“I think I might have missed something,” Declan said, looking around the living room.
“Three days, I’m afraid,” Atlas replied carefully and his hands tightened around Declan’s as if he might flee.
“Three days? How did I miss…?” He saw himself in Reginald’s candy boudoir, reaching for the blue jelly beans and Declan’s heart stopped. “Oh, God.”
“It’s Ok!” Atlas laughed, pulling Declan into his arms and rocking him.
“This part is certainly OK,” Declan said, too stunned to complain or ask questions.
Atlas shushed softly and kissed Declan’s hair. “You accidentally roofied yourself upstairs and you’ve had an…eventful weekend. From what I could make out,” he added.
“No!” Declan begged, not wanting any of it to be real.
“Shhhh! It’s fine. You’re fine.”
“No! None of it’sfine!” Declan leaned back in Atlas’s arms and was bewildered as he absorbed the magnitude of the disaster. “Three days?” He glanced down at himself. “How did I…”
“Ok,” Atlas started, holding up a finger. His cheeks puffed out and he crossed himself. Which was weird because Atlas wasn’t Catholic. He was Methodist and still went to church with his parents a few times a month. Atlas’s lips pulled into an apologetic grimace. “You were completely naked when I found you Thursday night, so I went ahead and dressed you. I also got you into swim trunks a couple of times for a shower. I told you we were visiting a waterfall,” he explained.
“A waterfall.”
“It turned into a whole rainforest adventure from the sound of things,” Atlas said apologetically.
“No!” Declan tried to get up so he could get away, but Atlas held onto his hands.
“You were really cute and I’m just glad you’re alright,” he said sincerely.
“Alright? I didn’t just blow our first date, I…was naked and you had to bathe me and keep me hydrated. This has to be theworstfirst date ever!” His voice was getting louder but Declan couldn’t help it and he could feel the tears coming. His nose tingled and his eyes burned.
“Please don’t do that!” Atlas reached for the box of tissues on the table and passed one to Declan.
“I’m so sorry and I swear, Ineveruse drugs. I mean, aside from the ones my doctor prescribes for my…” he said, flailing the tissue at himself. It was all coming in a frantic jumble, but Declan was afraid that this could be the last time he ever got to talk to Atlas face-to-face. “I just got so freaked out! I told Sage I’d screw dinner up, but he promised it would be alright. Then, Blake came over with the salsa that was supposed to make you take your clothes off. Reginald heard and then he wanted to help—”
“Did you need something?” Reginald asked from the speakers in the ceiling.
“No!” Declan and Atlas yelled.
“My apologies.”
Their eyes swept along the ceiling as they listened.
“Are we…?” Atlas asked quietly.
Declan nodded. “Alone? I think so. He’s good about respecting my privacy when I ask for it.” He took a deep breath, preparing to pick up where he left off.
“Wait!” Atlas grabbed Declan’s hands. “I understandand I had a great time,” he said, his eyes sparkling as they held Declan’s. Atlas cleared his throat softly as he stepped closer and brushed his lips against Declan’s. “Even if you were a worm for most of it.”
“A worm?” Declan parroted. He frowned as the tail end of another memory dangled just out of reach. Then, he remembered his limbs shrinking and his torso stretching as the last of his sentience left him. “Did I…?”
“It’s a delightful story and I can’t wait to tell you when I’ve got more time. How about a do-over this weekend, if you’re free?”
“For just the evening or the whole three days?” Declan said, making Atlas laugh.
“I think I can get away for another weekend,” he said.
“Oh.” Declan was surprised and delighted until he asked himself how he was going to hold it together for a whole weekend when he’d made such a shit sandwich of their last date. “What if I blow that even worse?”
“You didn’t blow anything, Dec.” Atlas tipped Declan’s chin back and kissed him tenderly. “I honestly had a lovely time, once I was sure you were going to be alright. You cooked enough food to feed us for the weekend and it was all phenomenal. We watchedtwowhole seasons ofGreat British Bake Offand I finally got to finish that paperback that’s been in my glove compartment for two years. I can’t finish anything if it’s not on audiobook these days,” he murmured against Declan’s lips. He seemed so comfortable there, as if he’d grown accustomed to holding Declan and taking his breath away.