Page 29 of Chance's Choice
London blinks at me for a moment, then seems to be overcome with relief that I’ve diverted the attention to my stuff instead. His eyebrows raise when he sees the paws and ears and tails.
“I have so many questions,” he chuckles, looking back up to meet my gaze. “Are you trying something new? Like,” he waves his hand over the stuff in my arms, “you’re a pup now?”
There’s zero judgment in his tone, just curiosity. I shake my head. “Nah,” I answer honestly. “I’ve, um, met someone. And we’re…he’s…I mean,this,” I give my soon-to-be purchases a little shake, “is new for us both. But…why not give it a go?”
Ever since my chat with Katie the other day, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. She was absolutely right: there’s not a huge difference in the role play. I can still buy Kade toys. I can still sit on the living room floor and play with him. I can still bathe him and cuddle him and call him a ‘Good boy’. It’s just the costume that’s different. And, yeah, he probably won’t use words as a pup, but I’ve been with boys who were into full on infantilism, so I’ve done the non-verbal cues before.
London’s lips pull into a big, genuine smile. “Is this the same guy you’ve been ditching the group chat for? The one you fled the auction with the other week?”
“I didn’tflee,” I correct him. “I wasbought, remember?”
“Yeah, and Charlie and Ted said-”
“Oh, God, I don’t need to know what they said.” They caught me and Kade in such an emotionally charged position, and I should probably take the time to explain it to them. Hanging my head I huff, “Kade and I have a history. I was surprised to see him, and it was…an intense moment. But, yeah, we’ve reconnected and…” I shrug, knowing that I’m smiling goofily. “Things look like they’re gonna go well.”
The amusement on London’s face morphs into something softer. “I’m glad to hear that,” he tells me. “With everyone else paired up…” he trails off and shakes his head. “Not that I think everyone should be in a relationship just for the sake of it, but…well, we just want to see our friends happy.”
“Ash has been conspiring again, huh?” I can’t help but laugh.
“Dude, you havenoidea. Just be thankful that Matt’s a stabilizing influence on him and Zephyr.”
I think of my Little friends and snicker. “And here I was thinking Josh was the one whose behavior I needed to watch out for.”
As if by unspoken agreement, London and I fall into step beside each other and continue our way towards the registers at the front end of the store – where we were both originally headed before we bumped into each other.
“Josh might like to play the brat, but he hasnothingon Ash and Zeph together,” London assures me. “Without Matt and now Tony, they’d be getting themselves into a world of trouble.”
Hearing Tony’s name reminds me that I’ve been neglecting my friendship with Spencer lately, too. I feel a bit guilty that, instead of turning to him for advice, I asked Katie, but I know Spence will understand. He’s super chill and not the kind of guy to get upset over a couple of weeks of radio silence. Besides, when he and Tony first got together, he fell off the grid with the group as well.
When I don’t reply to London, he bumps my shoulder with his. “So, when are we gonna get to meet this mystery boy of yours, then?”
“Things are still new and tentative,” I explain, “so…give me a couple more weeks, okay?”
“Hey, no pressure. Just…maybe don’t be a stranger in the chat? Matt and I can only hold the more enthusiastic guys off for so long before they wind up on your doorstep.”
Considering that very situation actually happened for Matt and London, I don’t doubt him at all. Nodding, I reply, “Got it. I’ll reassure everyone that I’m still alive as soon as I get home.”
And that’s what I do. With my promise to London in mind, I decide to bite the bullet and finally check in to the group chat. Unsurprisingly, I’ve been tagged about a billion times, and I can’t help smirking at some of the taunts and teasing that accompanies them.
Josh has added a bunch of gifs in increasing ridiculousness, while Charlie and Ted have sent me private messages asking if everything is okay.
I respond to Charlie and Ted privately, assuring them that I’m fine and so is Kade. I thank them again for giving us privacy and space during our reunion, and give them a quick run down of what they witnessed. Then I open up the group chat itself and brace myself as I type:
Chance: I’m alive. Call off the search party.
As expected, a flurry of replies come in at once.
Ash: Yay! We’ve missed you!
Matt: I’m more interested in *where* you’ve been.He adds a winking emoji.
Cherie: I’m with @Matt on this one.At least she refrains from mentioning the fact that the last time she saw me was when I first laid eyes on Kade.
Josh, on the other hand, has no such restraint.
Josh: @Ted said you left the auction with a Little, then you ghosted us for ages. When @Spence vanished, he found himself a Forever boy. And when @Matt did it, he’d found himself a Forever Daddy. So…
A string of emojis follows, including a pair of ghosts and some LOL emojis, then a gif of two arguably handsome men kissing in bed. Then another gif of those same men in a much pornier situation. I snort, then snort again when Charlie takes the bait.
