He doesn’t have time to react when the dalmatian shakes, water splashing him as the spotted dog happily pants at him. Jasper looks down at his apron, soaked in a few places already, and wonders whether he should start covering his car seat with plastic. With a job as messy as mine, it makes sense.

“How’s Rudy doing?” his boss asks from the doorway, voice raised over the sound of a hair dryer in the far corner.

“Much better,” Jasper answers, clearing his throat. He raises his voice a little more. “Clean and ready to be picked up.”

There’s a woman waiting at the front for the dog. Jasper knows her, but he honestly can’t ever remember her name. More often than not, her dog, Rudy, is in the daycare center. Jasper can’t complain—Rudy is a smart dog and incredibly patient—but it still frustrates him that the woman rarely ever spends time with him. It might just be because he’s a pet owner himself, but he thinks it’s the principle of the thing. After all, he chooses to spend five days of the week looking after dogs. He might go home smelling like wet fur and dog treats, but he at least knows enough to understand that dogs need attention and love.

Two things that he, in fact, is starting to crave.

“Hey. We’re thinking of going out to Chambers tonight,” says Amy, one of his coworkers. She’s the most persistent in talking to Jasper, even when he’s monosyllabic—which is most of the time. He’s not sure what compels her to keep talking, but he assumes she’s just chatty. She always seems to be talking to someone.

“Oh. Have fun.”

“It’s singles night,” she adds, rearranging the clipper guards on the shelf next to him. They’re already organized.

“Rachel will like that.” She is always talking about her exploits. Dates. Amy stops fussing with the tools, finally turning to directly face him.

“You should come.”

“I don’t know. I should probably get home to look after Mocha.”

“Ask your brother to take care of Mocha. It’s only one night, and you don’t work tomorrow.”

The truth is that he doesn’t want to. His least favorite thing in the world is getting involved in outings that involve alcohol or dancing. He’s never been the kind of person who gets drunk, and he hates being saddled with acting as a designated driver. Being in crowded spaces, like clubs or bars, makes him itchy. He always feels like he’s wasting his time, sitting at a table and nursing the same drink the whole time. Jasper always enjoyed the quiet of his apartment far more, sitting on the couch with his dog or playing a video game with his brother.

And that is exactly why you’re feeling lonely and neglected, he tells himself. He knows that if he doesn’t go out or do things with other people, there’s no chance he’ll ever meet anyone. He’s just so used to doing everything alone or with his brother that he can’t quite break the cycle. Jasper has never had any compulsion to make friends with his coworkers, either. He’s friendly with them, but they don’t seem like the kind of people he would seek out, outside of work.

“I kind of planned on staying in,” Jasper explains, scrubbing his hands at the sink. Someone else walks over—Rachel; he can tell by the way her cherry-red hair swings into view.

“You can’t plan on staying in.” Rachel snorts, passing him to wash a pair of scissors. “Anyway, it’ll be fun. You never go out with us. We’ll all get to know each other better.”

Something about the way she smiles at her last comment, sly and knowing, makes Jasper uneasy. He unties his apron, quickly hanging it up, desperate to get away. His brother is one of the only strong personalities he can handle, probably because Ezra recognizes when Jasper doesn’t want to talk about something. Jasper’s coworkers, on the other hand, seem determinedly ignorant of the fact that he’s just not very social.

“No. Thanks, but no,” Jasper repeats, briskly leaving the salon. He almost sighs in relief when the door closes behind him.

He might hate going out, but he also hates being rude. He doesn’t want to seem like a jerk for refusing; it’s just not his idea of a good time, going out to a bar on a Friday night. Maybe he could drag himself out on a Wednesday, when it would be near-empty, but he can’t brave the night-life crowd. Too many people and too little breathing space. Jasper doesn’t think anything could convince him to go out with his coworkers—not even the possibility of making things at work awkward, which seems very likely. He doesn’t want to be the one that everyone hates, but with so many invitations declined now, he feels like he’s on that track.

Jasper purposely finds his boss and takes on the unloading of their recent shipment, restocking the store and losing himself in the process. It’s one of his favorite things to do, for obvious reasons—it’s a one-person job most of the time, with enough distraction to keep his mind off anything else. He’s so absorbed in scanning in dog food and pushing the heavy bags around shelves, he doesn’t notice Rachel walking up behind him. He turns swiftly and almost hits her with his elbow before she bends back, surprised.

“Sorry. I didn’t hear you,” Jasper explains, moving to pick up another bag, but then Rachel crosses her arms and glares. He loses his train of thought, uncertain, and feels his heart drop somewhere into his stomach.

“I can’t decide if you’re purposely dense or if you really are that oblivious.”

“Um—sorry, what?”

“Do you know why Amy invited you?” Rachel asks, impatient. Jasper feels the sense of dread bloom in his chest. No, but I’m starting to get a good idea.

“I assumed she was being polite. I mean, if everyone is going,” Jasper says, leaving the sentence open. If everyone is going, it would be rude not to ask. Now that Rachel is clearly confronting him, though, he’s starting to realize she asked for a very different reason.

“She asked you. What, you’ve never noticed it’s only ever her trying to let you join in? God. You’re a nice guy, Jasper, but she’s my friend, and I’m getting tired of this.”

“I didn’t know,” Jasper says truthfully. He never even considered that Amy could be interested in him. What’s attractive about me? Maybe his face, but that’s no guarantee of finding a partner. No matter how attractive he could look to someone, he’s never felt like someone attractive. He’s not social enough or outgoing enough.

“Would you reconsider, then?” Rachel asks. She looks like someone asking out of kindness to a friend, not because she wants to.

“I...it’s not really my thing,” Jasper says, feeling worse even as he says it. Should I? It’s not like he’s never dated before, but he hasn’t since high school. He can’t remember the last time he had someone in his life that he didn’t share with his brother. Not even a friend. This is what you’ve been wanting, a small part of his mind supplies. Someone to care about. A relationship. No matter how he tries to consider it, though, he just can’t bring himself to say yes.

“I gave you a chance,” Rachel says, obviously disappointed but not surprised. “Fine. But don’t even dare coming up to her later, when you realize you messed up.”

Rachel leaves him to finish his work, and Jasper wonders what she’ll tell Amy. It shouldn’t matter to him, of course, but he doesn’t like the idea of two of his coworkers hating him, especially the two he works with the most. He lifts a bag of dog food and hates himself a little for everything he’s done in the past hour and a half.

What is my problem? He’s all but had an offer served up to him on a plate and he still refused. It’s as if he doesn’t really want to be happy, as much as he says he wants to. As much time as he spends wishing he could have someone to cook dinner with, go to a coffee shop with, or read books on the couch with, he can’t just say yes to one night. It wouldn’t even have to come to anything, he knows, but he still can’t. Amy is pretty and kind and interested, and despite all that, he can’t go out with her.

What do you want, then? He slams a bag onto the shelf, shoving it back, frustrated. What will it take to make you happy?

* * *

The door is unlocked when he gets home. Jasper pauses, removes his key, and sighs as he pushes the door open.

“Ezra! Door’s unlocked!” He raises his voice as much as he has the energy to, hanging his keys on a hook by the door. The apartment is mysteriously empty—the kitchen is dark, the dining table immaculate, and the living room still. It looks like Ezra hasn’t done anything all day, which is strange, since it’s his day off. He usually plays video games or makes food on his days off. Where is he?

“Ezra?” Jasper calls again, frowning as he toes his shoes off. He walks to the right side of the apartment, where his brother’s door is closed. He taps a few times, uncertain. “I’m coming in.”

The first thing he sees is a bundle of blankets on the bed. Jasper treads quietly, glancing at the window, where the blinds are dropped completely down. It’s bizarre for Ezra to still be in bed, and even stranger for him to be shut away from the light. He hates being alone as much as Jasper loves it.

“Ezra? You okay?”

Ezra answers with a grumble. There he is. The face that stares back at him is exactly the same as Jasper’s at first glance, the same blue-black hair and gray eyes. The only real difference between them is probably Ezra’s closely-shaved beard, where Jasper almost always tries to keep his at a shadow. Of course, Jasper has never felt like they’re identical. It’s everyone else that seems to think they’re the kind of twins that could take each other’s place.

“I’m sick,” Ezra mumbles, sniffling. “Think I have a cold.”

“You’re such a drama queen,” Jasper mutters, but he still treads to the kitchen to fill a glass of water. When he gets back to the bedroom, Ezra is propped up against his pillows, rubbing at his eyes.

“Thanks.”

“Have you been in bed all day?” Jasper asks, lifting the blinds just enough to open the window a little wider. A light breeze drifts in, cooling the room just a little. Ezra watches him out of the corner of his eye.

“Pretty much. You haven’t showered yet,” he adds, wrinkling his nose.

“I thought you had a cold.”

“You know how much dogs smell.”

“Is that why you let Mocha in?” Jasper smiles, ducking to look under the bed. He can see the standard poodle, large and fluffy, with his chin resting on his paws. He’s a pretty thing, chocolate brown with an even cut. He looks like a teddy bear until he stands up.

“I tried to ask him to get me water. Didn’t work,” Ezra says, smirking. He watches Mocha emerge from the darkness, stretching and yawning. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing. I’ll get you some soup from the store,” Jasper volunteers, stifling a yawn. It’s been a long day. “After I shower, of course.” He’s about to leave when Ezra stops him, eyes wide.

“Shit. I forgot—I have a date.”

“You’re not going to go?”

“Of course not,” Ezra says, offended. He glances around the room as if he’s looking for something and Jasper waits, amused. Ezra wouldn’t go out in public with a stain on his shirt, much less a cold. “Why...why don’t you go?”

Jasper stares at his brother. He’s got to be joking. I guess he’s really sick. There’s no way. From anyone else, Jasper would expect a setup, but not from his brother. Ezra usually knows better; he knows how much Jasper dislikes going out and how disinterested he is in blind dates.

“You must be really sick,” Jasper says testily. First my coworkers, and now this?

“Come on,” Ezra pleads. “Katy’s been talking this guy up for days. He’s three weeks fresh; just moved here. Please?”

“Ez, no. I’m not going to pretend to be you. What if—”

“He’s a complete gentleman,” Ezra says quickly, “and I swear you don’t have to pretend. All first dates are awkward!”

“Not for you,” Jasper mutters. Sometimes he feels like Ezra sucked all the social skills from him when they were infants. They’ve always been very different that way. Even if they share a deep understanding of each other and even if they generally feel the same way about people, Ezra will always be much better at socializing than Jasper. He just doesn’t really have to try too hard, even when he’s nervous. There’s something magnetic about him. Unfortunately, that magnetic personality means that he overworks himself and ends up sick in bed when he’s supposed to have a date.

“I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t Katy’s idea. She was really excited about it, too.” Ezra frowns. He might not be trying to guilt trip his twin, but that’s exactly what’s happening.

Jasper cares about his few friends more than anything else in the world; especially Katy—she’s been fantastic, helping Ezra and Jasper out as much as possible. It wasn’t easy for them to move to a new city entirely on their own. Jasper feels endlessly indebted to her, even if she insists that helping was the right thing to do.

“I...it’s not a good idea,” Jasper repeats, but he already knows he’s giving in. He can’t really say no to Ezra—not for something so simple. Ezra rarely ever asks for anything; he’s independent enough to go without needing much from anyone else, even his brother. Besides, Jasper doesn’t have plans. And it’s not like I’d be worth anything, sitting around here. Anyway, Jasper hasn’t been on a date in years. Even if he doesn’t have his brother’s charm, he’s always wondered what it would be like to switch places, for once. To have the benefit of being the confident one.

“I know, I know,” Ezra sighs, sniffling. “I just feel kind of bad, letting him down, you know? Katy made it seem like he was a really nice guy, and he’s just recently come back from being overseas. I figured she was setting him up with me because she figured he needed someone and I’d enjoy it.”

“I’m not the best candidate, if she’s trying to make sure he has fun,” Jasper says, uncertain. Especially if that’s the point.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t ask.”

“No. But I’ll do it,” Jasper says, already wondering what’s gotten into him. “It’s not like I’m busy. Anyway, he might just be going along with her. You know Katy, once she’s on roll.”

Ezra thanks him a hundred times, and Jasper goes to buy his brother soup, saving his shower for later. I can’t leave him sick at home without anything to eat. He’s tempted to, though, especially with the stunt he’s about to pull. Jasper still isn’t sure he should, or even can. He doesn’t want to lie to someone or trick them, but Ezra seems dead-set on making sure this stranger has a good night—and if Ezra can’t do it, Jasper’s going to have to try his best.

Ezra okays his outfit, and at seven Jasper is leaving the apartment to meet with Alex, who is apparently the lucky date. Unfortunately, the designated spot is Katy’s bakery, and he knows she’ll immediately recognize him. She’s one of the few people who can tell them apart. The question is, will she go along with it or tell him the truth?