At exactly five o’clock nearly every morning, Kalmin got up to get ready for practice.

He would easily slip out of bed without a sound, and casually pad through Deimos’ dark apartment as if he’s lived there his whole life. First he’d brush his teeth, take a shower, and then make breakfast. Somewhere in the middle, Deimos rose from his sleep to the noise of the old apartment pipes creaking, or to the sizzle of eggs on a pan. He was a lighter sleeper than his girlfriend, and he’d unlatch himself from her to roll onto his back.

At five o’clock in the morning, Kalmin always leant down to give Deimos a kiss.

Kalmin knew that Deimos was a light sleeper, and he knew his queue to come around and press his lips against his. Deimos smiled into it, always greeted by his minty breath and spice cologne. A few times he’d crack his eyes open to gaze up at his beautiful boyfriend, but most mornings were too early, and he’d pass out immediately afterwards.

Kissing Kalmin at five o’clock in the morning was his first ritual of the day.

Then around eleven, Deimos would get up for his first lecture. Simple fluff stuff, sometimes it’s about English literature, other times it’s about analytics and management. He enjoyed his English classes more than his Business lectures, but the business side was more important for his future no matter how dry and grating they were.

Waking up beside his girlfriend, however, softened the blow.

Mira was a cute sleeper. She curled into herself like a little hamster, preserving as much heat as possible, especially with the changing of the seasons. Even though three bodies under covers made the bed pretty warm, the mornings were always colder. She’d lean into Deimos’ heat, and he’d kiss her shoulder as an apology as he slipped out of bed.

Usually Mira didn’t rise for another hour. By the time she awoke, it was nearly the afternoon and Deimos was ready to head out. He was the second to use the shower and smelled a little of Kalmin. They shared shampoo and soap, and clothes mixed in the drawers. Deimos’ chest always felt full and head clear for the day afterwards. Kalmin’s athletic wear was homey and warm, and Deimos was comfortable shedding the leather and goth look to an Adidas tracksuit-wearing jock if he could smell his partner a little bit longer.

Usually when he’s gathering his things at the counter Mira rolls out of bed and pads into the washroom to brush her teeth and wash her face. She showered in the evening compared to her morning boyfriends. Then, a little bit more awake, she’d pop out and give him a dopey smile in her big t-shirt and underwear, and get on her tippy toes to kiss him goodbye. On good days, she would squeeze his ass possessively. On great days, she would slap his ass and bite his lower lip a little harder.

Being kissed by Mira in the afternoon was his second ritual of the day.

His first two kisses of the day were vastly different. Kalmin was all sweet, and his lips were soft and warm against him. He was a good dream, a sickly sweet fantasy that made Deimos melt against the pillows.

And then there was Mira. She was possessive and daring with that masculine touch that made every cell in his body burn up. She was all passion and sexual tension that made Deimos want to skip class and get between her legs (which they’ve done before). She woke him up from the fluffy fantasy he had with Kalmin, and made him remember who was boss.

Kalmin was like a gentle summer breeze. Warm, cozy.

Mira was a thunderstorm. Fierce, ardent.

They balanced each other out.

His third ritual of the day was getting coffee with Gabriel and Aaron. Surprisingly, Aaron and he shared many classes despite him being a year older than him, and Gabriel being the possessive type, stuck close to his boyfriend. They shared short greetings and updates from the last time they spoke, like how their partners were doing and any get-togethers they’d have in the future. Afterwards, Aaron and Deimos would go to class together, maybe get a snarky remark how Deimos was wearing one of Kalmin’s hoodies or one of Mira’s flannels, and Deimos would point out how Aaron had been wearing the same university sweater “since forever.”

Deimos understood why Kalmin and Aaron got along for so long. He was a teasing fellow, but had a heart. Always asked if he had any problems with Kalmin, and always offered to help him in any way he can. He was also insanely smart, so copying notes from him was always a win.

After class, they’d part ways because either Aaron had a lab or a date with his boyfriend, and Deimos would skip up a few steps to the third level of the Arts Building and wait for Kalmin. He always came at two o’clock on the dot.

Then, somehow, they’d be kissing in a small stall in the corner of the third floor, starved off each other, desperately recharging themselves and taking the life out of one another.

Ever since their first voyeuristic endeavour in a Walmart parking lot, they’ve found themselves making “love” in public places often (despite Deimos’ initial repulsion to it- it’s a long story). Surprisingly, Kalmin was the one who initiated it. One second they’re smiling at each other from across the hall and the next Deimos was pressed against a bathroom stall, his hand gripping his mouth to stop him from crying out as Kalmin unbuckled his belt. They don’t do it often, but when they do, it was unbelievably hot.

Kalmin’s kind of a sex maniac.

The sweet kisses he gave hid such a darker, passionate side to him. Behind every sweet kiss was red hot fury for more. One little push and he was nearly as intense as Mira.

The sweet little virgin they knew in the summer was blooming into a voyeuristic pervert. And that was absolutely ok with Deimos because one- his boyfriend was hot- and two- there were often sweet and soft moments in between. Moments when he’s kissing Kalmin in a washroom stall and their bodies slowly press into each other, their foreheads touch, Kalmin nuzzles their noses together, and they’re smiling into their next kiss, almost giggling. There’s something so visceral and giddy about keeping such a secret. Deimos felt like he was finally experiencing that teenage rebellion that pop culture always banked on. He kissed Kalmin like how teenage couples kiss in movies, hiding from authority, from gossip, from reality, to experience this one fleeting, sickeningly sweet romantic moment with his boyfriend.

And Kalmin was really good at sucking dick now so that’s also a plus.

But, eventually they had to leave their little safe haven and go on with the day. Dry lectures. Power naps. A second helping of coffee. Cozy library seats.

Around six was when, finally, the three of them meet up once again. Dinner either happened at the cafeteria or at home. However, with exams coming up, it happened more often than not at the cafeteria. Kalmin was always first, smelling like sweat from his latest practice, and Mira’s always second, some sort of charcoal smear or paint splatter on her. Deimos was last, exhausted from his second four-hour lecture of the day, and collapsed at the table. Sometimes Gabriel and Aaron visit. Other times it’s Mira’s classmates like Dede, Simon and Frank. Always one acquaintance of Kalmin’s comes over to pat the hockey player on the back, be it a teammate, classmate or friend of a friend. Out of the poly trio, Kalmin was the most popular.

Well, most liked. Deimos knew of his infamous reputation on campus. At least once a week, one of Kalmin’s “acquaintances” would point out how out of everyone they knew, Kalmin would be hanging out with “Deimos.” They always said it in such a condescending tone, too. Some would joke and bring up some of his cringy nicknames, like “Deimos the Gang Killer” or “Greek Menace.”

In the beginning, Mira got really sassy with Kalmin’s visitors when they badmouthed Deimos. Casually she’d interrupt and say things like, “nice to know no one never gets to know a person” or “he’s my boyfriend,” or really simple comments like, “you’re an idiot.” Deimos loved the expression on their faces in response to the last one. However, now, she just rolled her eyes and ignored them. The nicknames never phased Deimos in the first place, so he just went on with eating his dinner. Kalmin always deflected the conversation somewhere else and made it short and sweet so the three of them could go back to whatever humorous conversation they had initially. Though at the end of it, Kalmin always made an effort to compensate whatever negativity was thrown at Deimos with some side hugs and gentle smiles.

Then at the end of the night, they’d walk home together.

Home.

Deimos’ apartment.

Technically only Deimos’ home.

Kalmin’s home was a five minute walk away. Mira's home was an hour bus ride.

But after dating for more than three months, at some point, it became their home as well.

Their clothes were there. Their schoolwork was there. Their toothbrushes were there.

Instead of buying food for one, Deimos was buying food for three.

When they referred to “home,” Deimos’ place was the first thing that popped to mind.

“I’m going home to take a quick shower,” Kalmin would say, referring to Deimos’ apartment rather than his dorm room.

“I’ll meet you at home, I need a nap,” Mira would say, referring to Deimos’ apartment rather than her place in the suburbs.

“Let’s go home,” Deimos would say, knowing his girlfriend and boyfriend would follow him to his place immediately.

He’s never loved his small apartment as much as he has now.

First year was lonely. His walls were bare and shelves empty.

But second year was full of life. Kalmin crammed little knick knacks and sports gear on every shelf available. Mira pinned up posters of their favourite comic book characters and sketches for new art projects. They made themselves a cork board and pinned reminders and sticky notes. Sometimes it was actual errands like, “buy more paper for the printer,” or, “get eggs- Kalmin likes eggs,” or “more laundry detergent (again),” but other times it’s stupid little messages like, “Kalmin is an amazing chef, kudos to Mr. Macaroni Man,” or “this just in: Deimos and Kalmin are the cutest,” or, “Mira: 10/10 Would Bang Again.”

However, Deimos’ favourite addition to his walls was the smaller version of A Summer Romance, Mira’s crowning achievement from the summer (minus getting together with Deimos and Kalmin), which was pinned beside the mirror for Deimos to see everyday. The full version was such a success for the Back to School exhibition the university decided to keep it up in the corner of the second floor in the Visual Arts building, right beside the photography studio.

Professors said that the picture was melancholic and utterly romantic. It captured the fleetingness of a summer romance perfectly.

Students were not as poetic. The photography students who saw it everyday gave Deimos a nickname. “Baby Blue,” was what they’d yell out whenever Deimos visited Mira. He’d be down the fucking hallway and suddenly Simon would whoop, “ BAAAABY BLUUU!” And Deimos would give him the finger.

Kalmin’s nickname was “Greenie.” The students were nicer to him. Maybe because he was the Golden Boy on the hockey team, or they just really hated Deimos. They’d point at him and slap him on the back, cheering “Greenie,” as if they were excited to see him. He was like a celebrity. Deimos was more of a meme.

When the two of them were together, however, the photography students were relentless. Sometimes they’d just chant “Summer Romance” until the two of them got out of there or Mira kicked their asses.

Deimos couldn’t imagine having class with the photography students, and Mira has to do that once a week for six hours. The stories she’s told him of Simon and Frank fucking up her shot because they kept chanting “summer” or they played a song with “summer” in the chorus were countless. Those two idiots sounded like hell and Mira had the eye bags to prove it.

Yet, Mira always made a positive spin out of the whole situation of her boyfriends becoming memes- Deimos was starting to shed his infamous identity, and people were ok with two boys being explicitly in love plastered across a huge wall.

It felt weird knowing that his love for Kalmin was just out there, but Deimos had to agree. No one has been negative about the piece.

Maybe confused, because Deimos was “only” dating Mira, but were never hateful about it.

It was…cool.

So, A Summer Romance hung beside the mirror in front of their bed as a sweet memento…as well as sort of a meme.

Deimos always stared at it right before he went to bed.

Bedtime for all three of them was a little odd.

Homework prevented them from sleeping together at the same time, with either Deimos or Mira staying up the latest. Kalmin always passed out around eleven, and Deimos would join him around midnight while Mira went on until two or three in the morning. Deimos would sometimes join her, not because he wanted to, but because his homework piled up. Kalmin was incredible at keeping a scheduled pace while his partners crash and burned. On good nights, however, Kalmin tried to “ease the tension.”

Once again: sex maniac.

Nights with Kalmin were always incredible. No matter how tired he was, he knew how to fuckin’ pleasure someone. Deimos loved him. Made reading shitty accounting texts way more enjoyable.

Then the three of them would eventually end up in bed, be it around eleven or three o’clock, and pass out cuddled against each other.

Rinse and repeat.