Just lion in bed being lazy. Wish you were here. xox

Blane was glad the first thing he’d done on his lunch break was grab his phone, in case Falcon had texted.

It was gonna be a good lunch break. Blane grinned to himself and settled at the staff room table with his sandwich and his phone. Normally he might sit outside, but he’d spent the morning in the sunshine helping Gregory with check-ups on the big cats, and then feeding animals. By the time his own lunch break came around, he was ready for shade and air conditioning.

“What’s so funny?”

Gregory’s voice made him jump as he started composing a text. He nearly hit Send too early. “Jesus! A little warning.”

“Sorry,” Gregory laughed as he let the door close and headed for the fridge. “But you look like the cat who got the cream.”

“Or the lion,” Blane murmured under his breath as he composed a text.

We all need a snail’s pace day sometimes.

“You’re texting that guy, aren’t you? The one you went home with.” Gregory smirked. “Is it a thing yet?”

“What do you mean a thing?” Blane busied himself unwrapping his sandwich so he didn’t have to look at Gregory, but the back of his neck and ears were turning hot.

“You know. Official.”

Falcon’s response arrived: After my whale of a day yesterday, I’m treating myself.

“That sounds like commitment,” Blane waved his hand, crunching on a carrot.

Gregory eyed him with another smirk. “Ah, and you don’t like that.”

“Fuck off.”

“I’m not criticizing. It’s nice to see you grinning like a loon.”

“Thanks.” Blane meant for the pun, as he made a mental note of it, but also… well, for caring. As coworkers went, Gregory was pretty ideal. They shared rides sometimes, duties at work sometimes. He worked as hard as Blane and didn’t slack on Friday afternoons, and most importantly, he cared as much about the animals as Blane did.

“All power to you and whatever, but I’m going to eat outside so I don’t have to watch you giggling over your phone.”

Blane flipped him off, but once he was alone, his attention was quickly glued to the screen again.

Anything I can help with, or should I leave it a loon?

A dubious pun but I’ll let it goat.

Blane choked. That was even whorse.

Did you just call me…?

Blane dropped his sandwich on the wrapper. No! Of course not.

He should have known Falcon was teasing, but he got his answer instantly: You’re cute when you’re worried. Hahahahaha. Anyway I have a redikdikulous idea…

Blane rolled his eyes and stuffed the rest of his sandwich in his mouth while he waited for Falcon to type.

So remember my ex coming to the wedding?

That was a good start. Blane raised a brow, then answered, Yeah?

He wanted to meet and apologize except he didn’t. He just… basically propositioned me.

Hardly even conscious of his own reaction, Blane resisted the urge to bare his teeth. It was the most primal form of aggression an animal could show—motivated by fear, territorial disputes, or sometimes the urge to protect.

Which was it this time?

Falcon quickly texted again. Obviously I walked out on him lol. But I kind of want to… there’s no good way to ask this.

What is it? Blane dipped his carrot sticks in hummus, one at a time, waiting for an answer. He got halfway through the container before he had a little wall of text to read all at once.

Would you be my plus-one and act like my new boyfriend for the wedding? I know it’s kind of early to do a real “meet the family” thing, but I don’t want to face him alone. And I’m showing my ugly side here, but I want to make him see what he missed out on, kwim?

Blane grinned to himself. The number of assholes he’d been on dates with who had been rude to him, or ghosted him, or ditched him halfway through dinner for their phone or for another guy at a club? The dating world was rough. He totally understood that reaction.

Besides… he was insanely attracted to Falcon despite Falcon’s reluctance to commit, and he wanted to find out where that was coming from. If he could figure out if it was just a lack of interest or if there was something he could help with…

It was stupid to get his hopes up, he told himself again. Even stupider to keep making these assumptions about what Falcon wanted. He had never outright said no, but the idea that he might had stopped Blane from asking.

But seeing people around their exes or their families tended to explain so much about them. This gave him the chance to find out what kind of man Falcon was, and whether he had a hope’s chance in hell of a future.

And, most importantly, whether Falcon was likely to say yes or no if he ever did get brave enough to ask.

So I go, show you off, make this asshole jealous, and get to meet your family? Sounds like a blast.

Really? It’s not too weird?

Dude, it’s like a movie plot. I can pretend I’m a high-class escort. Or a low-class one if you prefer ;)

OMG. But despite the response, Blane knew Falcon was laughing. A moment later, Falcon texted again. Okay, you’re a lifesaver. I also might have told my sister I was bringing a +1 and she’s desperate for me to bring a man so she can say she knew all along… lol.

Blane chose his words carefully. I’m glad I’m the first man you thought of ;)

I’m glad you said yes! God knows what I would have done without a date. Faked pneumonia?

Blane checked his phone, wincing when he saw he only had a couple minutes left of his break. That’s hard to fake. Go for a pinched nerve or something. Then you just can’t get out of bed… and I can keep you company. But I forgot, you don’t like that scenario…

Falcon answered pretty quickly. Now that you’ve described it, I could be interested ;)

Enough to get to the zoo today?

Tomorrow? Falcon suggested. And I can give you the wedding details.

Deal. Tomorrow it is. Better get back to work.

Blane reluctantly threw away his trash and put his phone in his locker. It went off one more time before he could close it, so he flipped the screen up for a look.

XOX

He smiled to himself, then set it down again and closed his locker door, whistling as he strode out the door.