The three words on the screen glared at him. Can we talk?

Nico rushed to the living room, nearly tripping over the rug. Jamie was sitting on the couch, frowning at his own phone, which was his default state these days.

"Jamie," Nico said, breathless. "Look."

Jamie scanned the screen, and his expression cleared, the frown replaced by a wide-eyed expression of surprise. "Whoa. Nico, that’s… actually good. Right?" He paused, eyes narrowing. "You should leave him on read. Ghost him like he did to you. Let him suffer."

Nico stared at him.

"I'm kidding!" Jamie added quickly, breaking into a genuine smile. "Mostly."

Nico sat down next to him, running a hand through his curls. "I don’t know what to say. What if I mess it up again?"

"You won’t," Jamie said firmly. "Just be honest. You have to talk with him."

Nico looked back at the phone. He hesitated for a second, then his thumb moved.

Yes. When and where?

***

The park was neutral ground. It was quiet, save for the distant rumble of city traffic and the occasional jogger shuffling past.

Ben sat on a bench near the duck pond, staring intently at a mallard fighting the current. Did it ever get tired of the resistance? He certainly did. The wind bit at his cheeks, but he hardly noticed, too busy twisting the leather strap of his watch over and over.

Nico stopped a few steps away, watching him. It felt like a lifetime ago that he'd seen Ben at the shelter, stocking shelves of cat food, shy but welcoming. It felt like yesterday that he'd seen the hurt in Ben's eyes at the party.

He stepped closer, a twig snapping loudly under his sneaker. Ben flinched slightly and turned. Their eyes met across the distance. There was no immediate smile, no warm recognition. Only a guarded, careful assessment. Nico forced his legs to move, walking over to the bench. He sat down on the other end, leaving a careful, respectful gap between them.

“Thanks for coming,” Ben said.

"Thanks for asking," Nico replied, offering a small, nervous smile.

They sat in silence for a long beat. The mallard quacked, loud and indignant, breaking the tension.

"I got your drawing of Prunya." Ben said, still staring at the water. "It's really good."

"I went to see her the other day." Nico said softly, then added, "But the shelter didn't feel right witho—"

"I didn't want to ignore your texts, Nico.“ Ben turned. The raw honesty in his expression took Nico’s breath away. “But that night at the party... seeing you with that guy... it confirmed everything I was afraid of."

"Afraid of?" Nico asked.

"That this," Ben gestured vaguely between them, "was just a game to you. That I was the quaint volunteer project until someone more exciting came along. Someone like... him."

"It wasn't a game," Nico said, the words tumbling out fast. "Ben, I panicked. At the fundraiser, when we kissed... it felt so real. And that terrified me. I didn't know how to handle something that could actually last. That's why I pulled away. And then at the party, when Luke showed up..."

"Luke," Ben tested the name, his voice flat.

Nico took a deep breath. He looked down at his hands, unable to hold Ben’s gaze. "Ben, I’m so sorry. For how I acted with Luke when we were at Yani's. For the party. For everything after. I was hurt, and I was an idiot, and I..." He trailed off, shaking his head.

Ben shifted on the bench, turning his body toward Nico. "I’m sorry, too," he said softly. "I shouldn’t have just… left like that. Seeing you with him, I got jealous and I ran. I should have talked to you."

Nico blinked, taken aback. "Thank you. But... there’s something else." He swallowed hard. "When I came to the shelter the other day. And you were with that guy..."

Ben blinked. "Sam?"

"I get he's just an old friend," Nico said quickly. "He mentioned his wife. I know it wasn't... that. But seeing you with him... you seemed so... stable? Like you were living your life and you didn't need someone like me."

Nico stared at his knees. "And when you told me 'See you around'... it felt like a door closing. I thought you were done with the mess. Done with me."

"Oh, Nico," Ben sighed. He leaned forward, his elbows on his thighs. "I wasn't trying to shut you out. I was just... trying to keep it together. Because I was still hurting from the party."

"I felt so stupid," Nico said, his voice barely a whisper. "But... that's why what happened with Luke happened."

He risked a glance at Ben. Ben was watching him, his expression unreadable.

"We had a thing at the gym once," Nico rushed on, needing to get it out. "I didn't even know his name back then. But then, after I thought you had moved on... One night we went clubbing. He was there. It was a mistake. I was hurt and lonely and I wanted to feel something other than rejection. It meant nothing. But it happened."

Ben turned away, staring out at the pond again. A muscle in his jaw jumped. Silence.

"Are you upset?" Nico asked, his voice small.

Ben exhaled slowly. He turned back to Nico, and his eyes were glistening slightly. "Yeah," he said, with a quiet, sad honesty. "It stings a little. More than a little, I won't lie. But... I get it. We were both hurt. And scared."

He offered Nico a tentative, crooked smile. "Thank you for telling me. For being honest."

"I missed you," Nico blurted out, the words escaping before he could check them, raw and unpolished. "Even when I was trying to convince myself I didn't."

Ben’s smile softened, losing its crooked edge. "I missed you too," he admitted quietly. "The shelter's been... kind of empty."

The weight on Nico’s chest dissolved a bit. "So," he said, finding the courage for a little more eye contact. "Where does that leave us?"

Ben looked at him. In the way he used to, with affection and curiosity, and that specific fondness that made Nico feel seen.

"I was hoping," Ben said slowly, "we could start over. For real this time. A fresh start."

He reached across the space between them and gently placed his hand over Nico’s. His palm was comforting.

Nico's hand turned to clasp Ben’s. He squeezed, holding on tight. "I'd like that. A lot. A chance at tomorrow."

Ben smiled, and this time, it crinkled the corners of his eyes. "A chance at tomorrow." He paused, then let out a short, startled laugh, shaking his head. "Damn, that was cheesy. Did you rehearse that?"

Nico managed a weak grin, his face flushing. "Is it working?"

Ben’s thumb brushed over Nico’s knuckles. "Yeah. Against my better judgment, it kind of is. A chance at tomorrow."