“Yeah, and, god, I think I might be.”
“I cannot wait for tomorrow night.” August was all giggles at this point. They turned this way every time they drank.
Luka ate some more fries before saying, “You don’t even like Voltage.”
“Yes, but I love seeing my man happy.”
“I hate you," Luka groaned. “This might lead to the worst heartbreak of my life. What if I fumble a rockstar? That's so embarrassing.”
“That would be tragic," Iris agreed as she sat back down. “Good thing men only fumbleyou.”
“Yeah! I’ll toast to that.” August was getting loud.
Luka toasted regardless and took a drink. “You have way too much faith in me.” He cringed at the alcohol and took the water instead. “You don’t know what goes on in my DMs.”
“Sure I do. It’s a lot of you and Wulf being idiots, swapping art with online friends, watch parties for whatever latest c-drama your friends rope you into, and when you get drunk enough, you go on Grindr and collect dick pics.
“What the hell, you creep.”
“You tell me everything. And you’re fumblingno one.”
“Yeah, because I haven’t dated in a year, or tried to.”
“And what happened before then?” August pointed at the door that Jay had gone through. “He fumbled you.”
“He broke up with me, that’s not the same.”
“Sure it is.” August shrugged then turned to Iris to get her to agree, which she did. They always agreed with each other unless they were fighting.
Luka pointedly did not join the conversation again. Instead, he pulled out his phone and unlocked it. Then, he dropped it into his box of fries.
[Unknown Number]
[image attachment]
“Holy shit!” August yelled and swiped the phone from the fries. “Even I’d hit that.”
“Please give me my phone back.” Luka was burning, boiling even.
Iris grabbed it instead and her eyes widened. “Okay, I get it," she said, then flipped the phone around to show off the photo Reno had sent. He only had a towel around his waist. His hair was wet. His cheeks were as pink as his hair; he must have redyed it earlier. His body was so lean but soft and he had a tattoo on his bicep Luka had never seen before—angel wings and a halo with888between the wings. Luka focused on the silver belly button ring he was wearing, dangling down his stomach almost low enough to hit the towel, and Luka started hearing blood rush in his ears.
“If this man" —Iris pointed a finger at the screen, tapping it with her acrylic nail,click click click—“sent me this photo, I would reconsider my stance on men.” She turned it back to herself and Luka felt his brain come back online. “You sure he’s not an egg?”
“Pleasegive me my phone back.” Luka held out his hand and took the phone, wiping salt off it. “He’s not trans; he’s addressed that in an interview.”
“Oh, good for you," August said, loudly again.
“I think I need to take you home," Luka said. “You’re losing control of your volume.”
“Oh, sorry!” August giggled, then tried again in almost a whisper. “Sorry.”
“It's ok.” Luka pushed a glass of water at them, feeling fond but tired. “I’m calling a Lyft.”
“Aw.” Iris pouted, sticking her lip out. “It’s only midnight.”
“Come home with me. We can stay upreallate," August said, turning the force of their attention on their girlfriend. They leaned forward and Luka checked out, not ready to watch his friends make out in public.
“I’m gonna go tab out," he said, but it was too late; they were all over each other. They probably didn’t even hear him, so he left the table, ignored Jay as he passed him and Zahir at a booth inside, and sat at the bar to pay. He told the bartender his name and while the receipt was printing, he snuck another glance at his phone.
