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“Who’s that?” Dustin asked, spraying the night with kernels.

“The only lad A.J. fancies more than me,” Bren said, slinging an arm around his shoulder. “Surprised he hasn’t ditched me for him yet.”

“Just waiting till I can get back to Glenbridge.”

Dustin oohed and clapped Bren on the back. “Hey, you guys wanna come over? I’ve got Guitar Hero and a butt ton of booze.”

Bren’s face lit up but flickered when he met A.J.’s gaze. A.J.’s stomach gave an unhappy flutter. Was he such a wet blanket that Bren felt like he needed to double-check if he was allowed to have fun? Or worse—had that part of him wormed its way into Bren’s core and taken root?

“Sounds like good craic,” A.J. blurted.

When Bren beamed, you would have thought they were heading back to their spot in the fly gallery.

“Alright. The guys are in!” Dustin cheered before turning to Nat and Brooke. “How about the ladies? Don’t want it to be a sausage fest.”

Brooke shrugged but Nat didn’t look convinced.

“Come on, I’ve got Karaoke Revolution too.”

Nat looked like she was deep in thought as she scanned their faces.

“Only if Bren sings Like a Virgin.”

Bren draped his arms around himself and sang in a quavering falsetto, “Touched for the very first time, like.”

Her laugh was all shudder, and a blinding flash lit up their corner of the parking lot. The chorus of muttered threats faded into the darkness as A.J. rubbed the stars from his eyes. When they cleared, Yu had already zipped his camera back into its bag.

“It’s gonna be a good night for blackmail.”

Bren, who was still rubbing his eyes with his thumb and index finger, stumbled towards the blurry shape with Yu’s voice.

“Is it too late to uninvite him?”

Dustin laughed and clapped him on the back.

“Nah, bro. Senior year. Better take pictures before everyone fucks off and forgets about this town, eh?”

A.J. put his hands on Bren’s shoulders and steered him towards the van. Memories were nice and everything, but he didn’t want one of his boyfriend murdering one of his best friends.

They’d made their exit just in time, because Dustin had begun belting out the chorus to Brencavity the Mystery Cat, which, to A.J.’s horror and surprise, Nat joined in with.

Bren let himself be led to the passenger-side door, and when they were far enough away from the others, he whispered, “You sure you’re OK with goin’? We can back out, like. Say I’m pissed at Yu.”

A.J. swallowed the sigh that bubbled up at the conformation of his hunch. Well, there was no better time to make a change than right now. “I want to go. Make some new memories with you.”

Bren’s face cracked into a smile, but it was cut short as his eyebrows narrowed.

“If you start singing, I swear to God.”

“All alone in the moonl—”

Bren cut his solo short with a kiss and A.J. leaned into it with a grin worthy of Bren himself.

Sing Andrew Lloyd Webber? Get kisses.

What a dangerous thing to teach him.

***