Chapter 29 #2
“It seems like you had a good visit with Auntie Chen?” Riley asked hesitantly.
“Yeah, it was great. She says hi by the way.”
“Hi, Auntie,” he said shyly. Riley had met her a handful of times over the years on some grocery excursions.
He didn’t always tag along, though, saying he didn’t want to butt in on Josh’s time there.
Josh had been confused at first, since he usually dragged Riley everywhere he went, but Riley had explained that Josh deserved that space since he’d lost it growing up.
Riley grabbed his mug and cradled it in his hands, sneaking a quick lick of the whipped cream. Josh clocked the movement and reminded himself to focus. He could snag a taste of Riley when they were finished with this conversation.
“So, come on, I’m dying here,” Riley said, disrupting Josh's naughty thoughts. “Tell me how it went.”
Josh took his own mug and a cookie and started dunking it in the hot liquid as he spoke.
“I told Auntie Chen everything and showed her the letter. She read it easily, thankfully.”
One of the reasons Chinese was such a difficult language to learn for English speakers was that different dialects still used the same exact hanzi.
The characters were the same, but the language changed, and there wasn’t actually an English alphabet to correlate it with.
People developed one based on the sounds, of course, but it wasn’t meant to be used that way.
He was so thankful that Auntie Chen spoke and read the same dialect as his parents, likely since they’d all emigrated from Hong Kong.
Josh still didn’t quite understand how the map worked in China.
It was divided into provinces, kind of like Canada, but there were also regions.
And Hong Kong itself was considered a special administrative region, which he didn’t really understand.
Maybe it was like how Washington, D.C., was its own…
thing. Geography was hard. They hadn’t spent nearly enough time on it in school, and when they did it had mostly been about Europe or North America.
“And, uh, what did it say?” Riley asked. “I mean, if you want to tell me. You don’t have to if you want to keep it for yourself.”
Josh couldn’t help but smile at how sweet his… Wait. Was Riley his boyfriend? They’d never discussed that part.
“Are we boyfriends?”
Riley blinked at him, opening his mouth to say something before closing it again. He shook his head and managed to say, “Yes?”
Josh couldn’t help but laugh. “Are you asking me or telling me?”
“I’d love to be your boyfriend, if that’s what you want.”
Riley’s hand settled on Josh’s thigh, giving it a squeeze.
Josh let go of his mug with one of his hands and placed it on Riley’s. Riley turned his over and threaded their fingers together.
“Yeah, Ri, I want to be your boyfriend.”
Riley smiled, and it calmed everything in Josh.
Josh squeezed his hand and tried to refocus on their conversation.
“The letter is about finding the perfect partner for me, and you’re it, Ri. You’re everything Māmā dreamed I would have one day.”
“Really?”
Josh pulled out his phone and clicked on the recording Auntie Chen made for him. There was no way he could have memorized it, but he wanted Riley to be able to hear it. She had read it again out loud so he could record it.
“Listen,” he said, and hit play.
Riley listened to Auntie Chen’s strong voice. It was soft the first time they read the letter together, but this second reading showed how excited she was to be part of this moment for him.
His bestie had never been great at hiding the emotions on his face, and Josh could tell he was nervous, but Riley relaxed as Auntie Chen read through her requirements.
Try to find someone who balances your weaknesses.
Riley smiled, likely thinking about how they’d always been a perfect balance for each other. It’s why they worked so well together. You couldn’t work, live and play with someone and be with them all day if you weren’t compatible.
Make sure you bring something positive to their life as well. Your relationship should feel like a partnership.
Riley chuckled, his eyebrows raising in agreement with Māmā’s words. They had the perfect partnership.
Find someone you can laugh with.
Duh. They’d nailed that one too. No one could make them laugh like each other.
Make sure this person loves you for you.
Riley shared a sweet smile as Māmā explained that one.
How many times had Riley told Josh he was perfect the way he was?
That he didn’t need to be what people said and instead could just be himself?
And Josh felt the same about Riley. There was no way to improve upon perfection, and he’d told Riley that countless times over the years.
I hope you are as excited to see them every day as they are to see you.
Josh smiled as he remembered Riley’s reaction when he’d burst through the door that morning. They were rarely apart, but reuniting with him was always the best part of Josh’s day.
Riley gasped when Auntie Chen mentioned Riley himself in her letter.
You should see how hard it is to separate the two of you now when you are only babies! That’s exactly how it should be with you and your soulmate.
Josh’s eyes began to prickle with tears as he read the shock and awe on Riley’s face.
“We were always inseparable,” Riley whispered, squeezing Josh’s hand.
I wish I could have met them, but if I didn’t get the chance, please know that your Bàba and I love you no matter what.
Riley’s eyes glazed over. He tried blinking away the tears, but the movement made them slide down his handsome face.
They hadn’t known it at the time, of course, but the fact that Māmā and Bàba had in fact met Josh's soulmate made him feel so much better about everything. And it was clear that Riley thought the same thing.
When the recording ended, tears were streaming down both their faces. Riley placed his mug on the coffee table and reached over to Josh’s to do the same. He crawled into Josh’s lap and held him close as they cried together.
“Māmā and Bàba would have loved you, exactly like I do, Ri,” Josh whispered in his ear.
“I love you so much.”
They held each other close until Riley started squirming on top of him, Josh’s hands stroking his back. He dipped under Riley’s hoodie and met his heated skin.
Riley sat up and wiped his eyes with his sleeve before rubbing the tears from Josh’s face away with his thumbs, then he brought their lips together. Josh could feel the promise in his kiss, the love that radiated from his best friend, his soulmate.
Before long, their kisses went from soft and teasing to passionate and desperate.
They hardly broke from each other except to shed their hoodies.
Josh tried to stand while holding Riley in his lap, but he was too far back on the couch to get leverage. Riley chuckled as he slid off his lap, pulling him by the hand toward Riley’s bedroom, where they spent all of their nights lately.
Maybe they could turn Josh’s room into a game room, or a hub for Riley’s hacking endeavors.
It wasn’t the time to think about that now.
Josh nearly stumbled as he shed his sweats and briefs on the way to the bed, Riley doing the same until they tumbled onto his mattress in a mess of limbs.
“Fuck, give it to me, Josh,” Riley begged.
“Anything you want.”
Riley’s hand slipped down Josh's body and grabbed onto his hard cock.
“I want this,” he panted. “I want a turn with you inside me.”
“Fuck yes, baby.”