Page 119 of Checking Out the Librarian

I only stopped because of the pandemic. I was too deep in.

Connor

I wish you were here

So I could hug you and show you I car

Care

Jonathan

You could use punctuation. That would be a start.

He was such a defensive jerk. Why had he typed that, why had he sent it, and why did Connor even like him?

Connor shouldn’t worry about being perfect, not in texting, not in anything. That wasn’t what Jonathan wished on anyone.

Connor

You keep talking about this punctuation. Should I be jealous

Jonathan

I’m sorry, I’m going to stop doing that

Connor

What

Jonathan

Being an asshole about punctuation

Connor

I see what you did. Or didn’t do

Jonathan scrolled backwards. Why had Connor asked him if he was out to his parents?

Most people made the correct assumption, and Jonathan so rarely had to do that “I’m gay” thing, it was almost a lark when he had to. Well, not really, but it was at least rare. Whatever Connor wanted to know was definitely bigger than idle curiosity.

He hit the talk button on his screen.

“Hey! You’re calling!”

“Yes, Connor. We can use voices instead of fingers. Then I can imagine the periods and ignore the exclamation points.”

Connor laughed. He was so easy.

Deep breath. This was why he’d hit the talk icon instead of video chat. “Actually, I’ve been bitchy about a lot of stuff like that and I need to stop.”

“I don’t take it personally.”

“I kind of have a problem with perfectionism and also a bit with accepting compliments and also with letting things go when I should and⁠—”

Now Connor was laughing uproariously, and Jonathan wondered if a video call would reveal an IPA bottle in his hand.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I sort of figured all that out.”