The Deadman ✔

Chapter Seven

Babies cry at birth because it is the first time they experience separation from love.

-Kamand Kojouri

Things have been surprisingly...calmer.

Though I still have to help Violet most mornings and during early afternoons, most days I have most afternoons and sometimes nights to do what I want unless I also have work.

When it comes to Teddy, I usually go to the café whenever he has a shift just to relieve him from his usual annoying customers.

We've gone on three dates and we talk every night on the phone, Malory says that's really good.

She 'ships' us.

That is, apparently, a good thing.

Chip and Mikayla are really cool people and good friends to Teddy, as well as Luke Bishop who is Teddy's other best friend, and we all get along surprisingly well.

Teddy describes Kayla as the mom of the group, Chip and Luke as dumb and dumber older twin boys and Teddy himself is usually the kid of the group, protected by Kayla but dragged into stupid shit with the two guys. 

Apparently I fit right into the group as the tired dad. 

I guess it works, seeing as I actually am going to be a dad soon.

When Teddy's ringtone for me first went off, I was doing researched and didn't notice it until the last ring was half-way through making me scramble to answer.

 "Y-yeah?"

"Hey," I can hear Teddy's smile in his voice. "So..."

Smiling, I push myself away from the couch to stand, "So?"

"So, I may have let it slip that you happen to have a really cool looking house and a pool. Chip and Luke are threatening to break in but I think it's like, really rude to invite myself or my friends over," That's new. "But you did say you wanted to have me over to swim at some point and I wanted to ask, as politely as I can, if I and they can come over to do that before I am killed?"

"Well if it's a life or death scenario, then of course." I say teasingly, starting to randomly flick my pencil around. "When do you want to come over?"

"An hour -if that's fine?"

I tell him he is and decide to actually get up and take my medicine and eat like I'm supposed to, knowing Mikayla will scold me and Teddy will pout if I don't.

Something I noticed with my friends who are on the queer spectrum of any kind is that we fly through the levels of friendship with ease, whereas with any straight friend I have it takes a very long time before I'm truly comfortable sharing things with them.

Maybe that's another reason I fit into Teddy's group so well.

Unlike last time I had people over to swim, they made it feel so familiar. They didn't gawk at my house or snark at me, just acted like they've already been here. Maybe it's weird they're treating my house like they belong in it, but I prefer it this way.

But still, Chip being himself, didn't stop himself from openly gawking at me instead when I stripped down to just my swimsuit.

"Damn son! You're a snack." Chip exclaims.

"How horribly cannibalistic of you." I mutter, having taken a surprised step back. He wasn't interested in me but I've never been told things like that so directly.

"In most countries it's considered rude to stare." Luke says, elbowing his best friend.

"Fuck," Chip laughs, dodging his other elbow. "Good thing this is America."