#plot-relevant!

Jamie sighs, rubbing his forehead as he decides that Keegan is his priority for the night (it was supposed to be a date night, after all), and he ignores Charlie and Colin, turning back to his boyfriend.

He shifts a little, pushing himself closer to Keegan, who's sitting at the opposite end of the couch. It's enough that Keegan's eyes snap over to him, and for the first time all night, it feels like he's got his full attention.

"Did something happen at school? Are you okay?" he asks softly, and Keegan's eyebrows furrow, before he answers, "I'm okay," and turns back to the TV.

Jamie catches him glancing over a few more times though, and he's getting more and more worried by how closed-off he seems.

After a few more minutes of the weird tension, he turns his hand palm-up, leaving it on the cushion between them, a clear invitation for Keegan. At this point in their relationship, Keegan is consistently comfortable with gentle, predictable touches, even if he doesn't always initiate it. So Jamie is a little concerned that there's been no touch tonight at all, since it's reminiscent of the early days of their relationship.

Keegan glances at his hand, and twitches, like he wants to reach out. He doesn't. His hands stay tucked against his body, and Jamie feels his heart sink a little more, wanting to know what's running through Keegan's mind and tripping him up.

Before he can bring himself to pause the movie and start the conversation, knowing that would get Colin's attention, and he'd go straight into motherhen mode, Keegan excuses himself, mumbling something about the bathroom. He slinks away, and Jamie frowns, catching the way he sticks close to the walls.

Yep, something's wrong. Keegan's moving like he's being hunted - something he only does when he's thrown too far into his past. Jamie's seen this body language after nightmares, but the idea of it happening during the day, without a discernable cause, curdles something in his stomach, and he so desperately wants to know what's hurting his boyfriend.

He is, however, unsure if he should follow him. He's clearly not ready to open up about it, and he doesn't need to actually hunt him down… he can't imagine that would be helpful. He resolves to try and have a proper conversation once he's back from the washroom, reassure him and try to help him sort through his mind.

Before he can decide what to do, Keegan shuffles back into the room, settling carefully at the end of the couch. His shoulders curl in on himself, and he pointedly doesn't look at Jamie.

For the first time, Jamie wonders if maybe he's done something to upset Keegan. It's possible, he thinks, It would certainly explain him being closed-off. But he can't think of anything out of the ordinary - nothing that he can think of that could be a problem.

He twists so he's facing Keegan, hoping for a reaction, but none comes. He sighs gently, reaching out and bridging the gap between them. He's slow, but when his hand lands softly on Keegan's arm, his entire body pulls taught, face paling dramatically. Jamie winces, pulling his hand back.

A wash of guilt coats his mind - that was the opposite of the intended effect. Jamie's a little thrown by how intense the reaction was. Of course, he's seen Keegan in all kinds of states at this point, with a range of comfort regarding physical contact, however, he has mellowed a lot towards Jamie in the past few months.

He has an apology ready on his lips, when Keegan stands abruptly, hurrying down the hall.

Great, he thinks sarcastically, Now I've really upset him. He grimaces, wondering how he can fix this.

He hears Charlie growl from her room, marching down the hallway as the bathroom door clicks shut.

She stomps into the room, Apple clutched in her arms. "I'm trying to get ready, and this cat is in my face! This is-" she pauses, glaring around the room, "And who am I even talking to? Where's Rowyn?"

When Colin doesn't answer, Jamie sighs, "He's not home yet."

"Fine," she huffs, dropping Apple on the end of the couch. She points at her, muttering, "You stay there." Apple blinks wide-eyed, the picture of innocence, and Jamie snorts - she's trouble.

Charlie turns back, apparently satisfied now that the cat is out of her room, when she glances back at Jamie, and throws out, "You know Keegan's sick, right?"

He bluescreens, mind flashing through the evening, trying to slot this new information into place, and finding that it fits with ease. He sees Colin sit up straight, out of the corner of his eye.

"Wait!" he calls, scrambling up and Charlie stops where she was already halfway down the hall, "How did you know?" he asks, genuinely confused as to how she picked up on it, "I thought something happened at school, or he was upset with me or something?" He's a little ashamed that he immediately jumped to an emotional reason, not even considering that he was sick.

"It's in the eyes," she answers cryptically, shrugging and moving back to her room. He's suddenly reminded that she's known him most of her life, and definitely longer than he has. Charlie closes the door with a snap, and Jamie's amused to see Apple creeping back down the hall, pausing outside Charlie's room. The little menace definitely behaves better when Rowyn's around, he thinks wryly.

Jamie moves past to the bathroom. He hesitates just a second longer, not wanting to intrude on Keegan's privacy, but no longer able to curb the concern he has for his boyfriend.

He knocks softly on the door, immediately murmuring, "Key, it's me, it's Jamie." There's a cut-off choking sound, and Jamie grimaces, leaning his forehead against the door, as he considers his next step.

Bursting in there is a sure path to a panic attack, especially after his reaction to touch earlier. Staying outside isn't a good enough option though, knowing Keegan is struggling on the other side. He needs him to know that he's not alone.

He compromises, telling him, "I'm coming in," and gently opening the door, slipping just inside, and sitting down against the door.

Keegan is hunched on the other side of the toilet, stifling a gag against his hand as his eyes shoot up to the door, landing on Jamie, who can see his pupils are diluted in fear of whatever memory is warping his perception this evening.

He doesn't seem to catch that it's Jamie, as he curls his shoulders in more, eyes darting around the room.

"Hey," Jamie softens, voice as calming as he can make it, "Key, honey, you're safe, okay? It's just me."

He keeps talking, remembering how his voice is helpful when Keegan has a nightmare, and hoping the same principle applies now.

Keegan's face is red with the effort of not vomiting, though Jamie can tell he lost the battle earlier, seeing a splatter of vomit on the floor by Keegan's knee, and the way his hands tremble against the toilet seat.

His eyes flick around the room, stopping just above Jamie's right shoulder, landing, he realizes, on the door knob. His heart clenches again, wincing as he realizes he blocked the only exit from the room.

"Alright, I'm just going to move over here," he narrates, shifting to the opposite wall, equally far from Keegan, but no longer covering the door.

"It's okay, no ones going to hurt you. You're okay," he reassures softly, voice landing carefully in the space between them.

Keegan's eyes finally seem to settle on Jamie, and he smiles softly, "Hey love," he murmurs, relieved when Keegan seems to recognize him,

He watches as some of the tension drains from Keegan's posture, replaced immediately by an exhausted slump to his shoulders.

Keegan's breath hitches, and for a heartbreaking moment Jamie thinks he's going to start crying, but instead his hands clutch the toilet with renewed strength and he heaves himself up just in time for a wave of puke to spill from his mouth, splashing into the toilet.

Jamie grimaces, never a fan of vomit, but the knowledge that Keegan is disoriented and needs him to be steady is enough to drive everything else from his mind.

He stays where he is, against the wall, despite every instinct telling him to get closer, that Keegan needs him. This is what he needs right now, he reminds himself, staying put.

He keeps up a low stream of encouragement, softening the tension of the room and hoping it reaches through the sickness and can comfort Keegan at least a little.

Keegan finishes throwing up, spitting harshly into the soiled toilet water, staring listlessly at the floor.

When he starts to sway where he's sitting, Jamie can't help how he lurches forward a little.

"Keegan," he starts, more firm than he's been all night, "Look at me," he instructs gently, seeing in real time when the words filter into Keegan's awareness and he's able to drag his eyes up to meet Jamie's.

"I'm going to come closer, okay?" he waits for Keegan to acknowledge him, eyes focusing more and a hesitant nod. Good, he thinks, At least he recognizes me.

He can't tell if Keegan is actually relaxing, or if he's just so worn out that the stress isn't sustainable, but either way, it's nice to be able to creep across the floor and sit beside him. He deftly avoids the puke still sitting on the floor, and reaches around Keegan to flush the toilet, letting the vomit spin away.

"I'm still here, not going anywhere," Jamie murmurs, after silence invades the room for a few seconds, "You're safe here," he reiterates.

Keegan slowly tips towards Jamie, as if he's unsure if he will catch him or not. When his head finds purchase on Jamie's shoulder, it's as if all the anxiety he's been holding vanishes, and he droops against Jamie's steady form.

Jamie wraps an arm around him gently, tucking him closer and dropping a kiss on his head, still mumbling comforting words.

After a moment of soaking in the show of trust and the ability to look after his boyfriend, Jamie pulls back just enough to glance properly at Keegan's face.

"How're you doing?"

"I feel awful," Keegan mumbles back, and Jamie hides a grateful smile in his hair - not because he's miserable, but because he's finally being honest.

Jamie hums in acknowledgement, then asks, "What's going on? Are you sick?" He carefully brings his hand up to cup the back of his neck, feeling for a fever, but finding nothing alarming.

"Not sick…" he gulps carefully before continuing, "There was some banquet thing at school, and something didn't sit well-" he leans to the side with a small half-cut-off heave, and mutters, "Felt sick pretty much right away."

"You should've said something," he reprimands, tone still light, and Keegan somehow wilts further.

"I wanted to see you," he admits quietly.

Jamie rolls his eyes affectionately, "I always want to see you," he reassures quickly, "But you don't have to hide from me, about anything, ever. I'm still going to be here. You being sick, or simply not feeling well, is not something I want for you, but it will never be a problem. I'd rather handle it with you, than have you tucked away dealing with it by yourself."

Keegan sniffs, and Jamie glances down at him quickly, surprised to see tears trickling down his face.

"Aww, don't cryyyy," he whines, leaning in to kiss his head again, feeling his arms wrap around him more tightly in response.

Keegan huffs a laugh through his tears, a soft sob shuddering through his frame. He pulls away from the embrace abruptly, leaning back over the toilet as a sob morphs into a gag. He hovers there for a minute, as if waiting for his stomach his revolt. When nothing more happens, he groans, slumping back into Jamie's arms.

Jamie swipes the tears away, sitting in silence now, with his boyfriend settled in his arms.

"I'm sorry-" Keegan starts quietly.

"You don't have to apolo-" Jamie answers, but is quickly interrupted.

"No, let me…" he sighs, considering his words carefully, "I'm sorry that my past still dictates everything… That I can't just hug you without thinking it through first, that you can't just touch me without worrying about a panic attack, that I don't know how to talk about everything. Just… thank you, for dealing with all of my shit and putting up with me even when it drags me into nightmares and whatever the fuck this was tonight."

Jamie huffs a breath, twisting so he can bump their foreheads together, looking deep into Keegan's brilliantly blue eyes.

"Oh, hon, you sweet beautiful doofus. Okay, listen carefully," he speaks slowly, deliberate in his phrasing, but still passionate, "Your childhood, and life growing up, was shitty. It's not something anyone should have to experience, let alone a fucking kid. The fact that it left some scars is honestly kind of expected, and you were - and are - so brave for handling it, even when it tries to haunt you. I know it doesn't always feel like it, when it feels like it follows you, but you are so strong, and getting to know you has been the best thing in my life," his voice takes on a sternness briefly as he adds, "That is not something to apologize for, nor to thank me for."

Before Keegan's emotions can settle and he can form a response, Jamie resolutely concludes, "When things like tonight happen, all it does is remind me how amazing you are for coming out of that situation with the passion, love, and warmth that you carry with you."

Keegan's eyes closed at some point during his speech, Jamie's words soothing the self-deprecating thoughts, and all he can think is I love you, which he must have said outloud, since Jamie answers, "I love you too," a reverent whisper against his skin.

There's another moment of silence, as Keegan soaks in the love and care pouring out of Jamie, even while they sit on the bathroom floor.

There's a knock on the door, and Keegan tenses in his arms immediately pulling away from Jamie, settling back on the wall.

Recognizing how much stress another person could add to the situation, Jamie is about to tell them to leave them alone, but Colin's head pokes in before he can figure out how to phrase it more diplomatically.

Jamie sighs in exasperation at Colin's boldness, turning to his friend, reaching for Keegan's hand to remind him that they're okay.

"You guys need anything?" Colin asks, practically vibrating with the desire to be useful. He looks right at Keegan, "You doin' okay?" he asks more hesitantly, noting Keegan's wary posture.

"Colin, we're good. I've got him," Jamie reassures, "Leave us, please?" he asks perhaps more bluntly than he usually would, but he doesn't want this situation to escalate more than it already has.

Colin's eyes dim, slumping just a little bit, but he still smiles and nods, "Hope you feel better," he tells Keegan, than catches Jamie's eye again, "Let me know if I can help." He closes the door softly behind him, and Jamie's attention returns immediately to Keegan.

His arm winds around his shoulders to tug him back in, but he freezes when Keegan groans, "No, don't-"

He pulls away, and Jamie feels a brief tug of disappointment. It's quickly explained though when Keegan coughs up another wave of chunky vomit. Jamie grimaces, turning his face away.

It takes him a minute to realize that Keegan left his hand open next to him, and Jamie is relieved to have an invitation and not have to guess what Keegan wants, quickly connecting their fingers.

"I've got you," he murmurs, as Keegan rides out the waves, heaving weakly into the toilet. His entire body is taught as he strains over the bowl, only a thin trickle of stomach acid to show for his efforts. Jamie winces in sympathy, cooing gently as Keegan decides he's done, and tension starts to seep from his form.

He stays hunched over, eyes fixed in the difference as he swallows carefully and sighs shakily.

"Let's go to my room," Jamie suggests, as he flushes the toilet, and recognizes the sluggishness now weighing Keegan down. He lifts his head, dragging his eyes up to meet Jamie's, and then his eyebrows furrow, and he looks back at his lap.

"But…" Keegan hesitates, gesturing at the toilet and the half-congealed puddle of puke sitting there.

"You still feeling sick?" Jamie asks gently, already planning to grab a bowl or bucket or something.

"Kind of…" Keegan affirms, but is eyeing the puddle of sick now, face paling as it makes his stomach squirm further.

"Oh, I've got that," Jamie says nonchalantly, following his gaze, unsurprised that Keegan is fixating on every potential problem more than his own well-being.

"No, I can-"

"Keegan, let me look after you, please," Jamie pushes. Jamie can see the battle he's fighting; His need to be independent, learned through years of abuse and relying pretty much only on himself, against his desire to hide somewhere safe, having already been pushed so far out of his comfort zone from being sick away from his home with other people around.

Finally, his eyes sparkling with tears once more, he nods, and relief drips down Jamie's spine.

"Alright, come on," he agrees, movements slow and predictable as he shifts away, tugging Keegan up after him with hands on his elbows as he leads him out of the bathroom.

He opens the bathroom door, and Charlie's voice, previously muffled by the door, now calls clearly, "Has anyone seen my-?! Never mind! I found it!" and the movie still plays in the living room. Keegan shifts out of his grip, and scampers ahead into Jamie's room.

He follows Keegan into his room, where he's already sitting on the bed, with his head in his hands.

He crouches down in front of him, peering up at his pale, washed-out face.

"Can I borrow some clothes?" Keegan asks through his fingers. Jamie chuckles, moving to his dresser and fishing out a pair of loose pymaja shorts and a sweater that was draped over the chair in the corner.

"Love that that's your first thought," he teases under his breath, passing him the clothes, "Try those?"

"Thanks," Keegan says, stifling a yawn behind his hand, as he starts to peel of his shirt. He came right from the school, still dressed in his soft grey polo shirt and pants that cannot be comfortable with a sore stomach. Still, it makes for kind of a funny image; his beanpole of a boyfriend wearing an oversized sweater and shorts that, while big on Jamie, are noticeably short on his taller form. He doesn't seem to mind though, already moving to lie down.

Jamie leans down, kissing the top of his head, "I'll be back in a minute, kay?"

Keegan nods, turning onto his side, and Jamie slips from the room.

His first stop is the bathroom, to clean up, just like he promised Keegan he would.

He pauses outside the door for just a second, fomalizing the list of things he wants to grab, then beelines for the kitchen. There, he gathers a water bottle, and glances through the fridge, before turning back towards the living room.

"Hey Colin?" he calls, watching his head snap up, like a dog on alert, "D'you have any Gatorade that we could have?"

He hops up, walking over to Jamie, "Yeah, of course! There isn't one in the fridge?"

Jamie shakes his head, "I didn't see any…?"

Colin frowns, then groans, "Crap. I completely forgot to replace it," he mutters to himself, bending down to fish some out of the cupboard. "Looks like there's only purple and lemon-lime left - does that work?"

"Sure, thanks," Jamie agrees, grabbing the bottles, hoping that Keegan will like the flavours.

Charlie walks past them calling, "Purple is not a flavour, Colin!"

Jamie starts walking back to his room, then pauses turning back, "Colin? Um, I'm sorry… for before," wincing when Colin frowns, remembering his own bluntness.

"Oh! That. Yeah, no, I get it, it's fine," he confirms with a smile, "Go look after your boy!"

Jamie nods, grateful that Colin's so understanding.

Charlie calls over from where she's putting her shoes on, "How's he doing?"

He shrugs, "Okay, I think? It looks like food poisoning, so hopefully he'll feel better soon, and then I'll take him home."

Charlie nods, but Colin hurries to add, "You know he could stay over?"

Jamie tips his head in acknowledgement, explaining, "Yeah, but he'll be more comfortable at his place, without extra people and stuff."

Colin takes the explanation with a thoughtful nod, and Charlie smiles.

Finally satisfied, he heads back to his room, stopping again when he hears the telltale trill of Charlie's low alert.

She groans, "Are you kidding me? Guess I'm correcting on the bus," she mutters, and then Colin murmurs something that he can't hear, and she adds, "Yes, I have everything I need, it's fine. I don't even feel low yet."

Even though he's still a little shaken by her emergency low a couple weeks ago, he's reassured that she feels okay and has a handle on it, finally making it back to his room.

"Hey," he murmurs, entering slowly, in case Keegan's in a weird headspace. He half-expects to find him asleep, but instead he's hunched over the side of the bed, head in his hands.

"What's going on? You okay?" he questions, crouching in front of him.

"Yeah, just… too far in my head right now. Can't sleep, and don't wanna to think," Keegan answers, voice muffled by his hands.

"Alright. And how are you feeling? Better at all?" Jamie questions, placing a hand on his knee, resulting in an unconscious flinch, but he doesn't pull away from the contact. And he lifts his head, eyes meeting Jamie's for the first time in awhile, and he's relived to find them noticeably clearer than earlier, so he leaves his hand where it is.

"A bit, yeah. Not, um, great, but…" he trails off with a shrug.

Jamie files that information away. He tugs on Keegan's hand as he settles himself against the headboard, waiting until he joins him to wrap an arm around his shoulders. He stretches back towards the table to grab the Gatorade, offering them to Keegan (he opens the lemon-lime one).

It's supposed to be comforting, the two of them cuddling, but it quickly becomes apparent that it's not helping. For one, Jamie's shorter than Keegan so his shoulder is being pulled in a weird way trying to keep his arm there. For another, Keegan is stiff against his side, fingers toying with the sweater sleeve.

Jamie finds his mind wandering, wondering if he should have called Jayden or Alix; He's feeling definitively out of his depth, and doesn't want to be adding any stress to the situation. Keegan seems uncomfortable and on-edge, and they have the history and understanding of Keegan that he just doesn't entirely have yet. The trust is there, but it's not instinctive the way it is for the three of them. But, selfishly… he doesn't want to call them. It feels like he's just earned their respect as Keegan's boyfriend, and he doesn't want to admit that he might need help.

He decides not to call for now. He's figured it out so far. And they are boyfriends: that has to count for something.

After another few awkward seconds, Jamie makes the executive decision, gently pulling back and dropping his arm.

Keegan's the one who breaks the silence though, quietly asking, "Could you find me a book? Left mine in the car, I think."

"Yeah, 'course. D'you feel like a classic, or something easier?" He knows that Keegan's favourites are often the classics, but he's also well-versed in the joy of a low-stakes YA novel. He kneels, turning around so he can scan the bookshelf above his bed.

Keegan frowns at him, "You don't like classics…?" he questions, puzzled.

"Well yeah, but I can only listen to you rave about them so many times before reading them myself," he teases, a soft smile on his face. When he glances over at Keegan, his eyes are glossy with tears, and he's looking at him in awe.

"You… you're reading them for me?"

Jamie raises an eyebrow, not sure why that's such a surprise, "I mean, yeah? I spend half my time reading anyways - I wanted to be able to understand what you're talking about, and what you're teaching. And I must admit, while a little dull, they're plenty enjoyable, and I can really see the themes you're always talking about…" he trails off, when Keegan grabs his hand, glancing back at him.

"I love you so much," Keegan says through a watery smile.

"Likewise," Jamie grins at him, "Now, classic? Or something YA?"

"I think YA tonight. Something I've read before?" Jamie nods, scanning his shelves, and pulling down a couple, then walking across the room to the other shelf and retrieving one from there, offering them to Keegan for him to peruse and choose from, "I think you've read these?"

Once he's settled with a book, Jamie grabs his own from the bedside table, and they cuddle together, much more relaxed than before. Jamie pretends not to notice when Keegan slips a hand under his sweater to rest on his belly.

After a moment of consideration, he grabs his phone, logging into Charlie's glucose moniter app, checking that she's in range, and relieved when her values are normal - proof that her correction worked properly.

He thinks back to his previous train of thought, glad that he hadn't called Jayden or Alix earlier. He's more comfortable with the knowledge that he can offer support and comfort to Keegan. They have grown since the early days of their relationship.

Unless… it could have helped Keegan, and his own desire to prove he's good for him meant he took that comfort from him.

"Hey, bookworm?" Keegan interrupts his thoughts, and he peels his eyes away from where they've been staring blankly at the page, "You haven't turned the page in over 5 minutes. What're you thinking about?"

Jamie takes a deep breath, leaning more into him, "Did you want to call Jayden, or Alix?"

Keegan pulls back, caught off guard. "Um, no? Why would I want to call them?" He looks so confused, and Jamie almost feels bad bringing it up, when he knows Keegan must be tired, and still not feeling great.

"I just thought, maybe because they know you so well… that you might want them instead of me."

He frowns, before understanding dawns across his face, "Oh Jamie. I don't think you understand how much I think about you every day. Like, I always want to be around you. Even like this. And I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier when I felt off - I'm working on that, but it was more about the situation than it was about you, or us."

"Oh. It's just that, sometimes, I kind of wonder where I fit?" he's quick to add, realizing how that sounds, "And it's nothing against them! I completely appreciate their role in your life! I didn't mean-"

"Hey, hey, it's okay," Keegan interrupts, "I get it." He's quiet for a minute, trying to connect his thoughts in a way he can articulate them, "I know what I have with Jay and Lexi is… different. I don't remember my life without them, and I can't imagine it without them now. But at the same time, I like that you're learning… me. It's been a long time since someone has bothered to get close to me, and I like that you're getting to know me as I am now. And I like that you don't know everything about my past, and that I get to share it on my own. These are all things I like about our relationship, that set you apart as my partner. You don't have to fit, because I'm always going to make space for you."

Jamie's quiet for a minute, letting it set in, then he releases the breath he didn't realize he was holding, leaning in to Keegan, "Oh. Okay. That's… really nice to know."

"How long have you been feeling like that?" Keegan suddenly asks, clear blue eyes staring at him.

"Um, I don't know? It's something I try not to think about. I guess I just really thought through it tonight?"

"Well, you know you're my favourite boyfriend," Keegan adds with a teasing smirk.

Jamie processes, then bursts out laughing, "Hon, I'm your only boyfriend!"

"Still my favourite," he insists, devolving into laughter himself.

Tension resolved, they settle back to their respective books, Jamie actually reading this time.

After a while, there's a knock on the door, and a half-asleep Keegan stiffens against Jamie, glancing warily at the door. Through the wood of the door, Max's voice is muffled when they ask, "Are you guys okay? D'you need anything?"

Jamie calls back, "We're good, Max, thanks!" The receding footsteps are enough for Keegan to slump back, though Jamie can tell he's on edge from the tightness around his eyes.

"I think we should maybe head out," he mentions, and Keegan frowns at him.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, shoot. I thought I'd already told you - I thought we'd head back to yours. You'll probably be more comfortable there, yeah?" Jamie worries his lip between his teeth. While he's sure it's true, he's realizing now that he might have jumped to that conclusion a bit prematurely.

But Keegan melts, tucking his face into Jamie's neck, arms wrapping around him.

"Thank you," he sighs, relieved, "That sounds nice."

So they gather their things, and Jamie tucks an arm around him as they head to the front door. Max now sits on the living room floor petting Sage the guinea pig.

They glance up as they pass, and Jamie teases, "You managed to avoid the chaos this evening, huh?"

They laugh, tugging Sage back when she tries to scamper off, "I guess."

As they start to pull on their shoes, the front door opens and Rowyn trudges in, dropping his bag by the door. He barely glances at them as he toes off his shoes and drops into a kitchen chair. Jamie and Max share a glance, as Max scoops up Sage and comes closer.

"Ro?" they ask, and when he looks up, he looks exhausted, eyes red-rimmed. Jamie winces, glancing back at Keegan only to find him completely oblivious, eyes fixed on the floor.

Right, he reminds himself, This is not helping, we should go.

He taps Keegan's hand to get his attention, and meet Max's gaze one last time, "Guess you didn't miss all the chaos," he jokes, before telling them, "I'm gonna take Key home… Bye."

He walks out the door, Keegan trailing after him.

Once they're tucked inside his little Punchbuggy, he sighs, leaning his head back against the headrest, hoping against hope that Rowyn and Colin can sort their mess out before it implodes on the rest of them.

When they pull up outside Keegan's apartment, he doesn't move right away, glancing at Jamie instead.

"You're um… you're coming right?"

Jamie smiles, "Yeah, I thought I'd stay the night, if that's okay."

"Please," Keegan sighs, exciting he vehicle. Jamie's quick to follow him, grabbing their bags from the backseat.

Walking up the stairs and into Keegan's place, Jamie feels a profound sense of calm. Sure, the evening did not go at all as they expected, but he has a newfound security in his relationship.

He smiles at Jayden and Alix when they pass, and settles onto Keegan's bed with his book. Watching Keegan puttering about, he's relieved to see more of the tension draining away now that he's in his safe space.