“Dude. We were on the same train.” Conrad rolled his eyes at both of us, an impressive feat. “If you say the words ‘our place’ or ‘together’ one more time, I’m going to die of sugar overload.”

“Was that not you last fall doing the exact same thing?” I asked pointedly because I still remembered how much it had sucked when he’d been all in love with Alden on their visits and I’d been oh-so-very single.

“It was,” Conrad agreed, exchanging some sort of private message with Alden.

“It maybe still is.” Alden gave a rare smile. He seemed a little more relaxed than usual, enjoying the last weekend before school started for him—his first year teaching at a junior high near where he and Conrad lived.

“I’m just saying that the unbearable cuteness that is you two hipster wannabes—”

“He called me a hipster.” Milo faked indignation.

“You’re an art student in Brooklyn who does cosplay on weekends. Were you thinking you still passed as a jock?” Kellan laughed and everyone joined in, including Milo, but then he got quiet.

“No. I guess not,” he said softly. And it was true that he didn’t look nearly as sporty these days. His hair was bushier and he’d forgotten to shave again. We’d been late getting ready to leave our tiny student housing near the art college campus for reasons, so he was in an Odyssey shirt someone had thrust at him last time he visited me at work and old shorts. His leg scars were more faded now, and he could comfortably wear chunky leather sandals for more than short cosplay stints.

“You’ll always be my jock,” I said fondly to him. And that was also true—he still smelled deliciously of sporty aftershave and I still got to hear way too much about what European soccer players got paid and which teams had the best chance at a World Cup. And sometimes he’d lift weights and get all sweaty and… Yeah. Still my jock. Swoon.

“If you want to kick the soccer ball around later, we can do that,” Conrad offered. Between his asthma and Milo’s leg, it would likely be a low-key thing, but they’d done that a couple of times in the park when we’d met halfway between our neighborhoods. “Let Alden play Jasper for the game episode.”

Milo stretched, flexing his leg out in front of him. “I’ve got a couple of kicks in me.”

“I might join you guys, work off this beer.” Kellan rubbed his stomach. Milo hadn’t had a drink since winter. We didn’t really talk about it that often, but I added it to the list of things I was super proud about for him.

“I can feel it. Today I’m going to win against Alden.” I pumped both fists like a boxer promising victory.