We Lit Up Like Fireworks

I stared at Kenzie's supposed address in my hands, the one that the town council had given me. It had taken a good two hours of pleading and explaining to get my hands on his address and a not-so-small payment, but it was all worth it just to know that I was a little closer to Kenzie.

"Daddy, daddy, hurry! I bet Kenzie is very sad without you," Miles said, as I drove carefully to the address, parking on the curb right outside the front of the house, in line with the potted plants lining the pathway. "And good luck, daddy!"

"Thanks, Miles," I said, hugging him tightly as he patted my back. I wiped my sweaty hands on the front of my shirt before getting out of my car, my feet trudging up the steps as I mentally chanted to myself that everything was going to be alright.

I felt like my heart was about to burst in my rib cage, to just explode out of the anxiety building inside me as I knocked twice on the door, the sound echoing in my ears as I sucked in a tight breath. Miles sat still on the bonnet of the car, his body not moving as his eyes were transfixed on the door which hid Kenzie from my view.

The door swung open and I opened my mouth, my feelings pooling at the tip of my tongue, but clammed up when I saw that it wasn't Kenzie. No, it wasn't Kenzie at all.

"You must be that man," he said, his voice grave, restrained, almost disgusted. I swallowed a ball of saliva, almost choking, as he looked me up and down sceptically. He was a built man, and I could see the vague resemblance in him and Kenzie, though Kenzie's features were much softer, more care free and more open to the world. His were cold, and he was glaring at me like I were the plague, chilling me from the inside. "Kenzie told me about you."

"So K-Kenzie does l-live here?" I asked, and the man frowned, eyes narrowing as his eyes met Miles'. He then turned back to me, crossing his arms over his chest.

"He does, but he's not here right now," the man said, moving to close to door. A surge of annoyance pounded through me and I instinctively jerked my foot between the door and the frame, my hand pushing against the wood.

"I know he's here. I know," I said stubbornly as the man scoffed.

"And you think you're good enough for my son? I never knew he was gay, let alone in cahoots with a man, and a man of your age no less! Why are you targeting my son? What do you want from him?"

"I don't want anything from him, I just want to be by his side," I said slowly, flexing my arm to edge the door back.

"You're older than him, much older than him. You'll tire of him after a week and throw him out. I don't approve of Kenzie being with a man, but what I don't want to happen more than that is him being with a man who is going to cast him aside once he's done playing with him. My son, no matter how immature or how young, is better than that. He's better than you," the man hissed, staring into my eyes.

"I know that. Kenzie is amazing, the most amazing person on earth. He's one of a kind, and I know that. I also know I'm not as... talented as he is. I know I dropped out of school because I had my son, but I also know that he was a blessing to me. I know that Kenzie's life is going to go somewhere great, and that I will become a burden to him, but I know that he needs me, and my son needs him. I love him, sir, and even if you don't respect that I'm going to see Kenzie, no matter what."

He regarded me for a moment, before opening his mouth again.

"If you bring him down to your level, how to you think he'd feel?"

"If it comes to the point where his happiness is at risk, I'll admit I'm wrong. The only thing I want is for him to be happy, that's all," I replied. "Please, sir. Just let me see Kenzie. I just need to see him, right now, an-"

"Really, dad? Really? How much harder do I have to work for you to accept that I love him?" a melodic, angelic, perfect voice said tiredly, and just behind the ageing man in front of me I saw Kenzie, in all his glory, giving me a tiny smile as my eyes found the rainbow gloves adorning his hands. My gloves. "Dad. You heard what he said. I need him."

"Did you pass?" Kenzie's father asked his son, and Kenzie waved a piece of paper in his face, smirking.

"With flying colours," Kenzie replied, and I caught a glimpse of Kenzie's paper- they were exam results, results for early admittance into university. "And you know the deal, dad. So either back down or back down."

"I think you'll regret this, Kenzie," his dad warned, but stepped back any way, giving me a harsh look. "And you. The first move you make to hurt my son, I won't hold back."

"I'm sure you won't, sir, but I assure you nothing of that sort will happen," I said, as he grunted, disappearing into the kitchen.

"Long time no see, Jay," Kenzie whispered, smirking a tad bit. He stepped forward to touch my cheek, the warmth of his fingers spreading a soothing heat all the way through my body, travelling through my veins as I cupped his jaw, my thumb tracing the curved line of his pink lips which were curled in a small smile. The rainbow gloves were soft against my skin as he laughed happily, a few tears catapulting over his waterline, slipping down his frosted cheeks as he hopped onto his toes, planting a long kiss on my lips. It wasn't a flamboyant kiss but held so much love that my surroundings just disappeared into nothing.

We pulled back, Kenzie's eyes closed as he wrapped his arms around my neck, moulding his body to mine, drinking me in as I kissed the top of his head, holding him as close as I possibly could.

"Took you long enough. I was starting to lose hope in you, but I knew that you'd find me," Kenzie said, relief weaved through his tone yet had the twinge of amusement as it always did. "And you finding me wasn't as amazing as you think, compared to the work I had to do to get this thing. I worked my ass off for the past two weeks just to prove to my dad that I was serious about you."

"Is that what the paper's for?" I asked, and he nodded, kissing me again and again as we side-stepped to the car, where Miles as already seat-belted and smiling widely, clapping his hands at the two of us.

"And these gloves of yours gave me good luck. I wore them every day because they reminded me of you," he said, giggling as he noticed the blush spreading across my cheeks from his words. "I completely forget you're older than me when you're like this. You're such a girl, Jay!"

"Shut up, Kenzie," I said, blushing a deeper red, as I settled into the driver's seat, Miles in the back, Kenzie in the passenger seat by my side. He entangled his fingers with mine, looking back at Miles.

"Hey, Miles, do you think your dad's kind of a wuss?" he asked, and Miles put on the deep thinking face for a moment, before nodding in agreement, making Kenzie laugh. "See, Jay? Trust Miles- he seems to know everything."

"Yeah, he does," I said, smiling, looking at Kenzie. "He knew I was in love with you from the moment I saw you."

"I guess we owe everything to Miles then, don't we? Do you think he deserves some ice cream for his good deed?" Kenzie offered, as Miles cheered loudly for ice cream.

"Nah, I think we have to see if we work out first," I replied, winking, before Kenzie shook his head.

"I know this is going to work out, and if people say it won't, let's prove them wrong."

"Together?" I asked, kissing his knuckles, before peeling off the curb towards the ice cream parlour.

"Of course, Jay. What else could we ever be?"