Landon was too fixated on the beer in his hands, it was obvious, for him to catch a glimpse of Forest’s goofy grin at the idea that he once upon a time made Landon Kincaid blush. God, he was such a child. “She’d be, like, the youngest, first, female president of the United States. If she wanted, if that was her path. She could do anything. Study anything is what I mean. I get it,” he said, reaching and taking Landon’s hand in his own in a gesture of friendship. However it let go when Landon called him a good man. He didn’t know why that made him wince. Sometimes he didn’t want to be good, sometimes he wanted to be bold. And he felt awful looking at Landon’s lips as he bit them in thought. God he felt like a pig, and he diverted his gaze to the rug under his feet. “If it’s okay with you, I’d rather stay here with you,” he mumbled, feeling like a child.
However, he was interrupted by Jupiter’s tail wagging, as if he knew what the word ‘walk’ was. Damn smart dogs. He grinned at the pup, reaching a hand out to pet it. Jupiter rubbed its head into the man’s massive hand adoringly. “I guess he just made the decision for the both of us. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” Suddenly the urge to kiss Landon on the cheek surged through him, so fucking clear as a picture, and again Forest winced at the thought. Domesticity? With Landon Kincaid? Why was he so eager and hungry when the other was grieving? Mindlessly, he unbuttoned his overshirt. It wasn’t hot outside, but werewolves heat up very easily and even the breezy walk would overheat him, he knew. So he took off his overshirt and folded it over the side of the couch he’d been sitting on. “Leash?” he asked.
Landon wrinkled his nose a little at his dog and muttered, “Damn, I should have spelled it.” His eyes tracked Forest’s movements as the other man took off his overshirt, too tired and emotionally drained from the day to be shamed into being subtle with his glance. But then Forest was gone with the dog and Landon leaned back in the couch, letting his beer rest on his knee and entirely prepared to overthink his oldest friend being here and the looks they’d shared when his phone rang out. He knew instantly who it was. His poor mother had been through a lot on this date, first Bella’s death then his own attempt on his life.
Landon answered and got to his feet, setting the beer down as he paced around the house. It was only when he heard the door click and the jingling of Jupiter’s tags that he reappeared towards the foyer, leaning against the wall that connected to the bathroom. “No, Ma, I’m good, I promise.” He held up a hand to Forest to indicate that it wouldn’t be much more than five minutes. “I got dressed, I went out,” he lied easily. “I’m not staring at Ellie and pictures.” He glanced back at the small shrine in front of the couch and the stuffed elephant with a grimace. “Ma, I’m okay, I promise. I’m not alone either. Remember Forest? Yeah, Hawthorne. He’s here in town and he’s here with me.” Ma says hi, he mouthed quickly. “Oh, no, Ma, Pa doesn’t want to talk to me. That’s fine, don’t ma- Okay.”
He let out a low sigh and scrubbed his left hand over his face as she went to get his father. He listened to them bicker, to his father in a broken voice say he didn’t want to talk to Landon today, his mother tell him to try, his father making some sound, and then his mom’s voice back. “It’s okay, Ma,” he said quietly. “Really. But hey, Forest just got back with the dog so I’m gonna let you go okay? Yeah, I’ll call if I need. You too. I love you both.” He slowly hung up and sighed softly, pocketing his phone. “She calls every year. I mean, we talk more often than that, but- You know. Today is... Different.”
