“I’ll buy lunch tomorrow,” Adam agreed. “And I’ll try to do better at keeping you fed.” He wasn’t used to looking out for anyone but himself, and it hadn’t occurred to him to worry over making sure Alec ate. He’d been too caught up in his own calculations of money and food to realize that he’d been preventing Alec from eating.

Keeping hold of Alec’s hand, Adam rubbed his thumb along the side of Alec’s. He felt happy to be simply holding hands with someone who wanted to be holding hands with him.

He kept quiet as they got food and headed outside to eat, since the weather was sunny. Sitting close beside Alec so their knees touched, Adam watched him quietly for a couple minutes. “I do want to take it slow,” he said at last, then bit and chewed, thinking over his words before letting them out. “With sex. I want to kiss you, and I like being in contact with you. I’m not ready for anything past that.”