They moved to the bathroom and did their business, washed hands, and brushed their teeth. Vic got a text from Tawson as they stripped out of their clothes. They set the alarm for nine-thirty before looking at the text.
Don’t forget to set your alarm. Have a great day. I’ll see you later.
Vic smiled at the text and laid their head on the pillow. If all went well, they’d be sharing the bed with Tawson in less than twelve hours.
When Vic woke again, they felt even more tired than when they laid down. The whole apartment smelled like coffee, though. Vic didn’t remember setting the pot that was kept in the small kitchen. When Vic heard movement and someone’s voice, they shot out of bed, half-asleep brain hoping that it was Tawson. But it was a woman’s voice.
They pulled on a shirt and opened the bedroom door. The elusive roommate was standing at the end of the hall. He was wearing a full outfit, khakis with a polo shirt, with his hair gelled into a slick back style. Definitely comes from money, Vic thought. “Oh, hey. I didn’t wake you, did I?”
“I’m pretty sure that was the smell of the coffee,” Vic said. “Do you mind if I get a cup?”
“By all means,” Philip said. Vic knew his name from the start, but it was easier to just refer to him as roommate to others. “You look like you could use two or three of them, honestly.”
“I had to wake up early to drive back this morning.”
The woman’s voice came again and Vic realized she must be in Philip’s room. Vic looked over their shoulder while pouring the steaming liquid into a cup. “Is that the girlfriend?”
“Fiancé!” the woman called out, clearly happy to shout the news.
“That would be her,” he said with a smile. “Happened over the weekend. But we’re just here for a little while today. Her parents are coming over.”
“Oh, um.” Victor didn’t want to be rude and kick the guy out on the one day he needed the apartment. The universe was really against Vic and Tawson having time alone together. Any rational person might take that as a sign to back off, but Vic was stubborn. They didn’t want anyone else. “Are you going to be here this evening?”
“Not if we can help it,” he said. “You got yourself a hot date coming over?”
Vic couldn’t help but smile. Hot was such an understatement when it came to Tawson Lancaster. “Something like that. We can change our plans though. I don’t want to kick you out if you were actually planning on staying here tonight.”
“Say less,” he said. He clapped his hand over Vic’s shoulder and moved to dump the rest of his coffee in the sink. “We’ll be out of your hair by noon at the latest. The place is all yours tonight.”
“Thank you.” Vic blushed and tried to hide it behind the cup. The warm liquid sliding down their throat woke Vic up a little more.
They made idle chitchat for a bit before Vic had to get ready for class. After comparing schedules, Vic noted they wouldn’t see much of each other until next week. Vic left the two to watcha movie and wait for her parents to arrive. They were going out for a celebratory lunch. Her parents were much more accepting of their relationship than Philip’s were. Vic understood his view, realizing that they were practically doing the same thing.
Vic’s two classes went okay. They talked with a couple of the other students, texted Joe in between, and took at least three pages of notes. Vic did appreciate Tawson’s help on the study guide over the weekend. They had a quiz on Wednesday. As promised, after Vic got out of the eleven o’clock class, a text from the man himself was waiting.
Leftovers in my office, if you want. I have almost two hours before my next class.
Vic was about to respond with a gif of Speedy Gonzales when their best friend’s voice caught their attention.
“Long time no see,” Joe said. He was only a couple meters away and said goodbye to the two others he was walking with. Vic held out their arm and they hugged shamelessly. “I’ve missed you. I swear, it’s like we’ve barely seen each other.”
“I was just thinking the same thing,” Vic said. “I was going to ask my dad if I could have a weekend off soon. Maybe we can do something.”
“Please! And maybe I could crash at your place?” Joe’s voice was hopeful and as much as Vic missed their best friend, tonight was not it.
“Maybe tomorrow? I have… um, some stuff to do tonight.”
“Stuff, huh? And does this stuff have a name?” Joe was too perceptive. Vic was also a terrible liar around Joe. Best friends since Kindergarten, Joe could always tell when they were hiding something.
“They might,” Vic said. “But it’s early and we haven’t really labeled anything.”
“But you’re… having sleepovers?” Vic rolled their eyes at the way Joe censored himself. “Is it someone from one of your classes? Do I know them?”
“You know of them,” Vic said. In the back of their mind, their brain whirred with the ease of using gender neutral pronouns out loud. Even if Tawson identified as he/ him, Vic was starting to realize how easy it was to switch it out. As scary as it was when Tawson had done it at the bar, it also felt right. Vic could say it to themselves now, to Tawson. They could say it to their best fucking friend too, right?
“Earth to my best friend. Where did your brain go?” Joe reached out and stopped them. They stepped off the path and sat at the base of the nearest tree. Vic needed to text Tawson back. They pulled their phone out while talking.
“It’s been a long start to the semester,” Vic said. They sent a quick sorry text to Tawson and pocketed their phone. “We have quite a bit to catch up on. Do you want to stay Thursday after the meeting?”
