Trade Deadline - Avon Gale Page 0,23
were friends. He wanted Daniel to meet the people who had become his family. Granted, they were all busy enough that most of their interaction was sharing memes on a never-ending group text, but still.
“Like, what happens though...” Justice trailed off. He glanced at Quinton.
“Seriously, what?” Micah sat back on the couch, eating the last of the dip with one of the few remaining bits of corn chips in the fiesta platter.
“I mean, he’s a hockey player,” Justice said, as if they hadn’t just watched this game.
“You’re not going to say that he can’t be queer just because he’s a professional athlete, right?” Micah demanded. “Because that would be wrong.”
“Of course not. I just know how much you hate uncertainty, Micah,” Justice said.
“I’m pretty sure he’s queer,” Micah said dryly.
“I think what Justice means,” Quinton said, “is that professional athletes change teams a lot, right? I know you’re the settle-down type, Micah. Oh, don’t glare at me, you know I’m right. Who got a little drunk at Ash and Bethany’s wedding, telling us how much they wanted to find a man and have some kids, too?”
Micah turned red, which, damn it, he could not hide with his complexion. “May I remind you, Quinton, you also tried to go swimming in your rented tux.”
“It’s not my fault Bethany and Ash hated my vintage zoot suit and made me get a ‘real’ one.” Quinton, who tried his best to dress in something from any decade but the current one, was still mad about that. “And I would have had it dry-cleaned. But my point remains, Micah.”
“We just don’t want you to get hurt, and all that.” Justice paused. “But he’s hot, so we do want you to get laid. And I want to meet him, because he is hot and also, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who knew you as a kid.”
Micah smiled despite himself. That was true enough; most of his high school friends had left the area, with a few moving out to LA and some to stranger, more exotic locations like mid-Missouri or Indiana for graduate school. They kept in touch, but Micah’s core group of friends were all people he’d met through volunteer work with the local queer community. He and Justice had dated very briefly after meeting at a charity fundraiser, decided they were better off as friends and had never looked back. “We had fun as kids. And yeah, of course you can meet him.” The other thing, though... Micah did wonder what would happen if the Thunder lost enough games that Daniel got traded. “I can’t not be friends with him because he might leave.”
“Can you be friends without falling for him?”
“Are you implying that since I’m gay and he’s a hot athlete—”
“No,” Justice interrupted. “I’m implying you’re you, and I know you. You’re not good at casual. You’ve known what you wanted to do since you were eight! And you actually did it. How many other people have done that, huh?”
“Daniel did,” Micah couldn’t resist pointing out.
“Exactly,” said Quinton. He sat on Micah’s other side, so Micah was flanked by his well-meaning but sort of irritating friends. “Look, I’m happy for you, okay? God knows you’re a catch, no pun about your job intended.”
“Guys, really, this is all nice, and I appreciate you looking out for me and my future heartbreak, but...we’re friends. Yeah, there might be something there, but it might not ever be anything else and that’s fine. At least let me see if there’s any reason for you to worry about me, before you start.”
Justice gave him a hug, and Quinton reciprocated from the other side. “Deal. But you better let us know. You hook up with that hockey hottie and don’t tell me, I will share that video of you playing Just Dance drunk at our housewarming party on the group chat.”
“Why do you still have that?” Micah asked, closing his eyes in horror. He was not a good dancer. Especially not after six Jell-O shots and a dinner made up entirely of finger foods.
“For this exact reason, friend.” Quinton beamed. He ruffled Micah’s hair. “Jus, you ready to go?”
When his friends left—after Micah assured them that yes, he would tell them if anything happened with Daniel—he cleaned up from their impromptu hockey party and thought about what they’d said.
It was invasive and a little annoying, but that’s what friends did and Micah couldn’t say they were wrong. He didn’t like uncertainty. He liked to know where he