Page 59 of Sunrises & Salvation

“The stairs look slick; we’d both end up with broken legs because I would drag you down with me.” A laugh bursts out of me, and Hunter joins in, the bright sound echoing in our space.

“I won’t let you fall, and I won’t fall either. I promise.” I offer him my hand, and he wipes the corner of his eye with his hand. He closes his eyes, and I slowly guide him up the stairs, holding on to the rail for extra support.

When we get to the landing, I double-check that his eyes are still closed as I lead him into the first door on the right. I push open the door, stepping across the threshold and onto the luxury carpeted floor, the soft threads cushioning my sock-covered feet.

The dark, intricately carved wooden shelves reflect the overhead light across the floor.

I keep my grip on Hunter until we’re in the center of the room.

His computer station is against the far wall, the expensive desktop computer equipped with a newly installed design program that Tyler told me Hunter prefers to use.

His computer background is a photo that I took of the pond behind his parents’ house, the same one he took me to all those years ago.

A corkboard is to the left of the monitor, waiting to be filled with whatever Hunter decides to put there.

Whatever dreams he comes up with, I’ll make sure to provide access to them.

Lining the wall catty-corner to it is every accomplishment Hunter has ever made.

Newspaper articles, magazine articles, online articles.

All of them detailing how much he’s accomplished in his short life.

His bright face is featured in the articles, holding awards or being photographed at events for his old job.

Smack dab in the center of the wall is a picture of him in front of his bookstore, his white teeth shining brightly in the sun and his brown eyes partially shut due to the sunlight shining directly on him, bathing him in all of its glory.

The bookshelves are filled with a myriad of romance books, most of them from the LGBTQIA+ catalog.

But I did let a few of our friends, and Shay, pick books out to surprise Hunter with.

Those are on a separate shelf, though. Heaven forbid he picks up a historical biography novel (thanks to Kian thinking the name of it was funny) expecting a romance.

I let go of him and step away so I can watch his reaction. I’ll be able to tell if he actually hates it, he does a great job of wearing his emotions on his sleeve. Or maybe it’s because of who he is, and who I am. Two souls linked together that heaven or hell couldn’t separate.

“Open your eyes, Hunter,” I tell him.

He turns his body to face me, and his eyes open. His dark brown irises meet mine, and his forehead creases in question when he sees me standing away from him.

Hunter finally realizes that there are things to look at other than me, turning his body.

A loud gasp cuts through the silence when his eyes land on one of the bookshelves.

A copy of every book cover he’s ever done is facing the front, displaying intricate designs with bright names and beautiful stories within the covers. Hard work that he’s accomplished.

There are also a few he hasn’t done. His favorite hockey romance series is neatly stacked and pressed against the edge, with a special edition copy of each.

They cost a pretty penny to get online, but so worth it.

I wait for him to notice the one that doesn’t match the rest, and he doesn’t disappoint.

He approaches the bookshelf with his hand outstretched like he’s going to encounter a rabid animal.

I watch his hand shake as he grabs the beat-up cover off the shelf.

The same book he used to keep in his bag, not a copy of it, but the exact same one.

Annotation tabs stick out of the side, the neutral colors complementing the cover.

“How?” he says, his voice trembling, and I walk over to him and wrap my arms around his midsection, pressing a kiss to the back of his neck.

“I follow Brittany and Zoey on social media. They’re still happily together, living in Colorado, but I messaged Zoey asking if she still had the book she borrowed from you.

I knew it was a long shot, but I had to take it.

” His body shakes, and I realize he’s crying as he thumbs through the book.

Pen markings and stickers cover every page.

“I can never thank you enough for this, Adam. I—” I cut him off, turning him around to look at me. Two tear lines trickle down his face, and he sticks his tongue out to wet his top lip. His cheeks are red, and he’s staring up at me.

“I don’t need your thankfulness, Hunter. I just need you. ” He lifts up on his toes and kisses me hard, his tongue entering my mouth when I gasp at his aggression.

“I need you, love. In every way. Every day. For the rest of my life.” He enunciates each word with a rough kiss to my lips.

I chuckle against him, the control on my emotions slipping through my fingers.

I don’t care, though. I don’t need to have a handle on my control, not with him. Because he will never let me down.

“Is that a marriage declaration? Kinda risqué to do it without a ring,” I remark, ducking my head into the crook of his neck and nuzzling the skin.

“When I propose, you’ll know. Everyone will, because you’re mine, love.”

“I love you,” I tell him, breathing the words onto his skin and imprinting them inside him so he’ll never have to know a life again without my love.

“I love you.”