“God, Aleksi, how is it that you always manage to find yourself in these situations? Do you have some kind of radar for guys that you can’t have?” Ella’s voice held fond annoyance as she glanced down at the man whose head currently occupied her lap. “Seriously, this is like the third one in a row. If I didn’t know you as well as I do, I’d say you’re a masochist.” She teased, brushing a stray curl off of Aleksi’s forehead, tapping his nose in silent scold.

“Look, Ellie, if you saw him you wouldn’t even blame me!” Aleksi protested, pouting up at his best friend. He nipped at her fingertips with a huff, a sulk on his lips as she rolled her eyes. “He’s fucking gorgeous. Way more than Corey or Luke ever were. Like I saw him, and just- holy shit. I forgot how to talk.” He admitted, cheeks flushed as he glanced away. “And he’s nice to boot. It’s not like I meant to end up with a cru- being attracted to him. But he’s attractive. And I have eyes.”

With a huff, Aleksi pulled his phone from his jeans pocket, pulling up Cameron’s social media, handing it over.

“Oh Goddamn, you weren’t kidding, were you.” Elle whistled low, swiping through before handing the device back over. “I mean- I’m not interested, but aesthetically, that man is the personification of a chefs kiss.” She conceded. “But so help me if you tell Laurie that I called a man of all things attractive, and I’m starching every pair of panties you own, understood?”

“I’m so worried.” A snort came from the doorway, a tall, raven-haired woman appearing with a tray of iced coffees. Blue eyes glittered with amusement as Laurie dipped, brushed her lips to her wifes sweetly. “This is exactly why I put a ring on it, you know. Just in case, after twenty years of liking women and a wedding, you suddenly decided you like men after all.” She teased, pulling out a coffee and handing it down to Aleksi.

A grateful noise escaped him as he reached out grabbing fingers to clasp the cup, forcing himself to sit up from his perch. He tucked his legs under himself on the couch, taking a grateful sip. “God, Laurie, if she didn’t marry you, I might have had to.”

“You only like me for my coffee runs, brat.” She shot back good naturedly, settling onto Ella’s lap, one arm draping around her neck. “So, Leksi went and caught feels again, huh? Who is it this time? Model? One night stand from the club?”

“Straight boy from down the hall.” Ella hummed as she took her drink from the tray, one arm draping with ease around the other woman’s waist, lips brushing along her jaw, snorting at Laurie’s wince. “Oh, I know. I’ve been lecturing our dearest little flower on the fact that he’s a moron.”

A whine left Aleksi as he scowled at them from around the straw of his drink. “Firstly, it’s so fucking weird hearing you say “caught feels”. Secondly, I did not! He’s just hot. That’s it. You know the rules- don’t get attached. No feelings. Everyone is a one night only event. And thirdly, you know you aren’t actually my moms, yeah?”

“Ah, to be young and still believe that you can live like that forever.” Laurie sighed dramatically, reaching out to pinch one golden cheek. “Just you wait, kiddo. One day, you’re gonna meet someone and it’s gonna hit you like a train how damn lonely you’ve been. You won’t even be able to remember how you lived before you had them in your life. And all those things you shudder and scoff at? You’re gonna ache for. Mark me, baby boy, and when it happens? I’m gonna be there to say I told you so.”

“As for that “not your real moms” comment, I’m gonna pretend I didn’t hear that.” Ella raised a brow at the younger man pointedly. “Because everyone knows we cried the day you were born.”

“I imagine you very well might have.” Aleksi agreed, setting down his drink and lighting a cigarette. “You were both only ten and twelve respectively. Lots to cry about at that age, I imagine. So… are you two done razzing me, or do you have a bit more to go? Because if you’re finished, I’m taking Cam out tomorrow night drinking, and I could really use some eyes helping me pick out an outfit.”

Laurie paused, glancing from her wife to Aleksi, concern flashing on her face momentarily. A hand caught hers and squeezed, a silent reassurance. I know. We can’t push him too hard. He has to be allowed to figure it out by himself. “Drinks huh?” She did the best to keep the worry out of her voice. It would do no good to to complicate things before they even really were a thing. But Aleksi didn’t exactly have a history of good decisions…. “Where are you thinking about going?”

“Oh, I was thinking about 32 on fourth. It’s got a good vibe. I doubt Cam’s ever been to a gay bar, but at least there, we can have fun, good drinks, and I can keep an eye on him way easier than he can probably keep an eye on me at one of those sleezy bars downtown.” Probably best to avoid those places after last time. One broken nose was more than enough to drive the lesson home that there was safety in familiarity.

“Besides, I can still have fun flustering him right? Because we’re friends now. I think.” He nodded sagely to himself, taking one last drag on his cigarette before putting it out with a dreamy sigh. “You should have seen how flustered he got during our shoot. He turns such a pretty pink. But fuck, when he gets into it, he gets such serious “I’m in charge vibes” and…” A grin tugged at Aleksi’s lips, emerald eyes glimmering with mischief. “I would be lying through my teeth if I said I’m not about a thousand percent here for it.”

A sigh left Ella’s lips as she stood, stabbing a hand through auburn locks before holding out a hand. “You’re a fucking menace, you know that, baby boy? Alright alright, little flower. Come on, lets go pick you out something stellar.” She conceded, curling her fingers around his gently and tugging him to his feet, drawing him into the crook of her arm. There was no harm in letting him have this, she supposed. It wasn’t as though it would go anywhere anyways, and as long as he was careful to not get attached, then it would just be another game to him, right?

….Right?