CHAPTER ONE
GAGE
“Doyou think I could make a real living out of punching people’s exes?”
“Gage…” Fallon murmured quietly.
“Hear me out. What if they deserve it?” He was trying not to bring up Fallon’s ex, but his new friend looked upset. No, he looked more than upset.
They’d just found out that Charlie was getting probation for the assault charges, and time served, which meant he was going to be walking free—if he wasn’t free already. Lucas had been a shaking mess after the verdict and Frankie had whisked him out of town.
Fallon had been invited too, but Gage had seen the look on the man’s face, and he felt the same way. No one wanted to be trapped in a vacation house under the same roof as Lucas and Frankie, who often forgot that they got loud. And enthusiastic.
So Gage had swooped in and invited him to start the D&D campaign he’d spent the last few weeks writing. Fallon had never played, but he seemed happy to have something to take his mind off everything, which Gage totally understood on a damn near visceral level.
Not only was he pissed about Charlie’s sentencing, but he was also waiting on edge to hear the paternity results from the test he’d taken that would determine if he needed to make a decision about the child his assaulter claimed he fathered.
Which was a weight he didn’t want to carry.
Fallon attempted a smile at him. “I appreciate it, but it’s fine. You don’t need to punch anyone on my behalf. I’m just hoping that whatever happens with him, he doesn’t do that shit to the next person he dates.”
Gage hoped the guy’s dick rotted off, but that seemed…uncharitable, so he kept that to himself. “Let’s head in. The party’s waiting for us.”
He reached for Fallon’s hand to tug him along, but Fallon took a step back, shooting the game shop an uncertain look. “I don’t know if I should come inside. What if everyone thinks I’m a total weirdo?”
“No offense, dude, but it’s Dungeons and Dragons. Everyone at the table is going to be a total weirdo.”
“You’re not,” Fallon said. “You’re all hot and charming and nice.”
Gage’s face erupted into a hot blush. “Dude. Just get to know me a bit better and you’ll change your mind. Trust me.”
Fallon’s gaze was fixated on the shop doors, and he bit his lip. The windows were foggy, so it was hard to see inside. People tended to mistake the Snake and Apple for a porn shop instead of a gaming shop, but Gage didn’t mind all that much.
He liked when his campaigns were smaller, though he was really starting to miss Lucas’s presence. He understood why Lucas wasn’t coming anymore. Oliver had made Lucas feel like shit, and no one seemed overly keen on defending him to the point that Gage was debating about whether or not he wanted to go back.
But Fallon had been through it, just like him. He’d been attacked by his ex and stalked and emotionally tormented. And Gage was still processing everything he’d learned about the night he was drugged, so having a space like this to escape and forget for a little while helped.
“Yeah,” Fallon eventually said, “but being autistic, I’m usually the weirdo of the weirdo group.”
“Lucas is—” Gage stopped. He was about to remind Fallon that Lucas was also autistic and everyone loved him, except that didn’t end up being true.
“Not all autistics are alike, you know,” Fallon said with a small sniff. “Not to mention, I’m trans, andalso, I have no idea what I’m doing. I’ve only done this kind of thing with video games. I know it’s not the same, and I don’t want to be the one guy who doesn’t get it.”
Gage’s fingers twitched, and then he gave in and reached over, touching the back of Fallon’s wrist. He used the same firm pressure he did with Lucas, and he saw Fallon’s shoulders sink down with relief. “I’m going to be sitting next to you, and I don’t mind helping you out. No one will care that you’re new. And if it sucks or if people are mean, you and I will both stop the campaign and leave.”
“You don’t need to do that because of me.”
“Trust me, if anyone is shitty, I’m getting the fuck out of there.” He shoved his keys and phone into his pocket, then extended his hand, palm up. “Do you want to hold my hand?”
Fallon’s eyes went wide behind his glasses. “Why?”
“Sometimes it helps people feel better. And I’m great at holding hands.” The suggestion was half-helpful and half-selfish because fuck, he liked Fallon, and he wanted more reasons to touch him.
But he also knew it was too soon for anything more than that. For both of them.
“That could be nice,” Fallon said after a long silence.
His heart sped up a little in his chest as Fallon pressed his palm to Gage’s, and his fingers explored his hand for a second before linking with his own.
