“Not everyone. And not all help is free.” His tone was ominous, like he was echoing his father and his strict grandmother along with some painful past lessons. I understood, but I also didn’t reach for him again. I didn’t want to make things worse, so I only nodded.

“Sorry.” He gave me a fast pat on the knee. “I’m being a pain.”

“You’re allowed a bad mood.”

“Yeah, but I shouldn’t be taking it out on you.” He rested his head on my shoulder, and I hugged him close, wishing there were more I could do. “How about that movie? You can study and I’ll try to tell my brain to shut up.”

“It’s a nice brain.” I kissed his forehead.

“Not as nice as yours.” His crooked smile was his first real one in hours and the kiss he gave me was that much sweeter for the wait.

In theory, what happened next was him watching a movie on my tablet while I got out my notes for my senior seminar. But in reality, I set my notes aside and played with his hair and stroked his shoulders while he used me as a backrest. Every so often he’d remind me to study, and I’d try, but I kept getting distracted by how much I wanted to help him. As the final credits rolled on the movie neither of us had paid that much attention to, Milo yawned big and leaned further into me.

“Tired?”

“Yeah. Head is still buzzing though.” He groaned and rubbed at his thoroughly messed-up hair.

“Tired but wired sucks.” I dropped a kiss on the back of his neck while I snaked a hand down his torso. “I know one thing that might help…”

“Sorry.” He stilled my hand and reversed our positions so that he was cuddled behind me, face buried in my hair. “Not right now.”

“Okay. It’s all good.” It was a challenge to sound as accepting and accommodating as I wanted to while Milo was squeezing me so tightly that I had to keep from squawking.

“Oops. I’m squashing you.” He arranged us in a marginally more comfortable position, but the bed certainly seemed a lot smaller when we weren’t all tangled up in each other on it. “Do you want me to take the floor bed?”

“Not unless that what’s you want.” I snuggled into him, trying to give off platonic vibes, which was difficult with him right there, smelling so good, but I truly was fine exactly like this. I loved being near him however I could get him.

“No. I just want to lie here like this.” He held me close, gentler now, breathing like he was doing a meditation class.