Are you awake?????
Luan, it’s three in the goddamn morning
But yes, I’m always awake for you
Good because I need you to call me
Okay. Why?
Because I miss you
And I love you
Give me a second to find some clothes
No, no. Naked is fine…
Oh, dammit. You’re lucky I don’t share a hotel room with anyone
Chapter 1
“baby, you can rest assured / I’ll always be there for you”—Little Bit More by Suriel Hess
February 2026
“Is Luan not home?”I ask when Dorothy opens the door for me. He could very well be home and still not have opened the door. Luan didn’t know I was coming. It’s his birthday tomorrow, and I thought we could spend it together. I do have a game tonight, but I asked to be off because I didn’t feel very good. It was a lie, and honestly, probably not something I should be doing when I become the captain this September, but I had to.
This will be Luan and I’s first Valentine’s Day as a couple,plushis birthday. I wanted to be here.
“He is, but I think he’s still asleep.” She steps aside to let me in, not even questioning my presence. “He could be awake though. Luan barely comes out of his room these days, I’m not sure why.”
My eyes narrow. “Youdon’t know why?” Luan tells her everything. When he’s upset, she knows about it.
“He won’t talk. He’s been quiet for like a whole week.”
What the fuck?
I walk past her, ready to storm into Luan’s room to find out what the hell is wrong with him. He’s texted me like usual, so nothing changed there.
“Grey,” Doro stops me, her eyes hold something apologetic in them . “Maybe let him sleep it off?”
Sleep it off? “When my boyfriend has been sulking in his room for a week, I willnotlet himsleep it off. I will go in there and ask what’s wrong.”
So that’s what I do. I mean, this is Luan we’re talking about. Luan’s barely ever upset, and he would definitelyneverlock himself in his room for a whole ass week.
Why didn’t he mention anything?
I open his bedroom door and allow myself inside without knocking, which turns out to be a good thing because Luan’s lying in his bed still fast asleep. Before I inspect his room to find anything that might seem odd, I close the door again to stop Doro and possibly Sarah from peeking inside.
When I look around, everything looks just like last time I was here. It’s all tidied up, no crockery lying around, or empty water bottles. It’s clean. It doesn’t smell weird like he hasn’t opened his window at all, it’s all… normal, fresh. There is nothing odd.
So, I kick off my shoes, because I forgot to do that at the door, and walk over to his bed. Carefully lifting the covers, I sneak inside Luan’s bed, hoping it doesn’t wake him up.
Once I lie next to my boyfriend, I drape my arm over his body and pull him into mine. He makes a few soft sleepy noises, but then he’s all silent again. But I think he woke up because his breathing isn’t as deep anymore.
Then suddenly, he lifts my arm as if he’s trying to find out why there’s an extra arm on his body that doesn’t belong to him. In mere seconds Luan turns around, staring at me with wide eyes.
“Hi there, ba—”
