Shifting his grocery bag from one arm to the other to dig in his pocket for the keys, Falcon froze with his key halfway into the lock.

He was pretty sure he’d just heard something from inside the apartment. Then he questioned himself: why the hell would it be? It could have been a trick of his mind, or a noise from the downstairs neighbors, or anything.

There were two possibilities. Well, three. No, now that his brain was working on it, even more.

It probably wasn’t a crazy art collector intending on chaining him in his basement. And if it was, maybe he was hot. With that thought firmly in mind, eyes narrowed in trepidation, he slowly turned the key the rest of the way and pushed the door open.

Human eyes really weren’t designed to look around edges easily. People ought to have eye stalks, like snails.

“Oscar! What the fuck are you doing here?”

Falcon pushed the door the rest of the way open and pressed his hand over his chest with relief at the best possible option—not that he’d say no to a rich patron, as long as the chaining was optional. And if Blane didn’t mind. The thought made him blush.

His best friend had been sprawled on the couch, but he leapt to his feet with the poise of a classically-trained dancer, ending up on tiptoe with his arms spread wide. Even hugging him felt like getting dragged into performance art, but Falcon crossed the floor in a few quick strides to sweep him into his arms.

They hugged tightly before Falcon let go and leaned back to inspect Oscar. “You look shitty. Did you just get in?”

“Really late last night. I figured I’d surprise you. I hoped I wouldn’t surprise you and your new boy toy.” Oscar flashed a rueful grin. He’d given up his apartment to keep his costs lower, and he had spare keys to Falcon’s place so he could crash when he was in town—which wasn’t often these days.

“Luckily for you, we were at his place.”

“Damn. I missed the show, didn’t I?” Oscar’s expression held wicked delight as Falcon’s cheeks heated up.

“I’ll tell you about him in a bit. What about you?”

Oscar waved his hand in a broad, sweeping motion and turned on his heel. “Coffee is preferable.”

Well, that’s never a good sign. “I’ll start, then,” Falcon offered, tailing him to the kitchen and hopping up onto the counter.

“Yes. Tell me. From the start.”

It was harder than he’d thought to sum up this… whatever this was… between them. “Well, we met when I was at the zoo, sketching—oh my God, are you going to be in town this weekend for the wedding?” Falcon’s voice rose.

“No, babe. I fly out Friday.”

“Shit.” Falcon playfully kicked him. “I never get you for more than a day!”

“I know, I know.” Oscar patted his knee and rummaged for cups. “I’m sorry. I’m surprised they gave me this much time away.”

“The money’s gotta be good, though. Right?”

Oscar made a so-so gesture with his hand and grinned. “As good as I can expect at this stage. I’m not soloing or anything. And,” he drawled, “back to you.”

“Oh! So I was sketching, and I was in the way of the staff entrance. He was a little grumpy about it. I fell for him instantly.” Falcon pretended to swoon.

Oscar gasped. “How romantic.”

“He’s one of those guys who likes animals more than people, but he has a group of close friends, too, so… he’s not a total lone wolf weirdo.”

“Like Spencer.”

“Like Spencer,” Falcon agreed, rolling his eyes. “Nothing like him, you’ll be happy to know.”

“And I get to meet him?”

“Yes! We’re probably hanging out tonight.”

Oscar gave him a crooked smile as he handed over a cup of coffee. “Oh, good. Third wheel again.”

It only stirred Falcon’s curiosity about what was going on in his friend’s life, but he kept a lid on it for now. Oscar would only talk when Oscar was ready to talk. Until then, pushing him would get him nowhere. “If he wants to be my lover, he better get with my friends. Well. Friend.”

That was a little overstating it. He knew plenty of people in the arts scene here, he just didn’t devote enough time to maintaining friendships to call them close friends. Not like Oscar, whom he could see in real life once in a blue moon and still pick up with every time like it was yesterday.

“I’ll be happy to judge him. Scare him a little.” Oscar took him by the hand to tow him over to the couch, then sat at an angle and cupped the mug between his hands. “So, you like him.”

“Yeah.” Falcon cleared his throat and studied a canvas nearby.

“But you don’t know where you’re going yet?”

“That’s just it.” Falcon sighed and scrunched his nose. “I was worried I was using him, but… he seems to be on board with this whole wedding fake-date idea. And there’s moments when we look at each other, and…” he trailed off.

“What?”

It sounds crazy. Falcon shook his head and sipped his coffee, nearly spilling it down his shirt when Oscar nudged his knee. “Fine. It feels like he’s the one. It’s stupid, right? I hardly know him, but…”

“They always say when you meet the one, you’ll know.”

“It wasn’t just chemistry.” Falcon fell over himself to explain, setting his coffee mug almost untouched on the side table. “Like, yeah, the sex is hot, but… it’s more than that. It’s like we click. Being around him feels so easy. And it does with you too, but…” He fumbled for words.

Oscar shook his head. “No, no. I get it.”

“Are you…?” Falcon poked his knee. “Gonna tell me?”

Oscar sighed. “Nothing to tell, really. There was a guy and now there’s not.”

“I’m sorry, babe.” For a moment, Falcon felt guilty about gushing so much. “You’ll find someone.”

“Maybe after I’m retired.”

“Aww. Don’t talk like that,” Falcon frowned.

“No, for real. I mean, dancers don’t exactly have long careers,” Oscar pointed out, his lips quirking into a smile. “I’m fine for another… what have I got? Ten years, if I make it that far? Five?”

“Okay, shut up. Now you’re just moping,” Falcon told him sternly.

Oscar smiled wryly. “Have you thought of being a dance teacher? Ruthless. I think it’s the travel and sleep deprivation talking.”

“Well, make them shut up.” Falcon leaned over to glance out the window. “Sunny today. So I’m taking you for a good walk around downtown until you’re cheerful again. How are your feet?”

“No worse than usual.” Oscar laughed. “Nothing to show off, but I can walk.”

“Okay, let’s get your ass outside and soak up the Vitamin D, dude.”

* * *

Falcon got the text a few minutes after lunchtime started. He was stretching out next to Oscar on the park bench as they ate crusty sandwiches and fended off pigeons. As soon as the phone buzzed in his pocket, it was in his hand.

“That was quick,” Oscar teased.

“Shut up,” Falcon mumbled as he read.

One of my pilot buddies is in town tonight before he flies out early tomorrow. I gotta see him while he’s here. Want to meet him? No pressure.

Falcon smiled to himself. That was convenient. “Did you want to meet Blane? Sounds like he’ll be bringing along a friend, so you can be third-wheels together,” he teased.

“Yeah, sure,” Oscar agreed. “I gotta meet this guy before you propose.”

Falcon’s jaw dropped and his cheeks flushed as he stared at his friends, thumbs hovering over the screen of his phone. “Dude!”

“What?” Oscar smirked. “You can’t tell me you haven’t thought about it.”

Falcon stuck his middle finger up at Oscar and stared at his phone, trying to compose a text that made sense in return. He really didn’t need those thoughts getting in the way.

Sounds great! My BFF is actually in town too! So, double date? ;)

It’s a deal. I know this cute pizza place. Sound good?

Falcon laughed under his breath. Do you really love pizza that much? What are you doing living in Tennessee, then?

Who doesn’t love pizza? Don’t tell me you don’t or it’s off.

Falcon laughed again. I do. Okay, see you when? 6?

Perfect.

When Falcon looked up again, Oscar had his arms folded and a huge smirk on his face.

“Oh, shut up,” Falcon growled playfully and shoved him. “I’m taking it slow.”

“Are you boyfriends?”

“No, not even that. Depending on how the wedding goes…” Falcon trailed off.

Oscar tilted his head. “But you know he’s the one?”

“Don’t say it like that,” Falcon grumbled, but his heart did a funny lurch. “I mean, if it doesn’t work out, I’ll let it go and… find someone else I click with that much. Eventually.”

What he didn’t say was how low his hopes were of that ever happening. It had taken him almost a decade to find someone he was genuinely interested in and vice versa.

Oscar reached out to squeeze his knee. “It’ll work out,” he said with all the confidence Falcon wished he could muster up in himself. “If it means enough to you.”

“Right. Let’s get you home for a nap before tonight.” He didn’t want to wear his friend out in the precious little time he could take off his feet. Falcon offered Oscar his arm, but Oscar swatted it away with a laugh and pushed himself to his feet.

It does. He does. I want him to.