If It Weren't For You – Chapter 12
By MyNameIsCAL
-Iggy's POV-
The others had gone off to bed already, but I sat up watching, or well, listening to some old Christmas movie with Fang.
"I'm going to go to bed now," he said.
He rose off the couch, and I followed him. We came to a standstill by my door.
"Thanks for staying up with me," he muttered.
"Thanks for helping me cook."
His hand brushed up against mine, and on a whim, I grabbed it. He made no attempt to shake me off.
"I'm sorry I didn't get you a gift," I told him. "I mean, after all you've done for me."
He shrugged. "Don't worry about it. I don't like gifts anyway."
"I have an idea," I whispered.
He gave me no reply, but I leaned forward, praying I wouldn't miss, and pressed my lips against his.
I was waiting for him to push me off, but he didn't. And so I pushed him up against the wall, unable to hold back any longer, after all the years I had longed for this. He started to kiss me back and I ran my fingers through his hair. When we broke apart, we were both breathless.
"I…" But I was the speechless one.
"Goodnight, Iggy." He gave my hand a squeeze before letting go. "Merry Christmas."
When I woke up in the morning, I thought I had dreamed of what had happened. Fang sat in the kitchen in the morning, alone. I took a seat next to him, holding my breath, and he quieted all my worries by taking my hand under the table. We didn't say a word to each other, but we didn't have to.
It was from that moment that I knew I was right to have never given up on him.
The others left before New Year's Eve, which meant things would settle back down again. Fang almost sounded relieved once everyone left. He had been weary of giving anything away to the others or Max.
"Hey, Iggy?"
I swerved around. "Yeah?"
A hand pulled my shoulder, making me turn right. "You wouldn't mind staying here with Fang and Ava while I ran a few errands?"
"Oh, of course not," I replied. "Where're you going?"
"Well, I thought I'd give Fang some space and let him have some time with Ava without me," she said quietly. "I'll go get us some coffee and I have to pick up some stuff for Ava."
I nodded and she slipped out. It took me a moment to make it over to the couch. Fang grabbed me by the wrist, guiding me into the empty space next to him.
"Careful, or you'll sit on us," he muttered.
I let out a laugh and there was a silence that I could only guess which he was returning a smile or a frown.
"Don't worry, Ava, I won't let Iggy sit on you," he went on. "When you grow up, you'll have to take care of us instead of us taking care of you."
"Your father thinks I need taking care of," I remarked. "But I think I can take care of myself."
Ava let out a babble of nonsense.
"Hey, don't grab my nose," Fang said. "Let's play with something."
A weight lifted off the couch. Fang sat on the floor, leaning up against my leg. Ava was banging away on the toy I had asked Max to get her for Christmas, a little toy piano.
"Iggy got that for you," Fang said.
It wasn't long before Ava grew tired of playing. Fang ended up carrying her and walking around the room, trying to coax her to sleep. Finally, after some crying, she fell asleep. Fang put Ava in her crib and then came back to the couch, sitting next to me.
"I told you that you'd be a good dad, Fang," I told him.
"She's only four and a half months, Ig."
"C'mon, Fang, lighten up." I took his hand.
He said nothing for a long time, and then. "What do you think Ava will think of us when she gets older?"
"You're worried about that already?" I shook my head. "I'm sure you'll be the favorite between you and Max. She's not going to give a damn about whether you're gay or not as long as you're treating her right."
"It's not just that. I mean, she's going to realize that we're not a normal family when she gets older. What if she hates me? And we're going to tell her I am—was—a drug addict."
"She's not going to hate you, I promise, Fang. Things work out. They always do."
He gave my hand a squeeze. "Alright, Iggy."
I let out a breath. "So when do we tell Max?"
"About?"
"About us."
"When you're ready. She'll find out sooner or later."
I nodded, but before I could say more, Max was back already.