Sasha sat down on his bed and stared at the flowers Cooper had given him where they sat in a cup on his kitchen counter and focused on breathing slowly in and out. Had there been tension between them? That kind of tension? There definitely had been, right?
He wanted there to be, for something to be budding between them, but at the same time he didn't know what to do with that. It couldn't possibly go anywhere, could it? Cooper seemed like the kind of person who would want to spend all his time with whoever he was dating, and Sasha just wasn't like that. No matter how much he liked someone, he just wasn't built for that kind of relationship.
But Cooper had brought him flowers and they'd cuddled a little and talked about their feelings and then Cooper had left before Sasha could get too overwhelmed and it had been so nice. He wanted this to somehow work, but he just didn't think it could.
Sasha jumped as his phone pinged. He picked it up and was unsurprised to see a message from Cooper. It had been so long since anybody had texted him that he'd forgotten what sound it made.
Thanks again for the great night tonight, the message said.
Sasha never really knew what to say when people thanked him for things. 'You're welcome' seemed kind of right, but in a way where it usually wasn't actually. Even he realised that was awkward even if it was supposedly like... the most standard, default response you could give to someone thanking you. What did normal people say?
So Sasha Googled it and a list came up, because apparently he wasn't the only socially awkward person in the world.
'You're welcome' was the first suggestion, which made him feel a little vindicated, but he still wanted something different. 'No problem', maybe? Or 'my pleasure'? The last item on the list was 'thank you,' and it said to use that when you also had something to thank the other person for, so he chose that. He didn't know how to use italics in text messages, or even if you could, so he sent, 'Thank YOU,' instead.
A few seconds passed, and then he heard Cooper laugh out loud from the apartment next door. Sasha could feel his face going red, but he was smiling as well.
#
On Monday afternoon, as he lay around on the bed and waited for Ellie and Abra to get home from work, Cooper's phone rang. He hoped it was Sasha calling, as he'd hoped every time his phone rang since he'd given Sasha his number, but so far it never had been and Cooper didn't fancy his chances of that changing. Sasha didn't like talking on the phone, and that was fine.
Unfortunately, it was much worse than just not being Sasha. It was his mother.
Cooper considered ignoring it, but he knew from past experience that if he did that, she'd just keep calling, and then get his dad to try calling, and it wouldn't stop until Cooper finally gave in.
Cooper flopped back down on the bed and answered the call. "Hi."
The familiar sound of his mother sighing was the first sound Cooper heard from the other end of the line. "Cooper, that isn't how I taught you to answer the phone."
Cooper made a face. "You taught me to say 'hello, Cooper speaking,' but this is a mobile phone. I know it's you. That would be weird."
"And simply saying 'hi' isn't? What about 'hi, mum, how are you?'"
"I'll keep that in mind for next time," Cooper said. "Is there something specific you wanted to talk about, or...?"
"Well, I thought we might have a conversation about how you've been doing and what's going on in your life first. We haven't talked in... oh, I don't even know."
"Everything's the same, really. No major changes."
"Oh." She sounded disappointed.
"So...?"
There was a moment's pause. "Do you remember when we used to go up to the cabin when you were little? You loved that place."
The 'cabin' was a full sized, fully furnished and fitted house that just happened to sit in front of a lake in an area that was wilder, but not too wild. It was bush adjacent, which wasn't exactly a rare feature in Australia, but in a way that was very manicured and tame unless you deliberately wandered off the well kept paths.
That's what he and Mason, his middle brother, had spent most of their time there doing. Running around in the bush, being wild and free, while his parents and his oldest brother, Logan, had done activities like horse riding and golf.
"That was fun," Cooper conceded.
"Well, I'm happy to hear you say that, because we're planning another family vacation there!"
"Ah."
"Cooper, please. Don't be like that. You just said you loved it."
Yeah, because it had meant less time being around his parents. Now he got to do that every day, and if he wanted to fuck around in the bush for a few hours, there were more convenient options.
"No, I just. I have work, you know?"
"You just told me that not much has changed for you, so I assume you're still doing temp work which has extremely flexible hours, and I haven't even told you when the trip is yet."
Fuck. She had him there. He should have saved that excuse for after she gave him a date.
"Well, when is it?"
"Before I tell you that, I want you to tell me what hours you're working over the next two weeks."
"Mum—"
"No. I know you, Cooper, especially since you just tried to pull this one on me. Either tell me when you're busy now or agree not to use work or other commitments as an excuse."
"I have work tomorrow. Nothing after that."
"Excellent! The family vacation is Friday through Sunday."
"That's—okay, but I share a car with Ellie and Abra. I can't just leave them without a vehicle over the weekend, and it's too far to ask them to drop me off."
"Someone will pick you up and bring you home afterwards. Honestly, Cooper, I'd gladly pay whatever ridiculous taxi fares it costs to get you here, if that was what it took. It's been so long since I've seen you, and even longer since we've done anything together as a family."
"Yeah, I guess it has." Cooper was silent for a moment. "Mason will be there too?"
"He will! The whole family. Logan is even bringing his fiance, who I believe you haven't met yet."
"Logan has a fiance?"
"See, this is exactly why this is long overdue. Now please, promise me you'll come."
"I—Yeah, okay. I guess."
"Not the enthusiasm I had hoped for, but more than I had expected. I'll see you on Friday, Cooper."
Cooper hung up the phone and groaned, then let out a sad whimper as he realised Friday was date night and he would be with his family instead of with Sasha for this one. He wished he could bring Sasha with him like Logan was bringing his fiance, but the reality of that wouldn't be good for anyone. Especially Sasha.
Cooper picked his phone back up and texted Sasha. I'm going to have to rain check date night this week. Stupid family thing. Sorry :(
Cooper lay around for a couple of minutes waiting for a response, then got up and started washing the dishes just to be doing something other than waiting. Was Sasha upset with him for changing their plans? No, probably not, he was too understanding for that. Maybe he was busy? He didn't seem to leave the house much, but he had to do something with his time. Or maybe his phone just wasn't turned on?
Cooper was just draining the water from the sink, having finished with the dishes, when his phone pinged. He leapt onto the bed and looked at the screen.
It's okay!, the reply from Sasha said. I hope you have fun with your family.
I won't and I'd rather be with you but my mum guilted me into it, Cooper sent back. It's only three days tho. I'm just being dramatic.
Three days is relative, Sasha sent back, and then before Cooper could ask what he meant, he continued, Three days without water is a long time. Three days to live isn't.
True, Cooper replied. I'll send you a picture of a tree.
Thank you. I haven't seen many trees in a while.
I'll bring you back a gift. A leaf, perhaps?
Sounds great.
As Cooper continued to text Sasha, he felt a little better but also kind of worse. He'd been looking forward to date night.
#
"I have to go to a family get together on the weekend," Cooper told Ellie and Abra when they came home. He was laying on the bed, still exchanging occasional text messages with Sasha.
"You don't have to," Abra reminded him. "Did you choose to?"
"I... agreed to," Cooper said. "Free will is a difficult thing when my mother's involved."
"Don't let her bully you. She can't make you do anything."
Cooper made a grumbling sound. Abra was right, but it was more complicated than that. "I should probably go anyway. My brothers will be there. It's been ages since I've seen Mason. Longer since I've seen Logan, but I actually like Mason, so..."
Ellie sat down on the bed next to Cooper. "I'm going to check before you leave to make sure you have your phone and your charger with you. If things get bad, you call us. Okay?"
"I'm sure it'll be fine. It's not like my parents beat me or anything. But... yeah, thanks."
Ellie leant over and kissed Cooper's forehead. "There are other ways to be abusive."