I hope you enjoy this! Morgan's big speech is inspired by a tumblr post ><
I love you and happy birthday!
Morgan laid sprawled out on the bed, a photo album in his hands. Over the years he’d printed out all the photos that were important to him, saving them in this album so that if anything ever happened to his phone or computer where they were stored, he would never lose these.
He was flipping through, eyeing the pictures he loved so much even if they made his heart ache, when a voice called to him from downstairs.
“Hey dad! I’m home!”
Morgan shot up immediately, tucking the album away and jogging downstairs to tug the lanky boy into a hug.
“How was the game?”
“Great! We won. I didn’t go out with the guys afterwards though since you told me I had to be home by ten.” He rolled his eyes lightly. “I’m starving. Didja make anything?” He arched an eyebrow, knowing that his father would typically only make dinner for his benefit. He wasn’t anorexic, of course, but Brogan didn’t think the man ate as much as he should.
“No but I will now.” Morgan nodded, heading off to the kitchen with his son following.
Yes, Morgan Lansing was a single father. It was when he was only 22 that he’d gotten the call from the girl whose name he hadn’t even remembered at the time. She was pregnant and their one night stand was the only action she’d seen for a year. He was the father. She had demanded his help. He had told her to go fuck herself.
Eventually he agreed to help her with money but he said he didn’t want to be a part of the kid’s life. That was the last thing the little bastard would need, a fuckup for a father.
She had agreed and that was the end of it.
At least until she passed away while giving birth. He was called and had driven to the hospital as fast as he could.
It was love at first sight.
And now he had the love of his life with him every day. Brogan Anderson Lansing, his pride and joy.
He had been clean since the boy was a year old, Andy offering to take the kid in while Morgan finally went to rehab. It was a long process but he had gotten through his addiction and never looked back. Maybe he wasn’t father of the year, but he wasn’t the failure he thought he’d be. He was proud of what his baby had grown into. Brogan was 18 years old and the spitting image of his father, only a few inches shorter at a still abnormal 6’5.
Twenty minutes later and they were sitting down at the table together to eat, Morgan glancing up at his son who still wore his basketball jersey. Number 17, same as Morgan used to be.
“What’s that?” He questioned finally, glancing at the writing on his son’s hand.
Brogan glanced down to see what he meant before cursing loudly.
“Oh…” His other hand came to rub at the back of his neck as he sheepishly glanced up at his father. “A phone number.”
“Who’s?” Morgan arched an eyebrow, smirking lightly.
“A boy from the other team.”
“You like him?”
“Well, yeah. He was fucking gorgeous. Short as hell but he still was trying to block me. It was cute.” Brogan smirked fondly.
Morgan smiled, reminded of the day he had met Anderson.
“What’s his name?”
“Jasper. Isn’t that the cutest shit?” Brogan chuckled as he ate. “I liked him a lot. We talked after the game. We’ve got a date on Friday.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Mhm.” Brogan nodded.
“That’s good. You’re gonna be careful though, right?”
“Course dad.” The boy rolled his eyes, cheeks tinged a light red. He was seventeen years old and the only virgin on his team. He was embarrassed of it really. He’d never even had an official boyfriend. And while his dad told him that was a good thing, he didn’t buy it.
“Just don’t want you getting hurt.” Morgan assured. He was worried for his baby to get his heart broken for the first time. He knew it was bound to happen.
That weekend, Brogan came home an hour past curfew with a wide silly grin on his face. When he saw his dad waiting up on him, he cringed lightly.
“I’m sorry I’m late. But he asked me to drive him home and I did and he said he wanted to show me the cool spot on the roof of his apartment building so we went up there and I lost track of time. I’m sorry.”
“How’d it go?” Morgan questioned, patting the spot on the couch beside him and completely ignoring his son’s apology. He didn’t mind, really. The boy deserved to have fun.
“You’re not mad?” Brogan spoke hesitantly as he sat down beside his father.
“I’ve been thinking about extending your curfew an hour anyways. Now, how did it go?”
“Really good.” Brogan grinned widely. “Shit, I like him a lot.” He sighed, smiling lightly as he thought of his date.
Morgan could see from the look in his eyes that he truly was already infatuated with this boy. It was the same way he’d used to look when thinking of Anderson when they first started dating. Now when he thought of Anderson, it was the same look but more pained and regretful. That was a look he never wanted to see on his baby’s face. So he had to do something about it.
“Alright, I’ve been saving this talk for when you started dating. I was hoping it’d wait a bit longer but I guess you’re getting pretty old now so it’s about time.” Morgan smirked softly as he turned to face his son.
“Oh God.” Brogan groaned. “Do we have to have the talk?”
“Course we do. But I’ve already given you the sex talk. This is… a different talk.” Morgan nodded. “It’s serious.”
“Alright, go on if you have to.” Brogan sighed.
Morgan paused for a moment, sitting back and gathering what he wanted to say. Then he sat up, taking his son’s hand and speaking in a firmer tone than was usual for him.
“One day you’ll meet a boy. It could be Jasper, it could be someone else down the line. But he’s gonna be the most amazing thing you’ve ever laid eyes on. He’ll see things in such a different perspective that it’ll make you question everything you know. He’ll describe things in words you’ve never heard but they sound so beautiful coming out of his mouth that you’ll look them up and start using them yourself. He’ll bring out a passion in you that no one knew you had, not even yourself. And he’ll make you feel something you’ve never felt before. You’ll fall in love with him. You’ll start to catch him first thing in the morning when his hair is all messed up and his eyes are puffy. He’ll try and hide his face because he thinks he looks awful. You’ll tell him he doesn’t but your voice will crack because you’re so shocked. You didn’t know someone could look that gorgeous. He’ll act a little crazy sometimes and ignite a fire in your bones that burns so bad it makes you want to run for your life.” At this point, he paused, gripping his son’s hand tightly before continuing. “Don’t. Don’t you fucking dare, Brogan. You stare at him even if he’s so bright it burns.” His voice sounded strained now because of course, he was speaking from experience now. “Hold him close even though you’re terrified that if you touch him the wrong way he’ll break. Kiss him so hard that you see stars. Trace the scars that litter his body, don’t let him be ashamed. He’s going to make you feel vulnerable, and it will scare the living hell out of you. You’re not used to being out of control. But embrace it. Let the new experience teach you lessons. And most importantly Brogan, I need you to know that it won’t make you a hero to leave because you think you’ll break him. You’re doing him no favors by killing what you two could have. So don’t run. Don’t run away from what scares you because you’ll have the potential to be so much more than a coward who breaks his heart. Love him with all you’ve got. Love him for as long as the universe allows, because if you don’t I swear you’ll regret it. The universe doesn’t give second chances so you can’t fuck this up.” He let out a heavy sigh as he finished, letting his son’s hand go as he realized just how tight he’d been squeezing. Then he let out one more murmured phrase, laced with regret. “Trust me. I know.”
Brogan could only stare at his father, eyes showing his confusion. Morgan had told him the story of him and his mother just a few years ago. He knew his father had never had those type of feelings for the mother he’d never know. They’d only spent one night together. Other than that he’d never heard of his father harboring romantic feelings for anyone. Except…
“Dad. Are you talking about Uncle Andy?”
Morgan only sighed as he stood up, ruffling his son’s hair.
“Don’t worry about it, kiddo. Too late now. Just do yourself a favor, don’t make my mistakes, alright?”
And with that, he was turning and trudging up to his bedroom, chest suddenly tight as his heart ached. It was like opening an old wound, thinking about Anderson and what they should have been.
But he knew, like he’d told Brogan, that it didn’t matter anymore. Anderson was happy with Cove. It was just him that was going to spend the rest of his years miserable and alone when Brogan moved out.
And this thought was what drove him to tug the blankets around himself and drift off to sleep. He would be able to start over again in the morning but for now he needed to make himself forget.
An hour later and he was woken by his bedroom door being opened.
“Andy?” He murmured tiredly as he sat up, rubbing sleep from his eyes. “The fuck are you doing here?”
“I called. Brogan answered and invited me.” The taller man nodded his head as he moved to plop down on the bed beside his former lover.
“Oh yeah? Why were you calling? You need something?” Morgan attempted to speak casually but truly he was a bit nervous. Brogan had just learned that his father still harbored feelings for Anderson. Would he have told the man? Morgan had spent all the years since he and Andy had broken up trying to convince the man he was fine on his own, he didn’t mind being a single father, that he had never wanted to be tied down anyway. Brogan could have ruined it all during one simple phone call.
“Yeah, actually. I was looking for a place to go.” Anderson rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably as he laid down beside the man, resting his head on Morgan’s chest.
“What’s the matter? Cove being a prick?”
“It’s been bad for a while, Morgan.” Anderson sighed heavily. “We’ve been fighting a lot. We just decided to end it tonight. Why make both of us miserable when we could just break up and try to find something that’ll make us happy?” He shrugged.
“Well shit, you alright, dandy?”
“I’m good.” Andy nodded. “I knew it was over for a while, I guess. I just haven’t told you about it because I didn’t want you trying to kick his ass.”
“Which I would have. Still might, yo. Don’t count me out just cause I’m an old dad now.” Morgan flashed one of his signature smirks as he curled an arm around his friend’s waist. “But yeah, you know you’re welcome to stay here, man.”
“Brogan told me you wouldn’t mind. I didn’t think you would. You’re always the first one I call.” Andy smiled lightly. “But speaking of Brogan…”
“Yeah? What’d the little shit do now?”
“Just told me you were having a rough night.”
“Did he? Well I’m fine, he’s just exaggerating.”
“You sure?”
“Mhm.”
“Cause he said you kind of lost your shit while giving him this deep speech about relationships.”
Morgan let out a groan.
“The brat is exaggerating, I told you.”
“He said you were talking about this hypothetical boy who has scars he should love and who he should cherish and who he shouldn’t leave because he’s a coward or else he’ll regret it for the rest of his life.”
“I might have said something like that.” Morgan shrugged lightly, leaning back as if to sleep again, letting his eyes slip shut.
“Morgan.”
“What?” He groaned, opening his eyes just in time to see Andy moving closer until then their lips were meeting for the first time in years.
Morgan didn’t even have to think before responding. Even though it had been so long since he’d done this, he still had every inch of Andy memorized. He remembered exactly where to touch to make the boy shiver, exactly where to move his tongue to elicit a soft whine from the giant. It was like riding a bike. He would never forget.
Andy pulled away far too quickly and then it was Morgan that was whining.
“Brogan also told me that you said the universe doesn’t give second chances. But I think that’s bullshit. Here’s your second chance. You gonna take it?” Andy arched an eyebrow, a soft smile playing on his lips.
Morgan didn’t answer, only darted forward to kiss the man again, arms wrapping around him like they hadn’t in so long.
His entire body was on fire. Andy had always done that to him. It was the good type of fire, but also the kind that he felt in his bones, the kind that made him want to run.
But he wasn’t going to run, not this time.
He had gotten his second chance and he wasn’t going to fuck this one up.
