"Live a life that you'll be proud of. Don't worry about no one else," -J.v.Z

It had been a week and a half since I was discharged from the hospital. It was just a small wound, barely there, but Joaquin insisted that he'd do everything for me. 

Well, he wouldn't let me jump him.

"I'm getting you this shirt," I said matter-of-factly, knowing that he was going to look so good in Armani. He rolled his eyes, folding up his clothes to put in the drawer that I allowed him to have in case he decided to stay overnight, which he was doing more often than not.

"Just make sure to stay within the budget," Joaquin replied and I staked my gaze on his shirtless figure, realizing that he indeed did have a hot bod. The way his muscles rippled as he opened and closed doors, or the way his back stretched when he reached up in the closet like it was a task that he had been doing his whole life.

"I think I'm gay for you, Joaquin."

"..."

He turned around to shoot me an unimpressed glare, though there was a hint of a small smile on his lips. "Well yeah, I would hope so, considering we had sex countless times since we got together," He rolled his eyes, trying to hide that faint blush on his cheeks. It never ceased to amaze it at how calm I was about being in a relationship with a whole ass dude.

It was probably because I never looked at it that way. I mean, I knew he was a guy because he was built like a damn brickhouse, but I saw him for what was inside his heart. Maybe that made me a pansexual person. 

"Speaking of, when are we gonna fuck again? I'm dying!" I whined, fighting the urge to rut against the bed like some hormonal animal. "Not until after you're done healing," He gave me an adamant stare that dared me to defy his words and I pouted, feeling needy. "But, like, I need you, Joaquin! How the hell are you so calm while I'm literally drowning in a pool of lust just by looking at you?" I hissed and he snorted, covering his face as he chuckled.

"I'm anything but calm, Cheyenne," He swallowed tightly, his voice dark and husky as his eyes raked my body like I was the coldest jug of water, and he was a man who had done a 30-mile marathon. "But I'm not a man who's gonna prey on his lover while he's healing, even if it's just the smallest of wounds. I'm not risking anything even if it's tempting," I pouted, knowing that he was right.

"How noble of you, poor boy."

I was laying on the bed in nothing but the same shirt that he lent me when I stayed overnight at his house, an off-brand shirt, but it was alright because the cotton was soothing and it smelled just like him. Just like everything else about him, his scent was intoxicating.

"How are you feeling about all of this, knowing that Sterling was the one behind this? You haven't said anything and I just don't want you to hold it in," Joaquin offered me a supportive smile, letting me know that he'd be my rock if I needed it.

And I'd be his.

"Honestly, I haven't thought about it. I just have no words," I bit my lip, staring at the bandage wrapped around my shoulder. I shouldn't have been in the same place that I got shot, but it was my home. I wasn't going to let a man like Sterling chase me out. He had been doing so my entire life, and I was not going to give him the satisfaction while he was behind bars.

"But it's not like I didn't expect him to do something like that," I let out a shuddering laugh, shaking my head in disbelief. "I mean, it hurts? But I guess I'm okay now," I gave him that smile that made men and women on the streets fall to their knees and he gazed at me, knowing that he could see right through me.

He didn't say anything, but he just let me reminisce and grieve in silence over what could have been. He knew I needed this in order to take a step onto the other side of the green grass, where the sun was shining.

"Hey, how did you and Tomas meet?" I questioned, realizing that I only knew the basics about Joaquin, like the fact that he was born in San Francisco, but he moved here after his daughter was taken, how his favorite color was yellow, that he was born on December 1st, 1987, how he was deathly terrified of small spaces since he felt like he had been metaphorically trapped by his depression, how he was an anime nerd, and how endearingly possessive he was.

But I didn't know much of the deep stuff. 

"Me and that fool?" He chuckled before cracking his neck, tilting his head so that he could think. "From what I remember, we met in middle school. He had just transferred into our class and no one wanted to hang out with a newbie. One day, he came to school without lunch, so while everyone else was playing, I gave him some of my food and boom," He told the story, happiness in his eyes as he recounted those moments.

They were small moments, but they held so much significance. "It was just fate that we went to the same high school and college together. He's like the brother that I never had," It was something about him he smiled so carefree like there was nothing in the world that could bother him. To me, that was a beautiful sight of him.

Then I noticed something as he sighed heavily, walking towards the bed so that he could relax. "Tell me about your family," I murmured, pulling him into my grasp, wrapping my arms around his neck as his back fell against my chest. "What about them?" He whispered hollowly, his body coming to a standstill. I could tell that he hated talking about his family. "I'm an only child and I haven't seen my parents in 11 years," He crudely stated with a pained huff.

"Why?" I ran a hand through his hair as he clicked his tongue, using my hand as a distraction so that he didn't have to think about his thoughts. "They weren't too fond of the idea of me eloping," His tone fell off, leaving the words up for interpretation. "Would you want to see them again?" I questioned just out of curiosity. "I'm sure like you, they have regrets of their own and life is too short," I used his words against him, wanting him to make peace with himself and the guilt he had. "Yeah, I would."

He needed to make peace with himself so that he could go into this newfound family with no concerns and no shackles holding him back.

"Are you sure you want to adopt another kid from here?" The way Mona said it was as if she was degrading these kids, and I wasn't going to stand for it. "Yes, why else would I be here?" I snapped and she nodded, sensing that it wouldn't be wise for her to get on my bad side. "So who is the child you two are looking for, if you have any idea," She cleared her through, pointing to Joaquin and me.

"His name is Ambrose," I recalled Pierre and I's conversation from one morning ago. It was highly unconventional, not to mention unusual that we were just going to adopt a kid into our makeshift family without even having a full outing with him. He was a cute kid, from the pictures that Pierre showed me.

"Ambrose Dion? He's a little young, are you sure about that?" I raised a brow, wondering why this woman kept talking and talking. "Yeah, he's three and what of it? Holly said that he's the one that she was taking care of in that dump," I seethed at the thought of the things that she told me she endured while living with that crap family. Thankfully, nothing like rape or anything like that happened to her, or they were going to have to answer to me and Joaquin.

Especially Joaquin. 

I was trying not to be annoyed with Mona as she led us down the hall to where all the kids who were currently with foster parents were for their weekly gathering to check on things. She was making it real hard because every time she opened her mouth, it was always something condescending about the children and their lack of life and home, and it was irritating the hell out of me.

These kids didn't ask to be born and they sure didn't ask to live like this.

Wow, I was such a sap. Look at me spitting words that I never thought I would ever see the day that these words would leave my mouth. "He's over there," Mona pointed to a little boy sitting in the corner by himself. "I'm going to go get the papers finalized and ready for you to sign," She nodded with a curt smile and Joaquin and I descended our walk among the many kids that were running around, playing, but there were no signs of happiness on their faces.

Damn.

"Are you Ambrose?" I crouched down to his level once we made eye contact with a little boy who came up to my knees, dark brown curly hair that was in a ponytail, brown eyes that were glistened with tears and fair skin that resembled mine. He was a cutie pie, that was for sure and I was instantly in love.

"Y-yes," He said, but we both knew that he was instantly on guard, wary of us. "My name is Cheyenne, but you can call me Chey if you like," I gave him a warm smile, sitting crisscrossed as he slowly walked over to me. He looked similar to Holly's original appearance, clothes ratted and tore up, shoe soles practically busting through the bottom and just general uncleanliness about him.

This poor thing. I didn't want him to think that I was trying to save him because I wanted more than that. "I'm Joaquin, but call me Quino," Joaquin slid out a hand for him to shake and Ambrose just gripped the index finger nodding. "Are you my new daddies?" He asked with hope in his eyes and we nodded in response. "Yea, buddy, you're too adorable," I grinned as he started to bounce with glee, looking a lot more open than he did when we first greeted him. He looked scared and unapproachable, and I didn't want to think about the foster family that he was with because it was only going to piss me off.

"Yay," He clapped his hands together, letting us see that smile of us. I turned to look at Joaquin, whose eyes were glittering at the sight of Ambrose. Seeing him so happy made my heart flutter because we were finally taking a step together and who knew? This journey was going to be phenomenal.

I worried that we were jumping too far ahead of ourselves to really enjoy what it was that was developing between us, but then I realized that Joaquin couldn't fully commit himself to anything else because he lost the one person he cherished the most: Holly. So then I went to get her for him and somewhere along the way, she captured my heart too. I would've done it regardless of the fact that I liked Joaquin. I thought it was just me wanting him to stop frowning all the time, but it was so much more than that.

He had snatched my heart from me and then he locked it up within him, throwing away the key.

We sat there, trying to melt down those same walls of Ambrose's that Holly had, hoping that he would be relaxed around us so that when it was time, he'd adjust quickly. He was probably scared because he thought Holly left him behind, but was he in for a surprise.

Mona then walked back into the large playroom, beckoning for our attention. "Give it a few days and we'll be back to get you, okay, little man?" Joaquin grinned softly as he held out a fist for Ambrose to bump. "Yeah," He shyly replied, bringing his tiny fist up to meet Joaquin's. "I'll be waiting," He didn't look at us, but by the blush of his cheeks and the small smile on his cute face, he was happy.

It wasn't too long now.

"Joaquin," I poked the bear in his shoulder, getting a grunt in reply as he looked into my eyes. "Um, I'm sure you must get tired of wasting gas going back and forth between the restaurant, your house, here, and the shelter. It must rack up some coins," What better way to get to a cheap individual like him? 

He nodded, waiting for me to continue so he could go on with life, you know, doing the weird things that he did in his free time. "Since you already have a majority of your stuff here, and it's easier for you to spend time with Holly and now Ambrose..." I trailed off with a twiddle of my fingers as he began to smirk, knowing where this was going.

"So why don't you just move in with me?"