“Yes, that’s why I said, ‘That’s Ever,’” Arsen said, shaking his head.
Sometimes, it was hard to believe he was the one who didn’t grow up speaking English.
Levi rolled his eyes like he could hear Arsen’s irritation. “Where did Ever come from?”
Arsen looked Ever over thoroughly, head tilted. “Hard to say. He speaks perfect English but has features that are present through many different ethnic groups from Eastern Asia to Central America.”
Levi sighed. “Not where is he from geographically, dude. Like, where did you two meet?”
Oh.“A job.”
“A job?” Levi parroted.
“Mm,” Arsen said. “The abuser with the fancy car. She had him.”
“Had him?”
Arsen made a noise of frustration. “Why do you keep repeating everything I say? Am I not speaking English?”
Levi smirked. “Debatable. But I’m repeating everything you say because you’re not making any sense. You found a boy at a target’s house and you just…kept him?”
That wasn’t exactly what happened. Was it? “He doesn’t have any place to go.”
“Um, foster care?” Levi asked, snapping gum that must have been in his mouth the whole time.
“Don’t let the pink cat ears fool you. He’s nineteen,” Arsen said, feeling a tad defensive.
Levi nodded. “Okay, but you can’t just…keep him. He’s not a cat you found in the bushes. Even if he kind of looks like one,” he mumbled, then said, “That’s, like, kidnapping.”
Arsen did his best to keep his tone level. “He’s an adult. And he wants to be here. He likes me. I’m relaxing. Like that drug.”
“Weed?”
“Ativan,” Arsen said.
It was a lie. At least, at present. Levi and Arsen were doing nothing to relieve the stress growing on Ever’s face. The more the two spoke, the more his anxiety spiked, until he put his hands over his headphones, pushing them against his ears once more, and closed his eyes.
Levi shook his head. “You’ve definitely been hanging out with the Mulvaney clan for too long.”
“Jericho said I could keep him,” Arsen said. It was technically a lie but he hoped if he said it with enough conviction, Levi would just believe him.
“Then he’s been hanging too long with the Mulvaney clan, too,” Levi muttered.
“Technically, Coe is a Mulvaney,” Arsen reminded him.
“You know you can’t keep him,” Levi said.
“Keep who?”
They both looked up as Jericho arrived, pizza boxes in hand.
“Keep him,” Levi said, pointing to Ever, who currently looked like the see no evil monkey.
“Coe, tell him you said he could stay here,” Arsen begged.
Jericho looked at Levi. “I said he can stay here. For now.” He then walked up to Ever and gently plucked the headphones from his ears. “Let’s eat,gatito.”
Ever looked at Arsen, only sliding from the stool when he nodded.
