Jean is surrounded by couples all the time. Everyone seems to have someone else; everyone seems to be in love. And he has… No, he hasn’t got a partner in that sense. But he’s got Jeremy. His Exy partner. But it’s nauseating watching everyone else be so affectionate with each other, and all he can do is busy himself or leave the room. It is even worse when it is his own birthday party that he didn’t want in the first place but the Floozies insisted, and everyone is drinking and dancing like they are at the club—a place he does not ever want to visit if that is how it is expected to dance according to Cat. These people mean more to him than he would ever want to admit, even to himself, but he needs some fresh air.
Stepping outside, Jean takes a deep breath and looks up at the stars twinkling above them, a reminder of just how small he and his problems are. The door behind him opens and Jeremy stands next to him. “Go back, you seemed like you were having a great time.”
“But you weren’t. It was meant to be a bit more low-key than this, I’m sorry. I have no idea how it ended up basically being a house party instead of a small gathering.”
“It’s fine.” He turns back to the sky, wishing Elodie was here to celebrate with him. To make a small cake together and some blackberry jam to fill it with, careful not to make a mess. To grow up with him.
“Jean…” Jeremy places a gentle hand to his arm. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” he replies instantly.
“I’ve known you long enough to know your tells. You can tell me.”
He gazes into brown eyes that unwillingly consume his dreams and feels the knot in his stomach ease, slowly relaxing. There’s nothing Jean wants more right now than to move forward a few inches and brush their lips together, to hold him in his arms and call him his.
“We should go back inside,” he says instead. Maybe one day he will have the courage to kiss Jeremy, to ask if he wants him as much as Jean does. Maybe one day.