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A single tear snuck out, slipping down their cheek. “You were doing so well.”

I huffed. “I’m doing great, thank you very much.”

Cece shivered, but there was a hint of a smile on their face. “I need something to change. And I really don’t want to be in this apartment any longer than necessary.”

So, either whatever it was had happened here or there were too many reminders. My stomach bottomed out.

“I know it’s self-centered as fuck, but did I do something?” I couldn’t come up with anything. It wasn’t about Tony, because they’d been acting weird months before that, but Tony was the only change I could think of in our routine. “I will move. Today. And I will leave Plumas. Do anything you want me to.”

“Don’t be daft.” Cece rolled their eyes. “You really are self-absorbed.”

“Fuck off.”

I pouted. I’d started to feel sick thinking I’d been the one hurting them.

There was no way I could eat anything without throwing up now.

Cece sighed. “You’re good. It’s nothing like that.”

I was just noticing they were pretty much frozen under me. Usually when I was on top of them, they were either trying to grab my arms or pretending to fight me.

Maybe I should move. I just didn’t know how to not make it awkward now.

Ugh.

“Just let me help, Cece.”

At this point, I was giving up all hopes that they’d tell me what had actually happened to lead us here, but… Frustration swelled up. The thing about not knowing was I kept coming up with scenarios, and the longer Cece spent without coming clean, the darker those scenarios became.

“I don’t know how.”

It sounded like the most honest thing they’d said since I walked in. It wasn’t comforting, but I supposed I had to take it or leave it.

I pursed my lips. I was supposed to be the one with the ideas. Sure, Cece could be unhinged and impulsive at times, too, but people looked up to me to come up with shit.

I just…

Huh.

“Move in with Tony. And me.”

“Um. No?”

Yes, it made sense. So much sense. I leaned back on my haunches and bounced. Tony had been full on Daddy-like the last few times I’d met up with him, and Cece needed some of that Daddying, if I said so myself. And he had a ridiculously big house, even though he shrugged it off when I said it because his family house was ten times that size or some other ridiculous reason.

The point was that he had a giant guest room. And he was used to having nonsexual dynamics, so it didn’t matter that Cece had no interest in him.

And he still had to watch us play together.

“Let’s go ask him.”

“Jai.”

“It’s the perfect plan!” I protested before they could test how long to stare at me that way before I caved.

The answer was not long, but I never wanted them to know as much.

“You can’t just ask someone to house me.”