Page 68 of Septembers

Jason laughed, patting his shoulder. “You’re so cute. You know that, right?”

“So,” Theo said, “you’re going to take the train to Hamilton, sleep for a few hours, then take the train all the way back here in the morning?”

He sighed his Theo-sigh. “When you say it like that.”

“It sounds bananas. Stay with me. I promise I won’t do any rituals in the night.”

“It’s not a full moon anyway.” Jason gave them a lazy wave as he walked away. “See you tomorrow, gentlemen.”

“I didn’t even pack pajamas.” Dae’s heart wasn’t in the argument. He was already texting his mom in Korean as Theo called a cab.

༻𓆪 𓆩༺

Theo and Jordan had put effort into making their apartment cool and comfortable in the cheapest way possible; amateur art bought at markets, knick-knack-filled hand-painted clay pots they’d made during craft night, and thrifted bookshelves filled with worn-out, second-hand books. But they did have one expensive centrepiece: their glorious couch, Céline Divan. She was a soft, inviting, powder blue sectional that seated four (five if they squeezed).

At Theo’s insistence, Dae sat to wiggle into her soft embrace. “But it’s not a divan. Aren’t those the ones in old paintings?”

Theo clicked his tongue. “Why are you like this?”

Dae laughed and stood. “It’s a very nice couch.”

“Don’t tell me,” Theo said, nodding to Céline, and Dae, like the adorable, accommodating dork he was, patted her cushion.

“You’re a very nice couch, Céline.” He then put his hands in his pants pockets like he was in a magazine photo shoot and surveyed the apartment. “No Jordan?”

“She’s staying in a hotel with the rest of the music club so they can catch up. They’re probably harmonizing their entire conversation or something equally as impressive and obnoxious.”

He smiled and the amusement of the moment settled into a nervous energy Theo hadn’t been prepared for. So, he and Dae were alone. It wasn’t a big deal. It was the smallest of deals, in fact. They’d been alone together plenty of times before and, Theo was sure, would be plenty of times in the future.

Still. When Dae looked at him, his stare intense, Theo blurted out, “Pajamas!” Dae took a step back in shock and Theo cleared his throat. “You said you need pajamas. I’ll find you some.”

He commanded his heart to shut the fuck up as he escaped into his room and rummaged through his drawers to find a t-shirt that wouldn’t be snug on Dae, since it seemed he’d gone to Korea to do nothing but pushups. By the time he found one (that was originally his anyway) Dae was at the bedroom door, gazing at Theo’s wall—almost every inch of which was covered with his stickers.

“I don’t understand.” His voice was a whisper. “I arrange all the orders myself.”

Theo wasn’t sure why he was scared, like this was too much, too obsessed, too revealing. “I have a PO box for Jordan’s stuff, so I don’t have to give out her real address. Creepy stalker prevention.”

“But why?” He shook his head, his mouth parting in shock, and maybe something a little like awe. “I would’ve sent them for free.”

“That’s why. I wanted to support you.” It wasn’t about the money. He knew Dae’s stickers were popular enough that he didn’t need Theo’s monthly orders, but he loved the confidence and sense of purpose it gave him to know he was giving people joy.

“Theo, this is…” He shut his mouth, the muscles in his jaw working to keep it that way. They stood for a while, Dae gazing at the wall, Theo gazing at him.

Dangerous.

“Plus,” Theo said, his voice way too loud after such a quiet moment, “it helps when I’m missing you. Makes me feel like a piece of you is hanging on my wall.”

He hid his smile. “Next it’ll be my hair, then my skin.”

“Don't give me ideas.”

He shivered dramatically. “I’m locking the door tonight.”

“Like that could stop me.”

Dae finally looked at him, his dark eyes sparking with something Theo couldn’t handle. “I don’t think anything could stop you if you wanted something.” Theo had almost forgotten the pull Dae had, the way his presence commanded his attention. But then he blinked, shaking his head and backing away. “Do you have extra blankets?”

It took Theo a moment to catch up to the shift and catch his breath. “No, that’s a grown-up thing to have.”