Cris helped Chet choose Christmas movies, while they waited impatiently for Jake to come home from his grocery run. He felt like a tool when he saw just how intricate Jake’s shopping plan had been, and he hoped to make it up to Jake. He was also still concerned over Jake’s general mood, but Jake hadn’t had any issues with mania or depression in months, and he’d promised to talk to them if he suspected a problem.

Directly asking Jake would only look like Cris didn’t trust him, and he did. Implicitly. He also suspected Jake was hiding something and had been for a while, he simply didn’t know what. Maybe if they romanced Jake with movies and popcorn, and then some mind-blowing sex, Jake would relax enough to confide in them.

Almost two full hours passed before Jake finally pulled into the driveway next to Chet’s vehicle. Cris and Chet both went outside to help him unload the trunk’s assortment of shopping bags, as well as the insulated bags in the backseat. It was more food than Cris had expected, and he watched with amusement at the way Jake un-bagged and sorted everything, usually by whichever recipe he needed things for. Cold stuff together in the fridge, other into the cupboards.

Chet put apples, pears, and oranges in the basket on the counter, while Cris was given the task of folding each bag as it emptied. The kitchen had definitely become Jake’s domain in recent months, with the occasional reorganization of pots and pans, or the utensil drawer, to satisfy his growing chef’s nature.

“I’m missing something,” Jake said as he mulled over the countertop. “Cris, can you check the backseat? Make sure a can of crushed tomatoes didn’t roll out and under a seat?”

“On it,” Cris replied.

He grabbed his keys on the table by the door and hit the fob to unlock it. The backseat had a small collection of junk mail on the floor behind the passenger seat. Cris rummaged until he found the stray can of tomatoes, and his fingers brushed over a thicker piece of mail. Some kind of catalogue, and the word “Culinary” caught his eye.

Beech Hill College of Culinary Arts. And the envelope beneath it was addressed to Jake at his old address in the city. Cris’s heart flipped over.

Jake’s looking in to culinary school? Why didn’t he tell us?

This was…kind of huge, especially for Jake. He’d never had much passion for school, or even brought up the idea of returning to college and finishing his degree. But he did love cooking, so culinary school made sense. Why dump the catalogue on the floor, though? Was this why Jake had been acting so oddly in recent weeks? He was keeping this a secret, but why? Chet and Cris would support him if this was what he wanted.

Cris brought the catalogue inside but hid it in the drawer of the door-side table, uncertain why he didn’t want to address it right away. Maybe he could get Jake to bring it up himself, rather than Cris directly confronting him, so he took the can of tomatoes into the kitchen. “Found it.”

“Yes!” Jake kissed his cheek and snagged the can. “Good, I need it for one of my dishes.”

“I figured. You’re not one to buy something you aren’t going to use.”

It went into the cupboard, along with some other canned goods. “Chet was telling me about Ryan. He sounds like a cool guy.”

“Yeah, he does. He’s got a passion for his job.”

Jake nodded as he moved some things around on a shelf. “I always wanted a dog growing up, but Dad was allergic. I did have a hamster for a few years, though, until he escaped his cage and was never seen again.”

Chet shuddered. “I hope the poor thing didn’t die under some pile of mess in your adolescent bedroom.”

“I never smelled anything, and I wasn’t that messy of a kid, thank you very much. It was an old house, though, so I always figured he found a mouse hole or something and escaped into the big outdoors.”

“I like that fantasy better than the dead-in-your-room one,” Cris said.

“Would you like a pet of some sort?” Chet asked. “Either of you?”

Cris shrugged. “I mean, I have no driving need for a pet, but I’m not opposed. We kind of have the perfect setup for a dog, with two of us working from home and a good-sized backyard.”

Jake winced.

“Maybe one day you’ll have your own catering business,” Cris said as he slung an arm around Jake’s slim waist. “Then you can work mainly from home, too.”

“I don’t know enough to cater stuff.” Jake leaned into him and put his head against Cris’s shoulder. “It’s a neat idea though.”

“You’re learning, and you could learn more. Why not look into culinary school?” Not his smoothest wind-up ever, but Cris couldn’t take it back now.

“That’s an excellent point,” Chet said. “While many chefs learn hands-on by doing, many more pick up wonderful skills in school. You can learn about so many other food cultures and histories than by simply reading cookbooks.”

Jake shrugged away from Cris and turned, arms crossed, a petulant frown on his face. “Are you saying I’m not good enough to be self-taught?” he asked Chet.

“No, love, that’s not what I’m saying at all. Not even close. But if you choose culinary school, or even classes at a local community college, you know Cristian and I will support you. This is your career.”

“I know, I was just never very good at school. I went to college because Mom expected me to go, but I didn’t have a clue what to major in, and I honestly wasn’t sad when I had to drop out. I mean, I obviously had bigger issues to worry about with Mom dying and becoming homeless, but whatever. I got through it.”

“Yes, but you don’t have to do it alone anymore, Jake. That’s our point. Whether you want to take one class, or apply to an actual school full-time, we will support your decision.”

“I don’t doubt that at all, I promise.”

Cris studied Jake and saw beneath the layer of stubbornness. “You still don’t believe in yourself.”

“I’m getting there.” He rubbed at his eyes. “I just…shit happens and it makes me doubt, and I don’t ever want to disappoint you guys. But I’m the youngest and most likely to fuck things up.”

“Oh no.” Chet stepped closer to put a hand on Jake’s shoulder. “Trust me, youth doesn’t corner the market on fucking things up. Look at politicians.”

Jake snorted. “True. Ugh. I’m over-thinking shit again.”

“You’re also talking to us, instead of keeping it in. You know you can tell us anything at all, at any time.”

Something in Jake’s watery expression flickered, before hardening, and it worried Cris. But he kept it to himself for now. Jake was avoiding the culinary school catalogue for a reason, and he’d only get more stubborn if Cris admitted to snooping through his mail. “I know,” Jake said. “If I decide I want to go to culinary school, we’ll talk about it.”

Cris made a mental note to take a closer look at that catalogue when no one was looking. Jake had obviously inquired, so what had turned him off applying?

“How about we table all this talk of school for a few hours?” Chet asked. “Cristian and I have a surprise for you in the den, Jake. Well, one part of it. I’ll work on part two while you men settle in.”

“Surprise, huh?” Jake raced into the den on a squawk of delight.

Cris winked at Chet then followed Jake, hopeful this worked as planned.

Jake seemed delighted over the Christmas movie lineup, and as soon as Chet joined them with a big bowl of Old Bay popcorn to share, they settled in a heap on the couch. Jake was practically sharing both Cris and Chet’s laps, and Cris had no problem with that. The bowl ended up on Jake’s lap, since he was in the middle. Cris toyed with the ends of Jake’s hair as they ate and laughed along with the first film.

Everyone’s mood heightened thanks to the feel-good ending to the movie, and they took a quick break for drinks and pit stops. Cris was half-hard from Jake sitting so close, and it took him a moment to pee. He hadn’t fucked Jake in over a week, and he missed being balls-deep in that sensual, tight ass.

As they began the second movie, sans popcorn, Jake was draped over both of them, and Cris took a chance on rubbing Jake’s inner thigh. The slight bulge in Jake’s jeans grew to a nice size, and Cris’s mouth watered for a taste. Jake lolled against Chet’s chest, and Cris noticed Jake’s right hand was hidden. Behind Jake’s back where Chet’s crotch was, and Chet’s eyes were a bit glassy.

Oh yeah, things are going someplace fun.

Cris slid his hand higher along Jake’s leg until his pinkie brushed Jake’s erection. Jake boldly grabbed Cris’s hand and pressed it against his jeans-covered dick, while never taking his eyes off the TV. Cris flicked open the button fly with ease and slid his palm over Jake’s underwear. Squeezed familiar, hot flesh. Jake gasped and pushed up against his touch, and next to him Chet moaned softly.

“Should we take this upstairs?” Chet asked on a pant. “Oh, Jake, keep doing that.” He must have his hand down Chet’s pants. “It’s been days since we all got off together.”

“Need you both to fuck me,” Jake whispered, so softly Cris barely heard him over the TV. “Please.”

“Fuck yeah.” Cris scooped Jake right off the couch and carried him toward the stairs. Jake latched onto Cris’s neck and started sucking a bruise during the ascent, Chet close behind them and groping Cris’s ass.

In the bedroom, Jake struggled for freedom with a wild fierceness Cris didn’t recognize. He stripped and was on his knees in front of Cris before Cris had his own shirt off. Cris shouted as Jake sucked down his length, hands on Jake’s shoulders for balance. Chet helped Cris out of the rest of his clothes while Jake licked and lapped at his cock. Then Chet was naked, kneeling beside Jake, and Jake relinquished Cris’s dick to Chet.

Both men were amazing cocksuckers, but they had different styles. Chet used his hands more than Jake, while Jake relied on his mouth and tongue. Jake nibbled around the root of Cris’s dick while Chet sucked him, and Cris’s orgasm winked at him way too fucking fast.

“Gonna come, shit.” Cris pulled back, away from their eager mouths. “Holy hell.”

Chet tossed Jake a smirk. The pair started kissing, an aggressive meeting of mouths Cris rarely saw between the pair. Chet was often tender, even sweet with Jake, but that clearly wasn’t what Jake wanted tonight. He tugged on Chet’s cock while they kissed, and Cris left them to it so he could fetch lube from the bedside table.

Since Jake had initiated this, Cris hung back and watched. Watched Jake wrestle Chet up onto their bed, where Jake rolled on his back and spread his legs. With a wolfish leer, Chet hitched Jake’s legs up and open, baring his cock and hole. Cris’s chest burned with lust, because he’d been on the other end of this. The other end of Chet’s love of rimming. Of licking, sucking, and stabbing until a tight hole went soft and he could shove his tongue inside.

Jake cried out over and over as Chet did just that, softening his hole, practically humping his own face into Jake’s crease. Jake was bent in half, his entire lower body off the bed, fingers tugging at Chet’s hair, his shoulders, his ears. Cris wished he had a camera to capture these perfect moments of eroticism. Of love and lust and passion as Chet ate Jake out, until Jake’s chest was painted with precome.

“Fuuuuck meeeee,” Jake whimpered. “God, Chet, I need it. Make me yours again.”

“You’ve always been mine, love,” Chet said, then bit Jake’s inner thigh. Jake’s odd phrasing was washed away by Chet lunging for the lube bottle, and all Cris could do was watch. Chet lubed up two fingers and pressed them easily into Jake’s willing hole. Jake moaned and thrashed, demanding more, so Chet added a third.

Jake bucked, cussed and came all over his own chest. Chet slowed his thrusts as Jake panted through his release, then pulled his fingers out. Jake grabbed his wrist, dark eyes wide and wild. “Please, fuck me. You still can.”

“I did just fuck you, love.” Chet leaned down to lap a streak of come off Jake’s left nipple, and Jake whined. “Christ, you’re so beautiful when you’re like this. So desperate for our cocks you want them even after you’ve come.”

With a frustrated whine, Jake reached between them for Chet’s cock and tried to guide him inside.

“Slow down a beat.” Chet lightly pushed his hand away. “We need more lube. I’ve got you.”

If Cris hadn’t been staring directly at Jake’s face when Chet looked down to smear more lube on his dick, he wouldn’t have seen it. The tiniest spark of grief in Jake’s beautiful brown eyes. It sent a strange pang of anxiety through Cris’s chest, and he reached for Chet’s forearm. “Chet, wait.”

“No, don’t wait,” Jake snapped, fiery eyes on Cris now. “If you don’t want me just say so, but Chet clearly does.”

Now Chet faltered, and he scooted backward on the bed, easing Jake’s legs to the mattress. With a furious huff, Jake sat up and crawled to the headboard, his face bright red. As if he’d been rejected and laughed at, when all Cris needed was a minute to make sure Jake was really okay.

“Talk to us, Jake,” Cris said.

“I want to fuck not talk,” Jake retorted. “You guys are always telling me to ask for what I want, to fucking speak up. So I ask for you both to fuck me, and now you don’t want to? Make up your goddamn mind, Cris.”

Cris jerked like he’d been slapped. “Are you listening to yourself? Take a breath, babe, please.”

“I’d rather take a shower.” Jake crawled off the bed and flounced past Cris toward the bathroom. Cris reached for him, but Chet’s hand on his wrist held Cris back, and the bathroom door slammed shut.

“I didn’t see something important,” Chet said softly. “What was it?”

Cris sank onto the bed and put his face in his hands, waiting until the shower ran to speak. “He was scared. I don’t know what he was scared of, but for one second, when you went for the lube the second time, I saw fear and it worried me.” The bed dipped beside him and Chet’s arm draped over his shoulders. Cris looked into Chet’s pale eyes, his chest wormy and hot. “Did I make a mistake?”

“I don’t know. Jake’s right in that we do encourage him ask for things when he wants them, especially in bed, but you trusted your gut that something was off, and I trust you, Cristian.”

“I found a culinary school catalogue in the back of my car this afternoon. It was mailed to Jake at Benny’s address.”

Chet blinked hard. “You did? Is that why you asked about him going back to school earlier? To encourage him to tell us?”

“Yes. I thought if he knew we’d be supportive, he’d tell us he was looking in to schools, but he just avoided the question. Fuck, I wish he’d talk to us about the big stuff and not try to redirect with sex.”

“So do I.” Chet rested his chin on Cris’s shoulder. “He’s still so young, Cristian. Finding his footing. So many choices ahead of him. Perhaps we need to make it clearer that if he chooses to go back to school, even if it’s a school that takes him away from us for a little while, we will still love and support that decision.”

Cris’s chest tightened at the idea of Jake anywhere except in this house with him and Chet. “We’ll miss him, but we’ll be here when he comes home to us.”

“Exactly.”

Cris stared at the closed bathroom door, wanting nothing more than to charge inside and demand Jake talk to them, damn it. But he knew better. Jake was stubborn, especially when he felt cornered. And Cris wasn’t convinced tonight’s oddness or flash of grief was entirely about culinary school. Something else was going on with Jake, and he really wanted Jake to confide in his boyfriends.

“Make me yours again.”

“Again,” Cris said to himself.

“What’s that?”

“After you rimmed Jake, he demanded you fuck him, and he said ‘make me yours again.’ Why would he say again? We’ve been his for ten months now. Almost a year.”

“Perhaps he said it in the heat of the moment, because you and I have been gone. Away from him.”

“Maybe.” Cris stared at the shut bathroom door, everything inside of him insisting he barge in there and make Jake explain himself. But Cris didn’t want to be the overbearing boyfriend who pushed too hard, even when Jake was clearly struggling with something. Tonight was supposed to have been about romancing and pampering Jake, and all Cris had managed to do was cause a fight.

The water shut off sooner than Cris expected, and the door flung open almost immediately. Dripping wet, Jake flung himself into Cris’s arms and hugged the breath out of him. Cris flailed a beat, having a difficult time holding Jake’s slippery body when Cris was naked himself. So he rolled Jake onto his back and stretched out on top of him. Pressed his nose into Jake’s cheek while the smaller man simply breathed, eyes closed.

Chet draped a blanket over them both.

“I’m sorry,” Jake said. “I’m sorry I got mad. It was so stupid.”

“It’s okay.” Cris kissed his temple.

Chet slid under the blanket, too, and he cuddled up beside them. “Why did you get so upset, love?”

“I kind of lied to you guys earlier,” Jake replied. “When we were talking about culinary school. I’ve already looked in to a few programs, and I got a book from a place in Philly, but the requirements are crazy hard, and I just don’t think I can do it. I’m not smart enough for some of the courses, and the commute would be too far anyway, so I didn’t bother bringing it up.”

“Thank you for being honest with us.”

“I know I should have told you guys sooner, and I’m sorry.”

“Forgiven.”

“Yeah,” Cris added. “And in the interest of full disclosure, I found the book when I went looking for the can of tomatoes.”

Jake groaned. “That’s why the questions?”

“Guilty.”

“I knew I should have tossed all that junk mail into the recycle bin.”

“No, you should have told us about it. It’s why we’re here, Jake. To listen. To be sounding boards, or to offer advice when you ask for it. All three of us have been used to running our own lives, depending in ourselves, and dealing with things alone, but none of us have to do that anymore. That’s the best part of being in a relationship.”

“I know, I know.” Jake wiggled enough that Cris relented his crushing hug, and they all three sat up. “I promise to do better.”

“It’s been a long, emotional week for us all,” Chet said. “And I’m positive it didn’t help that our planned afternoon together was interrupted by several things.”

“Ryan wasn’t an interruption,” Cris replied. “You were desperate for that phone call.”

“Perhaps. The timing could have been better.”

“Or worse.” Cris was not going to let Chet feel bad about connecting with his son. “How do you guys feel about getting dressed and watching another movie? The bed needs some time to dry out the wet spot.”

Jake snorted. “Sorry. But now I feel bad, because I came and you guys didn’t.”

“Don’t feel bad about that.” Chet kissed his forehead. “Besides, the night isn’t over yet, and we may well end up in the mood again later. Especially with you two beautiful young things so nearby.”

“And,” Cris added, “sometime tomorrow, we’re going to sit down with that culinary school catalogue and really talk about it. All three of us. What scares you, what doesn’t. What you want to learn. We’re going to talk about your future, Jake, and you need to be completely honest with us about what you want.”

“I will be, I promise,” Jake replied. “I just…I love you both so much, and I want to make you proud of me. Sometimes getting a job as a line cook feels like nothing compared to what you guys do. You’re both self-made, and I…feel like a kid sometimes. Like I’m lagging so far behind.”

“You don’t lag, love.” Chet cupped the back of Jake’s neck and held their gazes steady, so much passion in Chet’s eyes that even Cris felt it. “And we love you too. So very much. All we want is for you to find your true path, and if that takes you to culinary school? In Philadelphia or in Paris? We’ll be here, waiting for you to come home to us, and loving you from afar every single moment you’re away.”

“Thank you. Tomorrow, though, right? No more tonight?”

“No more tonight.” Chet kissed his lips, soft and sweet. “Do you feel better.”

“Definitely. I’m sorry I acted like a brat earlier. I guess I’ve just missed you guys and really wanted both of you to fuck me. I was probably acting a little crazy.”

“You were being passionate.”

“Passion doesn’t usually flounce off for a shower, but I get it.” Jake kissed Chet again, then leaned up to kiss Cris, too. “You guys ready for another movie?”

“For sure,” Cris replied.

They quietly slipped into sweatpants or boxers. Chet and Cris remained bare-chested, but Jake put on a t-shirt with his sweats, and their threesome tromped back downstairs to the den. Got drinks and put on a new movie. As much as Cris wanted to have the culinary school conversation right now, to really get Jake to self-reflect, it could wait another day. Now that Jake knew Cris and Chet were aware, he could think overnight and really decide what he wanted.

Maybe a few months from now, Jake would be living in another city, taking classes and learning exciting new skills. Cris would miss him. He’d miss Jake like crazy if he went away. But Cris had faith Jake would come home to them. Continue to love both Cris and Chet.

Because Cris Sable couldn’t imagine his future any other way.