“Dad said to come get you. Breakfast is almost ready.”
“You know,” Sergio begins, thinking about how he’d rather be kissing Jeremy Owens than eating pancakes, bacon, and fruit yet again, “I don’t think I’m that hungry today.”
Henry pouts. “But breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”
“Did your mom tell you that?”
“No.” Henry laughs. “My dad did.”
“Probably because that’s the only meal he can cook.”
Henry holds his hands at shoulder height and shrugs.
Sergio pats him on the head. “Breakfast might be the most important meal of the day for you now, but when you’re older, you’ll learn there are far more important things than breakfast.”
For one, getting more intimate with Jeremy, who he’s been kissing every day for the last however many days, with norelease. At least, that’s what’s on Sergio’s brain this morning over pancakes. After all, how long has it been since Sergio last hooked up with anyone? He’s lost count at this point. That’s like taking heroin away from a junkie. Lou Reed should be playing softly in the background to soundtrack his detox.
“Like brunch!” Henry yells.
“What?”
“Something more important than breakfast,” Henry says, nodding his head with his lips pressed tight as if he’s understanding Sergio on a soul level. “Mommy gets very excited to have brunch with Jeremy.”
“Who wouldn’t?” Sergio smiles.
Henry’s eyes go large, and his mouth drops open. “Are you and Jeremy having brunch?”
“Do you think he would want to go with me?”
“No.” Henry shakes his head.
“Yeah.” Sergio laughs. “I don’t think so either.”
“You should go tell him you're sorry.”
“Why do you think I’m skipping breakfast?”
“I thought you weren’t hungry.”
“I’m hungry for something besides pancakes.”
Henry shakes his head again and hops off the bed. “I don’t understand grownups.”
“You and me both, kid,” Sergio says as he flings the covers off himself and gets out of bed as well. “Go wake up Adrien, then tell your mom and dad I’m skipping breakfast, will ya?”
“Okay,” Henry agrees, then goes running out of the room with both of his thumbs held enthusiastically over his head, thundering towards Adrien’s room.
Sergio pokes his head out the door. “Gently!”
Running, Henry raises his thumbs up even higher, then bursts into Adrien’s room.
Shaking his head and feeling magnanimous, Sergio changes out of his sweatpants and into his jeans and long-sleeved Henley. After returning from the bathroom to brush his teeth, he steps into his boots and loosely laces them. He sneaks out of his room and creeps down the stairs to head outside through the front door. This way, he can avoid Rose and her judgmental eyebrow and whip-like ponytail that she’d definitely aim in his direction if he had to tell her face-to-face that he was skipping breakfast in favor of sweeping Jeremy off his feet. She’d see right through him and block any and all Sergio’s attempts to spend more time with Jeremy, leading to perhaps even more satisfying results beyond kissing.
At the door, before he goes through it, he looks towards the kitchen. Holden and Rose are readying breakfast and are completely oblivious to his presence. Gus, however, spots him and hisses. Sergio flips him the bird, then ducks out the door. He’s careful to close it with the quietest of clicks.
Once outside, the cold crisp morning air hits his lungs, so he blows into his hands then slides them into his pockets. Even though he’s barely been outside, his hands are freezing, and he wishes he would have thought to have Henry sneak him a cup of coffee to hold between his palms to keep them warm. Not that Henry would have been capable of being discreet or delivering the coffee to him without spilling it everywhere. Nevertheless, as he approaches the barn through the trees, he’s jealous of the steaming, warm mug he sees Jeremy grasping. With any luck, Jeremy will offer him a cup and a multitude of warm-up activities inside his lofted abode.
“Hey! Jeremy!” Sergio calls out as he approaches.
