Matt’s POV
After Brian left my office I sighed loudly in relief and plopped back down into my chair. I knew he would want to give me a hard time about me and Joe. I hadn’t treated him any other way so I guess… I had to give him that…
I just didn’t know that he already knew… that all of them seemed to know, not only Arin, the little side kick in crime…

I thought a moment longer on how to go on, now they all seemed to know, Brian had a moment to make fun of me, but still I wasn’t really satisfied with the situation, still something was missing … some of the control I usually had… maybe it was ridiculous to think like this, but I just had to do it, I had to be the one to make it official.

I pushed my way out of the chair, when a soft knock sounded on the door, I smiled, already knowing who that would be. I quickly crossed the distance to the door and swung the door wide open, making Joe stumble into my arms.
I quickly caught her and crashed my lips down on hers, her lips escaped a surprised ‘Oh’ and I took the chance to slip my tongue in her mouth, having a taste of her, the first official taste since we were back and in my office, no, our office.
Joe pulled slightly away, breathing heavily and looking into my eyes, a small smile in her face. “What was that about?”
“The kiss?” I asked her with a smirk.
“No, this talk and everything, Brian left chuckling, high-fiving with Zack… they were like little school boys pulling a prank on their teacher or something.” Joe laughed softly and I leaned my forehead against hers, a chuckle also escaping me.

“They are the worst… Brian had to give me some payback for the speech I pulled on him, when he and Jacky came out.. and now it was his turn to lecture me… apparently.” I grinned and Joe chuckled.
“So it’s official, huh?” Joe pecked my lips and made a step back.
“Well, they seem to know, but I want to make it like really official. Come with me?” I put Joe’s hand in mine and dragged her into the living room.
I saw Arin sitting there flipping through the channels looking up when Joe and I stepped into the room together, a smile on his face, then a frown when he looked at me, what was that about?
“Where are the others?” I asked, planning on finding out about that later.
“Kitchen… and Johnny in his room? Should I call him?” Arin asked, phone already to his ear.
“Yeah, let him come back to the living room.” I told Arin and gave Joe a quick kiss before heading over to the kitchen.
Brian was having Jacky in his arms, Zack stood on the open fridge gathering food.
“Guys, would you come over to the living room, for a second?” I asked and saw Brian nuzzle Jacky’s throat, still a smile on his lips but both nodded while Zack had a huge smirk on his face looking at me… ah I think I would hear more of all this soon.

I watched everyone plop down on the couch, except for Brian and Jacky who sat in the recliner. Jacky on Brian’s lap. I saw her steeling glances at her sister and I wondered what she thought of all of this.
“Good, everyone is here” I pulled Joe to my body and put my arm around her. I barely got a reaction for that move, so they did know… All of them…

“I want to do this the right way, so here I am, telling all of you, that Joe and I are together”
“We know” Johnny replied with a bored tone.
“Well, you still have to listen to me, so pay attention”
“Joe and I, we have been trying to figure out what this thing between us was, ever since we came back from Hawaii-“ I started.
“You are one sneaky bastard! That is why you didn’t let me go for a little holiday” Zack muttered, a hint of a smile, playing on his face.
“Shut up Vengeance, let me finish. So Joe and I have been getting to know each other”
“Over Italian food…” Zack interrupted me again and I snapped my head at him. 1. How did he know? And 2. Couldn’t he just shut the fuck up? I raised my brow at him.
“We got to know each other and I fell in love with her. I love her and I want to keep her” I smirked at Joe, who was just grinning back at me like a fool. I guess it didn’t really matter what I said, as long as she agreed.

“Nothing will change, except for the fact that Joe will move her stuff into my bedroom. For everything else, we both still have to run businesses, Joe and her sister are still in danger, so for all of that…. Everything stays the same. You all understand?”

The guys share some looks between them as Johnny stood up and came to me.
“Why the fuss Matt, we know you like her, we can see that, we are your brothers, remember? Just be honest the next time” He gave me a bro hug and kissed Joe’s cheek as he pulled her in a tight hug and I saw his hands wandering down her back.
“Hey! Cut it out!” Brian looked at me with a knowing look. So this was what he meant earlier.
Zack stood up and just walked past me and pulled Joe towards him “Welcome to the family, we share everything, just so you know” He wiggled his brows at her and Joe just smiled at him.
“No we don’t!” I growled and looked at Johnny and Zack. I had nothing to fear from Arin… I think… notwithstanding, he was standing a little too close to Joe, his arms around her shoulders.

“Fuck! Maybe we should make some new rules! No touching my girlfriend! No lusting after my girlfriend! No-“
“Yada, Yada, Yada” Zack mocked me and I was pushed to the side as him and Johnny made their way to Joe and took her to the kitchen.
Brian got up from the chair as I looked after them, baffled
“I told you so”

Joe’s POV
We had all enjoyed a little time together, hanging out, cooking together, enjoying the meal. All good. I seriously didn’t remember anymore why I was nervous about this. Everyone was so nice to me and so nice about me and Matt being together. I really did gain some family.

As I was unpacking my things in Matt’s room, just as he asked me to, I was confronted with the only real family in this house, the one that was blood related to me.
“Can I come in?” She asked as she appeared in the door opening. I shrugged “Sure”
Didn’t know what to expect, I never really knew with my sister. There were times I wanted things to be different, but then she pulled one of her stunts again and I was back to not really being interested in building any kind of relationship with her.
She stepped into the room and looked around, she wasn’t giving me any reason for it, but I wanted to kick her out of my boyfriend’s room, out of our room, but on the other side… Why would I? She had been nice the past time, maybe it was time for me to loosen up to her a little, Matt would be proud, so I forced a smile.
“This room is so different from Brian’s”
“Yeah? Guess you moved your stuff there too, huh?”
She nodded with a smile “Yes, seemed like the right thing to do” she was silent for a minute and then we spoke up at the same time
“Does Brian make you happy?”
“Does Matt make you happy?”

We both giggled as we looked at each other. She sat next to me on the bed as I motioned her to take the first answer.
“Yes he does, he is special. I really love him, Joe, I think I might keep him” she winked at me. I had always been jealous of her being able to do that. I never perfection it.
“How about you? I always thought that Julian was a bit of an ass” she put her hand in front of her mouth, as if she was embarrassed at what she said.
“Don’t feel guilty about saying that, you are right, he was” I smiled as I saw so much of myself in her face “Matt is different, in a very good way. He makes me feel like no man has in a long time…” I thought about that for a second “Ah, who am I kidding, I don’t think any man has ever made me feel like this. He gets me, he knows me and he still loves me. I couldn’t wish for anything else”.

Jacky put her hand on my arm shortly and smiled at me.
“Who would have thought we would fall in love with two brothers and live in the same house without killing each other?”
“No one, I think...”
“Mom would” she replied quietly.
“Yes, she would, she had so much more faith in us than we ever did. How do you think daddy will think about all of this?” I looked at her, not able to hide the hurt I was still feeling about our dad.
“You know, Joe, at this moment, I am still too mad at him to think about his feelings. Let him come back first and then I will think about it again. But honestly…. You… my sis…. Are growing on me again”
A smile came out on my face, a real one this time, and I hugged my sister. Look at us, being all adult. Things will fall into place after all.

Matt’s POV
“Matt do you have a second?” Arin asked, coming into my office.
“Sure, sit down. I was thinking Brian would do the update on the jobs later… but if you got all the information to-” Arin began to shake his head and I frowned.
Was this about his frown earlier too, something was up with the kid, I just didn’t know what.
“That’s not what I want to talk to you about.” Arin shook his head, finally taking the seat in front of my desk. I closed the laptop, had planned to do that anyway, just wanted to check some of my mails, before heading back to Joe, who had disappeared a while ago…

“Then what is it, kid?” I asked, concentrating back on him, and trying not to lose focus again…
“Well… I don’t really know how to start… I just…” Arin stopped and took a deep breath.
“This sounds serious. Just spill it, Arin.” I narrowed my eyes, I really had no idea what he would want to talk to me about which made him so uncomfortable apparently.
“Okay, listen… I feel really connected to both sisters-” I was confused now, what.. does that mean?
I opened my mouth and was about to question him, when Arin held his hand up and silenced me.

“Listen, and I really mean listen… I am not talking to you as your employee, and I am not talking to you as your friend… well not in the first place, of course you are still my friend… but what I really mean is… I feel a connection to Jacky and Joe… They are my friends, even more, they are a little like my sisters… I won’t allow them to get hurt… I had this talk with Brian and now I want to make this clear with you as well. If you are not meaning this honest with Joe, back out now, before it’s too late. I don’t want to see Joe suffering and I don’t want to see her cry. She seems so tough, but I talked to her and I got to know her better, she is not the tough woman she always wants to be, she also needs someone who will take care of her, if she wants to or not… and I hope you can be that one, for her… Because I honestly think that you make an amazing couple… and she really likes you, Matt. I mean which girl would plan a dinner in your favorite restaurant and go to a freaking arcade hall with you? Which woman would do that if she wasn’t honest?” Arin asked and I opened my mouth, he was in all along, wasn’t he… He knew so much about her and he was giving me ‘the talk’…

“You knew? You helped her right?” I pointed at Arin who widened his eyes… “Well she.. asked me and I… Don’t get off topic now, Matt…”
I sighed, fine… he wanted to hear it… “I am honest about her, Arin. You don’t have any reason to question me. I can’t believe I got two of these lectures today… but I honestly love that you will stand up for these girls… You are a good guy, Arin. And thanks… but I know about Joe, she needs to let me in, and I think I achieved that goal… I love her.”
Arin nodded satisfied and got up from his chair. “Good, so that’s settled… I think I will leave now…” With that Arin moved out of my office, his cheeks red. I had to smile, he was sure something else. Afraid he would go against the grain with me, but still standing up for what he thought was important. I was proud of him in some way.

With that thought, I got up as well, planning to find my official girlfriend now, wherever she was.

Notes

Goodmorning all of you!
To avoid disappointment, no updates this weekend, next one will be on monday.... and I can promise you, it will be worth the wait :-)

In the meantime, read Mei's new story:

http://www.avengedsevenfoldfanfiction.com/Story/67132/Banned-in-a-book/

Have a nice weekend! <3