Page 46 of Second Chance

Charlie and Lisa both skewer him with looks.

“Maybe she doesn’t want to add more to your load,” Charlie suggests.

“What load?” Tony fishes his phone out of his pocket to check how far away Daniel is. He doesn’t want to talk about this in the garage. He’s the only one here, sure. Gianna leaving means they’re closed officially, and no one else will come in on their day off. It still feels weird, like his dad will suddenly pop out fromunder a car to ask a semi-pointed question about who made Tony’s lunch today.

Lisa’s voice is so kind it grates on Tony’s last nerve. “You’ve all been through a lot this year. First the baby, and I mean, you came out. That’s huge. Maybe she wants to give you space.”

“Don’t forget all the murder,” Charlie adds. “Also, pretty significant events.”

“Right.” Lisa pulls a face. “How could I.”

“Did I come out? Must have missed that.” Tony hates himself as soon as he’s said it. He chose not to say anything in as many words, which is his own way of doing things, and he doesn’t regret it. It still stings that this is the first time his friends mention it.

Charlie sighs, obviously done with his shit.

It’s fair. They’ve put up with more of it than most people through the years. Before Daniel came along, they were the only person who could make an informed guess about where Tony stood on the Kinsey scale (largely because they were the one who explained the Kinsey scale to him in the first place).

“That’s up to you,” Charlie says. “We can’t decide for you. If you want to…change the way we perceive you, you’re gonna have to use your words.”

Tony rubs a hand across his face. “Sorry. Sorry. I—I didn’t think I’d have to figure out the right words.”

“Because you didn’t know?” Lisa doesn’t sound curious or angry or anything at all, and it’s what makes answering bearable.

“No, I knew. I didn’t feel strongly about anyone, and it was never—it was never something real enough to be worth all the fuss.”

He catches the look Blake and Charlie shoot each other.

“Does Daniel know he’s worth the fuss?” Lisa asks.

Unbidden, a smile stretches across Tony’s face. He can’t help it.

“Gross,” Blake mutters. “He’d better know.”

Thankfully, Daniel chooses that moment to pull up in the lot and honk his horn. Tony sets about closing up the shop.

Lisa, Blake, and Charlie crowd into the back seat of Daniel’s car, leaving Tony the front. He doesn’t think much of it, sliding into place as usual. If they were alone, he’d lean over and kiss Daniel hello. As it is, he smiles and physically restrains himself from asking about Lily explicitly.

“All okay?” he says instead.

Daniel shrugs.

“Tony told us about your colleague,” Lisa says.

With everyone in the back seat peering at him in obvious concern, Daniel shrinks in on himself.

“Yeah. It’s been a lot this week. Where are we headed?”

Tony takes Daniel’s phone out of its holder, types in the security pin (it’s Worf’s birthday; Daniel is a softie), and enters the address into Google maps.

“Don’t get your hopes up,” Tony warns his friends. “It’s not a real hike. We’re doing Overlook Mountain.”

“Wow,” Daniel says. “And you call me an elitist?”

“You don’t have real hiking shoes.” Tony’s mostly kidding. A hike is a hike, and Daniel’s shoes will be fine either way. While Overlook Mountain is steep as fuck, especially to start with, it’s a pleasant enough hike for beginners and athletes alike. He just enjoys messing with Daniel.

Daniel glances down at his sneakers and doesn’t answer.

“Overlook Mountain is more than enough for me. It’s two p.m., and we can’t do too much more today.” Blake’s not wrong, but he also hates most forms of exercise passionately.

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