Page 4 of Hide and Seek

Jace spins around in his chair and grins at Felix. “You dropped something.”

“I did?” Felix shoots him a curious look.

“Yup, it’s right there.” He points at the coffee table next to the couch Felix is on.

“Where?” Felix looks under the table.

“Under there,” Jace points again.

“Under where?” Felix asks, confused.

“Underwear.” Jace chuckles.

Felix throws him a flat look, but the corners of his lips tick up as he fails to completely hide his smile.

“You bring out the worst in him,” Killian, our cousin and best friend, says to Felix, his smile and tone laced with affection.

Felix beams a big smile at Killian and shifts so Killian can sit on the couch and he can lie back with his head on Killian’s thigh.

“Or does he bring out the worst in me?” Felix asks with a grin.

“Two things can be true.” Killian strokes his fingers through Felix’s hair. Felix lets out a soft sigh and snuggles closer to him.

“If you two are done being nauseatingly adorable, maybe we can focus on the fact that I just did a huge thing and maybe acknowledge my awesomeness,” my brother says pointedly.

“Good job,” Killian says, not taking his eyes off Felix.

“Go you,” Felix adds, his attention fixed on his boyfriend.

Jace flicks his gaze to me.

“Took you long enough,” I say with a smirk.

He pulls his favorite butterfly knife out of his pocket and flips it open. “And how long would it have taken you to do what I just did? Two months compared to my two hours.”

I snort-laugh. “Two hours? You’ve had weeks to figure this shit out.”

“Weeks to figure out a system it would take you years to even find a backdoor into.”

“Backdoor,” Felix says with another snicker.

Jace tosses Felix a grin. “You and I need to watch hockey one day.”

“Hockey?” Felix’s brow furrows in confusion.

“Have year heard the shit those announcers say?” Jace asks as he spins his knife around his fingers in a complex pattern that’s pure muscle memory at this point. “Reach arounds, stuffing it in, getting double teamed, finding holes, scoring in the five hole, and endless comments about wood and back doors and taking things on their face.”

Felix laughs. “Seriously? Who knew hockey was so suggestive.”

“Anyone who’s ever watched it.” Jace snaps the blade closed and spins the handle around his fingers.

“I didn’t know you were into hockey,” Felix says.

“I’m not.” Jace shrugs. “Not really. The fights are fun and the commentary is entertaining, but the actual game is whatever. Not a lot of strategy, just brute force and skill.”

“Don’t get him started on football,” I warn Felix.

“You mean the T-ball of rugby?” Jace grins.