"That went well," he observes, his chin resting on my shoulder.
"She's amazing," I agree, leaning back into him. "I was worried she might be...I don't know. Confused? Concerned? But she seems genuinely happy."
"Told you." Nick's lips brush my temple. "She's always loved you. Probably saw this coming before either of us did."
"Apparently everyone did," I say with a rueful laugh. "Except us."
"Better late than never." His hand drifts to my stomach, warm and protective. "Ready to tackle more unpacking?"
I groan dramatically. "Do we have to? I've hit my box-opening quota for the day."
"Nope. We can leave the rest for tomorrow." He guides me to the couch, pulling me down beside him. "Jason texted. He and Ryan are bringing dinner around six. That gives us a solid two hours to do absolutely nothing productive."
"I like the way you think, Keller." I settle against him, my head finding that perfect spot on his shoulder that seems made for me. Our bond pulses contentedly, a constant low hum of connection.
For a moment, I let myself believe that this is real, that this happiness isn't temporary. The small, doubting voice in the back of my mind has grown quieter since our talk with Amara, since Nick showed me his unconscious nesting. But old habits die hard, and nine years of loving someone who doesn't see you that way leaves marks that aren't easily healed.
"What are you thinking about?" Nick asks, his fingers absently stroking my arm.
"You," I answer honestly. "Us. How different everything is now."
"Good different or scary different?"
"Both?" I lift my head to look at him. "It's everything I wanted for so long, but now that I have it, part of me keeps waiting for the other shoe to drop."
Nick's expression grows serious. "What would it take for you to believe this is permanent? That I'm not going anywhere?"
The question catches me off guard with its directness. "I don't know," I admit. "Time, maybe? Proof that you won't wake up one day and realize what you've given up?"
"I haven't given up anything, Micah." His voice is gentle but firm. "I've gained everything. You, the baby, a future I didn't even know I wanted until I had it." He cups my face in his palm. "I can't convince you with words. I know that. But I can show you, every day, that I choose this. Choose us."
The steady certainty in his voice, echoed through our bond, makes my chest tight with emotion I can't quite name. "Okay," I whisper.
"Okay?"
"I'll try to believe it. That this is real. That you want this as much as I do."
"I want it more," Nick says, leaning down to kiss me softly. "Because you've been wanting us for nine years. I'm just catching up."
***
"So you're really doing this," Ryan says, gesturing vaguely around Nick's—our—apartment with a slice of pizza. "The wholedomestic thing. Moving in together, having a baby, playing house."
I exchange a glance with Nick, who just shrugs. Ryan's been like this all evening—not hostile, exactly, but clearly struggling to process the rapid changes in his friend's life.
"We're not playing anything," Nick says mildly. "We're building a life together."
"Right, but..." Ryan takes a swig of beer, gathering his thoughts. "A month ago you were straight, dude. Now you're bonded to your male best friend and having a baby. That's a lot to adjust to."
"He's got a point," Jason chimes in from his spot on the floor, where he's been assembling Nick's new coffee table with suspicious enthusiasm. "Though I'd phrase it more like 'a month ago you thought you were straight.' There's a difference."
Nick's hand finds mine automatically, his thumb tracing familiar circles on my palm. "I know it seems sudden from the outside. But it doesn't feel sudden to us. It feels like...like finally admitting what was already there."
Ryan studies our joined hands with an expression I can't quite read. "And you're okay with this?" he asks me directly. "Being someone's gay awakening experiment?"
Irritation flares through me, sharp and protective. "He's not an experiment," I say, probably more sharply than necessary. "And he's not gay. He's just...mine."
"Exactly," Nick agrees, squeezing my hand. "I'm not attracted to men generally, Ryan. I'm attracted to Micah specifically. I love him specifically. The fact that he's a man is just one part of who he is."