5
“Ooh, leftovers,” Oscar enthused as he opened the fridge, grabbing the milk and passing it to Ryan first.
They were cute together. It wasalmostgross, but Oscar deserved to be happy, and no matter how lonely he was, Finn couldn’t be anything other than thrilled for him.
There was someone for everyone. He just had to keep telling himself that.
“So how’d the big date go?” Ryan asked, pouring milk over his bowl of cereal.
Finn wouldn’t normally have turned up at all on a Saturday, but he’d booked in a cat to get neutered because the owner couldn’t make any other day.
Oscar had promised to help, and he was hoping they’d all get to have lunch together.
Besides, Oscar and Ryan were his family.
“Well, he’s decided to volunteer with us,” Finn reported, hoping he didn’t soundquiteas excited as he felt.
Excited about helping the sanctuary. That was all.
Mostly all.
Oscar burst into laughter. “He’s got a crush on you. That’sadorable. Is he at least cute?”
“Kinda cute,” Finn admitted.
Oscar raised an eyebrow.
“Really cute,” Finn corrected, knowing it was written all over his face anyway.
He hadn’t made a move last night—and wouldn’t have, anyway, because that seemed like crossing a line, but… now that Nolan would be hanging around for his own reasons...
“I’m never letting you hear the end of this,” Oscar said. Which, honestly, was about what Finn expected.
“He was more interested in Buttercup than me,” Finn responded. “I don’t think he’s got a lot of friends. Gay, straight, or otherwise. He needs people in his life.”
“You’ve already got a crush on him,” Oscar said, his eyes widening eagerly. “This is socute.”
“Shut up.” Finn looked down into his cup of coffee, his cheeks getting hot as blood rushed to them. “And don’t… don’t do this in front of him, okay? His cousin is an asshole about stuff like this.Idon’t mind being teased, but…”
“Protective,” Oscar whispered, ducking behind Ryan and grinning when Finn looked up.
“I’m not saving you from him,” Ryan said, focusing on his cereal. “You got yourself into this. Leave Finn alone.”
“Yeah!” Finn agreed. “Leave Finn alone. Thank you, Ryan.”
“You’ll pay for that,” Oscar said, but it wasn’t much of a threat when he immediately wrapped his arms around Ryan’s waist, pressing his forehead against his shoulder and sighing happily.
They’d only gotten closer as time went on. And Finn was thrilled for them, but…
Seeing them together just made him realize how badlyhewanted someone, too. Someone to be sickeningly cute with over breakfast.
It wasn’t even that he thought Nolan was likely to be that person. Not really. But it’d been the first time he’d been alone in a room with an eligible, potentially interested person in… a long time. Longer than he liked to admit.
Nolan was in the same position, kind of, so they had that in common. He was a kindred spirit.
Finn had no idea what the hell he wanted, and he wasn’t even sure anymore how to figure it out. Right now, though, he’d come across a wounded person he could maybe rescue. The part of him that wanted to save everyone—animals, people, whatever—liked that.
Plus, Nolan didn’t need much. Someone to listen to him who wasn’t a jerk. Maybe a hug. That wasn’t much to ask.
