You're Kind of Gangster

As I straighten Ean’s graduation cap, and tug on his matching robe, he smiles. “I did it, babe. I’m graduating and going to college.” I can’t believe how excited he is for more school. Though, he told me as long as I was there for help, he would stay in school. I know that there will be plenty of late night, last minute cramming sessions in our future at Michigan State. But I can’t put into words how proud I am of him and the amount progress he’s made in less than year, both academically and personally.

I nod, putting my hands on my hips. As I drop my hands a minute later, I see Ean has the sleeves of his robe pushed up to his elbows, so the tattoo of a lion he got just a month ago on his inner left forearm is visible. I smile as I remember him asking me to be there with him when he got it done. His badass demeanor was replaced for just a moment by a vulnerability, enough for me to not be able to say no to him and mean it. He admitted to me when we went to the tattoo shop that he was terrified of needles.

He bends down, about to kiss me before we’re interrupted. “Get a room. We don’t all want to see that nasty ass stuff!” I hear Matt call jokingly as he and Jo come over to us where we stand in a corner just outside of the auditorium.

Ean runs up to them and tackles Matt into a headlock, mumbling something about ruining his moment.

“Ean, please!” I scold. “I spent an hour ironing your robe last night, cut it out!”

“Yes, Mom,” he relents, letting go of Matt and glaring jokingly at him and sticking his tongue out at him.

“Real mature,” I mumble with a laugh as I go up to him to tug at his robe again, trying to smooth it out as best I can, but Ean simply pulls me against his side by my hip.

“You still love me, though, Shai.” Then, I catch the glint in his eyes that Beau and Matt and Jo and everyone else always talk about when he looks at me.

“God, you two bicker like an old married couple.”

Ean squeezes my hip and smiles down at me. “Not yet.”