Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I.

His eyes. That was the first thing Nev noticed about him. He hadn't seen him in a couple of years, but he'd never forget those brown eyes. The way they'd soften or harden ever so subtly, the only thing giving away his feelings on an otherwise straight face. He didn't know him that well, but that's the one thing he remembered about him. Looking into them was intense and unnerving all at the same time.

That's how it had started, four days ago. Nev was home alone and he answered the door, standing in the doorway was the familiar face with the even more familiar deep brown eyes.

Max Joseph.

Nev had murmured his name ever so quietly, but the older boy had heard. His brown eyes softening as he greeted the younger boy. Nev suddenly felt compelled to ask him inside and ask him to hang out, but then he realised that Max was his brother's friend and he hadn't exactly been secretive with his dismay in the past when Rel brought his annoying little bro around to chill with them.

Nev told Max to call back later and with that he was gone.

Max never called back later that day. The days passed by and Nev found himself worrying he'd been too dismissive with Max, perhaps he should've invited him. He knew Rel would've been back in the hour, but he'd just panicked. What if Rel had invited Max round beforehand and Nev had just rudely sent him packing.

Why did he even care so much what one of Rel's mates thought?

It became pretty clear why the next time Nev saw him, a few days later. He returned home one evening to find Max and Rel standing in the kitchen laughing over a couple of beers. He was instantly taken by how good Max looked with a full smile on his face, how his greying hair suited him despite his age, how his blue t-shirt hitched up a bit whilst he leaned against the counter and exposed a small bit bit of skin Nev found his eyes drawn to. He wanted to apologise for the other day, but he just couldn't find the words.

Max and Rel both turned to Nev and said something to him, instead of replying he just mumbled something nonsensical and left, running upstairs to his room.

"Fuck!" Nev exclaimed, kicking his sneakers off and flopping back onto the bed. What had college done this year to Max to make him so attractive.

Sighing, Nev reached over and picked his guitar off the stand. Laying it across his chest and plucking at the strings absent mindedly. The last person he needed to crush on would be his brother's best friend, it was easily remedied though. All Nev had to do was avoid him, Max would be back off to college soon and Nev would be busy attempting his senior year at school. In the meantime though Max and Rel would probably be inseparable, the best friends attended different colleges and would undoubtedly savour every moment together like they did last summer. Much to Nev's frustration that meant Max being over a handful of times a week.

He closed his eyes and tried to get rid of the image of Max in his head. It wasn't even as if he was particularly close to him out of all of Rel's friends. Actually he'd always found him quite stand offish and condescending when they was together, the only redeeming quality being his eyes.

He turned his head lazily towards the door when he heard a knock. "Come in," he said assuming it was his brother. It wasn't though; it was Max.

Nev instantly shot up, sending his guitar crashing to the ground.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," Max said, eyebrows raised as he walked into the room anyway. He picked up the guitar and sat in the desk chair next to the bed. "Rel has gone to get some more beer, he said you'd keep me company in the meantime."

"Oh," Nev didn't really know what to say. He didn't expect that Max would choose to spend time with him unless forced to. He could've just stayed downstairs, but instead he was here.

"You're still playing?"

"Playing?"

"The guitar." Max strummed it and they both winced at the horrible sound it made.

"Yeah," Nev replied, he wasn't even really paying attention to what he was replying. His eyes were darting around the room hoping there was nothing too embarrassing that Max would see. He mentally kicked himself for not being bothered to take down the various Dragonball Z posters he'd had up for the past five years.

"How's college?" Nev finally asked, realising that a silence had fallen upon them.

"It's going great, thank you. Looking forward to getting the final year out the way though. How's school?"

Nev shrugged. He could've told Max how he hated the place, how he done his best to spend as little time there as possible and managed to cause trouble around the city instead. How he always felt trapped, couldn't focused and wanted to bounce off the walls, but he honestly couldn't help it. That was too deep though. Max didn't want to hear that and, like most people including the stupid counsellor he had to see, he probably wouldn't care.

"Okay I guess." Nev shrugged. "Like you, looking forward to getting the final year out the way." That wasn't a lie.

Max seemed to accept this and sat back in the chair, continuing with his out of tune strumming. Nev's ears couldn't take much of it though, he leaned forward and clasped his hand around the neck of the guitar. Then without saying anything he took Max's left hand and positioned his fingers over certain strings.

"Now try."

Max done as he was told and successfully strummed a chord that was almost in tune. He looked pleased with himself and kept playing it. Nev took the opportunity to take in more of Max; he smelt of tobacco, beer and a generic aftershave that every young man in New York wore. He never even realised Max smoked, not tobacco anyway. Not only was it greyer, his hair was longer than when he last saw him, it was beginning to curl which Nev thought was cute. And then there was the Nike sneakers, if he had to answer whether there was one thing apart from his eyes that Nev always remembered it was definitely the fresh Nike kicks he always wore.

"Dude, do you want to hangout sometime?"

Nev didn't know why he asked this. His brain hadn't processed the words as they slipped past his lips, he hadn't even given himself a chance to think about it. He didn't need to spend anymore time with Max that he had to, that's what he'd literally told himself five minutes ago. So why ask such a stupid question. Now he just looked like an idiot. He shuffled back on the bed, feeling his cheeks go red. He hoped that Max hadn't heard him over the guitar, but no chance.

"Erm, yeah why not."

"Cool." Nev smiled at the unexpected response. He smiled way to big for his liking. He tried to adopt an indifferent facial expression, like Max, but failed.

"So when?"

"Tomorrow!" First the massive grin and now too quick answers. He was eager though, so much for avoiding him this summer. That went straight out the window. "If you're not busy that is."

"Sounds good to me." Max handed the guitar back. "Rel is working tomorrow though right?"

"Oh," Nev frowned, it was over before it had even began. "Yeah he is. Guess we can wait until he's free."

"No, I was going to say I don't mind it just being us if you're okay with that?"

"I don't mind."

"Okay cool."

"Cool."

"What do you wanna do then?"

"Right. Plan." That would help, Nev cocked an eyebrow and then had an idea. "We could take some photos. I've got this cool new camera I've been waiting to use."

"Photos..."

"Sorry, crap suggestion right?"

"Actually, I was going to say that's cool. I've heard you're quite the photographer."

Nev felt the heat in his cheeks rise again, but he managed to stay composed. "So like meet me here tomorrow at noon."

"Sounds like a plan." Max smiled and stood up, stretching as he done so. Nev couldn't help but notice again the way his t-shirt rose up and had to quickly snap his eyes away or be caught staring. "Rel should be back soon, I'll go clear up the mess we've already made. Feel free to come down and join us whenever."

"Maybe, thanks."

"Laters."

"Laters, Max."

Nev stared at the door when Max had left. As much as he wanted to, he wouldn't join them this evening. He didn't want to do anything to make Max think he was anymore of a goofball than he probably already did before tomorrow came.

Chapter Text

II.

Nev woke up at 6am. He was an early riser anyway, but admittedly this was early even for him during school holidays. He just couldn't sleep properly, the excitement and nerves of hanging out with Max kept bouncing around his head. He slipped out of bed and quietly down the hall. Catching his boxer shorts clad figure in the bathroom mirror as he went.

He suddenly hated how skinny and lanky he was. He tensed but there was more rib cage than six pack. Not to mention his boyish face and unkempt hair. He looked like an overgrown teenager.

He was an overgrown teenager.

He didn't want Max to look at him like that though, but even his facial hair was dismal. The only physical thing that didn't scream 'too young' was the thick hair that covered his chest and that wasn't exactly something he could just whip out to impress Max with. He closed the bathroom door and skulked down to the kitchen then took the milk from the fridge and started drinking it from the carton.

He jumped when the kitchen lights were turned on and readied himself on a lecture about not drinking from the carton, but to his relief it was just Rel.

"You're up early."

"Some of us have work, what's your excuse?" Rel snatched the milk carton from Nev's hands and gave it a disgusted look. "Would it be so hard to use a glass?"

"Just couldn't sleep." Nev waited for Rel to pour milk onto his cereal before taking one more swig then putting it back. He then took a seat opposite his brother at the table. "I'm hanging out with Max later," he mentioned, trying to sound casual.

"He said," Rel said between mouthfuls of Fruit Loops. "He must be really bored whilst I'm working to want to hang out with you."

"Fuck off."

"Language," Rel said sternly. "Why do you want to hang out with Max anyway? Don't you have your own friends?"

The right answer would be, 'not really'. Nev only had the sort of acquaintances that would hang out with him in school and then after summer complain they didn't meet up despite them not trying to once. Or there was a group of kids he used to roll with, but they were the kind of trouble he was trying to hard to distance himself from.

"Max is cool. He likes cameras and stuff, I like cameras and stuff."

"So do I, you never want to hang out with me."

"You're not cool, Rel."

"I'm offended," Rel exaggerated a gasp. "If I'm not cool enough for you, then I'm guessing you won't be wanting this." He pulled out his wallet and took out some notes, sliding them across the table. Nev looked at them with an eyebrow raised before picking them up. There was $80 all together.

"What's this for?"

"For all the times you're going to clean my car this summer."

"No thank you." Nev had sworn never to clean Rel's car for him again after realising how obsessed he was with it. 'Too much soap.', 'you're scrubbing too hard.', 'be careful with them windows.'. He handed the money back, but Rel just pushed it over again.

"Look, even though you're not grounded anymore we both know that mom still isn't going to give you any money after she found you with all that weed, you have no job and I know you blew your savings on that camera. If you're hanging out with Max you're going to need money and I don't want you doing anything stupid to get it."

"Like stealing or dealing you mean?"

"That's exactly what I mean, Yaniv."

He couldn't argue with that, he did have a habit of making stupid decisions when it came to struggling to accept he’d have to go without otherwise. He didn't like himself for it, but when he was in the moment he just couldn't help it. And even though he wouldn't admit it out loud he was grateful for having a brother that would look out for him.

"Thanks," Nev smiled sheepishly. "I'll take care of your car when I wash it."

"Good. So what have you and Max got planned? He mentioned something about photos."

"I thought we could just hang out and find cool spots to take photos with my camera."

"Sounds fun."

"Hey, Rel."

"Yeah bro?"

"Can I like borrow one of your fancy shirts please? I've outgrown all mine and only have tees left."

"For what?"

"For Max. I mean for today, with Max. Not for him specifically."

"Anyone would think you're going on a date with him. I'm sure Max won't be offended if you wear a t-shirt."

Nev frowned, most of his t-shirts were worn out and faded or had some sort of logo or slogan that added to his immature look. "Come on please, I just want to look decent."

"You trying to impress him?"

"It's not like that," Nev said defiantly, crossing his arms. "I will admit Max is a good looking man, so like what if he attracts some mature female company whilst we're out and I just ruin it by looking like a twelve year old." Nev made sure he emphasised the word female, but Rel still didn't look convinced although he gave in.

"Okay, you can borrow a shirt just don't ruin it okay or you're paying."

"Thanks brother." Nev watched Rel clean up his cereal bowl and spoon, then the older Schulman brother ruffled the younger one's hair.

"Stop that," Nev said stumbling out the chair to defend himself.

"You need a haircut."

"Says you." Nev shoved his brother playfully, Rel had also decided to go for the longer hair look this summer.

"I look like a man." Rel made a show of stroking his beard. “You look like a girl.”

“I hate you.” Nev rolled his eyes.

“Look, I need to finish getting ready for work. Try and get a bit more sleep. You’re not going to impress anyone with massive bags under your eyes.”

“Whatever, mom.”

Nev surprised himself, he did manage to fall back to sleep. Not in bed though, but on the living room sofa whilst watching early morning cartoons. He awoke startled when the remote control fell and hit the floor with a thud. He squinted at the little green lcd light on the vcr it was nearly 10am. Fuck, that only gave him two hours to get ready.

He lazily rolled off the sofa and laid on the floor hugging a cushion. He felt more tired than when he’d initially woke up that morning, what sort of weird sleep logic was that.

“Ahh, he’s awake.”

Nev craned his head and watched his father enter the room. He stepped over Nev and opened the curtains. The light was painful to his newly awake eyes and he covered his face with the cushion.

“You should really go to bed when you feel tired. Sleeping down here all night will do your back in. Trust me, I know.”

“I wasn’t here all night.” Nev mumbled into the cushion. “Came down this morning then fell asleep. Why didn’t you or mom wake me?”

“She’s gone to work and with all the late nights and early mornings we figured it had all finally caught up to you.”

“Great, now I’m going to be late.” Nev finally removed the cushion and waited a second for his eyes to adjust before sitting up. His father was sitting in the armchair sipping on a coffee and skimming over the daily newspaper.

“For what?”

“Meeting Max at noon.”

“Max Joseph?”

“Yeah we’re just going to hang out.”

“Hang out?”

“That’s what I said, is that okay with you?” He said, his tone of voice teetering verge of sounding sassy and genuinely seeking permission.

“I know what Rel gets up to with him, but your brother’s nearly 21 I can’t stop him, whereas you’re still only 17 remember that. And the next time you’re in trouble you won’t just be grounded for a couple of weeks.”

Frustrated, Nev rolled his eyes, but he didn’t say anything. He just gave his father a sort of nod of understanding and made his way upstairs to get ready. It wasn’t because his brother was nearly 21 that he was allowed the freedom, yeah he was an adult now, but even when he’d been Nev’s age things were different. Their parents had bought Rel a car when he was 16, he was allowed out past midnight and he’d been allowed to drink at home and at parties if he was sensible and not driving.

‘Sensible’.

That’s why Nev got treated differently. The excuse was he wasn’t sensible enough, but how was he meant to show them he could be sensible if they didn’t give him a chance. In fact, he’d probably sneak around less and not be lured by the excitement of breaking the rules if he was given just a tiny bit more freedom. Life could be so unfair.

He took a nice long shower and pushed his teenage struggles to the back of his mind for now.

He washed thoroughly three times each with a different body wash just to make sure he was extra fresh and For his hair he used his mom’s shampoo. There was nothing wrong with his own, but hers smelt like strawberries and who didn’t like the smell of strawberries? When he’d got out the shower and dried he wrapped the towel around his waist and stood in front of the mirror trying to decide what to do with his hair.

He settled on the gelled back look. In fact he used so much gel he was certain Max would be able to see his reflection in it. No time to wash it out though, perhaps he’d stick a hat on top. Before leaving he sprayed himself with his dad’s fancy cologne, so he didn’t generically smell just like every other young lad in the city.

Next step was the clothes, he picked his chinos, red converse, and from his brother’s wardrobe a pale blue Ralph Lauren shirt. It was slightly too big for him so tucked it in his trousers and done his best to tuck the sleeves under those of his leather jacket.

11:45am.

He’d made good time. Last night he already charged the batteries and wrapped his camera and lens up in a sweatshirt and packed it in his backpack. He was all good to go. With fifteen minutes to spare.

Fifteen long minutes.

If his mom hadn’t confiscated his cell phone, he’d shoot Max a text to see if he was going to be running late. Or perhaps he was early and hanging around the block; not wanting to appear too eager to Nev, but that was a bit of the stretch of the imagination.

Nev sat at his desk and booted up his computer, something that miraculously hadn’t been confiscated from him yet, and opened up MSN. He needed something to distract himself instead of counting down the minutes until Max arrived.

There were a bunch of people online, most of his contacts were people from his school. He hardly spoke to any of them, he actually wondered how many of them that spoke online said more than two words to each other when they walked the halls. Online messaging and friendships seemed weird to Nev, he felt like the one of the only people his age who preferred real life compared to the cyber scene. Still out of boredom he’d log on to MSN almost every day and scroll aimlessly through who was online.

He was surprised when a new message notification popped up and it wasn’t from one of the few people he’d exchanged messages with previously.

“Mockingbird 5000,” he read the screen name aloud, it had a little yellow smiley in between the word and number and the display photo was that of a cute black cat.

Out of curiosity he clicked open the message and read that aloud too, “Hey Nev!”

Nev cocked an eyebrow, he wished people would introduce themselves first on this thing; how the hell was he meant to know who identified with a black cat.

‘Hello, do I know you?’ He typed back.

‘Kind of.’

‘School?’ Nev typed out, then he heard his father hollering for him from downstairs.

Max must have arrived. He deleted his question and quickly typed out a ‘bye’ and ‘speak later’, even though that was highly unlikely and shut it down before even getting a reply. He pushed the weird, albeit very brief, MSN encounter to the back of his mind and grabbing his backpack he practically flew downstairs.

Chapter Text

III.

The second Nev opened the front door, his grin took over before he could stop it. Max was actually standing there, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jeans, looking both completely at ease and somehow like he’d just rolled out of bed.

“Hey,” Max greeted, his voice carrying that slightly rough edge of someone still waking up.

“Hi,” Nev said, unable to tone down the sheer excitement creeping into his voice. He was grinning like a complete idiot, but it was Max. Right here. For him. “How’s it going?”

“Good, good. Bit of a sore head from last night with your brother, but I’ll survive.”

Nev didn’t get a chance to respond before the heavy stomp of footsteps behind him signaled the arrival of his father.

“Maxwell Joseph,” Mr. Schulman said, folding his arms over his chest like some sort of headmaster addressing a student.

“Afternoon, Mr. Schulman,” Max replied, slipping effortlessly into his polite, respectable young man voice.

“You know,” Nev’s dad continued, giving Max a knowing look, “I swear you spend more time in this house than my own sons do.” He clapped a hand on Nev’s shoulder, shaking him a little.

Nev winced at the heavy-handed affection, cringing as his dad added, “Now you boys have fun, but you—” he turned his focus to Nev—“be back by ten.”

“Ten?” Nev practically squawked. “I’m not a kid. At least midnight.”

“Fine. Eleven,” his dad relented, with the kind of finality that made it clear this was the best deal Nev was getting. “And not a second later.”

“Great. Thanks,” Nev muttered, knowing there was no point in arguing. He barely spared his dad another glance as he pushed Max toward the sidewalk, making sure to physically remove them from the conversation before more damage could be done.

Max snorted, shoving his hands back into his pockets as they started walking. “Parents.”

It was meant as a joke, but that didn’t stop Nev from blushing.

“I can’t wait until I’m eighteen,” Nev grumbled, “then maybe they’ll finally stop treating me like a child.”

Max shrugged. “I don’t think parents ever really stop.”

“Okay, but there’s got to be some way to get them to treat you like an adult.”

Max side-eyed him, smirking. “By acting like one.”

Nev frowned, half because Max sounded like every other patronizing person in his life, and half because he had just confirmed Nev still came across as a dumb kid.

They walked in silence for a few minutes until Max stopped in front of a car parked on the curb—a dark blue BMW, slightly worn but undeniably cool.

Of course Max had a car that matched him perfectly.

“I really couldn’t be bothered to take the subway today,” Max admitted, fishing his keys from his pocket before unlocking the doors.

Nev just nodded, because fair enough. He slid into the passenger seat, immediately hit with the mixed scent of leather, cigarettes, and something distinctly Max.

Before he could even register the coolness of the moment, of sitting in Max’s car, like it was the most normal thing in the world. Max glanced at him.

“So, what camera did you bring?”

Nev instantly brightened, zipping open his bag and pulling out his prized possession with the kind of care one might reserve for a newborn baby.

“This beauty.” He held it up with pride. “Fujifilm FinePix S2 Pro. Got an 18-55mm Nikon lens on it, but I brought a 35mm in my bag too.”

He launched into a full rundown of its specs, the resolution, the sensor, everything that made this camera worth every cent. He knew Max would keep up, so he didn’t bother dumbing it down—just spoke with the easy confidence that came from knowing his shit.

Max gave a low whistle. “That must’ve cost about the same as my car.”

Nev chuckled, carefully wrapping the camera back in a sweatshirt before tucking it away again. “I worked hard to save for it.”

He didn’t know if selling weed counted as “working hard,” but it hadn’t been easy, that was for sure.

Max nodded, like he somehow knew not to ask for details. Instead, he just stretched one arm over the steering wheel. “Alright, wherever we’re going, food comes first. I’m starving.”

Nev suddenly realized he hadn’t eaten a thing all morning. “Yeah, sounds good to me.”

•••

The diner was small, tucked between a laundromat and a liquor store, with faded vinyl booths and the smell of grease lingering in the air.

Judging by the way the servers greeted Max with casual familiarity, he’d been here more than a few times before.

Max wasted zero time ordering, double bacon cheeseburger, onion rings, fries, and a large cola. Nev went for the same, swapping out the onion rings for a side salad that he instantly regretted.

The food arrived quickly, and Max dug in with the kind of enthusiasm that suggested he hadn’t been exaggerating about his hunger.

Nev, on the other hand, barely touched his plate.

Not because he wasn’t hungry, he was, but because his brain had decided now was the perfect time to hyper-focus on Max.

It wasn’t like Max ate seductively or anything. There was no slow, deliberate chewing or lips glistening with burger grease in some ridiculous romanticized way. He was just… eating. Taking huge bites, licking sauce off his thumb, washing it all down with gulps of soda.

But Nev liked watching him. Liked seeing Max up close in this casual, unfiltered way.

“You on a diet or something?”

Nev snapped his gaze away from Max’s mouth so fast he almost gave himself whiplash.

“What?”

Max nodded toward his plate, barely a dent in his burger, and the barely-touched salad. “You’ve barely eaten.”

Nev scrambled for an excuse, stabbing his fork into the salad just for show. “I like salad.”

Max didn’t look convinced but shrugged, returning his focus to demolishing the rest of his food.

By the time they got the bill, Max had cleared his plate while Nev had picked at his food like a bird. The total came to nineteen dollars. Nev wanted to pay the whole thing, show Max that he wasn’t some broke high school kid, but he knew his eighty dollars wouldn’t last long if he did. Instead, he just paid for himself and left a small tip.

They stepped out into the midday sun, full or in Nev’s case, barely full, and Max stretched.

“So,” Max said, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Where am I driving us?”

Nev scratched at his chin, considering. There were a lot of places he could suggest somewhere familiar, somewhere predictable but he didn’t want predictable.

“How about the beach?” he said finally.

Max raised an eyebrow. “Should’ve brought my swimming trunks.”

Nev felt a stupid little smile pull at his lips. He turned his head to hide it, looking out at the city instead.

But Max had already seen it.

And for some reason, he smiled too.

They made good time on the drive out to Rockaway Beach, the midday traffic surprisingly forgiving as they left the bustle of Manhattan behind. Nev hadn’t been to the beach in ages; somehow, despite living so close, he rarely took advantage of the ocean just beyond the city.

As soon as they stepped onto the warm sand, Nev kicked off his Converse, letting his bare feet sink into the grains. He left his leather jacket in the car, suddenly feeling foolish for dressing so formally, especially when Max had clearly anticipated a casual day, comfortably sporting shorts and a simple t-shirt.

“Dude, it’s so nice here,” Max said, breathing in deeply as he looked out toward the gently rolling waves. “Been way too long since I’ve come out this way.”

“Same,” Nev replied softly, busy attempting to roll up his chinos so he wouldn’t look entirely overdressed. He wondered if Max even noticed or cared.

“So,” Max said suddenly, breaking Nev’s self-conscious thoughts, “how do you want me?”

Nev froze, heat immediately rising to his cheeks at Max’s words. God, did everything have to sound so suggestive to him these days? He hated being seventeen.

“Excuse me?” he squeaked, instantly cringing at how nervous he sounded.

“For my photoshoot,” Max clarified with an amused smirk, striking an exaggerated model pose that was so absurd it instantly eased Nev’s nerves.

“Oh,” Nev laughed, finally relaxing a bit. “I didn’t actually think—”

“I’m kidding,” Max chuckled, nudging Nev gently with his elbow. “But seriously, you’re the photographer—what’s your vision?”

Nev paused thoughtfully, looking out toward the horizon. “I don’t really know yet. Just some nice scenery shots, water, maybe some cool lighting.”

“Alright, let’s see what we can get,” Max said enthusiastically, taking Nev’s backpack from him so Nev could handle his camera more comfortably.

Nev walked along the shoreline, snapping shots of the sparkling water, the sunlight dancing on the surface, and the distant sailboats that dotted the horizon. He didn’t entirely know what he was doing, but it felt good having Max there, quietly encouraging him by his side.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Max said suddenly, crouching down to scoop a handful of seawater, letting it slip slowly through his fingers. The image was oddly mesmerizing.

Nev lowered his camera, watching Max with quiet appreciation. “Yeah, especially with the way the sun hits everything.”

“My parents went to the Maldives once, before I was born,” Max said, still looking out over the water. “Water’s crystal clear there. Like glass.”

“Would you like to go someday?”

Max chuckled, wiping his wet hands on his shorts. “Who wouldn’t?”

Nev smiled, nodding absently. Then, without thinking, he raised the camera and aimed it directly at Max, clicking the shutter impulsively.

The loud click gave him away instantly.

Max looked up, surprised, before breaking into a shy grin, seeming caught off guard in a way Nev had never seen. It was endearing, and Nev took another shot, this time intentionally.

Max shifted awkwardly, laughing under his breath. “I’m not really photogenic. Better suited behind the camera.”

“Nah,” Nev protested immediately, sincerity bubbling up before he could filter himself. “You look great in front of it.”

“You think?” Max’s voice was suddenly softer, vulnerable.

“Totally,” Nev blurted, losing control of his mouth entirely, “hot guy like you.”

The realization of what he’d just said hit Nev like a freight train, embarrassment flooding his entire being. He stared hard at the sand, face burning.

“Nev,” Max’s voice turned serious, and Nev braced himself, certain this was it—he’d officially ruined everything. But then Max’s laughter cut through the tension, bright and genuine. “You’re looking a little red there, Schulman.”

Nev felt a playful slap to his shoulder and finally looked up, relieved and mortified all at once. At least Max found his awkwardness funny rather than creepy.

“Come on,” Max said lightly, nudging Nev again. “Show me what you’ve got so far.”

They moved away from the water, settling on a quieter spot away from clusters of families and noisy teenagers. Max sat down, patting the sand next to him. Nev joined him eagerly, their shoulders brushing as Max leaned close to see the screen.

As Nev scrolled through the photos, his focus drifted entirely to the sensation of Max’s breath gently brushing his neck. Goosebumps prickled down his spine.

“Hey, that one’s actually good,” Max said suddenly. “Can you send me a copy?”

“Of course,” Nev agreed automatically, only then noticing it was the candid shot of Max looking thoughtfully out at the water. Nev’s lips twitched into a soft smile.

“So,” Max sat back, breaking the spell, “what next?”

Nev glanced at his watch. They’d barely been out two hours; he didn’t want their day together to end just yet. “I dunno,” he admitted, suddenly shy again.

Max jumped to his feet decisively. “We’re in New York City. Endless photo ops, man.”

Nev grinned, relieved. “Alright, let’s go.”

•••

They drove back into the city, the summer sun casting everything in a warm, golden haze. Max suggested heading toward Brooklyn Bridge, figuring they’d find plenty to photograph there.

By the time they parked, the bridge was busy with tourists, cyclists, and locals alike. Nev immediately saw potential, his creative energy surging.

“Stand right there,” Nev directed, gesturing until Max positioned himself perfectly, obscuring the groups of tourists behind him. “Okay, slightly to the left… perfect.”

“How many pictures of this bridge do you even need?” Max teased.

“As many as it takes,” Nev retorted playfully, crouching to get the right angle. “Okay, don’t move now.”

The shot turned out perfectly, Max looking solitary and introspective with the bridge’s intricate cables rising dramatically behind him.

“These are going to look amazing once I edit them,” Nev said proudly.

“Are you saying I don’t already look amazing?” Max teased, eyes dancing mischievously. “Because I seem to recall someone saying something earlier—”

Nev choked, face flaming once again, but Max just laughed, throwing an arm around Nev’s shoulders briefly as they headed back toward the car.

“Alright,” Max declared suddenly, “I’m famished again. Drink? Snacks?”

“Sure,” Nev said quickly, realizing he hadn’t had anything since breakfast. “There’s this little milkshake place close by”

Max shook his head, grinning. “Nah, trust me, I have something way better in the car.”

And that’s how Nev found himself sitting beneath Manhattan Bridge, at Coleman Skatepark, munching on a giant bag of Cheetos while Max cracked open a lukewarm warm six pack of Budweiser. It was so unexpected yet so perfect that Nev couldn’t help but smile stupidly.

“Do you skate?” Max asked, watching the skaters expertly flipping their boards in the late afternoon sun.

“A little,” Nev admitted sheepishly. “Not well, though.”

“I’ll teach you sometime,” Max offered, sipping his beer slowly.

“How about now?”

Max snorted, gesturing at Nev’s nearly empty third beer. “Maybe when you’re sober enough not to kill yourself.”

Nev laughed softly, setting the bottle down. Max was right; he’d barely realized how quickly he’d drunk. He slowed down, wanting to stay clear-headed, especially with curfew looming.

For a while, they sat quietly, watching skaters pull off tricks that defied gravity, the atmosphere relaxed and surprisingly intimate amidst the noise of wheels hitting concrete. Nev thought it might make for some incredible photos, but as max tapped his bottle against Nev’s and a warmth spread across his chest the photos could wait for another day.

•••

It was getting late, but neither Nev nor Max mentioned heading back to the car. Instead, they walked slowly along quieter streets, the energy of the city softening around them. Everything felt calm, almost dreamlike, as if they’d stepped into some kind of memory they’d look back on years from now, wondering how they’d never noticed how perfect it had been.

The sun had long dipped behind buildings, leaving behind a gentle glow of streetlights and apartment windows flickering to life. Music played softly from open balconies, creating a backdrop of scattered beats that guided their aimless path through the neighborhood.

“You ever think about getting out of here?” Max asked, breaking the silence gently.

Nev looked at him, surprised. “You mean New York?”

Max shrugged, hands deep in his pockets. “Yeah, or just…this. Everything feels so uncertain. I can’t explain it.”

Nev nodded slowly, his sneakers scuffing the sidewalk as they moved. “All the time, actually the idea of running away and starting again could be cool, but I dunno, maybe the uncertainty is part of the fun.”

Max smiled at him, thoughtful. “Maybe you’re right.”

They turned down another block, one lined with brownstones and tall trees whose branches stretched protectively overhead, their leaves rustling gently. It was the kind of street that made Nev imagine childhood summers he’d never quite had but somehow still missed.

“I remember skating down here with Rel,” Max said suddenly, eyes distant as he glanced around. “We were always getting into trouble.”

Nev grinned. “That sounds about right.”

Max chuckled softly. “Yeah. But looking back, I don’t know if I’d change it. Those mistakes, they kinda shape you, don’t they?”

Nev paused thoughtfully, considering it. He’d spent so long regretting the stupid things he’d done, the trouble he’d caused, the fights he’d started, even getting caught with the weed, but in this moment, he felt lighter, like maybe none of it was that important. Maybe the missteps were part of being young, part of learning.

“I think that’s what summer’s are supposed to be,” Nev said finally, glancing sideways at Max. “Making mistakes and figuring stuff out. Even if it hurts sometimes.”

“Yeah,” Max agreed gently, “but at our age, it never hurts for long.”

Nev smiled softly, something about the way Max said “our age” making him feel closer to him. Less like the kid tagging along, more like an equal, someone Max could trust.

They reached a small park, empty at this hour. Max moved instinctively toward a bench beneath the soft glow of a flickering streetlamp, gesturing for Nev to join him. They sat down, shoulders brushing comfortably. Nev’s skin tingled at the contact, his heartbeat suddenly loud in his ears.

“You know,” Max said quietly, looking up at the sky, stars barely visible above the city lights, “I feel like I haven’t had a day like this in forever.”

Nev leaned back, letting himself relax fully. “Me neither.”

A comfortable silence fell between them again, broken only by the distant sounds of the city winding down, the hum of traffic, the faint laughter from distant apartments, the occasional bark of a dog somewhere far off.

Nev found himself watching Max’s profile in the half-light, taking in the way shadows softened his features. He knew he’d probably look back on this night, this quiet, almost insignificant moment and wonder why he’d never had the courage to say or do what he really wanted.

But he didn’t move. He just stayed there, savoring the moment as Max leaned in just a bit closer, their sides pressed gently together.

They stayed like that for a long while, two kids on the edge of adulthood, soaking up the summer night and all its possibilities, knowing that whatever mistakes they made, they’d brush them off easily enough, because that’s what summers were for.

•••

They had wandered the streets aimlessly for nearly two hours, and by the time they circled back toward Max’s car, the alcohol had fully worn off, at least for Max. Nev, on the other hand, was still feeling slightly dazed, more from Max’s lingering closeness than anything else.

Max unlocked the car, tossing Nev a large bottle of water from the back seat. “Drink this.”

Nev stared at the bottle skeptically. “Why?”

“Because your dad will literally kill us both if you walk in drunk,” Max said seriously. He climbed into the driver’s seat, watching Nev expectantly.

Nev sighed dramatically but complied, downing several long sips. He grimaced at the bland taste, but Max was right—Robert Schulman’s disapproval was not something to be taken lightly.

The drive back home was quieter than the rest of their day had been, but the silence felt comfortable. Nev stole sideways glances at Max, noting the way the city lights played across his face, how he chewed thoughtfully at his lower lip as he concentrated on the road. He memorized these small details as if they were photographs, saving them carefully in the back of his mind.

When they finally reached Nev’s street, Max pulled up to the curb and turned off the engine. For a second, neither spoke, the quiet stretching between them. Nev fumbled with his seatbelt awkwardly, suddenly unsure how to say goodbye after a day that had felt so important, yet still uncertain in its meaning.

“Thanks,” Nev finally managed, breaking the silence. “Today was… fun. Really fun.”

“Yeah, it was,” Max agreed, his voice surprisingly gentle. His fingers tapped softly against the steering wheel, almost nervously. “We should do it again sometime.”

Nev’s heart stuttered slightly at the casual suggestion. He looked at Max carefully, wondering if the brief hesitation, the softness in his eyes, was something meaningful or if he was just imagining things. He wished he had the courage to reach out, to touch Max’s hand or shoulder, just to test the waters. But he didn’t move.

“Definitely,” Nev said, a little too quickly, cheeks flushing. “I’d really like that.”

Max’s eyes lingered on Nev for just a moment longer than usual, and Nev’s breath caught slightly, certain now that he wasn’t entirely imagining the tension. But Max quickly broke eye contact, clearing his throat awkwardly.

“You should probably go in. It’s nearly curfew.”

“Yeah, probably,” Nev agreed quietly, still reluctant to leave. But he finally opened the door, stepping onto the sidewalk. He turned back one last time. “Night, Max.”

“Night, Nev,” Max replied softly, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

Nev forced himself to close the car door, walking briskly toward his front door, refusing to look back again. His heart raced with a giddiness he hadn’t felt in a long time, something he couldn’t quite name, but knew he wanted more of.

As soon as he stepped inside, he mumbled a quick goodnight to his parents without stopping, barely acknowledging Rel’s curious glance from the couch. He hurried up the stairs two at a time, practically floating on cloud nine.

In the safety of his room, he flopped onto the bed, grinning stupidly at the ceiling. The day replayed over and over in his mind, Max’s laugh, their quiet conversations, the way Max had looked at him in that last lingering moment. Nev felt ridiculous for how happy it made him, but he couldn’t shake it.

He showered quickly, rinsing away the remnants of the day, but even standing beneath the hot water didn’t clear Max from his mind. Afterwards, towel wrapped loosely around his waist, he returned to his room, noticing the glow of his computer screen lighting up the dim space.

Nev frowned slightly. Had he left MSN open earlier? He settled into his chair, squinting at the notification blinking at him.

Mockingbird 5000: Hey Nev, you there?

Nev hesitated for a second, curiosity getting the better of him. Then, smiling faintly to himself, he typed a quick reply.

Schulman84: Yeah, I’m here. Sorry about earlier, had to run out. Who are you, anyway?

He waited, heart still fluttering from the day he’d had, and wondered if life could get any more confusing and exciting than this.

Chapter Text

IV

Mockingbird 5000: Hey Nev, you there?

Schulman84: Yeah, I’m here. Sorry about earlier, had to run out. Who are you, anyway?

Mockingbird 5000: Remember that house party on the upper west side a couple of summers ago. The house with the broken trampoline, remember?

Schulman84: Oh shit, I totally remember that party! Well, sort of. I was pretty wasted.

Mockingbird 5000: Yeah, I noticed. We only talked briefly but I thought you were pretty cute. You gave me your msn before throwing up everywhere.

Schulman84: Oh god, I’m so sorry. I was such an idiot back then.

Mockingbird 5000: Haha, nah it’s all good we’ve all been there. You were charming, even if you don’t remember me. I actually only found your username again the other day. Thought it’d be fun to say hi.

Schulman84: Well, I’m glad you did. What did we even talk about at that party?

Mockingbird 5000: Random shit mostly. You told me you played guitar and did photography.

Schulman84: Oh yeah? Sounds like me. Guess some things never change.

Mockingbird 5000: Still into photography?

Schulman84: Very much. Actually spent all day today taking photos around NYC with someone. It was pretty cool.

Mockingbird 5000: Someone, huh? Sounds like a date.

Schulman84: I WISH. No way it was a date. Just me being awkward and following my older brother’s friend around.

Mockingbird 5000: Aw, too bad. Is she cute?

Schulman84: Actually, um, he’s a guy. I mean, not like that, I don’t think. He’s just really cool and stuff.

Mockingbird 5000: Oh! Sorry, didn’t mean to assume. Are you gay, or bi maybe?

Schulman84: Honestly? I never really thought about it. Is that weird?

Mockingbird 5000: Not weird at all. You don’t have to figure everything out overnight. No stress from me, promise. Zero judgment.

Schulman84: Thanks. I appreciate that. Guess it’s just been a weird day. But like actually yeah he is cute he does have really nice eyes, you know? Like super intense but soft at the same time. And he’s got this lazy kind of smile that just makes me wanna smile back. Plus his hair is greying in this adorable way.

Schulman84: God, I sound so stupid right now.

Mockingbird 5000: Haha, no, you sound like someone with a cute crush. He sounds pretty dreamy to me.

Schulman84: Ugh, I’m embarrassed now.

Mockingbird 5000: Don’t be! Everyone’s got their thing. Yours just happens to be adorable older guys with great eyes and prematurely grey hair ;)

Schulman84: Please stop.

Mockingbird 5000: Haha, okay okay. But seriously, no pressure. You’ll work things out when you’re ready.

Schulman84: Thanks. That means a lot, actually.

Mockingbird 5000: Anytime, Nev. Glad we reconnected :)

Schulman84: Me 2, random stranger. So can I get a name?

Mockingbird 5000: It’s complicated. Sorry, not trying to be mysterious or anything.

Schulman84: Okay… mysterious stranger it is then. I won’t push.

Mockingbird 5000: Thanks. Appreciate it.

Schulman84: So, mysterious stranger, are you single?

Mockingbird 5000: Haha wow, straight to the point. It’s also complicated. I’m kinda working things out at the moment.

Schulman84: Fair enough. Seems like we’re both in the same boat.

Mockingbird 5000: Seems that way. Kinda reassuring, actually that I’m not the only one that’s not got their shit together in this city.

Schulman84: Yeah. Maybe we’ll both figure our complicated stuff out by the end of summer.

Mockingbird 5000: Here’s hoping! Anyway, I should probably go. It’s late.

Schulman84: Same. Goodnight, mysterious stranger.

Mockingbird 5000: Night, Nev. Sweet dreams about your older guy with the nice eyes ;)

Schulman84: OMG. Goodnight!

•••

The next few days blurred together, a comfortable haze of summer afternoons mostly spent lounging at his desk, glued to MSN and chatting endless nonsense with his new, mysterious friend. It surprised Nev how quickly their conversations became routine, almost necessary, simple things, silly jokes, or just quietly admitting feelings Nev didn’t quite understand yet.

Between MSN binges, Nev found himself rummaging through Rel’s old weights, attempting half-hearted bicep curls in his bedroom mirror. His own reflection still showed a scrawny teenager, all elbows and ribs, but he was determined to at least look less like a kid if Max ever glanced his way again.

Then came the wardrobe purge. Nev emptied piles of clothes onto his bed, tossing aside faded graphic tees, hoodies he’d outgrown years ago, and worn-out jeans. It felt oddly satisfying; he was ready for a change, a new style that might match whatever vague image he’d constructed in his head, an image he hoped Max might notice someday.

By early Sunday evening, he finally dragged himself outside to fulfill his promise to Rel, reluctantly washing the shiny red Mazda that his brother treated like a prized possession. The sun beat down relentlessly as he scrubbed at the wheel arches, sweat running down his forehead and stinging his eyes.

Nev paused, wiping his brow with a soapy forearm, as the familiar growl of a car engine rumbled down the street. His heart immediately leapt into his throat at the sight of the dark-blue BMW pulling smoothly onto the curb

Max climbed out, looking effortlessly cool in sunglasses perched atop his head and a faded grey tee. He raised his eyebrows at Nev, lips quirking into an amused smile. “Didn’t know you took detailing appointments, Schulman.”

Nev laughed awkwardly, aware he probably looked ridiculous standing there soaking wet, clutching a grimy sponge. “Didn’t realise you were coming over.”

Max pushed his sunglasses up into his hair, shaking his head. “Didn’t Rep tell you? He’s throwing a barbecue this afternoon.”

“Nope,” Nev replied with a small sigh. He felt his face flush slightly as he took in Max’s relaxed posture, the easy confidence radiating from him. He cleared his throat, trying desperately to play it cool. “Wanna help me finish washing this thing?”

Max laughed outright, a soft and genuine sound that made Nev’s stomach twist pleasantly. “Absolutely no way. Nice try, though.”

Nev shrugged, smiling shyly, pretending the rejection didn’t sting even a little. “Had to ask.”

Max’s smile softened as he headed toward the house, glancing back briefly. “Catch you inside when you’re done, though?”

“Definitely,” Nev called back, his voice coming out embarrassingly eager. He turned quickly back to the car, scrubbing harder now, suddenly in a hurry to finish. His pulse raced, anticipation fluttering in his chest, his mind already counting down the minutes until he could join Max inside.

As soon as he’d finished Nev tossed the sponge into the bucket, and sprinted upstairs, leaving a wet trail in his wake. Heart pounding, he flipped open his laptop and hastily clicked open MSN.

Schulman84: Help! Emergency. Brother’s friend (yes THAT one) just showed up at my house and I’m legit freaking out.

He stared at the screen for a few seconds, hoping for a quick response. But when the message remained unread, Nev groaned, shaking his head with mock despair. “Really, mysterious stranger? Now is not the time to ditch me.”

Giving up for the moment, Nev hurried into the bathroom, showering quickly, washing away dirt, soap, and nerves as best he could. By the time he emerged, wrapping a towel around his waist, he immediately checked MSN again.

Still nothing.

He exhaled loudly, forcing a casual shrug. Fine, he’d have to navigate this without his online safety net. It wasn’t like he’d never faced awkwardness before.

Digging through his freshly sorted wardrobe, trying not to overthink it like he had the other day, this was just BBQ. he chose a casual pair of shorts and a plain red t-shirt. He gave himself a quick once-over in the mirror, flexing his arms briefly. Still not exactly impressive, but he could dream.

One final glance at the laptop revealed the same unread message, and Nev rolled his eyes affectionately. “You’re fired, mysterious stranger,” he muttered playfully to himself.

Taking a deep breath, he made his way downstairs, silently preparing himself to face Max again.

By the time Nev reached the bottom of the stairs, Rel’s friends had already taken over. They filled the kitchen, spilled out into the garden, laughter and chatter echoing off the walls. Nev hesitated in the doorway, feeling suddenly out of place amongst the older crowd.

Before he could retreat, someone thrust a cold beer into his hand. He barely had a chance to process it before his parents, dressed up and clearly on their way out for the evening, swiftly plucked it from his grasp.

“Nice try, Yaniv,” his dad said firmly, arching an eyebrow. “Not tonight.”

Nev felt his face instantly flush bright red as laughter broke out among Rel’s friends. His eyes darted instinctively toward Max, who was leaning casually against the counter, chuckling along with the others.

Rel swooped in just then, slinging an arm around Nev’s shoulders, pulling him close with brotherly affection. “Relax, guys. I’ll keep an eye on him, promise.”

His dad exchanged a skeptical look with his mother, who simply shook her head but smiled faintly. “Behave,” she warned them both. “And no trouble.”

“Yes, Mom,” Nev and Rel chorused together.

As soon as their parents disappeared through the front door, Rel pressed the confiscated beer back into Nev’s hands, grinning mischievously. “Alright, little bro, make yourself useful. Go flip some burgers or something.”

Nev rolled his eyes but smiled despite himself, grateful for the distraction. He headed out toward the barbecue, beer in hand, his embarrassment slowly fading as the warm laughter behind him drifted into the evening air.

Despite his earlier embarrassment, Nev quickly relaxed into his unofficial role as grillmaster. Rel’s friends had always been good to him, joking around like he was everyone’s kid brother, affectionately teasing him but never cruelly. Out of the twenty or so gathered, Nev recognized most from years of Rel bringing them around, familiar faces who treated him with friendly ease, passing him condiments or complimenting his burger flipping skills.

Mixed among them were a few college friends Nev didn’t know yet, new faces introduced quickly and warmly. Some chatted animatedly around the garden furniture, others lounged on the grass with beers or sodas. Couples hung off each other comfortably, laughter carrying easily in the warm evening air.

Rel didn’t entirely abandon Nev, either, occasionally stepping up to help turn burgers or to jokingly critique Nev’s grilling technique. They worked in easy companionship, with Rel playfully bossing him around just enough to remind Nev he was still, in fact, the little brother.

“You know,” Rel said, nudging Nev’s shoulder affectionately, “you’re not half bad at this.”

Nev shrugged, flipping another burger expertly. “Guess I’ve had a lot of practice being your personal slave.”

Rel laughed loudly, drawing the amused attention of the group. “Well, at least you’re finally admitting it.”

Nev smiled, rolling his eyes, but couldn’t help feeling a gentle sense of belonging, even if it was only as Rel’s slightly nerdy kid brother. For tonight, at least, he could live with that if it meant hanging out with Max more.

“Yo, Max!” Rel suddenly called loudly, waving a spatula like some kind of royal scepter. “Get your ass over here. You’ve been lurking by the beers long enough.”

Nev glanced up instinctively, heart leaping at the sound of Max’s name. Max pushed himself away from the cooler, where he’d been chatting casually with a few others, and wandered over toward the grill, an easy smile tugging at his lips.

Rel was already busy assembling what could only be described as a monstrous burger, loading it high with slices of cheese, onions, pickles, and what looked like half a bottle of ketchup. He held it out proudly, offering it to Max like it was a challenge rather than dinner.

Max raised an eyebrow, chuckling softly as he took the enormous burger into his hands. “Think you put enough on there, man?”

Rel shrugged, grinning. “Figured if anyone could handle it, it’d be you. I’ve seen the way you eat.”

“Yeah, well, running around New York City burns calories,” Max countered, eyeing the burger with mock apprehension before taking a huge bite. He chewed thoughtfully, giving Rel an approving thumbs-up. “Good job, Chef Schulman.”

Rel laughed, flipping another burger expertly before suddenly turning to Max again. “So, speaking of running around New York, what did you and Nev actually get up to the other day? He’s been suspiciously quiet about it, and getting anything out of him is like trying to get blood from a stone.”

Nev immediately groaned under his breath, face turning hot as Rel shot him a mischievous look. Of course, his brother had to embarrass him at every opportunity.

“It wasn’t a big deal,” Nev muttered, glaring pointedly at Rel, who pretended not to notice.

Max glanced at Nev briefly, something gentle flickering behind his eyes, before returning his attention casually to Rel. “Not much, honestly. We just drove around, took some photos. Nev showed off that expensive camera of his.”

Rel raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “And that’s it? Just photography?”

“Pretty much,” Max replied easily, shooting Nev another quick smile, small but reassuring. “Hit the beach, wandered around Brooklyn Bridge for a bit, ended up hanging at the skate park. It was cool.”

Rel nodded slowly, seemingly satisfied. “Alright, just checking my little bro isn’t corrupting you or anything.”

Nev rolled his eyes dramatically, flipping the burger in front of him a little too aggressively. “Yeah, right. Because clearly, I’m the bad influence here.”

Max laughed, bumping Nev lightly with his elbow, the casual gesture making Nev’s stomach flutter. “Relax, Rel. Your brother’s safe with me.”

Rel smirked knowingly, eyes flicking between Max and Nev as if sensing something Nev himself wasn’t ready to fully acknowledge. “Good to know,” he said, turning back to the grill. “Keep an eye on him, Max. You know how much trouble is Schulmans get into.”

“Don’t I know it,” Max replied dryly.

Max finished off the enormous burger in what felt like mere seconds, impressively quick even by his standards. Nev watched out of the corner of his eye, unable to hide the amused smile tugging at his lips.

“Damn, Max, did you even chew?” Nev teased lightly.

Max wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, laughing sheepishly. “What can I say? Rel makes a good burger.”

Before either of them could say more, Rel suddenly thrust the spatula into Max’s hand without warning, a wide grin spreading across his face. “Max, congrats, you’ve just been promoted to temporary head chef.”

“What? Wait—” Max protested weakly, confused. But Rel had already turned away, motioning toward a strikingly pretty brunette who’d just stepped out onto the patio, drawing several appreciative glances from Rel’s friends.

“See you later, boys,” Rel called back over his shoulder with a wink, swiftly heading toward his new companion. “Duty calls.”

Max watched him go, shaking his head in amused resignation. “Can’t even argue with him on that one,” he admitted, turning back toward the grill.

Nev chuckled softly, feeling his pulse quicken as Max stepped closer. Suddenly, they were shoulder to shoulder over the grill, the heat from the barbecue now competing with the warmth creeping into Nev’s cheeks. Nev kept his eyes firmly fixed on the sausages he’d just added, praying silently he wouldn’t embarrass himself by burning them, or worse, dropping something entirely.

The silence between them lingered for a moment, comfortably broken only by the sizzling of the grill and distant laughter. Eventually, Nev risked a quick glance up, catching Max already looking at him, lips quirked into an easy, playful smile.

Nev’s heart stuttered. “What?”

“Nothing,” Max said lightly, nudging Nev’s shoulder with his own. “Just kinda funny seeing you all domestic, flipping burgers, being responsible. Didn’t peg you for the type.”

Nev rolled his eyes, but couldn’t suppress his own grin. “I’m full of surprises, apparently.”

Max laughed softly, nodding. “Yeah, seems that way.”

They fell into another comfortable silence, Nev carefully rotating sausages while Max flipped the remaining burgers expertly. Nev’s senses felt heightened, hyper-aware of every tiny brush of Max’s shoulder against his own, every small shift in their proximity.

After a moment, Max cleared his throat, voice a little softer now. “You know, I really did have fun the other day.”

Nev’s hand paused mid-flip, a flush rising on his cheeks. He hoped Max couldn’t hear the sudden increase of his heartbeat over the noise around them. “Me too,” he admitted quietly, glancing briefly toward Max again. “It was cool hanging out.”

Max nodded slowly, his smile deepening, genuine warmth in his eyes. “We should definitely do it again sometime. If you’re down, I mean.”

Nev’s breath caught briefly before he managed a shy smile. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

Max looked genuinely pleased, his gaze lingering a second longer before he turned back to the grill, resuming his casual duties as if nothing significant had happened.

As the evening stretched on and the sky deepened into navy hues, the energy around the barbecue shifted. The grill was finally turned off, the leftover food picked at lazily, and the drinks flowed more easily. Someone had connected a speaker, soft music thrumming in the background, blending seamlessly with the easy laughter and conversation filling the backyard.

Rel, always eager to keep the atmosphere buzzing, had set up the fire pit at the center of the garden. The orange flames crackled warmly, casting flickering shadows across the faces gathered around it. Some people lounged on patio chairs, others perched on the edge of benches, while a few, like Nev, opted to sit crosslegged on the grass, hands loosely wrapped around their drinks.

Nev had settled into a casual conversation with a couple of Rel’s friends, people he’d met in passing over the years but never really spent much time with. They were easygoing, laughing at the right moments, swapping stories about embarrassing college mishaps and summer trips.

Then, out of nowhere, Max squeezed down next to him.

It wasn’t a big deal, just a small shift, a casual movement, but Nev felt it immediately. The solid warmth of Max’s presence beside him, the way their arms brushed lightly before Max rested his elbows on his knees, leaning forward slightly. Nev’s whole body went rigid for a moment before he forced himself to relax, swallowing down the ridiculous giddy feeling trying to bubble up in his chest.

Max stretched out his legs, exhaling softly as he stared into the fire. “Man, it’s been a while since I’ve just sat around like this,” he mused, voice low enough that Nev wasn’t sure if he was meant to hear it or if Max was just thinking aloud.

Nev tilted his head slightly, glancing at him. “Yeah?”

Max nodded, rubbing his hands together absently. “College parties are… different. Loud, messy. Not bad, just—” He shrugged. “This is nice.”

Nev bit his lip, hiding a small, pleased smile. “Yeah,” he said softly, “it is.”

The conversation around them carried on, laughter rising and falling, the fire crackling warmly between them all. But Nev barely noticed, too hyper-aware of the fact that out of everyone here, Max had chosen to sit next to him. Close enough that if Nev shifted even slightly, their knees might brush.

He didn’t, though. He stayed still, feeling the heat of the fire on his face, the weight of Max’s presence beside him, and let himself sink into the moment. It was nice, for sure.

As the fire burned steadily, soft embers glowing in the darkness and the conversation around them ebbed and flowed Nev absentmindedly picked at the label on his beer bottle, feeling the quiet warmth of Max’s presence beside him.

Across the yard, Rel and the brunette, who Nev now recognized as one of his brother’s many on-again, off-again flings, were tucked away in a corner, laughing easily together. Rel was leaning in, saying something low in her ear, and whatever it was must have been good, because she threw her head back with a bright, amused laugh.

Nev huffed a small laugh himself, shaking his head. “Jesus. He never changes.”

Max, who had been watching the same scene, smirked. “Nope.” He nudged Nev lightly with his elbow. “You ever get up to that kind of thing?”

Nev blinked, caught off guard. “What? laughing in the corner with pretty brunettes?”

Max chuckled, shaking his head. “No, I mean…” He shifted slightly, glancing at Nev with a teasing look. “You got a girlfriend? Or anyone you’ve got your eye on?”

Nev froze. His fingers tightened around the bottle in his hands, his brain scrambling for a coherent response.

The answer should have been easy. Something casual. A shrug, a laugh, a lie. He could’ve even made a joke, yeah, she’s just too famous to bring around and kept things light.

But his mind blanked entirely, because Max was the person he had his eye on. Max was the reason he’d been feeling like his stomach had been flipped inside out for the past week. Max was the reason he was suddenly clearing out his wardrobe, working out in his bedroom, and offloading on a random over MSN.

He swallowed thickly, willing himself to sound normal. “Uh… no, not really.”

Max hummed thoughtfully, watching Nev carefully. “No one?”

Nev licked his lips, shrugging in what he hoped was a convincingly casual way. “I guess I just… haven’t really thought about it.”

Max’s expression was unreadable for a second, like he was debating saying something else, but then he just nodded. “Fair enough.”

Nev exhaled quietly, the tension in his chest loosening just a little. He took a sip of his beer, hoping Max couldn’t see the way his hands were gripping it slightly too tight.

The silence between them settled again, not awkward but heavier now, like something unsaid was hanging in the air between the flickers of the firelight. Nev stared ahead, pretending to focus on the flames, but his thoughts were still tangled in Max’s question.

And then, before he could stop himself, the words were out of his mouth.

“So… what about you?”

Max turned slightly toward him, brow lifting. “What about me?”

Nev flicked his gaze toward him briefly, then back to the fire. “You seeing anyone?”

He didn’t know why he asked. To sound normal? Polite? It felt like the kind of thing you were supposed to ask in return. But the truth was, he didn’t want to hear the answer. Of course Max was into someone, he was twenty, confident, funny, effortlessly cool. Girls probably threw themselves at him at school, at parties, wherever he went.

Nev braced himself for the answer, already picturing Max saying some girl’s name, probably someone beautiful and clever and older, someone with better hair, better clothes, better everything than he could offer.

Max didn’t answer right away. Nev risked a glance and found him leaning back on his hands, staring into the fire, lips slightly pursed like he was actually considering it.

“Nah,” Max said finally. “Not really.”

Nev’s heart did a weird flutter thing he pretended not to notice.

“Not really?” he echoed, trying not to sound too interested.

Max shrugged. “Nothing serious. Couple of things here and there this past year, but… I don’t know. It’s complicated.”

There it was again complicated. The same word his MSN friend had used, the same one Nev was beginning to realise applied to just about everything these days.

“Oh,” Nev said, like that cleared anything up.

Max glanced over at him, studying him for a beat too long. “Why’d you ask?”

Nev’s throat went dry. He blinked. “Just… being polite, I guess.”

Max was quiet for a second, then he laughed, low and amused. “No need to worry, little Schulman,” he said smoothly, throwing Nev a wink. “I’m all yours this summer.”

Nev choked.

Literally.

He’d just taken a sip of his beer, and the words I’m all yours collided violently with his brain at the exact same time. He coughed hard, trying to recover, but it was hopeless. His lungs betrayed him, his throat burned, and now he was making a complete fool of himself.

Max, of course, found this hilarious. “Jesus, Nev,” he said, laughing as he clapped him on the back. “Didn’t mean to kill you.”

Nev finally managed to swallow, eyes watering as he wheezed out, “I wasn’t— it’s fine—“

Max just grinned at him, clearly unconvinced. “Uh-huh.”

Nev’s face was burning. He stared hard at the fire, willing himself to disappear. You’re fine. Be normal. He was joking. It was a joke.

But the words still echoed in his head. I’m all yours this summer.

Maybe it was the beer. Maybe it was the firelight making everything feel warmer, softer. Maybe it was just the way Max said it so easy, so natural, like it didn’t mean anything at all.

Except to Nev, it did mean something.

And that was the real problem.

•••

Morning came far too quickly, and it came with a vengeance.

Nev groaned as he blinked awake, his head pounding in time with his heartbeat, his mouth as dry as if he’d swallowed an entire sandbox. His stomach churned unpleasantly, his body heavy and sluggish as he forced himself to sit up. The night before was a blur of beer, heat from the fire, and laughing way too loudly at jokes that probably weren’t even funny.

Then came the part that made his stomach twist in a whole different way—his parents walking in just as he was in the middle of standing on a chair, dramatically retelling some story to Rel’s friends, beer in one hand, arms gesturing wildly.

The details beyond that were fuzzy, but judging by the lecture he’d endured before crawling into bed last night, his parents were not impressed. And if they were mad at him, Rel was catching hell right alongside him.

Which explained why, in the merciless light of the morning sun, the two of them were now slumped outside in the garden, half heartedly cleaning up while suffering the full wrath of their hangovers whilst every now and again their parents glared at them through the kitchen window.

Nev dragged a trash bag behind him, groaning every time he had to bend down to grab an empty can or a half eaten burger someone had abandoned. Rel looked just as miserable, rubbing his temples as he muttered curses under his breath.

“You’re the worst,” Nev mumbled, shoving a stack of plastic cups into the trash. “How did you talk me into drinking that much?”

Rel scoffed. “Talk you into it? You were thriving, little brother. Absolutely living for the attention.”

Nev winced at the memory, rubbing a hand down his face. “Don’t remind me.”

“Oh, I will remind you,” Rel said, pointing at him with a discarded beer bottle. “Because Mom and Dad are never gonna let you live it down or me.”

Nev groaned dramatically, letting himself drop onto one of the patio chairs. “Kill me now.”

Rel smirked but didn’t argue. He tossed a few more bottles into the trash bag before sitting across from Nev, rubbing his face tiredly.

After a few moments of silence, Nev cleared his throat. He wanted to sound casual, totally normal, no big deal, but even he could hear how forced his voice was when he said, “So, uh… I think I’m hanging out with Max again soon.”

Rel didn’t look surprised. “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah,” Nev said quickly, shrugging as if it wasn’t a big deal. “Since he was nice enough to do the whole photography thing with me, I figured I should, y’know… return the favor. Do something he actually likes.”

Rel smirked, leaning back in his chair. “That so?”

Nev squinted at him, suspicious. “What?”

“Nothing,” Rel said innocently.

Nev’s stomach did a weird flip, but he forced himself to roll his eyes. “Shut up man. I’m just being polite.”

Rel hummed, clearly not convinced. “Well,” he said, stretching his arms over his head, “if you really wanna do something Max enjoys, you can’t go wrong with food or anything to do with movies.”

Nev blinked. “Movies?”

Rel nodded. “Yeah, you know the dude loves films. Knows way too much about cinematography, editing, all that. It’s why he started getting into making those short films at college. He loves those indie movies too, the ones that get limited release.”

“Huh.” Nev processed that, biting the inside of his cheek.

Maybe this could work. Maybe, just maybe, he could suggest something and make it seem totally normal.

“Cool,” Nev said, standing up, trying to sound nonchalant. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Rel grinned knowingly but didn’t say anything.