Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Hey, kid.”

Jean looks up from his sweet potatoes when he hears James call out from the doorway of the back door. “Yes?”

James looks like he’s hesitating, unsure if he should come out and stand with Jean or not. He’s been considerate like that for so long it’s habit at this point. He’d been able to tell Jean was a little nervous around him, when he’d first moved in. Jean doesn’t really feel that way now, though it is the main reason Adi won’t let Jean go watch the Exy games James coaches. Apparently, he gets a little…intense at games.

Jean sits back on his haunches and it seems to be enough of an invitation for James, who steps outside and comes to the garden. He leans against one of the raised beds a few feet away and clears his throat.

“Listen, kid, one of my players just got cut off from his family,” he says gruffly. Jean tenses. There’s only two bedrooms in the house; is Jean going to stay? James continues on, though, looking at his hands instead of Jean and not noticing the way Jean’s hanging on every word. Adi steps out back, too, and joins James. It makes Jean even more nervous. “He’s been staying with some of the other players, but they’re gonna be away for the holiday, and I’m - well, he’s been going through a tough time, and I’m not comfortable with him being alone, to tell you the truth. I know you hate surprises, so I wanted to run it by you. Is that gonna be okay with you?”

Jean hesitates. “He will be staying…?”

“Just for the week, yeah,” James says. “He’ll crash in the living room, though; I won’t make you give up your space. I mean, you’ll have to share the shower in the morning, obviously, but.”

Adi steps in and adds, “He’s a good kid, just two years older than you.” He smiles. “I think you’d like him, actually.”

Jean nods, still wary. “But - I will not…be -”

“Oh, no, Jean!” Adi interrupts, looking devastated. He steps forward and sinks to his knees in front of Jean, brushing his hands over Jean’s hair. “No, I’m so sorry if we made it seem like you were going anywhere.” Behind Adi, James sighs and looks skyward. Jean bites his lip. “Hey,” Adi says softly, hands now grasping Jean’s shoulders. “You’re adopted, Jean.” He forces a smile, and Jean nods, swallowing tightly. “You’re here to stay. You’re not ever going to not belong here. Even if you go far away for college, or - or wherever. This is always your home.”

Jean nods again. It’s silly, because he knows he’s been adopted. James and Adi had adopted him a few months ago, after having him for a year. It had been Jean’s hope, but with being ripped away after so long with his last family - though ‘family’ is putting it lightly - and the several homes he’s been through since, it’s still taking Jean a while for the permanent part of adoption to kick in fully. He always feels like any time he makes them mad, or as soon as a new kid who maybe isn’t so quiet and boring comes along, they’ll want to use the room for that kid, instead.

“Feel up for a hug?” Adi asks. Jean nods again. Adi’s hugs never make him uncomfortable. Adi wraps his arms around Jean and Jean hugs him back, though he doesn’t put his dirty hands on Adi’s shirt. Adi holds him for a long time. “You’re our son, Jean,” he whispers, “and we love you. Nobody will ever, ever take your place.” Jean swallows and squeezes him harder in response. When he lets go, Adi does, too. Then he gives Jean’s hair a ruffle he ducks out of with an annoyed sound that makes Adi smile before he stands back up and heads inside. He puts a hand on James’s shoulder for a moment before going in.

Jean waits, biting his lip, because James doesn’t usually come into the garden with Jean unless they’re both working on it. Since James isn’t getting dirty, he must still have something he wants to say.

Sure enough, James clears his throat again. “Kid,” he begins, “I’m - I’m sorry if I…have ever done anything to let you believe that this isn’t forever.” He gestures around, indicating Jean and himself, the garden, the house, Adi. “You are our family, and you have been since the day we brought you here, even if you haven’t always felt that way. I need you to know that.”

Jean doesn’t have an answer, so he just says, “I - I know. Just…sometimes, I forget.”

James nods. Then he asks, “Are you okay with my player coming?”

“I am,” Jean promises. “He can borrow my pillows.”

James looks amused. “He’ll bring his own, kid, but thanks for offering.”

Jean accepts that, but then James looks like he’s going to head inside but doesn’t really want to, so instead Jean says, “There are many sweet potatoes ready today.”

It does the trick. “Are there? Hmm. Want some help?”

“Sure.”

James heads over to the other side of the row Jean’s on, rolling his sleeves up. He grabs his foam board he always kneels on and gets down in the dirt with Jean.

—

“Adi? James?”

Jean’s parents look up from the TV and toward Jean, hovering in the door. “What’s up?” James asks, muting the show they’re watching.

“May I go out tonight?” Jean asks. “Some of my friends want to go have dinner and maybe to a party.”

James and Adi look at each other, doing that parental telepathic communication thing they do often. They look back at Jean. “Who’s going to be there?” James asks.

Jean shifts on his feet. “Andrew,” he says.

Adi raises his eyebrow. “And?”

Jean hesitates. “Neil,” he confesses. James grunts, and Adi looks victorious. “If I drive, he cannot trap me to make stupid choices again,” Jean attempts to entice them. Adi snickers. “Kevin is back in town,” Jean finally relents. “I would like to see him.”

It softens Adi’s face. Jean, Kevin, and Neil had all been foster brothers together before they’d been separated when Riko’s death was being investigated, and it had been decided keeping them separated in their homes away from Tetsuji, their foster father, was for the best. Kevin was in college across the country in South Carolina, now, but always came back here for breaks to see Neil and Jean even though his long-lost father lived in South Carolina with him, and was actually his coach.

“Of course,” Adi says. “We would never keep you from your brothers.”

“Not Neil?” Jean asks sullenly.

Adi sighs, and Jean feels bad. James speaks up, “We don’t want to keep you from Neil, Jean,” he starts. “We worry because Neil has some…impulse control issues. You’re a senior with a lot of opportunity ahead of you; we don’t want you to lose college prospects because you were in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Jean gets it. He does. Neil makes stupid choices sometimes, but - “He is getting better,” he insists. “And I do not ever go along with his stupid choices,” he adds.

“We know, kiddo,” Adi says indulgently. He nods to the door. “Go ahead, have fun. Don’t do anything stupid. Be back by…What do you say, James? Midnight?”

“Fine by me; it’s not a school night,” James agrees. He looks at Jean hard. “Hey. Be safe. Call us if you need us, got it?”

“Got it,” Jean answers dutifully, and gives them a smile. “Thank you. I will leave now.”

Adi and James call out goodbyes as Jean heads to the door.

When he meets Kevin and Aaron at the restaurant, Neil and Andrew aren’t there, yet, and he and Kevin embrace tightly. Kevin looks great, having put on some healthy weight and looking like he’s sleeping decently. He says the same thing about Jean, exclaiming over how much he’s grown just over the last few months.

Their other brother and his boyfriend get there not much later, and they all hug (well, not Andrew) each other. Neil and Jean hug, but it’s much briefer, as they see one another much more often. They’re in different schools, but still in the same county, and Neil lives with Andrew and Aaron since he aged out of care in March, so how often they see each other is mostly based on when Adi and James will either let Jean out or Neil and Andrew come over.

They have a great dinner and decide to go to a party of one of Aaron’s friends. It’s not crazy, but it is loud, and Jean’s not sure how long he’ll stick around, after all. Surely he’ll see Kevin more than just tonight since he’ll be here a few more days.

Neil and Andrew are off in a corner with a cup in their hands, and Jean’s dancing with Kevin, though they’re not really dancing all that much. Kevin’s clearly had some practice, because he’s kind of moving his body like you’re supposed to when you dance, but Jean’s mostly just swaying and bobbing his head, not wanting Kevin to dance alone.

Someone comes up to them and starts dancing behind Kevin - someone gorgeous - and he winks over Kevin’s shoulder at Jean like he’s not pressing his dick to Kevin’s ass. Kevin turns around, confused and probably ready to cuss someone out for being so presumptuous, but he ends up laughing and giving the man a hug-slash-back-clap-bro thing, excitedly shouting something to him. He turns to Jean.

“Jean! This is Jeremy Knox; we played against each other for a charity thing during training camp just a few weeks ago,” he tells Jean. Jean remembers; Kevin hasn’t shut up about him since. Looking at him now, he understands why, and he’s glad Kevin’s not into Jeremy that way. Because Jean definitely might be.

“Hello,” Jean says awkwardly. He’s never spoken to anyone in college before, and hadn’t realized Aaron knew any college guys. He’s only a senior, sure, will be in college this time next year, and Kevin is in college, but…

“Hi there,” Jeremy says, giving Jean a slow up and down. Jean feels his cheeks heat. For a man still clinging to Kevin, Jeremy sure is giving Jean an invitation. Jean hates that he wants to take it.

“Jean, stay here with Jeremy, I’m gonna go grab Neil so he can meet Neil, too, alright?” Kevin squeezes Jean’s arm. That means he’s fine with Jeremy, that Kevin does genuinely trust Jeremy, so Jean nods distantly and stays put while his brother disappears, leaving him alone with…Jeremy.

“It’s nice to meet you finally,” Jeremy says. He’s got a million-dollar smile and it takes Jean’s breath away. “Kevin talked a lot about you and Neil. You all play Exy?”

“Yes.” Jean knows he should be more talkative, but he’s just…looking at Jean. He keeps doing it. And his eyes are so…big. And brown.

Jeremy smiles, showing dimples in his cheeks. Christ. “He seems to think you two are going to take collegiate Exy by storm when you’re in school next year. That good, hmm?”

Jean shrugs. “We were raised by Tetsuji Moriyama,” he says flatly. “It would be an embarrassment if we were not.”

Jeremy chokes on a drink and his eyes widen. Ah. Apparently Kevin hadn’t told him that much of their story. Probably hadn’t wanted to tell Jean and Neil’s business without their permission. “You guys really are brothers?!” Jean grimaces. Before he can explain, though, Jeremy adds, “Well, jeez, now I feel guilty for thinking you’re so hot. Wait - crap, how old are you?”

“I am eighteen,” Jean says hastily, glad it’s finally the truth as of a few weeks ago. He’s never been happier to be of age than he is right now, staring at this man in college who thinks he’s hot.

Jeremy looks a little relieved, but only marginally. “That’s good at least. Man, sorry about that,” he adds, scratching the back of his neck. He laughs awkwardly.

“It’s not…like that,” Jean says a little awkwardly. “We were foster brothers, not -” he cuts himself off before the word ‘real’ comes out of his mouth, because it isn’t quite right. Either way, he says instead, “You don’t have to feel bad about looking at me; Kevin will not care.” Bravely, he makes himself say, “I am looking at you, too.”

Jeremy looks delighted and laughs, straightening up. He steps a little closer to Jean. “Do you…wanna dance?”

Not really, but Jean nods, and they begin dancing. They chat a little while they dance, but the volume makes it a bit difficult. They get closer; Jean’s not sure who moves to close the distance. After a song, Jeremy puts his arms around Jean’s shoulders, and Jean fits his hands on Jeremy’s hip. It almost makes him lose his breath entirely; Jeremy’s body under his palms feels like something Jean wants more of. Something about him makes Jean feel at ease in a way he usually isn’t with other people.

A few minutes later, they’re staring at each other’s mouths and Jeremy stands on his toes and Jean swallows and leans down and closes his eyes and -

“Back the fuck up off my brother, you fucking creep!”

Instantly, the warmth of Jeremy is gone, replaced by Andrew standing directly in front of him while Neil shoves Jeremy, back further, looking pissed. Jean’s eyes go wide. He finds Kevin staring at Jean, then Jeremy, mouth open.

“Wait, stop,” Jean says. Neil doesn’t hear him, but Andrew does, and he looks over his shoulder up at him.

“You good, kid?”

“Yes, Andrew, I am fine, it was not -”

Andrew is already grabbing Neil, who is staring furiously at Jeremy as he tries to explain himself. Neil lets Andrew whisper in his ear and then whips around to stare at Jean assessingly. Jean glares back at him, and Neil finally realizes he’s ruined something for Jean with his stupid temper and grimaces.

Jean storms off, humiliated and angry. He’s outside before Neil catches up to him. “Jean! Jean, I’m sorry,” he says. Jean ignores him. “Really? The silent treatment?”

“You are such an asshole!” Jean says over his shoulder in French, too angry for anything else.

Neil is quiet for a second but finally gets a hand on Jean’s forearm and pulls on him to stop. Jean’s strong enough to ignore it, but he doesn’t. “I didn’t realize you wanted to kiss him! I was trying to protect you, Jean, I’m sorry.”

“I was leaning down! My eyes were closed!” Jean doesn’t like to yell, but the hoarse whisper thing he’s doing now is almost as bothersome because it feels like losing. Neil frowns. “You are not the only one allowed to enjoy such things,” Jean adds angrily, gesturing to where Andrew is emerging from the party with Kevin, and - oh god, and Jeremy in tow.

Jean turns back around and reaches his car in record speed. “If you are going home with me, get in,” he says loudly enough that Kevin will be able to hear.

“Jean.”

Jean takes a breath and then turns around. They’re all looking at him. Kevin speaks first. “My hotel is close to Andrew and Aaron’s, so they’re gonna take me.”

“Fine.” Jean folds his arms over his chest. Jeremy licks his lips, Jean notices, but he’s too busy being embarrassed to think anything of it.

“Jean, I really am sorry,” Neil pleads with him.

“Apologizing now does not go back in time and pull your head out of your ass,” Jean spits. “I will never be able to look him in the eye again!”

“Um.” They all look to Jeremy, who flashes an embarrassed grin. “I don’t speak French, sorry, but I just wanted to apologize for…all the confusion.” To Kevin, he says, “Sorry for mackin’ on your brother.” Neil clears his throat, obviously wanting the same apology, but before Jean can kick him, Andrew hits him on the back of the head.

Jeremy then says to Jean, “Sorry, uh, if I made you uncomfortable. I thought you were into it, but I guess I misread it.”

“Oh my god,” Jean says faintly.

“I hope I didn’t, like, put you off of parties entirely or anything,” Jeremy continues.

“I will never forgive you for this,” Jean whines to Neil. “Look at him.”

“It’s bad manners to speak in a language people can’t understand in front of them,” Kevin reminds them tiredly.

“You only follow that rule when it’s someone you like,” Neil accuses him. Jeremy snorts, and Neil glares at him. Jeremy ignores it.

“I have to go,” Jean says.

“Jean -”

“I will talk to you later,” Jean grits out in English to Neil, too angry to look at him at the moment. He gets in the car and starts it, but then he sighs and rolls down the window. “Love you,” he tells his brothers in an irritated sigh. They say it back, of course - they always do - and Jean drives off.

When he gets home, James is still awake, and he seems surprised that Jean back so early. “Have a good time?”

“I did,” Jean mutters as he grabs some food from the fridge to drown his woes. “Then Neil was stupid.”

James is good enough not to say ‘I told you so’. He grunts, instead. “Wanna talk about it?”

Jean hums as he considers. The need to vent wins out, and he tells James about it. When he finishes, James sighs.

“You know, I hate to say it…” he says, and Jean braces himself for comments about Neil’s impulsivity. “But it does sound like Neil was looking out for you.” Jean frowns at him, and James puts his hands up in surrender. “I’m just saying, I know that kid looks out for you and watches you like a hawk. His boyfriend does, too. If they thought you looked nervous with this older guy -”

“It’s not like he is thirty, god,” Jean mutters, and James laughs but keeps talking.

“- then I’m glad they risked pissing you off to make sure you were safe. Sure, they probably could’ve done it in a…less embarrassing way, but.” He shrugs. “I’ll always put your safety above your pride, and I’m glad your brothers do, too.”

Jean sighs. He shoves his spoon into his mouth and speaks around it in a way he knows he’d get scolded for by Adi, but James doesn’t care. “He will never talk to me again, if I were able to find him.”

James hums. “Do you think he was someone special?”

“I don’t know,” Jean shrugs. “Nothing even happened. But…” He trails off, thinking about how easy it was to be with Jeremy alone, which doesn’t happen often. “Something about him was…comfortable. Even though I was nervous because he was so beautiful.”

“Ah,” James says, finishing the rest of his beer. “I remember feeling that way with Adi, back in the dinosaur ages. That was fun.” Jean laughs, but secretly wonders if he’s just missed out on his soulmate. “Well, I’m sorry it didn’t go how you wanted it to. If the guy’s as great as you think he is, he’ll understand that family’s complicated sometimes. And if it’s meant to be, you’ll run into him again.” He squeezes Jean’s shoulder. “I’m gonna go lock up and head to bed. I’m beat; Adi’s had us cleaning all night so my player doesn’t know we sometimes use the dishes when we eat. For the love of god, please wash those and put them away,” he implores, nodding to the dishes Jean’s eating from. Jean snorts and nods. “Night, kid. Love you.”

Jean feels warm. “Goodnight,” he says quietly. James squeezes his arm one last time and goes to lock up the house before going upstairs.

Jean finishes his leftovers and cleans up after himself, then heads to bed. Neil is blowing up his phone, and Jean sighs but texts him back. His brother is an asshole sometimes, but he’s always cared about Jean and never could handle him being mad at him.

He falls asleep much later than planned, reassuring Neil that he does not, in fact, need to make it up to him by pestering Kevin to find out where Jeremy goes to school and if he has contact information Kevin could pass to Jean so Jean could talk to him again. Jean falls asleep trying to ask Neil to swear not to do that.

Therefore, he wakes much later than normal, as well, and immediately realizes it’s too late.

Neil has already done it. Jean is now in possession of Jeremy Knox’s contact information, sent directly from Kevin because Kevin didn’t want to send it to Neil first. Thankfully.

Jean calls Kevin four times before he answers. “Oh my god, Jean, what,” Kevin answers groggily.

“What did you say to Jeremy when you asked him if you could give me his number?” He demands, already planning his own funeral so his dads wouldn’t have to.

Kevin’s quiet for a second and then he sighs, yawns, and says, “Jesus, Jean. I asked if I could give him your number because you thought he was cute and wanted to apologize for Neil’s behavior.”

Jean’s thinking a black casket, but maybe he could just donate his body to science. Less expensive. “And - what did he say?”

“He said, ‘Fuck you, let your brother go to sleep,’” Kevin says.

“Kevin!”

Kevin groans. “Jean, he said he thought you were cute, too, and asked if I was okay with him talking to you. I told him we don’t really do all that, but that I was fine with it as long as he’s good to you and -”

Definitely donating his body to science, so his dads could afford maybe a few small urns for his ashes so his brothers could have a piece of him, too. Maybe they could make it into jewelry, or something. That sounds nice.

“- your dads are okay with it.”

Jean groans. “You told him about my dads?!”

Kevin groans back. “So they’re intimidating and a little overprotective,” he says drowsily. “They’re nice and they love you. Please let me go to sleep now.”

“The last time I tried to date someone they asked me if she was in a gang, Kevin,” Jean reminds him. “While she was at the table.”

“Jean, Renee was in a gang,” Kevin points out. “I’m hanging up now,” he says pointedly, before Jean can remind him that Renee had already been out of the gang by the time he met her. “Love you.”

Jean sighs. “Love you.” He decides to head downstairs; Adi’s always cooking something good for Saturday brunch.

He’s furiously texting Neil when he enters the room and therefore doesn’t register that there are three voices, not two, in the kitchen at the breakfast bar. Not until he enters the room and Adi says, “Hey, sweetheart, good morning.”

Jean looks up, ready to return the sentiment, and sees Adi leaning over to load burek onto a plate and handing it to…

Jeremy Knox is in his house. Smiling at Jean. In his kitchen. With a hopeful look in his eyes. In his chair, in his kitchen, in his house.

And Jean is in his comfort pajamas.

“Hardly morning,” James mutters as he reads his paper. Adi and Jeremy both snort at him, and Jean - wants to know why Jeremy Knox knows his dad well enough to snort with him.

Jean wants to bolt back upstairs - forget his embarrassing, ratty pajama pants he always wears when he needs a little comfort, he hasn’t even brushed his teeth yet! - but this would be the second time he’s run from Jeremy, and that might be worse.

“Come eat, Jean; you had a late night,” James says. “This is Jeremy, by the way, one of my kids at USC. He’s gonna be staying with us for the break.” He says it like he doesn’t want Jeremy knowing they’ve talked about him, and Jean respects it; he hates that feeling.

“Oh,” Jean says a little faintly. “Uh. Okay. H-hi, Jeremy. I’m Jean.” He gives Jeremy a small smile, and really hopes Jeremy doesn’t let his dads know they’ve already met. “I - did not know you would be here, or I would have put real clothes on.” He says with a blush, looking down at his too-short tank top and terrible pants.

Jeremy turns so Jean’s dads don’t see his very thorough once-over that makes Jean turn beet red. “Oh, I don’t mind,” Jeremy says. “No need to dress to impress little old me.”

Jean processes those words and clears his throat, then nods. Finally, he continues into the kitchen and accepts the plate Adi hands him, alongside the forehead kiss he gives him as well. It might embarrass someone else, but Jean’s never had this easy affection that Adi has longed to give him and Jean’s finally learned to accept. There isn’t a single thing, not even one as hot as Jeremy, that could make him turn away from that forehead kiss.

“How’d you sleep?” Adi asks him.

“Fine, once I got there,” Jean tells him. He glances at Jeremy and confesses, “Neil was texting me late into the night.”

“Is he okay?” Adi asks in concern as James huffs in laughter. Jean sighs. He loves that his parents take his privacy seriously, but sometimes it’d be nice if they would talk to each other when he tells one of them something so he doesn’t have to repeat himself.

“He - um…” It’s awkward, now, with Jeremy listening. Jean says carefully. “He…misread a situation last night and kind of…ruined a - a moment I was having with - someone.” He glances over to Jeremy, who is looking at him with a sly smile, and fights to control his blush.

Adi catches the look and jumps in to say, “Oh, sweetheart, don’t worry - Jeremy won’t mind.” When Jean stares at him, confused, he adds, “Jeremy is very…open-minded.”

“Ah.” Jean realizes Adi is trying to tell him Jeremy isn’t homophobic without outing either him or Jeremy. Adi thought Jean was hesitant to tell details because he was worried Jeremy wouldn’t be okay with Jean having a moment with a guy. “Oh, I see,” he says. “Um, okay, so - yeah. Anyway, we sort of - got into an argument and I left without resolving it.”

Adi frowns. “Can’t imagine Neil took too kindly to that,” he murmurs.

“No, he did not,” Jean responds and takes a bite. “But we talked it out last night. He - um, well. He sort of fixed it. I think. Maybe.” Jean bites his lip and watches as Jeremy reaches into his back pocket and sets his phone on the table, then taps it to life. It shows no new texts, and Jeremy looks at Jean with a raised brow.

Jean flushes. Jeremy is going to kill him.

“Well, I’m glad,” Adi says. “I know we give you a hard time about Neil, and I do stand by it, but it’s obvious he loves you.”

“Yes,” Jean says.

“Jeremy was just telling us about his own failed attempt last night,” James says suddenly. “Before you walked in, I mean.”

At this, both Jean and Jeremy’s eyes go wide, though Jeremy schools his expression faster. He laughs. “Oh, it wasn’t much,” he starts, but Adi tuts at him.

“What were his exact words, James?” He asks loftily. He winks at Jeremy as he refills his cup. “I think it was, ‘the most beautiful guy he’s ever seen’?”

James snorts. “No, it was something like, ‘this greek god of something, probably hotness - is there a god of hotness, Coach?’”

Jean takes a big bite of his burek and feels steam coming out of his ears. Jeremy protests but they sound weak and when Jean finally glances up at him, Jeremy’s blushing, too. “Come on, I know there isn’t a god of hotness,” he defends himself.

“Well - Aphrodite, I suppose,” Jean supplies.

Jeremy looks at him with a heat in his eyes for all of a second before looking away, but Jean swears time freezes. When his eyes are gone, Jean realizes he hasn’t breathed.

“Anyway, nothing happened,” Jeremy says. “He, uh, had to go, so.” He shrugs.

Adi makes a sympathetic sound. “You didn’t get his number or anything?”

“Or his name?” James cuts in judgementally.

Jeremy laughs awkwardly. “Uh,” he hedges. “It was pretty loud.”

“Where did you say the party was?” Adi asks.

Jeans eyes pop open wide. Jeremy notices and says, “Oh, it was over by Laila’s place.” Jean hopes Laila’s house is far away from where Jean told his dads he went.

They finally finish breakfast and Jean takes his plate to the sink, washes it off, and thanks Adi for breakfast before heading upstairs without looking like he’s trying to rush. He takes a shower and gets dressed and tries to do something with his curls without making it look like he’s tried to do something with his curls. When he’s in his room, he calls Kevin and Neil in a group call. This time, Kevin’s in a better mood.

“Which one of you assholes knew?” Jean demands as soon as they’re both on the call.

“Knew what?” Neil asks. Jean squints, trying to detect a lie in his voice.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Kevin says. There. That’s the little liar.

“Kevin, you absolute -”

“Okay, hold on, hold on, I didn’t know when we spoke this morning,” Kevin interrupts.

Neil pipes in. “Know what?! You guys already talked on the phone? Assholes.”

“Jeremy Knox is in my house,” Jean frantically whispers into the phone.

“What?!” Neil nearly shouts back.

“And Kevin knew!”

“What?!” But now, Neil’s voice sounds gleeful.

“I did not know when we talked this morning,” Kevin protests. “Jeremy texted me when he got to your house and saw pictures of you with your dads. I had no idea what was going on with him, or I would’ve told him to come hang with me at the hotel while I’m here, but he really respects his coach - your dad, I guess; I never put that together, wow - and was really excited to go. Then he saw it was your house and was blowing up my phone. But I didn’t read them until after you called.”

“You could have texted!”

“What good would that have done? He was already there, so I went back to sleep!”

“I went downstairs in my comfort pajamas,” Jean laments and scolds at the same time.

“Oof,” Neil says. “Damn, that’s tough.”

Jean huffs. “Whatever. I hate you both.”

“Sure,” Neil says cheerfully. “Still gonna use your dad’s court to practice, though?”

Jean groans. “Yes, we can still go practice. I’m sure James will not mind.”

“Hey, you could bring Jeremy,” Kevin says excitedly. “He’s a great player.”

“Really?” Jean asks curiously. Neil groans. “Shut up, Neil.”

“Seriously!” Kevin exclaims. “He’s a striker, and he’s seriously good. Not as fast as Neil, but more sure-footed and plays instinctively, the way Neil does. Us three strikers can take turns being an additional backliner, if Aaron comes.”

Jean hums. “I will ask if he wants to come.”

“He will,” Kevin says certainly.

Jean rolls his eyes. “I will ask. I’ll let you know and text you when we get ready.”

“That’s fine, me and Aaron are gonna go shopping,” Kevin announces. Neil squawks, but Jean rolls his eyes and disconnects from the call. Let the two of them figure out their issues with Andrew’s brother.

—

When Jean comes back downstairs, nobody’s in the living room or kitchen, so he heads outside. Sure enough, James is proudly showing off the garden, and it sounds like he’s boasting about how much Jean works in it.

“...’s a natural. It’s hard to pull up root vegetables without damaging them, and of course if you do damage them, you pretty much have to eat ‘em that day. But he’s patient with them, and he’s really gentle. Never met a teen so well-suited for gardening.”

“Your dad is so proud of you,” Adi says gently, making Jean jump. He hadn’t noticed Adi hanging sheets on the clothesline around the corner of the yard, and he’s so quiet. Jean hums and Adi gently rubs Jean’s back. “We both are. But he really loves that you indulge him in the garden.”

“I enjoy it,” Jean tells him, not for the first time. “Just like cooking. It’s…slow. Purposeful, and - busy. It helps my mind go quiet.”

Adi squeezes him around the arm and then drops the hold before Jean can feel smothered. “One of these days, he’ll realize that. But I’m glad you have hobbies outside of Exy that make you feel happy.”

Jean gives him a small smile and Adi pats his back before heading back in. Jean takes a few steps toward the garden, unsure if he’s intruding or not - James doesn’t often let Jean around his players; he’s not actually sure if he’s allowed, even if he rarely has actual, solid rules from them - but Jeremy turns as he sees movement in his peripherals, and James notices Jean, then, too. He waves Jean over enthusiastically.

“Hey, kid,” he says, then gestures to the dirt next to his feet. “Look!” He crows, excited like Jean only ever sees him about Exy or his produce.

Obediently, Jean looks down, and smiles. He crouches down. The shoulders of the carrots are peeking out of the soil, and Jean realizes they’re ready. He looks down the row and sees that not all of them are, but they definitely will be by the end of the week. “We will have carrots with Thanksgiving,” he observes, and smiles up at his dad.

“Sure will!” James says. To Jeremy, he says, “Hope you like ‘em.”

“Should I wait for the rest of them to be ready, or pick the ones that are already up?” Jean asks. James is a phenomenal gardener, and has been teaching Jean a lot.

“Eh. Unless you want some carrots today, you can leave ‘em,” James says with a wave. “Another few days won’t do the ready ones any harm.”

Jean nods and stands, and stumbles a little bit when he does, and Jeremy’s hands shoot out faster than Jean can follow, steadying him at the hips. Jean immediately finds his footing and stares at Jeremy, his breath catching when he realizes how close Jeremy’s face is to his. Jeremy is looking right in his eyes.

Jean is too pale to hide his blush, and Jeremy holds on a beat too long to be considered appropriate for strangers. “Th-thank you,” Jean stutters.

“Oh! Oh, yeah, no problem,” Jeremy says, hastily pulling his hands off Jean’s body. Jean’s hips feel cold now, which is ridiculous, because Jeremy hadn’t even touched his skin.

Biting his lip, Jean looks at his dad, who’s watching them with raised brows. Jean looks away, blush hot on his face and neck. “I will go check on the greens,” he volunteers. He’s about to bolt, but remembers his plan to stop running away from Jeremy. Instead, he makes himself turn to James and ask, “Kevin and Neil want to practice today. I am sure Andrew will come, and maybe Aaron, if Andrew can convince him. Can we use the court?”

James gives him a fake contemplative face - he never turns Jean away from the court if it’s open, knows Jean needs the court - and then turns to Jeremy. “What do you think, Captain?” He asks. Jean frowns, then his jaw drops as he realizes - “You think Kevin Day and a couple of kids can be trusted on your court?”

Jean gapes between James and Jeremy. “Captain?” He repeats.

James laughs. “I told you he was one of my players,” he reminds Jean.

“You did not tell me your team captain was coming to Thanksgiving!” He sputters. He looks between them, suddenly unsure whom he should be asking.

Jeremy laughs. “I don’t mind sharing the court!” He says to James. To Jean, he asks, “Do y’all have room for another striker?”

Jean gapes. This is what he’d been meaning to ask, but now that he’s actually supposed to go after it, he’s nervous. “Ah - you will have to take turns; Neil is also a striker,” he admits.

“Sweet!” Jeremy says with a grin. “My gear’s up at the court, so whenever you wanna go, just let me know.”

Jean looks back at his dad, who is watching them with a smile, and he nods. “Thanks,” he says, and then wheels around and heads off to check the greens. He hopes they don’t notice there’s a spring in his step.

—

“Pass!”

Jean doesn’t think; he sends the ball flying down the court at break-neck speed and shoves Neil away before he can check him. Aaron, playing as backliner for the other ‘team’, swears and yells, “It’s cheating if you use French!”

“Fuck you, Aaron!” Jean yells in French just to spite him. Neil barks out a laugh as he runs back to try and steal from Kevin.

Jeremy, next to Jean giving him another defender since their ‘team’ doesn’t have a goalie, huffs out, “What did you say?”

“‘Fuck you, Aaron’,” Jean tells him.

Jeremy laughs. Seconds later, he grunts and starts running, while Jean stays where he’s at, because Neil’s headed for him again. Jeremy thinks he can head Neil off, but Jean knows Neil’s way too fast, and that he doesn’t play strategically, but instinctively. It drives Kevin insane.

Jean, though, knows Neil well enough to know what his instincts tell him. And right now, Neil’s instincts will tell him to fake right and twist around Jeremy, which is where Jean can check him into the wall and take possession.

“Kevin!” Jean sends the ball, knowing Kevin will make it to receive his pass. The goal lights up red, and they break for a moment.

Jeremy is panting, too far up the court for a backliner. “You are terrible on defense,” Jean tells him.

Jeremy laughs. “Good thing I’m normally offense,” he says gamely.

Jean doesn’t understand how he’s always in a good mood, how he’s always such a good sport. Jean would be furious if Neil got past him so easily. Then again, Jean has trained all his life to be at his current skill level; Jeremy has never been defense a day in his life, clearly.

“Switch with Neil,” he tells Jeremy. “I want to go against you.”

“No way in hell!” Aaron protests. Behind him, Andrew has his chin propped up on his folded arms, which are propped up on his racquet. “You three can’t be on the same team; that’s not fair!”

“Why, because we are too good for you?” Neil taunts.

“No, because you assholes know two different languages that we don’t!” Aaron retorts.

Jeremy raises a brow at the brothers, and Kevin calls to him, “We also were taught Japanese.”

Jean grimaces, and as Neil approaches, he does, too. “Didn’t know we were trauma-sharing with him, now,” he scolds Kevin. “What’s next? Painting nails and making friendship bracelets? Should we talk about our crushes?”

Kevin rolls his eyes. “You like Andrew; Jean likes Jeremy. Next.”

Jean sees Jeremy perk up at the French pronunciation of his name. It’s different, but very much still recognizable. In revenge, he calls across the court, “And you like Aaron, right?”

Kevin’s face burns and he flips Jean off. “He’s straight; shut up,” he complains.

“What was that about me, you fuckers?” Aaron yells at them.

“We were talking strategy against you three,” Jean lies.

“You guys couldn’t beat us if you spoke in English,” Aaron goads.

“I think that might be racist,” Jeremy interjects a little awkwardly, though not entirely confidently.

“How?” Aaron snorts. “They’re all white.”

“Uh, hello,” Neil says, pointing at Kevin.

Aaron rolls his eyes. “They’re all white and Kevin,” he corrects.

“Are you sure he’s the one you want? Really?” Neil asks Kevin. Kevin flips him off.

They go again, and continue practicing until Aaron’s on the floor, sitting with his legs spread wide and drinking from the bottle he and Andrew are sharing, and Jeremy’s got his hands braced on his knees. Jeremy’s fast. Not as fast as Neil, but probably faster than Kevin. If he increased his endurance, he’d be even more formidable against Kevin. He has nimble footwork, though he holds himself back with the Trojan standard of play.

Jean’s been adjusting his play style since he moved in with Adi and James, little tweaks here and there because James refused to give him pointers if he continued playing so aggressively. In the last few months since his adoption’s been finalized, though, Jean’s been working hard to overcome the struggles with playing with a less aggressive style. If he wants to play at USC next year, he has a lot to work on and less than one year to prove himself.

Not that James or Adi know he wants to play at USC. Not that James or Adi know he’d recently sent in his application. He’d even had his English teacher help him with his application essay, and then had snuck into an afterschool tutoring program for help with it there, too. His grades are good, and since he’s been adopted through the state, he can go to any state university, but USC is a private school, so he’d need solid scholarship aid as well.

“How are you robots still standing?” Jeremy demands playfully, adding a silly breathlessness to his voice that isn’t really there, but still brings heat to Jean’s cheeks. He’s glad he’s still got his helmet on.

“Jean is the only one with an excuse to be tired,” Kevin says, though there’s pride in his voice when he looks at his youngest brother and sees Jean is still upright.

“Howso?” Jeremy asks, crouching down to plop on the court.

“He knows every trick I have,” Neil answers, “so playing against me’s as challenging as normal. But Kevin’s been gone several months, and has already learned some new moves. Jean’s had to play against that. And you,” he adds, “because you’re completely new to him, and you’ve been a college athlete longer than Kevin. I only played against you in a position you aren’t meant for, and same for Kevin.”

“And us, assholes,” Andrew butts in, gesturing with the water bottle to himself and his twin. Jean rolls his eyes.

“You’re always a challenge,” Neil flirts. Aaron gags and doesn’t even complain about being ignored.

“Was I hard?” Jeremy asks Jean. Jean stares. Aaron snorts, and Jeremy seems to realize his question. “To play against!” He adds with a blush.

Jean finally accepts that practice is over and takes off his helmet. Neil follows suit, Kevin having already taken his off. “Your style is different,” Jean tells him honestly. “I am still learning to adapt to the Trojan style of play. Your footwork is admirable, but your endurance needs work. If your stamina were better, your speed would be even more impressive.”

“Hear that, Kev?” Aaron calls. “The baby says your friend could use some better stamina.”

Jeremy barks out laughter. “Trust me,” he says over his shoulder to him, “my stamina is just fine.”

“Defensive,” Jean observes teasingly as he pulls off his gloves with his teeth.

Jeremy straightens up now that he’s being challenged by Jean. “I don’t have anything to be defensive about,” he says. Jean’s teeth slip off his glove and he bites his lip, flustered by Jeremy responding so directly.

There’s a tense moment of loaded silence, and then Kevin sighs. “I said I was fine with it, Jeremy; that doesn’t mean you need to give my brother innuendos right in front of me.”

Jeremy looks sheepish, but he still says, “Actually, it was Aaron who made it sexy; Jean was just insulting my collegiate skill. Very safe topic to be discussing around brothers.”

Jean opens his mouth to defend himself - he hadn’t meant to actually insult Jeremy - but Jeremy gives him a wink, and Jean flushes and looks away.

Kevin says nothing - of course he doesn’t, because he won’t scold Aaron - and they all start ambling off the court. Jean, who takes the shortest showers, always stays back to clean up, but there’s only a few balls to pick up since they’d had enough to play a scrimmage instead of relying on drills.

When he turns around to get the last one, he sees Jeremy’s still on the court, and he’s got it in his hands. “Hey,” he says.

Jean swallows. “Hey.”

“So…” Jeremy bites his lip. “About last night.”

Jean blushes and looks down, then back up at Jeremy, and blurts out, “You didn’t misread things last night.”

Jeremy smiles, slow and wide. “No?”

Jean shakes his head. “No,” he says, a little breathlessly. “I was just - embarrassed. Neil is -”

“I get it,” Jeremy interrupts. Jean tilts his head, because somehow, he doubts it. “Trust me, I do,” Jeremy stresses. “Complicated relationships with brothers. You love ‘em, but they’re wild, sometimes.”

Jean gives in and nods. “Kevin is the oldest,” he says, “but Neil is the most…angry. Where Kevin is a shield, Neil is the sword.”

Jeremy licks his bottom lip, and Jean is helpless to do anything but watch his tongue move. “What does that make you?” Jeremy asks quietly.

Jean considers. “The suit of armor, perhaps,” he decides.

Jeremy hums. Jean likes that he doesn’t ask about Riko. Instead, he asks, “Does the fact that I’m one of your dad’s players totally ruin my chances with you?”

Jean squints at him; he can’t see how the two are related. “Is…that something that would normally ruin your chances?”

Jeremy shrugs. ““I wouldn’t date anyone who worked for my step-dad, I guess.”

Jean laughs. “This might be a normal-family-dynamic situation,” he admits with a wrinkled nose. “I don’t understand.”

“I take it that’s a no, then?” Jeremy asks with a grin, and they drop their balls into the ball bucket before heading toward the equipment room.

“That is a no,” Jean confirms. They lock the equipment up and then head toward the locker room together.

“Good to know,” Jeremy says. And then he leaves to go shower. Jean counts to sixty and uses the time to return his heartrate back to normal before he does the same.

—

In the car, when it’s just the two of them headed back to Jean’s house, Jeremy turns to Jean at a red light and says, “If I didn’t make it clear earlier, I want to kiss you.”

Jean turns bright red and slouches into his hoodie, tucking his chin into the collar of it. After a moment of his flustered silence, the light turns green and Jeremy keeps driving, and Jean finally clears his throat and says, “Um, that - that would be okay. With me.”

Jeremy grins and makes a satisfied sound, then gives him a definitive nod. “Good to know,” he says to the windshield.

The whole way home, Jean keeps his face tucked into his hoodie to hide his own giant smile.

—

The next few days pass by quickly and slowly at the same time. Jean spends as much time as he can with Kevin while he’s got him in California. Sometimes, like on the court, Jeremy joins them, and often will come out for dinner or a snack afterwards. Others, he opts to stay home. Kevin, Neil, and Andrew come over on Monday and play video games with Jean and Jeremy, and James sits in the living room with them, talking crap about how they’re terrible at this game even though he doesn’t know how to play it at all, and Adi flits in and out between the kitchen and living room, making sure the coffee table is filled with snacks and topped up soda or tea. He also bullies them into taking home leftovers of dinner. Neil is especially complimentary, and Jean bites his lip so it doesn’t quiver because he knows Andrew and Aaron don’t cook very often; they order takeout a lot, it’s not like Neil’s starving, but a home cooked meal is something special. Andrew isn’t as vocal about his appreciation but he doesn’t push the tupperware container away, either.

Jean is still waiting for Jeremy to kiss him, but he hasn’t, not yet. Jean wonders if Jeremy - maybe changed his mind. Except he still flirts with Jean, still checks Jean out very obviously every day. Any time they find themselves together, Jeremy will back Jean up against something - a wall, the kitchen counter, the side of the couch - and hover close to him, looking up the few-inch difference of their heights, and bite his lip against a grin while he talks to Jean.

And every night after James and Adi go to bed, Jean and Jeremy hang out in the living room. They sit on the same couch and talk about any and everything: Jeremy tells Jean about his unaccepting parents who cut him off and refused to support him, about the struggles he faced during his first year in college with depression and his own brother passing, and Jean tells him about his own harrowing past, but they also talk about silly and trivial things, too. Jean feels like he’s known Jeremy for months, rather than days.

Monday night after Jean’s brothers have gone home and his parents are in bed, Jeremy slides his socked feet across the cushion between their bodies and touches Jean’s feet where they’re curled up underneath him. Jean startles, looking away from the movie down at Jeremy’s covered toes, brushing against his own. Then he looks at Jeremy, and finds the man staring at him.

If Jean had a gun to his head right now, he couldn’t remember what the movie they’ve got on is about. He also couldn’t breathe steadily if someone paid him to try.

Slowly, Jean unwinds his feet from under his butt and stretches his legs out a little, letting his feet slide down the stretch of Jeremy’s mile-long legs. Jeremy usually wears sweats or jeans, but in the morning when he goes on his runs - usually after Jean’s already back from his - he wears running shorts, the kind that are short and made to bunch up without being uncomfortable for runners. When Jean saw them Sunday morning, he nearly walked into the fridge because he couldn’t take his eyes off Jeremy’s gorgeously toned, tanned legs. Those legs are covered by his sleep pants, now, but Jean can still feel the muscle underneath the balls of his feet as he slides them down. He’s not sure if he’s supposed to stop at Jeremy’s knee, if it’s weird to keep going, but he does anyway. He loves Jeremy’s thighs and something in him wants his feet to rest against his quad muscle. His eyes don’t leave Jeremy’s, though, the whole time he’s stretching out, and Jeremy doesn’t look away from Jean’s eyes, either.

When he’s stretched all the way out, Jeremy finally breaks his gaze. In the low light from the TV, Jean thinks he sees a blush coloring Jeremy’s nose and cheeks, but he’s not sure. Jeremy is looking down at Jean’s feet against his leg, and he reaches down and gently touches one foot. He grabs it by the ankle delicately and lifts, but looks at Jean before, waiting for Jean’s slow swallow and nod first.

He doesn’t do anything with Jean’s foot. For a second, Jean has an overwhelming fear that Jeremy will try to tickle him and that Jean will kick his jaw or something in reflex, but Jeremy just wraps his warm hands around Jean’s ankle and sets it on top of his lap and holds him there. Jean’s breath hitches as Jeremy’s fingertips gently rub circles on his ankle. Jean can’t look away from Jeremy’s fingers on him. He’s not - sliding them up his leg, or anything, he’s just…touching him.

Jean has never been handled this way. So delicately, and just to…be touched. Like this right here is Jeremy’s end goal, not a stepping stone towards one.

Jeremy smiles softly at Jean and then turns his eyes back to the movie. Jean stares at his profile for minutes, still feeling Jeremy rubbing soft circles on his ankle. Finally, though, he turns back to the TV, as well. He tries and fails to focus. Sometimes, Jeremy’s fingertips crest over the top of Jean’s sock and make contact with Jean’s skin; other times the sock remains a barrier. Jean doesn’t know how the gentle touch of fingertips coasting across such a small expanse of skin can be so distracting.

When the movie ends, Jean only realizes because Jeremy grabs the remote and turns the TV off, plunging them into darkness. The only light comes from the overhead light above the stove, which Adi turns on when he cooks dinner and constantly forgets to turn off. It’s dim, and Jean can only barely see Jeremy’s silhouette.

Jean waits for a moment, wondering if Jeremy just wanted to kiss him in the dark, but Jeremy squeezes Jean’s ankle and then lets it go. “Goodnight, Jean,” he says gently.

Jean feels a little embarrassed, and a little rejected, and he swallows. He pulls his feet back and sets them on the ground. “Goodnight, Jeremy,” he whispers back.

He gets off the couch silently and heads to the stairs, feeling defeated when Jeremy suddenly speaks up. “Jean,” he calls softly.

Jean pauses. He clears his throat to make sure his voice doesn’t wobble - god, that would be humiliating - and then answers, “Yes?”

“I almost kissed you tonight.”

Jean’s breath hitches. He can’t see Jeremy in this darkness, and hopes that means Jeremy can’t see him. He gives himself a moment, because he’s not sure what to say. Finally, he settles on, “Why didn’t you?”

Jeremy takes a few seconds to answer, and when he does, it nearly sends Jean to his knees. “Because I was worried I wouldn’t be able to make it the kind of kiss you deserve.”

Jean - Jean just breathes. He can’t speak. He can’t make his body move. After what must be at least a whole minute, Jeremy breathes, “Jean?” As if he thinks Jean might have just left after he dropped that bomb.

“Yes,” Jean says again, his voice raspy. His cheeks color, embarrassed to be so obviously affected.

But Jeremy doesn’t laugh. Instead, he asks, “Would you mind if I came with you on your run tomorrow?”

Jean almost blurts out please come please come with me yes. Instead, he says, “I leave at seven.” It’s already almost three.

Jeremy says, “Better get some sleep, then. Goodnight.”

Jean doesn’t answer. Instead, he softly walks up the stairs and heads to bed.

—

Jean isn’t sure what he expects when he silently pads down the stairs the next morning. He’s not entirely sure if he believes Jeremy will actually be awake; he knows most people don’t have a weird relationship with sleep like Jean and his brothers do. He tells himself he won’t be disappointed if Jeremy decided to sleep in after all.

But Jeremy is awake. He looks like he’s gotten a full night’s sleep, even - he looks refreshed and excited. He has the morning energy of Neil, and Jean spares a moment of dread and prays that Jeremy’s not a chatty runner.

“Hey,” Jeremy says with a grin.

“Morning,” Jean murmurs. His morning runs are like his coffee; he’s never awake until he’s down at least a mile. “I just need to get my shoes on, and I’ll be ready.”

“Sure.”

Jean fastens his shoelaces and watches as Jeremy stretches on the porch. He’s…flexible. It’s distracting. Naturally, Jeremy is in his running shorts, and they scrunch when he sits on the ground and reaches all the way to touch his toes. Jean has to retie his shoes three times.

Finally, though, he gets his shit together and steps outside, shutting the door quietly behind him. He knows from experience that James, at least, is already up, probably watching the news on mute in bed while Adi sleeps next to him. By the time they get back, they’ll both be awake, Adi making breakfast while James reads the paper to keep him company in the kitchen.

The run is…nice. Jeremy doesn’t listen to music, but he doesn’t talk much after trying to exchange a few pleasantries Jean has to force himself to answer. It’s not that he doesn’t want to talk to Jeremy; it’s that he’s not awake enough yet. But by the time they’re on their second mile, Jeremy doesn’t look like he wants to talk, and Jean monitors his own pace because Jeremy naturally wants to run faster.

They’re on their third mile when Jeremy asks, “How far do you run, usually?”

Jean holds back his smile. “Ten miles,” he says. Jeremy’s mouth drops open. “What do you usually do?”

“Five,” he admits.

Jean does grin, this time. “That makes sense,” he allows. “You need speed more than distance.”

Jeremy laughs breathlessly. “This is the slowest I’ve run in a long time,” he says, checking his watch. “A seven and a half minute mile? Really?”

Jean rolls his eyes. “I can speed up to a six and a half minute pace if you can make eight miles,” he offers a compromise.

Jeremy groans but agrees. “You’re on,” he says. Jean kicks up his pace and Jeremy easily matches it.

They’re back in just over an hour, Jean’s legs feeling like jelly and Jeremy clutching at a stitch in his side. When they made it onto the street, Jeremy started racing and Jean was fool enough to follow despite knowing he’d never beat Jeremy in a sprint.

They collapse, panting and groaning and laughing, into the lawn chairs on the porch, and Jean elongates his body as much as he can to stretch out his lungs and breathe deeply. He looks over when he hears Jeremy’s laughter stop, and sees Jeremy eyeing him up and down. Jean is covered in sweat, his hair is tied back roughly into a bun and he’s sure his curls are a tangled mess within it. There’s no way he looks good enough to warrant Jeremy looking at him the way he is.

But he’s still looking, anyway.

Slowly, Jeremy sits up and leans closer to Jean, who stops stretching to watch him head-on. He sighs out a breath when Jeremy visibly swallows. “You are so beautiful,” Jeremy tells him. He reaches for Jean, but then pulls his hand back. He glances at the door. “You didn’t tell Coach we met the other night, at the party.” Jean stares at him blanky, unable to keep up, and Jeremy takes it as if Jean doesn’t know what he means. “You acted like we’d never met before. Do you - is it a secret?”

Jean frowns and realizes Jeremy means - “No,” he says. “They - know I like men as well. I just - I, ah. Spoke about you that night when I got home. I didn’t know you were the guy coming to stay. So when you were sitting next to J- my dad the next morning, I thought it would, ah, be too embarrassing if he knew you were the guy I told him about the night before.”

Jeremy grins slowly, slyly. “You talked about me, huh?” He says. He sounds smug.

Jean’s heart skips a beat; Jeremy looks stunning when he looks arrogant. “It sounded like you were talking about me, too, you know,” he murmurs.

Jeremy bites down on the bottom lip of his smile. “I was,” he admits freely. He stares at Jean, eyes roving across his sweaty face. “So, if your dads caught me kissing you…?”

“I don’t know,” Jean says breathlessly, hoping this is it. “You tell me; you have known him longer than I have.” It’s a weird thing to say, probably, but it’s a weird thing to be true, too, so Jean doesn’t linger on it. “What do dads do when they catch their sons being kissed, normally?” He asks. It’s not like he would know.

Jeremy stands and holds out a hand to Jean. Jean swallows and puts his hand in Jeremy’s. Jeremy closes his hand around Jean’s and lifts him up, out of the chair.

“Normally, they don’t like it too much,” Jeremy says. “But maybe yours won’t mind.”

They’re in each other’s space, now, and Jean moves around to the side of the chair when Jeremy steps forward. Jeremy follows, and soon enough, the wall of the house is at Jean’s back. Jeremy isn’t pressing him into it, but he’s crowding Jean against it, and Jean finds he kind of likes it.

Jeremy puts a hand next to Jean’s face on the wall next to him, so Jean’s sandwiched between the porch chair on his right, the house at his back, Jeremy’s arm on his left, and Jeremy’s body inches from his front. Jean’s eyes are wide, he can feel them, and they’re trained on Jeremy’s face. He looks all over, from the sweat beading on Jeremy’s forehead to the way his lips are shiny from how he just licked them. Jeremy puts his other hand on Jean’s hip, light and soft. Jean’s breath hitches.

“Y-you should try, and find out,” he suggests.

Jeremy hums, smiling. He bites his bottom lip again, and then he’s leaning in slowly, eyes on Jean, giving him plenty of time to change his mind. Jean knows he won’t.

This is it. This is when it happens. Jean’s about to get his first kiss with a boy. With Jeremy.

Their lips are inches from each other when a car horn beeps loudly in the driveway, startling ten years off Jean’s life and making him smack his head against the house. He hisses and immediately rubs his head. Jeremy jumps, too, and turns around quickly like he’s protecting Jean from whatever’s attacking them.

Jean glares over Jeremy’s shoulder and lets his head fall back against the house when he sees Aaron’s shitty car idling near the mailbox at the end of the drive. Kevin’s in the passenger seat, window rolled down, and he’s yelling to Jeremy, waving like he can’t see what position they’re in, what he’s just ruined. Jean groans.

Jeremy turns around to check on Jean and laughs, a little breathlessly when he sees Jean’s expression. “Guess it was Kevin’s turn,” he says.

“I hate my brothers,” Jean lies flatly. Jeremy laughs more, pats his hip, and then turns around and jogs toward the car.

Kevin’s there to invite them to go rock climbing at a new place that’s just opened up. Jean squints at him suspiciously. Kevin doesn’t do other sports. He doesn’t do physical exercise in the form of other sports. Ever. He hates it. If it’s not weight lifting, or cardio in a gym, or running, it’s Exy practice. That’s it.

But Aaron sure does seem excited to give it a try.

Aaron and Kevin come in and visit with Jean’s parents while Jeremy and Jean shower and change into clean clothes.

Neil and Andrew meet them there, and Neil joins their rock climbing attempts, but Andrew stays firmly on the ground, flatly narrating their failures and mocking their successes.

Neil’s wonderful at it, quick and light on his feet. Jean’s decent at it because he has good grip and isn’t impulsive, though it does make him slow. Kevin is absolutely horrendous at it and looks like he wants to blow up the tower with his mind. His problem, though, is that he keeps trying to do “cool” moves instead of the normal ones. Aaron’s pretty good at it. He seems to enjoy it, too. Must be why Kevin keeps trying even though he’s normally a terrible sport.

Jeremy is phenomenal. His flexibility is perfect for this, and Jean gets distracted many times just watching the way his body moves, the way his shorts get lost in the crease of his thigh. At one point, Jean reaches for a rock, is too busy watching Jeremy, and misses completely, causing him to fall and slowly be lowered by the safety ropes down to the mat in shame.

Andrew opens his mouth to mock him, but Jean gives him a threatening look with a finger pointing at him. Jean isn’t sure if it’s because Andrew likes that Jean doesn’t try to talk his ear off the way Neil and Kevin do, or if it’s because Andrew knows Neil has such a soft spot for his little brother, or what, but Andrew shuts up. He doesn’t lose his smirk, though. Jean decides to ignore that and take his victories where he finds them.

By the time they’re ready to go, it’s mostly only Jeremy and Aaron still up there, the rest of them cheering them on (Jean and Kevin) or mocking them and goading them (Neil and Andrew) from the ground. They all drive back to Jean’s house, which is pretty common, but Jean still calls Adi and lets him know he’s got six hungry young men on their way to eat him out of house and home. Adi responds with laughter and promises to feed them as much as they want. Jean wonders where the energy to cook that much comes from, but Adi’s food is always so filling even without having to eat a lot of it. Jean’s not gone to bed hungry in a long time, and Adi never lets his brothers or friends leave hungry, either. Jean loves him for it.

Since lunch is so late, everyone sort of just…sticks around for a late dinner, too. Adi sends Jean out to go pick some leafy greens so they can have some salad, and Neil and Kevin come with him. He takes advantage of the time to quietly show them his carrots, which are all ready to be picked tomorrow, and the last of his sweet potatoes he’s lovingly been working on bit by bit. Pulling sweet potatoes out is a chore, after all. It takes time.

Kevin very clearly doesn’t get it, but he sees Jean likes it, and that’s enough for him. Neil, though - before he was placed with them and Tetsuji, he’d been in a really rough family situation, so he understands the value of food, of being able to grow it yourself so you always have enough for yourself and your family. It’s not quite the main reason Jean likes to garden, but it is one of them, so Jean thanks them and enlists their help.

Neil already knows how to grab the lettuces - Jean’s shown him several times - but Kevin’s never been forced into it, so Jean shows him, telling him about the “cut and come again” method and handing him a pair of scissors. He watches Kevin work his way around the edges of a few heads, and when he’s satisfied, he moves on to grab some of the spinach.

When they head back in, Jeremy’s at the sink with James, helping him to wash off the vegetables. Neil, Kevin, and Jean dump their spoils next to the sink, and Adi’s got Aaron stirring two pots on the stove, and Andrew comes out of the bathroom waving his hands dry after having clearly just washed them, since Jeremy and James are hogging the kitchen sink, and he takes up a veggie knife and under Adi’s instruction, begins chopping the cucumbers James and Jeremy have just finished washing.

Jean and his brothers are pushed off to go clean their hands, and Jean’s glad their kitchen is big because they’re immediately put to work when they’re back with dirtless hands. Neil is tasked with making Bananas Foster for dessert, Kevin is told to set the table, and Jean takes up a knife alongside Andrew to cut the vegetables Andrew has no business cutting. Jean refuses to watch Andrew massacre a cherry tomato ever again. He can stick with cucumbers and other vegetables that don’t move around much.

Jeremy and James are done first, naturally, followed by Kevin, and Neil’s quick dessert is finished almost immediately after Jean and Andrew have finished. They all sit at the table and chat while Aaron and Adi work over the main dishes and then they’re done and it’s time to bring everything to the table so they can eat.

Jean privately thinks that this should be Thanksgiving dinner. He’s got his brothers, his parents, and he’s even grateful for the twins’ presence, and now Jeremy is here, too. It’s - it’s really nice. He wishes he could have these moments more often.

Jeremy sits next to Jean at the table after it’s cleared off from dinner and dessert, and they bring out a board game. He scoots close enough that their thighs touch under the table, and it brings heat to Jean’s cheeks enough that Adi asks all of them if they’re hot, too. Kevin glances at Jean and snorts, and Neil says it must just be his weak French constitution. Jean swears at him in French and James laughs so loud it echoes.

The night is long past late when Jean’s brothers and friends go home. Andrew and Neil will be driving Kevin to the airport tomorrow morning, so he just punches Aaron’s shoulder in a farewell when he carries his and Neil’s tupperware of leftovers to his car, where he waits for Neil. Aaron heads to his car with his and Kevin’s leftovers, since he’s dropping Kevin off at his hotel tonight before heading to the shitty apartment he shares with Andrew and Neil.

Jeremy exchanges a hug with Kevin, chats for a few minutes, before he catches Jean’s eye, offers a sympathetic smile, and heads inside. Adi and James both hang out on the porch for a minute or two, talking to Kevin and giving him friendly hugs and shoulder squeezes and directives to call if he needs anything and to make sure he texts his brothers when he’s home safely so they all know. Kevin grins winningly at them and promises to do just that, and then they head inside too.

And then it’s just Jean and his brothers. They stand close together and stare at each others’ shoes in silence for a minute before Neil has had enough, and then he scoffs and lurches forward, hugging Jean and Kevin around their waists and pulling them all crashing together. Kevin laughs fondly, the way he only can be with them, and Jean wraps an arm around each brother and holds them tight, too. After a moment, Neil pulls away, claps them both on the shoulder, and heads to the car with Andrew. He’ll be going to the airport with Kevin tomorrow, Jean is sure. He rarely skips out on an opportunity to go anywhere with Andrew.

Jean and Kevin cling to each other. Jean never did get good at goodbyes. They’ve always eaten through him, even if they’re promised to see each other again.

“Hey,” Kevin says, squeezing Jean like he can protect him and bundle him close even though Jean’s taller now, “I’ll see you in a few weeks again, okay? I’ll be here during winter break. Keep your grades up, your head down, and I’ll be back before you know it.”

Jean nods. “Right,” he whispers into Kevin’s hair. “Right. You’ll come back.”

“I’ll come back.”

“Right.”

With difficulty, Jean pries his arms off of Kevin and wrinkles his nose to fight the tears that prickle at his eyes. He’s never been too embarrassed to cry, but that doesn’t mean he enjoys it. Kevin, though. Kevin would rather die than shed a tear, and he’s resolutely looking at the flower pots sitting on the railing of the porch.

“Get back there safe,” Jean tells him. “And say hi to your - David.”

Kevin nods. A little bit of a blush darkens his cheeks and he runs his fingers through his hair, which he’s started to grow out since he’d found out his new coach is actually his dad. “I will,” he says. “Love you,” he adds.

Jean nods and forces himself to look at his brother as he says, “Love you.”

Kevin reaches up and tousles Jean’s hair, and Jean lets him uncontested. Then he turns and walks to Aaron’s car. Aaron waits until he’s buckled and then drives off, and Andrew follows suit next, honking twice as he goes. Jean watches them go, and then he leans against the railing next to the plants and lets himself be sad for a few minutes.

Eventually, the door opens and Jean doesn’t look. He expects Adi, but then a body sidles up next to him and sighs loudly as he leans against the railing next to him.

“You okay, kid?” James asks, not looking at him. Jean appreciates it, because it makes it easier to lie.

“Yeah.”

James huffs. “No, you’re not,” he says, “and you don’t have to be. And you don’t have to pretend to be.”

Jean swallows down the guilt that floods him every time he misses his brothers, every time a part of him wishes they were still back in that hell because at least there, they were together. “It - feels wrong, sometimes,” he confesses. “To be sad. I have…so much to be thankful for -”

“You have a lot to be sad for, too, though, kid,” James says. Jean swallows. “Listen. I hope you know by now that we love you. You’re our son. If Adi knew how to photoshop, we’d have hellish pictures of him pregnant with you and weird baby pictures of you fused with pictures of us in college.” It’s a horrendous thought, and Jean can’t help but laugh. “Point is, as much as we are your family, your brothers are, too. And we would never look to change that, or diminish that. If we could’ve gotten approved for three and your caseworkers would’ve let you stay together, we would’ve taken all three of you in a heartbeat.”

“Even Neil?” Jean asks with a small curve of his lips.

“Even Neil, that little hellion,” James nods. He turns to Jean and puts a gentle hand on his shoulder. Seriously, he says, “Don’t you ever feel guilty for missing them, kid. You aren’t betraying us by still loving them. The only way you could ever betray us would be to go back to that shell of a kid you were when you moved in. Okay? Keep loving your brothers, keep loving yourself, and keep growing. We’re always here to catch you if you fuck up or fall. All of you.”

Jean stares at James for a few seconds and feels tears prickling at his eyes again. Suddenly, he falls forward and wraps his arms around his dad, laying his cheek on James’s shoulder. James is fast to hold him back, a surprised sound escaping his mouth followed by a quick inhale and a shaky exhale. Jean wonders how long James has waited for this. He feels guilty for holding out for so long, and then decides to listen to his dad’s advice and stop wallowing in guilt. He’s hugging his dad for the first time in his life and it feels - good. He feels safe.

“Je t'aime, papa,” he says quietly, half-hoping James doesn’t hear it and half-hoping he hears it clearly enough not to ask him to repeat it. He’s never said it, and they’ve never asked him to. He’s also never called them Dad before.

James sucks in another breath and squeezes him harder, but only for a brief moment, like he’s remembering Jean doesn’t like to be held in place. He eases his hug and rubs Jean’s back for just a moment before clapping his shoulder. “We love you too, son.”

Eventually, Jean and James pull apart, but Jean stays next to him for the rest of the night, even when they go inside. James doesn’t say anything about it, but Jean squeezes himself between his parents on the smaller loveseat while he, James, and Jeremy watch a game and Adi reads. At one point Jeremy catches Jean’s eye and makes a concerned face at him, then glances at the empty couch. Jean just gives him a sort-of sad smile and a shrug, hoping he understands.

When James and Adi head upstairs for the night, Jean stands and lets Adi hug him and kiss his temple, and James slowly, kind of hesitantly reaches for a side-hug. Jean leans into it and sees James trying to hide his smile as he climbs the stairs. “Goodnight,” he calls to them, and then moves to sit next to Jeremy on the couch when they’re on their way.

“Hey, you,” Jeremy says softly.

Emotionally wrung out, Jean sort of doesn’t have it in himself to be self-conscious about the way he leans his head back on the back of the couch. Jeremy doesn’t seem to judge, though, because he just leans his head back, too, and says, “It was a really nice Thanksgiving dinner, huh?”

Jean sighs. “It was not Thanksgiving, though,” he says with a frown. “It’s only Tuesday.”

“You’ve never had more than one Thanksgiving?” Jeremy asks, sounding surprised.

Jean lets his head loll to the side so he can see Jeremy. He arches a brow. “It is only the one day, Jeremy,” he says, amused.

Jeremy laughs. “Sure,” but I’ve had, like, three every year for almost as long as I can remember.” Jean frowns his confusion, and Jeremy explains, “My parents divorced when I was young and can’t stand to be in the same room, and my mom’s parents hate my step-dad. So, we had Thanksgiving with my mom’s family, then the next day we went to my dad’s and had Thanksgiving with my dad and his family, then once my mom and step-dad got married, we’d have Thanksgiving at his parents’ place on actual Thanksgiving day.”

Jean takes that in quietly for a moment. “That is…a lot of unseasoned turkey and unnecessary cranberry sauce,” he says with a grimace.

Jeremy laughs, surprised. “I take it you’re not a fan of Thanksgiving?”

“Oh, last Thanksgiving was only my first one,” he waves vaguely.

“What?”

Jean snorts. “I am from France; we do not care about your pilgrims. When I moved here, with the - Tetsuji Moriyama, he is Japanese, and also does not care for American holidays. I never celebrated it until last year, with my parents.” He feels warm, thinking about it. How Adi and James refused any company and kept it small just for Jean. “And I had only lived here a few months, so we did not make it anything big. Adi cooked as he normally does, but substituted chicken for turkey, and he made a sweet potato pie, and made greens and rolls for James. Kevin’s foster parents did not let him come over on the day, but Neil’s did, so we mostly just ate and played board games and then went to run drills at the court.” He smiles, remembering how even months after moving in, he and Neil and Kevin still thought it had been amazing and so cool that James let them practice on the Gold Court of the USC Trojans. Sometimes, it still doesn’t seem real that he can just…go there.

“Was it a good one?” Jeremy asks softly, like he doesn’t want to interrupt Jean’s quiet smile.

“It was the second-best holiday I have ever had,” he answers honestly.

Jeremy smiles. “What was the best? If you don’t mind answering.”

Jean shakes his head and his smile grows. “Independence Day this year,” he reveals.

Jeremy makes a surprised sound. “I would’ve thought you, a Frenchman, wouldn’t care for our independence, either,” he teases.

Jean laughs tiredly. “Non, I do not,” he agrees, then looks at Jeremy with a happy smile. “But I had just been adopted, only one day before, yes? July third. My own independence day, of a sort. And the next day there were fireworks, and they - my parents - took me, and Kevin and Neil, to go see them. I had never seen them here, and Neil only a few times, and Kevin not since his mother died years and years before.” He sighs. “It was the first holiday I ever had a whole family,” he says.

Jeremy hums. “That sounds really nice, Jean,” he says softly.

“It was,” Jean agrees, staring into Jeremy’s warm brown eyes. Then he looks at his smile, and says, “This one is nice, too.”

“Yeah?” Jeremy asks, sounding hopeful. Jean hums affirmatively. “I’m glad I didn’t ruin it by crashing your first Thanksgiving as an official family,” he admits. “I almost didn’t show up, because Coach had been really excited about it before he found out.”

Warmth blooms in Jean’s chest. “He - talks about me to your team?”

Jeremy looks a little hesitant, like he’s not sure if he was supposed to tell Jean that. “Um - yes? Not any of your personal business, or anything,” he rushes. “Just - just normal stuff. Like - ‘I’m leaving early; my son has a game tonight’, or, you know, ‘Watson, my son could’ve stopped you when he was seven, the way you’re running on my court!’ - just stuff like that. We knew you moved in, but not when, just - at some point last year, and then when summer practice started back up, he announced that your adoption was finalized during the break.”

Jean looks away from Jeremy and looks at his fingers, playing with the hem of his shirt in his lap. He smiles down at them, hoping maybe Jeremy won’t see it.

But he’s pretty sure he does, because Jeremy nudges him with his knee and says, “He’s, like, really proud of you. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve come into the office and seen him analyzing your games. He uses some of your calls to come up with his own plays for us.”

Jean looks up at Jeremy. “What?” He blurts. “R-really?” Jeremy nods, and Jean stares off into space, wondering if that means James really might consider letting Jean play for his team. Then he realizes - “That is why you were able to get past me so many times!” He accuses, shoving Jeremy playfully with a scandalized grin.

Jeremy laughs, and Jean keeps pushing him against the couch over and over again until Jeremy grabs his wrists, still laughing, and pulls him close. Like this, Jean and Jeremy are pressed together, Jeremy leaning against the arm of the couch with Jean against him, their tangled forearms and wrists the only thing stopping them from being chest-to-chest.

Jean freezes and his breath stutters as he realizes they’re inches from each other’s faces. Jean can’t stop himself from letting his eyes rove over Jeremy’s expression. He watches as the silliness fades away, growing dormant as hunger and a little bit of nerves take over. Jean hopes his breath doesn’t smell bad. Jeremy’s doesn’t, so hopefully his is good, too. God, what if Jeremy brushed his teeth after dinner or something, though? No, Jean thinks frantically. His breath doesn’t smell like toothpaste, it just doesn’t smell bad.

“Jean,” Jeremy breathes. Jean makes a sound that he hopes can pass as a hmm? Jeremy lets it slide, thankfully. “Can I kiss you, now?”

Jean nods. “Uh-huh,” he says stupidly.

Jean smiles and lets go of one of Jean’s wrists to cup Jean’s cheek instead. He rubs his thumb over Jean’s cheekbone and leans in.

Please don’t let anyone come in or say something or honk a horn or do anything to ruin this moment, Jean prays frantically.

Thankfully, nothing does. Jeremy starts to lean in and Jean places his free hand on Jeremy’s shirt, right over one of his pecs. Warmth squirms in his belly as he starts to lean down, too. He closes his eyes and finally, finally, Jeremy’s lips press against his own.

It’s - it’s soft, and it’s warm, and gentle and then Jeremy’s lips are parting and Jean feels the warmth of his breath fan against him. Jeremy’s lips surround Jean’s bottom one and Jean sighs when Jeremy sucks lightly. Jean’s nose brushes against the softer, straighter slope of Jeremy’s when Jeremy releases Jean’s lip and Jean leans in to chase more. Jean clenches his fist in Jeremy’s shirt and makes the tiniest sound when he is able to suck Jeremy’s lip into his mouth. Jeremy hums quietly when Jean slides his tongue across Jeremy’s plump lip. Jeremy moves to pull away but Jean, suddenly desperate to hold onto this moment, bites down lightly, unwilling to let him go.

Jeremy groans and pulls Jean in more, and he releases Jean’s other wrist to wrap his arm around Jean’s waist. Jean moves both hands to the arm of the couch on either side of Jeremy and their chests press together finally. Jeremy frantically moves his knee so that Jean can slot his hips and lay between Jeremy’s legs as they continue to kiss.

Jeremy’s quiet sounds he makes while kissing are addictive, Jean learns, and he wants to hear more of them. Before he can make that happen, though, Jeremy throws his head back and groans. “Oh my god, Jean,” he breathes. Jean is unbothered and starts kissing Jeremy’s jawline, but Jeremy whines and pulls away. “Jean, Jesus, we -” He blows out a breath and Jean finally clues into the fact that he’s trying to stop this.

Self-consciousness creeps in as Jean remembers he’s only ever kissed one person - though they really did do a lot of kissing, to be fair; Jean’s relatively confident in his abilities - and Jeremy is two years older and in college. Suddenly, he’s not as sure of himself. He bites his lip. “Was that - did you -”

“We have to stop, Jean, oh my god,” Jeremy breathes. Right after he says that, though, he cups Jean’s face with both hands and pulls him in for another kiss, this one more urgent. Jean makes a surprised sound but responds enthusiastically, only for Jeremy to push him away seconds later. “Crap! No! Wait - god, give me a second to - jeez.”

Jean is…thoroughly confused at this point. “Jeremy, what -”

“I cannot defile you the first time I kiss you, oh my god. I’m acting like a douchebag. Hold on, sit up.”

Jean wants to pout, but he doesn’t. Instead, he sits up and gives Jeremy the space he’s asking for but doesn’t, apparently, actually want. Jeremy keeps his eyes closed for a moment before he sits up, too, and then looks at Jean.

Just being in his line of sight, under his direct gaze like this, makes Jean blush. Jeremy notices and smiles. He reaches forward and snags one of Jean’s hands and brings it to his lips, kissing the back of it like a knight and making Jean blush like a peasant lady. He might as well curtsy, now. Jesus.

“Sorry,” Jeremy says sheepishly. “I got - I got way into that, and here I was swearing it’d be the kind of kiss you deserved.”

Jean rolls his eyes. “Forget about what I deserve, Jeremy; I am an eighteen-year-old boy. I am more worried about what I want,” he says with a grin.

Jeremy snorts and shakes his head, then leans forward and kisses Jean’s cheek quickly, straightening back into his own space before Jean can react. Cheater. “You can worry about what you want,” he barters, “but I will stick to making sure you get what you deserve.”

Jean huffs. He pauses. “You - do know that this was not my first kiss, right?” Maybe that will make Jeremy relax.

Instead, it makes him laugh. “Trust me, I know,” he says while he waggles his brows at Jean suggestively. “The way you kissed? Definitely. However…” He sighs. “Waiting makes it better.”

“Waiting makes it harder,” Jean mumbles, then blushes when he realizes the double meaning.

“Oh, really, now?” Jeremy mocks suggestively, and Jean pulls his hand away, unable to suppress his grin even as he rolls his eyes. He moves like he’s about to leave, and Jeremy whines, “Wait! Wait! Come back here, come back.”

Jean huffs a laugh and leans in, giving Jeremy another kiss that he keeps infuriatingly short and sweet. Jean sighs, and Jeremy pulls back and bites his bottom lip. “You should go to bed,” he says.

Jean groans. “I did not take you for a cruel man, Jeremy,” he complains, but he smiles to show he doesn’t mean it and stands anyway. Jeremy stays where he’s at, watching him with that bottom lip still trapped between his teeth.

Boldly, Jean reaches out with his thumb and pulls the lip free, then grabs his chin between his thumb and index finger to lift his face, and presses a carefully soft and tender kiss. When he pulls back, Jeremy’s eyes stay closed far longer than Jean’s, and it lets him admire the flush on Jeremy’s cheeks. When he finally does open his eyes, Jean smiles. “Goodnight, Jeremy,” he says.

He’s rounding the staircase when Jeremy says, “Goodnight, Jean!”

—

The next morning is difficult. Jeremy doesn’t join him for his run, instead choosing to return to his own, so Jean doesn’t see him except in passing as he jogs down the street back to his house and Jeremy runs up, away from it. They see each other and they do stop, but only to give each other a small kiss - Jean is very aware how sweaty he is, and Jeremy’s not sweating at all, yet.

Jean’s showered and waiting on breakfast by the time Jeremy gets back, and he immediately grabs his bag and jogs up the stairs toward the shower. Jean looks at his parents, both busy in their normal pre-breakfast tasks - Adi cooking, James reading the paper - and decides to head upstairs, too.

When Jeremy gets out of the shower and leaves the bathroom, Jean is waiting by the door and snags him. Jeremy makes a startled sound but Jean quickly kisses him to muffle it against his lips. They laugh and kiss, and Jeremy lets Jean press him against the wall. Jean fumbles around to grab his doorknob, but Jeremy laughs and pushes him away gently. “Absolutely not,” he says, pushing him away again when Jean tries to come near once more. “I am not going into your bedroom, you absolute menace.”

Jean groans but laughs and finally gives in, and they walk downstairs. Jean waits until Jeremy’s put his bag back against the wall out of the way before he moves closer. “Maybe we could go out later,” he suggests shyly. “We could -”

Jean is cut off when James and Adi walk into the living room together, stopping short when they see Jean and Jeremy practically plastered together. Jean and Jeremy both take a step back, out of each other’s personal space, and Jean bites his lip.

“Jeremy,” James says in a very clearly forced-calm voice. It’s not a tone Jean’s ever heard used at home, and he knows immediately that this is his dad’s Coach Voice. “Are you mackin’ on my son? Seriously? Under my own roof?”

Jean wants the floor to open up and swallow him. “James!” He whisper-shrieks. “Why would you say that?!” To Adi, he begs, “Adi, make him stop speaking!” Adi says nothing, just looks between his husband and Jeremy.

Jean looks frantically at Jeremy, hoping he won’t be wanting to never speak to Jean again, but though he looks a little embarrassed and maybe even a little nervous, Jeremy says, “Um, actually, Coach, yes. Well - not just then, but, um. Yes, sir.”

Jean looks between Jeremy and his parents, and James says, “Huh.” He sucks his teeth, then turns to Jean. “Jean,” he says, gesturing at Jeremy, “is this a…welcome advance?”

Jean’s eyes widen and he hisses. “What are you doing?!” James raises his eyebrows, waiting. “Yes, it was - yes!”

James nods, and Adi puts a hand over his mouth, either in shock or to cover his amusement, Jean’s not sure. To Jeremy again, James asks, “You serious about my kid?”

Jean wants to run away.

But Jeremy just winks at Jean, then turns back to James and says, “It’s still very early days, Coach, but, uh…yeah. I think so.”

James grunts. “Don’t you hurt my boy, Jeremy,” he warns.

“I - James! Tu es tellement gênant!” Jean screeches, outraged. He even stomps his foot.

“Gênant,” Adi muses, tapping his lips. “I don’t know that word.”

“Embarrassing!” Jean expresses loudly. Jeremy’s grinning, but Jean still kind of wants to die.

“Oh,” James says, then nods. “Well, then…yeah.” He looks to Adi, who’s smiling, and offers him a fist bump. They flare out their hands after their knuckles meet, and James says, “Damn, I think we’re really getting the hang of this parenting thing.”

Jean gapes at them, and then stomps to the kitchen, abandoning his parents and Jeremy. He’ll feel bad about that later.

Turns out, though, he doesn’t need to, because all they talk about at breakfast is how Jean was Jeremy’s god of hotness and Jeremy was Jean’s maybe someone special the other night at the party. Jeremy does swear that he’d waited several days before making a move and had asked Jean to kiss him first, while Jean contemplates if he’d be able to kill himself with nothing but his breakfast.

—

“...And we need to sit down and hammer out colleges, too,” Adi says that afternoon at lunch. The four of them are seated at the table, and talking about what happens when they all go back to school. Jean looks up from his phone - Kevin had just texted to tell him he’s back in Palmetto and in the car with his dad - and blinks at his own dad. “Application deadlines are often December first,” Adi says gently.

Ah. Jean swallows, then clears his throat. “Ah, I - have already…applied. To where I want to go next year,” he says delicately, a little nervous and hopeful. He knows Adi will be happy and supportive, but James has never once mentioned the idea of Jean playing for him at USC, and Jean isn’t sure if that is because he doesn’t want it to happen or not.

James looks up from his plate, and both he and Adi look surprised. Jeremy looks interested, though of course his stakes are significantly lower in this conversation. “Where all did you apply?” James asks, brows furrowed. “We could’ve helped you with your application, you know.”

“I wanted to do it myself,” Jean explains hastily. He hadn’t actually…thought of asking them for help. Now, he feels silly. Of course, his dads would have helped him. He’s just so used to having to figure it out, himself. “And, I - ah - applied to go here,” he says. “To - USC.”

There’s a stunned silence. Jeremy looks like he wants to be encouraging, but he’s glancing between all three of them, clearly aware this is a family moment, and decides to keep himself quiet.

“Jean,” James says, his voice gravelly. “I didn’t…realize you wanted to go to USC.” He swallows. “You, uh. You never mentioned.”

“That’s great, though, sweetheart!” Adi says, looking emotional and overjoyed. “It’ll be great to have you close to home!”

Jean bites his lip. “Actually, ah, I was - hoping that, ah, if you guys don’t mind, I could maybe…still stay here? At home, I mean? That way, you know, it will be less money on room and board - since USC is a private college, my adoption tuition fund will only cover so much, and -”

“Money is not an issue for your future, son,” James interrupts gruffly. “We’ll make it happen. However you want.” He looks away from the table, then, and clears his throat. “Excuse me,” he says suddenly, and stands. He walks straight out the back door and into the garden, where they watch through the window as he slowly ambles to a stop and puts his hands on his hips.

Jean bites his lip and looks at Adi and Jeremy nervously. “I - did not realize it was wrong to apply by myself,” he hedges. “I…I got help on the essay,” he tries to reassure Adi, not even caring that Jeremy is here to hear him admit to needing help writing. “And they said it was very good by the time I turned it in.”

“Jean,” Adi says calmly. “He isn’t angry with you, sweetheart. He’s just emotional. Why don’t you go out there and talk to him?”

Jean bites his lip again, but then nods. He stands, catches Jeremy’s encouraging smile, and heads outside to talk with his dad.

He approaches James, but the man doesn’t turn to acknowledge his presence even though there’s no way he doesn’t know he’s there by now. “Um,” Jean says quietly. He decides to try to soften him up. “Papa?”

James sniffles suddenly, and he wipes at his eyes. Jean is shocked to realize he hadn’t turned around because he had been crying.

“Oh!” He says stupidly, and moves around to get in front of his dad. “I am so sorry for keeping it a secret from you,” he rushes out. “I just - you never offered for me to play for you, and I wasn’t sure if you didn’t want me to -”

“There is nothing I would love more,” James says hoarsely, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand, “than watching my son light up my court.”

Jean feels like the wind has been knocked out of him. “Oh,” he says stupidly.

“The only reason I never offered is because I didn’t want you to feel like you had to, just because I’m your dad, or because we adopted you.”

“I don’t,” Jean rushes out.

James nods and takes a deep breath, and wipes his eyes one final time. Jean stands there awkwardly, not really sure what to do. “You - ah, Jean, I don’t know how to ask this, but…” Jean watches James blow out an uncertain breath and then he says, “You aren’t - applying because of Jeremy, right?”

Jean’s eyes widen and he can’t help it; he laughs. “I - what?”

“Because Jeremy’s a great kid,” James talks on. “I love him, he really is a good kid - and I support the two of you starting a new relationship! Really. But…” he shakes his head uncertainly. “Ah, Jean, kid…You’re still so young; I don’t want you to make decisions based on a boy, you know?”

Jean puts his hands up, fully red now, and hoping desperately that James’s naturally booming voice isn’t carrying into the house. How humiliating. “James,” he says, laughing. “The deadline for the application was November first. I had not even met Jeremy yet.”

James processes that, and Jean can’t help but laugh at the relief that shows on his dad’s face when he realizes they’re in the clear. “Oh, thank god,” he mutters. They both laugh for a moment. Finally, he asks, “So, what, uh…” He reaches down to fix a stem that’s been kicked over at some point, then stands back upright. “You never mentioned any interest in USC,” he says, attempting at casual and failing miserably. “What made you decide?”

Jean looks at James with an are you stupid? expression. “I wanted to play for my father,” he says.

James stares at him, and Jean watches as the man’s eyes fill with tears again. He nods slowly. “Okay, kid,” he laughs. “Okay.” He squeezes Jean’s shoulder. Out of nowhere, he says, “You know I can’t show you favoritism, right?” Jean rolls his eyes, and James nods. “And people might say it’s nepotism. I’m just saying,” he adds, holding his hands up in surrender when Jean shoots him a skeptical look.

“I do not even have your last name,” he says in exasperation. He’d taken Adi’s last name, Bregović, because he hadn’t wanted an American last name, when they’d adopted him. “And either way, my stats speak for themselves; I will prove my place on your team. Nobody will think I got there based on family.”

James laughs and he nods. “Alright, kid,” he says. “Shit. Alright. Well. You made your old man proud today, Jean.”

Jean doesn’t have a name for the warmth lighting him up from the inside out.

—

Jean’s second-ever actual Thanksgiving is fun. Jean and Jeremy go on their separate runs, then eat breakfast with Jean’s dads, and then make out in the car on the way to the Gold Court. They do get some good drills in, though, so who cares if they make out again before they head back?

Adi and Jean cook up a storm, with Jeremy begging for boring foods that Jean and his dad agree to spice up their way with nothing but shared looks and nods. When Jean goes to pick up Neil, since Andrew and Aaron are having what they call Twin Day, Jeremy stays at the house and works on some homework Jean hadn’t even known he had due upon returning. When they get back, Neil and Jean head up to Jean’s room and call Kevin.

Jean catches his brothers up, and they react with excitement when they hear he’s finally told his parents about his decision for USC, fondness when Jean tells them about James’s reaction, and make fun of him when he tells them about Jeremy.

When Jean sits between Neil and Jeremy at the table, they all go around and say what they’re thankful for. Last year, Jean had steadfastly only said he was thankful Kevin and Neil were safe. This year, he feels like he could talk forever.