Out of Character

by Annabeth Albert

  “He’ll come around. You heard him. He needs to think. Process.”

  “He might get madder.” I slumped down farther at that thought. Him surprised and confused was one thing. Him actively angry… I wasn’t sure I was strong enough for that.

  “He might. But you’re still coming tomorrow. With your friend.” Her voice didn’t leave room for argument so I nodded.

  “But what about you? You upset too?”

  Might as well get it all out there if so. See where my cards lay and all that.

  “I had my time to process. Thanks for that.” Her smile was distinctly strained.

  “Sorry.” I sat up enough to give her an awkward pat. “There were maybe lots better ways for you to find out.”

  “Oh, Milo. I’ve probably always known.” She touched the back of my hand. “And I did a crap job protecting you from your dad. I can’t make excuses for the past, for not standing up to him more.”

  “You loved him.”

  “I did. But I didn’t see how…problematic he was until it was much too late. It wasn’t fair to you.”

  “We all made mistakes.”

  “Yeah.” Her eyes were on something far away. I joined her in staring at the clock above the sink. Pretty, with a little poem and twin angels decorating the face, it had been in our old house too. Still had a crack from the time Dad slammed a door too hard and it fell. Finally, Mom looked away and straightened her shoulders. “But I’m not making new ones. You’ll come tomorrow. We’ll get through this. As a family.”

  “Thanks.” My hand hit the edge of one of the cards. Crap. Bruno had left both the cards and the check behind. “Can you keep this safe? I’m not taking it back. No matter what Bruno thinks of me selling the car, I still want to pay him back.”

  “You already have.” Standing, she kissed my head. “Now, just be patient. Give him time.”

  But it felt like time was the one thing we didn’t have. The party was tomorrow. Bruno only had a short visit. And then he’d be off, sent on a mission to some far-off place. I had a narrow window to make things right with him, and it was rapidly closing.

  Chapter Forty-One

  Jasper

  “I’m not ready.” Milo made no move to open the car door. I’d had to park down the street from his mom’s apartment complex, and that was probably a good thing as no one could look out the window and see us sitting here. Milo’s back was broom-handle straight.

  “We can stay right here.” I patted his thigh. He looked nice, hair all tamed with product, and khakis and a button-down shirt that had both seen an iron recently. Anywhere else and I’d be enjoying dressed-up Milo, but we’d talked late into the night last night about how things with Bruno did not go as he’d hoped. And now dread rolled off him in thick waves, like choppy surf, and it sucked that I couldn’t figure out what would help. “As long as you need.”

  “Just a minute maybe.” Eyes closed, he breathed in and out slowly, and I pulled out my phone, scrolling messages to give him some space. But then I saw one from Kellan that had me legit gasping.

  “Hey. Uh. This is either really cool news or not what you want to hear—”

  “What now?” He cracked an eye open.

  “You went viral.” I clicked the link Kellan had sent so I could see for myself.

  “I went what?”

  “Chase’s parents got your picture. And they put it up on their social media as part of their updates on Chase’s health.” I held up my phone so he could see one of the posts. “And now…you’ve got a zillion shares and dozens of people in the comments wanting a drawing like that and wanting to know if you have a website.”

  “I don’t have a website.” Milo’s voice was halfway between horror and regret.

  “Yet.” Grinning, I winked at him. I wasn’t letting this opportunity pass him by.

  “Yet,” he echoed, studying me intently before he smiled too. “I’m totally getting one by bedtime, am I right?”

  “You’re not wrong.” I rubbed his arm before gesturing at the nice day outside. “Feeling any more ready?”

  “Yeah. No point in staying here until it’s dark.”

  “Oh, there’s always a point to being alone in an enclosed space…” I waggled my eyebrows at him.

  “Hold that thought for later.” He groaned before opening the car door. “Have a feeling I’m going to need the distraction.”

  “Think the professors can spare you for the night?” I bumped shoulders with him as we headed down the sidewalk.

  “Definitely. I’ll text them that I’ve got plans to work on a website with you.” His laugh was most welcome after some of the more serious conversations we’d been having lately.

  “Among other plans.” I looked him up and down. “I might like this look even more than the toga.”

  He chuckled self-consciously at the praise. “Stop making me think about sex.”

  “But you’re less nervous now, right?”

  “Yeah, I am. Thank you,” he said as we reached the apartment. He took one more big breath before knocking.

  “Milo. Jasper.” Milo’s mom opened the door and surprised me with hugs for both of us. “It’s so good to see you again.”

  I nodded, but I didn’t return the sentiment. I might have forgiven Milo for being fourteen and confused and scared when he ended our friendship, but I wasn’t entirely over the role his parents had played in our story. Sure, by all accounts she was supporting Milo now, but where had she been back then when Milo desperately needed more people unconditionally on his side? My fists clenched. I’d told him that I didn’t regret our time apart because we’d both had a lot of growing up to do. Which was true. But it was also true that his road could have been a lot easier.

  Could still be a lot easier. I wasn’t impressed by Bruno needing to think. And seeing him now, sitting on the couch, flanked by aunts, not looking up to greet Milo, I was similarly not predisposed to like the man. But I was there to support Milo, not make a scene, and I’d follow his lead.

  He looked at the cramped living room full of people spilling out onto a little patio, but then shook his head as he sighed and headed down the hall to the kitchen.

  “Milo, who’s your friend?” one of the many aunts asked as soon as we entered the kitchen, which was narrow with a little eating nook on one end.

  “This is my boyfriend, Jasper.” Milo turned bright red, and his hand shook as he grabbed mine, but I’d never been so proud of him as I was right then.

  “Nice.” She hugged Milo and shook my hand. “Make sure you feed him some of my ziti. He looks too skinny.”

  And that was that. She pushed Milo in the direction of the loaded-down food table before grabbing a glass of wine and heading back to the living room.

  “Wow. Your mom expecting even more people?” I hadn’t seen this much food in one place since the holidays at my parents’ house.

  “Nah. It’s how Mom rolls. She wanted to have all Bruno’s favorites here, and then the aunts can’t come empty-handed and they try to outdo one another.”

  “My family’s the same way.” I laughed as I remembered another text that had been on my phone. “By the way, Mom says she’s making chili for Wednesday after cosplay.”

  “I’m invited?” Milo was cute when he was surprised, and I couldn’t resist jostling him with my shoulder.

  “I think she’s figured out that we’re a package deal now.”

  “We are.” He smiled at me, a special, private one that had my toes curling in my sneakers. I was trying to figure out whether I could get away with a kiss when he pointed at the table. “There’s cake. Do you remember Bruno’s high school graduation? When we made ourselves sick on the chocolate cake? This one is from that bakery.”

  I groaned. “As if I could forget. I think I’ll stick to a cookie.”

  “And a soda. She got your brand
.” Milo handed me one from a cooler on the floor.

  “I’ll thank—”

  “Hey.” All of a sudden, we weren’t alone in the dining nook and Bruno was right there, regarding us both intently. He was in jeans and a NAVY sweatshirt, but he didn’t need to be in camo to exude badass warrior vibes.

  “Hey.” Milo nodded stiffly at him.

  “Just got an interesting text. This your stuff?” Bruno held up a shiny phone opened to a social media app with Milo’s drawing on it. “Figured there’s not too many other Milo Lionettis out there…”

  “Uh…” Milo turned bright pink.

  “He’s brilliant.” I dared Bruno to disagree with me. “Parents were lined up on our last hospital visit to get him to draw their kids too.”

  “That’s pretty cool.” Bruno’s tone was careful, like he was on a tightrope over some alligators. “It’s good of you to do that for the sick kids.”

  “They do as much for us.” Milo sounded exactly like I always did. He finally understood why I kept going back, week after week.

  “I bet.” Bruno nodded again, then flicked his gaze my direction. “So…this is the boyfriend?”

  “Yup.” Milo managed to sound both defiant and proud. I loved him. I might not be able to say it yet, but I loved him so much in that moment.

  “Jasper, man.” Bruno extended a hand to me. “You went and grew up.”

  “So did Milo.” I regarded him coolly as I returned the handshake. I wasn’t letting either him or their mom off the hook that easily. And Milo had been doing a ton of work the last few weeks, and he deserved credit for that.

  “So he did.” Bruno and Milo exchanged a long glance. “So, Bro, this…art thing. You gonna do something with that?”

  “Maybe. I’ve been looking at classes.” Milo sounded way more tentative than the guy who’d lain awake with me two nights ago, dreaming out loud and spinning a future for both of us.

  “He’s too talented not to pursue it.” I stared hard at Bruno. If he dared to crush Milo’s burgeoning dreams, he’d answer to me, badass warrior or not.

  But all he did was roll his neck like he’d been thinking hard. “Good. You should. I want you to use the money for that. Go back to school. Make me proud.”

  “I’ll try.” Milo’s voice was thick.

  “You’ll do it. You’re a Lionetti. We don’t quit.” He cuffed Milo on the upper arm.

  “Yeah.” Giving him a tentative smile, Milo asked quietly, “You sure I still am?”

  I hated that he had to ask and I glared at Bruno.

  “Still my brother? Yeah. I’m sure. You’re not getting rid of me that easily. I’m sorry if I was a dick last night.”

  “I put a lot out there all at once—”

  “You did. You really did.” Bruno’s self-effacing laugh was identical to the one Milo did when nervous. “But that took guts. I can respect you for telling me even if it made my head spin with everything all at once.”

  “Sorry.” Milo looked down at the tile floor.

  “Don’t be sorry. We’re family.” Bruno pulled him into a tight hug that made me fear for Milo’s ribs before he thumped Milo’s back. “How about next time, though, you try talking to me? About everything?”

  “I will.” Milo hugged him back before releasing him.

  Bruno grabbed a soda and a piece of the cake before turning to me. “Take care of this guy, okay?”

  “You don’t have to ask.” I regarded him solemnly, trying to tell him with my eyes that Milo was the most important thing in my life. And maybe he got the message because he nodded sharply before heading back to the living room full of relatives.

  “Wow.” Milo gripped the edge of the table hard enough that his knuckles turned white. “That…that was intense.”

  I knew him. I’d seen him this shade of pale before. “You okay?”

  “Yeah.” He took a shaky breath. I didn’t entirely believe him, and I rubbed his back until he returned to more of a normal color. “Thanks. For being here with me. It…you mean everything to me.”

  “Ditto.” I licked my lips. I wasn’t about to kiss him in his mom’s kitchen, but damn, I wanted to. To distract myself, I pulled out two pages I’d printed earlier. “And speaking of going places together…”

  His eyes went wide as I handed them over. “The tickets to the launch party?”

  “Yeah. You coming, Mr. Viral Celebrity? Still got time for us little people? Alden and Conrad said we can crash at their place after.”

  “I wouldn’t miss it.” Putting an arm around me, he pulled me close. “It doesn’t matter how many reshares I get on social media. I’m always going to need you. Always.”

  “Good.” And then I really did need to kiss him, but he was already on it, a quick brush of his lips across mine. We were going places. Together. The two of us. Bruno not being a complete ass helped, but it was Milo I was truly proud of in that moment. He was the star I wanted to set my internal compass by, the one constant I needed as we ventured forth into the still uncertain future.

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Milo

  “I’m getting awfully fond of this toga.” I admired myself in one of the highly polished windows. The expansive event space hosting the launch party was a beyond-swanky loft, and even the back corner where we were hanging out was modern and glitzy.

  “You do look…okay.” Conrad had clearly been about to compliment me on my Neptune outfit, but then thought better of it as his über-serious boyfriend narrowed his eyes. “You look fine. Both of you.”

  “Why, thank you.” Jasper adjusted his velvet jacket. No mask, but he looked dapper as ever as the Frog Wizard. The invite had specified that cosplay was encouraged, so we’d opted to go in costume. Conrad’s whole department at Odyssey had decided to go as soldier tokens, so he was in a uniform that called to mind World War I. Alden was in a nice shirt and pants, but no cosplay for him.

  “You’re not chilly?” Alden asked me.

  “Nah. It’s finally spring. And the costume’s grown on me.” I did a silly twirl just to make Jasper laugh. It felt so good to be here with him and his friends. Forget the exclusiveness of the event. Just making it to this point, that meant something.

  “Oh my God, I think I spot another Neptune.” Jasper peered around Conrad.

  “What? I’m not unique?” I pretended to pout. “At least I’m the best.”

  “Yes, you are.” Jasper patted my face.

  “I’d tell you two to get a room, but seeing as you’re crashing on our floor, please don’t get a room.” Conrad laughed and shook his head.

  “Don’t worry.” Jasper made a dismissive gesture. “We brought sleeping bags.”

  “Somehow I’m not reassured,” Alden replied dryly.

  “Zippers are sexy,” I teased. Their tiny apartment was way too small for Jasper and me to do more than hold hands and whisper, but I was still looking forward to those quiet moments alone late at night. The whole launch-party experience was another adventure for us, taking the train into the city together that morning, our first little overnight trip.

  “That’s all you.” Jasper gave me an indulgent look, and I almost reconsidered the whole no-fooling-around thing.

  “I’m surprised no one’s asked for a pic with you yet.” Conrad stretched.

  “The Neptune thing? You said there are others here. Maybe they wear the toga better…”

  “Never.” Jasper pretended horror at the notion.

  “You’re so loyal.” Conrad chuckled. “No, I meant the whole minor celebrity thing. I wanted to ask you for a drawing of us, but I bet your going rate is increasing by the day.”

  “Have you seen the website? You fill out the form, and then the calculator I programmed tells you your approximate wait time.” Jasper was only too pleased to remind us that he’d put all sorts of bells and whistles on the web
site I hadn’t known I wanted until a few weeks ago.

  “Okay, okay. I’ll fill out the form.”

  “Nah. Don’t do that. I’ll draw you tomorrow morning. You can trade me those bagels you were talking about and we’ll call it even.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” Conrad snagged an appetizer from a passing server. I grabbed one too, some sort of little toast thing that was prettier than it was tasty. Knowing the food was likely to be sparse, Conrad had promised us pizza after the event, he and Alden only too happy to show off their neighborhood spots.

  “I’ve got another drawing to do on the train back too,” I said to Jasper. “Bruno emailed a little while ago.”

  “Bruno wants a drawing?”

  Things had been…interesting with Bruno since the homecoming party. Not strained exactly, but not entirely back to normal either. However, it seemed to have more to do with my decision to sell the car than with coming out, as in each message he made a point of asking about Jasper and he’d said he wanted to play a round of cards with us next visit.

  “A buddy who has everything has a birthday apparently. Bruno thought he’d get a cartoon-style drawing done as a T-shirt—”

  “Merchandise.” Jasper’s eyes went wide. “That’s it. That’s the next step to your empire.”

  “He’s certainly your best hype man.” Conrad took a sip of something bubbly. There was an open bar, but I wasn’t tempted to join the line. I’d meant what I’d told Bruno. I liked myself more sober, and besides, this was the sort of night where I wanted to remember each moment.

  “He is.” I tugged Jasper closer. The whole public boyfriends thing was easier now, and there were a ton of other same-sex couples at this thing, holding hands and dancing and hanging out in clumps with friends, exactly like us.

  “Conrad. Your whole department is looking spiffy.” An elegant older woman flanked by several younger people strode toward us.

  “Thanks.” Conrad tweaked his collar. The entourage made the woman look important, but the way Conrad, Alden, and Jasper straightened told me this was the Odyssey boss, the one who made gaming dreams come true. I let go of him so he could pay attention if destiny was calling.