that this was all thanks to you. And I mean it.”
“I know—”
“But there’s more,” Lance hurried. “Even without the help you gave me... since I met you – since we first met, my life has changed a lot. I used to think that sleeping with as many men as possible would make me happy. And it did... but that wasn’t real happiness. Real happiness is... I love staying in and watching TV with you. I love how dedicated you are to the gym. I love the way you keep me accountable for everything... the way you make me believe in myself like no one ever has. I love... I love...” Lance was struggling. God, how he was struggling.
Kirk must have seen where this was going. He quickly put the drink down and took Lance’s other hand. “Lance—”
“No!” Lance shouted, before biting his tongue. “Sorry, but I need to say this.” A deep breath. A moment to collect his thoughts. And then, “Kirk Little. I love you.”
In truth, Kirk was probably only silent for about half a second. If that. But to Lance, it felt like an age. He’d never told someone he loved them before. That moment after saying the words, was like being suspended in mid-air off a cliff, not knowing if you would plummet to your death or start to fly. It was the longest half second of Lance’s life.
“Lance.” Kirk was smiling now, probably the first real smile he’d worn in weeks. His eyes sparkled and his hands were clammy. “I want to say sorry.”
“What for—”
“For the past three weeks. My mood has been... it’s been less than good.”
“What? No, Jesus, Kirk that’s—”
“Seriously,” Kirk spoke over Lance. “I just realized something. It would have been worse if it weren’t for you. You’ve...” Kirk’s chin began to wobble. “You say that I’ve changed your life since we met. No. It’s the other way around. I’m a different person to who I was when I met you. I’m a better person, and it’s because of you.”
“Please, it’s all you—”
“Stop,” Kirk commanded. He then laughed, “You see, even that I wouldn’t have been able to say before meeting you. Lance...” A deep breath. A slight pause... “I love you too.” Kirk leaned in and kissed Lance full on the lips. And Lance kissed him back.
Nothing else was said after that. Nothing else had to be said. The two men stood in that little changing room, holding hands, and kissing passionately for some time. Minutes? Hours? Days? Lance had not a clue. And he didn’t give a fuck.
It had been a good three weeks. Heck, he’d had a good few months. But none of it compared. Those few moments of simply kissing, right after they’d confessed their love for one another... they were without a doubt the pinnacle of it all. For those few moment, life really was perfect.
Chapter Twenty-One
Kirk was walking on air. It was an expression he had always thought kind of silly, as he never really understood what it meant. How does one walk on air exactly? And even if one were to do so, how did that somehow signify happiness? It was just plain silly, is what it was... that is, until it wasn’t.
Kirk practically floated from out of Hercules Gym; like he was on some sort of zephyr cloud that was powered through pure joy and unbridled happiness. Walking on air was no longer a silly expression that made little to no sense. Now it was a reality, one that perfectly encapsulated Kirk’s mood.
He loved Lance. He loved him. And even better, Lance loved him back. It was a confession that had caught Kirk totally by surprise. He knew that Lance had feelings for him, clearly. And he knew that the two had never been stronger. But love? Kirk would never have guessed.
Really, he’d been too in his own head over the past few weeks to have even had a chance at guessing what Lance was going to say. This whole thing with the lost vase and his possibly his job was all he’d been able to think about.
Honestly, he wouldn’t have been surprised if Lance had dumped him. Kirk had done his best to remain positive since the vase went missing, he truly had. But in the three weeks since, there had been no indication as to where the vase was, or if it was coming back. As a result, Kirk's mood plummeted.
And sure, he’d tried to remain distracted by helping Lance with his new