I woke up the next morning (Sunday) to the smell of breakfast cooking. A Jason breakfast. I looked over and saw Celia still sleeping blissfully next to me, and thanked my lucky stars she was still out cold. I oh-so-gently slid out from under her, and waited to make sure she stayed asleep. My girl was a champion sleeper, apparently. I do have to hand it to my bed – it's a very good bed. I took a second to appreciate the scene before me – Celia was lying on her right side, stretched out (having been snuggled into my side prior to me vacating my comfy bed) head on her right arm, her left arm laying across her side, resting on her right arm. The bedcovers (all linens on my bed were white) were pulled down slightly to reveal the top of her left breast. Her black skin stood in stark contrast to my white linens, and she just looked so serene. I wished I had her permission to take a picture, but I didn't, so I'd just have to commit this particular view to memory.

I slipped out of bed as quietly as possible, padded over to my dresser, and pulled on a pair of grey boyshorts and a black high-necked tank top. I went to the bathroom and brushed my teeth, swiped at my hair, then walked quietly through the bedroom, laying a robe at the end of the bed for Celia. I shut the bedroom door behind me before walking into the living room/kitchen.

I sat at a barstool after moving my derby shorts to the next one and waited. First thing I noticed was Himself was dressed ultra-casually for Jason; a pair of black joggers with stipes on the sides, sneakers, and if I was seeing correctly, a t-shirt and only one hoodie.

Jason looked over his shoulder at me, smiling a sly smile. "Y'all have a good time last night? I found your underwear in the sink," he had a playful glint in his eyes when he said it.

I smiled back at him, looking down at the countertop. "We did. I did not expect to see you this morning," I told him. I honestly didn't know the next time I expected to see Jason, but after last night, this morning making breakfast in my kitchen like *no big deal* was NOT IT.

"Y'know, I wanted to talk to you about that. Thinking about it last night, I realized I was jealous. That's new." Jason's face was scrunched up, kind of like the face you'd make if you tasted something unfamiliar and weren't quite sure about it.

I wasn't sure what I was supposed to say to that, so I told him.

"Yeah, me either. So I came over to make pancakes."

"I'm glad to see you?" I said, hopefully.

"You are?" His tone of voice broke my heart. He wasn't sure. He wasn't sure if I'd be happy to see him. He sighed, as if in relief. "Ok, good."

I walked over to him and gave him a hug. He was tall enough that he could rest his chin on my head, and he did. He hugged back just as hard.

"Just an fyi, I am 100% positive Celia will kiss me while you're here." I said into his chest.

"Oh, I'm expecting it," he sounded like he was gritting his teeth. "I'm bracing myself for it."

Celia chose that exact moment to open the bedroom door and step out looking delicious in my robe. "Am I interrupting-" then she paused, and really looked. "A hug. You're-hugging."

"Yes, that is indeed what we're doing." Jason said, turning to look at her, his head still resting on my head.

"WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING HERE? Do you have a fucking KEY?" she asked, throwing her hands up.

I'd pulled away from the hug and walked over to the front door where Celia's dress was still on the floor. I picked it up and walked over to hand it to her, also very interested in Jason's answer to her last question.

"Technically." He gave me a look when he said it. We'd be talking about that later, that's for sure. "Come eat breakfast. There's coffee."

Celia looked at me, eyebrows reaching for the sky. "He cooks?"

Jason responded instead. "He does."

"He does," I said, sighing heavily. "So well."

Celia and I sat at the counter (I had gathered up the rest of my clothes from last night, including my tights on the counter, and underwear from the sink) and Jason handed us both plates of pancakes and bacon. He handed me a coffee cup dressed *just* how I like it, and asked if Celia wanted coffee. Celia did. She took hers black, so Jason handed her a full cup.

Jason started eating standing up against the sink across from us, and I asked him to come sit, but he said no.

"I have a better view of you this way," he smiled a little happy smile when he said it, and it still blew my mind that this tall, built dude could look so damn cute. Heart meltingly cute.

"Ohmygod this is DELICIOUS," Celia exclaimed, mouth full, eyes closed, fully enjoying the pancakes and bacon. "Dude, who taught you how to cook?"

"My butler."

"Your what now?"

And that's when it hit me. Jason was a WAYNE. Like, I knew in the back of my mind, because I knew who Tim was, and Jason was his brother, but Jason was the most opposite of spoiled rich kid I'd ever met.

I opened and shut my mouth a couple times, and saw Jason watching me with amused interest. "Did you just now put it together?" He asked me, smiling.

"Yes?" I said, cocking my head toward him. "Celia, this is Jason Wayne."

"Wait, like Bruce Wayne, Wayne?" She asked me, pointing her fork at me, her mouth full of pancake, and she could not have looked cuter.

"Indeed. Bruce adopted me when I was 12." Jason said from in front of us.

"So, you're like a spoiled rich white kid?"

Jason laughed out loud. "Guess so,"

I fake whispered to Celia, loud "He's not" shaking my head with added emphasis.

"Well, rich white kid or not, you sir are a damn fine cook."

"Why thank you," he sounded pleased with the praise.

I turned to Celia "Hey, if you wanna shower, please feel free. I can get you towels from the bathroom, and I'm sure I've got a pair of smaller sweats and a t-shirt that'll fit you around here somewhere."

"I will definitely take you up on that. Wanna join me?" she asked, waggling her eyebrows at me.

I smiled, but shook my head. "Ima pass, but thank you for the invitation,"

"Tim told me things got…rowdy last night?"

I bit the inside of my cheek. "I may, or may not, have asked him not to call the cops."

"'Screams of fun', I think is what he told me?"

I pressed my lips together in embarrassment. He was teasing on purpose, I knew it.

"You know her downstairs neighbor?" Celia asked, with a weird look on her face.

"He's my little brother."

"Oh, is that how y'all met?"

"Yes," Jason and I said in unison.

"Jason just showed up one day – and here we are!" I said, brightly.

Celia stood up, leaned over to me, and kissed me deeply. "Ima shower. You sure you don't wanna join me? You gonna stay out here with this cutie?"

"It's tempting, but I think I'm gonna eat a little more,"

At that cue, Jason put one more pancake on my plate. Celia walked into the bedroom and I followed, to dig up clothes that would fit her better than what sizes I was currently wearing. She had slimmer hips than I did, and was at least one shirt size smaller than me. I found a pair of medium sweats from years ago, and a medium t-shirt, and laid them on the bed for her, shutting the door behind me. I walked into the kitchen to grab more coffee, and Jason came up behind me, wrapping his arms around me.

"Rowdy, huh?" he asked, in my ear.

"Mhhmmmm" I murmured.

"I look forward to experiencing that."

"Me, too. Me, too." I repeated.

"How'd you even know if he could hear you?" he asked, making me press my lips together. "That loud, huh?" I could hear his eyebrows rising.

"He's teased me about it before, now I just figure it's a given."

"I'll have to keep that in mind." Jason said, sounding thoughtful. "What's on your agenda for today?"

"I need to make an unexpected trip to the laundromat!"

"Oh?"

"I have to wash my sheets."

"Goddamn, woman. Go big or go home, huh?" I could hear the smile in his voice.

"I mean, you excel at something, you don't half ass it, you know?" I said, laughing.

"No, you do not." He agreed, laughing with me. "Want some company for sheet washing?"

"I'd love some. You're much more fun than reading a book."

"You have no idea," Jason murmured, using that tone, what I now referred to as his Sex God voice.

"Ugggghh, you two just ooze 'happy couple'. Your cuteness is literally sickening to watch." Celia said, rolling her eyes exaggeratedly. She looked at Jason "So, shall I keep my hands to myself, now?"

Jason shrugged, looking thoughtful. "Well…it's not just up to me," He said that like he was testing out a new idea. "However, if you ever find yourself wanting additional…company, I'm sure we'd be able to negotiate something amenable to all parties involved,"

Celia looked up at him appraisingly, laughing out loud. "Oh, I like you." Looking at me, she said "Walk me out?"

I nodded and followed behind her. When we were outside, on the sidewalk, she grabbed my face and kissed me like she had yesterday at the derby.

"Wow," I said, when she pulled away.

"Listen. That man is a keeper. I think he might need a lil' work – and I'm sorry that may fall on you – but the way he looks at you. Loooorrrrrd. How long've you known him?"

"A week?"

"Something cosmic is at work here. Like bigger picture stuff."

"Celia." I said, making a face.

"I'm serious. He looks at you and he doesn't see anything else." She paused. "And you two haven't had sex yet?"

"Nope. We haven't even kissed."

"No shit. Really? REALLY?"

"Really. We've – I don't know how to describe it, because we were both still in our underwear? We've been intimate, but not intimate, if you know what I mean. And, like, we sleep together, but it's just sleeping."

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR."

I paused. "Honestly? I'm waiting for him."

"I don't get it. Like…jump on that, girl!"

"Celia – he's a Wayne! I can't imagine the amount of pussy he gets on a regular basis just based on his last name alone. I just, I feel like I'd just be 'something to do', y'know? I kinda get the feeling I could very well just be one of a string of long haired beauties, and in two weeks, I'll be forgotten. And I don't want that."

"Babe, I can honestly tell you I don't think he wants that either, but I get what you're saying." She took my hand and kissed me on the cheek. "So, if you have a free evening without your gourmet chef and feel comfortable with…additional company, call me. For real. I will drop what I am doing and come running." Her face made me laugh, but she followed it up with "I'm not joking. Ok, I gotta run. This was fuuuuuun. You are amazing and I am an idiot for waiting."

Celia kissed me once more, and we hugged, then she walked to her car and drove away.