Page 62 of The Broposal

“Don’t put your face on me. You’ll fuck it up!”

I wheezed. “Han, I love you, but I’m sorry. It’s already so fucked up.”

Han ran a hand through his hair. “That bad?”

I laugh-sighed, then looked up at Han and cupped his face in my palms. “Seriously, thank you for this.” He had no idea how much his horrible makeup job had lifted my mood.

Han’s mouth finally twitched up into a small smile, and I had to resist the urge to kiss him right then and there. He was just so goddam cute. I cleared my throat and let go of his overly kissable face.

“All right, showtime,” I said, helping Han up from his chair as he grabbed the crutches from the door.

I waited in the hallway for him to take his seat on the couch.

Han played the music, and I came out as high energy as if I were doing this for real.

I was still figuring out the whole drag thing, but the idea of being a dancing queen was growing more and more appealing to me. Leti had taught me the basics of vogue, and I was using the hell out of them in this performance. Han sat on the couch, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and a proud smile on his face.

I was so excited to show off one particular move I’d practiced to hell and back all week. The finale. I hadn’t done Taekwondo in years, but a couple of weeks ago I started getting back into it to see if I could incorporate it into drag of all things. I guess I had never really been that into martial arts, but using it to express myself through drag? That was a whole other story. The move I’d practiced was a bolley kick into a shablam. As I spun in the air with my leg kicking high, I caught a glimpse of Han’s face.

Eyes wide, mouth open. Impressed, as he should have been.

But that wasn’t even the best part. I landed in a dip instead of standing on my kicking foot, and even though I was on the ground, I could see Han standing up on one foot, whistling and clapping loudly.

I hopped up to my feet as the music ended, rushing into a celebratory hug with Han.

“You’re amazing,” Han said as he held me tight, and it felt like such a gift. To be standing here with Han, having done my performance for his eyes only, and to get that kind of praise? From Han, of all people, without a single “bro” to cushion it? I was flying high.

I didn’t want to let him go, but I knew if I didn’t he might beonto me, so I pulled away, careful not to look up at him as I did, or I might not have been able to resist the urge to kiss him.

“So, you’re like, officially a drag queen now, huh?” Han said with a grin.

And for some reason those words brought a huge smile to my face. Hell yes, I was a drag queen. I’d only done it twice so far, but it just feltright. When I was with Jackie, I couldn’t be the least bit feminine, even though that had always been a part of me. But now, being able to do this freely? It was something I never would have even dreamed possible. And Icoulddo it, as much as I wanted to. No one would try to stop me again.

Before I realized what was happening, Han’s phone was pointed at my face.

“This one’s for the ’gram,” he said as he snapped a photo.

“You are so cringey.” I shook my head, then realized what he was saying. “Wait, you want to postthison Instagram?” I said, gesturing wildly to my eldritch horror of a face.

“Hey! It’s notthatbad.”

“Oh, it’s bad.” I laughed. “But you can post it. As long as you take proper credit for your makeup job.”

“I will!” Han said, chest puffed out in pride as he typed away on his phone. “There. They’ll be lining up at our door wanting their makeup done by the one and only Alejandro Torres.”

“Sure, they will,” I said, unable to wipe the smile from my face. I don’t think I stopped smiling since I’d finished my routine. As I turned around to go change, I caught sight of Thornelius sitting at his usual table, and I sighed. “So… what should we do about Thornelius?”

“What do you mean?” Han asked.

“Well, he’s not exactly what we expected. We can’t really take care of him like we were before, like watering him and all that.”

Han nodded and looked at Thornelius with a surprisingly soft expression. “Well, sure. He’s not what we expected, but… no kid is, right? Besides, adopting him was my brain child and your name child. Just look at that face! He’sours.”

“You’re right.” I looked Thornelius over, imagining big puppy eyes under his monocle, begging us not to abandon him for being plastic. I went over and patted him on the top hat. “Thornelius, you know it’s not important to us what you’ve got on the inside; it’s how you look on the outside that really matters.”

“Exactly.” Han laughed.

I grinned and turned back to the bathroom to change out of my short pink dress and wash my face. By the time I finished and came back out, the mood had somehow completely shifted.

---