Andrew’s POV

After Dev left I waited on my usual spot on the couch that could easily fit 8 people. Back when we used to live here the couch smelled so deeply of Jem, a bit of Dev right beside the spot where Jem always used to sit, and barely any Barrett, he’d always been to restless to sit down for than a few episodes of whatever show Jem put on when they would eat.

Now I sit here thinking about the days when the 5 of us would pile up on the couch pretending our entire situation wasn’t fucked up. The days when Jem, Patrick, and I all had the day off, Patrick and I dragging him around all day, Jem pretending to hate every second of it until he thought neither of us were looking, letting a small smile slip out every now and then until one of us caught him. Denying everything with a scowl he’d push us away and go back to whatever it was that he was doing.

I missed those days. It wouldn’t be the same now that Patrick probably wouldn’t be involved but at least it was a sliver of what it used to be and I would have Jem back. I had missed him so much.

After what felt like an hour Jem finally walked out of the office, a tired look across his face, his skin still pale from blood loss, and bags under his eyes but he was here and looking at me with that lazy smile. 

“Sorry,” he said, the smirk I missed so much covering his face. “I didn’t think take that long.”

“It’s okay,” I said as he came to sit on the couch beside me, his arm shown around my shoulders before pressing me into the side that was uninjured. My nose presses into the crook of his neck, breathing in the scent I’ve missed so much these past 8 months. “So how are we going to do this? Patrick doesn’t want me to spend the night here anymore, you don’t like sleeping anywhere but here, you don’t really like leaving the house either. What’s the compromise?”

“Are you alright with me coming over a few times a week,” Jem asked Patrick, who had just sat down on my other side, his hand going to lightly rub my thigh. His voice was a bit too business for my liking but I figured it would take them a while to warm back up to each other. 

“It wouldn’t be fair to ban you,” Patrick admitted. “I know you know when you’re being followed but please just be extra careful anytime you’re coming and leaving from here.”

“I think I can manage that,” Jem said with a smile. He fell back into the pattern faster than I thought he would. No awkwardness in his voice, no hesitation in his movements, and no holding back. I had assumed we would have to start completely over but it seems he’s ready to start right where we left off. “And the sleeping arrangement if we decide to stay the night some times?”

“Our bed is big enough,” Patrick said a bit begrudgingly, “Andrew in the middle, us on either side, gun on safety under the pillow, no dogs allowed.” Jem frowned but nodded anyway.

“So are you coming over tonight,” I asked hopefully but the small glare on Patrick’s face made the hope die in my throat.

“Well Patrick, am I coming over tonight?” Jem’s voice was a mocking type of sweet, planting the seed in my head that maybe dating Jem wasn’t the best idea. Things with Andrew had been great. Maybe it would have been best to just leave things the way they were. “And before you answer may I remind you, I was just stabbed. I need to be monitored for any complications.”

“You have a whole ass hospital to monitor you,” Patrick said a bit bitterly before sighing and gripping my thigh a bit tighter, “but if you want to come over I won’t stop you.”

Jem smiled as he stood up from the couch, my eyes lingering on the hand he put to his stitches as he went but quickly flashed to the hand he put in front of my face to help me up.

“Don’t worry Patrick, no sexy time without you, at least not yet,” he said as he pulled me up placing a small kiss to my hand before letting me go. “I’m not quite up to that yet, hopefully by the time that I am you’ll have changed your mind.”

“Not likely,” he scoffed with a small glare. Jem only hummed, his smirk still proudly displayed on his face.

“We’ll see. Let me get my overnight bag and we can leave.”

“You really think it’s a good idea to let him sleep over so soon. You just got back together with him an hour ago and he just got back from getting stabbed three hours ago.”

“Well we were dating before. We were just taking a break and now we’re picking up where we left off. We used to sleep together every night. And he’s my boyfriend, I get to decide how fast things go. If you aren’t ready then say that and I’ll tell him to sleep here tonight but please don’t question the decisions I make about my relationship. So, are you ready or do I need to tell him to put his bag back and stay here?” Patrick sighed and slid a hand over his face.

“You’re right, I’m sorry,” he said, his voice sounded genuine and the look in his eyes told me he wasn’t lying. “I want you to be happy and I was both of you to be comfortable around me. I’ll work on it, it’s the jealousy, both of us know I struggle with it but I’ll work on it. But I’ll need your patience, I’ll need you to tell me when I over step.” 

I smiled at him as I reach for his hand the same Jem had done to me seconds ago. The second he was up my arms wrapped around his waist as I pulled him close to me.

“Thank you for trying,” I said as I smiled into his chest.

“Anything for you. All I ask is you wait until you know I won’t be home before you two get it on. I don’t think it’d be a very pleasant sight for me.” My face turned red in seconds as he took my chin in his hand forced me to look him in the eyes, a smirk covering his face when he sees the color covering my cheeks.

“Oh come on Patrick,” Jem’s cocky voice came bouncing off the walls. “You used to love walking in our sexy times. Don’t think for a second I’ve forgotten the face you make when you realize what’s going on. The way your eyes widen, the small flush on your cheeks, the way you tear off your shirt to join us without even being invited. I don’t think I could ever forget that.”

“Don’t tease him,” I protest weakly, the memories coming in waves as I try to force my mind away from them.

“How could I not when it’s so easy? Look at him, I’ve barely said anything and he’s blushing just as hard as you are.” He was, cheeks red with a harsh glare on his face. “Oh come on, teasing Patrick wasn’t apart of the rules.”

“It is now,” Patrick said rudely as he let me go and picked up the car keys on the table.

“Now that’s the one rule I don’t think I’ll be able follow. I mean look at his Andrew. Tell me that face is resistible.”

“It is a pretty cute face,” I admit, a new flush covering his face as he began walking to the door.

“Can we go now? It’s three in the morning some of us are tired.”

“I am tired,” Jem said jokingly but the look in his eyes and the hand still hovering over his side keeps either of us from continuing to joke around about.  

We’re all back to the apartment within a few minutes. I had expected to sit on the couch the tv for a bit to calm us all down but Jem made a b line for the bedroom, his bag discarded on the floor seconds later followed closely by his shirt and pants before he lays down on the right side of the bed. His hand slipping the gun under the pillow before staring up at me as he pats the space beside him.

“I’m tired Andrew, come sleep with me.”

“Needy much?” I teased but stripped off my clothes anyway.

“I’m in pain give me a break?”

“How does it feel,” I asked as I straddled his legs, looking at the white gauze covering the stitch. Thankfully no blood peaking through. 

Jem shrugged as his hands come to cup my waist.

“I’ve had worse. It’s more of a pinch every now and then. I just need to take it easy for a few weeks. Now that I have my favorite distraction is back I don’t think it’ll be that hard.” I couldn’t help the small laugh that bubbled up through my chest.

“No sex until the stitches are taking out.”

“Of course not Andrew, I’m not a sex addict, even I know hard activity is off limit for now. However, a blow job isn’t that taxing, barely any movement for the receiver.” I just roll my eyes as I climb off his lap and roll over to lay my head on his chest, his arm coming around me protectively while the other hand is pressed under the pillow reaching for something I hope he’ll never have to use here.

“I’m glad you agreed to try this again. I was scared you try to push me away again.”

“What can I say? You’re rather persistent when you want to be.”

“It didn’t take much convincing. Did you miss me or something?”

His eyes fell shut and for a second I think maybe he’s done talking about it but before I can try to fall asleep next to him, his arm around me tightens.

“More than you know,” he said barely above a whisper before his breaths evened out and he was asleep.

Last updated December 24, 2023