Truman nodded. He was sure Ash was being genuine, but his words sounded a little too much like what Truman had told himself as a balm to his sisters’ dismissal of him, and it made him squirm.

“Do you want to watch a movie?” Truman asked, wanting to turn off his brain.

Bruce lifted his head as if to say that he certainly wanted to lie on the floor at their feet for two more hours.

“Sounds good,” Ash said.

“What are you in the mood for?”

“Something magical,” Ash said with a wink. “Do you want some more cocoa?”

Truman held his cup up with a nod. He guessed Ash knew where everything was since he likely spent time here with Greta.

Truman found an old movie that promised witchiness and starred people whose names he vaguely recognized.

When Ash returned with the cocoa, they settled in to watch, Truman pressing his knee against Ash’s thigh and moving close enough that their shoulders touched. Like this, if he turned his head, his face was close enough to Ash’s that he could see every freckle and hair and line.

The movie was fun and silly and seemed to involve a subplot about poison that had nothing to do with the magic of an actual magical potion, which Truman found unsatisfying. But there was a black cat and an underground music club and a number of gorgeous antiques.

Truman turned to make a snarky comment about the protagonist’s hat to find Ash’s eyes closed, lashes fluttering appealingly. His lips were slack, and in the light of the television, the dark circles under his eyes were more visible. Truman turned the volume down three clicks and enjoyed feeling Ash’s warm weight next to him.

The shriek of a phone sometime later made Truman jump and Ash lurch upright with a gasp. It was Ash’s phone, and he snatched it up with a look of disoriented panic.

“Hello? Oh damn. I’m so sorry, Marjorie. Thanks for calling. No, no, I know. I will. Is…is she okay? Yeah. I’ll be right there. No, I’m not at home. Yeah. Okay, thanks again. Thank you. Bye.”

Ash was trying to shove the phone in his pocket and gather his things at the same time. Truman’s stomach fell.

“Hey, hey, what’s up? Is it your mom?”

“I can’t believe I fell asleep. I never do this. I should’ve been there hours ago.”

Ash’s face was tight, his eyes wild. Truman tried to catch his arm to tell him it was okay, but he never stopped moving.

“I’m really sorry to run out like this again,” Ash said miserably.

“Let me come with you. I can watch out for Bruce.”

“Oh, shit, Bruce!”

Ash doubled back, eyes wild.