“A bouquet of roses? Are you serious, Pete?” Dean looked at his best friend with wide eyes.
Peter frowned, annoyed that Dean didn’t seem to believe him. “Yes, a beautiful bouquet of roses. Red and rosy, beautiful and luxurious.”
“Or how about a box of heart-shaped chocolates?” Kay suggested after much thought. “Mike loves chocolate and he will cry like a child if I give him a delicious heart-shaped chocolate.”
Dean took a deep breath, tired of the conversation that had just begun but already draining his energy. “Guys, Flynt is a big, muscular masculine guy. He’s also an alpha, the leader of a pack of brutal engineering wolves. Can you imagine him in that appearance holding a bouquet of red roses and a box of heart-shaped chocolates?”
Peter and Kay looked at each other, then burst out laughing. They finally admitted that the picture would seem pretty ridiculous.
Dean rested his forehead on the table after sighing again. He’s never dated anyone, because he’s never been sure that love really exists and he’s never met someone who could actually make him think about the little things about that person, when he had a lot of big things to think about.
Flynt turned his reality upside down and now he was confused as to what gift he should give Flynt, his boyfriend, a cold and slightly stiff masculine man.
“Oh, this whole date thing is going to drive me crazy,” Dean moaned in a growling voice. “I’m going out with a big guy and it shouldn’t be this much trouble. It’s hard to imagine what it would be like to date a girl.”
Peter was stunned by Dean’s words. He gently touched Dean’s shoulder. “Hey, Dean, about you and Flynt, have you really thought things through? I mean, with everything you’ve been through, with all the girls adoring you and all those one night stands, now you’re with Flynt. A man. A big man!”
Dean lifted his head and looked at Peter. His face looked sluggish, but his eyes radiated determination and conviction. Dean nodded firmly.
“Yeah. The thing about Flynt and how I feel about him, it’s real and I believe. I don’t know how this all worked out, but what I have with him is real. I’ve never been so desperate to see someone’s face before bed, to hear his voice when I’m alone in the car, or want to kiss his lips when there’s the smell of cinnamon and hot chocolate from the drink someone else ordered. Its feel so … amazing.”
Peter nodded his head understandingly. What Dean felt was something very intense and he felt the same way when he was with Wyland, his own lover.
Kay looked at Dean with teary eyes. “That’s… a little weird, you and Flynt are in love. You guys are two great people standing in each other’s places. You with your casanova charm, where girls are willing to wait just to get the chance to sleep one night with you and shamelessly they threw themselves at you. Flynt with his powerful aura that made him recognized as the leader of the engineering kids even when he was a freshman transferring in his second semester, a cold, tough, and strong guy. You guys are together and I see the strength of the bond between you two, it’s… wonderful, Dean.”
“Yeah, you two are wild and independent individuals. It’s great when you guys finally meet and bond,” added Peter in a choked voice. “Beast have to be fought by other beasts, right?”
Dean laughed at the serious faces in front of him. “Hey, why do I feel like I’m facing my parents for their blessing now?”
Peter laughed and smacked Dean’s head in exasperation. “So what? What are you going to give Flynt?”
“Aaah…” Dean let out a long sigh and put his forehead back on the table. “I’ll think about it later. Now let me sleep for a bit. My head hurts and I haven’t seen Flynt in two days, which makes me even more frustrated.”
Peter and Kay said nothing and let Dean sleep. They knew that Dean was serious about how he felt about Flynt and although it was a little unsettling because they knew who and how Dean really was, they hoped that this time Dean really had the best of his life.
Kay nudged Peter’s arm pointed forward with his chin. Flynt walked into the cafeteria. Many eyes turned to him, mostly with longing and fascinated gazes, as the alpha walked straight without turning to look at anyone who called him in awe or just fixed their eyes on him.
Peter put his index finger to signal Flynt not to make a sound. He pointed at Dean and led Flynt away from the table. Kay followed Peter’s movements with her eyes and nodded in satisfaction. Peter is “the father” when it comes to Dean, so he can be relied on for sure.
Peter took Flynt to the side of the cafeteria. “Hey, Flynt, can we talk for a minute about Dean?” asked Peter firmly.
“Of course,” Flynt replied. “What do you want to say? Is he all right?”
“He’s fine, his body at least, but his heart, that’s another matter.”
“Huh? You mean….”
“Yeah, that’s right. His heart is fragile, unlike his outward appearance which is always shining, cheerful, and charming, Dean has a heart like broken glass. Kay and I have tried to glue his broken heart back together, but it never really came back. Intact, there are always deep scratches that leave them vulnerable.”
“I know, Pete. It’s about his parents, right?”
Peter nodded. “Dean doesn’t believe in love and was never in love, until then you came and made him forget all rationality and principles about the life he wanted to live. I hope he will be okay with you, because you will take good care of and protect his heart. Kay and I wouldn’t stand still if we saw that the slightest bit of your attitude made him feel sick or sad. We’d go after you and beat you up ourselves, even though we might as well die for that ourselves.”
Flynt smiled. “I’m a man who stands by my word. You don’t have to worry. When it’s your turn to beat me up when I hurt Dean, you’ll probably only get dust because I’m sure a lot of people will beat me up first before you do. And , I guess that goes for Dean too, though I don’t want to be. I have my people to protect my fragile heart, too, you know.”
Peter was silent for a moment, then smile and nodded. “I think you have a point.”
Peter held out his hand and Flynt shook it tightly. A treaty between men was created at that time.
Peter led Kay to the library after he and Flynt returned to the table, leaving Flynt to sit quietly beside Dean. All classes were over for the day and they just needed to find some materials for an assignment in the library, so Peter decided not to bother Dean.
Flynt took his phone out of his jacket pocket and played the game silently. Thirty minutes had passed when Dean made his move. He stretched his back straight with his eyes still closed.
“Aaah … my body aches all over. I’m hungry, Kay ….”
“Pizza or pasta?” asked Flynt softly.
Dean glanced quickly beside him, fully awake. He looked at Flynt with wide eyes. “Flynt? How long have you been there?”
Flynt smiled and grabbed Dean’s head, smoothing his hair that was sticking out. “Long enough. I won three rounds in this game,” Flynt pointed out his phone.
Dean laughed shyly. “Sorry, I don’t know. Where are Peter and Kay?” Dean looked here and there.
“They’ll go to the library and go straight home after that. They’ll message you how many pages you should summarize from the book they’re going to take as assignment references.”
Dean nodded and looked at Flynt with an unreadable look in his eyes. “I miss you.”
Flynt smiled. He raised his hand and stroked Dean’s soft cheek. “I know and so am I. My lab work is very time-consuming and I keep making mistakes because I can’t focus. I just think about you all the time.”
Dean leaned over to Flynt and kissed the tip of his nose. “But now I’m hungry.”
“It’s still a bit early for dinner. Let’s just get some snacks. Pizza or pasta?”
Dean kissed the tip of Flynt’s nose again and whispered. “You!”
*****