Ethan’s attention shifted to the person across from him.

3 years, 6 months, and 8 days they were together.

It had been 4 years since Evelyn was born.

4 years since the court decided that Ethan wasn’t fit to be a parent.

All partly in thanks to the person sitting in front of him now at the kitchen table in the penthouse flat that Kellen stayed in when he visited the city.

“Ethan…”

“Hmm?” He snapped his attention to Kellen again as he left the memories sitting there in his mind.

All of the blood was pumping through his veins and he could feel a cold sweat start to form on the nape of his neck. His hands were shaky.

He wasn’t sure why... this was Kellen. They had loved each other at one point.

Had they?

Ethan shook the thoughts again so he wouldn’t get lost on a rabbit trail.

“Yes?” Was all he managed to say out loud. He wanted to say so much more. But he couldn’t force the words across his lips.

His mouth tasted metallic. Like he had sucked on an old coin. Or maybe it was something else…

It was then he noticed the dampness of his lip and the fact he had bitten into it.

“Your lip!” He heard Kellen say but Ethan wasn’t sure if he was still sitting upright at this point. The edges of his vision were blurring.

A sudden weight hit his face. A compressed kitchen towel.

“Here, please.” Ethan let himself look up to where Kellen had moved to sit on the edge of the table. One leg dangling over the edge as the other planted firmly on the ground to steady himself in place.

“I... I have something to tell you. I think you’ll be excited.” Kellen finally said as he moved back to where he was seated before.

“Oh?” Ethan said quietly. “What is it?”

“I’ve spoken with the courts, they’ve agreed to allow me to renegotiate the terms of our custody agreement.”

The words felt like a slash through an old wound.

“You... what? Why? I see her so little as is…” he started to protest but was cut off.

“I know, and I don’t think it’s fair to you. I was in another place back then. And I was mad about losing you. I let my mother corrupt me. Your mother... she helped too you know? She has more rights to Evie than you do at the moment.”

Ethan huffed and let the towel drop to the table.

“What are we talking about here? When would I see her?”

He wanted to be happy but he was very much aware of the fact he shouldn’t trust Kellen entirely. Not when his mother was still alive and in charge of most everything involving her son.

“I have something else to tell you…” he reached his hand across the table towards Ethan’s the same way he used to when they were together.

Ethan stared at it and didn’t reach out to meet Kellen’s offer.

Kellen moved his hand away and sighed quietly.

“I don’t... ok well…” his voice became shaky. Like how Ethan’s was before.

But something in his blue eyes changed... it softened.

“Ethan, I’m just going to be honest with you. You deserve to know,”

Ethan’s eyes squinted at Kellen but he remained quiet except for a simple “Go on.”

“I realise now that I’ve never been only interested in women. Ethan, I’m bisexual. I think I took my anger out on you because I wasn’t comfortable with my own skin. And when you became a man... I couldn’t... I’m sorry.”

Well that was the last thing Ethan had expected to hear from Kellen. I mean seriously? Why even bring it up. At least there was an apology?

‘Hey sorry I ruined your life and stole our daughter. Sorry you missed her first tooth and first steps. Sorry you were publicly humiliated and speaking of, sorry my mother hired private detectives to dig up false accusations that I never defended you for. Yeah Ethan. Sorry for all that. But hey it’s no big deal, I’m into d*ck now too. See. Not so bad.’

He found himself standing only to regret it shortly after. The world went dark and he hit the floor.

What he assumed was a moment later he woke up and noticed he was still in Kellen’s flat with Kellen sitting there with him. Ethan’s head was in his lap and Kellen was giving him those eyes. ‘Goddammit not now Kellen…’ he thought as he wanted to be so angry.

After he steadied himself he finally sat up and turned to face Kellen. Both of them still sitting on the floor. They faced each other crisscrossed.

“Do you think this changes anything Kell? Do you think that this means I’ll be ok with everything you did... that your family did... the taunting and the teasing. You tried to assault me once! Did you forget about that? Hm?” He was furious. But the blood hadn’t quite returned to his brain yet so he knew he needed to try and maintain himself or he might faint again.

“No, of course not. I don’t think that would be fair. I just thought you should know…” his voice trailed off again. “I’m sorry.”

There was a long pause as they just stared at each other. Finally Kellen broke the silence.

“I don’t expect you to forgive me. I just wanted you to know. And I want you to have Evie too... before... before she starts school and all.”

Ethan watched him let out a breath. It looked like he had been holding it a while.

“I still love you... you know?” Kell said it softly. So softly Ethan’s brain stopped working and he found himself staring mindlessly at the person sitting in front of him.

“Yeah, well. That’s bloody lovely isn’t it? You’re several years too late. I’ve moved on. I’m happy Kellen.

We only still talk because we have a child together. If it weren’t for Evie I wouldn’t be here. I would be done with you. Like any sane person would.

But as it stands, I’m forced to work with you.

And we work well together when we want to so I’m not complaining.

Don’t think that this bloody confession and new proposal means that there will ever be anything between us again.”

The words fell out like a dam that had been retaining water for too long.

“I…” Kellen paused and stiffened. “You’ve made your point. Noted. Fine.” There was an eyeroll and Ethan wanted to strangle something but he managed to just huff.

Ethan’s pants pocket started vibrating and he realised that he was getting a text.

He took it out and checked the message.

‘On your way back can you grab some milk? We are out.’ — Holden, what an angel. He had given Ethan an excuse to see himself out.

“What?” Kellen asked as he watched Ethan checking his phone.

“I’ve got to go. Sorry for rushing off. But Holden needs me. We can finish this discussion later. Yeah?” Ethan stood up from the floor as the blood had finally filled his head again.

“Fine. I’ll let you know when and where we are meeting for negotiations.”

“Good that. Well have a great night. Congrats on the announcement by the way. I don’t want you thinking I’m being ingenuine. It took me by surprise is all. But I am really proud of you. I know we have our differences but we loved each other at one point.” He reached out to embrace Kellen in a hug and was surprised when he reciprocated.

“Thanks, I wasn’t trying anything by it. I swear. I just thought you should know.” Ethan let go first and he could almost sense the reluctance from Kellen.

He took a step back and put his phone away.

“I’ll have Evie over after class lets out.”

“Sounds good. Maybe take her for dinner because I’ll be a little late tomorrow. They rescheduled a meeting.”

“Will do. See you soon.”