I’m sitting on the couch, and Sebastian is in the kitchen.

I’m drawing in a sketchbook I got as a gift from someone, I don’t remember who. I’m not very good at art. I can only really draw smiley faces with dots for eyes.

I’m not sure what Sebastian is doing, but he came back earlier from his dad’s with a box of brownie mix, so.

Voices sound from outside the front door, talking and laughing. I perk up and look at the door, then it opens.

Lennon walks in and someone I don’t know walks in behind him.

The person I don’t know freezes in the doorway, “I… thought you said no one was home...”

Lennon laughs, “Then what did you think I wanted to bring you here for?”

“You know what I thought,” They reply, disgruntled.

Sebastian calls over from the kitchen, “I made brownies, also I wasn’t expecting to have to feed more than me and Heath…”

“Less for me I guess” I hear him say in a quieter, sadder tone.

Lennon walks over to the couch pulling the new person along, “This is Heath, he’s- uh- I don’t know. Heath, what are you?”

My heart beats a little fast, I’m still not used to meeting new people, I look into the stranger’s eyes for a millisecond then look away, “A person?”

Lennon nods, then turns to them, “Introduce yourself.”

They get a little wide-eyed, “Uh- Marcelo. I’m Marcelo. And I am also a person?”

Lennon nods again, “Okay you two sit here and talk or something, I’m going to kiss Baz if he’ll let me.”

He walks away after that. Leaving Marcelo and me in awkward silence.

Marcelo hesitantly takes a seat on the opposite end of the couch. We both just listen to Lennon and Sebastian.

“Fuck no,” Sebastian’s voice.

“Aw, but I love you soo much, it makes me want to kiss you,” Lennon’s voice.

A pause.

“That’s stupid. Find a more creative way to show affection.”

Marcelo takes a shaky breath. I glance over at them, they're hunched over looking down at their hands, they sort of look like I feel.

I’m not sure if I should try to talk to them. I don’t know what I would say, I have a hard time starting conversations. I always-

“Hey, guys, we got some fuckin brownies!” I look up to see Sebastian with a plate in hand smiling down at us.

He puts the plate on the table, “Wait so, who are you?”

He looks at Marcelo. Marcelo looks up, “Marcelo.. I thought Lennon would have told you about me.. you’re his husband?”

Sebastian sort of lets out a chuckle and looks at Lennon who is right behind him, “You hiding friends from me now?”

Lennon sheepishly shakes his head, “I- I was going to tell you about him, I just never knew the right time…”

Oh, Marcelo uses he/him pronouns.

“What so is he some kind of special friend that needs a specific introduction?” Sebastian questions with a laugh.

Marcelo goes red, and Lennon looks at the floor wide-eyed, “He’s more than a friend..”

Sebastian grins, “Are you cheating on me?”

He pats Lennon on the shoulder, “You finally moved on from your silly crush?”

Lennon shakes his head, “No, not like that, Also I’ll never stop loving you. He’s more of a partner- er friends with benefits kind of friend.”

Sebastian goes blank, “Oh.”

He looks between the two of them. Lennon grabs Sebastian's shoulders redirecting his attention, “Remember, we talked about this, how I should start looking for someone to do these kinds of things with since you can’t do them?”

Sebastian nods slowly, “Yeah, I remember”

“I just never thought…” He looks over at Marcelo, “You would actually find someone…”

Lennon looks like he’s about to panic, “You’re not okay with it?”

Sebastian looks intensely at Lennon, “Of course, I’m okay with it, I just didn’t know you would look for someone without me..”

Lennon grips Sebastian’s shoulder tighter, “I’m sorry, I- I- We should’ve talked, I- Will you at least give Marcelo a chance?”

Sebastian blinks, “You think I’m going to throw this guy out just cuz you didn’t communicate?”

Lennon lets out the biggest sigh of relief.

Sebastian turns to Marcelo, “Now I need to get to know you,” He smiles, “I'm sure you’re great, I just want to be positive about that. Don’t want Len getting hurt.” Sebastian makes a small laugh, “You’re already doing better than him.”

Sebastian sits down on the coffee table next to the still-steaming brownies. Lennon tries to sit next to Sebastian but Seb pushes him away, “Sit next to Marcelo you invited him here.”

Lennon awkwardly comes and sits between Marcelo and me.

I kind of feel like I’m intruding, I’m not part of their relationship, And this seems like a very private thing.

I kind of wish Daren picked me up a day early.

Sebastian holds out the plate letting everyone grab a brownie, but when Lennon goes to grab one Sebastian pulls the plate away at the last second, “Nuh-uh, you don’t get one.”

I take a bite of my brownie.

Sebastian looks Marcelo up and down, “Do you like cuddling?”

Marcelo takes a deep shaky breath, “Not really.”

Sebastian nods, “So, what do you like?”

Marcelo pauses, “Um, I like music, books, drawing, other stuff…”

Sebastian lights up, “Oh, You’re an artist?”

I take another bite of brownie. I really feel bad being here, I should leave even if it’s just to the bathroom to give them a few minutes alone.

I finish off the brownie in one last bite and push myself up from the couch leaving my sketchbook.

Sebastian looks at me, “Where you going?”

“Bathroom,” I walk around the couch and into the hall.

I get in the bathroom and close the door, I sit on the toilet with the lid down and grab out my phone.

I should have Daren pick me up. Pretty sure he doesn’t go into work today until four.

I text him and say I need to be picked up. He replies back asking why.

Me, “I just do.”

Him, “Are you hurt?”

Me, “No.”

Him, “Are you sick?”

Me, “No.”

Him, “Then why do you need to be picked up?”

Me, “Seb and Lennon are talking about their intimate relationship, I feel like I’m intruding”

Him, “Why would you feel like that? You sleep with them almost every night.”

Me, “I’m not part of their relationship, though”

Him, “You sure?”

Me, “Yes.”

Him, “Ok whatever, I’m on my way”

With that, I turn my phone off and sit in silence. I don’t want to go back out there just yet. Though if I stay in here too long they’ll think something’s wrong.

I have a few minutes.

I’m just going to go back out and say nothing, Daren will come and pick me up and I’ll tell them I have to go. They can talk privately and don’t have to feel like they kicked me out.

I’ll go home and I’ll have lunch with Daren. It’ll all be fine.

I take a deep breath and get up dragging myself to the door, I open it a little, peeking my head out. They’re all talking.

I step out and walk over to the couch, and stand awkwardly.

Sebastian looks to me, “What do you think of Marcelo?”

???

“Um- why- I don’t know,” I glance down at Marcelo on the couch. We make eye contact for a brief moment and we both look away immediately.

There is an uncomfortable moment of silence.

Lennon turns his attention to me, “He’s okay right? Please tell me you don’t hate him yet.”

I shake my head slightly, and take a step back, “It doesn’t matter what I think.”

“He’s going to be a part of your relationship.”

Lennon and Sebastian look at each other, then Sebastian turns to me, “Yeah, but we wanna make sure you like him too since you practically live with us..”

He gives me an awkward smile, “Okay..?”

Sebastian pats the spot on the table next to him, “Here, sit, we can all talk.”

I hesitantly take a seat next to him.

Sebastian starts, “Okay, let’s rehash.”

“Marcelo is Lennon’s partner, I’m also Lennon’s partner. Heath is my very good friend. It'd be cool if Marcelo became my other very good friend. Heath and Lennon are friends? Tolerate each other? I don’t know. Marcelo and Heath are strangers.”

Sebastian turns to Lennon, “Wait, Len, how long have you been seeing him?”

Lennon frowns, “Like, a week sorta, haven't made it official. I’ve known him for a while though.”

Lennon bumps his arm into Marcelo’s, “We both frequent the same places.”

Marcelo makes a small, abashed smile.

Lennon gets wide eyes, “You should see him drunk, he’s a completely different person, real fun”

He then looks back at Marcelo, “Not that you’re not fun sober. It’s just different.”

Lennon turns back to us, “We were thinking he could stay the night.”

He holds a hand out, “Only if you guys are comfortable with that.”

Sebastian furrows his brow, “you two would stay in the spare room?”

Lennon looks away, “no.”

“Oooh. Is Marcelo comfortable with that?” Sebastian turns to Marcelo.

Marcelo sits up a bit, “Yeah, Lennon said you had a king-size, I might not know you but I trust Lennon.”

A knock at the door. We all jump, startled.

Sebastian looks to Lennon, “You have any more secret guys you wanna tell me about?”

Lennon shakes his head vigorously.

Sebastian gets up and to the door. He opens it, finding Daren on the other side.

“Oh, I wasn’t expecting you so early or today for that matter,” Sebastian says in surprise.

Daren nods, “I wasn’t gonna come until later bu-”

He stops when he lays eyes on Marcelo, who looks as if he wants to crawl inside his own skin.

Daren looks back at Sebastian, “What’s going on?”

Sebastian pauses, “Lennon was introducing us to Marcelo.”

Sebastian gestures to Marcelo, “Who it seems you already know.”

Marcelo blinks, “Daren.. I-”

“Would you fucking shut up,” Daren says, sounding more tired than angry.

Everyone freezes.

Daren looks to me, “Okay, Heath, let's go.”

I give everyone an I’m sorry look. Now I feel like I shouldn’t have asked him to pick me up. I follow him to the doorway, I hug Sebastian goodbye. I wave to Lennon and Marcelo and head out the door.

He’s already in his car ready to go, I walk over and climb into the passenger’s side.

He backs out of the spot and starts driving in silence.

I don’t know what to say if anything at all.

He seemed so mad when he saw Marcelo. I wonder if they used to be friends.

“Wha-” I start to say.

“Save it,” He snaps at me.

Did Marcelo do something to make Daren hate him? Daren doesn’t usually snap at people as he did at Marcelo.

We spend the rest of the drive in silence.