"Yeah, that's not going to happen," says Miles, setting down his fork and crossing his arms.
"So you're afraid of looking bad in front of your followers, but not afraid of what I'll do, or not do, until you apologize?" I set down my own silverware and mirror Miles's posture.
"Woah, woah." Helix throws up his hands. "Let's not poke at each other."
"Yeah, let's not jump to anything drastic," says Lionel. "We can sort this out."
"Sure, and while this is a nice gesture," I wave to the breakfast spread, "I need the words too."
"Okay, yeah, we can do that," says Lionel, nodding. "Go ahead, Arrow."
"What?" Quintin seems shocked. "Why am I doing it? I wasn't the one who made the post."
"We made this agreement together," says Miles.
"Look," says Helix, leaning forward and pointing his fork at Miles, "we need a glass cannon, and you're the one who physically typed out the post."
"Fine, fine," grumbles Miles. "I can do this."
"Ready when you are." I'm not even sure why I'm fighting, since this gesture is absolutely amazing. While my using them for inspiration is harmless and they'll never find out, I'm not sure they understand the impact of what they just did to me on their channel.
When I'd talked to Quintin and Lionel about being fair, that if they wanted me to tell my critique group and friends about our dating situation, then they had to tell theirs, I never thought they would take that as meaning they should announce it publicly to the whole world. I'd thought we could start small and make those big-step decisions together, but they made that choice for me. For us.
Since I've moved in, we've all been making our own choices separately, but if we're doing this for real, we need to decide things together. Like a real couple. Or whatever a relationship between six people is called.
Miles takes a deep breath and grips the edge of the table. "We're sorry."
The rest of the team nods in agreement, waiting for me to tell them it's okay.
"Sorry for what?"
Miles drops his head into his hands with an exasperated sigh. "For all the things we listed before."
"But I'm not sorry that you told your friend about us," adds Quintin.
"No, definitely not for that," agrees Lionel.
"Although it wasn't fun when she tried to kiss me," says Miles.
There isn't anything Miles could have said to get me to completely forgive them faster. Or make me feel worse. I'm the one who put them in that position by believing that Sasha was my friend.
Getting up, I slide onto Miles's lap and wrap him in the tightest hug possible.
"I'm sorry that my poor judgement in friends caused you to be put in such an uncomfortable position." I kiss him on the cheek.
Miles wraps his arms tight around my middle and rests his chin on my head. "Thank you."
"And that's how you give an apology," I tell everyone, looking around the table so they can all make a note of my skills. Even as my secret of using them weighs heavy on my chest, I just hold Miles, silently willing him to accept my own unspoken apology.
My boyfriends all chuckle, and we tuck into the amazing breakfast they prepared. It's a challenge with Miles still holding me, but I don't mind. Sometimes I just want to be held too.
My feet slow as I round the corner to our usual table in the dive bar. I haven't heard from Sasha since she came over for movie night five days ago. My anxiety has been going haywire with my uncertainty about seeing her again.
Maddie and Angela are at the table chatting and my shoulders immediately relax. Although just because Sasha isn't here right now doesn't mean she won't show up.
"Loved the pages on the new book," says Maddie, leaning back in her chair.
"Writing a new one is probably a good distraction for while you're waiting for your editor to return your manuscript," says Angela.