Page 71 of Epidermis

Jasper knew it was just an offer, not a request, but it still made him a little dizzy. Not that it would be some big change, they spent more of their nights together than apart. He let that sink in as he let go of Konrad to pour the coffee into two mugs. Sharing space with Konrad was easy, and not just in moments like this, when Jasper was sleepy and wearing one of Konrad’s T-shirts and a pair of his boxers that rode too low on Jasper’s hips—yes, he had his own clothes there, and yes, he would continue to steal Konrad’s. It was easy even when they just coexisted doing their own things. Konrad gave him his space, even here, content to let Jasper sketch in front of the fireplace while Konrad sharpened knives in the kitchen.

He handed Konrad his coffee. “Are you offering that because you’re worried I’m going to find an apartment I like in New York?”

Jasper’s brain didn’t always provide a filter between his thoughts and his mouth. He wished he could snatch the words back out of the air, but Konrad didn’t flinch as he plated one omelet and cracked eggs into the pan for another.

“I’m offering because I like having you here,” Konrad replied. “I’m sure living together, even part of the time, would be considered ‘fast’ by societal standards, accounting for how long we’ve been dating, but I’ve been in enough relationships to know that one size does not fit all, so to speak. They move as slow or as quickly as they need to, a pace determined by the individuals in the relationship. I know what I want. I don’t feel the need to wait some proprietary amount of time to express that to you.”

“Oh,” Jasper said, his face hot. He didn’t think he was supposed to be kind of turned on by that little speech, but… too late.

Konrad kissed his forehead, silently recusing him from having to answer, like he could see the wheels turning in Jasper’s head as he fumbled for an adequate response. “Could I trouble you to chop some more parsley?”

Happy to be given a task to occupy himself with, Jasper did just that, and the third omelet was nearly done when Hiyori showed up and knocked on the door. Jasper let her in, still wearing Konrad’s clothes. “Konrad made breakfast, I’ll get dressed after we eat,” he said, noticing with appreciation that she took her shoes off at the door without being asked.

“Wow,” she said, looking around. She was a little starry-eyed as she followed him into the kitchen. “Konrad, you have a beautiful home—and thanks for breakfast, I thought I was gonna be choking down a sausage biscuit from a drive-thru somewhere.”

“I never pass up the opportunity to cook for a friend. Please, go have a seat at the table.”

Jasper grabbed the pitcher of orange juice and followed her to the dining room, pouring them each a glass. He sat down and pulled his legs up to sit crisscross, his chair the only one with a cushion thanks to how often he sat that way and Konrad taking pity on his ankles. Hiyori was beaming. “I love this,” she said.

“Yeah, it was a little overwhelming the first time I came here, but—”

“Not the house. It’s great, but no. I mean this. Seeing you comfortable and taken care of. I’m just… fucking happy for you, baby. You deserve it.”

Jasper was still a vivid shade of red when Konrad came in with the omelets.

Once they finished eating, he got dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, pulling his hoodie on as he came back downstairs. Konrad walked them to the door and kissed Jasper on the cheek. “Text me when you get there safely.”

“I will.”

Fuck New York.

Hiyori held his hand everywhere they went, and she insisted on frequent breaks in the rare quiet place they could find. “If you need to go back to the car and chill while I finish up these last couple of tours, just let me know and I’ll give you the keys, okay?”

“I’m good. But thanks.”

They followed the property manager into the next apartment on their itinerary, and he knew it was the one by the look on Hiyori’s face. It was a studio with exposed wood rafters and brick walls. She was in love, already talking about where they’d put the bed and how great the brick would be as a backdrop for Amara’s photography. It was expensive as hell, but Hiyori said it was within their budget.

“I can even get a sleeper sofa for when you visit,” she said as they left. She’d filled out the application on the spot.

“Visit? I might be living here.”

“Jazz.”

He sighed. Of course she’d be able to tell that he’d already made up his mind.

“Why haven’t you told him yet?” she asked, taking his hand again as they navigated the crowded sidewalk.

“Because what if me giving up my dream job to stay close to him puts pressure on him? Makes him feel like he has to stay with me?”

“First of all, you two could absolutely stay together even if you took this job. You don’t have to choose one or the other, and I’m sure he knows that. He also respects you too much to stay with you out of some misplaced sense of obligation. Second, you are wild for imagining a scenario where he would even have the inclination to leave you, because that man loves you down.” She wrapped her arm around his and leaned her head on his shoulder as they walked. “Also, this isn’t your dream job. You just feel like it should be.”

Jasper’s eyes stung. He wiped them quickly with his free hand, but he knew she’d be able to hear it in his voice when he said, “I don’t know what I’m going to do without you.”

“You’re not going to be without me, drama queen. I’m an extended cut of The Lord of the Rings away. Plus, we have phones. Chill.”

“I love you.”

“As you should.” She squeezed his hand. “I love you too, Jazzy.”