Bennett:
I respected your space.
Jasper:
That was not an answer.
Bennett looked up from where he was sitting on Jasper’s couch, laptop open, socks discarded by the door. He surveyed the room. Nothing had moved. Nothing had been optimized.
Bennett:
Mostly.
Jasper:
Bennett stared at the screen longer than necessary.
He did not overthink it.
When Jasper camein twenty minutes later, jacket slung over one shoulder, tie loosened, he looked tired in a way that made Bennett’s chest tighten.
“Hi,” Jasper said.
“Hi,” Bennett replied.
Jasper dropped his bag and crossed the room without hesitation. He kissed Bennett like it was the most natural thing in the world. Easy. Familiar. Chosen.
The next fewweeks settled into a rhythm. They saw each other three, sometimes four times a week. Sometimes at Jasper’s place. Sometimes at Bennett’s. They learned each other’s routines. Coffee orders. The way Jasper needed music in the morning. The way Bennett needed silence before bed.
At work, they collaborated on two more projects. After the Raptors success, they were tapped for pitches to the Seattle Serpents and the Bay City Blades. Their combined approach was becoming the gold standard for sports marketing in the company.
Their boss, Director Chen, called them both into her office one afternoon.
“Sit,” she said, not looking up from her screen.
Bennett and Jasper exchanged a glance. Chen was known for her directness and her ability to see through corporate politeness.
She finally looked up, studying them both. “I’m not going to ask what happened during that snowstorm. Frankly, I don’t care. What I care about is results.”
“The Raptors account is performing ahead of projections,” Bennett said.
“I know,” Chen replied. “Which is why I’m assigning you two as permanent co-leads for all NHL accounts moving forward. Your rivalry was costing us opportunities. Whatever you figured out, keep doing it.”
She dismissed them with a wave.
In the hallway, Jasper smiled. “Well. That’s official.”
“Professional partnership,” Bennett said carefully.
“Among other things,” Jasper replied.
Their teams noticed the shift. Commented on it positively. No one asked questions that mattered.
Bennett found himself texting Jasper mid-afternoon. Small things. Observations. Jasper would respond with something that made Bennett smile at his desk.
Maya noticed that too.
“You seem different,” she said one day, setting coffee on his desk.
