I can’t stop staring at it. My face is broken into bits, like my facial cells are glitching. My throat has the word Deep blended into it. Computer code looks like it’s pouring over my head, but there are words hidden in it. Some cut deep and are harsh. Weak. Lost. Silent. Others are nice. Safe. Sublime. Strong. The letters run into each other and drip down my head and face. Not like in the Matrix. No, this is more like thick green honey that spills over me, melting into different shades of rainbow colors on the bottom. Family. Friend. Father figure.
My eyes are fierce and confident in this painting. My jaw is clenched like it is now, and I automatically try to relax it.
There are more words hidden in my hair. Grief. Grace. Generous. The details are insane. It looks like a photograph, not a painting. How the fuck did she do this?
“I want to paint you more,” she says. Her voice is strong. Eager. “I want to fill an entire art gallery with you.”
I’m not sure what to say. I’m not sure where my voice is. I don’t think I’m standing any more.
Ara’s captured the essence of everything I’ve felt for over a decade. I feel seen. Vulnerable. I stare at my eyes and in the pupils are two very small words. Ara is in one. In the other is Kitty.
“It still needs a few—”
“It’s perfect,” I rush to say. “It’s… I can’t understand how you did this but it’s…” My chest hurts. “This is incredible, Ara.”
“It’s raw and personal.”
She’s not wrong. “Why did you make your names so small in my eyes?”
“You noticed those?” She laughs, and I swear I finally feel my stress pop free from my body. “I didn’t want to overpower your features.”
“You should scroll your name across my forehead.”
“Well, there’s an idea.”
“Exactly.” Because she’s my only thought. All my brain latches onto. “Can we take it home?”
“Home?”
“Yeah.” I cock my eyebrow at her. “Home.” Because Ara’s coming home with me and that’s where she’ll live until she says otherwise. “If you hate my house, I’ll buy us a different one.”
“Slow down, big guy.”
“Nope.” I get all up in her space. “No more slowing down. No more holding back.”
“The paint has to dry.”
“Is that a yes? You’ll move in with me?”
“I’ll have to break my lease.”
“That’s okay. I’ll cover it.”
“We have to split the bills.”
The fuck we do. “We’ll negotiate that later.” She’s not paying a dime for our living situation.
“Are we really doing this?”
“Are you saying yes, Kitty?”
She beams me a smile, and I’m on cloud nine when she says, “Yes.”
I kiss her, and this time I don’t hold back. Neither does she.
Ara’s mine now, tomorrow, forever.
Epilogue
Ara
“Fuck… me… harder… harder!” I hold on for dear life as Glitch rails me in the back room of his shop. The Computer Cave doesn’t open for another three hours, giving us plenty of time to set up.
This past year has been a whirlwind of excitement.
I moved in with Glitch the night he asked. Three months later, he surprised me with a house that has a small building out back that’s my new amazing art studio. The ribbon cutting ceremony for one of the murals I painted—in Beetle’s elementary school, by the way—made headlines in the local paper, which caught the attention of some big wigs, and I’ve been working on steady commission pieces ever since.
I also have gallery space. Yup. You heard me right. Turns out Carson wasn’t such a huge dick after all. He only ever acted obnoxious to get a rise out of Glitch, so he’d open up and talk to me. Dipshit thought pissing Glitch off would mean he’d stick up for me or say something to shut Carson up on my behalf. Apparently, me always trash talking back was not in Carson’s plan. And the guy is connected as fuck. He asked one night while we were all playing Titan Fall if I wanted him to pass my portfolio around. I said yes—because I’m all about expanding my opportunities and getting my art out there—and now I’ve got my own space.
It's insane.
“Gonna fill you with my cum, Kitty.” Glitch is in rare form this morning. I made him watch me get off in the shower without participating. Then I made him watch me play with my lipstick vibrator while he drove us to the Computer Cave. It took him five seconds to unlock the door, punch the security code, and carry me back here to fuck me.