Ranger - Jericho's Boys #4 - ch. 9 (Patreon)

Unbeta'd/Unedited.

This chapter started one place and ended up some place so much different than anticipated. But, hey, they're talking. So, yay?

Enzo

8 months, 3 weeks, 6 days and 8.5 hours since that night

By the time Enzo and Seven got back to the penthouse, he was practically catatonic. He went only where Enzo guided him and stayed wherever he put him. He drank the glass of water when instructed. He handed over his phone without question. If he’d asked, Enzo would have told him he thought it better that Seven avoid news or social media for the night. But he didn’t ask. He didn’t say a word. 

As a fellow mama’s boy, Enzo got it. He did. If anyone had framed his mother for a crime, they’d find themselves on the wrong side of a bullet. That’s just how it went in his family. Their motto might as well have been Chi provoca il destino, ne subisce il crollo. Whoever provokes destiny, suffers its collapse. Or as Enzo’s father used to say, ‘throw a stone, expect a landslide’. 

In their house, every action did not, in fact, have an equal and opposite reaction. If Neith really was dating Rocco, whoever framed her was about to find that out the hard way. Enzo had been just as surprised as Seven to hear the rumors about his uncle and his future mother-in-law. At this rate, their family tree would be a circle. A big one. 

Enzo looked at Seven, perched on the sofa, staring at nothing, hands folded in his lap. Having two parents in jail would be enough to break anyone. But he wouldn’t let that happen. He’d do whatever it took to keep Neith out of prison. Legal or not.  He needed to fix this for him…fast. 

Enzo couldn’t quite place the exact moment the shift had happened, when his brothers calling Seven his future husband and Neith his future mother-in-law had gone from a joke to more of a forgone conclusion. Somewhere between the emotional support duck gift and the tiny gavel, Enzo had fallen crazy, stupid in love with the world’s biggest brat. 

The harassment seminar a couple of days ago. Well, what followed the harassment seminar. Their supply closet reckoning. If you wanted to, you would. Six words shot straight into Enzo’s heart with lethal efficiency. He’d thought about it for hours that night and every night since. Not because he hadn’t made Seven a priority, but because he finally realized that his ex was right. Seven was right, too. 

Not once in their five year relationship, had Enzo ever thought of her as a priority. She’d been an obligation, an albatross, a constant sore point and something to complain about to his buddies. It made him a huge asshole even just admitting it to himself, but he couldn’t ignore the accuracy. 

They’d met in their last year of college, and had stayed together because it was convenient. They’d shared the same interests, had the same friend group. Their parents ran in the same social circles. It had just been easy. She’d been easy. She’d never complained while he was in law school or even later, when he was working late. 

On paper, they were the perfect couple. But he dreaded their alone time, when their friends weren’t there as a buffer. That’s how she’d ended up with his best friend in the first place. He’d practically handed her to him. Maybe deep down he wanted them to find each other. She would never have been a priority in his life. And that hadn’t been fair to her. 

She was a good person. 

She just wasn’t Enzo’s person. 

But it was never like that with Seven. Ever. From the beginning, seeing him was the best part of Enzo’s day. Even when he didn’t realize it. Knowing Seven would be at Sunday dinners made him countdown the minutes, knowing Seven would be at the office instead of class had Enzo deliberately scheduling his out-of-office meetings for different days. Even Drucilla knew to check Seven’s work schedule before booking Enzo’s clients. 

When Neith had called today, it had never occurred to Enzo that the senior partners might have a problem with him abandoning his clients without notice. He hadn’t cared at all. He’d only cared about Seven. In his almost forty years on this planet it was crystal clear to him now that he’d only ever felt this way about Seven. And he was right. Enzo had no problem making him his priority. 

Now he just had to prove it. 

He called his mother and made sure that Neith had, in fact, been released and retrieved from the holding cell as planned, then crossed the room to where Seven sat, dropping to his knees between his legs and gripping his hands. 

Seven’s reaction time was sluggish, a solid ten seconds passing before he looked down at where their fingers were threaded together. “What’re you doing?” he mumbled. 

“Can you look at me, baby?” Enzo asked softly. 

Enzo knew Seven found his demand for eye contact weird, but it was a way to ensure he was listening, absorbing what Enzo was saying. There was nothing more important than communication with the types of games Enzo played and this need to see how his words impacted people bled into his everyday life as well. 

Seven’s gaze dragged to him slowly. His expression made Enzo’s heart hurt. His eyes were glassy and dull like he was half-there, half in his head. 

Enzo held his stare. “First, your mom is at my mom’s and she’s being pampered like crazy so you don’t have to worry about her, okay?” Seven nodded. “Now, I’m gonna ask you a question, and I very much need you to know that I know how stupid this question is going to sound given the situation. Okay?” 

Seven slow-blinked at him a couple of times before he gave a hesitant nod. 

“Are you okay?” Enzo asked. 

Seven nodded automatically, but then immediately shook his head, before finally settling on a muttered, “I don’t know.” 

“Do you know what you need right now?” Enzo asked, keeping his voice as low and undemanding as possible. Seven shook his head once more. “Okay. That’s okay. Do you want me to decide for you?” 

The look of relief that washed over Seven was a punch to the gut. He gave another frantic nod. 

Even now, Enzo couldn’t get over how adorable he was. “Can you give me a verbal answer, baby?” 

“Yes,” Seven managed. “I don’t want to adult anymore today.” 

“Good boy,” Enzo praised, cupping his cheek. 

Seven’s eyelids fluttered like that was just what he needed. Enzo reluctantly stopped touching him long enough to stand then swept him up bridal style. Seven yelped, his arms shooting up to lock around Enzo’s neck, looking down at the floor like they were ten stories up. 

Enzo carried him up the stairs, past his bed into his bathroom, depositing him on the sink before walking to his oversized, rarely-touched bathtub. He turned the water on, waiting for the right temperature, before making sure the drain plug was down.

When he walked back to Seven, he said, “What are we doing?” 

Enzo pulled Seven’s sweater off, dropping it into the hamper, then went for the buttons on the shirt below it. “I’m giving you a bath.” 

“Giving me a bath?…Like a toddler?” Seven asked. 

Enzo chuckled, pushing his shirt down his shoulders, taking a minute to drink him in. “Well, the only bath toys I have are of the adult variety, but I might be able to scrounge up a rubber duck or two if it will make my baby feel better?” he teased gently. 

“You don’t have to give me a bath. I’m an adult,” Seven said, the tips of his ears practically glowing in his embarrassment. 

“You just said you don’t want to adult right now. So I’ll do the hard stuff. You just do as you're told.” 

Seven sighed, remaining pliant as Enzo slid down his pants and underwear, thoughts of roadkill and naked grandmas in his head to keep from getting hard just looking at him. 

Enzo tested the bath water once again, then made Seven do the same. “Is it too hot?” 

Seven shook his head, then seemed to remember himself, meeting Enzo’s gaze. “No, Daddy.” His cock twitched at how casually the honorific slipped free. But then Seven seemed to catch himself. “Sorry.” 

Enzo frowned in confusion. “For what?” Seven flushed, and it dawned on Enzo what he meant. “I told you. You can call me Daddy if you want to. You could have been calling me that for months. I’ve just been waiting on you to trust me enough. I’m sorry. I should have been clearer with you.” 

Seven stepped into the tub, then lowered himself into the water. Enzo grabbed a cloth and his body wash, pouring some onto the material and watching it lather. “You smelling like me is going to make me crazy,” he murmured, running the wet, soapy rag over muscular plains of his chest and shoulders, eyes trailing to just below the waterline when the cloth did. “Just so you know.” 

The barest hint of a smile pulled at Seven’s lips, but disappeared just as quickly as he seemed to remember the day they’d had. When he wet Seven’s hair to wash it, he was surprised to see it start to curl almost immediately. “Your hair’s getting so long.” 

“I should shave it again,” Seven said, eyes rolling with pleasure as Enzo’s fingers massaged shampoo through the dark brown tresses. “It gets wild when I grow it out.” 

“I bet you look hot,” Enzo said, tapping his chin softly to remind him to tip his head so he could rinse the shampoo out. 

Seven scoffed, voice dripping with confidence as he said, “I always look hot.” 

Enzo grinned. “Yeah, you do.” 

When Enzo grabbed the conditioner, Seven immediately let his eyes fall shut in anticipation of Enzo’s fingers back in his hair. Enzo just…stared. He had thick brows and long sooty lashes surrounding those pretty, seaglass eyes. Enzo couldn’t wait to see them looking up at him again. 

But sometimes, like right now, Seven looked painfully young. From some angles, he had a sharp jawline and high cheekbones, from another he was all soft, chubby baby cheeks and wide eyes that were far too innocent for a killer. 

Enzo took his time, enjoying the happy little sighs Seven gave every time Enzo touched him just right. When he finished his hair, he dropped the rag and began to dig his thumbs into the tense muscles of his shoulders. That was a mistake. Almost immediately Seven began to moan in a way that had Enzo praying to every St he could think of to please get him through this. Who was the patron saint of horniness again? 

It wasn’t Enzo’s fault. Seven was in his home, in his space, using his things…It was what he’d wanted for months. It was making him more than a little worked up. 

But now that Enzo had him there…how did he make him want to stay? 

When the water started to cool, Enzo pulled the plug, then helped him stand, then burritoing him in his fluffiest towel. He walked him into the bedroom, arms around him from behind, keeping his arms trapped within until he could have him sit on the edge of the bed. 

Enzo went to his bottom drawer where he kept all his oldest shirts, grabbing the gray one with the navy writing that was fading in some places. He also snagged a pair of boxers, though they’d probably sit a little low. Enzo helped him dress, smiling when Seven pulled the shirt away from him to read it upside-down. 

“Of course you’d be a member of the Order of the Barristers. Nepo baby,” Seven teased. 

“Uh, my mom got you your current job, too. So welcome to the crib, fellow nepo baby.” 

“That’s not nepotism, that’s networking,” Seven countered, giving his first genuine smile in a while. 

Enzo toweled off Seven’s hair, then grinned when it stood up all over the place, attempting to finger comb it into some semblance of a style. “I’m gonna take a super quick shower and then order us dinner. Is there anything you’re craving?” 

Seven’s eyes lit up, but then his face fell. “Anything’s fine.” 

“That’s not what I asked,” Enzo said, taking on a slightly more stern tone. Seven’s gaze snapped to his. It was so clear how much he liked Enzo’s ‘Daddy’ voice. “Tell me what came to your mind that got you so excited. Was it me?” 

“Your mom’s brown butter and sage tortellini and tiramisu,” Seven said, voice barely above a whisper. 

Enzo shook his head. He’d made it sound like he was going to request some rare dish that had to be flown in from a foreign country. “Is that all? Done. I’ll call the restaurant.” 

Seven frowned. “The tortellini isn’t on the menu.” 

“So what,” Enzo said. “The chef’s all know Ma's recipes. I just need to make a phone call.” 

When Enzo turned to retrieve his phone, Seven snagged his sleeve, eyes frantic as he shook his head. “No, don’t. I don’t want anyone going to any trouble for me.” 

“Well, too bad. It’s not up to you tonight, now is it?” Enzo countered, arching a brow at him. 

Seven opened his mouth, then closed it again, shoulders slumping. “Fine.” 

Enzo swooped into Seven’s space forcing him to lean back on his hands, caging him in. Seven crawled backwards up the mattress, eyes wide as Enzo stalked after him. When Seven had nowhere else to go, he dropped his head onto the pillows, gazing up at Enzo who hovered over him on all fours. 

“What was that, brat baby?” he murmured. 

“I said, ‘Yes, Daddy,’” Seven muttered, chest rising and falling quickly. 

“Oh, good. My ears must have been playing tricks on me,” Enzo taunted. “Glad to see we’re both on the same page.” 

“Are we?” Seven asked, his gaze dipping to Enzo’s lips then back again, slow and unsubtle. 

Enzo grinned. “What do you want, baby?” 

“Kiss…” Seven whispered, cheeks heating up. 

He loved when Seven just melted into this soft, pliant creature for him. He was so soft, so pretty. Bratty Seven was amazing, but subby Seven turned Enzo’s heart inside-out. 

“What’s the magic word,” Enzo teased, slowly lowering to his forearms, his mouth hovering just over Seven’s. 

Seven’s pink tongue licked over his lower lip, holding his gaze. “Please, Daddy?” 

A slow smile spread across Enzo’s face. “Sure, baby.” 

He placed two soft pecks at the corners of Seven’s mouth, then pulled back. “Like that?” 

Seven narrowed his eyes at him, expression growing sullen. 

“No?” Enzo asked. He dipped his head once more, capturing Seven’s pouty bottom lip between his own, sucking it gently before pulling back just enough to say, “How about that.” 

Seven’s arms snaked around his neck, trying to yank him down. Enzo’s laugh was loud in the otherwise quiet space. He easily wrestled Seven back to the mattress, snagging his wrists and pinning his hands over his head. “You're strong, pretty boy. But I’m stronger. By a lot,” Enzo murmured. 

Seven turned his head away from Enzo, nose in the air and voice haughty. “I didn’t want to kiss you anyway.” 

Enzo nuzzled his face against Seven’s ear, kissing his lobe, then tracing the outer shell with his tongue, earning a broken breath from the boy beneath him. “I love when you’re feisty, but I love this more. All sweet and soft, letting me do whatever I want to you.” 

“You’re lucky I’m too tired to fight you,” Seven said, his breaths coming a little faster now. “I’d be so bratty right now.” 

Enzo chuckled. “Is that so?” 

“Mm,” Seven said, still looking at the wall beside the bed. 

“Look at me, brat.” Seven slowly turned his head to meet his gaze, pupils blown. “Open your mouth.” Seven made a show of opening his lips the slightest bit. Enzo didn’t take the bait. “Wider.” 

When he complied, Enzo captured his lips, licking into his mouth, soft and sweet. Seven expelled a breath through his nose, a tiny little whimper escaping. Enzo swallowed it down, settling in the cradle of Enzo’s thighs, grunting with approval when one of Seven’s legs hooked over his hip. 

Enzo didn’t push for more. He wasn’t having sex with Seven when he was this emotionally raw, but there was nothing wrong with a little kissing. If anything, it would make him feel better. Kissing flooded the brain with happy hormones. Right now, Seven needed all he could get. 

Enzo happily spent the next few minutes mapping the dips and grooves of the inside of Seven’s mouth, swallowing every needy sound that escaped before the other could hold it back. Every time Seven’s hips would rut upwards, Enzo would move away until he calmed down. 

“I love kissing you,” Seven whispered against his lips, almost like he hadn’t meant to say it. 

A low groan escaped before he could stop it. “I love kissing you too,” he said against his lips. 

Their mouths found each other like magnets, every time they parted, they came back together, each new kiss a little hotter, a little dirtier, a bit more intense. Seven’s tongue moved against Enzo’s in a way that had his cock starting to take notice no matter how vigilant he was about keeping this to just kissing. 

He needed to stop this. He was still in his work clothes. He needed a shower, comfortable clothes. He needed to feed Seven. He released Seven’s wrists as he dragged himself away from Seven’s swollen lips, his heart giving a silly little stutter when Seven made a noise of complaint. 

“Why are we stopping?” he pouted. 

“Because I need to shower,” Enzo said. “And we need to eat. I’ll order the food now, you just have to grab it from the delivery driver when the doorman sends him up. If I’m not out yet, you can start eating without me.” 

Seven huffed, folding his arms over his chest, glowering at Enzo. “How long of a shower are you planning on taking, you diva? What does it matter? We’re not going anywhere.” 

“You know most guys like having a boyfriend who’s hygienic,” Enzo said, poking the tip of his nose. 

He realized what he was saying as the words were passing his lips. If he could have sucked them back in, he would have.

Seven looked stricken. “B-Boyfriend?” 

Enzo closed his eyes and prayed for a black hole to open and release him from this mortal coil. “Well…I mean…” He could feel his face heating up. “Are we not there yet?” 

Seven blinked up at him, his shock evident. “You tell me?” 

Enzo searched his face, trying to guess what Seven’s reaction would be if he just…told the truth. “This is kind of a heavy conversation to have after the day you had.” 

“Then maybe you shouldn’t have used the word boyfriend,” Seven countered. “But you did so…here we are.” 

Fuck. 

“Can we sit up for this, at least?” Enzo asked. 

“Do we need to?” Seven countered. “Is it that hard to say that you want to be my boyfriend?” 

Enzo heaved a heavy sigh. Was that what he thought? That he didn’t want that? “It’s hard for someone like me to…” he trailed off. 

“To…” Seven prompted, giving him an expectant look. 

“To say what’s going on in my head right now, because I don’t want to spook you.” 

Seven huffed out a humorless laugh. “Spook me? By saying you want to be my boyfriend?” 

“By saying I wanna be your husband,” he blurted. 

Seven’s mouth fell open, eyes widening almost comically. Enzo didn’t blame him. That was not at all what he’d meant to say. Wow, he was spectacularly bad at this. At all of this. In truth, his ex had dodged a bullet. Nobody should have to put up with his emotional whiplash. 

Seven opened and closed his mouth several times, looking a bit like a fish out of water. Finally, he seemed to settle on a bewildered, “Since…since when have you wanted to ma-to do the thing you said…with me, I mean?” 

Enzo dropped his head to Seven’s chest, hiding. He’d been right. Seven, wrapped in his scent, smelling like his soap, his shampoo, his detergent. It was too much. He pressed his cheek to Seven’s heart, feeling it gallop beneath him. “Can we just forget I said it? Like as a favor?” 

“That depends,” Seven said, the sound rumbling against Enzo’s ear. 

Enzo counted to ten before he said, “On what?” 

“Did you…mean it?” he asked, voice small.

Enzo once more pressed his face into Seven’s chest, words muffled as he asked, “Which answer is less likely to make you run screaming into the night?” 

Seven sighed, his warm palms settling on Enzo’s cheeks. “What happened to eye contact?” 

Enzo forced himself to meet his gaze, steady and unflinching. “Better?” 

“Mm,” Seven said, catching his swollen bottom lip between his pretty white teeth while he searched Enzo’s face like the answers were written there in invisible ink. “Did you mean it?” he asked, before tacking on. “I want the truth.” 

“Yes,” Enzo admitted, feeling a little like he’d just carved out his heart and offered it to Seven on a silver platter. 

It would serve him right if he stomped on it and gave it back. Seven continued to study him, his eyes crinkled like he was trying to solve some kind of complex math equation. “Since when?” 

“Since the day we met probably,” Enzo admitted, words thick, his throat trying to close around the truth. 

He sucked at this. He sucked at being vulnerable. 

“You tried to make me your contractually obligated dick appointment,” Seven mused. “That doesn’t sound like true love to me.” 

“I was trying to keep you with me in the only way my fucked-up brain would allow at the time,” Enzo admitted. “Or maybe I was trying to secretly sabotage myself.” 

Seven’s thumbs began to stroke over Enzo’s cheeks soothingly. Like he was trying not to spook him. 

Enzo closed his eyes trying to calm his nerves, before opening them again. “The truth is, I haven’t been able to get you out of my head since the moment I laid eyes on you and it seems like every single person we know knew it but me.” 

“Not every person,” Seven admitted. “I was pretty clueless about your feelings.” 

“I’m still kinda clueless about yours,” Enzo prompted. “In case you felt like sharing with the class?” 

A flush crept up Seven’s neck, spreading all the way to the tips of his ears. “I thought it was pretty obvious.” 

Enzo scoffed. “Obvious to who?” 

Seven gave him a rueful smile. “Everyone but you, apparently.” 

“Are you saying you…love me?” Enzo asked, clearly fishing for the words. 

“That depends,” Seven countered stubbornly. “Are you saying you love me?” 

Enzo gave him an incredulous look. “I said I wanted to marry you? Was that not clear enough?” 

Seven shrugged, feigning disinterest. “People marry for lots of reasons,” he said breezily. 

Enzo sat up on his knees, pulling Seven into a sitting position. “Promise it’s not gonna freak you out if I say it?” 

“Yes. No.” Seven said. “I don’t know. Fuck.” 

Enzo nodded. “It’s weird, right?” 

Seven nodded back. “Yeah. Like, it shouldn’t be. It's not a lie but like…part of me feels like if we say it out loud our mothers will repel down from the rafters with all the things necessary for a pop-up wedding and that’ll be the end of it.” 

Enzo laughed, but couldn’t stop himself from glancing up nervously at the decorative wood beams across his ceiling. “Okay, then how about this. Instead of saying that ‘L’ word phrase, I will say…” Enzo racked his brain, finally settling on, “I’d like to formally propose a merger of our hearts and lives, pending a comprehensive review period as long-term projections look promising.” 

Seven bit his lip to keep from laughing, then schooled his features into a serious expression, his voice deepening, “In the matter of you versus my better judgment, I rule in favor of the use of the word boyfriend with the intent to escalate to fiance at a later date that is mutually beneficial to both parties…and both parties meddling mothers.” 

Enzo laughed, his heart feeling incredibly weightless. “They’re going to go absolutely feral when we do finally decide to announce our engagement.” 

“You say that like it’s inevitable,” Seven said. 

“We feel pretty inevitable,” Enzo admitted. “But we don’t have to rush into anything. Though after eight months it’d be really fucking cool if you let me in your pants again.” 

Seven snorted. “How romantic.” After a minute, he added, “Though I guess I should do more than one test drive before I take you home forever.” 

“Now who’s the romantic?” Enzo teased. 

“What if the first time together was a fluke?” Seven said, with a smile. “What if we have terrible chemistry in bed?” 

“That’s impossible. I’m amazing in bed,” Enzo countered around a laugh. 

Enzo tackled him onto the mattress, as Seven said, “And humble too.” 

Enzo kept himself dead weight, Seven sighed contentedly. For a while, the two just laid there, absorbing each other’s warmth, Seven’s fingers playing in his hair. 

“What if it turns out I’m not into the whips and chains stuff?” Seven asked quietly. “Like, what if we try it and I hate it.” 

Enzo folded his hands on Seven’s sternum, then dropped his chin on them, watching Seven watch him. “I know all evidence points to the contrary, but I don’t need to hurt you to get off. I don’t even want to hurt you. I want to make you want to obey me.” 

Seven stiffened. “I’ll never be obedient.” 

“I’d be disappointed if you were,” Enzo admitted. “The reason I only played with ‘well-trained subs’ was because they were easy to forget. I prefer mouthy, pushy, bossy little brats who are just dying to be put in their place. I want you to fight me. I want to punish you. I want to spank you until you cry but only if that’s what we both want. We didn’t do any of that stuff that night and it was the best sex I’ve ever had. Because it was you.” 

“Really?” Seven asked, a little breathless.

“The day we met I jerked off three times just thinking about your bratty little attitude and the way your eyes went all hazy when I put you in your place. I knew you were dangerous from the jump. Maybe that’s why I started throwing down barriers right away. You were too perfect.” 

Seven made a noise of derision. “Yeah, that’s me. Totally perfect.” 

Enzo frowned, lifting his head to look at Enzo. “Don’t say it like that. You’re pretty fucking perfect.” 

Seven’s face became a storm cloud, his tone bitter. “Not according to my father. He thinks I’m the biggest mistake he ever made.” 

Enzo hurt for him. “That’s mighty bold of him considering just how many mistakes that loser’s made. Your dad is a narcissist. When he doesn’t get what he wants from people, he lashes out. You don’t cower. You don’t cater to him. He hates that because deep down he knows he’s the mistake and the world would probably be a nicer place without him.” 

“Yeah,” Seven mumbled. 

Enzo kissed the top of his head. “Near as I can tell, the only good thing to come from that man is you. But I’m gonna give Neith all the credit for that.” 

He rolled onto his side and took Seven with him, tucking him beneath his chin. This conversation was going everywhere, but maybe it took something big to jog loose all the things that usually went unsaid. 

“You act like you know him,” Seven said. 

“I do know him,” Enzo said. “I told you that the day we met.” 

Seven groaned long and low. “Please tell me your firm doesn’t represent him.” 

Enzo snorted. “If we did, he wouldn’t be sitting in prison…again. Though it is sort of impressive how he’s never been charged with murder.” 

“Neither have I,” Seven reminded him. 

Enzo moved back enough to uncover Seven’s face. “Sometimes I forget that my pouty little brat is a killer,” he teased. 

Seven schooled his features into one of mock seriousness, dropping his voice to say, “This is the face of a killer, Bella.” 

Enzo slow-blinked, struggling to process what just happened. “Did you-Did you just quote Twilight to me?” he asked, shaking his head like a disappointed dad. 

“Don’t judge me,” Seven shot back. “If you’re so disgusted, how did you even know it was a Twilight quote in the first place?” 

Enzo froze, pulse skyrocketing to the moon as his brain raced to find an answer Seven might believe. “The…triplets made me watch it with them.” 

Seven stared at him, disappointment radiating from him. “Wow, I can’t believe you’re going to blame your teen girl movie obsession on your sisters.” 

“My-My what?” Enzo stammered, his hand gravitating towards his chest, like he was reaching for his imaginary pearls. 

Seven’s expression grew smug. “You heard me.” 

“I don’t have a…a…teen girl movie obsession. What does that even mean?” Enzo lied. “You make me sound like a pervert or something.” 

“Oh, my God,” Seven crowed. “Your face is so red right now. Are you okay? Do you need your blood pressure pills or something, Daddy?” 

“Are you calling me old, you little brat?” Enzo asked, digging his fingers into Seven’s ribs until he dissolved into peals of laughter. 

“Let me go. Let me go,” he gasped between giggles. “I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” 

Seven finally released him, letting him catch his breath, but pointing at him to let him know the fight wasn’t over, just paused. 

“Vince totally ratted you out,” Seven said, once he was no longer gasping for air. 

“What?” Enzo asked, even though he’d heard him perfectly fine. 

“Vince said you’re obsessed with teen movies. Twilight, Mean Girls, Clueless, Can’t Hardly Wait, The DUFF…what’s that about? He promised me it wasn’t about the girls.” 

“The girls?” Enzo asked, his eyes went wide as he caught on, face twisting in disgust. “Ew, no. I just…high school sucked for me. Actually, all school sucked for me, but especially high school. I just like watching movies where the underdog actually wins. Sue me.” 

“Why? What do you mean?” Seven asked. “There’s no way you were a bad student. Mama would have murdered you. Did they bully you for being a hot nerd?” 

“Well, you’re half right,” Enzo muttered. “The truth is far more embarrassing than that.” When Seven continued to look at him expectantly Enzo said, “Vince really didn’t tell you? He didn’t show you?” 

Seven shook his head. “Was it something serious? Show me what?” 

Enzo groaned then hid his face in Seven’s neck even though it required contorting himself into an uncomfortable position to do so. 

“Is it really that bad?” Seven asked. 

“Yes,”Enzo cried, his dramatics dragging another laugh from Seven. 

Seven combed his fingers through Enzo’s hair, blunt nails scratching at the nape of his neck. “You don’t have to tell me.” 

Enzo groaned. “It’s more of a show thing.” 

“You don’t have to show me either, if you don’t want to,” Seven said. 

Enzo rolled back, then sighed, reaching for his phone. “Just promise me you won’t run away.” 

“Jesus, what could possibly be that bad?” Seven asked, looking completely bewildered. “Did you have a hump? A third nipple? Is that what all those tattoos are hiding?” 

Enzo went to his mother’s Facebook page, then searched by date, grimacing when he found what he was looking for. He threw the phone in Seven’s general direction, then covered his face. When Seven stayed silent for two long, he peeked between his fingers. Seven was staring at him with that flat expression he reserved for when he thought Enzo was being extra. 

“What is it that I’m supposed to be looking at right now, exactly?”