Onyx shuffled through the bills on his bed, letting out an exhausted sigh. They weren’t bad compared to what they could have been, but it still frustrated him just looking at them. Part because that money would be coming from his own paycheck, and part because that shouldn’t have been the case. He’d accepted it long ago that he wouldn’t be able to rely on his mother, that her childish antics would force him to grow up sooner than he would have liked. 

It still pissed him off to an unspeakable degree. 

“You sound stressed.”

“Thanks for stating the obvious,” Onyx said, turning to his phone as if he’d be able to see Day’s face through it. “I’m fine. Just looking through some stuff.”

“What stuff?”

“Bills.”

Day let out a sigh that almost seemed more irritated than his own had.

“Don’t start,” warned Onyx, “or I’ll hang up.”

“I wasn’t going to.”

“Sure you weren’t.” Onyx shifted, sitting up where he’d previously been laying stomach-down on his bed. His eyes shifted to the bags of art supplies on the floor beside the piece of furniture and remembered. “I actually have a proposal for you.”

There was a moment of complete silence on the other line before Day asked, carefully, “I’m guessing this isn’t one that involves a ring?”

“Funny.” Onyx scoffed, rolling his eyes. “You know I can just get you back for the shit you text and say over the phone the next time I see you in person, right?”

Day let out a laugh and Onyx was beginning to consider being a comedian because he’d never known he was that funny. Truly, it seemed as if Day would laugh at anything that left his lips, sometimes. “What have I said over text?”

“You said the painting I gave you was beautiful—”

“That’s innocent.”

“Sure, but later that day you suggested I paint you another of myself.” Onyx couldn’t help the amused smile that crossed his face and that should have bothered him, but it didn’t. He let loose a deep exhale, glad Day wasn’t there to see his troubling expression. “Naked.”

“Friendly joke,” Day continued to excuse. 

“Whatever. You should just be glad my girlfriend wasn’t there to see that one.” Speaking of Alyssa, Onyx had somehow managed to trail completely off-topic. “Speaking of my girlfriend, she proposed that the three of us hang out. I told her if you were okay with it, I would go along with it, too.”

“Wait, hang out together? All three of us?” Day sounded just as dubious as Onyx had when Alyssa had first suggested it. “Why?”

“You don’t want to meet her? She thought you’d be just as curious as she is.”

“I don’t know. It just kinda seems like a setup.”

“Mm.”

“You know the first time you mentioned her, I just assumed you were so far in the closet you were making a girlfriend up to deflect the situation. Or that you just didn’t like me at all which was unlikely considering I’m your soulmate.”

“That’s what most call being a problematic asshole,” Onyx muttered. “So are you game or not? You can say no. This doesn’t matter to me.”

“I’ll go.”

“Damn.” Onyx sighed, admittedly a little dramatically. “A part of me was hoping you’d say no.”

“Then why ask? You could have just lied and told her I said no.”

“I’m not a liar.”

Day was silent for a few seconds before asking hesitantly, “want me to say no?”

“Nah, I'd rather get this out of the way.” Onyx moved to stand, stretching his arms over his head. “Alright, I’m gonna let you go. I’ll discuss the details with my girlfriend and then relay them to you.”

“Okay. See you, Onyx.”

“Bye.”