Page 43 of After the Siren
‘Don’t tell anyone,’ Theo said. Not quite into Jake’s hair.
Jake snorted. It verged on a snuffle. Theo realised that he wanted to kiss the top of Jake’s head, which was ... it was absolutely not a thing he should want, or be thinking about. Even if Jake had settled into his arms as though he was meant to be there, even if Theo could feel every breath he took.
‘This is cute,’ a familiar voice said. Theo looked up. Xen and Paddy were looking down at them. ‘Can’t believe the two of you snuck off to snuggle without inviting us,’ Paddy continued, sliding into the booth next to Jake. Xen took the other side of the booth.
‘I wanted a hug,’ Jake said. Xen and Paddy didn’t seem to think that was out of the ordinary, so presumably Theo wasn’t the first person to be asked for a hug in a time of need. He wasn’t going to have any feelings about that.
‘You okay?’ Xen asked. Theo wasn’t sure if it was directed to him or to Jake, so he answered for both of them.
‘We just did some Valentine’s Day social media. With Greg.’
‘Yikes,’ Xen said.
Paddy wrapped an arm around Jake from the other side and Jake transferred the snuggle to him. Which was for the best, even if Theo felt oddly bereft without Jake pressed against his chest. He still had one arm around Jake’s shoulders, so he left it there while Jake nestled into Paddy’s side.
‘It was a kind of quiz,’ Theo explained. ‘Questions about our best-ever dates and stuff.’
‘Ah,’ Xen said, clearly getting it. ‘I don’t think they should make us talk about our personal lives like that on the socials. It’s shitty.’
‘I think it was just supposed to be cute and funny,’ Theo said, trying to be fair. ‘It wasn’t Greg’s fault he picked two players in the closet.’
There was a beat of silence andwhoops– well, that was one way for him to come out, Theo supposed.
‘I’m bi,’ he said.
‘Cool.’ Paddy reached around Jake for a fist bump.
‘Thanks for telling us.’ Xen smiled. ‘Sorry you didn’t really mean to.’
‘I meant to,’ Theo said, and realised he had. ‘Maybe not right then, but – I was going to say something, at some point.’
‘Three out of four.’ Paddy turned to Xen. ‘You sure you don’t want to join the club?’
‘I think it’s the sort of club you get appointed to at birth,’ Xen said.
Paddy looked at Theo. ‘I don’t like labels, but I’m not straight.’
‘Cool, thanks for telling me.’
It wasn’t exactly asurprise.Paddy had the air of someone who’d transcended earthly concerns like sexuality.
‘Did you guess?’ Jake asked, perking up a bit.
‘I mean . . .’
‘Was it when he tried to plant one on you at New Year’s?’ Jake asked, in the tone of someone taking a bit of revenge.
‘I kissed his cheek,’ Paddy protested. ‘I kissedyourcheek,’ he said to Jake.
Jake snorted and turned his attention to the latte – probably cold by now – which Theo took as a sign of convalescence. They didn’t talk about anything serious while they finished their coffees, just gossiped about the club and the league and inconsequential things, then headed back to the club together.
Paddy slung a friendly arm over Theo’s shoulder as they walked and Theo leaned into him. Paddy was very attractive, objectively, but having Paddy’s arm around him didn’t makeTheo’s stomach flip the way it had when Jake’s head had been on his chest.
Jake looked back over his shoulder. ‘Stop flirting,’ he called.
Paddy rolled his eyes and let Theo go, nudging him towards Jake. ‘I was just borrowing him.’
‘Give him back,’ Jake said.
