Pride Goethe Before A Fall: The Conclusion
A Pride Special MM Romance 18+ | After a night at the edge, Dylan lets Jace pull him into Pride, and one maybe starts to feel like something real.
Dylan’s POV
Somehow, that “Maybe” became three hours of us walking. By the time dawn broke, he no longer felt like a stranger.
Sitting on the beach on Lake Michigan, Jace had fallen asleep on my shoulder. Talking himself to sleep.
Walking with him, I really did not expect my night to end this way. The sun was starting to warm my face and it was good to see. I felt like it had been forever.
Not being up this late was nothing new. What was new was being able to share my whole life with someone in three hours.
This is crazy. I should be asleep.
I could hear the waves crashing on the shore and the sound of birds searching for scraps. I didn’t want to wake him. One, he looked peaceful. Two, I needed a break from the talking.
Sleeping there, he was so close and felt so warm. I wanted to snuggle up to him for extra heat but couldn’t force my body to do that. His cologne had long washed away and all I could smell was him. It had as unique a smell as his quirky personality.
I saw his hand there. It looked so new. Fresh. Innocent. Like it hadn’t seen a day of hard work. My finger moved closer to it. Wanted to see if it was as soft and warm as it felt when we were walking.
My finger held its spot, barely touching his. Caressing it as lightly as I could. Feeling a bit more coarse than it would let on.
As Jace stirred I jerked my whole hand away.
Too soon.
Jace looked at me through squinted eyes. No one should be this cute on so little sleep.
“Hey, morning,” he said. “How long was I asleep?”
“Only 45 minutes,” I said, brushing a hair from his eyes before looking away.
“You are still here.”
“Yeah, you didn’t scare me off. Well, that story about your obsession with the first guy you slept with was close. But a promise is a promise.”
He looked at his watch. “We’ve got about 10 minutes before we need to go get a spot for the parade.”
“Where did you map out the best spot to watch?” I asked.
“What makes you think—”
My knowing look must have cut him off. I have that effect on people.
“Okay, yeah, the best place to watch it this year is a block just south of Addison.”
I bumped his shoulder. “Well then, let’s go so you can get a good spot.”
Getting up, I could feel the lack of sleep making my body stiff. Maybe I should have just left him there. It just seemed to mean so much and I would only sacrifice a few more hours of sleep.
We started to walk toward the spot he had mapped out. Jace was always a pace too fast but I was keeping up.
As we got closer to the parade route, a sprinkling of people turned into a crowd. I could see Jace slowing down, that nervous energy coming out. Then he paused when he saw a wall of people.
It was like I knew he was afraid. Nervous of being rude if he pushed through the crowd. That would change with age.
I grabbed his hand. “Follow me.”
His hand tightened for half a second before he followed.
I led him through the crowd, bobbing and weaving through groups of people, giving the absentminded “I’m sorry” without meaning it. I felt the adrenaline kick in as I wanted to make sure Jace got to his spot. I really wasn’t sure where the pressure came from.
He was just some kid I met at a bathhouse. We had talked over coffee and shared everything we could before he couldn’t talk anymore on the beach. What made him special.
We finally made it to the curb, letting his hand go. Then he bumped into me. Okay, maybe I shouldn’t have let his hand go that soon. He apologized but I could see why. He was looking around at the hundreds of people waving rainbow flags. Some members of the LGBTQIA+ community, friends, supporters, and just people coming out to enjoy a summer event.
I couldn’t take my eyes off him. His eyes were wide, his smile shining. It was like Christmas and a birthday all rolled into one. I was from the city. Born and raised a few blocks north of here. To him this must have been freedom. A breath of fresh air to be who he was without judgment.
I squeezed his hand as my smile matched his.
In his eyes I could still see my first pride. I was there with my best friend Matt and my sister Lisa. I was just coming out. Even though I lived in the city, I didn’t know how mom and dad would react. Lisa told me no matter what, she would be there for me. Always be my family. We stayed out all night, never leaving each other’s side.
“Are you okay?” I heard Jace ask.
I wiped away a tear and he squeezed my hand. Then placed his hand over mine just as you could hear the first floats coming down the street.
The parade passed in a blur after that.
Drag queens. Dancers. Corporate floats throwing enough free merch to open a small store.
There were politicians. More politicians. And even more politicians. Who already had a majority of our vote.
At some point Jace nearly got taken out by a rogue rainbow beach ball.
Twice.
We laughed so hard that we nearly missed an entire marching band. And the Dykes on Bikes.
But before I knew it the crowd was beginning to thin out.
“You hungry?” Jace asked, almost out of nowhere.
“Tired and starving.”
“Good, I know a place.”
“Please tell me it isn’t a coffee shop with an extra bitchy waitress.”
“No promises,” he said, extending his hand and helping me to my feet.
When we walked into Lucky’s, maybe it was the long night, but it just felt different when I walked in. The cold air and familiar faces giving some kind of second wind.
“Dylan!” I knew that voice.
“Tony!” I said, giving him a hug out of a rare reflex.
“Jesus Christ. You look like hell. Have you slept?”
“Not yet. Hoping to after we grab a bite.”
Tony’s eyes slid over and looked at Jace.
“Well, well. I see why you didn’t sleep.”
I could see Jace turning a bright beet red before my hand rested on his shoulder.
“Not like that, Tony.”
“Right...”
I gave Tony a knowing look he knew too well.
“Good to see you again, kid.” Tony gave him a wink before pushing the door open. “Get in there before you both pass out.”
“What can I get you?” Jeff asked from behind the bar.
“Coffee. Please.”
Jeff stared.
“You know we’re a bar, right?”
“I’m aware.”
“Just checking.” He paused. “And you said please.”
“Jeff...”
He put his hands up. “What does your friend want?”
I looked over at Jace, who I could tell was starting to slow down.
“Jace, what do you want?”
“A Coke, please. And fries if you got ‘em.”
Jeff looked at my hands. “Just a Coke?”
“Yeah, it was a rough night,” Jace said sincerely.
“Another non-alcoholic drink. Going to be a great day!”
Between the bar being busy and Jeff not being happy with our order, I knew he was going to be a minute.
“I KNOW the back of that towheaded little thing anywhere. JACE!” I knew that familiar shrill voice anywhere.
“Pinky!” I heard Jace scream, jumping up and giving Pinky the biggest hug.
She hugged him back, spilling a little of her vodka soda onto the floor.
“Looks like you survived the night. I thought you might have it in you. Finn’s been looking—”
Then she looked at me.
Then at Jace.
Then back at me.
“Wait.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“Wait,” she said again before taking a step back. “How do YOU two know each other?”
“We ran into each other,” I said.
“Bullshit.”
“Pinky.”
“What is happening here? And why are you at Pride, Dylan?”
Jace jumped in to save me. Kinda.
“We met late last night and Dylan looked like he needed a friend. So we grabbed a coffee and just ended up talking.”
The word friends lingered in my head longer than it should.
Pinky just looked at me, trying to figure out the world.
“Right...”
She took a big sip of her drink.
“This bar doesn’t have enough Tito’s to deal with this.” She focused on me. “You went to the parade.”
“Yep, he did,” Jace offered.
Stop talking, Jace.
“The whole thing?”
“Front row,” Jace said.
You can be cute but you need to know when to shut up.
Pinky, for the first time in as long as I had known her, didn’t say anything. She just came over and gave me the longest, most genuine hug she had ever given.
She looked back at Jace.
“Good job, kid.”
As she floated away, Jeff dropped off our order. I thanked him and gave him a few extra bucks to make up for just getting coffee. As I was about to take a sip, I could smell the burgers cooking on the patio and my stomach growled.
“You going to make it?” I asked Jace as he started to drink his Coke.
He stopped. “What?”
I like a straw.
“Oh. Hang on.” I grabbed a straw from the bar and handed it to him, leaving a witty comment on the table.
I was about to ask him something I had been putting off when I heard a voice.
“Holy shit.”
I didn’t even have to turn around.
“Morning, Mark,” I said.
“Morning? It’s two in the afternoon.”
Mark dropped onto the stool beside me.
“Have you slept yet?”
“No.”
“Jesus.” He paused. “Doing okay? You looked like shit when...”
“Yeah. The other guy looked far worse.”
He laughed and we clinked our glasses together. Our way of washing the night before under the bridge.
Mark clocked Jace sucking his Coke down through his straw, looking wide-eyed at us.
“And who is this? Are you babysitting for extra money?”
“Jace,” I said, pointing. Then I pointed again. “Mark.”
They shook hands.
“So you’re Dylan’s best friend,” Jace said. “Heard you have a strong right hook.”
Mark just smiled before he sipped his drink, wincing at how strong it was. I knew that look.
He settled back onto his stool and squinted at me.
Then back at Jace.
“Huh.”
“Don’t,” I said.
“Didn’t say anything.”
“You were about to.”
“I absolutely was.”
Jace snickered. Mark laughed, always loving an audience.
“Just that you never bring anyone,” Mark said. “And on Pride...” He leaned in. “And you can’t even fight back. So, Jace — how the hell did you two meet?”
“At the bathhouse,” Jace said, a little too perkily and without any context.
“Jace...” I said, trying to hold back my laughter at his honesty.
Mark looked over and decided to throw me a lifeline.
“So, first Pride, Jace?”
I sat back and enjoyed my black coffee. The bitterness and caffeine both doing their magic. I watched as Jace told the story of his first Pride, leaving out all the parts about PowerPoints and excessive planning.
Judging by the laughter, Mark and he were hitting it off. That was a first. Mark usually didn’t like new people.
“Well, if you guys can give me a few minutes. Nature calls.”
“Oh my God, Mark, do you already have a client?” Jace said, remembering a conversation we’d had the night before.
Mark and I both slowly looked at Jace, who slurped on the last bit of his soda looking innocent.
Mark looked offended for only half a second before laughing and heading to the restroom. He did NOT have a client. At least I didn’t think he did.
“JACE!”
A voice cut through the bar.
Jace’s head snapped around before mine had a chance.
The grin that spread across his face told me exactly who it was.
Finn.
“Oh my God.”
Finn pushed through the crowd. The coffee felt like it was causing a tightness in my chest.
“I am so sorry,” Finn said.
Jace laughed. “For what?”
“I turned around at Steamworks and you vanished.”
“You disappeared!”
“You disappeared first!”
Finn wrapped him in a hug. Then Finn stopped, looking at me.
“Oh, hey Dylan,” he said with a smile.
“Hey, Finn.”
“Hold on.” Finn pointed between us. “How do you know Dylan?”
“Long story,” Jace said.
“Not the worst outcome,” Finn said, giving me a knowing smile before turning to Jace. “Come on.”
“What?” Jace asked.
“You’ve got people to say hi to.”
“Right now?”
“Yes, right now,” Finn said, sounding relieved.
Jace looked at me like he was deciding whether to stay or go with his new friends.
“Jace, go,” I said, laughing.
Finn dragged Jace behind him, Jace looking back one more time before disappearing to the patio.
Sitting at the bar, finishing my first cup of coffee, I finally felt everything go quiet. No more questions. No more of that sweet small-town honesty.
Mark came back from the restroom just in time to see Finn dragging Jace away.
“Well. There goes your emotional support twink.”
“Shut up.”
Mark laughed and stole one of our fries.
I could hear Jace and a group of guys laughing, Jace trying on one of his new friends’ sunglasses and having a good time. I finished ordering a coffee — this time with a touch of Baileys from Jeff.
I looked over once. Catching Jace looking at me.
Catching me smiling at him.
And me letting him catch me smile back.