“You think we’ll have any classes together?”

“That’s a lot of confidence for a man who sent in his application the day of the deadline.”

Eli leaned over the countertop. “What? Ambrose thinks I still have a shot.”

Dawn rolled her eyes as she swiveled on the squeaky barstool. “As your boyfriend, he’s legally obligated to say that.”

They were relaxing in Eli’s poky, still-bare studio apartment, sipping champagne that Dawn had brought over. Though she claimed she didn’t want the leftovers from her grad school acceptance bash, he suspected she just wanted an excuse to spy on the start of his and Ambrose’s first date. Not that he minded the company—if she hadn’t been here, he still would have been standing in front of his tiny closet, triple-guessing what button-down to wear.

“You nervous?” Dawn’s gaze glittered over her champagne flute. Eli scoffed.

“No.”

She gave him a pout. “So I can’t even pretend to give you a pep talk?”

“You do whatever you like.”

“Okay.” Dawn grinned and wiggled in her seat. “Don’t talk too much about yourself, remember to ask questions, don’t order salad because it’ll get stuck between your teeth—”

“Alright, alright.” Eli waved a hand and started to roll up his sleeves. “Drink the rest of your bubbly, he’ll be here soon.”

Dawn pointed at his diminishing sleeves with her flute. “You know, people usually save the seduction for the end of the first date, Valenz.”

“Shut up, Kerighin.”

A knock sounded on the door. Dawn squealed.

“Oh my god.” Eli rolled his eyes, adjusted his collar, and opened the door. “Ames, get me out of...here.”

He supposed he shouldn’t have been surprised—Ambrose was almost always smartly dressed. But there was something about him tonight, something about the tailored black suit, the soft gaze, the bouquet of wildflowers in his hand…

“Hi,” Eli finally managed through a sudden spell of lightheadedness. Ambrose cast a sheepish smile on the bouquet.

“Hello.” He held out the flowers. “I thought of these and saw you. No- I saw you and thought of these. I mean...” He sighed. “Please take them?”

Eli clasped both hands around Ambrose’s fingers on the bouquet, then pulled him forward and kissed his cheek. “Thank you, they’re lovely.” When he leaned back, he couldn’t help but slip a finger under the lapel of Ambrose’s jacket. “Not as lovely as you, though.”

Dawn cleared her throat behind Eli, and he reluctantly stepped away from Ambrose. “Someone wanted to pre-game her friends’ first date,” he muttered, then ducked into the kitchen to set the flowers in a vase. “Which isn’t weird at all.”

Dawn beamed, holding up her phone. “Hi, Ames.”

“Hello.” Ambrose stepped into the kitchen and narrowed his eyes at the phone. “What are you doing?”

She brushed off the question. “Where are you taking Eli tonight?”

“Oh. Um…” Ambrose straightened his jacket as Eli set the vase of flowers next to Dawn. “I have reservations to Stracciatella’s, a few blocks over.”

“Really?” Eli’s stomach grumbled in response. “How’d you know that was on my food journey short list?”

“Love, you texted me that list last week.” As Eli took his arm, Ambrose shuffled. “I, uh…I also may have bought movie tickets.”

“Oh.” Eli tilted his head. “Okay—”

“And theater tickets,” Ambrose blurted. “And museum passes. And maybe a boat rental.”

“What?”

“Thought it would be ironic.” Ambrose gave an embarrassed laugh and rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know, I just...I didn’t want to mess it up.”

Heart ballooning, Eli cupped Ambrose’s face and kissed him. “How about we start with dinner?”

Ambrose nodded, their noses brushing. “Okay.”

“This is disgustingly adorable,” a voice said. A voice that was not Dawn’s, not Eli’s, and definitely Banneker’s.

Ambrose and Eli whirled towards the phone in Dawn’s hand.

“Dawn!”

“Are you streaming this?”

“Shush, Banneker!” Sherry hissed from within the phone. Dawn burst into giggles and turned the device around, revealing Sherry, Banneker, and Grim all clustered around a screen of their own. Sherry and Banneker were nearly blocking Grim’s view as they leaned forward, Banneker stuffing handfuls of popcorn into his mouth.

“Oh my God.” Ambrose covered his face. Eli squinted.

“Did you—did you all get together at Grim’s place to watch this?”

“What?” Sherry straightened in indignation, then pointed at the phone. “You owe me! You both owe me!”

Ambrose was already walking towards the door. “We’re going to the boat rental and I’m throwing myself off of it immediately—”

Eli set his hand on Ambrose’s shoulder to follow him out. “Just think of the pasta, Ames. Dawn, you’ll—?”

Dawn waved a hand, keeping the phone trained on them. “Yes, I’ll lock up. You two have fun.”

“But not too much fun!” Banneker called through the popcorn.

Grim smiled. “Bring him back before curfew.”

Sherry leaned further into frame. “Send me a photo from the restaurant!”

“Kill me!” Ambrose shouted from the hallway. Eli quickly closed the door to his apartment, blocking the flannel brigade’s view of them, then grabbed Ambrose’s hand.

“Hey, hey.” He turned Ambrose back around and pulled him into another kiss. As soon as he felt him relax, he slid his hands up the smooth fabric of his suit, over his shoulders, up his neck and into his hair. He didn’t pull away until Ambrose had practically melted in his arms. “Got you to forget about the livestream for a second, didn’t I?” he murmured.

Ambrose gave a breathy laugh, eyes still closed. “Yes.”

“Ready to have dinner?”

Ambrose’s smile tilted. “Oh, the things I could say to that…”

“There we go.” Eli grinned, kissed him one more time, and hooked his arm around Ambrose’s. “Come on. You once told me not to be late.”

Ambrose placed his hand over Eli’s, and off they strolled down the hall.