Page 25 of You're Ours

Jackson snorted, but Sky was too focused on anxiously knocking on the door. Tyler pulled the door open less than a second later, and Sky threw himself into his arms. They barely managed to get inside before Tyler burst into tears.

Jackson placed a steady hand on both of them and led them over to a navy blue couch, draped with a fluffy looking blanket and topped off with two mismatched throw pillows. Sky immediately perched in Tyler’s lap as he leaned into Jackson’s side.

They started slowly, Tyler sharing all the things he’d researched, discussed, and learned about himself that week. Sky interjected with a few details from Samson, as well as some of the more easy to explain anecdotes from his parents. It turned out they’d read a few of the same blogs and even followed the same influencer who was demiromantic and had a grayromantic partner.

“At the end of the day,” Tyler said, “no matter which identity resonates with me, I think the bottom line is, I don’t understand the difference between loving someone versus being in love with them. Like…I’m now completely certain that I love you both.”

His eyes darted between Sky and Jackson, as if he might somehow be in trouble.

Sky tightened his grip on Tyler’s hand, and Jackson bit his lip as color flooded his cheeks. They both held their silence as Tyler rolled out his tense shoulders.

“But…I love Bobby,” Tyler continued. “And I love my sister and her wife, and I love my other best friends, too. To me that feels like enough–like more than enough–but it always seems like people want more from me.”

Tyler sighed, and Sky’s heart broke for this amazing man he hoped he’d have the privilege to continue calling his own.

“It’s always felt so confusing,” Tyler said, running a hand back through his hair. “And even worse, it’s always felt like I’ve been doing something wrong. Like…I’mwrong.”

Sky gently stroked his fingers over Tyler’s arms, tracing a familiar vein from the curve of his bicep down to the inside of his wrist. “Well, first, thank you for sharing all that with us, baby.”

Jackson placed his hand over top of Sky’s, on top of Tyler’s, and Sky had to take a second to catch his breath. They’d come so far since that first night in their kitchen, and if they could get this conversation right, hopefully they’d be able to continue carving their path together.

“I really, deeply care about you as well,” Sky said, bringing his other hand up to rub at his throat. That choked feeling was starting, and he wanted to get this out before any more surprise tears made an appearance. “I think I’m falling…or, to be honest, I think Ihavefallen in love with you. For me, that means I love spending time with you, texting with you, and having sex with you. It also means the way I feel for you is much more intense, and much more romantic, than how I feel for anyone else, except Jackson.”

Tyler nodded slowly, his fingers twitching under Sky’s hand. Sky shifted their hands so they could entwine fingers, Jackson’s hand a comforting weight on top of them.

“I also love having sex with you,” Tyler said. “It’s truly some of the best sex I’ve ever had. And I want to keep doing that for a really long time–like, possibly forever, if you’ll let me.”

Sky laughed, but Jackson was still looking uncertain, the furrow between his brows carving a deep line in his forehead. “I appreciate you saying it's the best sex you’ve had. It’s the best sex I’ve ever had, too. But that’s because I’m in love with Sky and in love with you. That’s what makes sex, hanging out on the weekends, going for coffee at work, or getting dinner afterwards feel so good with both of you. I’m in love with you, and I want to be with you, forever.”

“I think that’s the same for me, though!” Tyler said, his signature smile breaking across his face. “Most sex feels good, but for me, sex only becomes amazing when I really respect, care for, and enjoy being with the person–or people–I’m fucking. Otherwise, it’s just a fun way to pass the time or get my rocks off. Really good, intimate sex only happens when I…I guess, my version of love someone.”

“And your version of love is…” Jackson trailed off, raw, naked hope stealing across his face.

Tyler squinted his eyes, his lips pursing in adorable concentration. “Well, to start, I know that I enjoy every second I’m with you. I’ve never had a boring moment with you, even if we’re loading the dishwasher or wiping down the counters. I don’t ever want to leave your apartment. I did a crappy job of saying it before, but I would love to move in with you both and share your bed every single night. I love you both, and I don’t see that ever changing. But…I guess that’s the thing, right? I can’t really see that ever changing, for the bad…but also for the ‘good’ or ‘more,’ if that makes sense.”

Sky’s fingers reached out of their own accord, caressing the side of Tyler’s face until he turned to look at him. “You don’t picture yourself falling in love is what you’re saying? You don’t think your love will morph or change into something romantic.”

Tyler nodded aggressively.

“And your love for us is enough to make you want to be with us, possibly forever, in the utmost capacity you can?” Sky pressed.

A slow smile spread across Tyler’s face. “Well…yeah. I don’t think I could have put it like that, but yes. That’s exactly how I feel. I want to go out and do fun things, hold hands as we walk down the street, spend time with our families and friends, and know that at the end of every day we get to go home together. I want to be with you guys, just like we are now—or…I guess a few days ago before I cocked it all up.”

He grimaced, and Jackson, whose brow had finally smoothed out, pulled him into his arms. Sky came with him, slouching sideways until they were curled up in a messy heap on Tyler’s slightly too small couch.

“You didn’t mess anything up,” Jackson said, placing a soft kiss on Tyler’s forehead. “If anything, I think you gave us the final push we needed to say what we want out of this and how we really feel.”

“I want to be with you both. Forever. If you’ll have me,” Tyler whispered.

“You’re already ours,” Sky said.

Tyler looked between the two of them as fresh tears filled his eyes. “And…you’re mine.”

Epilogue

TYLER

2 years later

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