Submerge

S M I L E S

N A T H A N

I couldn't help but notice that something had shifted with Mason over the past few days. It was subtle at first—little things like the way he seemed a bit more relaxed, or how his mood seemed lighter when he thought no one was watching. It was a welcome change, and after everything we'd been through, I wanted to understand what had brought it on.

One evening, as we were sitting in the living room, Mason scrolling on his phone with a small smile playing on his lips, I decided to ask. He looked so different from the hollow, distant person he'd been just weeks ago. I had to know what had changed.

"Hey, Mas," I started casually, trying not to make it sound like I was interrogating him. "You seem... happier lately. Is there something going on that you want to share?"

Mason looked up from his phone, his expression briefly flickering with surprise before he composed himself. "What do you mean?" he asked, though his tone was more playful than defensive.

"I don't know," I said, leaning back on the couch and giving him a curious look. "You just seem... different. In a good way. Happier, more relaxed. And, well, I guess I'm curious about what—or who—might be responsible for that."

Mason's cheeks turned a light shade of pink, and he bit his lip, trying to suppress a smile. That was all the confirmation I needed, though I waited for him to say it out loud.

"Well," Mason finally said, looking a bit shy but unable to hide his happiness. "There's... someone, I guess. Someone who makes me feel like maybe things aren't so bad."

I raised an eyebrow, my curiosity fully piqued now. "Someone, huh? Are you going to tell me who this someone is, or do I have to guess?"

Mason chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Alright, fine. You don't have to guess. It's Ethan."

I blinked in surprise. Ethan? The guy Mason had been spending more and more time with lately? It made sense now that I thought about it—the extra time he'd been spending with Ethan, the late-night phone calls, the way he seemed to light up when his phone buzzed.

"Ethan?" I repeated, a slow grin spreading across my face. "You and Ethan are... together?"

Mason nodded, his smile growing wider. "Yeah. We're official. He's my boyfriend."

I couldn't help but laugh softly, both at the relief and the joy that I felt at hearing those words. "Mas, that's amazing. I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks, Nate," Mason said, his voice sincere. "I've been wanting to tell you, but I guess I was just waiting for the right time."

I reached over and ruffled his hair affectionately, feeling a sense of pride and happiness that Mason was finally finding some light in his life. "You don't have to wait for the right time with me, you know that. I'm just glad you're happy, Mas."

Mason grinned, the happiness in his eyes making him look like a completely different person from the one I'd been so worried about. "I am happy," he said softly. "And a big part of that is because of Ethan."

"Well, I guess I owe Ethan a thank you, then," I joked, though I meant it. "But seriously, Mas, if he's the one making you smile like this, I'm all for it."

Mason's smile turned a bit softer, more introspective. "He is, Nate. He really is."

After my conversation with Mason, I couldn't help but feel a strange mixture of relief and pride. Seeing him smile again—really smile—was something I'd almost forgotten could happen. Knowing that Ethan was a part of that, helping Mason heal in ways I couldn't, made me feel a little less helpless. But at the same time, it was a reminder of how complicated life could be, how things weren't always so black and white.