Faded Embers

13

Sean's POV:

"Miles!" I shriek when I get inside the apartment and have locked the door behind me.

Bailey and Toast both run up to me, and I lift Toast up, cuddling her. Bailey also deserves a head pat, so I ruffle her fur and scratch behind her ears before running into Miles' room.

Miles is working on his computer and smiles when he sees me. "How was your date?" he asks me as I sit on the bed with a purring Toast in my arms.

"Amazing," I sigh, flopping on my back. "He kissed me, Miles! Like, a real kiss and it was fucking amazing!"

"That's great, Sean!" Miles exclaims, and I can hear how excited he is for me.

He really is the best mentor and I adore him in every way. Except the romantic way because he is more of a guide and best friend to me, but we'd never be in a relationship. It wouldn't make things weird, but Miles and I just don't see each other in that way, even though we do have a kind of love for each other.

Like a honorary father-son relationship. Even better than that, honestly, because my real birth parents kicked my ass out when I told them I liked dick.

It still hurts to think about, but I like to tell myself that they're missing out on something awesome. That something, well someone, being me.

Their loss.

"Sean, you look upset," Miles says, closing his computer and frowning. "I don't think it has anything to do with the date, does it?"

I shake my head. "Do you think my parents ever think about me?"

"I don't know, Sean," he responds, patting my knee and pulling me in for a hug. "Maybe they'll contact you some day and apologize, but I don't know how their mindsets are now. I know I will never be a true parent to you, but I will always see you as my mentee and some form of a son."

My heart pounds as I hug Miles back and blink to fight back my traitorous tears. "Don't ever leave me, Miles. I won't be able to live if you leave me," I whisper, a pleading undertone to my voice.

"Sean, take a deep breath and dry those tears because I don't plan on going anywhere for a while," Miles says through soft laughter. "Now tell me more about this date! Are you planning to take Atlas on a second one?"

Heat rushes to my face.

"Yeah, but I'm not really sure how to top this one. It was so fun and so sentimental... he's so cute and gets flustered so easily," I say dreamily, thinking about the amazing man who just took me on the cutest date.

"He's a great guy," Miles agrees. "When his ban is lifted you'll get to see him more often! And just because you two are flirting does not mean he gets to slack off when you train him!"

I scoff. "I would never!" I exclaim, rolling my eyes and getting a playful smack to the back of the head from Miles. "Besides, he's catching on, so I only need to spend a couple more days there before he's good to go. I just hope he can find a teaching job at some point and whatever happened at NYU doesn't come back to haunt him."

"I agree," Miles says, opening his computer back up and waiting for it to power back on. "I offered to help him out because I have friends that could help expose those discriminating against him, but Atlas isn't comfortable being out to everyone yet."

I hum, laying on my back with a stupid smile on my face. "He's so sweet, Miles. Like, the best man I've ever gone on a date with."

"You've never been on a real date before tonight, Sean," Miles comments, which is true and I told Atlas that very thing earlier tonight. "Smoking with guys and fucking while high doesn't count as a date."