LUCAS
Lucas's fingers flew across his keyboard, quickly typing words in his essay that was due twenty minutes beforehand. He scanned the screen, skimming through his essay, correcting typos and inserting commas and periods in places where he'd missed them while typing the first time.
His phone buzzed and he ignored it, knowing it was just Ralph asking if he was on his way to lunch. Lucas rubbed his face as he downloaded his essay and switched tabs to turn it, sighing as he hit submit.
He took a second to stretch as he set his laptop to the side, and then grabbed his jacket and phone, texting Ralph I'm on my way and accidentally slamming the door shut behind himself.
"Hey, sorry," Lucas said as he slid into the booth next to Milan, our of breath from rushing form his hotel room to the cafe. "Homework...stuff."
Milan snorted at him, sliding a small plate with a sandwich on it over to him. Lucas grabbed it and took a bite before looking up and realising both arson and Milan were staring at him.
"What?"
Milan suppressed a smile and looks at Ralph. Lucas looked back and forth between them.
"What?" Lucas asked again.
"You seem happier," Ralph said, raising his eyebrows and lifting his mug to his lips.
"I guess?"
"What's up?" Milan asked slyly, putting his cheek on his palm, looking at him.
Lucas smiled uncomfortably, setting his sandwich back down and pulling his legs up so he sat criss cross, trying not to bump Milan. He shrugged, his smile growing.
"Talk to us," Ralph said. He set his chin on his fist, leaning partway across the table to focus intently on Lucas.
"Uhm..."
Lucas scoffed quietly and covered his face with his hands, not knowing what to say. When he lowered his hands, they were both still staring at him.
"Something's up. I can feel it," Ralph said, speaking quietly, cryptically. "In my bones."
Lucas snorted and put his elbows on the table, holding his head in his hands.
"You guys know Jens," he started.
"Oh my god," Ralph interrupted. Lucas started laughing, rubbing his cheek bashfully. "Are you—Are you serious?" Ralph's jaw dropped and he leaned further across the table to look into Lucas's eyes.
Lucas nodded slowly and grinned at him.
"Are! You! Serious!"
"Wait, what's going on?" Milan looked back and forth between the two of them, his eyes wide.
Ralph turned to Lucas to explain. Lucas turned, pulling his leg up in front of him, setting his chin on his knee and wrapping his arms around his leg.
"So basically..." He paused, wondering if it was okay to talk about Jens. "You can't tell anyone, yeah?"
Milan nodded, smiling as he seemed to realise.
"We're kind of... seeing each other?"
"Lucas!" Milan reaches out and hugged him, rocking back and forth excitedly. Lucas hugged him back, laughing into his shoulder.
"When? How? Tell us!" Ralph said.
"Okay, so..." He adjusted in his seat so he was looking at Ralph too. "We've been like... flirting and stuff. We kissed." He left out the other stuff he knew they would tease him relentlessly for. He looked down and smiled. "I met his mom and sister."
Ralph squealed and clapped his hands as Milan quietly said, "Oh my god, so cute."
"I think we're going to have dinner with them," Lucas said.
"Oh my god!" Milan grabbed Lucas's shoulder again and Lucas dropped his head, his eyes almost closed because of how wide his smile was.
"I'm so happy for you," Ralph said, cocking his head to the side and smiling fondly.
Lucas smiled back.
"I'm not telling anyone back home, though," he said worriedly. Ralph touched his index finger and thumb together and dragged them across his lips, miming zipping his mouth shut.
Lucas paused before saying, "He called me his boyfriend." He pulled his shoulders up, shrugging happily.
"You're a boyfriend!" Milan squealed, shaking Lucas by the shoulders.
"You have a boyfriend!" Ralph added.
"I have a boyfriend!"
"You have a boyfriend!" Milan shook him again.
Lucas let him, laughing.