Finn had, and they weren’t really fun anymore.
“Well, I guess I’d better leave you two love birds in peace,” Gavin said, standing again.
“Great to talk to you again,” Finn said, offering him a broad smile.
“Yeah, uh. You too,” Gavin responded, standing in such a hurry that the beer in his hand sloshed over the edge of the glass and onto his tuxedo. He cursed under his breath and made a quick exit, heading for a table with paper napkins on it to mop up the spill.
Finn managed not to laugh, but he couldn’t help grinning at Nolan, who was grinning right back.
“That was the hottest thing anyone’s ever done for me,” Nolan said. “Not the kiss, the thing with Gavin. To see him not getting his way justonce…I can never repay you.”
“No repayment necessary,” Finn said.
The kiss wasn’t hot? Because it had been forFinn.
“Happy to be of help,” he added.
Maybe Nolan really wasn’t interested. Although, he was still clinging to Finn’s hand.
When Finn glanced up, Gavin was still looking at them. He was trying not to be obvious, but Finn could feel the weight of his pissed-off gaze.
“Hey,” Finn began, shuffling into the corner so he could lean against the arm of the couch, spreading himself out on the wide seat so there was space between his legs. “Come sit with me.”
Nolan looked up, eyes wide.
“I don’t… I mean, you really don’thaveto…”
“Scared of cuddling with a vampire?” Finn teased.
Nolan wet his lips. “Not if you’re not scared of cuddling with a werewolf.”
“No full moon,” Finn nodded to the clear night sky above. “I feel pretty safe. And I really wanna sell this.”
Nolan laughed, but then moved into the space between Finn’s legs, letting himself lean against his chest. “I can’t believe you’re using me to get back at my own cousin.”
“I can’t believe you’re usingmeto get back atyourown cousin,” Finn retorted, shifting again to get comfortable.
It took a little awkward maneuvering, but eventually they managed to get into a position where they were both comfortable. Finn had one arm wrapped around Nolan’s waist, the other one free so he could still get at his drink on the small table beside them.
It was still mostly full, so he didn’t have even theslightestexcuse for this. He just… wanted to cuddle.
And he wasn’t getting any other offers, and Nolan hadn’t exactly put up a fight over it, either.
Finn was just starting to think that maybe it wasn’t so much that Nolan wasn’t interested as he hadn’t noticed Finn was. He also wasn’t entirely sure how to change that without taking the risk of finding out that Nolan actuallywasn’tinterested, and making things awkward between them.
Making a new friend was enough for Finn if that was all Nolan wanted, and he didn’t want to leave him thinking otherwise.
“I never planned to use you,” Nolan said once he was settled comfortably. “I just wanted not to look as pathetic as usual for once in my life in front of him.”
“I don’t really feel used,” Finn murmured. “And you’re not pathetic.He’spathetic. He tries to make other people feel bad about themselves because he thinks it’ll make him feel better abouthimself.”
Nolan sighed.
These were all things heknew, Finn realized. He didn’t idolize Gavin, and he knew he could do wrong.
But Nolan also didn’t have many people, so he was stuck with the crappy one hedidhave.
Well, he’d have the sanctuary now. Historically, it’d been just as good for humans as it was for animals.
