it in based on the direction it was already headed in.

10: did you catch the references that i scattered in this story from my other works? chap. 45 actually has an updated ending for a story that ended with a sad ending. (if you want to know more, read ’

During That Summer

’, then read chap 45.)

enough about these facts!

thank you all for reading! all the support is greatly appreciated. if i could, i’d give you all a big kiss and hug (with permission, ofc).

December 2, 2023- April 13, 2024

if you really loved this story, and others, stay tuned for an announcement i’ll be making on my profile very soon…

now this is the end.

goodbye! until the next adventure!

♥

Bonus One

hey guys! i’m back!

thank you for all the support! this story has passed 100K reads, which is incredible. thank you to all who read, commented, and liked. your support means a lot to me.

surprise!

The 100th Match

will be receiving 4 bonus chapters (not really a surprise if you’ve been reading my updates on my account).

enough of me talking. enjoy these bonus chapters story!

Calvin Fischer

Seattle looked amazing during February. It was cloudy and slightly cold. I love the cold weather, because it gives me an excuse to stay inside. 

“Good morning, Calvin,” Meredith said to me as I entered the top floor. 

“Morning, Meredith!” I said. “Alistair called me.”

The door opened to Alistair’s office. Alistair walked out with a guy next to him. The both were talking and holding some files. 

“Thank you for your time.” The guy said. 

“Anytime, Zachary.” Alistair replied. The guy walked past me and entered the elevator. 

“Who was that?” I asked Alistair. Before he answered my question, Alistair caught me off guard by kissing me and inserting his tongue into my mouth. 

Meredith made a few gagging sounds behind us. 

Alistair pulled away, staring into my eyes with a smile. “Come with me.” He began to lead me into his office. 

He sat in his grand chair and pulled another chair next to him. I sat in that seat and felt like a kid who was with their dad on take-your-kid-to-work day. 

“I have a few minutes until my next meeting.” Alistair said as he leaned over to me and began to kiss my cheek. 

“Did you bring me here for a quickie?” I asked him as he nibbled my ear. 

“I just wanted to see you, honestly. Can’t a guy just desire to see the man he loves.” He brought his large hands up to run them across my face. 

I chuckled to myself. He’s been so affectionate that this Alistair and the one I first met are almost unrecognizable. Falling in love really did a number on this man. 

“Any plans for the weekend?” He asked. 

“Uh, not really. Evelyn wanted to take the company out to The Pink Door, but I mentioned that I had other plans.” I replied. 

“Did you use me as an excuse not to go?” He asked me. 

I nodded. “Yeah, I guess I did. But it won’t really be an excuse if we really did have plans.” I told him. 

He quickly turned to his computer and began to type something on it. After a few more clicks, he turned the computer to me and showed me what he was researching. 

“You know, I’ve been in Seattle for my entire life, yet I’ve never visited The Space Needle.” Alistair mentioned. 

“You wanna go? It could be fun!” 

Alistair looked at the screen and was in deep thought. “Fuck it. Why not? It’ll be nice to see Seattle’s iconic landmark.” 

As he was typing away, Meredith knocked on the door and let him know that someone was there for a meeting. 

“I guess that’s my cue to leave.” I said, standing up from my seat. He quickly placed his hand on my lap and made me sit back down. 

“You’re not going anywhere. Sit down and behave.” He told me. I gulped hard. 

“What do you want me to do?” I asked him.

“Just sit there and be pretty.” He said. Alistair called for the door to be opened. 

A man walked in and scanned the room. From what Alistair explained to me, he lays out his office so guests have to walk towards him as if he was a king. He also said that the view of the skyline is to make him look like a god. It’s part of his intimidation tactic. 

A bit egotistical, but he is a businessman. And I am in no position to criticize his methods. 

“Good morning, Mr. McClair.” The guy said as he took his seat. He was a man on the heavy side, and his face was slightly red. 

“Morning, Mr. Manchineel.” Alistair replied. 

“My assistant told me you requested a meeting with me. He said you didn’t specify what it was about.” 

“Correct.” Alistair replied. He opened a file from his desk and slid it over to the guy across the desk. “You see, I have come to learn that recently, your company was considering hiring Ronald Farraway.” Alistair explained. 

I shivered upon hearing that name. Ever since he tried to take down Alistar and was removed, I heard he’s been struggling to find a job because no one wants a Brutus in their company. 

“I’m not sure who told you that. But my business is my business and I’d prefer if we kept it at that.” Mr. Manchineel said. 

“Need I remind you what Mr. Farraway did and his co-conspirators did at my company?” Alistair asked in an almost irritated voice.

“I am aware of the plot against you. But I have the belief that people who do horrible things deserve second chances.” Mr. Manchineel said.

I could see Alistair having a smirk on his face. He leaned back, meaning that he knows exactly how to play this. 

“Really? Is that what Mrs. Manchineel believes too?” Alistair asked. 

Mr. Manchineel was caught off guard. He blinked his eyes twice. “What does my wife have to do with this?” He asked. 

“Calvin, could you pass me that file on your right?” Alistair asked me. I was caught off guard since he hadn’t looked my way since his guest came in. I looked to my right on a shelf and saw there was a folder there. I handed it to him. 

Alistair opened the folder and began to look at something. 

“Tell me, Fergus Manchineel, how would your wife like to hear that her husband has been having extra-marital affairs?” Alistair asked. 

Fergus was confused for a bit until he had an angry look. “You have no evidence of that!” He angrily said. 

“You sure? Let’s not kid around, Fergus. That assistant of yours, the young man, isn’t just your assistant for work. He assists you with… other things… Am I right?” Alistair said. 

Fergus Manchineel was enraged. “Alright! What do you want? Just don’t tell my wife.”

He looked upset and just looked down. I sat forward, intent to listen more on this whole conversation.

“Drop Ronald Farraway as a potential employee. And don’t tell anyone that I made you do this. Got it?” Alistair told Fergus. 

Fergus just sighed angrily. “Fine! Just don’t tell my wife!” 

“Don’t worry. Just hold your end of the deal, and no one will know of your boy toy.” Alistair crossed his arms over his chest, sitting smugly. He knew he had this entire conversation orchestrated the moment that Fergus walked into this office. 

“Is that it?” Fergus asked. 

“Actually, yes. You may go now.” Alistair said. Fergus didn’t hesitate to quickly walk out of office and shut the door loudly behind him. 

I watched in shock at how Alistair managed to do that. “How did you do that?” I asked him.

“Hmm? Blackmail? It’s quite easy.” 

“No, how did you manage to guess that he would try to reject your offer and use his affair against him? And how did you manage to get evidence of that affair?” I asked.

Alistair showed me the folder in his hands that had the so-called evidence. “What evidence?” He asked, showing me just a paper with a list on it. “This is the HR’s coffee order.”

This just confused me even more. “Wha– Then how did you know about his affair?”

“Did you notice Fergus’ fingers? Specifically his left ring finger?” Alistair asked me. 

“I wasn’t looking at his fingers.” I said.

“If you were to have looked closer, you would’ve seen that he wasn’t wearing his wedding ring. It’s a pretty obvious sign that when a person removes their wedding ring, it means they’re looking for an affair.

“I also happen to know that Fergus always stays at the Cawthorne Hotel, a place known for its close proximity to a hooker center. Also, that assistant of his is always trailing behind him like a lost dog, looking for guidance. It was very clear from that, and his limp, that they were hooking up.”

I stared at Alistair. “And you guessed all this in what… a few minutes?”

“Actually, a few seconds. The moment he sat down, to be precise. When you’re in this business, reading a person and looking at all details is vital.” He told me. 

“Do you ever do that to me?” I asked.

“I only use my ‘powers’ for good on you.” He chuckled. His hand landed on my lap. “I’ll maybe see your expressions to see if you’re angry at me or if you’re getting turned on.”

I jumped a bit. “Wait? You can tell when I’m getting turned on?”

He nodded as if it was no big deal. “Not only does your face get red, but the back of your neck. So when you’re facing away from me, I can still tell.” 

I could feel a blush coming on my face. 

“Like right now.” He said. 

My hands came up to cover my neck. “Might have to wear a turtleneck around you from now on.” 

“Nonsense. I for one find it sexy. You’re so adorable when your skin turns red, knowing that I was the cause of it.” His fingers began to trace towards my inner thigh. 

I placed my hand on top of his to stop him. “How about we return to your apartment and we can spend the rest of the day doing whatever we want.” I said.

“Good idea.” Alistair said. 

He told me to stand up and we both walked out of the office. He locked it behind him and told Meredith to cancel his plans for the day.

“Hold this.” He handed me his phone. As we got into the elevator, while Alistair was undoing his tie, his phone received a notification. “Who is it?” He asked. 

I glanced down at the phone and saw a contact by the name ‘Nurse’ had sent a message. 

“Someone named ‘Nurse’ sent an ‘X’. What does it mean?” I asked Alistair. 

As soon as I looked at him, his face grew worried. He pressed the button for the garage floor, not the top floor to his apartment. He also clicked all the other buttons, doing that trick so the elevator doesn’t stop on any other floors. 

“C-Calvin!” Alistair urgently said. “Call Meredith and tell her you received that message!” 

Seeing Alistair panic and worry also made me begin to worry. 

“What’s going on?” I asked him. He was breathing hard and had untied his tie and unbuttoned the first two buttons of his shirt. 

“It’s my dad! Something’s wrong with him! Come on!” He said. 

Alistair’s dad will always be a priority to him. If we’re ever doing something and there’s an emergency, we’ll drop everything and go check on him. Even if it’s something small, it still requires us to visit him.

The elevator doors opened. Alistair grabbed my hand and he quickly took us to his car. 

“Alistair! Let me drive.” I said to him.

“Are you sure?” He asked, still panicked and his attention divided.

“Yes. You are in no position to drive. Let me do it.” I said. He handed me the keys. 

I got in and unlocked the doors. He put in the direction for his parent’s house and I pulled out of the parking area and began to drive out of the city.

I took side glances at Alistair and saw he was tightening his fists and his eyes were teary. My main goal right now is to make it to his parent’s house and make sure Russel McClair is okay.

Bonus Two

Alistair McClair

Before Calvin could even stop the car, I had already opened the car door and lept out onto the gravel. I almost slipped and fell but caught myself on the mailbox.

“Alistair!” Calvin yelled. But I had already reached the front door and had already opened it. As I stepped inside, there was an eerie silence.

“Mom!” I yelled. A pair of footsteps stomped down the stairs, and my mom was there with her face disheveled.

“Ali,” Mom said. She ran to me and gave me a tight hug, placing his head in my chest.

“Mom, where’s dad? Is he okay?” I asked her while patting her back. Another pair of footsteps came down the stairs. The nurse who tends to my dad came around and gave me a greeting. “How is my dad?” I asked her.

The nurse walked closer towards me. “You’re father is fine, Mr. McClair. Your father is currently experiencing a lucid wake.” She said. I tilted my head to the side. “Before, your father believed he was in his early-to-mid twenties. Now, he’s fully aware that he’s in his fifties.”

My mom looked up from my head. “He called me ‘sweetie’. He hasn’t called me that in years.” She sobbed.

I hugged her tighter and looked back at the nurse. “How long is this going to last?” I asked.

“Not sure. It doesn’t seem to be a terminal lucid, more paradoxical. Still, you should take the opportunity to catch up.” She said. I thanked the nurse and let her leave. I sat mom on the couch and fetched her a glass of water.

Calvin came in and joined next to me. I caught him up on what happened and what the nurse told me.

“Are you going to see him right now?” Calvin asked me.

“Yes, I am. Could you keep my mom company? This might be a bit difficult and I don’t want to leave her alone.” I told him. Calvin agreed and went to sit next to my mom, who was still weeping.

I walked up the stairs of the home, a familiar path. I knocked on the door of my dad’s room. He yelled, “Come in!” And I did.

As I opened the door, my heart racing, I braced myself for what I was going to see. My dad for the past few years has had the same calm but jovial expression. Seeing him essentially age twenty years mentally means I am going to be seeing a different man today.

On the bed was my dad. His salt-and-pepper hair was neatly trimmed and he wore a light blue pajama set. His reading glasses were nestled in his hair.

“Alistair?” Dad said. “Alistair? Is that you?” He asked again.

I could only nod and begin to cry as I ran to his bedside and leaned to give him a hug. I cried into his shoulder while my dad rubbed my back.

“Dad!” I said.

“My son,” He muttered, finally remembering who I was. “My pride and joy.”

I hugged him for a long time, refusing to let go. As I came up, dad looked at my face and scanned every detail. Tears began to form in his eyes. Despite how much older I’ve gotten, I’m still his son. And despite how much older he’s gotten, he’s still my dad.

“You’ve gotten big.” Dad said.

“So have you,” I said. We both chuckled. “I’ve missed you.”

He was never gone, but it felt like he was.

Dad just hugged me again. His hands held onto me, like I was going to disappear. When he did let go, his hand held my hand. I sat on a stool next to his bed.

“How have you been?” Dad asked.

“I’ve been good.” I replied. “I’m at the best time of my life right now.”

“How old are you?” He asked.

“I turned 30 last year.” I said. Saying those words made a few tears leave his eyes.

“I said the same thing when I was your age. You were a few years old, and your mother and I just knew we had to do everything to make sure you grew up to be an amazing man.” Dad said.

“I have a feeling you succeeded,” I mentioned. Dad just nodded.

“Indeed I have. Can’t take all the credit. Your mother had a huge part in it.” Dad grabbed a magazine from his side. “Look, I found it among the piles. Remember this?” He asked.

The magazine had my picture on it. It was for an editorial when I was rising. It was a few months later when my dad began to worsen and eventually forgot who he was and who we were.

“I do. You went to every corner shop and supermarket and bought all the copies, bragging that the man on the cover was your son.” I said.

Dad blushed at this. “So how has your company been? I assume it’s all well. Having my surname on a building still feels exhilarating.”

“Everything’s amazing.” I said, choosing to take the more simpler option. “We’re expanding every day. I have a great team of people behind me. Remember Meredith? She’s on the board of directors now.”

“I miss her. Has she found anyone?” Dad asked.

“Maybe. I saw her a while back talking to a mutual friend.”

“And you?” Dad asked with a smirk. “Have you found anyone?”

I panicked a bit. I wasn’t sure how to tell him that his only son, whom he believed to be straight all his life, has now found himself to be dating a man. Part of me didn’t want to tell him because it’ll be a wave of information overload.

“I-I did.” I said.

“Who’s the lucky girl?” Dad asked.

I looked to the door where I had come in from. “It’s a guy, dad.” I said. My hand was starting to sweat. “I’m gay.” I lowered my head.

Fearing what he might say, I started to get up and try to leave. But dad refused to let my hand go. Instead, he pulled my back and forced me into a hug. I began to cry again as the amount of emotions began to overtake me.

“Why did you try to leave?” Dad asked.

“Because…” I muttered. “I don’t want to disappoint you.”

Dad rubbed my head. “You could never disappoint me, Ali. It’ll be impossible for you to do that. Your happiness was always my priority. Even now it is.” I looked up and saw him smiling at me.

“So you don’t care that I’m gay.”

“Tell me this, Alistair: Do you love him?” He asked.

I quickly replied, “Yes, I do.”

“If you love him, then I don’t mind. In fact, I want to meet this man that had captured the heart of my son.”

“He’s already met you in your… other stage.” I mentioned.

“Then I guess I’ll just have to give him another hello, then.” Dad said. “Any other changes in your life? How is Luna doing? I remember she was only a little furball when you got her.”

“She’s grown bigger.” I pulled out my phone. Dad awed at how new my phone looked. I showed him a picture of my dear cat.

“My my, what a beautiful cat.” Dad said. “I’m sure she’s plenty spoiled.”

“Indeed.” I said.

Dad and I kept talking for a long time. Periodically, I would begin to break in cries and dad would comfort me. For a long time, I wondered if I would ever get to have father-son talks with my dad. And here I was, having on with him.

There was a knock on the door. I poked my head out and saw Calvin and my mom standing there with trays in their hands.

“We brought food.” Calvin said.

I stepped out of the room. “Calvin, I want you to meet my dad, properly this time.”

Calvin was stunned but nodded affirmatively. “I’ll do it.” He said. I smiled at his determination. I opened the door back into the room.

“Dad, you said you wanted to meet my partner.” I said. Dad raised an eyebrow. “He’s here.”

“Send him in. Let’s see this guy.” Dad said. I opened the door. My mom was the first to walk. She quickly walked to my dad’s bedside and placed his food in front of him. She made my scoot over and laid in bed next to him.

Calvin slowly walked into the room. He looked a little nervous, but maintained his brave composure.

“Uh, good afternoon.” Calvin said.

Dad sat forward. “What’s your name?” He asked.

“Calvin Fischer, sir.”

“And how long have you been dating my son?”

Calvin let out a small sigh. “Almost a year. This March will be our one year anniversary.”

My dad signaled to a seat next to him. “Alistair, could you excuse us? I need to have a talk with your partner.” He said. I agreed. Calvin handed me the bowl of food and I walked out.

I sat at the top of the stairs and just ate my food, wondering what my dad was telling Calvin. Hopefully it’s all good things and that he approves of him. Before being lucid, my dad seemed to enjoy Calvin’s presence.

After I finished with my food, I went downstairs to put it in the sink. While I washed my bowl, I looked out towards the ocean. It was still cold, but it still seemed like a nice day to go to the beach.

“Alistair.” Calvin said as he joined me in the kitchen.

“What happened? Did my dad threaten you?” I asked.

He chuckled and brought his hand up to my face. “It’s all good. He just wanted to talk to me about what it is like being your partner after so many failed attempts.”

“Classic Dad.” I said. Calvin joined me to look outside the window.

“Are you happy that he’s lucid?” He asked.

“Yeah. It’s nice to be able to talk to him, knowing that he remembered. But at the same time, I’m worried that when he returns back, it’ll all return to how it was before.”

Calvin rubbed my back. “At least now he knows that his son is content with his life. He’s found peace and prosperity, something your dad has always wanted for you. And when the time comes and returns to before, you can at least sleep better knowing that he knows you’re fine.”

I brought Calvin close to me and kissed his forehead. “Most all, he now knows that I love you.”

The two of us hugged each other closer. Ever since I brought Calvin into my life, I’ve begun to worry about my future. More specifically, if I could possibly also get Alzheimer’s. I could get tested to see if I have the markers for it.

But that brings its own issues. If I don’t have it, great. But if there’s even a chance I might, I’ll want to prepare everything. I’ll need to make sure Luna is taken care of. Also my parents, if they’re still around.

Then my friends, who will have to know one day. And company and who my successor will be.

And most of all… Calvin. Out of anyone, I want him to know if something might happen to me. He is my other half. If he were to lose me, it would be detrimental. I could possibly find out and live in worry, or I could stay ignorant and just live my life in bliss.

“Want to go to your dad?” Calvin asked. “You should spend as much time with him as you can.”

I nodded. “Let’s go.” I said.

Calvin took the lead and walked us forward, back up the stairs and towards my dad’s room. I took a look at my mom and dad cuddling one another, smiling.

The two, despite going through so much, still love each other. Through sickness and in health, they took it literally. And the man next to me will teach me what it means to experience that.

---

don’t kill me y’all! russel is fine.

Bonus Three

Calvin Fischer

‘Dear Calvin,

I’m sure you’re wondering why you’ve received this note instead of a phone call. After work, there will be a car waiting for you outside. Get inside it and it will take you to our destination. Don’t bother trying to dress up. This event will be just about us.

With great love, Alistair.’

I read the note and sighed happily to myself. So for the rest of the day, I was getting more anxious. As soon as the clock reached five, I practically ran out of there and looked around the parking lot. 

An elegant black car drove up to the front and a driver stepped out. “Are you Calvin Fischer?” He asked me. 

I nodded. “Yes.” The driver opened the door and signaled for me to get inside. It was warm inside. I asked the driver where we were going, but he just told me that Alistair wanted to take me somewhere. 

After a few minutes, the driver approached a familiar place, Blockhouse, the place where Alistair and I had our first date. 

“Here we are, sir.” The driver announced. I got out of the car and looked towards the front of the establishment. Quickly, a waiter walked up to me. I remembered him as one of the waiters who ignored me the first time I came here.

“Evening, Mr. Fischer. Mr. McClair insisted that I take you to the private lounge. Would you please follow me?” He said. 

I nodded and followed the waiter as he walked into the restaurant. I remembered the path almost perfectly, just behind a large set of doors and up some stairs until we reached the more exclusive part. 

Only this time, the upper part was completely empty. Except for one person: Sitting in the same spot, at the same chair and same table, was Alistair McClair. I watched as he glanced down at his watch. 

He must’ve heard my footsteps, because he looked up and immediately got out of his chair and walked towards me. 

“Happy anniversary, Calvin.” He said as he embraced me into a hug. My face was planted into his chest. But at least I caught a whiff of his cologne. 

“Happy anniversary to you too, Alistair.” I replied. Alistair didn’t waste time and made me sit in the same spot. He pushed in my chair and went to his side. 

“Sorry for the cryptic note. I just like when you put those sweet notes in my lunch that I wanted to return the favor.” Alistair said. 

I sat back in my seat and awed at the skyline of Seattle. The tallest building had his company’s logo on it. 

“Did you ever expect this?” I asked. Alistair asked for more context. “Did you ever expect to see yourself here, celebrating your one year anniversary?” 

Alistair took a sip of his lemon water. He had already ordered our drinks before I came. “Uh, not really. Before I met you, I thought my entire life was just going to be one endless cycle of relationships. Luckily, you broke it. Now, I can say that I expect this to be a yearly thing.”

“So we’re going for the long run?” I asked. 

“Indeed. I’m not letting you go, Calvin.” He reached his hands across the table to grab mine. “As my mom told me once, never let go of something that makes you happy.” 

I took in the smell of the air. It was sweet and also salty from the ocean next to us. 

“Calvin, I’ve had the best time with you for the past year. I’m serious, I’ve never met anyone that makes me happy to wake up like you do. I want us to be together for the long.” Alistair said.

“Are you going to propose?” I jokingly asked. Alistair pulled a small box out of his pocket. “Oh, shit!”

“It’s not a proposal.” Alistair quickly said. “It’s a promise ring. Kostas told me all about them. You give someone a ring that promises that you’ll be with them for a long time.” He explained. 

Alistair gently grabbed my left hand and slipped the ring onto my finger. I thought it was going to be a simple ring. But when I glanced at it, it was a large green gem that dazzled me. 

“Alistair! H-How much was this!?” I asked. 

Alistair blushed and looked away. “The price doesn’t matter. Your love is priceless to me.”

I sucked in a deep breath to prevent myself from crying. “It’s beautiful, Alistair. Now I’m gonna have to get you something.”

He called the waiter over. He gave him the exact same order that we had on our first date. I think it was even the same waiter himself. 

“Are you cold?” Alistair asked me. 

“No, not at all.” I replied. “I’m just remembering our first date. I was so nervous that day.”

“Really? It didn’t seem like it. You seemed… calm and easy-going.” Alistair said. “I was kind of just waiting for the time to end and for our date to end. But the more you talked and kept the conversation going, the more intrigued I became with you.”

I sipped my soft drink. “Do you remember when I took that picture of you? You let me take it without protesting.” I said. 

“I had prior dates that would always take pictures of every small thing we did. You hadn’t pulled out your phone once during our date. Letting you take my picture was the least I could do.”

The waiter returned quickly with our food, the same one we had gotten on our first date. It was too quickly that the food came out, almost as if it was already prepared in advance. 

The food tasted better this time than before. I made a mental note to start bringing some of my friends and family here in the future.

“Calvin…” I heard Alistair say. I looked up and saw that he had been watching me eat. “You close your eyes while eating, did you know that?”

“I like to have a peace of mind when I’m eating. Really relaxes me. Since we’re pointing out things about each other, you always crouch down to pick something up and never just bend down. Why is that?” I asked. 

Alistair looked away with a blush on his face. “Right, I don’t think you’ve seen it.” He pulled out his phone and began to scroll through it until he turned his phone to me. “Alistair McCake, they called it.”

Leaning closer to get a better look, it was a photo from behind of Alistair bent down to pick something up. His bottom was sticking out perfectly in two huge globes. 

“I was picking up my handkerchief when someone took that picture. It was trending all over the internet. Meredith has this as her contact picture for me.” 

The picture was hilarious. It’s so strange to see him in such a weird position. Of course, I’ve already seen his bare ass, which is only for my eyes. “Could you send it to me?” I asked innocently. 

He chuckled and rolled his eyes. “Fine. I knew you were going to ask that question.” He typed for a bit until I received the notification. The picture was sent to me. 

The waiter brought us our dessert, this time it was the correct one. And once dinner ended, we got ready to leave the restaurant. But before we left, Alistair had us take a picture to remember this day. 

And as we exited the restaurant, this time, instead of going off on his own, the two of us got into the car together. I glanced down at the promise ring he had gotten me, admiring it. It wasn’t special because of how much it was. It was special because it was given to me by Alistair McClair himself. 

The ride back to the apartment was silent. I laid my head on Alistair’s lap and smelled his intoxicating cologne. No matter what, this man seems to always drive me towards him. 

“Calvin, we’re here.” Alistair said. 

“Mm,” I mumbled, starting to have already fallen asleep on him. Alistair instead chose to pick me up in his arms and take me up the elevator. 

The ding from the top floor rang. He walked forward. With my eyes barely opened, I looked up at Alistair’s face. It was so perfect. I wanted to reach out and touch it. And I remembered that I can indeed do that. 

So I reached up and ran my fingers over his face. Alistair glanced down and just smiled at me. “Touch all you want,” He told me. 

He unlocked the door and I saw him jump a bit. “Jesus! What are you two doing here?” He asked someone. I turned my head and saw both Meredith and Kostas were sitting on the couch with Luna in between them. 

“How was your dinner?” Meredith asked. 

I tapped Alistair’s chest to make him put me down. He did, and Luna quickly walked out of her spot and walked towards me. She began to purr and rub up against my leg. 

“I asked you a question.” Alistair said. 

“We know, we know.” Kostas said, dismissing Alistair’s concerns. “We just wanted to see the happy couple after being together for one year. I guess you finally found your true match.” 

“Well, it’s still too early to–” I was saying before Alistair cut me off. 

“I did, which means you two don’t have to comfort me 24/7. I have someone to annoy now.”

Alistair’s face was slightly flushed red. Seeing him so passionate about me really began to excite me. 

“What’s that?” Meredith asked, pointing towards my hand. 

“Luna?” Alistair asked. 

“No,” Meredith said. She and Kostas both stood up and walked towards us. “I saw something shiny on his finger. Calvin, let me see your hand.” I held out my left hand for them to see.

The two were blown away and awed at the ring I was gifted. 

“Are you two getting married?” Kostas eagerly asked. 

“Can I be a bridesmaid?” Meredith asked. 

“Can I be your best man?” Kostas then asked. “Or officiate the wedding?”

“No, no , no, and no.” Alistair said. “It’s just a promise ring. And my best man, or best cat, is going to be Luna.” 

Kostas had a defeated look on his face while Meredith was still smiling. She turned to Alistair and gave him a large hug. 

“I’m so proud of you.” She said to him. Alistair just rolled his eyes and muttered something. 

“So can you two leave now? Calvin and I want to celebrate our anniversary without any interruptions.” Alistair said. The two were still gawking at my ring. 

“I’ll handle this,” I said to my boyfriend. “You two. Can you guys leave? Alistair plans to fuck me on every surface of furniture in this apartment until I either pass or get pregnant.” I blatantly said. 

Meredith and Kostas stopped smiling and just looked at one another with shocked expressions. “Got it.” Meredith said. They both grabbed their coats. Before they left, they gave us one final congratulations. 

“That was blunt.” Alistair told me after they had left. 

“Sometimes, you have to be blunt. And besides, did I lie?” I asked. 

He chuckled. “No, no you did not.” He said. He began to loosen his tie and was already unbuttoning his shirt. 

“Where should we start first?” I asked him. I had also begun to now remove my clothes. Alistair and I were almost on the verge of having no clothes on. 

“The bath first. Then, the house will be ours.” He replied. 

The two of us were now completely naked, still standing at the front door. Alistair grabbed Luna and we both walked through the hallway. He placed his cat in her play room so she won’t bother us. 

“Roses or lavender?” Alistair asked me.

“Roses.” I replied. He pulled out the bath bomb and filled the tub. Once full, we got inside, with me leaning my back on his chest. 

We stared out the window, seeing as the clouds began to huddle together. Pretty soon, it was going to rain and get colder. But I have something that will keep me warm all night. 

“You are everything to me.” I heard Alistair mutter in my ear. 

I grabbed his hand to assure him that I’m not going anywhere. I brought my left hand up from the foamy water and looked at the ring. A symbol of our love. 

---

this detail never made it into the story, but alistair’s parents were mormon and were both going to be married to other people. they rejected that and chose to marry each other, which is why they were disowned and excommunicated

, which is why alistair doesn’t have grandparents.

Bonus Four

Alistair McClair

I was awoken by a sudden movement on my bed. It kept repeating over and over again, shaking me in my sleep. I groaned loudly and reached to my side. 

“Calvin…” I grunted. I didn’t feel him. Instead, my hands grabbed some small ankles. “Huh?” I said. I looked and saw a small child giggling. 

The child had brown hair, similar to Calvin’s. But he also had my light blue eyes. A large smile was plastered on his face as he chuckled loudly. 

“Papa! Wake up! It’s Pancake Day!” The child said. I let go of his ankle, confused about where this child came from. The child got off the bed and ran out the room. I sat up quickly and scanned the room.

The first thing that was different was that the room was a mess. This is odd, as I always keep everything neat. There were children’s toys and clothes scattered on the floor. 

“The fuck…?” I muttered. I slipped on my slippers and exited the room. The hallway looked the same. I took in my surroundings and knew I was in the home that I had bought for Calvin. 

A smell of something sweet attracted me and led me to the kitchen. Before I turned the corner to the kitchen, there was a large portrait on the wall that had me, Calvin, and the child smiling together. 

“Sit and eat your pancakes! Don’t forget what today also is.” I heard Calvin said. 

“Pancake and Clean-Up Day!” There was that child again. I turned the corner and saw that Calvin was at the stove cooking while the child was on a chair eating. 

“Morning, sweetie!” Calvin said. He walked up to me and placed a kiss on my cheek. I returned the gesture while still keeping an eye on the kid. 

“Good… morning.” I replied. 

“What’s wrong? You look pale. Did you find out some grim news?” Calvin jokingly said as he returned to the stove. “Pancakes are done. Eat up. We need our energy to clean today.”

I took a glance around the house and saw it was indeed messy. I began to get a headache just by looking at the mess. Calvin set up a plate for me and I sat next to the kid. 

My eyes were looking at the kid as he happily ate away at his food. Something about just watching him, for some reason, brought a smile to my face. I didn’t know anything about who this was, but I had a weird natural instinct to believe this was my kid. 

“Are they good?” Calvin asked.

“The best.” Me and the kid said at the same time. 

“He really does take after you.” Calvin giggled and sat to join us. I watched Calvin and the kid… my son… talk together playfully. 

“Where’s Luna?” I asked. 

“In her home.” He said. I remembered the miniature home that I had gotten for her. I hope she’s safe and away from this mess. 

I felt something grab my hand. When I turned, I saw that my son was holding onto my hand. But his hands were so small, he was only able to grab one finger. It was adorable. 

“Papa, dad said that when I grow up, I’ll get to join you at work.”

I chuckled and patted his hair. “That’s right.” I said. It was almost natural for me to talk to him so carefully. “You’ll get to wear a suit and drink coffee and use colorful highlighters.”

“I can’t wait to grow up!” My son said. Calvin chuckled while stuffing his face with pancakes. 

“Or you can be an artist like me. Don’t you like to draw and color with me?” Calvin said.

“Yes, I do!” My son said. He let out an irritated groan. “I can’t choose! Can’t I do both?” Both Calvin and I just laughed at his dilemma. 

“You have many more years to decide. For now, focus on being a kid.” Calvin reminded our son. 

Breakfast ended and we cleaned up the table. While our son was cleaning up his toys, I stood next to Calvin and joined him. 

“Uh, Calvin.” I said. He turned to me. 

“Yes, sweetie? Everything okay?” He asked. I quickly nodded. 

“Everything’s swell! Couldn’t be better.” I said. “Am I dreaming, or…”

“Is this one of your cheesy lines? Are you going to say that living with me feels like a dream?” Calvin said. He kissed me on the cheek and squeezed my hand lightly. 

Calvin let my hand go and went to help our son clean up. I stood back and just marveled at how spectacular it looked. Seeing a miniature version of me and Calvin walking in this home, bringing even more joy to our lives. 

“Calvin,” I said. He turned to me and walked up to me. 

“Yes, my love?” He asked. 

I bent down to kiss him. “I love our family.” I said. 

“Me too.” He replied. “We truly do have a wonderful family.”

Our child came up to us and jumped up and down. “Papa, dad! Can we invite uncle Kostas and aunt Meredith and Evelyn?” He asked. 

I glanced at Calvin. “Sure, bud.” I said. “Let’s clean as quickly as we can and we’ll invite them for a picnic.” 

Our son was quick to start cleaning up even faster. “I should join him,” Calvin said. Before he left, I grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

“Silly question,” I said. “But what is our child’s name?” I asked. 

Calvin looked at me curiously. He tilted his head to the side like a puppy. 

“What do you mean?” He asked.

“Our child’s name. Can I hear it?” I asked. I leaned closer to him. Calvin got closer too.

“Silly, his name is…”

My alarm began blaring loudly. I jolted awake quickly, panting heavily. My shirt was slightly soaked in sweat. I looked around the room. There was no mess in sight. It was clean, just like how we had left it the night before.

I turned to my side and saw that Calvin wasn’t in bed. Quickly and swiftly, I jumped out of bed and ran to the living room. Calvin was sitting there with Luna on his lap.

“Alistair? Are you okay?” He jumped off the couch and walked over to me. His hands came up and he began to inspect my face and body. “You’re all sweaty. Did you have a nightmare? Come on, let’s get you into the shower.” He tugged on my shirt. 

I didn’t move. Instead, I grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him into a tight hug. I smelled his hair, his locks tickling my nose. 

This was real life. 

“Uh, Alistair?” He said. “You okay?”

I pulled away and looked into his eyes. One brown, the other dark blue. “Let’s have a family.” I said.

His eyes widened and he began to cough erratically. “Uh, a family? We’ve only been dating for just over a year. Isn’t that too soon?” He asked. I placed my hand on his face, feeling the warmth from his blush. 

“Well then, in the future, could we have a family? I think I’d want that.” I said.

“I think I’d want that too.” He replied. He placed a small peck on my face. “Now, let’s get you into a shower. As attractive as you look right now, we have a dinner reservation with Kostas and his new girlfriend.” 

I rolled my eyes. It’s been nearly a month since Kostas has finally found someone to settle down with. But all he does is talk about her. But then I remembered how I was when I realized I was in love with Calvin, which was more annoying. 

“What do you want for breakfast?” Calvin asked as he led me to the bathroom. 

“Mmm, pancakes,” I replied. 

“Any specific reason?” 

I just shook my shoulders. “Just craving them.”

Calvin turned on the shower and helped me get undressed; he left me to get showered, while he returned to the living room. I showered quickly, still thinking about that dream I had. I couldn’t remember the face of the kid anymore, but his blue eyes, which were identical to mine, are stuck with me. 

That dream, I keep thinking about the possibility of it. Of having a family. I’ve never thought about having a family before. Instead of having a child, I had my cat and my company, my honorary family. Now, part of me hopes to one day be able to settle down.

This new found revelation only came to be with the arrival of Calvin. He showed me that settling down is not a bad thing. It’s perfectly fine to take a moment to breathe and focus on what I have, instead of constantly having to feel like I need to run. 

I finished my shower and got dressed. When I entered the kitchen, there was Calvin whistling to himself and making pancakes. 

“Morning,” I said. He jumped and turned around quickly. 

“You scared me! Are you feeling better now?” He asked.

I took a seat at the island and just ogled at him. “Much better. I know I can always count on you to make me feel better.” 

He brushed me off and continued to cook. He put me in charge of cutting up the fruits, and I happily obliged. There may not be a kid in this kitchen right now, but maybe one day. Only time will tell. 

“What are the plans for today?” I asked Calvin. While Meredith is in charge of my business schedule, Calvin has taken responsibility for my personal schedule. Meredith said she needed to loosen her work load after joining the board. 

“Lunch downtown with Evelyn. Then we have a dinner reservation with Kostas and his girlfriend at 8 tonight. Tomorrow, my parents and your parents are coming over for a Sunday brunch.” He explained. 

“Will there be any special time for the two of us?” I asked. 

He rolled his eyes. “Alistair,” He poked his fork onto the pancakes. “I’m with you 24/7. You don’t need to make time for me, you need to make time for others.” He explained. 

“I just really like being around you,” I said. Luna meowed from below the table. “And Luna. I love the life that we have.”

“I do too.” He said. I glanced at his hand and saw the promise ring. 

Soon, I’ll replace it with the real thing. I know he’s the one that I want. But I’ll bite my tongue and give him time to eventually settle. If it was up to me, we’d be at the courthouse getting a quick marriage. Then I’d whisk him off to Italy or Cape Verde to have a honeymoon. 

After I washed the dishes, per my demand, we spent the next few hours choosing our outfits for the day. We put our lunch outfit on and got into the car, ready to head downtown to see Evelyn. 

My hand was placed on Calvin’s lap. He got it and began to rub my fingers and soothe the joints in them. 

I’m just grateful that I have this life. I’m grateful that a person like Calvin came into my life and changed it. It was a change that I needed desperately so I no longer felt adrift in this life. 

I had everything but someone to love. Now I have everything. Calvin is everything to me. As he sits there, rubbing my fingers, I become infatuated every second I see or think about him.

“Love me forever,” I said. 

He kept rubbing my hand. “Always.” He replied. 

I smiled and kept driving forward, moving down the busy street while still being inside our small haven inside this car. Because in this car, away from the loud honks and angry drivers, the only ones that matter are me and him. 

---

that’s the end!

if it makes y’all feel any better: because this story takes place in 2030, medication for alzheimer’s would’ve advanced and russel would’ve become much better.

that’s the end of their journey. but you know me, their names might appear in future stories… who knows.

goodbye! until the next adventure!

♥️