Better Sorry than Safe

17.

"I'm taking your advice, Con. You know, hang out with my friends. I'm at Nick's now, and we're all going out tonight."

Sem pressed the phone to his ear with his shoulder, while he poured beer from a can into a glass. Courtesy of Nick's ever absent parents. Football players ran past on the television screen in front of him, which he and Nick had used earlier to watch their gory horror shows.

"Good," Connor's voice sounded from the other side of the line, "That's good. Enjoy yourself, right?"

"Yeah..." Sem shifted himself back into a comfortable position on the couch. He poked the empty beer cans on the table with his foot, making one fall over. "You sure you don't mind a rain check? I can bail on them halfway if you want to hang out tonight."

"No, it's fine," Connor said, "I have plenty of course work. You go with your friends, have fun. We'll see each other soon."

Sem's eyes darted to the door. He heard water running in the bathroom. Nick was still in the shower, but he lowered his voice a little regardless.

"Let's not go to a restaurant or something again, okay? Can we hang out at your place maybe?"

There was a short pause before Connor replied. "How about your place?"

"No way, my place is a no go. Daniel's always at home, and my parents, ugh." Sem groaned. "That's not gonna be awkward at all, right: us nice and cozy in the living room, having a cup of tea together with the family. I guess Daniel didn't say anything during dinner, but I don't want to push my luck right now."

"Right... How about Jack's autofix lounge?"

"I dunno." Sem shrugged, despite being on the phone, "I felt like people could walk in any moment, too."

There was another silence on Connor's end.

"Okay," he finally gave in, "my place."

That was weird. Why did Connor sound so reluctant about this deal?

Sem didn't get much time to ask, or even think about it. The running water in the bathroom stopped, followed by the pitter-patter of bare feet in the hallway.

"Shit. Gotta go, talk to you later -- I'll message you." Sem quickly ending the call, right as the door swung open.

Nick trudged into the room shirtless, wearing only jogging pants and a towel around his shoulders.

"You dropped that call like a hot potato." Nick smirked at Sem from below his towel, which he'd moved up to his head to rub his hair dry. "Secret embarrassing friend with benefits?"

"It would be a very secret one, considering that was my mom," Sem lied, safely tucking his phone in his pocket. "She thinks we're doing a movies marathon and I'll be staying over, like usual."

"Right." Nick let himself drop on the couch next to Sem. "Seriously though, now that we're on this topic, I have to ask one more time: what's the deal between you and Emma?"

Sem let out a groan, casting his eyes to the ceiling. "How many times-- God, again, there is no deal whatsoever. There's nothing. It's nothing. Nada. Now stop asking."

"Okay. If there's really nothing from your side..." Nick awkwardly scratched his chin, averting his gaze from Sem to the television screen. "Then, you don't mind if I went for her tonight?"

"You?" Caught of guard, Sem raised his eyebrows.

Nick shrugged, his lips tugged up in an embarrassed smile. "Yeah." 

Well... why the hell not Nick? It would be nothing short of amazing for Sem if this worked out. Emma would be off his back, Nick would snatch himself a girlfriend, and he wouldn't have to lift a finger to accomplish any of this. Pretty damn perfect.