Epilogue One Hundred Percent
LEO
The living room smells like the pizza we ordered an hour ago, and Luca is perched on Del's lap like it's his assigned seat.
Which, at this point, it basically is. "So.
" JP sets down his Americano on the coffee table and fixes us with his efficient, let's-get-this-done stare.
"You called a house meeting. What's up?"
Max bounces on the couch next to me, practically vibrating with energy. I put a hand on his knee to keep him from launching into orbit. "We have some news," I say.
"Several news," Max adds. "Multiple news items. A news buffet, if you will."
Del snorts. "This should be good." Haru is curled up in the armchair with a cup of tea, watching us with quiet interest. Elliot's not here, probably at the library or lost in his headphones somewhere, but we'll fill him in later.
"Okay, first." Max holds up a finger. "The con disaster."
"I told them," JP says. "Allergic reaction, hospital, you're fine now."
"His throat closed up, and he stopped breathing," Max adds, because apparently he can't help himself. I try to interject that it was only for like ten seconds, but Max talks right over me with "That's a long time to not breathe, Leo!" and honestly, he's not wrong.
Del winces. "Shit. Shrimp crackers?"
"Shrimp crackers that I ate without looking at the label," I confirm. "But I'm fine now. Really." I bump my shoulder against Max's. "Someone took good care of me."
Max mutters something about being terrified and never wanting to stab me with a needle again, and I counter that someone was brave, and JP rubs his forehead with an exasperated "Aish. You two are disgusting. Continue."
Max brightens immediately. "Right! Second news item." He grabs my hand and holds it up like we won a championship. "We're dating."
Silence. Then Haru takes a calm sip of his tea. "I thought this was what was going to happen."
My jaw drops. "You knew?"
"As I told Max, it was fairly obvious. The way you look at each other. The jealousy." Haru shrugs, completely unbothered. "Leo has been upset about the dating operation since it started."
"I wasn't upset—"
"You were big mad," Del says, grinning. "Like, visibly. Every time Max talked about going on a date, your eye would twitch."
I try to protest that my eye does not twitch, but Del just says, "It twitches,” with the confidence of someone stating the sky is blue, and Luca is already asking Del what other signs he missed, wanting specifics, wanting to know how many obvious things went over his head.
Del laughs and says they could be here a while; then he’s kissing Luca softly and sweetly.
Within seconds, they're in their own little world, Luca's fingers curling into Del's shirt, Del's hand sliding up to cup his jaw.
Leaning over to Max, I whisper, "That's us now.”
His face lights up like I just told him Christmas is coming early. "Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"I'm going to kiss you so much."
"I'm counting on it."
JP clears his throat. "Still here. Still waiting for the rest of the news buffet." Del and Luca break apart, both flushed. Del doesn't look remotely sorry.
"Right." Max straightens up. "Third news item: we're moving in together. Into Leo's room. We're keeping Max's room for robotics."
"Because I shocked him once," Max admits, wincing. "Back when we were only best friends, bed sharing. I left something connected in the bed, and he rolled onto it in the middle of the night."
I give him a look. "It was not a pleasant way to wake up."
"I said I was sorry!"
"You laughed first."
"It was a little funny! And it was a small burn mark—"
"It was on my butt for a week, Max." I turn to the others before he can argue further. "So. One room for sleeping and... other activities. One room for robots. Everybody wins."
JP nods slowly. "That makes sense. Your scholarships still cover rent either way."
Del shifts, Luca adjusting on his lap. "So... if you two are consolidating into one room..." He rubs the back of his neck, suddenly looking almost shy, which is weird, because Del doesn't really do shy. "Would it be okay if I officially moved in? Since I'm here all the time anyway?"
Luca starts to turn pink. "Del—"
"What? It's true. I haven't slept in my own apartment in like five weeks. Sexy, I don't even know where my other pillow is anymore."
JP's already pulling out his phone, typing. "I'll talk to the landlord. Shouldn't be a problem. Sebastian moved out, so we're not adding to the headcount. Just redistributing."
Del grins. "Thanks, JP."
Max is practically glowing next to me. Our little found family, expanding and rearranging itself like a system finding equilibrium. He catches my eye, and I know he's thinking the same thing. Then his expression shifts to something mischievous. "You know," he says, "now you'll have to face Isaac."
I blink. "What?"
"I already had my awkward conversation with him." Max shudders. "Now it's your turn. The official 'what are your intentions with my baby brother' talk. He's going to be so intense about it. You should prepare a speech. Maybe a PowerPoint."
I can't help it. I smile.
"Why are you smiling?" Max's eyes narrow. "You should be nervous. Isaac is intimidating. He's built like a tractor!"
"Max." I take his hand, lacing our fingers together. "Isaac already knows."
Everyone stops moving. It feels like they are all holding their breaths. “He... what?"
"At Christmas. When we went home with you.
" I shrug. "He cornered me one night and asked what my intentions were.
He could tell I had feelings for you and asked if I was going to do anything about it.
I told him you wanted to date people and that I wanted you to be happy. He gave me his nod of approval."
"His nod of approval," Max repeats flatly.
"Very solemn. Very Isaac."
Max sputters for a solid five seconds, a lot of "you" and "he" and "nobody told me!" before landing on: "That traitor."
"He's protective. I respect it." I squeeze his hand. "Besides, it worked out."
He's still gaping, but there's a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I can't believe you had my brother's blessing this whole time."
"Technically, I had his conditional approval pending successful relationship initiation."
"That's the most Isaac thing I've ever heard."
JP leans back in his chair, looking satisfied. "So my plan worked. Again."
Max whips around. "Your plan?"
"The 'get Max to date so Leo finally makes a move' plan." JP spreads his hands.
"Classic misdirection. Very effective."
Max tries to protest that he genuinely needed dating practice, but JP just smirks and points out that Leo genuinely needed a kick in the ass. Two birds, one stone, you're welcome. Max opens his mouth to argue, stops, considers, and finally concedes: "Okay, fair."
"I'm good at what I do."
"Which is why," Max says, pointing at JP, "you need to sit down. Because you're next."
JP's smirk falters. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me. You've matched up, what, three couples now? I'm counting Gavin and Sebastian because I'm sure you helped. It's your turn."
"That's not... I'm not—"
"He's right," Del chimes in. "You're the last single one, JP. Well, you and Haru. And Elliot." He pauses. "Okay, not the last. But you're single, so... yeah. I vote you're next."
JP tries to deflect— "Let's focus on Haru. Haru, how's your love life?" —but Haru just raises an eyebrow over his tea and says, "Deflecting is beneath you, JP."
"It's not deflecting, it's redirecting the conversation—"
"Same thing," Luca says.
"JP." Max's grin is downright evil. "We're going to find you someone. It's happening. Accept it."
JP groans and drops his head back against the chair. "I hate all of you."
"No, you don't," we chorus.
He sighs. Deeply. "No. I really don't."
Making out with Max never gets old. We've been together for, what, two weeks now? Three? Long enough that I've memorized the way he tastes, the sounds he makes when I bite his lower lip, and the exact pressure he likes when I grip his hips.
My hands are under his shirt, warm against his spine.
His fingers are tangled in my hair, which is getting long enough to really tug now.
My thigh is between his, and he's making those breathy little sounds against my mouth that drive me absolutely insane, and I don't even care that we should probably be getting ready for class because—
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP
We both freeze. "No," I groan against his lips.
"That's my class alarm."
"Skip it."
"I can't skip it. It's Professor Morrison. He takes attendance."
"Tell him you're sick."
"I told him I was sick last week when we—" Max cuts himself off, face going red. "The point is, I have to go." I flop back on the bed, our bed now, in our room, with a dramatic sigh. The ceiling is boring. Max's mouth was much more interesting.
He laughs and scrambles off me, looking around for his pants. He started setting alarms after he missed an entire lecture because we were… occupied. JP gave us such a look when Max stumbled downstairs at 3 pm with his shirt inside out.
Never again, Max had declared. I, personally, thought it was worth it.
"Have you seen my, oh." His jeans are on my desk chair. "Found them."
I watch him get dressed, not bothering to hide my appreciation. Or my pout. "You could stay. Just this once."
"You're a terrible influence."
"You love it."
The smile he gives me is blinding. "I do. I really do." He grabs his bag and leans down to kiss me one more time, quick, pulling away before I can deepen it. Smart. If he lingers, we'll end up horizontal again, and he'll miss another lecture.
"Come on," he says. "Don't you have Thermal Physics?"
I groan, louder this time, but start reaching for my own clothes. "Fine. But tonight—"
"Tonight," he agrees, eyes bright. "Now move." We tumble downstairs, mostly presentable. JP is in the kitchen nursing an Americano, and the look he gives us is knowing enough to make Max duck his head.
"Morning," JP says.
"It's afternoon," I point out.
"Is it?" He checks his phone. "Huh. So it is." A sip of coffee. "You two have fun?"
"Goodbye, JP." Max grabs an apple from the counter and shoves it at me, then snags a granola bar for himself. "We're leaving now."
"Hey, wait." JP sets down his mug. His expression shifts, less teasing, more uncertain. "Can you guys be home later? I want to call a house meeting."
Max and I exchange a glance. "Sure," Max says. "Everything okay?"
"Fine. It's fine." JP waves a hand, but it's not convincing. "Just… I think I need some advice. But later. When everyone's home."
I look at him more closely. There's tension in his shoulders that isn't like him. His fingers are tight around his mug. "JP." I keep my voice gentle. "You sure you're okay?"
He meets my eyes for a second, and for just a moment his gaze drops; to my hand, to the floor, anywhere but my face, before it's gone, tucked away behind his usual composure. "I will be," he says. "I… need to talk some stuff through. With people I trust."
I set down the apple and cross the kitchen to pull JP into a quick side hug.
He stiffens for a second, then relaxes into it.
JP's the strongest of us… or at least he makes it look that way.
But he also keeps us at a careful distance, close enough to help, far enough that we can't see whatever he's carrying.
I've always wondered if that gap gets lonely.
If he ever wishes, someone would close it.
"We've got you," I say quietly. "Whatever it is."
"I know." His voice is rough. "That's why I'm asking." I let him go, and Max is watching us. He reaches out and squeezes JP's shoulder as we pass.
"Later," Max promises. "We'll be here."
JP nods. Picks up his Americano again. "Go. You're going to be late."
The pathway is where we separate, me heading toward the physics building and Max toward engineering.
It has become one of my favorite places on campus.
Not because it's pretty. It's not. It's concrete and some sad-looking bushes.
But it's where I stop every day, tug Max close by the strap of his backpack, and kiss him goodbye like we won't see each other in four hours.
"Text me when you're out," I murmur against his lips.
"Always do."
"We can grab takeout for the house meeting."
"Hey." He cups my jaw. "He'll be okay. We've got him." Max knows me well enough to know I'm thinking about JP.
"Yeah." I turn my head to press a kiss to his palm. "We do." One more kiss, okay, three more, and then we're walking in opposite directions. I make it maybe twenty steps before I look back over my shoulder. Max is looking back, too. We both laugh and keep walking.
100% the luckiest guy on campus.
Thank you for reading The Geek and His Best Friend.