“Promise me we never have to go through that again,” said Burns.

“I don’t know, do you have any aunts or uncles you’ve been hiding this from? How deep does the conspiracy go?”

At first it seemed like they were walking back to Burns’ house, but then they just started wandering, arm in arm. Karl didn’t care where they were headed. The air was clear, the sky was blue, and for the first time in ages, things seemed right.

“Don’t worry,” Burns said, “I’m sure my mom will let the whole family know.”

“I’m really sorry it happened this way. I thought if I just apologized and scrammed, we could avoid a scene.”

“Sorry? Are you kidding? Karl, I’m free. I don’t even know how to describe it. It’s like someone let me out of jail.”

“Yeah, but your mom didn’t take it very well.”

Burns shook his head. “My mom likes things that are normal, that all her friends approve of. Give her time. She’ll get over herself. I hope.”

“I just hate that it might be hard for you now.”

“How’s it going to be hard for me?”

“You know,” said Karl. “Living with them, having to have conversations with them about it. Oh Tommy, are you going on another date with your little boyfriend?”

Burns laughed. “Dude, I thought I was moving in with you?”

Karl stopped. His pulse suddenly jumped. “Really? You still want to?”

“Are you unaware that we’re back together now? Did you miss all the stuff that just happened? Of course I want to move in with you. There’s all kind of things I want to do with you, that have to be more comfortable in a bed than the driver’s seat of my car.”

“I’ll say. Your steering wheel nearly gave me a herniated disk.”

“I’m just glad you didn’t start honking the horn.”

“Do you think your folks will be okay with you moving out?” His hand crept down until his fingers were entwined with Burns’.

“I’m sure it’ll be a little less of a shock to them, than the whole coming out thing.”

“I don’t know, parents are tricky.”

“Besides, you’ve got that fancy job at Cray Reliable. Welcome to your new life as my sugar daddy.”

“Yeah, I haven’t even seen a paycheck yet.”

They wandered for a while, passing a park with a little swing-set, a short slide, and those little animals on springs that Karl used to ride all the time as a kid, until he’d chipped a tooth on the handlebars. Simon had picked him up and carried them back to their mom. Karl pulled Burns over to it, then sat on one of the swings.

“There’s so much I still want to know,” said Karl. “Like Delia. Is she friend or foe?”

Burns sat next to him and pushed off with his feet, swinging upward. “Delia? She’s like the weather. She’s a force of chaos. I don’t think she knows the difference between good and evil.”

“I kept getting the feeling she and the Reverend were in on some plot to make your life miserable.”

Burns swung past him, going backwards up into the air. “Nah. We talked a lot these past few days. You and I being together really pisses off her dad, so she’s basically on our side.”

Karl began to swing too. “The guys aren’t going to believe this when I tell them.”

Burns groaned. “Seriously? Do you tell them everything?”

“Get used to it. Now that you’re my Official Boyfriend, the Cray Quarry gang move back into the best friend slot.”

“Do official boyfriends go camping? Is that still something we can do? Because I feel like that last trip ended too early.”

“Okay, but you’ve got to promise me not to drown this time.”

“Deal.”

“And because being outside is boring, I’m going to bring some books. And a lantern to read by at night.”

“You know what? If you go camping with me without any arguments, I’ll even let you explain what the hell Georgism is. Without interrupting even once.”

“Are you serious? You’ll let me explain it to you?”

“Absolutely.”

“Oh my god, Burns, you’re going to love it. It’s so simple. See, in George’s view, all value comes from the land—”

“Dude…after you go camping with me. Not before.”

Karl laughed, and pushed himself higher, swinging up towards the sun.