The Uber pulled up in front of the garage with a soft halt, and Remi was the first to open the door, sliding out with ease before offering his hand to Ash. Ash grumbled a little, dramatic as always, but still took it with a smile, letting himself be pulled out of the car.

"You good?" Remi asked, adjusting the tote bag on his shoulder.

"Yeah, just trying not to melt in this heat," Ash muttered, tugging his hoodie down even though it was barely 70 degrees out. "You and your obsession with wearing thin-ass shirts got me freezing."

Remi laughed. "Then why'd you wear it, dummy?"

Ash didn't answer. He just held Remi's hand tighter as they walked into the garage together, side by side.

The place was just as they remembered it, smelling like oil, metal, and something faintly citrusy. One of the workers waved as they passed, but before they could say anything, Théodore showed up halfway from the back, walking toward them with that usual easy confidence like he owned every step he took.

He was wearing a sleeveless black tank today, grease smudged near his collarbone, his neck tattoos on full display and dreads tied loosely back. He grinned when he saw them.

"Hey sugar," he said, eyes on Remi, voice just as deep and smooth as ever.

Remi giggled, cheeks going pink. "Hey, Theo."

Ash squinted. "Sugar? Seriously? That's the name we're going with now?"

Théodore chuckled. "What, you jealous?"

"No," Ash said quickly. "Just wondering if you call all your clients pet names or if we got VIP treatment."

"Definitely VIP," Théodore said with a wink.

Ash rolled his eyes, but Remi could see the little smile hiding at the corner of his mouth.

They followed Théodore further in, where a few bikes were lined up, and loud music played faintly from an old speaker on the counter. And then they saw it-their car.

Remi gasped. "No freaking way."

Ash let go of his hand to walk up to it, eyes wide. Their beat-up black sedan now looked almost... brand new. Like it had gone on a two-week spa retreat and came out a different car. It was shiny, spotless, and gleaming under the sunlight.

Ash turned around. "What the hell did you do to it?"

Théodore shrugged like it was nothing. "Cleaned it, touched up the paint, fixed a few scratches. Polished the rims too."

Remi stared. "That... that's not what we asked for."

"It's a little extra. Free touch-up," Théodore said casually, wiping his hands with a rag.

"How much was the fixing?" Ash asked, arms crossing, already prepared to argue.

Théodore smiled. "Nothing. It's on me."

"No way. Nuh uh," Ash said immediately. "Fixing the alternator, changing the oil, towing, and then this? Bro, no."

Remi nodded beside him. "We can't not pay. That'd make us feel-"

"Guilty," Ash added.

Théodore raised a brow. "Y'all seriously arguing with me over not paying?"

Ash stared. "You seriously think we can just accept that?"

Théodore folded his arms, lips twitching into a smirk. "Fine. If you have to repay me... I want one thing."

Remi blinked. "What?"

Théodore looked between them before locking eyes with Ash. Then Remi.

"A date. With both of you."

The silence stretched.

Ash blinked. "You're joking."

"I'm dead serious," Théodore said, tone even. "I've been thinking about it the last few days. I wasn't just messing around. I thought it was obvious."

Remi looked stunned. "Wait, really?"

"Yeah. I like y'all," he said simply. "The vibe. You both. I want to know you better. Hang out, whatever that looks like. I asked for your contacts for a reason."

Ash exhaled slowly, brain working in overdrive. "So... you're not guilt-tripping us into a date?"

Théodore grinned. "Hell no. I don't need guilt to get a date. I just figured, since y'all are so set on paying me back, might as well shoot my shot."

There was something about how he said it that made it hard to argue. It wasn't creepy. Wasn't pushy. It was just... confident. Honest.

Remi glanced up at Ash, reaching for his hand again, squeezing gently.

"Let's do it," Remi said.

Ash looked at him, brows lifted. Remi smiled.

"Come on. You know you're curious too."

Ash sighed, then nodded. "Fine. One date. But this doesn't mean you get to call him sugar again."

Théodore laughed, wide and real. "Deal."

Remi grinned. "We'll text you."

"I'll be waiting," Théodore said, stepping back.

As they headed toward the front of the garage, Ash whispered to Remi, "We're not catching feelings, right?"

Remi smirked. "No promises."

Ash slid into the driver's seat, his hands running over the wheel like it was some luxury whip instead of their regular-ass car that had died dramatically just three days ago. "It feels brand new," he muttered, twisting the key in the ignition. The engine purred to life like a satisfied cat.

Remi giggled from the passenger seat, legs crossed, skincare glow in full force. "Damn, babe. I feel like we just won a giveaway or something."

Ash grinned, tilting his head back against the headrest. "He really did the most, huh?"

Before Remi could reply, he opened the door again and hopped out. "Wait-I gotta do something real quick."

Ash blinked. "What now-?"

Remi marched straight back to Théodore, who was leaning against the garage wall with his arms folded, chatting with the stud girl again, both laughing over something. She threw a wink Remi's way as he got closer.

Without saying a word, Remi wrapped his arms around Théodore in a spontaneous hug.

Théodore froze for a second, startled-but then smiled and hugged him back easily, big arms warm and solid, wrapping around Remi in that kind of calm way that made people melt into it. He smelt like engine grease, leather, and something kinda woodsy.

Soft, even for someone that tall and broad. It was giving human-sized teddy bear, for real.

Remi pulled back, blinking. "Oops," he muttered, a little embarrassed. "Sorry, that was-uh, random."

Théodore looked down at him with a soft grin. "Nah, it's cool. I like hugs."

Remi laughed nervously and rocked on his heels. "Okay, Teddy."

Théodore's grin widened, teeth flashing. "You figured it out already?"

"Figured what out?" Remi asked.

"That nickname," Théodore said. "Teddy. That's what folks used to call me."

Remi tilted his head. "Teddy does feel... right."

Théodore nodded. "Fits. You just knew."

Remi looked like he was about to say something else but Ash's voice cut through from behind.

"You done hugging your human-sized plush toy or...?" Ash called out from the car window, eyebrow arched. "We got errands."

Remi waved him off without looking back, still smiling.

Ash stayed quiet for a moment as he watched the two talk. His fingers played with the steering wheel again, gaze drifting to Théodore's hands, then his forearms, then back up to the way he was laughing with Remi, low and rumbly.

This guy...

It wasn't even about the flirting anymore. There was something about him-maybe the way he talked, maybe the calm way he looked at them like they were already friends or something deeper, something safe and cool all at once. Ash didn't like how easy it was to notice all that. Like, bro, calm down.

Théodore gave Remi a little wave and stepped back as Remi jogged back toward the car, smiling to himself like he was holding in a giggle. He got in, closing the door and fastening his seatbelt like nothing just happened.

Ash gave him a side-eye. "You good?"

"Yup." Remi popped the P.

"That 'Teddy' thing just slip outta you?"

"Sure did," Remi said, looking out the window, smug. "It fits him."

Ash snorted. "He's not a Build-A-Bear, Rem."

"Could've fooled me with that warm-ass hug," Remi teased, poking his side.

Ash tried not to grin but failed. "You wild."

"I know."

They pulled out of the lot slowly, Ash testing the brakes and steering, still lowkey amazed.

"Damn," he muttered again, half to himself. "He really fixed her up."

Remi nodded. "He didn't even let us pay."

Ash glanced at him, brows raised. "But made us agree to a date instead."

They were quiet for a second. The word "date" sat in the air between them like a balloon just waiting to be popped.

"You cool with it?" Remi asked finally, voice soft.

Ash shrugged, but not in a "no" kind of way. He looked straight ahead, thumb tapping against the steering wheel. "You said yes already."

"Because I saw the way you looked at him," Remi said, honest as ever. "You're curious. Even if you're trying to act all grumpy about it."

Ash gave him a playful glare. "I'm not grumpy."

Remi grinned. "Mmhm. I'll remind you of that when you wear that hoodie I saw you eyeing in his closet."

"I was looking at his tools," Ash defended, dead serious.

"Oh, I bet you were."

Ash just shook his head, but a small smile crept onto his lips as he pulled out onto the main road, hand reaching over to rest on Remi's thigh.

The air was light between them, playful again. The way it always had been.

But they both knew something was shifting.

That date was real.

And Teddy was serious.

And neither of them were sure what exactly they'd signed up for-but weirdly, they weren't mad about it.

Not at all.