Twist Me by Mia Monroe
Mitsu
As Grey and I finish fixing our plates, we sit in my living room to eat. I can sense Grey’s energy is excited, but I wait for him to tell me. He flakes a piece of his salmon and gazes up at me with those eyes of his.
“I have news.”
I nod. “Do tell.”
He exhales slowly, straightening his shoulders. “I told everyone at work today that I’m a transgender man.”
My eyes widen. “Did you?”
He nods. “I’ve been thinking about our talks. I also thought a lot about the kids I talk to and how I always talk about acceptance and being proud of your journey. Being trans isn’t the only thing important about me. It’s not on my mind every day. It’s not the one thing that defines me. I’m an artist, I’m a Whovian, I love nature and animals. I hate mushrooms and black licorice, but I’ll eat my weight in candy corn and marshmallows.”
“Good to know.”
“I love Christmas and springtime and rain. The ocean makes me feel alive. Burying my toes in the sand is one of life’s best pleasures. I hate shopping because I’m too tall for most clothes off the rack, but I love getting my hair washed and trimmed at the hair salon. I like baths and tea and coffee and pastelitos and tacos. God, I love tacos.”
I chuckle.
“Reading is okay, but I really like comic books and graphic novels. I think being a tattoo artist is the coolest job in the world, right up there with being a Shibari master. I have a best friend and lots of cool friends. I’m in love and I am loved.”
“All true things.”
“But right up there with all these other things is that I’m an advocate. I’ve been put here to help others. I want more people to understand trans people, to become advocates and allies, to help, to support, to embrace. So I told them. I invited them to come to the youth center fundraiser.”
I reach across the pillow and squeeze his hand. “I am so proud of you. I know you feared judgment, but you trusted your heart and you trusted your friends. It’s inspiring.”
“Thanks. I feel good about it.” He chews a bite of fish. “I mean, there’s a little part of me worried that it’s in the back of their minds now and they’ll look at me differently, but not in a bad way.”
I don’t speak as I can tell he has more to say.
“But we’re a diverse bunch of people and we’re all accepted. I think it’ll be okay.”
“I agree.”
He exhales again. “What should we do after dinner?”
A slow smile spreads across my lips. “The same thing we do every night?”
“Try and take over the world?”
My brow furrows. “What?”
Grey shakes his head. “Ridiculous cartoon reference.”
“Oh. Pinky and the Brain.”
Grey’s eyes widen. “Yes! I used to love that show.”
“I was stuck in a hotel during a layover and the only channel that came through was Cartoon Network. What was that, twenty years ago?”
“At least.” Grey laughs. “It was funny.”
“It actually was.”
He stabs a piece of zucchini with his fork. “Is it dumb that I like that you got a pop culture reference from my generation?”
“No. You might be able to get some of mine if I was more aware of pop culture.”
“I think that’s kind of what makes you cool. You live in your own universe that you created where everything is calm and happy and Zen. Do you ever watch the news?”
“Never. It’s been my experience that the really important things will make it to me somehow.”
“Yeah, I hate the news.”
I sip some water, composing my thoughts. “Would you think about something for me?”
“Yes.”
I exhale slowly, overcome with an unusual burst of nerves. “I was thinking maybe you’d consider staying here. With me. All the time.”
Grey sets his fork down, his lips parting. “Are you asking me to move in?”
I nod. “I am. If you’re not ready yet, I understand. I just want you here, but I can wait until you're ready. I wanted you to know my desire and to know the invitation is open.”
I watch as his cheeks flush and his eyes turn glassy. “Does that mean…” He shakes his head. “I don’t know how to ask.”
“Just say what’s in your heart.”
“When people move in together, it’s, like, forever.”
“It is, yes, Grey.” I squeeze his hand. “Tell me what you need. Do you want marriage? A ring to symbolize my commitment to you?”
He shakes his head. “No. I want a dog.”
My eyebrows rise. “A dog?”
“Yeah. I can’t have one in an apartment. I want two cats and a dog.”
“Why two cats?”
“I don’t know. I’ve just always thought that would be perfect.”
“I want to give you everything you want, Grey. I want to give you the moon and all the stars. I would drain the ocean for you if it would make you happy. I make a comfortable living, but I’ll never be rich. I don’t seek it. I can’t give you every material possession you want, but I can give you a lifetime of love and devotion.”
Grey abandons his dinner and crawls to me, wrapping himself around me as he climbs onto my lap. He cups my face, searching my eyes.
“I don’t want things. I want this. I want dinners and baths and talks with you. I want workshops and private time in your ropes. I want a family of little fur babies running around, but mostly, Mitsu, I just want you. Nothing else really matters.”
“Do you mean it? I’ve worried it wouldn’t be enough.”
“You think what you’ve given me, what you’ve shown me, isn’t enough?”
“Perhaps because you are so exquisite, I want to shower you in things equal to you.”
“You have. Your love is more than I ever saw for myself. I love you so much. I would love to be here with you all the time. I just need to hear the word. That’s the only commitment I need.”
“What word, beloved? Tell me and it’s yours.”
“Forever. I want to be yours forever.”
Using my thumb, I brush away a tear that slides down his cheek. “Forever, my sweet, my beloved, Grey. My love is yours forever.”
He smiles. “Cool.”
We both laugh. “It is. You’ve made me an extremely happy man.”
“Same. Want to finish dinner and then take me to your bed?”
Gently pinching his chin, I press a kiss to his lips. “Our bed, and absolutely.”
* * *
A few days later, I decide to pop over to Black Heart and surprise Grey for lunch. He’s been working a lot lately to help with the flow of customers until they get a few more artists hired.
When I step inside, he’s in my line of vision, leaning over his workstation writing in his schedule. His hair is braided down his back, allowing me to admire the visual perfection of his profile before he notices me. He’s wearing a charcoal-gray sweater over black jeans and black boots. It’s funny how the muted tones suit him when he brings so much color to my world.
When he shifts, I notice Luca next to him, also leaning over the book. They whisper together as Luca points at something on the page. Luca’s eye catches mine and he nudges Grey, who turns to look at me, his face lighting up and squeezing my heart in the best way.
“Hey.”
I nod. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”
“Uh, no, we were just talking tattoos. What are you doing here?”
“Came to drag you to lunch. Can you spare the time?”
“Yeah, I have an hour and a half before the next client.”
“Great. Luca, do you want to join us?”
“Ah, no thanks, Mitsu. I’m popping across the street to hang with Gen and Cai, but you guys have fun.”
An office door opens and Apollo walks out with a flushed Felix behind him. Felix giggles, whispering something in his lover’s ear, then he turns to us.
“Salut, messieurs,” Felix purrs. “How are you?”
I nod. “Felix. I’m quite well. You?”
“My life is a dream, no? Good to see you again.” He kisses Apollo’s cheek as he just gazes at Felix like he’s walking on clouds. “I must go, mon chou. So much work to do. I will see you tonight.”
“Bye, babe,” Apollo says.
Grey grabs his phone as Felix sways past us out the door. “See ya later, man.” He loops his arm through mine. “Where are we going?”
“Sushi?”
He nods. “Perfect.” We step outside and his eyes shift up. “Those are some threatening clouds.”
“I noticed. So dark and ominous. I learned quickly, when I moved to Miami, that the rainstorms are to be taken seriously.”
“Definitely.”
Sure enough, as we walk down the sidewalk, the sky opens up and a sudden downpour drenches us. We start to run for it, dodging people scattering to seek cover, until Grey grabs my wrist and pulls me onto a side street, pressing me against a building. He smiles, his eyes full of mischief as the rain pours down on us.
“Fantasy fulfillment time. Kissing in the rain.”
I twist us around so he’s pressed against the building instead. “My pleasure.”
My lips come down hard on his as he runs his hands under my soggy shirt. His sweater clings to his skin, but I manage to get my hands on his flesh, tweaking his pebbled nipples as our tongues dance together. Grey hooks his leg around me, pulling my hardening dick into his, grinding against me as best we can in soaked denim. With each breath I take, I taste the mixture of rain water and Grey, his sweetness permeating my senses. I’ve never done something like this, so public, so blatantly carefree, but it feels amazing. Grey has tapped into a part of me I didn’t know was there, and I can’t get enough.
We’re interrupted when two people bump into us as they seek shelter from the downpour. I break free from the kiss, nodding as they apologize, and quickly shifting my gaze back to Grey. He’s grinning, his hair falling in waves around his face, dripping with water.
“You are the most stunning thing I’ve seen in my life.”
Grey cups my face. “I guess you haven’t looked in a mirror.”
I laugh softly. “I adore you, beloved. Do you know that?”
He nods. “Yes. Know what?”
“What?”
“I love you even more than sexy kisses in the rain.”
“Yeah? Well, I love you even more than a thousand rainy days in bed.”
“Ooh. Good one. You win this round.”
I laugh, stealing another kiss. “We’re soaked now. Lunch would be uncomfortable.”
“Home to change? I could use the dryer and make it back in time. We’ll eat a quick sandwich, have a nice blowjob. Sounds like a good lunch to me.”
“I like the way you think.”
As we turn back and head for my car, I squeeze his hand; so filled with warmth, I can barely contain it. At some point, my feet left the ground and now I’m just floating in his atmosphere.
I never want to come back down.