Page 13 (1/1)

Josiah could see the rigidness leave Tristan’s body at Mateo’s last words It left Josiah’s at the same time They both stepped closer to Teo but he shook his head, walked around theth

"I" Teo’s leg was bouncing, and Josiah had no doubt he wanted to voe the bad

"I hate the things I’ve done" The bounce in his leg got stronger "I fucking hate it, and it’s there all the tinore it and try to shove it aside, but it’s always fuckin’ there, those ies in my head, visions in lanced up, first at Josiah, and then at Tristan

"Both of you, I see blood on ettin’ that shit on you, and I don’t want that Fuck, I don’t wanna see that anyo away?" Teo held their gaze "I wanna o away"

Pain landed in Josiah’s chest It was always like that when he sa hurt Teo or Tristan really were, but "You are Don’t you see you’re doing that?" The words had hardly left Josiah’s mouth by the time Tristan reached Mateo By the time he bent in front of him

In a way, both his ht than the he heard in how they spoke to each other, and spoke to hi about one above the other, but he kneas more sensitive than thes they said and he’d never had the strength to do soe his own path the way Tristan had

They dealt with things differently than he did Tristan and Teo connected on that level of responsibility for everyone and self-anger that Josiah didn’t have Josiah saw the differences in himself compared to his men and he was okay with it They balanced each other out, and because of that balance, he understood that Tristan and Teo were seeing theht nowand that it would help

He could give this to the every day More than he ever expected, because he kne much they both loved hiave theht," Tristan told Teo "You are more than you realize You are incredible no matter what you’ve done, and partially because of it" Tristan’s thumb brushed over the scar on Teo’s neck, where his father had cut him

Teo looked up at Tristan, then Josiah "I don’t want to have to do that shit anyo to Jay with blood onshit in my head I can’t do that anyuys Dios, we’re all fucked up in so ether You went to college, and law school You put people likehis dreaed "I want that, too I used to think if I took care of Jay, h to override all the bad, uy who people don’t cross the street to get away frouy who can come into your office for lunch if I wanto away Make it so I don’t see that shit every fuckin’ day"

Since he was sixteen years old, Josiah had loved the ht now, loved hi he had inside hinified Immeasurable Infinite Teo had always had a lot of qualities--he was unselfish and loyal to a fault He loved big and was theperson Josiah knew But he’d never had one thing Hope Listening to hiht now, it’s all Josiah heard in his voice He wouldn’t accept things couldn’t get better, that he would never beto do?" Tristan stood, then Teo did the same

"I don’t know build Josiah’s drearin on his face telling Josiah to come to him Which he did "It’s almost like it’s our dream, Jay Not just yours"

And it was He’d whispered his drea but kids, and now they were getting it "It is," Josiah told him

"And be there for you Push you Have you" Teo’s words were spoken to Tristan Josiah held his breath as he waited for Tristan’s reply, only breathing again when Tristan nodded at him