“Look at that,” Augustine smiled.

The bedroom had been transformed. As he looked around the room, he saw that Reggie hadn’t really done much to the room, but the feel of it had changed drastically.

He’d put thin strips of fabric over the table lights, casting a warm glow onto the room. He’d changed the bed sheets and put some scatter cushions onto it. The piles of dirty laundry had been removed and put into the hamper and their clean clothes that were usually stored on the armchair had vanished.

Augustine stepped farther into the room and saw that Reggie had put together their wardrobe. It had been in the packaging for months, neither of them having the time to build it. Somehow, Reggie had found the time and energy and put it up all on his own. Augustine went to it and looked inside, sliding the door to the left. All of their clothes were hanging on hangers or folded neatly on the shelves. Their shoes were on the bottom of the wardrobe, neatly stacked.

Augustine frowned. “You’re amazing,” he said. “Amazing.”

Reggie blushed.

“No,” Augustine stepped toward him and grabbed his hands. “You are. I don’t know how you found the energy to do this. Thank you.”

Reggie grinned. “Anything for you,” he said shyly. “Besides, it was long overdue. How long had the box been sitting on the floor?”

Augustine looked down to where the box had been, stashed at the end of the bed, when his eyes saw the rug on the floor.

“Oh,” Reggie said. “I splurged a bit.”

“Where?” Augustine asked. “How?”

“You know that thrift shop on my way back from rehearsal?” Reggie asked. “I was tired from walking home and went inside. The rug was in there. I grabbed it last week and had it dry cleaned.”

Augustine grinned and walked over to it, feeling the faux fur beneath his bare feet. Reggie watched him happily. Finally, their bedroom was a place that both of them wanted to be. It was romantic, sensual, a place to hang out and enjoy each other’s company.

Augustine pulled Reggie over so they were both standing on the carpet, their feet warmed by it. He brought Reggie’s face close to his and planted a soft, small kiss on his lips.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

Augustine kissed him again, moving along his jaw with the kisses.

“Thank you,” he whispered again. “Thank you.”

He kept whispering it as he kissed lower and lower on Reggie’s body. When he got to Reggie’s neck, obstructed by his t-shirt, Augustine’s hands wandered down to the hem and gently pulled it up over Reggie’s head. He was shirtless, his pale chest covered in dark hairs. Augustine watched as his skin turned slowly to gooseflesh, the cold air hitting against his skin and causing his hairs to rise into the air. Augustine kissed his skin, kissed the hairs, kissed every inch of his chest.

Reggie groaned as Augustine approached his nipples. When Augustine took them in his mouth, feeling them spring erect against his tongue, Reggie sighed and moaned louder above him. Soon Reggie’s hands found their way into Augustine’s hair and tugged gently at the strands. Augustine felt his pants tighten against his crotch as his cock grew.

He released Reggie’s mouth into the cool air and stripped off Reggie’s pants. When his cock was standing tall and uncovered, Augustine collapsed to his knees and took it into his mouth. The skin was warm and salty. Augustine’s tongue roamed along the shaft before circling the head. He took Reggie’s cock deep into his mouth and began to suck, bobbing his head up and down slowly at first. Within a minute, he gained speed. Reggie was moaning loudly above him, grabbing fistfuls of his hair to have a better hold on Augustine’s head, plunging his cock deeper into his mouth.

It didn’t take long for Reggie’s come to spurt out, filling Augustine’s mouth and sliding down his throat. Reggie’s body trembled as his muscles tensed and released. Augustine didn’t waste a moment. His cock was hard as a rock and ready to drive into Reggie. He grabbed his lover by the waist and threw him onto the bed. Reggie squealed in delight and lifted his hips, raising his ass into the air.

“Yes,” Augustine growled as he parted Reggie’s cheeks.

He entered him quickly, sharply, plunging his cock deep inside. Reggie clenched around Augustine’s cock. The tightness and warm felt amazing. Augustine struggled to compose himself as his eyes rolled back into his head.

“Fuck me,” Reggie mumbled from below.

Augustine grabbed hold of Reggie’s hips hard and began to thrust hard into him from behind. Their bodies rocked forward and back as Augustine slammed into him. Soon they were both covered in sweat, panting ferociously. Augustine knew he was about to come, he could feel it deep inside his stomach, but he wasn’t ready yet.

He pulled out and helped Reggie get onto his back. Then, he put Reggie’s legs onto his shoulders and entered him. Again, Reggie’s body clenched around his cock and tightened incredibly. Augustine had trouble controlling himself. He waited a moment before beginning to move his hips.

He watched Reggie’s face, their eyes locked together, as his cock slowly entered. When his cock had vanished inside of him, Augustine waited a beat before drawing out. Reggie’s eyes closed as he enjoyed the feeling but Augustine knew that peaceful expression wouldn’t last long. He drove inside, shoving his cock as far as it would go, causing Reggie’s eyes to pop open. Augustine grabbed Reggie’s legs and anchored himself as he thrusted in and out and in again.

His balls tightened as he came closer to orgasm but this time he couldn’t stop himself. He slammed inside and felt his seed spill into Reggie, filling his insides. Augustine screamed out, and within a second, his whole body had relaxed and loosened. He breathed heavily, trying to steady his breath, as he leaned down and planted a long, soft kiss on Reggie’s lips. He couldn’t stay on his knees, his legs were wobbling, so he relaxed back in the bed. The dry sheets below him soaked up his sweat as Reggie snuggled down next to him, panting heavily. Augustine smiled sweetly and planted another kiss on Reggie’s plump lips.

“Maybe this time,” Augustine said gently.

Reggie’s smile faded from his face and his eyes darkened.

“What?” Augustine rolled over onto his side and grabbed Reggie’s hands in his own. “What did I say?”

“It won’t happen,” Reggie complained, snatching his hands from Augustine’s. “It’s not going to happen. I won’t be pregnant.”

Augustine frowned. “You don’t know that, not for sure.”

“I do,” Reggie snapped.

“With that attitude, nothing will ever happen for us.”

Reggie scoffed and sat up in bed, letting the covers fall down to his waist. He rubbed his tired eyes and kept his back to Augustine. His pale skin was pink in patches from their lovemaking. Augustine reached out to touch the bits of pink and caressed Reggie’s soft, silky skin.

“I’m sorry,” Augustine said. “I just want you to be happy. Hope can bring happiness.”

Reggie looked over his shoulder at Augustine. “It also brings heartache,” he snapped. “Maybe we should be realistic instead of hopeful. I don’t think it’s ever going to happen for me.”

Augustine felt his intestines knot together. “Us,” he said quickly. “For us.”

Reggie looked to Augustine with glassy eyes.

“Us,” Augustine said again. “For us, right?”

Reggie looked away, down to his lap. “I don’t know,” he said, his voice trembling. “I can’t give you what you want. Maybe you should be with someone else.”

Augustine sat up in the bed and wrapped his warm arms around Reggie’s cold torso. He hugged him tightly from behind, leaning his head against Reggie’s. They stayed like that for a long moment.

“I can’t give you a baby,” Reggie complained, whispering. “I can’t do it. You should be with someone who can.”

Augustine hugged Reggie all the tighter. “I don’t care, love. I don’t care. I don’t care if we have ten children or none. I don’t.” He hugged Reggie so tight Augustine was scared he was going to snap his ribs. “I don’t care. The only thing I care about is you. You’re the one thing I want in this world, do you understand?”

Reggie nodded in silence.

“Please,” Augustine begged. “Don’t take this to heart. If we never get pregnant, I’ll be okay with that. I just want you, children or no.”

“I understand,” Reggie said sadly. “I just want you to be happy. I want to give you everything you need and it kills me that I can’t.”

Augustine laughed gently. “You’re all that I need, love.”

“I ran into Lancaster today,” Reggie blurted.

Augustine slowly removed his arms from around Reggie’s chest. He looked to his lover with a fresh set of eyes. He wasn’t insecure because they couldn’t get pregnant—he was insecure because he ran into Augustine’s ex-boyfriend.

Reggie had been there when they broke up, he had healed Augustine’s heart, and he had first-hand experience on how rough the break-up was. It was as if Augustine’s world had imploded. Nothing made sense to him. That was until Reggie declared his love. His whole world turned upside down, in a good way. Suddenly he was forced to look at his friend with new eyes. Not only was Reggie cute, he was possibly the nicest person Augustine had ever met. He knew that Reggie would never hurt him and that security allowed their love to blossom. Augustine hadn’t looked back since that fateful day, but it seemed like Reggie had.

“Where?” Augustine asked carefully, internally preparing himself for the onslaught of pain that Lancaster was sure to bring.

“The garage,” Reggie said sadly. “He works there.”

“And seeing him brought on this insecurity?” Augustine asked. “That’s what this is all about?”

Reggie licked his lips. “Lancaster’s pregnant.”

A knife stabbed through Augustine’s heart. He closed his eyes slowly and pinched the bridge of his nose. There was no way he could deal with this. It was too much all at once. Reggie was sad all because he’d seen Augustine’s ex-boyfriend, most likely heavily pregnant and glowing with pride and joy.

“He’s single,” Reggie added quietly. “Scared about the future.”

Augustine’s eyes snapped to Reggie’s immediately. “What are you suggesting?”

Reggie sighed. “He needs someone,” he said. “Someone to care for his baby while he’s at work. He needs love and support and you need a baby.”

Augustine clenched his jaw. “I don’t care about Lancaster. I care about you. I don’t want to play daddy to his child. I don’t want to be with him.” Augustine sighed and got out of the bed. “How are you not getting that?”

“I’m sorry,” Reggie said. “My head’s in a weird place, I guess.”

Augustine nodded angrily. “You guess? Well, you’re right. You need to clear your head and see what’s right in front of you: I love you and I don’t want him. Okay?”

Augustine turned on his heels and stormed out of the bedroom, unable to believe what Reggie was doing. As soon as he got downstairs, he realized just how ridiculous he had acted. Reggie was feeling insecure and afraid for their future, and Augustine had told him his fears were stupid and trivial. He hadn’t been the best partner in that moment but he had said the truth. If Augustine were unhappy, he would have left long ago. He didn’t care about Lancaster and his baby, he didn’t care about babies at all. He felt that he’d made that very clear throughout their relationship—the only thing he ever wanted was Reggie, baby or no.

It was Augustine’s turn to be filled with rage. He paced in the kitchen, the wooden floorboards creaking and groaning under his feet, as he thought about everything Reggie had said.

Why does he think I need a baby? Augustine wondered. I know he needs a baby. Is he projecting? Is he trying to tell me that he needs a baby and wants to run into Lancaster’s arms?

Fear clutched at his heart as he realized he might be onto something there. He instantly stopped pacing and turned to look at the staircase opposite the kitchen. The lights were still on upstairs, creeping down to the floor by the front door.

Is he going to leave me for my ex-boyfriend?