11:35 🏈🤼‍♂️ is typing...

11:36 Good luck on your exam!

11:40 Read ✔︎

13:35 🏈🤼‍♂️ is typing...

13:37 What're you doing tonight?

13:38 Read ✔︎

13:45 Leeeee D:

13:50 Sorry about this morning D:

13:51 I didn't want to cancel the date last minute like an asshole D:

13:53 I told her I'm seeing someone else

13:54 Read ✔︎

19:24 Call from 🏈🤼‍♂️

19:25 Missed call from 🏈🤼‍♂️

19:27 is typing...

19:30 I messaged all of them

19:31 Image attached

____

18:45 Jesus Christ

18:48 What

18:49 Milo is getting emotional

18:49 This is not a drill I REPEAT NOT A DRILL

18:50 Why tho

18:52 Simon is cuddling with him

18:53 I think he's crying

18:54 Do you have Snapchat? I'll add you so I can send you a video of this.

____

👊added you!

19:02 is typing...

19:03 Jesus Christ what is your username

19:04 It seemed relevant at the time

19:04 Open video snap

— "Simon, you do it! I can't do it—"

— "We'll do it together, give me your hand."

— "NO! I can't do it!"

— "Don't make me physically restrain yo—PARK! Shit!"

— "Jesus Christ—"

— "ROLAND ARE YOU RECORDING THIS?!"

— "SHIT DUDE HE'S COMIN' FOR YOU—"

— incomprehensible screaming, shaky escape camera work —

— "GOTTA BLAST!"

19:06 I'm—

19:06 Speechless

19:08 Roland??

19:09 You added him on snapchat D:

19:09 Read ✔︎

19:10 D:

19:11 He made your nickname "Milo's Toy" :D

19:13 Hey I'm back

19:13 Jesus Christ

19:14 Tricked ya :D

19:14 Still Milo :D

19:14 Read ✔︎

19:15 Leeeeeooon D:

19:20 Okay I'm back Jesus Christ on a ten-speed bike

19:20 Milo is slippery as fuck lemme tell ya

19:21 Read ✔︎

19:22 Dude I got my phone back what's up

19:22 Read ✔︎

19:23 Whatever :T Not like I wanted to talk to you anyway smh

____

19:35 🏈🤼‍♂️is typing...

19:35 I deleted Tinder

19:35 Image attached

19:36 Image attached

19:37 Call from

____

Lee paced his dorm room for the few seconds it took for Milo to answer the phone. The screenshots of Milo's phone's home screen were still visible in the chat when the audio spectrum spiked at the ruffled sound on the other end of the line. There were some muffled voices mingling incomprehensibly before a door slammed shut. Lee heard the lock click.

Lee folded his arm over his chest, perching his elbow on his wrist as he held his phone close to his mouth, his breath caught in his throat. The tingling excitement rippled through every twisted fiber of his nervous system like it had during their last phone call.

"Sorry about that—I had to get away from the guys," Milo's voice broke through the call.

Lee sat on the edge of his bed with a huff of amusement. "Yeah, sounds like it."

A beat of silence passed between them before Milo was saying, "You're talking to me."

"Yeah, I am. I said I would."

"I know. I just... guess I wasn't sure. If you'd want to talk to me after this morning," he said.

Lee dropped his gaze to his lap as he cleared his throat. He rubbed his heel into the rug and said, "I get it. Sorry for being an asshole to you about it."

"It's over now," Milo said, quickly. "You don't have to worry about it. I'm... done with all that, is what I'm trying to say."

Lee smiled to himself as he said, "For me? Or is this where you tell me I'm secretly a part of your Tinder message hit list?"

Milo laughed. "No, you're not on the message list. Promise."

Lee rolled his eyes, leaning on his bed until his back hit the comforter and he could feel the weight on his chest exhaling with his breath. The silence was thin but obvious, like a film of saran wrap stretched over their conversation. They could feel each other though they couldn't see one another, and Lee was content. He simmered in the anticipation churning in his chest, setting his nerves on fire the longer they existed in the quiet.

At last, Milo whispered, "How was your exam?"

"As good as can be expected," Lee sighed. "Where are you now?"

"At the hotel," Milo said and, after a moment, added, "In the bathroom. Everyone's at the waterpark now." Alone.

Lee sat up with a shiver and said, "Skip the intro?"

"Do it," Milo said.

"How pissed were you when you saw me dancing with Roland?" he asked.

Milo sucked in a sharp breath. Lee snickered as Milo breathed, "So pissed."

Lee feigned a pitying, "Aw, poor you." Milo whined incomprehensibly before Lee interrupted him to whisper, "Did you wish that was you up there with me?"

He bit his lip as Milo said, "Yes," like the answer was obvious. "You looked so good up there—"

"I'd probably get you hard just grinding," Lee said. "My ass on your—"

"Fuck. Have you done this before?"

"What specifically?"

"All of it. Have you done it before?"

Lee recalled Milo's question has they were setting up his Tinder profile. Just out of curiosity. He bit his lip and said, "That depends."

"Do you know what you like?" Milo said.

Lee shifted to the side, his sweats becoming more uncomfortable the longer they talked. He rubbed a hand against his waistband as he hummed and said, "Yeah, I'd say so."

"Tell me what you want, then," he said.

"To be in charge," Lee answered. He didn't even need to think about it. He crawled across his bed to lean down and rifle through his desk drawer. "To top. I'd fuck you open with my fingers, Park, I swear to God—"

"Seriously?!" Milo shrieked. Lee startled, the bottle in his hand slipping from his fingers. He cursed as Milo said, "I guess that makes sense. You kind of exude a dominatrix vibe."

"Did—Did you just call me a dom?" Lee squeaked, sitting up on his knees. "That's fucked, dude. I'm not—I mean—"

His power complex might have something to do with that...

He shook his head as Milo said, "It's kinda hot, not gonna lie. If you got me a collar, I'd wear it."

"I am not getting you a fucking collar," Lee laughed. "I have loans to pay off, idiot."

"Then when I'm in the NFL I'll buy my own diamond-studded collar and it'll have your name on it and everything—"

"Oh, yeah, definitely. You'll wear it to all the games," Lee said, falling back with a shocked laugh. His stomach hurt from giggling. He rolled to the side and flopped onto his stomach, ignoring the friction against his hard on as he said, "But seriously, I'm not into that scene, contrary to what our sexual banter says."

"So no hot wax? Damn," Milo said.

Lee bit his tongue to keep from demolishing his lip any further.

"I can't wait to see you when I get back," Milo said, quietly. A beat of silence. "Could I visit you Sunday night?"

Lee swallowed hard and nodded. "Y-Yeah, sure."

He could feel the smile in Milo's voice as he said, "Okay. Well, I'll let you go. I'll see you later?"

Lee agreed and a moment later, Milo hung up on him. Lee put his phone down, mildly in shock, and continued to lay frozen on his bed. He stayed that way for another several minutes before turning his head to stare at his backpack. He had a short while to get his shit together, and by God, he'd do it all before the Hunters returned from Colorado.

He had plans with Rushil the following day, which meant spending the afternoon and evening far, far away from the Republic. After Thirsty Thursday, Rushil seemed far less inclined to drink another day away. The Republic started day drinking at seven in the morning and powered through the entire football game. Lee and Rushil, instead, split a pot of tea at a tea shop and watched the highlights on Lee's computer in between quizzing each other on anatomy.

Football felt different now that Lee knew several of the faces on the field personally. He felt an intense rush of pride when they paused studying, enrapt, watching Roland Ball pass the football down the field dozens of yards to where one of their wide receivers, Hayden, tackled an oncoming Denver player to make way for Park. Park lunged over the body of a linebacker skidding to take his legs out, and on the landing, he pivoted and caught Roland's pass.

Lee sat there, his closed fist against his mouth as Rushil whispered, "Did you see that?" Had they been in any other setting, Lee was certain the both of them would have been screaming and throwing their arms in the air.

"Yeah," he breathed. "I swear Achilles is his ancestor or something."

Rushil snorted and said, "Yeah, and you're Pátroklos."

Lee blinked and said, "Wasn't Pátroklos a physician?"

"Shit, you're right. You are Pátroklos." He put up a hand to tick off the evidence. "Gay as Hell, premed, and same size—could totally wear his armor and helmet and pass for him."

Lee laughed and said, "Yeah, 'armor'."

They resumed studying, but Lee's mind was stuck on Rushil's last point. Milo had said that they had the same build—albeit, Lee looked more like pre-pubescent Milo with his severe lack of muscle mass. If this was true, then they could potentially share clothes, right? Milo's Hunter sweatshirts were his armor, and Lee couldn't deny just how much he wanted to snatch one.

He hadn't been around Milo long enough to have his cologne committed to memory. He wondered if all of Milo's sweatshirts smelled like his shampoo or soap, maybe his aftershave.

He tugged the sleeves of his shirt over his palms and tucked them between his knees. He could think about that later, but for now, he needed to keep his eyes on the notecards Rushil held up. It was just barely enough to keep himself from falling into the mental spiral shaped like Park.

After they finished their teapot and the game ended, Lee and Rushil called it quits on studying. Lee's stomach was growling for food, so they packed up and walked across campus to Manley Hall. Distantly, they could hear the hum of an afterparty in the Republic's general direction. Rushil balanced on the river's concrete ledge, walking with his arms out with Lee walking beside him, intent on dragging him back onto land if he got too careless.

Manley Hall was at the end of the riverwalk. The walkway was populated with college students leaving Frat Row. There were girls in neon bralettes underneath Hunter green overalls and shirtless guys in camo pants. Lee ignored them and the obnoxious music on someone's speakers, but he couldn't ignore the sight of someone familiar sitting on one of the benches outside of Manley Hall, watching the river.

Lee paused for a moment, steps slowing. They were too far to see the girl properly, but Lee would recognize those hair beads anywhere.

"Kiki?" he said, calling Rushil's attention.

Rushil hopped off of the ledge as Lee started forward at a jog, and then a sprint. He ducked around students taking the riverwalk, weaving through with Rushil at his heels. The girl glanced in their direction, long, white hair swinging to the side. That was definitely a signature Kiki Asano look if he ever saw one.

But what was she doing here, in San Francisco, when their family lived all the way in Portland?