They arrived back in the kitchen in time for Rico to present Nate with three beautifully golden quesadillas.

“These ones are the best!” he declared. “I saved them for you - you can have whichever you like! Or you can have them all if you want, but be careful because they have peppers in them. Dallas can’t eat too many peppers because they make him fart really bad and when he goes to the bathroom it sounds like…”

“That’s enough, Rico,” Dallas interrupted quickly, but Nate was laughing so hard he was crying. He gave Rico a hug.

“Never change, Rico,” he told the boy. “I love you the way you are!”

“I love you too!” Rico declared, and Dallas felt that flicker of jealousy at the fact his brother could tell Nate the things HE ached to say. Instead, Dallas ruffled Rico’s hair and sat down beside Nate to accept the quesadilla that Rosalie brought over (with fewer peppers, because Rico was telling the truth about that).

They ate with Rosalie and Rico, who dominated the conversation with talk about Ninja Turtles. Rob came in to scarf down a quesadilla or two before he returned to his office.

“I have a few more phone calls to make,” he told them, but he smiled at Nate. “Don’t worry, everything’s going according to plan.”

Nate seemed to relax a little more after that and by the time dinner was done he looked downright sleepy. Rosalie suggested he go up to Dallas’ room and lay down, but Nate insisted he didn’t want to be alone, so Dallas carried him up to the playroom where they cuddled with Rico on the couch. Rosalie brought them hot chocolate with marshmallows and they watched an animated princess movie while Rico talked almost nonstop. 

After a while, though, Rico’s commentary drifted off and when Dallas nudged him, the boy didn’t move.

“He’s asleep,” he whispered to Nate. “I’m going to run to the bathroom, then I’ll take him to bed. Alright?”

Nate nodded and he accepted Rico’s sleepy weight as Dallas slid off the couch. In the bathroom, Dallas took a moment to splash his face with water; he was starting to get sleepy too from all the emotions of the day, but he couldn’t afford to fall asleep right now. He didn’t know how much longer they had before Nate would leave for his grandmother’s house.

“I need every moment I can with him,” Dallas thought. “Even if it is only as his friend.”

When Dallas returned to the playroom, Rico had stirred awake again and was talking to Nate about the movie, although Nate looked too distracted and dazed to be paying any attention to him. The little boy seemed to guess what was coming next when he saw Dallas, because he tried to wriggle into Nate’s lap.

“No, I don’t want to go to bed!” Rico cried. “I’m not tired, I want to stay up with you and Nate!”

His wails summoned Rosalie, who had no problem plucking Rico out of Nate’s lap.

“Ricardo Jose Rodriguez Carpenter!” she said sternly as she hauled the boy into her arms. “Are you a baby?”

“N…no,” Rico hiccupped.

“Then say goodnight to Nate and Dallas,” she said. “They need to rest too.”

Rico sulked, but he waved goodnight to the two older boys before Rosalie took him off to begin the nightly bedtime ritual. 

Dallas nudged Nate.

“Do you want to lay down in my room for a little bit?” he asked.

“Will you come with me?” Nate replied shyly.

Dallas nodded and he helped Nate limp over to his room. Nate flopped onto the bed and sighed, while Dallas carefully crawled next to him. They lay side by side for several minutes without speaking. Dallas was trying to memorize every single detail about this moment: the way the outside lights spread across his ceiling, the feel of Nate’s warmth against him, the sound of his breathing, the smell of his hair and skin against Dallas’ pillow. Dallas was just beginning to drift off when Nate suddenly spoke.

“Dallas?” he said softly.

Dallas turned his head to gaze directly into Nate’s face, which was illuminated by the outside lights. “Hmmm?”

Nate seemed to be thinking about something – it was if he was trying to make a big decision, before he finally nodded.

“Dallas,” he said, “…I love you.”

Dallas wasn’t certain he’d heard that correctly. Either that, or he was dreaming. Or maybe Nate was saying that he loved him like he loved Rico, as a brotherly friend. Dallas couldn’t be sure and he didn’t dare to hope, so he replied, “I love you too Nate, you’re my best friend.”

Nate’s face went red and his eyes fluttered with tears.

“No, I mean,” he said, “I’m IN love with you.”

Dallas couldn’t mistake his meaning this time and he sat up, wide awake now because of the pounding of his heart.

“What?” he asked. “Really?”

Nate nodded. “I’ve been in love with you since we met in the parking lot. Roy knew it – he saw how I looked at you in the bleachers. I love you so much and I wanted you to know before…before I have to go away. You made these last few weeks the happiest of my life. Thank you.”

Dallas’ eyes filled with tears. He almost couldn’t breathe because of the joy that overwhelmed him.

“I’m in love with you too, Nate,” he croaked. “Probably since the parking lot too…I feel like I’ve lived every day since then for the chance to see you again!”

Nate’s face broke into that beautiful smile and he reached up a hand to touch Dallas’ face. Dallas held it against his cheek as he tried to bring his tears under control.

“Dallas,” Nate said softly. “Will you kiss me?”

Dallas’ stomach fluttered with excitement and nerves, but he nodded and leaned over to kiss Nate’s lips softly. It was the smallest touch of lips, but Dallas was too nervous to do more. When he pulled away, he looked down and saw Nate was grinning.

“I’ve never kissed anyone before,” the other boy said, “but even I know that wasn’t a proper kiss. Come on Dallas, KISS me!”

Dallas snorted, and then he pressed down to kiss Nate again. It was warm and sent a thrill down his spine, and it only got deeper as Nate pressed back against him. Their mouths parted and their breath mingled as they went back for seconds, thirds, and so many more kisses that Dallas lost count. The rest of the world and all its troubles disappeared as they clung to each other on Dallas’ bed. Nate’s fingers were tangled in Dallas’ hair and Dallas had his strong arms wrapped around Nate. It felt so right and natural and they rejoiced as everything in the universe fell into place.

Eventually they stopped to take a proper breath and Nate chuckled.

“I owe Rico a huge thank you,” he said, running his fingers over Dallas’ jawline.

“Rico? What’s he got to do with my kissing?” Dallas asked as he brushed Nate’s hair away from his bruised eye.

Nate grinned. “He told me that you were in love with me. He woke up while you were in the bathroom and he asked if I loved you because you were in love with me. He said you told Rosalie that.”

Dallas’ felt his face heat up with embarrassment and frustration.

“That little brat!” he groaned. “He was listening from the top of the stairs!”

Nate nodded, laughing. “I’m glad he was. And I’m glad he’s got such a big honest mouth, because otherwise I would’ve gone away thinking you only liked me as a friend.”

Dallas’ frustration eased away as Nate kissed him again, but it was quickly replaced with the dull ache of sadness.

“I wish you didn’t have to go,” Dallas said and he buried his face into Nate’s hair. “I wish you could stay with me like this forever!”

Nate wrapped his arms around Dallas’ shoulders and sighed.

“Me too,” he agreed, his voice rough with tears. “Especially now that I have you in the way I’ve always wanted you!”

“But it won’t be for long, right?” Dallas said. “We’ll be adults in a couple of years and then your parents won’t be able to do anything to you. We can be together then…if you want to, I mean.”

Nate pulled back to look into his face, his blue eyes shining brightly.

“Would you really wait for me?” he asked.

Dallas kissed him. “I will always wait for you if you ask me to.”

“Then please wait for me!” Nate begged, and he kissed him back. “I’ll come back to you as soon as I can, I promise!”

“I’ll be waiting,” Dallas promised.

* * * * * * * *