Chapter 5
CHAPTER 5
SAM
The shop did a great job with the design Sam wanted, and they’d even been able to gift wrap the shirts for them. Oscar didn’t seem to have much of a plan for their date and had just been winging it, but it was the most fun date Sam had been on in a long time. Maybe ever.
Most dates Sam had been on were the standard dinner and a movie, or a coffee date. And those were fine, but there was something endearing about the way Oscar thought on his feet and came up with something for them to do so they could get to know each other.
Ace padded along beside Sam and he reached down to scratch between his ears. Sam also liked how Oscar treated Ace with respect and care. Without Sam having to explain to him, Oscar understood that Ace was working and wasn’t a pet. He let Ace do his job, but still made sure he was looked after, like he did at the hospital with the water.
With their gift bags in hand, Oscar led them to one of the seating areas, a row of benches that were surrounded by fake plants. There was enough room for Ace to lie down next to Sam without being in the way of people.
“Have you known someone with a service dog before?” Sam finally asked as they took a seat.
Oscar shrugged. “No. Why?”
“Well, you’re really good at ignoring him, which is a tall order for a lot of people. I mean, he is adorable, and people generally can’t help but want to pet him.”
“Yeah, he is cute, but he’s also working.” Oscar shot Sam a sheepish smile. “And you forget that I’ve seen you around a lot. I’ve heard you give pushy people the rundown of service dog etiquette.”
“Ah yes, my very own stalker. I’d almost forgotten.”
“Hey, I wasn’t stalking. I didn’t follow you or anything. I just happened to frequent places I know I’d see you.” Oscar groaned. “Oh fuck, I’m a stalker, aren’t I?”
Sam reached out and put his hand on Oscar’s knee. It was the first time they’d touched since Oscar helped him up out of the snow and into the ambulance. Oscar was still impossibly warm to the touch, even now when he was safe inside with no winter chill clinging to his bones.
“For the record, I’m glad you took an active interest in me. I’m not good at putting myself out there, so if you’d waited for me to make the first move, you’d be waiting forever.”
“It would be worth it,” Oscar replied without missing a beat.
“God, that was smooth,” Sam said. “Do you practice this kind of thing?”
“Nah, I’m just naturally charming, I guess.”
Sam desperately needed a distraction so he handed Oscar the shirt he’d made him. The shop had wrapped it in shiny red and white striped paper that was clearly left over from the Christmas season.
“Here, you first,” Sam said. “Open it.”
Oscar gave his package to Sam. “You first. I insist.”
Oscar looked so sweet and hopeful, all starry-eyed, that Sam couldn’t find it in himself to argue.
Sam tore into the paper and unfolded the black shirt Oscar had selected. Like Sam, he’d gone with a simple design of a short phrase, but Oscar had chosen a pretty cursive font. “Oscar’s Valentine.” Sam’s heart thumped against his ribcage like it was trying to escape.
“It’s stupid,” Oscar said.
“It’s sweet.” Sam held the shirt tighter, like he was worried Oscar would take it away. Like he’d take back his words with it. “Are you asking me to be your Valentine?”
Sam stopped staring at the shirt so he could look at Oscar instead.
“Well, I’d kind of hoped.” Oscar looked boyishly young when he spoke, a bundle of hope and nerves, trembling as he waited for Sam’s answer.
“I’ve never been anyone’s Valentine before,” Sam admitted. It wasn’t like it was a shameful thing to not have been, or that it was a secret dream that had gone unfulfilled until now. It was just another thing Sam never expected to have. “I’d like that.”
“Yeah?” Oscar’s face lit up.
“Yeah,” Sam said. “I’ll be your Valentine.” Sam shrugged his coat off and pulled the shirt over his henley. It wasn’t the best fashion statement, but he wasn’t about to strip tease in the middle of the mall.
Sam jolted back to reality when Oscar started to tear into the shirt he bought him.
“Oh, God. I don’t know if I want you to open that.” Sam grimaced. He’d thought it was funny, but in the wake of Oscar’s sweet gesture, it just seemed stupid now.
“Too bad.” Oscar grinned as he tore the rest of the wrapping away. Sam took the discarded paper and crumpled it up into a ball as Oscar unfolded the shirt and held it up so he could read it.
“Seize the day.” Oscar paused and lowered the shirt. “ Seize the day, Sam? That’s amazing. I almost feel bad for wanting to laugh at it.”
“It seemed appropriate, given how we met. And you’re meant to think it’s funny.”
Oscar followed in Sam’s footsteps and slid out of his coat so he could pull the shirt on over his other one.
“Well, my new shirt tells me that I need to seize the day, so…” Oscar trailed off as he leaned closer.
He cupped Sam’s cheek in one of his hands. Smooth and warm, Sam sank into the touch. And then Oscar’s lips brushed against his. Sweetly. Softly. Just a taste. The most perfect first kiss in the history of first kisses.
“I can’t believe you got me a shirt that says seize the day,” Oscar said, leaning back to put some space between them.
Sam would have loved to continue the kiss, but they were in public, and the way Sam thought of continuing it wasn’t suitable for people to witness.
“You’ll always think of me when you wear it.” Sam almost wished he hadn’t put his shirt on so he could look at it some more.
“I’ll always think of you anyway. With or without the shirt.”
“Gah. There you go being all smooth and shit. You’re so slick and I’m making bad puns and picking dog hair off my pants.”
“Both of us can’t be smooth or you wouldn’t be so impressed by it, and then where would we be?” Oscar stood up and gathered the crumpled paper. Once he threw it away in a nearby trashcan, he was back, but this time he held his hand out for Sam and Sam took it.
With their fingers laced together, they ambled through the mall. Their slow stroll allowed for good conversation and a bunch of window shopping. Sam didn’t think he’d ever had this much fun in a mall before.
“Does Ace need anything?” Oscar asked out of nowhere. “We’ve been here a while. Does he need a drink, or maybe a bathroom break? I assume his union demands regular bathroom breaks.”
“I should actually get him home so he can relax. He’s still on duty at home, but he’s more of a pet with a skill than a service dog when he’s home.”
“I can walk you, or if you’d prefer a lift, I parked near the coffee shop. I’d be happy to drive you home.”
Sam shook his head. “I’m nearby. I can’t drive, for obvious reasons, so I rely on transit or Ubers. But mostly I walk.”
“Then I’d very much like to walk you home, if you don’t mind your stalker knowing where you live.”
Sam couldn’t fight the smile on his face. “I don’t mind.”
The temperature had dropped slightly during their time in the mall, so they had to pause outside of the doors to zip up their jackets. Oscar wasted no time after in linking their hands. Sam tugged him in the direction of his apartment and they set an easy pace. Neither of them in too much of a hurry for their time together to come to an end, despite the colder temperature.
“So, I meant to ask, is there like a protocol to follow if you have another seizure?”
Oscar’s question wasn’t exactly out of left field, considering how they met, but it still took Sam by surprise. Oscar was the first person to show a romantic interest in him who not only acknowledged his seizure disorder, but wanted to know how to deal with it.
“I mean, aside from the usual things.”
“Usual things?” Sam asked.
“You know, like make sure there’s nothing you can hurt yourself on. Loosen any tight clothing. Try to get something soft under your head.”
Sam stopped in his tracks and Oscar looked at him and then shrugged.
“I googled some stuff,” Oscar said, like it was no big deal at all.
“You googled some stuff.”
“Yeah, I mean, I hope you don’t have them, but I want to be prepared.”
Either the bar was on the floor, or Sam had struck the love interest jackpot because this was above and beyond anything any potential partner had done for him. And wasn’t that just fucking sad?
“You googled stuff,” Sam said again, feeling a bit broken, but through the cracks, little bubbles of hope started to filter through. “For me?”
Oscar rolled his eyes, but there was a tinge of color in his cheeks that probably couldn’t be attributed to the temperature. “ What, like it’s hard ?” he said in the best Elle Woods impression Sam had ever heard.
“He googles things and knows Legally Blonde . Color me impressed.” Sam squeezed Oscar’s hand because words were beyond him at the moment. The seizure the other day had been awful. Coming to in the snow had been disorienting and a bit scary, and fucking cold. And Oscar had been there, but it hadn’t scared him away.
“What time are you picking me up on Valentine’s Day?” Sam asked as they approached his building. It was hard to fathom that he had a date at all, let alone one for Valentine’s Day. It wasn’t like the greeting card holiday had ever been important to him, but it was still nice to have someone think of him this time around.
“Is seven okay?” Oscar asked.
“Seven’s perfect.”
Oscar stepped closer. “I’d really like to kiss you now. If that’s okay.”
Rather than wait for Oscar to come to him, Sam rose up on his toes and brushed a kiss against Oscar’s lips. It was quick and sweet because they still weren’t in private and if Sam gave in to the sizzling spark between them, the kiss would evolve into something that, at best, his neighbors would disapprove of. At worst, it would get them arrested.
“See you later,” Sam said as he pulled away.
“If I text you, will you text me back now?” Oscar asked, a little humor glinting in his eyes.
“I’m sure I can manage.” Sam forced himself to go inside before he spent all day out front trying to say goodbye like a love-struck teenager.