Lan flushes from embarrassment, but his smile says he’s not sorry. “Oh, was this yours? I’m not sure you can prove that.” He shrugs, rising gracefully to his feet. I laugh; the nostalgia is a welcome memory this morning.
“I didn’t know you were close to here again,” I tell him as we move off to the grass so Craig can explore. This was one of his favorite places to run when he lived with me, so I’m not shocked to see him here. He must have moved into his own place since I saw him last.
“Yeah, I moved in almost two weeks ago. It was supposed to be the first, but a unit opened up early, so I got lucky. Sharing a bathroom with Penelope is a challenge I’m not sure we would have survived for too much longer,” he laughs. “It’s weird to have my own space again, but at least I can unpack, finally.”
I’ve been to Penelope’s apartment a few times, and I’m honestly surprised they survived as long as they did. It’s hardly big enough for one person. “I bet. I know how long you take to get ready,” I tease. Harlan sticks his tongue out like the brat he is. Craig starts to get antsy when he explores all there is to discover within the confines of his leash. “I need to get him to expend more energy. Want to run with us?”
Harlan nods eagerly and takes off down the path. “Keep up, Molina!” His shout carries back on a laugh, and I growl.
“C’mon, Craig. We’ve been training for this,” I encourage the little sausage at my feet, as we sprint toward a retreating Harlan. I do my best to keep my eyes on his back, instead of the way the shorts hug his ass, because friends definitely don’t check out their friend’s ass.
I’m breathless and ready to quit when we finally get close enough to hear his rapid footfalls. Craig is panting but doing his level best to keep up the pace with his short little legs. I slow ourspeed and call ahead, “Harlan!” His head swivels, but he keeps moving, a challenge glinting in his eyes. “It must feel so good to outrun a dog with stubby legs.” Steering Craig to the grass, I collapse next to him, staring at the sky.
“Getting old, Darío. What a shame that the big bad center fielder can’t keep up,” Harlan jokes when he gets close. Without looking at him, I give him the finger, while I let my lungs fill with air. “Here, puppers. Have some water. You did so good! Next time you can run with me, since this old man is clearly out of shape.” Once he’s made sure Craig had enough to drink, he stares down at me with a smirk. With a speed he wasn’t expecting, I take him down, pinning him to the ground, eliciting a loud shriek from him.
“Are you done talking shit yet, brat?” I snarl, but he’s laughing so loudly—more of a cackle, really—I can’t keep my own laughter from escaping. “Next time we can run without the dog, and I’ll remind you how fast I am.” Our laughter dies down as we stare up at the sky, not at all concerned with the damp ground beneath us. The silence is comfortable, so neither of us speaks for long minutes. My stomach growls obnoxiously, which has Craig investigating the source of the noise. I remind him it’s his fault that I couldn’t eat before we left.
“Thanks for letting me crash your run this morning,” Harlan says quietly next to me. I turn my head and see him still staring at the sky above. His lips are turned into a smile, and I track the constellation of his freckles as he admires the beauty spread out around us. Craig moves to snuggle up to Harlan, with his head in the crook of his arm. I’m tempted to tell him not to let the beast fall asleep so I can nap when we get home, but they look precious together. Craig starts snoring, while Harlan mindlessly scratches between his ears.
“I’d say you’re welcome to join us every morning, but I’ve been trying to get him to sleep in a bit later. Obviously, it’s notgoing well,” I laugh. “But if you’re ever up for a later morning run, we’re in.”
He sits up and starts stretching. I have to look away because those shorts should be absolutely illegal. I envy his flexibility as he flattens his torso against his legs to reach his toes. “I enjoy watching the sunrise,” he tells me. I know this, of course. He’d drag me to the beach every morning when we were in Cartagena to watch the sunrise. “I missed a lot of them when I was in London, so I promised myself I wouldn’t miss any when I came home.”
“You were always meant for Brooklyn, huh?” I ask him quietly.
“Yeah, I guess I was,” he agrees. “That’s weird, right? Why Brooklyn?” Harlan’s quiet for a moment, seeming to ponder his own question. “The vibe, maybe. Coming here, it was the first time I ever felt like I found my people. Penelope, Wes. You, obviously. The guys. Being so close to so much. Beaches, clubs, mountains. We can get to it all within driving distance. It’s home, and I’m so happy to be back.” He stands, signaling the end of our morning together.
“I’m grateful you’re back, too, Lan. I know how happy you were here.” I get to my feet next to him. “I’ll send you a text the next time we’re up for a sunrise, so we can meet up.” The bright smile that illuminates his face rivals the morning sun.
“Since I’m in my new flat, I’m having a bit of a housewarming Halloween party. Penny and Wes are handling it, so I’m sure it’ll be a lot of chaos, but if you’re not busy on Halloween, you should stop by. Bring Jules and AJ.” Suddenly, he looks nervous. “As friends, I mean. If that’s too much, you don’t have to come.”
“Harlan, I would love to come see your new place. Send me your address,” I assure him. The smile returns to his face, and I swear I’d do anything to keep this beautiful boy looking at me just like this.
He sends a text with his address, and I notice it’s only a couple of blocks from my house. He departs with a reminder not to be late and that I can bring the dog, as long as he’s also in costume. Good thing I have our pirate costumes at home ready for the occasion.
As Craig and I walk back to the house, I send a text to AJ and Julian, letting them know we have plans for Halloween. The eager anticipation of seeing Harlan again is unfamiliar. I’ve gotten so used to carrying the weight of heavy emotions when it comes to him, so to have something fun to look forward to is a welcome change.
The last two days have felt like the lead-up to a big game. I’ve been restless, impatient, and desperate to get to the good stuff. I’m trying not to watch the clock while I wait for the guys to arrive. I’ve already walked Craig and made sure that Harlan’s housewarming gifts are by the door, ready to go.
After our run the other morning, I reached out to a local photographer friend to see if he had any pictures of the sunrise in Prospect Park. He sent me a few options to choose from, and I asked how quickly he could get a large gallery-wrapped print to me. He delivered, and the final product was more stunning than I could have ever imagined. I also picked up a bottle of his favorite white wine, even though he told everyone that gifts weren’t necessary.
I’m practically vibrating with nerves by the time I hear the door open. I’m on my feet, completely unconcerned with how overeager I look. When they round the corner, they’re in Sea Scorpions uniforms. It takes me a moment to realize they’rewearing each other’s jerseys, though. I roll my eyes and snort. “That’s the best you’ve got?”
“Bro, the store was empty when we went yesterday. We did the best we could with what we’ve got.” AJ shrugs. “Are we ready to go?” I refrain from telling him that I’ve been ready for two days, as we make our way to the hall. Jules quickly takes on dog duty, getting Craig’s leash attached to his collar. Handing the bottle of wine to AJ, I carefully pick up the picture.
“What the fuck is that?” Julian’s eyes have gone comically wide as I slowly navigate to the door, careful not to bump anything.
“Lan’s housewarming gift, obviously,” I answer with an eye roll. He stares a few seconds longer before I put him out of his misery. “I contacted a photographer friend to see if he had any pictures of Prospect Park at sunrise. It’s Harlan’s favorite time of day.”
“That’s a veryfriendlygift, bro,” AJ remarks. I shoot him a withering glare, and he puts his hands up in apology. “I’m fucking with you. Lan will love it.”
I worry about it being too much and how Oliver is going to react to it, but I can’t do anything about it now. I just knew that after our conversation, it would be the perfect gift for him. Once we’re all piled into the car, with Craig wearing his eye patch, we head to the party.
Finding Harlan’s building isn’t difficult, but parking is an entirely different story. We circle the block a few times before a reasonably close spot opens up. It would be a nightmare to walk down the sidewalk full of trick-or-treaters with this massive canvas. At the desk, we give our names to the doorman, who directs us to the fourth floor. I catch him doing a double take of AJ and Jules, and I snicker.
Jules knocks excitedly as soon as we reach Harlan’s door, but he steps aside just as it opens. There is no scenario on thisplanet that would have prepared me for the vision in front of us. Harlan is dressed in loose, white linen pants, with his chest and abdomen covered in gold glitter. Attached to his back are huge white wings that fall almost to the floor. His eye makeup matches the gold shimmer on his body, and his eyes are as blue as the brightest summer skies. An angel, indeed. I have no idea how long I stare at him, slack-jawed, before Craig’s whining finally pulls me out of it.
“I’m so glad you all could make it,” the angel says. “Please, come in!” I follow him through the doors, still speechless. I dare you to find me a more beautiful human.
