“But childhood is the time to do stupid stuff.If you pissed off a duck now, people would think you’re a dick.And drunk.”
Sure, except Baz had never needed to get into fights with ducks to know he shouldn’t.Besides, an injury was the last thing he had needed as a kid.
His parents would have told him to get over it, but Eevee would have been stressed and worried and begged him to see a doctor.They’d have snuck out, and Jack would have yelled at them for racking up a bill, and there’d have been tears and chaos all around that would have been up to Baz to fix, and… No.Being sensible had been the only choice.Was that really so sad?
The touch of soft lips above his collar pulled him back into reality.Sami’s disarmingly sincere eyes found his.
“Don’t,” Sami whispered, so quiet, the words were but a tickle in Baz’s ear.Baz nodded, though he wasn’t sure what he was agreeing to.
“Shots?”Naija asked.
Better words could not have been spoken.
Chapter eighteen
Theycameinsecondplace; the sports round had tanked them.How had these five regulars at trivia night not filled that gap in their knowledge?
The consolation prize was a round of beers.Baz declined his.He had more than enough alcohol swishing through this system.His future self would thank him for switching to water now.
Suddenly, every table and bench that wasn’t bolted down got cleared away.The previously faint background music blasted out of the speakers.People cheered and whooped.The first groups migrated to the newly created dance floor, including Kaina who declared “this is the fun part!”as she dragged Zahra to the center.
Baz’s mouth grew bone dry.He hadn’t realized a game night would morph into… this.One after the other, he pressed the tops of his fingertips into his thumb, fought the restless buzzing inside of him screaming,danger, get out.
Two fingers stroked along his jaw.Sami indicated toward the door with his head.Oh, thank god.Baz nodded.
“Okay.”Sami offered a soft smile before he shimmied out of the booth and pulled Naija into a hug.“We’re gonna call it a night.”
“All right, baby,” she sighed, her chin resting on Sami’s shoulder with her eyes closed.
“Have fun.Text me when you get home.”
“Will do.You two enjoy yourselves.Be safe.”
The others, apparently alerted by the hug, returned too, hugging Sami goodbye.Baz offered a quick wave instead.The thought of touching anyone but Sami right now was painful.
Innuendo-rich wishes for a good night followed them outside.A rat scurried away into an alleyway.With every breath of cool air, Baz’s heart rate settled down; the alarm bells faded out.The silence rang in his ears, a peace even the smell of piss couldn’t diminish.
“Better?”Sami asked, rubbing his palms together.
“Hm?”
“You looked overstimulated.Had that glassy look in your eyes.”
He could tell that?
Was that the only reason he wanted to go?
“You didn’t have to leave for me.”
“I’m not gonna risk you being asleep by the time I get to your place.”
Sami’s goosebumped arm slithered under Baz’s trench coat.Peeling out of it without pushing Sami away was quite the act, but Baz managed and placed it around Sami’s shoulders, securing it in place with his arm around them.After all Sami had done for him recently, warming him was a privilege.Even if he was an idiot for having gone out without a jacket in sixty-degree weather in the first place.
“Nice of you to invite yourself to my place yet again.”The tease fell flat to his own ears, too loaded with the truth to take flight.
“You’re too loud to take to mine.The walls are pretty thin.Naija would make fun of us for days.”
Baz had more composure when he had to be quiet, but he wouldn’t argue with the end result.Instead, he said, “Your friends seem great.”
