Then he looks up at me for a moment, and from here I can see the circles under his eyes, shading toward his cheekbones, the slightly restless way he moves as he tilts his head to one side as if he’s contemplating.
I don’t worry, but I… notice.
“You look different,” he says, and I sigh.
“Gideon, you got an opinion on me?” I ask.
“Solid seven,” he says, as Beast jumps into his lap, head already held back for chin scritches.
“Thanks.”
There’s a brief, suspicious silence. Wyatt’s grinning. I don’t like it.
“Silas got laid,” he finally says.
“The fuck?”
“Your fake girlfriend know?” asks Javier, eyebrows up.
I scrub a hand over my face.
“Bet she does,” says Wyatt.
“Jesus Christ, why am I friends with you guys?” I mutter.
I was going to tell them, like a normal fucking person, but apparently I don’t get that.
“Explains the joie de vivre,” Javier grins.
“I’ve always got joie de vivre.”
“Since when do you know French?” grumps Gideon.
“I’m fucking sophisticated,” Javier says, cracker in hand as he crosses one knee over the opposite ankle and flops back against my couch. “Didn’t you see my art review in the paper of record? The Pilot-Dispatch’s art critic called my Bigfoot Zeus, and I quote, extremely interesting.”
“Isn’t that the same lady who said your painting of that baby goat had Satanic overtones and was probably for use in the occult?” Gideon asks.
“She wasn’t wrong,” Javier says. “I bet we could use it to summon a demon.”
We all consider this for a moment, the silence broken only by Beast’s incredibly loud purring.
“Maybe the demon would tell us why Silas looks so happy,” Javier says.
“Do I still?” I ask sarcastically.
“You think it took a deal with the devil to get Silas laid?” Wyatt says, faux-surprise on his face. “He’s not that bad looking.”
“I can have sex without Satan getting involved,” I say, glaring at Wyatt.
“Good to know,” Gideon deadpans.
“And you are in my house, eating my snacks, so shut the hell up and let me get my glow on for any reason I like,” I go on.
The three of them look at me, like they’re waiting for something. I make them wait a little longer, because they’re assholes.
“Kat and I are dating,” I finally say, and even though I’m trying to sound annoyed with them, it doesn’t work.
Wyatt gives Javier a very obnoxious told you so look.