They agreed on a time—thirty minutes before Jack’s supposed arrival—and, with a final reminder that Baz had every right to change his mind, Eevee left.Which appeared to be Sami’s cue to help himself to Baz’s closet to ‘borrow’ fresh clothes that weren’t covered in glitter and alcohol.Fortunately, everything that looked good on Baz looked even better on him.
Sami put on a gray T-shirt (after dramatically processing the alleged shock that Baz owned ‘normal people clothes’) and one of Baz’s more casual dress shirts that he wore open.It was too long on him, too big, and absolutely perfect.
The whole drive, Sami did not stop talking, somehow managing to segue from the nice weather to penguins’ mating rituals, which turned into comments about how surprising it was that someone who wore designer dared to venture this far south in Chicago.As if the South Side didn’t have plenty of nice areas too, not to mention that it was home to one of the most prestigious colleges in the country.Sami should know that, having gone there himself and all.
Baz parked under the long vines of the same rugged tree outside their building as always and turned the engine off.
His legs were too heavy to move.Speaking to Jack, getting clarity, was a good idea in theory, but now that it was time to face him…
Sami squeezed his hands.Baz hadn’t realized they were trembling.
“It will be okay,” Sami whispered.Yeah.Probably.What did he have to lose?Either his life went on exactly as it had, or maybe… Baz didn’t dare finish the thought.He knew better than to get his hopes up.
“Sure.Heads up, if Kaina and Zahra’s love nauseates you, you might wanna have a bag ready.Joel and Eevee are cuter.”
“Oh, yeah?What went wrong with you?”Sami bumped his shoulder.
“I knew I could never compete.”
Sami huffed and climbed out of the car.
This was it.No turning back.
He pushed the door open and guided Sami up the stairs he had walked a thousand times before, creaking under the load of memories: their move, the excitement and relief to have a place of their own, the anxiety when the bills racked up, the joy of building a healthy home for themselves, it all echoed in every step.
Sami accepted the hug Eevee offered without hesitation.They both seemed to have shaken off the surprise from earlier.
The second Sami complimented their kitchen, he and Joel hit it off too, joking and laughing as if they had known each other for years.The ease with which Sami could connect with people he’d only just met was admirable—and usually, a skill Baz couldn’t help but resent.But seeing Sami so comfortable around his family… he didn’t have words to describe the feeling blossoming in his chest, like a hoard of daffodils sprouting around the rose that Sami’s kindness had planted there yesterday.
The apartment with its three rooms was hardly big enough to get lost in, but Sami insisted on getting a tour anyway.Baz’s old room had long been turned into a dining room/home office, but the cracks in the walls held plenty of stories about nights spent huddling on his bed, fantasizing about what life might have in store for them.
Once the road to nostalgia was open, he wasn’t the only one going for a ride.When Sami asked about the pictures on the wall, Eevee shared the story of how Joel proposed.
Baz had kept her out all day doing meaningless errands so Joel could decorate every surface with flowers and candles and pictures of them.Upon their return, Eevee’s confusion about the commotion vanished the second Joel went down on one knee.
Joel kissed the corner of her mouth as she wrapped up the story, and Eevee blushed like she was the luckiest girl alive.Baz sure hoped she was.
“I see what you mean,” Sami whispered.Baz knew he would.Funny how Eevee had thought he and Sami were like them at all.Partners.
In love.
The three-tone harmony of the doorbell shot through Baz like a flash of lightning.All the hairs on his arms stood to attention.
His legs turned to stone, keeping him stuck at the end of the hallway.Sami intertwined their fingers, a solid, reassuring presence next to him.Baz was so grateful he had come.
The air grew heavy when Joel opened the door.
Jack stepped inside, wearing a cautious smile and a too-big shirt and jeans that had seen better days, but at least they were clean.He shook Joel’s hand, awkwardly patted Eevee’s arm like he wanted to hug her but didn’t know if he should.And then, Jack’s muddy eyes found Baz.
Baz squeezed Sami’s hand until his knuckles ached from the strain.
“Sebastian.It is so good to see you.Thank you for coming.”
“Jack,” he pressed out through his impossibly thick throat.Jack’s nod was barely there.He regarded Sami.
“I don’t think we’ve met yet.”
Literally how could they have?Well, here it was.Jack’s first test.
