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“Do you need any help?”
Carlos Reyes looks up from the fish pieces he’s frying to find Marjan looking at him curiously, a glass of the sparkling grape juice he’s taken to having in stock since he and TK officially started dating in her hand.
There is lively laughter and conversation behind them as his boyfriend entertains his other two crew members, Paul and Mateo.
“Sure,” he starts with a smile, getting one back from the girl TK is so fond of. “Can you chop that?” he asks as he points at the herbs on the cutting board. “The rice is almost done and ready for it.”
“Cilantro lime rice?” she questions, placing her glass down to wash her hands before she picks up a knife.
“Mmhmm,” he nods, taking out some finished pieces of fish, placing them on a paper towel to soak up the extra oil.
“And Baja tacos, yum,” Marjan continues, nodding towards the fresh tortillas he’s placed on the dishes before adding the fish.
“With a chickenless southwest salad,” he finishes for her, raising an eyebrow when she chuckles. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing, nothing,” she says quickly, grin still firmly in place on her pretty face. “It’s just that TK is a shit cook. He gets out of it at work by trading the chore with Paul when it’s his turn, and now he has a boyfriend who is also awesome at cooking, so he doesn’t have to do it when he’s off shift either. It’s kind of hilarious.”
Carlos chuckles at her observation; she’s not wrong. TK has many talents he’s come to learn about in the weeks since they’ve gotten serious. Talents and habits Carlos either finds adorable or hot beyond belief. But his boyfriend is simply not cooking-compatible and would live off takeout and cereal if left up to his own devices.
“He’s only with me for my cooking,” he jokes with a grin, raising an eyebrow when Marjan snorts.
“Yeah, no,” She corrects him. She points at the pot of rice that now sits off the stove; when he nods at her, she starts to fluff the rice with a fork a few times before pouring the lime juice he’d squeezed earlier. “Trust me, if you heard the way he rambles on about you, you would know that while he does mention your cooking, is just one of the million things he goes on and on about when he brings you up.”
Marjan gives him a pointed look. “Which is all the time.”
Carlos feels his face go hot, and he knows it has nothing to do with having been in the kitchen for the last hour cooking. “He does not talk about me all the time,” he replies with conviction for a moment before continuing, hesitant. “Does he?”
“We can bring Mateo and Paul into this conversation if you’d like; they’ll back me up,” Marjan answers, opening her mouth again to call for their friends.
“No, that won’t be necessary,” he hisses quickly, shooting her a look when she smirks. “You just want to embarrass TK,” he continues with gentle reproach, knowing she doesn’t mean it with malice. Teasing, he’s learned, is the way Marjan and TK show affection towards each other.
Marjan’s smile grows even wider, proving his observation correct.
Carlos shakes his head. “Troublemaker,” he tells her, unable to hide his fondness for her as she throws him a wink. “Here, take these plates to the table.”
Marjan rolls her eyes at him jokingly but does what he says. He calls out to the rest of the guests, calling them to the table as he readies the other plates. Mateo and Paul take their seats along with Marjan, while TK comes to meet him in the kitchen, taking a plate from him.
“This all looks and smells delicious, baby,” TK tells him with a sweet, happy smile on his face. He’s been grinning like this for the last three days since Carlos agreed to host this little get together. The bashful look on TK’s face when he asked him if it would be okay to invite the trio over, and the smile that followed when Carlos said yes, still tugs at his heartstrings. Carlos would do anything to keep that smile on TK’s face.
“Hopefully, it tastes delicious too,” he answers, chuckling when it makes TK roll his eyes.
“When have you ever made something that isn’t delicious?” TK questions teasingly.
“I made a beef wellington so bad once that it would have sent Gordon Ramsay into a rage,” he answers, cringing as he remembers that particular culinary fail.
Gordan Ramsay is always in a rage,” TK answers, eyes crinkling at the corners as he grins. “That’s his shtick, babe.”
“Cute,” Carlos mutters dryly, causing TK to light up.
“I’m glad you think so,” TK answers, turning sideways to keep the plates out of the way as he leans into Carlos’ space.
Carlos tries not to react, but it’s impossible when his boyfriend is this close, his lovely pouty mouth inches from his. He closes the small gap, his stomach doing a somersault as TK’s eyes flutter shut a second before Carlos covers that gorgeous mouth with his. His body sings at the soft sigh TK lets out as he kisses him gently. He can feel himself starting to get lost in the kiss when a loud whistle startles them both. Turning his head towards the table, he sees Paul pulling his hand away from his mouth.
“Yeah, we get it, you’re in love,” he says with a sarcastic roll of his eyes. “But we’re waiting and hungry.”
Carlos feels his face go red once more, his heart racing at Paul’s words, but TK, instead, just laughs joyfully.
“No need to be jealous of me and my gorgeous man, Strickland,” TK teases his friend as they come to sit at the table, passing the last of the plates around.
Paul narrows his eyes at TK, but Carlos can see the hint of a smile on the curve of his mouth. “Love makes you obnoxious, brother,” he tells him, wreaking havoc with Carlos’ insides as he casually drops the word love around once more.
“Maybe,” TK agrees easily as he starts to dig into his salad. “But it’s doing amazing things to my complexion, don’t you think?” he asks, batting his eyelashes aggressively at Paul.
Paul rolls his eyes while Marjan and Mateo exchange a grin, obviously used to this simple ribbing between all of them. It makes Carlos happy to witness it, and hopefully, be part of it.
“Okay, you two can continue,” Mateo waves in their direction. “But I’m eating, this smells really good, and I have been living off pop tarts I found in the back of my cupboards for the last week. Pretty sure they were expired.”
Marjan raises an eyebrow at the man next to her, judgingly, before turning back towards the rest of them. “Gee, why can’t probie get a girl?” she asks, drawing a pout from Mateo and laughter from the rest of the table.
Carlos joins into their easy camaraderie, teasing and sharing with the group as they eat. Halfway through the meal, when the trio is busy recalling an incident earlier in the week, TK leans in close to him.
“Thank you,” he says quietly, his green eyes soft as he smiles at him shyly. He shrugs when Carlos gives him a questioning look back. “My ex never cared about getting to know my crew, and he sure as hell never made them an amazing dinner to get to know them better. This means a lot to me – ” TK pauses, looking over at his friends, all smiling and enjoying themselves. “They’re – “
“Your family,” Carlos finishes for him. TK looks back at him, eyes now shining, pleased that Carlos gets it. He nods back at him. “Then they’re my family too, Ty.”
TK lets out a soft sound, another beautiful smile on his face. He leans in further, pressing his forehead to Carlos’ temple gently. “You’re my family too, baby,” he whispers, lips brushing over Carlos’ cheek.
Carlos exhales, a little shaky, his heart thundering at TK’s words and the meaning behind them. “And you’re mine.”