Page 25 of Johann

Jay liked it too.

Jay loved when family dinner fell on a Monday.

It made up for him not having any work to do, no café to go to, even to pop in and check in on his coworkers. He did that sometimes, and Alicia always made sure to give him a free coffee drink, winking and warning him not to tell Colin, and then Colin would always make sure to give him a free pastry, frowning and warning him not to tell Alicia.

He wasn’t allowed to bring any food to family dinner, of course, but he was allowed to bring the wine. Roman had admitted, after extensive taste tests, that Jay knew how to choose a wine.

Because I taught you so well, Johann.

Vee’s voice in his head caught Jay by surprise. He hadn’t heard it in…well, not since he’d seen Alexei in the alleyway. How funny, that he didn’t really hear her in his head when Alexei was around. Too many other things to focus on, he supposed.

Alexei’s scrumptious smell. The way it felt touching him. The way it felt being touched by him. Jay did a little happy shimmy at the memory, pressing Danny’s doorbell even though he knew he was welcome to come in without doing so, just because he liked hearing the little chime.

Maybe by next week, he’d even be able to bring something he’d made himself! Syrniki. Wouldn’t that be nice.

He was ushered in by Danny, who let Jay open the wine and fill up glasses while he and Roman put the finishing touches on dinner—some creamy French chicken dish that smelled like yummy garlic.

Jay liked that Danny insisted on a weekly family dinner with human food, even though none of them technically needed it. He liked even more that Danny includedJayin it, even though he wasn’t technically family, neither a Kingman brother nor significant other.

Soren and Gabe arrived not too long after Jay, holding hands like they always did anytime they were in the same room. Danny liked to tease that they were Velcroed together, but Jay could tell it made him happy to see it. Danny always got this glowing, pleased look, seeing his older brother so content.

Gabe and Danny hugged while Soren—who was the most dressed up of all of them, wearing some elegant silk blouse and tapered black pants—shot Jay a smirk. “Jaybird, what have I told you about arriving fashionably late?”

“That I’m terrible at it because I’m too eager for everything all the time.”

“Exactly,” Soren said, but he gave Jay a kiss on the cheek anyway, which was unexpected and extra nice.

Gabe gave Jay a little shoulder squeeze in greeting, looking like he’d let Soren dress him again; his shirt was much too tight for it to have been his own choice in clothing.

Jay beamed up at him. He liked Soren’s mate. He was very nice to Jay and also quite handsome. He might even have been Jay’s type—tall and strong with nicely large hands—if he weren’t so perfect for Soren already. Gabe’s presence in Soren’s life had made Jay’s old friend kind of…soft, in a way he’d never been before. Jay approved. Soren deserved nice things. He’d had too much bad in his life before, and it wasn’t really fair at all, because underneath all the snark and the sass, he had a big, giant heart.

That was a little secret, though, just among the family. And Jay.

They all sat down to eat, catching up on hospital gossip (in the case of Danny and Gabe), and Ferdy updates (in the case of Danny and Soren). Roman mostly watched his mate, his every reaction to the conversation in tune with what made Danny smile, or frown, or wave his fork around in excitement.

And Jay watchedeveryone, happy to be surrounded by such nice vampires. He didn’t know what he’d done to deserve it—or rather, hedidknow he hadn’t done a single thing—but he felt very lucky anyway.

He waited until dessert—a flourless chocolate cake Danny had baked—to make his announcement, setting his fork down next to his plate and folding his hands in the way he’d seen serious businesspeople do in movies. “So. I’m seeing someone.”

The surrounding conversation halted immediately, and three pairs of eyes blinked in astonishment—practically in unison, which kind of made Jay want to giggle. But he was busy making a serious announcement, so he took a sip of wine instead.

“You’redatingsomeone?” Danny finally asked, reaching a hand out to grab Roman’s arm for some reason.

Jay cocked his head, considering. “Well, I’m not sure if it’s dating, exactly. I’m biting him, and he’s teaching me about sex and also some cooking. Or maybe baking?” Jay wasn’t sure, actually, if pancakes counted as cooking or baking.

Danny gave a strangled cough. “He— I’m sorry, what? I could have taught you that, if you wanted.”

At Roman’s, “Not fucking likely,” Danny clarified, “The baking. I could teach you thebaking. I’ve gotten pretty good at it.”

“Oh God, this is that mobster, isn’t it?” Soren asked, shooting a weird look at Danny, whose eyes widened.

“The one you like the smell of?Oh.” Danny shot his own meaningful look back at Soren.

“Stopdoingthat,” Jay snapped, then slapped his hand over his mouth in horror. Oh no. Oh no, no, no. He didnotsnap at his friends. That wasn’t acceptable behavior. Not one bit.

Rude boy. Not fit for company. Vee’s voice in his head sounded almost gleeful chastising him. Of course it did. She’d always loved finding fault. And there was so much fault to find.

Jay’s chest felt tight, his stomach a strange, solid rock. “I’m sorry, everyone. I’ll go.” He pushed his chair back from the table.

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