He gets a rewritten script at three in the morning, which he does not read—his phone rudely awakens him with the alert, and he silences it, rolling over and falling back asleep for five hours.

His alarm goes off at eight even though it’s Sunday and he groans, knowing he won’t be able to get back to sleep a second time. He drags himself upright, grumpy, and opens the email from before. Thankfully, the rewrite is only a few pages long, and he has enough pocket change to make some prints at a nearby postal store. It’s within walking distance so he sets off with his flash drive after transferring it by laptop.

The store is bustling. There are people shipping things, college students checking out post boxes, and businesspeople stacking freshly laminated flyers. Leo somehow manages to make his way to the self-print station, waiting behind a few other people.

Someone walks up behind him. He doesn’t really care but then he feels an itch between his shoulders, as if the person is staring, so he glances over his shoulder.

“James,” he says, surprised, “...right?”

“I thought it was you,” the man says, a vague sense of relief softening his features, “Leo.”

“I remember you from...um, what was it—”

“The club we both weren’t in but showed up to anyway,” James says, smiling, “something about visual development, I think.”

“How have you been? You were...writing, right?” he asks, aware of his subpar memory and questions. In his defense, though, it’s been years.

“Yes. I’m finishing up my first novel for publication. What about you?”

“Doing a small job as voice talent,” Leo nods. “Which is fantastic, since I haven’t had regular work. Um, not that I’m complaining. Anyway, did you stay, after school? Or come back?”

“I stayed,” James says, some humor in his tone. “You remember Alan? He was the one I waited for in the club. He’s doing well as an artist now.”

“Right,” Leo says. “I’ve seen the advertisements for his gallery show. How’s he been?”

“Good. We’re living together now.” His insinuation is clear and Leo fights a blush, excitement overcoming his secondhand embarrassment.

“Congrats! You two seemed close. It’s, um, good that you stuck together.”

“Thanks. What about you? You used to wait for someone too, didn’t you?”

The line shifts further up and Leo takes a moment to think, trying to figure out how to explain without oversharing.

“Um...well, we’re not...together,” he says, keeping his tone light, trying not to seem upset at the concept. I’m not, he tells himself. It’s fine that he’s not with Austin. He just wants to make things amicable between them.

“Oh? But you...”

“Work together,” Leo explains, glad to move away from the topic of his failed relationship. “He’s an animator. A great one. Got hired on after a quick interview and with no long-term work experience.”

“Sounds like you’re proud of him,” James says, nodding, and Leo feels his ears heat up. He makes a noise of agreement, not trusting himself to explain the situation further. “I hope things work out for you.”

“Thanks. Me, too,” Leo says, thankful when he finally gets to the printer. He says goodbye to James after he finishes printing his script, breathing a sigh of relief when he gets into his car.

That’s enough, he tells himself. You’re an adult; act like one. He knows Austin still isn’t completely comfortable around him and he aims to change the fact. People can change, he thinks, feeling a small boost of confidence. If James and Alan managed to make it after graduation, he can reconcile a friendship just as easily.

***

DEAN CALLS IT ‘TEAM building.’ Leo calls it silly. They’re all standing in the meeting room, chairs cleared away to one wall, while Katie sets up a maze made from tubes and circular joints. It’s like an adult-sized version of the connectible toys they have stuffed in plastic bins in children’s museums.

“What are the rules, again?” Rowan asks, miserably nudging a tube with his foot.

“One member will be blindfolded. The others have to direct them through the maze. We’ll take turns by team and time each member.”

“So, whoever is fastest, wins?” Lina asks, gazing calculatingly at the maze.

That’s not the point, Leo thinks. He’s pretty sure it’s meant to assess their communication styles. It forces them to adjust their directions depending on the person in the maze. If someone doesn’t know what ‘lift your foot three inches’ means, they’ll have to change their direction. It’s a way to figure out who works well together and point out how to pay attention when you’re not giving someone what they need.

I guess it could be fun. He’s just curious to see what happens. He’s on a team with Rowan, Austin, a woman he doesn’t recognize, and another voice actor. They’re the first team to go.

“Who’s going first?” Rowan asks, glancing around at their huddle.

“I’ll go,” Leo says, sighing. “Break the ice. And my ass, probably.”

“I’m sure you’ll do fine,” the other voice actor says, her smile kind. He doesn’t remember her name and has only met her once, when they first came into the studio.

“Okay. Blindfold time,” Dean says, grinning as he moves to cover Leo’s eyes.

He waits as the cloth covers his vision, everything going dark in a brief moment. He waits, hoping he won’t make too much of a mess. Dean guides him gently, hands pressing against Leo’s arms as he positions him at the entrance to the maze.

“Ready?”

“As ever,” Leo mutters, instinctively raising his hands like it’ll help him keep balance. The other team chuckles.

“Okay. Take...two steps forward,” Rowan says, slowly as if he’s calculating.

“Big? Small?”

“Toe to heel,” Austin chimes in, somewhat reluctantly. It’s amazing how much you can tell about someone when you’re not distracted by their face. Or body. Or anything else.

He tells himself to concentrate and steps slowly, measuring toe to heel. He feels like he’s off-balance and wobbly. He chalks it up to his mentality, sure that there’s no real problem with him.

“Good. Now, shuffle to your right a little bit,” the other voice actor says, “not much. Like...maybe two inches.”

He complies slowly, freezing when the other woman cries out for him to stop, the other team laughing. He can hear friendly catcalls, Lina’s voice buried among her teammate’s.

Being in the dark is unsettling. He’s not fond of being directionless and at a disadvantage. It’s like he has no agency, only moving where and when others tell him to. He wonders if he could fake falling over to get out of the maze and decides it’s better to take one for the team.

“Okay. Toe to heel,” Rowan starts, directing him further, and they move through the rest of the maze that way.

Somewhere in the middle, Austin’s voice chimes in as often as the others. The hesitancy bleeds from it slowly, giving way to cheer and enjoyment. Who knew, Leo thinks. He’d never have imagined some cheesy corporate game would help the man relax.

He’s near the exit, according to the voices and cheers in the room, when he makes a mistake.

“Okay. You just have to step to the left and you’ll be out,” Rowan says, “but be careful; there’s a cube blocking the left edge of the exit.”

“Not too far. Got it,” Leo says, stepping, and then he hears a sudden uproar.

There’s an explosive chorus of no and don’t and he corrects himself too quickly, stumbling, one leg crossing in front of the other. He makes a small noise of surprise, tipping forward, sure that he’s about to fall face-first onto the floor. One hand reaches to the cloth over his eyes, the other bracing for impact. He’s halfway to the floor when someone’s hands are at his shoulders, strong and bracing.

He hits the body in front of him, startled, the laughter and cheer of others rising around him like a symphony. When he looks past the blindfold that is now crooked on his face, he sees Austin.

Oh, no, he thinks, dismayed. I’m still attracted to him.

Austin is blushing, the same way he used to when Leo would kiss him after class. His curls are askew from the impact, jacket hanging off one shoulder. He looks conflicted, as if he wants to step back and move closer at the same time.

“Oh,” Leo says, not sure what to do, distracted by the look on the man’s face.

“Um,” Austin starts, trying to back away, waiting for Leo to regain his footing.

“Good job,” Dean says, clapping, and Austin backs away completely. Leo immediately misses his warmth, following him for half a step before he stops himself.

This makes things a whole lot harder, he thinks, before berating himself for the mental wording. He’s already uncomfortable, the smell of Austin’s citrusy cologne lingering. Rowan catches his eye from across the room, raising an eyebrow questioningly. Leo ignores him, wishing he could make things a little less complicated. It would be nice, for once, to not be tangled up in between emotions and logic.

He excuses himself quickly, running to the bathroom to dunk his face in a sink full of cold water. He’s only successful in making his hair drip, cheeks still red with heat.

“Nice one, Leo,” he tells his reflection, sighing shortly. “Any other bad ideas?”

***

THINGS GET MUCH, MUCH worse after his realization.

Well, nothing really changes except for his heightened awareness of Austin. He’s hypervigilant, noticing any time the man moves, much less walks into a room. It starts to get frustrating, and then the week of team groups starts.

“I’m just going to be watching your facial expressions while you go through some lines,” Austin says as they walk into a tiny room. “Just for animation adjustments.”

“Okay. What do I read from?”

“Anything. I’ll let you know if I need anything specific after a few minutes. I might move around, just so you know, to check different angles. Try to act like I’m not here.”

Oh, sure, he thinks, no problem. He thinks Austin can sense his trepidation. Austin smiles hesitantly as if trying to encourage him. The script on the table is suddenly too white, and he can barely decipher the words on them, Austin occupying his attention as he moves around Leo to watch him.

He gets halfway into a page of his script before he stumbles on his words, stuttering and apologizing before starting over. He feels like his mouth is strangely dry, and he has to pause at awkward points, swallowing in a futile attempt to make it better.

“Do you need a break? Water?” Austin asks kindly after thirty minutes.

“I’m sorry. I’m not usually this bad,” Leo says, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I mean—maybe I’m just dehydrated...”

“No worries,” Austin says, “there’s no rush.”

Leo leaves for water, hitting his head against the wall as he fills up a cup. Rowan walks in at one point, ignoring him to reach by and grab a coffee cup. Leo straightens quickly, pretending to be fine before tapping his nails against the counter. Part of him doesn’t want to go back into the room. He goes back anyway, knowing he has to get over it and focus on the job.

He’s in the middle of reading another line when Austin moves closer, brow furrowed as he watches Leo’s mouth move. He’s close enough for Leo to smell the same citrus scent from the team meeting, spice wafting in between them. He almost groans, fighting to focus on his delivery and not the man moving around him.

“Keep going,” Austin says and Leo talks, confused, holding his breath when Austin suddenly moves an inch away from his face. The man stays there, one hand covering his mouth as he watches Leo talk, concentrating.

This is not good. He’s swallowing five times more than normal, and he knows there’s a blush creeping onto his face. He tries to play it off, keeping his body relaxed, but all he can think of is the fact that Austin is watching his mouth. It’s not doing good things for his composure.

“Why don’t—”

“Sorry—um, do you mind if I get lunch? It’s just...noon and I think I might have a small cold. Gotta beat these things early, ya know?” Leo says quickly, feigning a casual tone.

Austin pauses, some strange expression resting on his face. Whatever it is, Leo can’t decipher it. The man looks down at his notes, tapping his pen against the paper, but he finally nods.

“Sure. You have anything in mind?”

Leo swallows. Does he...? He doesn’t think Austin knows, thankfully. It just seems like the man is trying to extend some sort of truce. Leo accepts it, hoping they can keep things civil. Hoping he won’t give himself away. The last thing he wants is to prove Austin right about only wanting to get him in bed again.

“Greek,” Leo says quickly. Maybe the garlic will put me off any bad ideas, he thinks humorlessly. He doubts it’ll work.

“Great. I’ll go grab my wallet,” Austin says, rising from his chair. He leaves quickly, shutting the glass door behind him, and Leo stays in his chair.

I can’t believe myself. He’s never been a repeat offender; he’s always moved on pretty easily from past relationships. He has too much respect for others to drag them back into anything. This...is different. He’s getting all the same reactions to Austin that he did in college, when they were first together. It’s like some strange kind of aphrodisiac.

He’s antsy when Austin offers to drive, hoping the man still listens to music in his car. They drive to the sound of pop music, and Leo relaxes a little, focusing on the lyrics, thinking he only has to remember to maintain his distance. I told him I wanted to be friends, and it was true then. Except now it isn’t because apparently, he’s being controlled by his dick rather than his head.

“Do you still not drive?”

“Um—no. Didn’t think it was a good idea to get a car. Good thing, too, since I wouldn’t have been able to pay the past few months.”

“Oh. Sorry,” Austin says, scratching his nose. It’s a familiar tell; one that indicates that the man is uncomfortable.

“It’s okay,” Leo says quickly. “I’m healthier for it. Walk more.”

“Oh. That’s nice.”

“Yup.”

He feels dumb. He can’t think of anything to say to ease the tension. It’s not hostile, though, so he counts it as a partial win. Thankfully, the drive is short, and the restaurant is sufficiently busy to keep them occupied with getting seated and ordering quickly. They’re sitting at a tiny table by the window when Leo thinks of something, hoping it will build a bridge over the shaky ground they’re on.

“What were you doing before you started working at the office?”

“Freelance,” Austin says, nodding shortly. “It was good, once I got myself established. It’s not steady work but it paid well for small projects.”

“That’s cool. Any interesting projects?”

“Well...I did some animation for private schools. Some informational videos. Not much of note.”

“I’m sure you had happy clients, though,” Leo smiles, moving his elbows off the table as a teenage girl puts their trays in front of them.

“I guess so. Working freelance was all right, but I wanted more stability, you know?” Austin pauses after he speaks, glancing out the window, a small shadow crossing his face. As if he regrets speaking.

Why? Leo wonders. Because Leo wasn’t a very consistent person in college? He frowns, a tiny sense of irritation rising in his chest. He’s tired of being underrated.

“I get it,” he says firmly. “Probably more than you know. I’ve been living on fumes since I moved back. It’s not like I can just live comfortably without worrying about bills and groceries.”

Austin nods, seeming to back down a bit. They eat in near silence, swapping mundane comments about the project they’re working on and the other workers at the office. It feels like they’re getting back on the right track. He’s a little hopeful as they prepare to leave, more at ease than they’ve been before. He’s in the middle of listening to Austin talk about Rowan’s work when he catches wind of a conversation at a table behind them.

“Please leave me alone,” a woman says. She sounds half angry and half fearful.

Maybe it’s none of his business but all he can think of is his younger sister. He turns away from Austin, casually glancing back to see what the issue is.

There’s a man looming over the table. A woman is sitting there, one hand gripping a plastic fork like a lifeline, leaning away from the intruder. It doesn’t take a psychologist to see that she is uncomfortable. The man at her table continues to talk in low tones, smirking and laughing, and Leo wants to wipe the grin off his face.

He gets up without thinking, a storm roiling in his chest. There is nothing he hates more than a threatening man. He is of the often-ignored opinion that a no is a definite, complete, absolute signal to walk away. He gets the feeling the stranger doesn’t feel the same way.

“Is there a problem here?” he asks, hands casually stuck in his jean pockets. The woman looks up at him, startled but hopeful.

“No problem. Mind your own,” the man says, a flicker of irritation sparking in his eyes.

“I believe this woman asked you to leave her alone,” Leo continues, lacing his voice with a low note of danger. He keeps his posture loose, knowing the conflicting message will keep the other man off balance. Sound mean, look nice.

“It’s not your problem, buddy,” the man says, arms crossing over his chest. Good. He’s defensive, Leo thinks. Defensive equals angry equals stupid.

“Assholes ruining lunch are my problem,” Leo says, smiling winningly even as poison seeps into his words. “Why don’t we take a walk outside, huh? Just a little stroll. Come on.”

He leans in little by little as he offers, watching the man shiver minutely. They stand there, Leo glaring holes into the man’s face, and then the tension breaks.

“Whatever. Bitch isn’t worth it,” the man mutters, sniffing as he walks away, shoulders twitching like he’s trying to shake off a bad feeling.

“Good choice,” Leo murmurs, waiting until the man gets into his car and leaves before he turns away from the door. The woman sitting at the table stares. “Are you all right?”

“...fine,” she manages, a humorless laugh escaping her lips. “You sure scared him.”

“I’m an actor,” Leo winks, grinning. “Have a good lunch.”

He turns to grab his jacket, deciding leaving is a good idea since he’s already standing up, and nearly freezes when he sees Austin’s face. The man is staring at him intensely, mouth half open as if he wants to say something.

“What?” Leo asks, worried. Did I scare him off? Does he think I’m a jerk?

“Nothing,” Austin says quickly, shaking his head even as he stares. “Just—that was great. I’m glad you stepped in.”

“Oh. Thanks. I just kept thinking, if it were my sister, I’d want someone to help her out.”

“You have a sister?” Austin asks, blinking a few too many times. He clears his throat, quickly gathering his things as he moves to stand.

“Yeah,” Leo says, still unsure why Austin is acting strange. “She’s a year younger than me. We’ve always been pretty close.”

“That’s nice. What’s her name?”

“Katy. She’s working at a bakery right now, actually, at a shopping center by the beach.”

“I didn’t know you had a sister. Did she go to school with us?”

“Oh, yeah. She was always at class or working, though, so you never really got a chance to meet her.”

He doesn’t say I really wanted to introduce you. I planned on getting us all together. It’s true, though; he holds his sister in great esteem and likes his friends to meet her.

“She’s good at calling me out on my shit,” Leo adds, grinning as he pulls himself into the car. “Katy doesn’t give a shit. If I’m moping around, she’ll make a point to kick me in the ass and get me going again.”

“She sounds like she’s good for you,” Austin smirks, opening the car door. Leo snorts as Austin  pulls out of the parking lot.

“She’s good for most people,” Leo admits. “She’s so sweet that when she casually tells you you’re stupid, you believe her and then thank her for it.”

“I’m sure she’d be proud of you for standing up to that jerk.”

“I sure hope so.”

He catches on to the part that Austin doesn’t say—the part that’s suggested by his tone and the way he’s smiling at Leo, teasing and fond. I’m proud of you, Austin doesn’t say, but Leo hears it loud and clear.

It’s a step in the right direction.