Page 41 of Summer Skin

“OKAY, SO,” SAYSJustin, as Aven gasps for breath, “I really thought that was going to be easier.”

“I think it was Aven’s position,” Ben adds. “If he’d been on top instead of bottom, it would have worked out a lot better.”

Aven lifts his head to shoot him a glare. His monster of an oak wood dresser stands in their living room after making it down the stairs without killing any of them. Barely. And it’s not like Aven’s the one who chose to lead from the bottom end of the dresser. That was all Tyler.

“Aven’s not as strong as he looks,” notes Tyler, shrugging a shoulder and shoveling a handful of popcorn into his mouth like he’s watching some sort of home renovation reality tv show. And maybe Aven was wrong about all of them making it out of here alive.

Huffing out a breath, he readjusts his attitude. Chase wanted to hire movers, but Aven had been the one who insisted they take Ben and Justin up on their offer to help. One last team effort before they go.

Because today is the last day that he and Chase are a part of this household. Nine months of living here together, and today they’re moving into a house of their own. Or, well, a house Chase owns, but they picked it out together and Aven’s definitely pitching in as much as he can. No more renting, no more roommates, just the two of them.

And while there’s a part of him that does ache to leave their friends, this move means they can have their own space to play music as loud as they want, to sleep in late with no one banging around in the kitchen, and to fuck in any and every room in the house.

To make a life together in the way Aven’s wished for.

“I can’t believe we’re losing two roommates at once,” Ben says. “It’s gonna feel super empty around here.”

Aven’s sure they’ll drop by all the time. Everyone will just need to be chill about changing Monday nights from Binging With Bunkmates to Binging With Buddies. Which sounds better anyway, so really, they’re leveling up.

Ellie sweeps in from the hallway. “I think,” she says, staring down at a writing notebook with a pen tucked behind one ear, “we should cut the one about your erectile dysfunction, Aven.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” He swears, this girl sits around in Ben’s bedroom imagining new ways to fuck with his head for sport. Truthfully, he sort of admires her for it. He only wishes he could give back as good as he gets.

Her eyes go wide. “This part on ‘Ocean’s Stone’ where it says your hard places wore away?”

“Chase wrote the lyrics on that song.”

“Well,” she tilts her head to the side, considering, “that makes sense, he does know you best of all.”

“Ellie,” he snorts, the corners of his mouth lifting, “it’s obviously about a heart going soft.”

“Oh, well.” She smiles back with amused eyes. “If you say so.”

They’ve been narrowing down the choices for songs they want to record for their first demo album to shop around. They finally have a drummer, Matt, a guy Aven knew from the local music scene, Chase is on guitar, and Aven’s playing bass, with Ellie’s doing vocals. And he’s still not sure how in the hell Chase talked her into singing for them, but whatever magic beans he traded, Aven’s glad. She drives him up the wall half the time, but she’s also annoyingly charming in equal measure, and she sings like a nightingale. He still gets chills listening to her.

“Alright, let’s get this big guy settled in the U-Haul,” Ben says, patting Aven’s dresser. Chase’s belongings are already safely secured in the truck and this is the last piece of Aven’s. Soon, there won’t be any trace they were here at all.

***

Twenty minutes and one near miss on a visit to the emergency room later, the truck is fully packed and ready to go, and they’re scattered around the living room, debating whether to turn one of the newly empty bedrooms into a space to work out.

“It’d be nice to have more room in my bedroom,” Ben points out. “If the rowing machine was moved, I’d be able to bring in more furniture for Petal.”

“Right,” Justin agrees, as though the cat gives a shit between crowding Ben’s bed or a boxy-shaped cat tower. “Plus, if we did that, we could work out at the same time.”

A light pops on in Ben’s eyes. “Dude, we could make up routines together!”

Oh, joy. If they’re going to become one united voice of pro-exercise, it’s safe to say Aven’s leaving in perfect time.

“But,” Tyler starts, and lets out a puff of breath, “what about my idea of a reading room with lots of plants, and a record player, and we could get a cozy chair and maybe a hot chocolate machine?”

“Babe, that’s what our bedroom is for,” Justin tells him gently.

Tyler blinks over at him. “I thought our bedroom was for, you know …” He’s way too blushy about sex for a guy who regularly gets his ass drilled on camera. And Aven would know because ever since Justin moved in a few months back, the bedroom across the hall from his has been loud.

“It’s hard to believe this is the end,” Ben says quietly, and Aven gets where he’s coming from. It’s the same way he felt when Veena moved out.

“Yeah,” Tyler agrees in a morose tone, “it still doesn’t even seem true you’re leaving.”

“Chase and Aven are moving to Ballard,” Ellie reminds them. “Not to another dimension. They’re only twenty minutes away.” She rises to her feet, placing a hand over her heart. “Best thoughts to you and Chase on surviving the long and arduous journey to your new dwelling, Aven.” He gives a resigned sigh, waiting for her to finish up. “May the grace of the universe be with you both and bless us all with your most gracious presence on a near occasion.”

Ellie clasps her hands together, like a prayer, and rolls her eyes at him, and with that, she’s gone, swishing down the hallway towards Ben’s room.

Aven’s head snaps up when the front door clicks open and Chase strolls inside, returning from a meeting with the realtor at their new place to pick up the house keys.

God, he looks good. Aven doesn’t think there will ever be a day where his stomach doesn’t flip over when Chase Matthews walks into a room. His face is flushed, and when he finds Aven’s gaze, he lights up, all the boyish excitement Aven feels for starting this new life together reflected in his expression, in the way he bounces on his toes, jangling their house keys around. “Aven,” he says quietly, and then nothing else, but Aven knows exactly what he means because he feels the same way.

This is ours.

“Well,” Tyler says, foot tapping at the corner of that god-awful IKEA coffee table Aven still has some unkind feelings towards, “I guess this is goodbye.”

“Nah,” Chase says, lifting a shoulder, “it’s see you later.”

The boys rise, following Aven and Chase out to the porch like it’s a funeral procession, all serious and mopey, and a knot of anticipation coils in Aven’s gut. Almost like his real life is about to begin.

Outside, they give their hugs goodbye, Tyler hanging on a little too long, Ben stepping back with wet eyes, and Aven’s fucking grateful for all of it. For these friendships he hopes to keep.

Reaching up, he taps the Riot Grrrls nameplate above the door, like he’s done a hundred times before. “Later, Grrrls,” he says, and his throat goes tight.

He unlocks the U-Haul’s passenger side door, and as Chase climbs inside, Aven turns to look back one last time. Some might call the old house shabby, but all Aven sees is a happy place that holds a ton of his memories. He spent his college years in this house, with these people, and it means something to him.

His eyes find Justin standing beside a porch column, his arms draped around Tyler. And Ben, who lifts his hand to give a small wave, and Aven nods. He spent some good years here. Some real good years.

But not as good as what’s yet to come.

Slipping around to the driver’s side, Aven takes his seat at the wheel. “Ready?” he asks, and Chase turns away from the window to meet his gaze.

“Honestly? I’m still having trouble believing it’s real.”

“Same. Any regrets?”

“About what?”

“Buying a house together.” He keeps his gaze on Chase. “Turning down the contract?”

“How could I regret any of that when it means being with you?” Chase gives him a slightly crooked smile. “I’m grossly in love with you, you know.”

“Of course you are,” Aven tells him, raising a cocky brow.

“Awesome,” Chase says dryly, “arrogance is such a turn on.”

“Hey, man.” Aven leans forward. He flashes his most obnoxious grin. “It worked on you.”

Chase laughs. “Yeah, I guess it did, you charmer.” He shoots Aven a look that says he wouldn’t prefer it any other way, and then says, “Start the engine, Aven. It’s time to go.”

It’s nearing sunset and traffic is a headache this time of day. They argue over which pizza place they should order from for dinner, and whether or not they should’ve painted the walls a more vibrant shade before moving in, and Aven tells Chase the only furniture they’re unloading tonight is the mattress, the rest can wait.

And then all at once, the house comes into sight. It’s three bedrooms, with hardwood floors, skylights, and an outdoor deck that looks out towards a peek-a-boo view of the sea, which reminds Aven of his childhood home. There’s a huge rec room for parties and a garage that they’ve talked about converting into a soundproof studio. The first time they stepped inside, the place felt like theirs.

“Here we are,” Aven announces needlessly, shifting the truck into park.

Chase unbuckles. “Right. My vision remains intact. Should I carry you over the threshold?”

“Like a piggyback?”

“No,” Chase says, “like you’re my bride.”

Aven cocks his head. “Is this your marriage proposal, ‘cause I gotta say, it’s a little weak.”

“Shit.” Chase shakes his head sadly. “I sure hope you know that if I were to propose, it would be a helluva lot more romantic than that.”

“Candlelight?” Aven guesses.

“Moonlight,” Chase shoots back.

“And what if I propose to you first?” Truth be told, Aven doesn’t exactly believe in the heteronormative institution of marriage, but for Chase? He’d break any number of his own rules.

“Then I’d say yes,” Chase tells him simply. “You ready to go inside? Get a start on christening every room?”

Aven looks at him for a few seconds longer, considering what he’s just said, both points, and when they walk the paved pathway, he finds Chase’s hand, linking it with his own.

As they approach the house, Aven notices something tacked above the front door. It’s a wooden nameplate, and it’s painted in a soft yellow with sea blue lettering. It reads: Summer Skin.

He stops dead in his tracks.

Chase smiles at him. A tender, hopeful expression, and a warmth breaks open in Aven’s chest, flooding him with affection.

All these years, and with a love that refused to flicker out, they’ve made it.

They’re home.