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“Is what it is. They sucked, and so did the system. And I had the misfortune of dealing with small-town shit where town people are way too up in your business. I don’t think I want to deal with that ever again.” Oliver stopped, then glanced at him as traffic speed picked up a bit. “Hey, where are you from? I realized I never asked, and you seem like a tourist.”
Victor shrugged, letting Oliver move away from the subject of his parents. He understood well enough the absolute need to avoid the past. “Santa Teresa.”
Oliver nodded. “Nice place. Not too far from here.”
It wasn’t. It was a nice mix of large city with a small-town feel, tucked in a cove along the coast. It was the perfect place for someone like Victor…except that wasn’t really true. It was the perfect place for the man everyonethoughthe was.
The man he assumed he should be.
And that was weighing on him heavier now than it ever had.
“You’re making the face again,” Oliver pointed out. “Your constipated thinky face.”
Victor let out a breath. “Do you mind if we not talk about it?”
“Boundaries. Got it. I’m a big fan,” Oliver said, winking.
Victor nodded, and while he appreciated it, he still felt like shit. Oliver had been nothing but kind. Victor was the one with all the panic and tragedy. He looked over at Oliver and saw a thoughtful expression on his face. Suddenly, he was desperate to know something. Anything.
“Oliver?”
“Hmm?”
“Tell me three good things you’re thinking right now.” Maybe that was crossing a line, but he didn’t take it back, even when Oliver cocked his head to the side and his brows rose.
“Threegoodthings?”
Victor nodded. “Please.”
Oliver brightened, and he laughed. “Okay. I guess things did get a little heavy back there.” He reached for Victor’s hand and kissed the inside of his wrist, making Victor’s heart pound against his chest. “The first is that today is a great day already, and it hasn’t even started yet.”
Victor licked his lips. “Okay.”
“The second…I’m feeling happy, which, sub-thought, is kind of a weird thing for me because my job has been sucky lately, and school is nothing but stress. It’s a nice change.”
Victor wanted to hold him but settled for rubbing a gentle touch over his palm. “And the third?”
“That I’m glad I get to spend the day with you. That leads into another spiral of thoughts about how I’m glad I met you,” Oliver said with a grin that made his cheeks look all puffy and sweet. “But you only asked for three, and I think I gave you, like, five.”
“It counts,” Victor said softly.
Oliver laughed. “You’re so generous, darling.”
They continued to hold hands in the silence, and Victor continued to bask in how good it all felt, even if it was—technically—bought.
“Thank you for today,” he said eventually.
Oliver let out a small laugh. “Aw, honey. We haven’t even done anything yet.” He went quiet for a second, glancing at Victor’s frown, then said, “Wanna tell me what’s onyourmind?”
“Three things?” Victor asked.
Oliver shrugged and squeezed his fingers. “As many as you want. If you want to talk about what’s gotten under your skin.”
Victor didn’t. He really didn’t. It made him feel pathetic, but Oliver deserved honesty. “It’s already a better day for me than most because without you, I would have called a cab and done this on my own. And I would have enjoyed it, but it would have been sad and lonely.”
Oliver scoffed, even as his cheeks pinked slightly. “Come on, now. Maybe the museum tour guide’s going to be tall, dark, handsome. Mystery man type, you know? With a tragic backstory but sunshine personality who sweeps you off your feet. And you’d fall for him and kiss in that big tunnel with all the fish and get married and spend your nights feeding shrimp to the skates.”
Victor couldn’t help a small laugh. “Iknewyou’ve fed them before.”
