Eternal Sunshine

Chapter Twenty-Six

"What?"

"Shh!" Fluke hissed, cheeks beginning to blush. "As my friend, Leo, I am asking you to leave the house for the night. Please."

Understanding quickly dawned on Leo, and he struggled to hold back a grin.

"What about Benz?"

"I've already convinced him to leave. I'm pretty sure his cousin should be arriving at any moment to pick him up."

"Well, as your friend, I happily accept the dare." Leo promptly walked over to Nine, lacing their fingers together. "Are you ready to head home?"

"Uh, sure. I guess."

"Oh, we're leaving?" Maze asked, unable to mask his disappointment.

"Actually, Maze, I was hoping to spend some quality time with Nine," Leo replied, pouting his lips. "You don't mind spending the night here, do you?"

Maze looked over at Nine, who was just as surprised by this suggestion as Maze was. But then Maze turned his attention to Fluke, seeing a glint of hope in their eyes, and he started to wonder if this was actually Fluke's idea. That thought sent a swooping motion through the pit of his core.

"You two get out of here," Maze said, waving them off. "I'm sure the three of us won't even notice your absence."

"Who said I was involved in this?" Benz asked just as a message dinged on his phone. "That'll be my cousin. You all enjoy the rest of your night."

With a quick wink at Fluke, Benz walked out the door. Leo smiled down at Nine.

"Shall we get out of here?"

Nine nodded nervously. "Sure," he said before turning to Maze. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Maze waved as Leo and Nine walked out the door, leaving him alone with Fluke. The two of them stood there awkwardly for a moment, unsure how to proceed. This was the part in the planning that Fluke always got stuck on.

Thinking back to past relationships, Fluke never remembered making the decision to have sex with their partners. It just sort of happened without any discussion about whether either person was ready to take that step.

Fluke didn't want that to be the case with Maze. They knew they were ready for this step, but was Maze ready? How did you have this kind of conversation without feeling awkward? Or was talking about sex, even with someone you were falling in love with, only awkward because society has brainwashed us into believing that's how it is?

Feeling flustered, Fluke began walking up the steps away from Maze.

"I'm going to wash up for bed," they said before disappearing around the corner, closing their bedroom door with a thud.

Maze stood there in bewilderment for a moment before climbing the stairs two at a time. Maybe he misread the situation. Maybe Fluke wasn't the one who came up with the idea to have Leo and Nine leave. Maybe that's why Fluke seems embarrassed, they know what Maze had assumed.

Feeling guilty, Maze walked into the guest bathroom to wash up. It wasn't until he was wrapping the towel around his waist that he realized he didn't have any pajamas to change into.

"Shoot," Maze mumbled, reaching for his phone to text Fluke, only to discover he had an unread message waiting for him.

"I put some spare clothes outside the door for you," Fluke's message read.

Creaking the door open, Maze reached his arm out to grab the t-shirt and plaid pajama shorts before closing the door again to change. He ruffled his hair with the towel, trying to dry it as best he could. Running out of ways to stall, Maze slowly made his way over to Fluke's door, knocking lightly on it.