We heard a brief but clear shriek of pain from the birthing center but we were in the middle of a reunion, that which could not be put on hold, in a spare hospital room. We were terrible friends, not being there for our surrogate mother when she was in labor. But hey, it had been a very long time being lonely and apart from one another, and damn it, we were horny!
"Dan, I love you so much." I moaned as he bit and tugged at my neck's pale skin.
"I love you more, Phil." He assured me as I slid my leg in between his own. Finally he's done biting and relaxes into my chest. His head came to rest on my shoulder, his arms wrapped around me tightly, afraid no doubt, that I'd disappear. I didn't doubt this fear because I was feeling the same way. My arms loosely draped around his waist, but my legs were clenched tightly to his own. "I missed you." He convinces, digging his head deeper into my shoulder.
"I missed you too, Rick." I smile as the nearly forgotten memory drifts back to me through the sterilized air vent.
"Shut up." He snorted and nudges my chin as a way of waving the memory away. "I haven't thought about that in forever. How did you?" He asked conversationally. I look down at the small shaft of light creeping in from under the door.
"It just came to me." I stated truthfully. I went to sit up but Dan pulled me back down.
"Maybe if we stay, we won't have to become fathers and we could just let the world go by." Dan whispered hopefully. This was it, this had to be it. This was going to be it: the last time he was going to drag his feet about becoming a real adult, role model, and caregiver. I was going to make it be the last time.
"Dan, if we stay here, we're still going to be Dan and Phil. But when we leave here, we're going to be Daddy and Papa. Don't you want that? Don't you want to impact someone's life like that? Our kids could be the next prime minister or Delia Smith or Ringo Star. Don't you want to help them become more? Help them become amazing and not on fire?" He chuckled but he understood.
We had been ordinary, a part of the crowd, nothing to see here no bodies. Then, I found YouTube, he found me, he made his own channel, we moved in together, we fell in love, we got good paying jobs, and we had become famous across the world all because of a cereal box and a sweepstakes. Those were already written chapters and now, out those doors, was a new chapter to be written: parenthood. He was quiet a moment then;
"Let's go make the ordinary extraordinary," He grabbed my hand "Together." We sat up and he went to grab his clothes but I wrapped my arms around his chest and whispered
"Thank you." He patted my hand
"You're welcome. And thanks for getting me to take a dose of reality." He smiled and kissed my hand.
"I only do it for your own good, Dan." I reminded him, as I grabbed my tie die boxers and slip them on.
"I'm aware." Dan noted then faced me half dressed. I had used his body for a canvas for random animal drawings so many times before, I now knew every indentation in his nearly flawless body. No matter what life now threw at us; he was mine, and I was his.
We finished getting dressed, faced the door, I grasped his hand, he kissed my cheek then we opened the door to our new chapter.
Here. We. Go.