Page 11 of Full Body Hit: Part 2
Auston made an odd, choked-off noise, but made a ‘go on’ movement with his hand when Chase glanced up at him.
“Honestly, that’s about it. I just miss him, I guess.”
“I’m sure he’s thinking about you too,” Auston said with such conviction, Chase almost forgot Auston knew absolutely nothing about Aunix.
“Well. I don’t know about that.” Chase laughed, grateful for a slight respite as the food arrived.
Auston didn’t hesitate to jump in again, though. “What makes you think he isn’t?”
Chase shrugged, inspecting his sandwich. It was huge, and he took a moment to figure out how to hold it so it didn’t come apart in his hands. “I can just tell. And I know what you’re gonna tell me—I’ve heard it plenty from Sammy. But Ican. He’s…one thing is not being able to talk on the phone, or send long messages. But not being able to send a good-night text? Nah. There’s more going on than him being busy.”
It was a relief, saying it out loud. With Sammy, he just nodded and pretended to agree so the subject would be dropped—but he was tired of lying.
He could feel Aunix was pulling away beyond what a busy work schedule would explain.
Auston didn’t seem convinced. “Maybe he’s—”
Chase cut him off. “I’m kind of tired of other people thinking they know more about my relationship than I do. Are there other possibilities for what’s going on? Sure. Are there any plausible reasons forhimto be suddenly so distant? I just don’t think so. There’s something going on. And it’s…fine. Like. If he’s getting sick of me, he’s getting sick of me. I’m not going to die from it.”
Even though, stupidly, it kind of felt as if he would.
“Anyway. It’s fine. I’m kind of fucked up about it, but I’m getting through, okay? Thanks for the concern, but I’m going to be okay.”
Chase took a decisive bite of his sandwich, glad that Auston didn’t have much to say in response to Chase’s little speech.
“Actually, I was gonna ask you—” Chase swallowed. “You know what the coach was saying today about our new defensive system?”
If he was going to sit with one of the greats for a whole lunch, he might as well take advantage of it and talk about hockey. Auston was reluctant at first, but he warmed up to the subject, almost forgetting his sandwich as they got into it.
It was…nice.
Chase couldn’t deny he was in a better mood as he got home, but he still went straight to his nest like he was doing most days. He tried not to overdo it—to at least sleep in his own bed—but he rested better in his nest.
It was hard to give that up when sleep was so fitful.
He liked to doze there, cuddled up to Joey, letting his mind at least attempt to shut off. He floated in and out of consciousness, down, and up, and down, until a buzzing pulled him out of it.
He opened one eye to see who it was and then startled awake.
It was Aunix.
He fumbled with the phone, answering the call accidentally and hurrying to put it to his ear. “Hello?”
“Hey, baby.”
The words, Aunix’s voice, they washed over Chase, it was a physical strike “Hey, Daddy,” he replied, voice softer and smaller than he intended.
“Hey.” There was a pause, as if Aunix also had to take a moment to adjust. As if this were as big of a shock to him. “How are you?”
“Good,” Chase said quickly. He’d promised himself that when Aunix finally called, he’d hide what a pathetic little boy he was being. He wasn’t going to go on about his problems and be a bummer.
He wasn’t going to be a clingy Omega about this.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. What about you? How’s the project going?” Chase asked.
“Wait.” Aunix laughed. “Tell me more about you. How’s your head?”
