Page 100 of Take You Home


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The entire world seems to slow down around Chester, nothingexisting except for Roma’s fingers bruising his arm and the blank shock on JJ’s face. The gears in his head grind together as he tries to process the scene before him, tries to figure out if this is really what he thinks it is‍?—

“JJ,” Cass says, meeting JJ’s wide eyes. “I know that neither of our lives is turning out how we expected them to, but I also know that mine has gotten infinitely better since the day I met you. And‍—and I know that neither of us knows exactly how much time we have left, but I know that I’d like to spend every minute of it with you, raising our daughter and making a home together.” He takes a deep breath, squaring his shoulders. “Julian Jackson, will you marry me?”

Chester presses a hand against his mouth, his eyes watering at JJ’s elated smile. He doesn’t think he’s ever seen his best friend look so happy, soelated‍?—

So much like he belongs.

“Yes.” Even though the word is a hoarse whisper, it still carries across the Courtyard. “A thousand times yes, Cass.”

Grinning, Cass jumps to his feet and pulls JJ into a tight hug just as the clock tower strikes six. The bell starts to toll like a proclamation, steady and triumphant, but it’s nowhere near loud enough to drown out Falafel Nick’s voice screaming from the other end of the Courtyard.“He said yes!”

The entire pavilion bursts into cheers. Chester’s tunnel vision fades enough for him to realize that‍—while the many patrons at their neighboring tables are politely applauding the happy couple‍—the most enthusiastic response by far is from the gathered members of the Redwater Food Truck Association.

Because they’re happy for JJ and Cass. Because JJ and Cass have been coming here with their adopted daughter since the very start, and all of the shopkeepers have gotten to watch their love storyunfold, and all of them would obviously be thrilled to be included in the beginning of this next chapter.

Because Cass must’ve planned this out in advance, even down to the misdirection with the churros, pulling the entirety of the CourtyardandLakeside into the scheme to make sure everyone was here to see him ask JJ to be his husband.

Just like he made sure the rest of them were here, too. Roma is sporting a huge grin and shining eyes as she claps, and Ez is smiling fondly at the happy couple, clearly unsurprised butverysatisfied. Sawyer and Naomi look stunned and delighted, Micah and Gregorio seem honestly touched, Desi is nearly dancing with excitement, and Obie‍?—

Heart fluttering, Chester turns around to look at Obie.

Obie’s face is relaxed and content in the soft light of sunset, watching as Cass picks JJ up and spins him around. After a moment, Obie seems to sense Chester’s gaze, and he shoots him a wink and a grin, looking altogether pleased with himself.

Because Obie planned this, too. Chester may be Obie’s “boyfriend,” but he’s under no illusions. This group has barely known “Kyle” for two months. He doubts that Cass thought it was important to have Chester here tonight, maybe just invited him as an afterthought‍—if it occurred to him at all.

Obie was the one who made sure Chester was here. Obie was the one who knew how important JJ is to Chester, knew how much it would mean to Chester to see JJ get engaged, and badgered Chester into coming along.

Obie is the one who made sure Chester had the best seat in the house to watch his best friend look happier than Chester has ever seen him.

Because that’s just what Obie does. He jokes that humans will pack-bond with anything, but Obietakes careof everyone, whetherthat means his oldest demon friends or their new human partners or the Sanctum interrogator who tried to curse him less than three months ago. Obie has been protecting the people he holds dear since his very first years in this dimension, and now, Chester is apparently one of them.

Because Obie has already promised that he’ll always come back to Chester, already promised that he won’t leave him behind in the first place. He’s looked Chester in the eye and told him that it’s okay to cry over his family, that it’s okay to want to leave the Sanctum behind, that it’s okay to miss his friends and want them back in his life.

He’s promised Chester a life and a home and afuture,and Chester‍?—

Chester loves him.

Heloveshim.

His throat feels thick with the realization. Obie’s eyes are drifting back to the fountain, and he’s cheering and whistling as JJ pulls Cass in for a kiss, but somehow, Chester can’t bring himself to look away from Obie, becausehe loves him.

Somewhere along the line, he fell in love with an ancient demon god. He fell in love with someone who’s lived a thousand lifetimes, someone who’s endured more than Chester could ever imagine‍?—

Someone who’s stayed good and kind and caring through all of it.

And Chester is just the Sanctum interrogator who’s tortured and killed countless numbers of Obie’s brethren, of Obie’speople.He’s just the hunter who accidentally cursed both of them into a binding spell without knowing how to break it, just the human who almost ruined his best friends’ lives in the worst way.

He’s just the soon-to-be fugitive who Obie’s going to set up in an apartment for safekeeping once he finally defects, out of sight and out of mind while they work towards dismantling the Sanctum and the Chain. And Chester had almost convinced himself that their sharedpurpose, their sharedvengeance,was all he really wanted from Obie, but‍?—

But he wants more.

He wants so much more.

And he knows that he’s never going to get any of it. With a great effort of will, he tears his eyes away from Obie, forcing a smile as JJ dashes back to the table with a laughing Cass behind him, proudly showing off his new pocket watch as everyone toasts the happy couple with freshly baked churros.

And Chester pointedly keeps his attention on JJ and tries not to think about his fake boyfriend sitting just across from him for the rest of the night.

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