In Hot Pursuit

by David Horne

  "I'll get us one of the maps so you can see if there are any special shows today?"

  "Good start to the rest of the day plan," he got out and walked with Eric into the park, taking pictures already of some animals. Making their way to the guide area, they got a map that Eric used to plan out what path to take while Damien looks for events. "Seals show at two, we missed the dolphins but we can also do the snake showing at four-thirty. That would be right before the zoo starts to close and it would be at the open center to our left."

  "We can go see both of them then! That's great, for precautions we will set a timer for 1:45 so we make sure to have time to get to the show and another for 4 o'clock." Timers were set on Eric's phone as they walked hand in hand to the first few animals.

  Many pictures of them and the animals had been taken by five when the park closed. "I've never had such a long and enjoyable date." Damien kissed his hand and pulled him close. At the souvenir shop they had each bought a few small things, but most important were their matching keychains.

  "A date has never been this long for me, or with a male for that matter. I'm glad I got to enjoy the whole day with you," Eric got on his toes slightly, there is a difference of about five inches between them. "Thank you."

  Damien drove them home while Eric picked the music, "You don't have to thank me. It was our date and I enjoyed it too. The start of it was rather exciting quite honestly, I didn't expect that from myself."

  "It was good though, who knew you were so horny," Eric teased and kissed him on the cheek. "That'll be one date I'll never forget." Back at Damien’s house, they ordered a pizza and breadsticks since both of them were tuckered out. Dinner arrived half an hour later and they watched a movie while cuddled up on the couch.

  “You’re really comfy, better to hold than a body pillow,” Damien hummed and kissed the back of his neck. With his not greasy hand, he played with the light brown hair and fixed a few out of place strands.

  “More like you’re the most comfortable big spoon,” he ate a breadstick and stretched his leg out above the coffee table. “Would it be okay if I helped you with your building in the basement? I know you don’t like asking for help all the time but if I’m going to be paid by you, I want to do extra work too. It’s for my own satisfaction but also because you have already done a lot for me with this job,” he kissed his chin and nuzzled into his shoulder.

  “I don’t mind, but you’ll have to do most of the simple jobs since you’re not well versed in construction,” Damien commented and laid his head on top of Eric’s own. Their light-colored hair mixing together in a nice way, at least Damien liked it and smiled at the auburn and brown strands. “If we stay together for a long time, do you think we could adopt a kid with hair like yours?”

  “Adopt? I’ve always kind of wanted to be able to raise a child. We would have to get married first though you know,” he said in a kind of stern tone. “I won’t have a child with anyone until I’m married to them.”

  “That only means I’ll have to propose to you in a few years then,” Damien chuckled and held his hands, the movie was forgotten about.

  “It’s a necessity now,” Eric was grinning and closed his eyes. Nothing could be more perfect than spending time with his boyfriend.

  Chapter Twelve

  Halloween came by for the second time a year later, Eric had kept the secret of them dating from his nosy parents for the entire time. At this point, he was pretending to date Emma only because she had suggested it to him. She, on the other hand, was going out with an old friend of theirs who was treating her a lot better than her last boyfriend. They took occasional pictures together and sent them to his parents to keep them at bay.

  “Eric are you ready yet? Damien and Jay are already waiting downstairs for us!” Emma knocked on the bathroom door getting a grunt in response.

  “If this stupid outfit wasn’t so cute and perfect, I would have bought something that didn’t have tights!” Eric was wearing a superhero outfit with the red main color and blue stripes. Damien was wearing a kind of superhero costume with the red main but it had black instead.

  “Next time wear something that doesn’t cover your entire body, it might be a lot easier,” Emma rolled her eyes and waited until he came out. “You look great with the mask now move your keister,” she brushed past him to finish her make-up for the fairy she was dressing up as. “Tell them I’ll be down in five minutes,” she said while holding her bangs out of her face.

  “All right, slowpoke,” Eric pulled the mask up over his mouth just to stick his tongue out at her. In return, he got a balled-up rag thrown at him so he quickly made an exit.

  “Baby, you look good in that, are you going to need a jacket though? It is pretty chilly outside,” Damien comments, wrapping an arm around him.

  “There’s a thermal long-sleeved shirt under it and warm tights so I should be all right. You could warm me up if I get cold though,” Eric giggled and kissed him through his mask.

  “Is Emma going to be down soon?” Jay asked, wearing a fairy outfit as well. Jay’s was meant to match with hers.

  “Another five minutes or so and she’ll be coming down,” he replied. Happily, he wrapped his arms around Damien’s waist, feeling out everything below his costume. “Damn, your ass is fine in this costume. I-err we need lots of pictures of us in these outfits.”

  “Nice cover-up, dork,” Emma said as she walked over, kissing Jay on the cheek. “Let’s get going, we don’t want to miss the whole party,” she smiled and locked arms with Jay.

  “I’m driving!” Eric rushed to the driver’s side of his car, the rest of them piling in after.

  “That means you can’t drink either so you’re the designated driver,” Damien smirked seeing Eric huff but he wasn’t too broken up about it. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to be piss drunk or too drunk to stand up on my own, promise.”

  “I know that silly, it’s those two I’m worried about getting too much in their system,” he teased them but they were distracted talking to each other. Jay had their head laid on Emma’s shoulder and whispering in her ear, she whispered back. “Who’s the love birds now?” He said a little louder and looked at them for a moment with the rearview mirror.

  “Shut up super doofus,” Emma flipped him off and they playfully bickered before Damien got slightly jealous. Purposefully he pulled his attention away from her by sliding up both of their masks to kiss him on the neck and cheek.

  “I’m sorry babe, was I not paying enough attention to you?” Eric asked in a sweet tone, winking at him. “I’ll be sure to give you plenty of attention later okay?”

  “Mm, that sounds pretty good to me baby,” he smirked and pulled their masks back down until Eric jumped at his parents calling him.

  “Emma can you answer this for me and tell them I’m driving,” Eric handed the phone to her, Emma nodding once she sees who it is.

  “Hello, this is Emma. Yeah, we’re getting ready to go to a party. He’s going to be driving us there and back since he doesn’t like to drink. Sure, we’ll send you pictures. Goodbye Petunia,” Emma talked in a calm cheery tone the whole time.

  “Thank you, I’ll not make you take more than two pictures with me that we can send them at different times. I hate having to do this but they refuse to accept anything else,” Eric frowned, furrowing his eyebrows and taking off the mask. “Sorry, let’s take the pictures and enjoy the rest of the night.”

  At the party, Eric and Emma posed together for multiple different pictures. Standing among different people and backgrounds, they tried to make it look like they took them at later times. “There you go, but Eric you can’t keep this up. I don’t want to keep doing this forever.”

  “Not much longer, as soon as we’re both moved out of the apartment,” Eric said and gave her an appreciative hug. Jay and Emma walked off together to get a better view of the dance floor for pictures to post on their Instagram together.

  “May I have this dance?” Damien asked offering
him a hand and a few people took pictures of them as they danced together. “You look so cute in that outfit. Next month before Thanksgiving you can move in with me if Emma is ready to live with Jay or rent on her own.”

  “Awe, Damien you’re the sweetest!” He wrapped his arms around his shoulders and pulled him down to kiss him. “Sly man, but still very sweet. Maybe when I move in, we can take it all the way,” he whispered just loud enough for Damien to hear.

  “How long I’ve been waiting for that suggestion, yes please,” he picked him up and spun him around a little. After a month of them dating, Eric explained he wanted to take it slow with how intimate they got after the first date and Damien respected that.

  “Thank you for being patient with me, that’ll make it all the better,” he laid his head on the other’s shoulder, both of them slow dancing. Most of the music was not to their tastes at first so they slow danced until something good came on that they could move around to.

  “You’re worth everything, such a sweet person never existed in my life. I think I’ve told you more about myself than I’ve told my closest friends,” Damien said when they were taking a break getting snacks for themselves.

  “That’s actually flattering,” Eric leaned into him and held his hand. “Other people don’t know much about me besides Emma and Jay. But you’ve gotten to know deeper parts of me than I would ever tell her because they’re just meant for my boyfriend.” Their eyes met through the masks, and each of their smiles told a similar story. Gray eyes were feeling loved and wanting to show that love, the blue eyes of the taller man held admiration along with a deep longing.

  “I want you to be mine,” Damien breathed the words out, pulling Eric to his chest in a burst of boldness.

  “Woah, look at you being brave,” Eric hummed and kissed him since their lips were uncovered. He gasped feeling his ass being groped by the familiar hands of his soul mate. “Goodness, it’s a good thing we don’t know many people here,” he murmured and wrapped his arms around Damien.

  “Who cares, nobody knows it’s us,” he took a picture of them from above, his hand clearly on his butt. “Too bad I wasn’t a pirate or I could be stealing the booty.”

  “Oh no, not the cheesy jokes. Don’t make me kiss you to shut you up,” he threatened despite it not being anything that would make him stop.

  “Or I could just say I’m squeezing the power out of you,” Damien was kissed to shut him up. “If your parents do find out sooner than expected, maybe me being a police detective would make them feel better.”

  “Hopefully your family doesn’t dislike me at the next visit since they come at Thanksgiving. We’ll have to be sure that it’s not a complete surprise to them,” he mumbled and glided a hand down his chest.

  “Usually I don’t talk to them but once a month so I’ll call in three weeks. Dancing is a good idea right now,” Damien said as one of their favorite songs started playing.

  “Let’s dance the night away!” Eric pulled him along onto the dance floor where they moved in sync to the beat. Hearts beating as one, they danced and kissed the night away. On the drive back, Damien helped him bring both of their companions upstairs to put them in his bed.

  “Guess you’ll have to sleep over tonight, what a shame,” he said in a joking manner. Jay waved goodbye to them since Emma had already fallen asleep on the bed.

  “I’ve got to send my parents the other picture!” Eric got onto his phone in a rush, careful about what he sent to them. “Thank heavens I didn’t forget completely.”

  “Could have been a disaster.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Moving day came and everything happened smoothly, Emma and Eric moved out a week before the six-month lease was up. The entire place was scrubbed down and freshened up before they left. Jay and Emma started renting a house that they would eventually be buying. Not wanting to leave everything as a surprise, Eric sent his parents a text saying he and Emma were not together.

  “Have courage, my friend,” Emma squeezed him in a tight hug when they were going to part ways. “Call me if you need anything, I’m still here for you.”

  “You too, don’t go struggling on your own again,” he hugged her back and then they pulled apart to go to their new living spaces.

  “Are you going to miss living with her?” Damien asked, seeing the slump in his shoulders. He got a nod and two slim arms hugging him fairly tight to get comfort from him. “It’ll be okay, you two still live only fifteen minutes apart.”

  “She’s my best friend, I’m going to miss being able to hang out with her all the time. Though, the best thing about all of this is how we get to live together. Due to eating with you and renting with Emma, I’ve saved a lot of money in that second account. Plus, they’re going to give me my deposit back since nothing was damaged. This way, even if my parents do cut me off, I can still help pay,” Eric smiled up at his boyfriend, getting a smile in return.

  “You’re really responsible for those kinds of things. We should head back, unpack boxes so you’re settled in before Thanksgiving comes.” They both carried in the last of Eric’s belongings and took them to the room he would be used separately from Damien for storing them. There was no bed but instead a couch and desk so he could do as he pleased in the room.

  “You sure it’s fine for me to take this whole room? I don’t really have that much stuff,” Eric hesitated when he was about to start unpacking his items besides clothing into the room.

  “I’m positively certain you taking the office space is no problem. I work in the garage or the basement so you can make this your space to decorate however you please.” He kissed the top of his head then carried Eric’s clothes bin to his bedroom to put away into the wardrobe he made for him and the walk-in closet.

  The rest of their day was spent unpacking and rearranging to make room for the surprisingly small number of items he possessed. “I think my parents doing the whole only what’s necessary living rubbed off on me.”

  “Seeing as you had far fewer dishes than I had in college, I would say it has,” he shook his head and put the plates away into the cabinet. Shrugging, Eric simply put away the coffee mugs that he only used to make tea, then the rest of his dishes where they fit.

  “Did you have a plan for dinner?” Eric asked as he closed the cabinet once his last pot was safely stored.

  “Something along the lines of seafood and French fries. Not the freezer fries, the homemade kind where you season and fry them,” Damien revealed as he started getting the ingredients out.

  “Damien, I never did learn what was behind this blue door, can you show me or is it still a secret?” Eric asked walking over to the one beside the cleaning closet. Multiple times he had been tempted to simply open the door and see the contents but he wanted Damien’s permission in case it was personal.

  “That’s not too much of anything you would be interested in,” Damien mumbled with a hand running through his auburn hair. “I should start making dinner,” he said clearly trying to avoid the topic but it made Eric more determined.

  “Please, I won’t judge you. I’ve been burning with curiosity for over a year and a half! I won’t ever mention it again if it’s embarrassing, I swear!” Eric pleaded and gave him his best pair of puppy dog eyes. Something he hadn’t done in a while was beg someone for something without joking about it, so now he was serious about it.

  “You’re so stubborn about the most random things. I will show you but you have to promise not to freak out about it,” Damien walked over and unlocked it with the small key. Inside was a bunch of random items but a lot of it was cooking, woodwork, and gay magazines piled on shelves with a small lamp and desk inside.

  “That’s pretty neat actually, but I’ll never tell a soul what’s in there unless you allow me to,” he promised with a pinkie, making Damien roll his eyes. He accepted the gesture anyway then locked the room once again so he wouldn’t accidentally leave it open for a guest to walk in there.

  “Can I start co
oking now? Or do you have more questions for me?” Damien asked as he rolled up his sleeves, walking toward the fridge for the ingredients.

  “Oh, I actually have something. Stay right there, I got a gift for you!” Eric ran upstairs to one of the boxes he told Damien to let him unpack. He brought out an apron and descended the stairs with excitement to hand it to Damien who never wore one and stained many t-shirts. “You’ve never had one on before so I figured it would be a nice thing to get you,” he said, waiting to see his reaction.

  He read the words across the front aloud, “I’m the hottest thing in the kitchen.” Damien laughed outright and put it on with a chuckle. Grinning at the perfect fit he pulled Eric into a hug. Muscular arms wrapped around a slim body, holding him close as their lips met in a slow, loving kiss. “Baby, I love you.”

  “I love you too,” Eric hugged him back, tightly holding onto him. “Adopting a kid with blue eyes would be nice, but I think any kid would be great to raise with you.” Closing his eyes, he leaned into Damien as he leaned into him as well, not any space left. “After Thanksgiving, I want you to come with me to tell my parents about you.”

  “As long as it’s what you want,” he hummed and swayed slowly with him. Caressing his cheeks, he holds his face in his hands to kiss Eric on the lips. “Know that I’m going to be right next to you the whole time.”

  “Without you, I really couldn’t do this,” he murmured and they slowly pulled back to make the dinner.

  Thanksgiving Day they had Damien’s parents and one of his cousins over. The conversation was minimal and neither of them was questioned about why they held hands or lived together for that matter. Once they were ready to leave, Eric gave them a handshake since they didn’t really have an affectionate way of greeting each other. Damien waved after giving them food to take home and headed back inside since it was starting to snow.