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Ishir relaxed, finally seeing what Bergy was referring to. Zeewasa pretty intense person, especially with the people he was close to, but it had nothing to do with sexuality. “Oh, no. He’s just like that with his friends. Wait a few months, and he’ll be like that with you too.”
Bergy lifted his eyebrows, taking a pull of his drink. “Well, not withmespecifically, but I’ll take your word for it in general.”
Ishir frowned. “Huh?”
“I mean. Ishir, come on. I’m not his favourite guy. I thought he was going to burst a vessel when Coach didn’t put you two together from the start.”
All Ishir could do was gape. Zee had been perfectly friendly to him at the time. Now that Bergy mentioned it, though…
“You are so oblivious, it’s funny.”
“Shit, Bergy. He hasn’t, like, said anything—”
“No, no. It’s all good. He didn’t break my knee to get my place or anything. You twoaregood together.”
“He’s just very intense about his friendships. He’ll warm up to you. Promise.”
Bergy smiled, but he seemed sceptical. “Sure,” he said anyway.
Ishir didn’t poke further, but the concern stayed in the back of his mind.
CHAPTER TWO
Ishir closed his apartment door behind him. He was full from the food they’d eventually ordered and happy from finally spending some one-on-one time with Bergy.
Zee peered at him from the couch. “How did it go with your old D partner?”
Ishir paused. He would have brushed the tone away if it wasn’t for what Bergy had mentioned. Now, though, he couldn’t deny that Zee sounded a little…uncertain.
Ishir didn’t know quite what to do about that.
“Good. Ate way too much.” He flopped beside Zee. “What’re you watching?”
“Some dumb dating show.” Zee wiggled closer so they were pressed together.
Ishir knew some people were more possessive than others. Not in a bad or controlling way, but in a pack way. Not that they were animals, but scent was important to Zee in a way that it wasn’t to Ishir. Zee always wanted them to be all over each other at the start of summer, make Ishir smell like him.
Ishir had never really questioned it. Had liked it, honestly, smelling like Zee. Being claimed, even if it was in a friendly way.
“Hey…” Ishir hedged. “Are you cool with Bergy? Like…”
Zee frowned, but Ishir could read through the fake confusion. “Yeah, ’course.”
“Okay. Just wanted to make sure you know that you’re not his replacement, and he’s not yours.”
“I know,” Zee said defensively. There was an awkward pause. The stoniness in Zee’s expression crumbled away. “I know. I just…you know.”
Ishir waited him out.
“I just came here and you have your own life and obviously that’s great! Literally, like, I’m so happy you’re happy here. And sorry if I’ve been a bit of a dick. I just…kind of worried that you’d outgrown me,” Zee confessed.
Ishir bumped their shoulders together. “Nah. We’re growing at the same pace. Different places, and in different directions, but you’ve grown too, you know. I mean you’re still a child—”
“Shut up.”
“But I’m not going tooutgrowyou. Best friends for life and all that. Come on, don’t make me be too sappy.”
Zee grinned wide. “But I love it when you’re sappy.”
