by E M Lindsey
Sam nuzzled into Niko’s kiss with a happy sigh. “May’s a chronically early riser. Six am, no matter what day it is. I figured I’d get the jump on breakfast and let you sleep in.”
Niko kissed him one last time, then pulled away to reach for a coffee mug. “Thanks. Though you know, if you ever want a lie-in, I’d be happy to take over morning duties. You know, perks of this whole boyfriend thing.”
Sam’s cheeks flushed just a little and he shook his head as he turned back to the waffle iron, but he was grinning. “Is that so?”
“Well…that’s what I’ve heard, anyway. I’m not an expert or anything,” Niko told him with a tiny smirk, grabbing for the cream. “Where is the munchkin? I thought I heard her a minute ago.”
“She and Mrs. Cohen took Sock for his morning walkies,” Sam said. “It’s kind of their thing.”
Niko raised a brow. “Mrs. Cohen?”
Sam laughed a little as he finished the last waffle, then pushed his walker aside and reached for his chair, easing himself down in a practiced motion. “It’s kind of dumb,” he said as he adjusted his legs, “but I decided to move in here because it was a retirement community.” When Niko gave him a confused look, he chuckled. “Not because I have a thing for the elderly. All the townhouses were equipped for wheelchairs and mobility issues, because everyone here is old enough to have them. So, you know, it’s all standard. Accessible pool, accessible gym, showers, tubs, doorways. I didn’t have to upgrade a damn thing, and it was kind of a god-send since after buying this place, I was fucking broke.”
Niko grabbed the little pitcher of syrup and the container of juice, and followed Sam around the counter to the table, setting up while Sam transferred to his dining chair. “Makes sense. I didn’t really think about it, but makes you wonder why more disabled people don’t.”
“Well, it gets a little morbid,” Sam confessed, pulling two waffles onto his plate, then gesturing for Sam to help himself. “There’s an estate sale literally every week, and every person you become close to is pretty much on borrowed time. It’s like having a hundred grandparents for Maisy, but all of them are a decade away or less from dying. I love it, but it also kind of sucks.”
“Okay, yeah. I didn’t think of it like that,” Niko said, grimacing. “It’s probably good for them though, right, having you two around? Has to help with the morale.”
Sam chuckled, chewing his huge mouthful before he answered. “Yeah. We’re a bit like neighborhood rock stars. Most of these people don’t have family close by, so May became their surrogate granddaughter. It’s actually pretty nice. I always have help with her, and days like today when I want to enjoy breakfast with my new boyfriend,” he ducked his head and blushed a little, making Niko’s stomach swoop, “someone can come walk the dog and give me some time off.”
“I can certainly see the benefit,” Niko said. “And you know, morbid or not, it’s quaint. I’d be happy to park my stuff here in the future. Uh…I mean…” He flailed a little, especially when Sam’s expression turned serious. “If we ever get there. You know. If we, uh…”
“If I could,” Sam said, his voice a little growly and a lot commanding, “I’d be on my feet and kissing the shit out of you right now, so I’m gonna need you to do the work on this one.”
Niko obeyed without really thinking about it, flying up from his chair and straddling Sam in his. Sam’s hands went to Niko’s hair, holding him firm, their mouths moving in a desperate kiss.
Niko only just managed to straighten up and pull away when he heard the door open, and he was easing back down to his side of the table when a short woman with mostly grey hair walked in, holding Sock’s leash and Maisy’s hand.
“Well,” she said, giving Niko a pointed look, “I was hoping I’d get to meet the man who stole my Sammy’s heart.”
Sam shook his head, but he grinned at her and turned his cheek up so she could drop a kiss to it. “Esther, this is Niko. You’ll be seeing a lot of him.”
She hummed, but her face brightened when Maisy dropped her hand and clambered onto Niko’s lap like she belonged there. “Can I haff some?” she asked, poking at his waffle.
Niko broke her off a bit and she stuffed it into her mouth with a quick, “Fanks!” before she was off again. He looked at Sam who was trying to control his grin, then at the woman whose eyes were shining.
“Sometimes we get Sammy here to come to Shabbat dinner when he’s not working, so I expect to see you from time to time, young man,” she ordered. “No one makes better brisket than I do.”
Niko laughed. “Count me in. Any time,” he assured her.
She leaned over and gave Sam’s cheek a pat. “Well, boychik, I have to go tend to my spices, but you just call if you need me.” She gave Niko another long look, then turned on her heel and left.
The silence settled between them, then Sam let out a breath of air. “She’s kind of like a mom. Or… grandma or something. I mean,” he let out a nervous laugh, “nothing like mine. The moment my legs went non-functional, my mom basically treated me like a piece of furniture she wanted to donate to Goodwill.”
Niko frowned. “Seriously?”
“Long story,” Sam said. “Really not important. My parents are non-entities in my life, and I prefer it that way. But when I moved in here, I was kind of nervous. Disabled gay guy covered in tattoos? I knew what I looked like—what my lifestyle was like—and I was pretty sure they were going to run me out. And some of the Jesus Freaks aren’t exactly thrilled with me being here, but Esther and her husband came over and introduced themselves the first day. Brings me a brisket at least once a month and fries us up latkes and sufganiyot every Chanukah because May loves greasy shit.”
“So, what she thought of me was important,” Niko said.
Sam shrugged. “It wouldn’t have changed how I feel about you, even if she didn’t like you right away, but it just sort of confirmed what I already knew.”
Niko looked at him carefully. “What’s that?”
“That it’s right. It’s our version of perfect, and I really think this is going to work,” Sam told him plainly.
Niko knew that if physics allowed, right in that moment, he would have lifted from the ground and flown.
Chapter Twenty-Four
At the knock on the door frame, Sam looked up from the drawing table to see Sage grinning at him, which of course made him nervous since even on his good days, Sage was a little shit. “What’s up, man?”
“You got a walk in. They requested you,” Sage said.
Sam frowned. “One of my regulars?”
“Nope. Blank canvas,” Sage told him.
Sam was more confused, considering he didn’t think anyone without at least one piece from Irons and Works knew his name. He set his pencils down and pushed back from the table. “Who is it?”
Sage ignored him, which set Sam on edge even more, and he pushed his wheels a little faster as he came out to the main room. His chair had him too short to see properly over the partition, but he could just make out the edge of someone sitting on a low chair in his stall.
He felt a little apprehensive until he came to the entrance of his station and saw the grinning face of his boyfriend— which was still a thrilling and slightly terrifying word. Still, he couldn’t help his smile, even as he rolled his eyes and pushed past Niko. “You’re here for ink?”
“A consult,” Niko said with a tiny sniff. “Sage said you were taking walk-ins.”
Sam pursed his lips as he moved to the front of the chair and put both hands on the tops of Niko’s thighs. “You’re not a walk-in, babe.”
Niko’s eyes twinkled a little. “Babe?”
Sam shrugged. “Trying it out. Work in progress.”
“I like it,” Niko said as he leaned in for a kiss, making it linger, keeping it soft and chaste but leaving him wanting more. When he pulled back, he shifted to prop his leg up on the stool, and he pulled the cuff of his jeans up his calf to reveal his mottled, blown-out tattoo which didn�
��t resemble anything of any real definition.
“Sage had been working on cover-up designs, but I realized why I didn’t like anything he was coming up with,” Niko said, keeping his voice low and between them.
Sam reached for his leg, running his thumb over the faded lines. “Why’s that?”
“Because he wasn’t you,” Niko said.
Sam’s gaze shot up. “Hey, just because we’re a couple doesn’t mean I have to do your ink.”
“I know,” Niko told him. “And I think maybe someday I’d like one of Sage’s pieces because I like his style. But this,” he hesitated, touching his leg alongside Sam’s thumb, “it’s a lot of things. It’s a memory of a time when I thought I knew what the hell I was doing with my life. And I was drunk and an idiot when I let someone talk me into this, but it’s still a part of my past,” he added with a tiny smile. “I want you to give me something that represents the future. Our future, of my restaurant, of our relationship, of…everything. I don’t know. It doesn’t have to be soon. I just know that the next time a tattoo needle touches my skin, I want the machine to be in your hands.”
Sam swallowed thickly, unable to pull his hand away, letting himself feel the warmth of Niko’s skin under his palm. He felt drunk on it, stupid in love, and he never, ever wanted it to stop. “I may have some ideas,” he finally said, his voice a little faint.
Niko’s quiet laugh brought him back, as did the hand gently cupping his cheek. “I have no doubt. And I trust you.” Something in those words told Sam that Niko meant it— with every part of his being, he meant it. And that…well, that was everything.
Epilogue
Sam made sure Maisy was secure on his lap before pushing onto the pavement and following behind Derek and Basil. There was a line already at the door of Kryiake’s, but he knew there was a table waiting for them just inside. He wondered if it was serendipitous—some sort of gift from the universe that allowed the opening of Niko’s restaurant to coincide with the day Sam’s life fell into place.
Not just the fact that he was in love, and that things were working out between him and Niko, but also that it was the day he signed his name on a form declaring Maisy his daughter—and his alone. Someday, there might be an amendment to it. When he and Niko slipped rings on each other’s fingers and said vows to complete their family in a more legal way. But for now, this was good enough.
He just hoped the ring in his pocket was well timed, because he knew Niko was going to be exhausted after this night, but he didn’t think he could wait any longer. He already had a babysitter lined up—Basil and Derek were more than excited to keep the munchkin for the night, and they had plans for a brunch the next morning which he hoped to be able to make their big announcement.
As he hesitated at the door, Basil turned and gave him a concerned frown. ‘You okay?’ he signed.
Sam was getting better at understanding Derek’s fiancé. Sam was four months into ASL classes, and Derek worked with him every day on it, so he was at least able to hold a conversation with the other man. ‘Fine, just a lot of people.’
Derek caught the movement and turned to see the conversation. “We’re over here,” he said, then signed it for Basil.
Sam could see their set up—Mat was already there with Wyatt at his side. Rowan, who was leaning over talking quietly to James, looked up and grinned as they entered. Amaranth was next to Lucy near the end of the table, followed by Sage and Will. Jazz, who was in her highchair, spotted Maisy and signed, ‘Want,’ to her dad, then pointed at Sam’s girl.
“Dada, can I?” Maisy demanded.
Sam helped her slip to the ground and watched her run over. With her secured in Tony’s arms, he let himself take a moment to look around the restaurant and marveled at how it had come together. He’d been there from almost the start, alongside Niko, watched it build up from the ground and become this amazing thing.
And now, something about it open and running, serving people from the community and beyond, put it into perspective. Niko had really done this. He had followed his dream and made something of it, and Sam couldn’t have been more proud.
Just then, he saw Niko walk out from behind the bar, and he quickly wheeled over, moving through the groups of people until he was at his boyfriend’s side. It took Niko a second to see him, but he brightened immediately when he did.
“Hey, there. Come here often?” Niko asked.
Sam laughed. “Only when I can. I’m into the ambiance. And I heard the owner is smoking hot.”
“Rumors, I’m sure, though I don’t think he’d discourage clientele who look like you,” Niko retorted.
“Are you flirting with me?” Sam demanded. “I have a boyfriend, you know. Viciously jealous, mean right hook. He learned his moves in a hockey rink.”
Niko threw his head back with a laugh, then grabbed Sam by the front of his shirt and bent over to kiss him. “I won’t have time to eat with you, but Derek said he has Maisy for the night, which is perfect, because I have a surprise for you. A congratulations gift.”
Sam’s eyebrows went up. “Yeah?”
“Yes,” Niko said, and kissed him once more. “I have one for Maisy too, but it will have to wait for tomorrow. Go relax and celebrate. Have a drink—but just one. You’ll need your wits.”
Sam was more than curious, but he didn’t ask, instead turning back to the table to join his family. His heart was full, watching everyone he loved sit there to celebrate his daughter becoming legally his and his boyfriend realize one of his dreams. He couldn’t have planned it more perfectly, and if the day was anything to go by, his night would get even better.
* * *
Niko was all-but trembling as he pulled into the parking lot of the rink. He figured it was pointless to hide it from Sam now, since the sign was still glowing bright red on the side of the building. He heard Sam take in a short breath when he realized what Niko was up to, but he hadn’t said a word as Niko pulled into a parking space and switched the car off.
He was all nerves, with his hands shaking and a ring box lumped in his pocket. They’d been together such a short time, but Niko knew with all his heart, Sam was it for him. They’d already gone through the worst, and he knew the rest of their years would be the best. He was absolutely unwilling to live another night without letting Sam know exactly how serious he was about him and Maisy both.
He had another ring tucked away back home, too. A little gold band with an amethyst stone in it that one day Maisy might put on a chain when it became too small for her. But he needed her to know he was in this as much for her as he was for Sam, because they were his family.
“So, you want to go skating at midnight?” Sam finally asked, his voice soft.
Niko shrugged, turning to look at him instead of reaching for the door. “Is that ridiculous? It’s just…you finished my tattoo yesterday, Maisy was adopted today, and my restaurant opened, and I love you. Everything feels like it’s coming full circle, and I wanted to end this by stepping on the ice for the first time again… with you by my side.”
Sam’s expression was hard to read, especially in the dim light of the car, but he didn’t look upset, just thoughtful. “It’s perfect,” he finally said. “There’s something I wanted to talk to you about, and I think this place is perfect for it.”
“You’re not dumping me, are you?” Niko asked, mostly joking, but he couldn’t erase that hint of insecurity in his tone.
Sam reached for him, pulling him close and cupping Niko’s face between both hands. “Never.” He leaned in then, to press their mouths together in a soft kiss.
Niko knew there was no such thing as never in any situation, but with Sam, he knew it was the closest he’d get to having that promise kept. He grinned into the kiss, then pulled away so he could get their bags out of the back as Sam transferred to his chair. Inside, he knew he’d find a sledge waiting for Sam, and a couple of sticks for him to propel with. In his bag he had the old skates he’d never been able to part with, though he h
adn’t put them on since the day he was officially retired.
His knee twinged a little as he walked across the pavement, but he knew it was nothing more than a phantom reminder of what he’d lost, and subsequently, what he’d gained. He had to stop to look at Sam another moment, to bask in it before he turned and unlocked the door.
“I now owe a friend a huge favor. Like free dinners for a year kind of favor,” Niko told him as he reached for the main lights and flicked them on. Three switches later and the corridor, the main lobby, and the rink were lit up. His breath caught in his throat at the aching familiarity of the sight in front of him, and he closed his eyes against it, just for a moment.
The ice had been freshly Zambonied, and it was slick and gorgeous. He knew he was going to make more work for his buddy, but he’d gladly give out a lifetime of free meals if it meant he could walk out of here with a gold ring around Sam’s finger.
Eyeing the entrance to the rink, he spotted the sledge and led Sam over, hauling it up into his arms. “Okay, so, this is probably going to be a pain in the ass, but I think between the two of us, we can get the hang of it by the time we leave. It’s been a while since I’ve done this, but I think I remember how it goes.”
Sam chuckled and shook his head as he followed Niko over to the benches where they could set up. The sledge teams had their own entrance, ice level with a bench along the side to make the transition easier. He gave Sam the rundown of how to get in and out, and luckily the basics of it were simple enough to remember.
“Why don’t you lace up and do a few laps while I figure this out,” Sam told him. “I feel like this might take me a while, and that way you can get your bearings.” He gave Niko a significant look. “I know how long it’s been for you, so there’s no rush.”
Niko realized exactly what Sam was offering, and he swallowed thickly as he pulled his skates out of the bag. They were still sharp—he never neglected them—but they bore all the same nicks and grooves he’d earned from his time on the farm team, and those minutes in his only NHL game. He ran his thumb over a particularly deep gash and remembered the big Russian dude who’d checked him hard and nicked his skate on his way down.
