I guess I’ve been standing in front of the main entrance to the estate for too long, because before I can get the courage to knock in the midst of all my reminiscing, the doors swing open.
“Lan!” Julian shouts as he grabs my good shoulder, pulling me into his arms. “What happened to you?! Your arm is broken!”
“Not broken.” I chuckle, basking in the warmth of his body. I’ve missed him so much, and like I’ve been gifted one last reprieve, I’m not sad to see his happy face. “I’ve dislocated it. I should be out of this sling in less than a week, though.”
“Jesus, man,” he breathes out. “You’re all over the place, huh?”
“You have no idea.”
Julian pulls away, staring at me with hard, concerned eyes for a moment before he smiles brightly and yanks me inside to shut the door. “Come on in. We’re all upstairs.”
“You sure it’s alright that I’m here? I feel like I’m intruding.” I sound misplaced, like I’m stepping onto an alien spaceship, even if this is my third time here.
Well, my second if you ask Julian.
“Not at all,” he assures me, guiding me up the grand staircase. “Bossman already gave us permission.”
“Oh. Okay, good.”
I expect us to go into one of the various rooms on the second floor of the estate, but instead, Julian guides me to a door hidden away at the end of the last hallway on the right.
Remembering the tour he gave us the day after New Year’s, I explicitly recall him telling us toneverenter this door. It leads to the only tower connected to the estate.
“Should we be…?”
Julian laughs, pushing the door open with his hip as he waves me forward. “Things have changed. This is Atlas’s room, but I live up here now as well.”
That sounds a bit odd—though to be fair, he didn’t exactly take us into the other bedrooms either. But being barred so seriously? What was happening back then?
As we climb the dimly lit, steep staircase, I can hear voices from above.
“Cam, no! You can’t play a jack on a queen; it’s against the rules!” That sounds like Atlas, though I can’t be completely sure.
“Three Card sucks,” another voice responds. That must be Cameron.
“We’re playing cards,” Julian explains just as the entrance comes into view.
The door is wide open, with three guys sitting around a neatly displayed card game I don’t recognize. The room is clean and bright, with moonlight streaming in from a fancy skylight.
“Landon!” Atlas squeals, jumping to his feet as soon as he sees me on the top step.
“Uh, hey,” I greet. I’m still not sure how to interact with him or if he knows I used to fuck and get fucked by his boyfriend.
Cameron, who is still just as muscular and kind-looking as he was when we first met, gives me a small, distracted wave as he shuffles through his cards.
And Atticus, whom I only ever met at the sporting goods store, gives me a nod before returning his attention to Cameron.
“We’re so happy you came!” Atlas says, coming forward to grab my hand and drag me into the small circle they’re sitting in.
I shuffle after him awkwardly, giving Julian a startled look over my shoulder on the way. He shrugs, grinning widely as if everything in life is finally perfect again.
“This card game issofun,” Atlas rambles as he plops down next to me on the floor. “I keep winning!”
“Because Julian is counting cards and giving you the upper hand,” Atticus mumbles, a frown permanently shaping his lips.
Julian makes no move to defend himself as Cameron snickers, leaning in to give his boyfriend a soft kiss on the cheek. At this, Atticus finally smiles.
It’s small and personal, but there all the same.
