"Damn right I am. You want to know why?"
"Why?"
"Because you're Sebastian-fucking-Moretti. You survived organic chemistry. You memorized the entire circulatory system in one night just because you were bored. You're gonna be a doctor. This presentation is just practice for explaining medical procedures to patients who are way dumber than these professors."
I laugh despite myself. "That's... actually a good point."
"See? Golden retriever wisdom strikes again. So you gonna celebrate with me after, or what?"
"If I survive."
"When you survive. Text me after?"
"Yeah."
"Hey Doc. I’m proud of you."
My chest goes tight for entirely different reasons. "Thanks."
"Now go destroy that exam with your sexy brain."
I make it through the presentation without vomiting, and I'd swear the professor was impressed this time. Now, finally, it's Friday night, and my sexy boyfriend is coming over.
"Movie night," I announce when Gavin shows up at the geek house. "Just us. Couch. No studying."
"Fuck yes." He collapses on the sofa, pulling me onto his lap like I belong there. Which... I guess I do now.
We get twenty minutes into some terrible sci-fi movie before?—
"Awwwww!”
The front door explodes open with the force of a small hurricane. My housemates pour in like a coordinated invasion of gay locusts descending on unsuspecting crops, each one more dramatic than the last.
"Look at you two!" Leo coos, pressing both hands to his chest like he's witnessing a miracle. Which I take offence to, we aren't that cute just sitting here. "Domestic as fuck! Sebastian's actually relaxing! On a Friday night! Without a textbook in sight!"
Max pushes past him, nearly tripping over the coffee table in his excitement. "Oh my god, you're cuddling. Like, actual cuddling. Not just sitting near each other while Seb goes over his past papers."
JP brings up the rear, phone already out and snapping pictures. "This is going straight to the group chat. Luca is gonna lose his shit when he sees you corrupting our little workaholic."
I groan and try to burrow deeper into Gavin's chest, but he's laughing, the vibrations rumbling through his ribs. "Hey guys," he says, like three hyperactive geeks didn't just interrupt our perfect night. "Good timing."
"We were alone for once," I groan against Gavin's chest.
"And now you're not," Max chirps. "Pause that disaster of a movie. We have important business."
"It's not a disaster," Gavin protests. "The aliens just?—"
"Important business!” Leo's practically vibrating. "There's a Pride event tomorrow in San Clemente. A big one."
Gavin straightens up so fast I nearly fall off his lap. "Pride? Like... actual Pride?"
"Oh, honey," JP says. "You've never been?"
"Idaho wasn't exactly..." Gavin gestures vaguely. "You know."
"We're fixing this immediately," Max declares. "Leo, get the supplies."
"Supplies?" Gavin asks.
