You have the key to my heart

Nate

I am not a romantic guy. At least I didn't used to be, until I met Will. This boy has managed to awaken feelings that I have never felt for anyone else. I want to hear his voice, his stories, his laments, take care of him, be with him. To feel his smell, his mouth on mine, his caresses, his body... Ah, I am so in love!

We are six months into our relationship, I have just moved into my apartment, and I thought the time was right for a surprise. When the doorbell rings, my heart races.

Stay calm, Nate!

Before I open the door, an involuntary smile forms on my lips. I open the door and find him, accompanied by his sisters. I notice his gaze sweeping over my body, which pleases me, and we remain like this for a few seconds until we are snapped out of our momentary trance by my sister-in-law.

After the fond moment at my door, and all the pleasant conversations between our families before and during dinner, my mind can only think of how to speak what I have in mind. I remember the champagne, quickly go to the kitchen, take it from the fridge and bring it to the dining room. I open it and pour it to everyone, lastly I leave my glass and his. He asks me what we are celebrating, and this makes me more nervous, and I start to talk.

— So I think it is a very appropriate time to celebrate, since part of our families are here. You know, if someone had told me a year and a half ago that my life would change so much after meeting you, I would have said it was a lie. — I stop for a moment and then take the velvet box from my pocket.

Will looks at me startled, and before I can continue, Lyn asks.

— What? Is my brother going to be proposed to? I stare at her quickly, and smile.

— No, I'm not going to ask your brother to marry me... I mean, not

now!

— Not today? So you mean you intend to ask one day? — she keeps

asking.

— Lyn, stop it! — Will complains.

— Not at all! Sunee and I need to know what the indie boy's intentions are with you, don't we, Sunee?

— Of course, after all, Will is our only brother! So Nate, what are your intentions with our brother? — Sunee asks, and wears a sinister smile.

— My intentions with your brother are the best possible! And the purpose of this dinner is to celebrate my change, the good things that happened to me this year, and especially our six months of dating...

— Six months of dating? Has it been that long already? — he asks me incredulously.

— It has been... It was on your birthday that I asked you to go steady! Have you forgotten?

— No. I remember it very well, I even have the video stored to this day. — he says and a beautiful smile forms on his lips. I open the velvet box and take out a pair of different engagement rings.

— These are our engagement rings to celebrate our six months of dating. They are different, they have different details so that no one will suspect... At least for now, until we have the opportunity to expose that the romance of our characters has overcome the barriers of fiction, and that Nate and Will are a couple!

Will looks at me with his mouth open, half astonished, while my sisters-in-law, my mother, and my uncle shout in celebration.

— Nate in heaven! What was this statement? I'm almost crying here, next time tell me to get ready, won't you people? — Everyone laughs at Lyn's words.

I place mine on the index finger of his right hand, and then he extends his hand, and I place it on his ring finger. He looks at the ring and smiles, gets up, wraps his arms around my back, hugs me tightly, I do the same, and we stay like this for a few seconds.

[...]

I say goodbye to my mother, my uncle, and my sisters-in-law in the hallway, and when the elevator reaches my floor, I see Will who was standing next to me, wave to me and follow everyone inside the elevator. Everything happens quickly, and I don't understand anything. When I open my mouth to say something, the elevator is already closing its doors, and I follow alone into the apartment.

I don't understand anything, I thought he would sleep here with me, and Will goes away with his sisters? I pick up the phone with the intention of calling him, but his phone is turned off. You know what, you better let it go, I'll call him later, now I have a kitchen to clean!

I carry some glasses that are lying around the living room to the kitchen, the sink is full of dishes and cutlery to wash, and I cannot wait for someone from the cleaning agency to come tomorrow to clean, I need to do it now. As I begin my cleaning journey, the doorbell rings, probably someone has forgotten something. The person is insistent.

— Wow, how desperate! — I say as I touch the doorknob, and turn the key to open the door. To my surprise, my boyfriend is standing in front of me, flashing a contagious smile.

— You were leaving with your sisters, why did you come back?

— I forgot something.

— What? - I say and he walks over to me, closes the door behind him and takes my mouth in a desperate kiss, his arms wrap around my neck, I grab him by the waist and detach my mouth from his, and place it on his chin, leaving light kisses there, down to his neck and making my way to his ear. — Is this what you forgot here?

— I think it was...

— I thought you had left with your sisters!

— Go away with my sisters, and leave my Kitty alone? — he speaks and kisses my mouth lightly. — No way!

— So you can start helping me here, there's a lot of cleaning up to do! — I exclaim and point in the direction of the kitchen.

[...]

— You know, I am a lucky guy, I have a beautiful, smart, nice and very supportive boyfriend! — I say, as I finish cleaning the countertop. Will stops washing the dishes, looks at me and smiles.

— Do you know that I have a boyfriend who loves to spoil me all the time, and I'm starting to get sick of it?

— It is because your boyfriend loves you very much!

— I know, I love him very much too! But there is one thing that worries me about him, or rather, about you!

— What is it?

— You still care too much about what you see on the Internet, about what mean people say about us, and especially after all that nonsense my mother told you! — he says and approaches me.

— I know it sounds silly, but I'm insecure, and I think you've already noticed that, and what your mother said didn't affect me, but we don't know what she might be up to when she finds out that your grandfather wants Sunee to be CEO of the companies. As for the internet court, every day there is someone bad-mouthing me, or saying that we don't match, and that you are a match for someone else, who they consider better than me, and this is very annoying, and makes me sad!

— But you have to stop caring about this, about these people, about my mother, about everything... And only care about the two of us! — he says and puts both hands around my face.

— After that damned hashtag, a lot of false news has appeared about me, people have judged me without giving me the right to defend myself. They speak with propriety, as if they know me, it is as if I am a bad character, and you next to me can be corrupted, and this hurts me!

He hugs me, then gives me a kiss, and speaks.

— Don't be like that, I know you, and I know that you are an amazing person, a good son, a good nephew, and a great boyfriend to me. - he gives me another kiss. — Now, let's finish up here, because I need a shower, and a lot of affection from my boyfriend, who loves to spoil me!

[...]

— Do you know that this tub reminds me of our days at the resort? — he says as he rubs my back.

— Those days were wonderful! We could go back there, or travel somewhere, don't you think?

— That would be a great idea, but I don't think it will happen anytime soon! — he says, and I turn to look at him.

— Why?

— Don't you know?

— What? — I ask curiously and sit down next to him.

— My staff said that the production company is thinking of recording special episodes...

— Special episodes? And how will it be?

— I think they must be based on the most recent novel that shows the development of Thirasak and Wanchai's relationship after two years together. I think that must be it!

— Have you read it? Do they get married in this book?

— I haven't read it yet, but I know they don't get married as they are still in college, I believe they do in the third book!

— But the author hasn't released the third one, or has she?

— Not yet, but I know you are writing!

— I like the idea of reviving my character, Thirasak is very special to me!

— I know well, Wanchai is also special to me. But changing the subject, I thought you were going to ask me to marry you right then and there!

— If I asked, would you have accepted? — I ask with a little apprehension.

— I don't know, it depends on what advantages I would have in becoming your husband, and who would get the dowry, since there is no wife in the relationship? — he asks and I smile.

— I don't know how the dowry would look like, but I know that you would have many advantages in being my husband, besides having to put up with my bad mood every day. — I stretch my arm on your shoulder, answer, and lightly kiss your mouth.

— I know I would have many, and I would definitely take it, even though I think we are still too young for that!

— I don't think we are that young to get married, my mother when she was my age was already married, and two years later, I was born!

— Nate, I am only 21, and you are 22. Our parents' times were different, I want to, but not now! There is another point, this involves so many things within the culture of our country, the ceremony, the blessings of the monks, and the civil marriage.... I don't think we could get married in our country... — he says, and I see sadness on his face. I caress his face.

— I know that, but if one day we get married, we can go to Taiwan, they do civil weddings there. As for the other traditions, we can find a solution!

— Would you be willing to face any obstacle, Kitten?

— I would be willing to do anything for you! — I say and take his mouth eagerly, but he pushes me away slightly.

— Take it easy, we're just taking a shower!

— Really? At that moment when you were moaning, was it also bathing? — I ask with a cynical smile on my face.

— Why are you so fired up lately?

— Maybe it's because I date a really hot guy, who knows how to satisfy me in many ways, and who has made me learn a very different perspective on sex than I knew... Maybe that's it! Ah... I just remembered something!

— What? — he asks, and I get up and get out of the tub. — Where are you going like that?

— Here we can walk around without clothes, Bunny!

— I'm not talking about walking around naked, I really like what I see! — he affirms and bites his lower lip. — I'm talking about wetting the floor!

I grab a towel and dry myself quickly. I go to the bedroom, open the closet, and from one of the drawers I get a black, velvety box. I go back to the bathroom and he has his eyes closed. I get into the bathtub and he opens his eyes, and as soon as he sees the box he asks.

— What is it?

I sit down next to him again, and hand him the box.

— Open up!

He opens the box, and makes an expression of astonishment when he sees a key inside.

— What does it mean?

— Ideally we should live together, but... Anyway, you gave me the key to your apartment, it's only fair that you have the key to my apartment, since you have the other one!

— Another one? What other?

— The other key, Will!

— The key to my heart! — he looks at me and smiles. — Okay, I know this sounds really corny, but what can I do if I've become the most passionate and corny guy in the world?