The following morning saw a panicked teenager rushing over to Jack's house at an early, ungodly hour, to talk to a Unicorn.

"Lee, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to, it just happened!" He babbled at the groggy Unicorn.

Lee was half-sprawled over Jack, blinking blearily at the platinum-haired human. "Fin?"

"I—I came. I didn't mean to!" His words tumbled out in a rush.

For a wild moment, Lee had no idea what Fin was talking about. Then realization dawned, and the Unicorn took a long whiff. "Well, you're still a virgin," he murmured. "Was any part of Alistair's body still touching you when you came?"

"Um...no, he had just barely let go before I came."

"Well, there you go," Lee said as if it all made perfect sense. "It doesn't count if there was no touching or penetration."

The teenager gave him a confused glance. The Unicorn let out a long sigh.

"Just think of it as masturbating," he said. "You can come, as long as it's by yourself or your own hand—even if someone else got you started."

"...so, we're still ok? I can still cross Jack over?"

"Mm-hmm," Lee said. "Just be super careful until then. Alistair will have to suffer blue balls for two more months."

A rumpled Jack poked his head out from under the covers. "Fin? The fuck... it's too early."

Fin winced. "Sorry, Jack. False alarm. You can go back to sleep." With that, he shuffled out and closed the door quietly behind him.

Lee signed into Jack's palm that everything was okay, then cuddled closer and drifted back to sleep.

Anticipation blurred the last two months before Fin's birthday. Alistair kept his distance, determined not to push past Fin's boundaries, while Fin grew increasingly giddy and restless. By the time the night before his eighteenth birthday arrived, his nerves were coiled tight as springs. Fin memorized Lee's address, eager to share it with Alistair so the Nightmare could meet them the next day. But Alistair refused.

"Are you sure that all you need is his name?"

Alistair drew Fin close, holding him with a tenderness that belied his own excitement.

"I promise," the Nightmare said. "I will find his home and you easily." Alistair stroked Fin's alabaster cheek. "I'll always find you."

Fin leaned instinctively into Alistair’s touch. "After all this waiting... I can’t believe it’s finally here. I’ll get to see your world. I’ll finally see you—the real you."

"I can't even put my feelings into words," Alistair said, pressing a gentle kiss to Fin’s lips. "I've never wanted anything more than you by my side." He hesitated, frowning slightly. "Are you sure about this Unicorn, Lee? I know Unicorns are best for helping you cross, but I could call on others I trust if you’d prefer."

"I trust Lee. He’s the Unicorn who healed me after the prom, after Dale. I know Nightmares and Unicorns don’t usually get along, but you two will. I just know it."

"I'm sure we will." Alistair fell back and pulled Fin with him into a mound of soft pillows. "Have you had any trouble with that pile of pixie taint since prom?"

"No, after prom, he went out of his way to avoid me. I don’t even remember him staying long enough for graduation congratulations," Fin said.

Alistair's smile was cold. "I wonder if his dreams have been troubling him..." the Nightmare said under his breath.

"Did you say something?" Fin asked, not catching the murmur.

"I was just wishing it was tomorrow," Alistair said, his smile gentling. "I wish I could be there to meet you."

Fin’s grin widened. "I’ll try not to count every second until you show up," though they both knew he would. "Do you guys even have doorbells?"

"In a sense. Regardless, I'll come over just as soon as I can get away." Alistair nuzzled Fin's warm temple. "But if I do it this way, then I'll have a few days where I can give you my attention." His eyes, like a cobalt jewel, flashed. "My full and complete attention."

Fin's heart began to race. "I'd like that very much." A thought bubbled to the surface of his mind, and he suddenly frowned. "I should warn you...since we've only ever talked and seen each other in the dreamscape, I would consider our physical meeting like a first meeting. And I'm usually a nervous wreck upon first speaking with someone. I hope you don't mind."

"There’s not much you could do that would bother me," Alistair said, taking Fin’s hand. "Except... reject me. I don’t know what I’d do if you decided you didn’t want me after we finally met." For the first time, Fin saw uncertainty flicker in Alistair’s brilliant eyes.

Fin's breath hitched. "You're not joking." He realized it as soon as he said it. "Alistair, I have a promise mark meant for you. You're the only one that's ever made me want to experience what an adult relationship could be like! Please believe me. There is no one else, there could never be anyone else. I've already chosen you."

The Nightmare took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I love you, Fin," he said.

Fin’s cheeks went pink, his heart pounding. "I love you too, Alistair. A lot."

"I'm afraid to touch you too much," the Nightmare admitted with a self-deprecating chuckle. "I'm afraid I won't be able to stop, and I'll ruin your crossing tomorrow."

A blush crept down Fin’s neck. "If you ruined the crossing, I’d just wait for you to come get me," he admitted, sheepish. "But I owe it to Jack to get him across. He really cares for Lee, and they’re both like brothers to me. I want them to be as happy as I am."

"If something goes wrong, there are other ways," Alistair said, gently stroking Fin’s hair. "We’d find a way for you and Jack. I promise. But crossing as a chaste maiden with a Unicorn is the safest for you both."

Fin bit his lower lip, trying not to whimper at Alistair’s gentle touches. He leaned in to give the Nightmare a hard kiss—meaning it as a quick one, but unable to stop himself from deepening it.

Alistair was just as helpless, sliding his fingers from Fin’s hair to the back of his head, holding him close as the kiss grew heated. The Nightmare pressed forward, unable to hold back, grinding his hardening arousal against Fin.

Fin grinded desperately against him as his hands slid down the Nightmare's chest and then slid over Alistair's hips and up his back. He finally let out the mewl that he had been trying so hard to keep down.

"Alistair..." He whimpered.

"I want you so badly, love." Alistair's words were hot and desperate in Fin's ear. "I want to take you." He pressed himself hard against Fin. "I want to drive you to scream my name."

Shivers rolled down Fin’s spine at the thought. "You will, you’ll have every last bit of me," he promised, squeezing Alistair’s shaft. "And I’ll scream your name more times than you can imagine."

"I bet you’ll take me perfectly," Alistair murmured, rolling his hips with a soft moan. "I’ll be so deep inside you."

"Do you remember the first night you entered my dreams?" Fin asked, working his hand over Alistair’s most sensitive spots. "That scene you showed me? Maybe we could try it for real one day…"

Alistair's breath hitched. "You would let me take you beneath me, on your hands and knees?" His hips pumped his eager cock harder into Fin's hands. "In that position, I could press very far inside you... Fill you with my cock and then my seed..." The thought made him throb under Fin's touch.

Fin’s thumbs pressed into Alistair’s flesh as he moved faster. "Oh yes," he breathed, imagining it. "Though I’d rather have you above me, so I can run my hands through your hair…"

A smile curled the Nightmare's lips. "You like my hair?"

Fin ignored the heat in his cheeks, focusing on Alistair’s shaft. "I love your hair. It’s beautiful. Even though it’s so long, it doesn’t make you look feminine at all. Not like it would on anyone else."

"Sometime, perhaps I could lay you down on my bed and rub my hair all over your body," Alistair breathlessly suggested as he fought down his orgasm, wanting it to last. "Twine it around your manhood and stroke it..."

"Alistair!" Fin laughed, alternating slow and fast strokes. "If you keep talking like that, I’ll ruin my pajamas again."

"I love when you come," the Nightmare purred, licking his lips. "When I finally get you in my arms, I’m going to wear you out, love. We’ll have to be careful, ah, just to keep you hydrated."

Fin took in the sight of him, love washing over him for a man who wasn’t even human. In that moment, nothing else mattered. With a bold, risky move, he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to the base of Alistair’s sac.

"Ah, love, you'll bring me..." Alistair gasped.

Emboldened, Fin gave that sensitive skin a slow, lingering swipe with his tongue.

"I'm cumming," Alistair nearly shouted.

Fin moved back just in time, but a few drops still landed on his cheek. He barely managed to gasp, "Tomorrow, Alistair!" before waking with a start.

The next morning, Fin woke with butterflies wreaking havoc in his stomach. He was finally eighteen—and still couldn’t quite believe it. He rushed through his shower and getting dressed, practically flying downstairs to make breakfast, only to discover his father already in the kitchen.

"Dad?"

Robert Fair had just finished spearing a homemade waffle onto Fin’s plate. He wore an apron knotted around his waist but not his neck. He always preferred to protect his pants, for reasons he never explained.

"Happy birthday, kiddo. Though eighteen? Not so much a kid anymore, huh?"

Fin shook his head, grinning. "I’ll always be your kid, Dad. Age won’t change that."

"Anyway, since you're going to be checking out the campus all weekend long, and I won't be seeing ya til next weekend, if I'm lucky...I figured now was the only time I could really catch ya," Robert explained. "With Jack having your back, I'm not too worried. But, that doesn't mean you shouldn't keep a set of eyes on the back of your head."

"We’ll be fine, Dad," Fin said, piling his waffles high and taking a huge bite. "Oh man, these are amazing," he groaned.

"There you go again," Robert chuckled. "Careful with those noises at the table—people will think you’re nuts or getting some action under there."

Fin shook his head. "I save all the noises for home, promise!"

Robert ruffled his son’s platinum hair. "I’ll take your word for it. Good luck over there."

"Thanks, Dad," Fin said, returning his father’s smile.

They ate in a comfortable silence, savoring the moment instead of speaking.

Lee woke to the distant sound of roosters crowing. Today, he took extra care with his appearance. If all went well, Jack Kierny would finally see him with his own eyes. His hair was styled in a soft coif, his eyes subtly lined to make their magenta hue pop. He didn’t bother with his freckles; he’d never minded them.

The Unicorn picked out a three-quarter-length cream blouse, several buttons undone, with skin-tight suede sage-green pants and black ankle boots. The promise ring Jack had given him glinted on his finger.

Jack snored softly as Lee slipped into his room. The nineteen-year-old had packed haphazardly the night before, tossing a big duffel and a ragged backpack at the end of his bed. They waited on the floor, ready to trip him up.

Less than an hour later, Fin burst through Jack’s door, energy radiating off him. "It’s time!" "Hey, Lee! Gorgeous morning, isn’t it?"

"The best." Lee grinned. "Honestly, I’m surprised you’re even awake. Your Nightmare isn’t due for hours." But when Lee turned, Fin was already straddling Jack and shaking him awake.

"Come on, Jack! Didn’t you set an alarm?" Fin bounced with impatience.

"Mmm… Lee-baby…" Eyes still closed, Jack reached up to wrap his arms around Fin and ground his hips up against his best friend through the sheet.

Fin’s face went pink. "Jack! For crying out loud!" He shoved Jack off and pinched his side. "It. Is. Tiiiime. Remember, we’re doing this for you! Why aren’t you ready yet?"

Jack blinked, still half-asleep. "Fin?" He scratched at his bedhead, glancing around. "Where’s Lee? I was just dreaming about him…"

Fin squished Jack’s cheeks together, locking eyes with him. "Jack, listen. It’s D-Day. Today you stop dreaming and finally see what Lee really looks like."

Jack’s eyes flew open as he shot up in bed. "Fuck! Is it time already?"

Jack stumbled for the dresser to grab clean clothes—but his feet caught in his backpack straps and he crashed to the floor like a felled tree.

Fin sighed and reached over to help Jack up. "Well, at least you packed." As Jack scrambled to get ready, Fin turned to Lee. "Are you sure about all this? Can you promise Jack will be safe?"

"With my entire being, Fin." Lee vowed. "With my entire being."

"Great!" Fin grinned.

Fifteen minutes later, Jack was ready, though not without Fin reminding him to pack half a dozen things he’d forgotten. The red mark on his forehead from his skateboard tumble was already fading.

"Ma! Dad! I’m heading out!" Jack called, dropping his bags by the door.

His mom hustled in from the living room and hugged Jack tight. "Already? I thought it was later!"

Jack laughed. "I’ve been informed it’s definitely time to go." He kissed her cheek. "Love you, Ma. I’ll miss you."

"I'm glad you found somewhere that accepted your late admission and that you found a place with Fin, too." She smiled and pulled Fin into a hug as well, nearly knocking over an invisible Lee. "You take care, hon. I love you like my own, you know."

Fin soaked in her warmth for a moment. "Thank you so much. You’ve all done so much for me. I’ll keep an eye on Jack while we’re away, I promise."

"And who keeps an eye on you?" she teased with a wink.

She stepped away as Jack's dad came in from the kitchen. He clapped a hand on Jack's shoulder.

"Well, boy, you go and have a good time." He nodded. "I'm sure you'll do fine. You're a smart kid. Just don't skip your homework to chase pussy." He laughed as Jack's mom stifled a groan. "And watch out for all the homos. There are buckets of them at some of those schools. If you don't watch it, they'll have you dressing faggy, decorating with rainbows, and talking with a lisp."

He laughed, oblivious to the lack of response, while Jack’s mother sighed in embarrassment.

"Right, Dad. No lisps here," Jack said, forcing a smile. "Guess we should get going."

His mom stole another hug from the boys before they could escape out the door.

At last, they stuffed their bags into the trunk and drove off while Lee gave directions.

"Right there. That's one of the safe houses near the boundaries. The car will be safe there."

Fin relayed the directions to Jack, and a few moments later they were parked and piling out of the car. Jack popped the trunk, and Fin grabbed his bag. "What now?" He looked around with anticipation.

For a moment, Lee looked nervous, but one glance at Jack steadied him. "This way." He led them toward the boundary. "Keep Jack between us. I'll take his left hand, you take his right. We'll go through the boundary together."