Please Remember Me Like This

No Shoes, Dancing 'Round the Living Room

Please Remember Me Like This

Chapter 9: "No Shoes, Dancing 'Round the Living Room"

How had it been a year already?

How could it have possibly been a year since Aeric tapped his shoulder, looked at his Willowdale sweatshirt, and thanked him for the opportunity to practice there? How could it have been a year since he went to his first game?

And how could it have already been a year since their first date, and first kiss?

Barley was definitely right; time flew once you had some fun. And this whole year with Aeric had been bliss, from kissing someone for the first time to holding hands, his first dance...

And now here they were, campaigning with fliers and buttons for Prom Kings, studying together as a way to distract Aeric from the fact that his call from Willowdale about the sports scholarship he'd applied for was due, well... pretty much any day now. Aeric would hear if he was going to be a Griffin first, but with how he'd played his ass off all season, how healthy and wonderful and smart he was... there was no way they'd reject him. All Ian had was a decent essay about Dad. He had to wait with the rest of the plebs who applied for early acceptance.

Ian hated that their actual anniversary fell on a weekday where Aeric had practice, but that gave them an excuse to go all out on the weekend after, and at least gave him a bit more time to think about a gift.

Because Aeric, who always insisted he had everything, was so hard to shop for.

"Make him something to wear!" Mom suggested, as Ian made a list of ideas to try and organize his thoughts.

"I'd have to use too much magic for that to get it done on time," he dismissed, knowing Aeric would like it more if he didn't use a lot of magic for this. Sure, he started sharing more about how he'd gotten so good, but Aeric still had a little bit of distance toward it, though he seemed to be warming up a bit more since their last conversation about it.

"Get him his own Quests of Yore copy!" Barley piped up as he set up his latest campaign on the dining table, as this weekend it was his turn to host. Mom already bought two cases of Mountain Doom in preparation and planned to light candles.

"That's your solution to every gift," Ian retorted, rolling his eyes playfully. Sure, Aeric enjoyed the odd, slow campaign of Quests of Yore on occasion, but his rigorous sports schedule didn't leave much time to have fun like that. Hell, half the time they were together, Ian was either studying with him or helping him work out. Sometimes both.

"And I plan on doing the same for my beloved Queen Athena when the celebration calls for it!" Oh boy. Ian only hoped she was as into it as he was, but he couldn't imagine why she wouldn't be—it was Barley's greatest passion after fixing up Guinevere, after all.

"Well, Aeric's a fit guy, right?" Colt shrugged, reaching up to grab Mom a glass for her post-workout smoothie. "Maybe you could take another trip to the Willowdale bookstore and get him some sports equipment. He's probably going to need it for next year."

Ian thought about it, realizing that Aeric had been using his dad's old duffel from years ago, which looked like it was on the brink of falling apart. Maybe that, and some workout sweats... It could be the perfect gift. Colt had a good idea!

"Yeah, that's... really great, Colt. I think I might actually do that, thanks." Ian smiled over at his stepdad, glad that they could share a nice moment.