Fox is home.
I close it gently behind me, half expecting him to be sprawled on the couch like always.But instead, I hear faint clattering from the kitchen.
I freeze, unsure whether to drop my bag or mentally prepare for another sarcastic remark.Then—
“So, you and Landon dating now, huh?”
Fox’s voice.Low.Casual.But with an edge.
What the hell?
10
Caught
“So,you’redatingLandonnow, huh?”
Fox’s voice floats in from the kitchen like it’s just casual curiosity—but I know better.There’s a sharpness beneath it.Something biting, restrained.
I freeze for a moment, completely taken aback by Fox’s question.I wasn’t expecting him to say anything, let alone something like that.Slowly, I turn to face him.Fox is sitting on a stool at the counter, arms crossed, staring at me with those cold blue eyes, as if daring me to respond.
“What?”I finally manage to say.
“You heard me,” Fox says, his tone sharp.“Are you and Landon dating?I saw you two all over each other in the parking lot earlier.”
What the hell?Why does he even care?I drop my bag on the couch and head to the kitchen.Surprisingly, there’s a book in front of him—not a cigarette or phone in sight.His eyes are still on me, dark and unreadable, like he’s been studying every move I make since I walked through the door.He’s shirtless—of course—and his muscles shift beneath milky skin like he’s some statue brought to life just to torment me.
“Why do you care?”I ask, crossing my arms and leaning against the wall.
“Don’t flatter yourself.Just curious why it has to be Landon out of all the gay guys.I mean, I know you’re gay, but why him?”
I can’t tell if he’s genuinely curious or just trying to provoke me.“Why do you care who I date?What—should it be you?”The words slip out before I can stop myself.
Fox raises his eyebrows, clearly taken aback, but then a slow smirk crosses his lips as he licks his bottom lip.
“Well, forget I said that,” I stammer.“But really, why do you care?”
“Trust me, I don’t give a damn,” he mutters, looking back at his book.
“Good, because it’d be seriously twisted if the almighty homophobic Fox cared about his gay roommate’s love life.”
Fox looks at me, scoffing.“You coming out to me now?Because I was honestly still holding out hope you might be a little straighter than you look.”
I roll my eyes.“Pretty sure you already knew.But yeah, it’s official—I’m gay.And don’t worry, I won’t be ‘disgusting’ you with ‘gay sex’ in your precious apartment.”
Fox actually pauses at that, glancing at me before shrugging.“Just don’t go overboard.”
Something about Fox’s reaction throws me off.
No tantrum.No eye roll.No slur lobbed like a grenade.
He flips a page in his book like nothing I said even touched him.
Where’s the usual storm?The name-calling?The smug smirk that always shows up when I stand my ground?
This isweird.
“You know,” I say, straightening up, my voice firmer than I feel, “you’re not the one who gets to make the rules here.”
