“Did you go out in that chaos to buy me a fucking comic book?”
“There’s a new pair of reading glasses in there, too,” he mutters.
I stare into the bag in shock for a moment before glancing up at him. “I… am very honored, while also being deeply embarrassed that you view this as a necessity.”
Xeni chuckles as he pulls the comic out. It’s one drawn by a local artist I’ve been collecting over the years, sealed inside its protective bag.
“We can’t go back and get yours,” Sakane explains with a shy shrug. “And you love them.”
“This is really sweet,” Xeni says as he tucks the book into the bag, then pulls out the glasses. They’re basic black plastic frames, and Xeni pops the arms out and pushes them onto my face.
He wears a nostalgic smile as he looks me over. “You used to sit in that chair by my window when you read,” he says, tracing over the top of the frames.
Longing clenches inside my chest, remembering the quiet nights in those tiny apartments. Our love was a secret, but that didn’t make it less powerful. I’d felt invincible with him, and now that I understand how much he’d been dealing with, it’s devastating to know he did it alone.
I worried, sure. Knew that if we were discovered, it would put us in a terrible position, but I never carried the same weight he did.
I didn’t realize our love was fatal.
Xeni tips my face toward his, wearing that same gentle smile as he presses a soft kiss on my lips. “You always looked so slutty in these.”
“Xen,” I groan as Cato gags and Ego cackles.
“How come Sakane gets away with doing stupid shit?” Cato asks with a wave in my direction. “If I’d gone out there to buy pointless crap, you would’ve yelled at me for ten minutes.”
“Sakane’s cuter,” Xeni taunts cheerfully. “He has a face you can’t help but want to squeeze—”
“Thanks?” Sakane says, brows furrowed.
“—instead of that scruffy, scowling business you have over there.”
I heave a loud sigh. “Are the two of you ever going to get along?”
“Doubtful,” Cato says, and Xeni nods, the two of them in agreement for what might be the first and only time.
Xeni crosses his arms over his chest and finds a way to push his weight into me even harder. “Definitely not. Anyone you tried to fuck is at the top of my shit list, darling.”
I choke on a surprised cough as Cato barks a loud laugh.
“Wait,” Sakane says, his eyes growing wide. “You tried to fuck Cato?”
“Let’s get one thing straight,” Cato argues, “I was going to do the fucking.”
Xeni turns wild, claws out and teeth bared. My arms cinch around his waist and hold him there on my lap.
“Down, boy,” I murmur, but he doesn’t stop glaring, so I grip a little tighter.
“How have you never heard this story?” Ego demands, gesturing between us. “Bash was super drunk and heartbroken, which, might I add, is never a good look. Desperation isnotsexy.”
“Noted,” I deadpan.
She continues with a smirk. “He climbed on top of Cato, and they made out for way too long considering they were in public—”
“Ego,” I beg as Xeni’s fingers dig into my arms.
“Yeah, yeah, okay, killer. Forgive me for setting the mood, because it was hot. Anyway, they went upstairs to fuck, but Bash just cried all night instead.”
“How do you know these things?” Cato demands.
