The twins' birthday party was a couple weeks later, and it was hard to tell who was more nervous: Enzo or Harper.

They were nervous for different reasons, obviously, and they manifested it in different ways. Harper was bouncing on the balls of his feet all morning, making sure the presents were wrapped and asking Luca if it was time to go yet.

Meanwhile, Enzo was as still as a statue, his eyes huge as Luca tried to coax him into getting ready for the day.

"I'll be right there," he assured Enzo over and over again, to no avail. Enzo just sat on the bed, eyes dark and unreadable. Harper had tugged Luca into the bedroom a few minutes ago, complaining that Enzo wasn't getting up, and that's how Luca found him.

He handed Enzo a T-shirt, wondering if he would have to help the wooden borrower put it on. "Harper will be safe. You will be safe. I'm not letting anybody hurt either of you," he said firmly.

When Enzo still didn't respond, Luca just sat on the edge of the bed with him and rubbed his back until the older borrower sighed and started getting dressed, his movements stiff. Luca tried not to smile as he watched him.

Poor guy, he thought, thinking back to all the kids' birthday parties he used to take David to. They were by no means a tame event. Today's going to be a lot for him. 

And then it was time to go. Luca held Enzo's hand in the car while simultaneously helping Harper run through the happy birthday song for the millionth time. The borrowers' nerves were starting to get to him, though Luca knew they would be fine. 

He would make sure of it.

***

Enzo figured that if a human didn't kill him, then anxiety certainly would. After arriving at the human's house, Luca led them into the backyard, and they all froze at the scene before them.

To Enzo's horror, the entire place was absolutely crawling with humans. There were two long tables, one filled with food and the other with presents. Little kids ran across the sun-soaked grass, shrieking with laughter, every single one of them bigger than Harper. A huge, brightly colored building stood off to the side, kids jumping around inside.

Enzo almost turned around on the spot, but Harper's grip on his hand was too tight, his little brother's eyes wide with excitement.

Harper kept fidgeting, eyeing the balloons, cake, and what Enzo could only presume to be the bounce house. He looked like he would vibrate out of existence if Enzo didn't turn him loose, so with a sigh, Enzo gave him a little nudge.

"Go on," he said, before he could lose his nerve. "Make sure to check back in ten minutes. Stay where we can see you."

His little brother tore off without a second thought, running right up to Collin and Samantha, who were turned away from him and talking with another friend.

Enzo watched as Harper tapped them on the shoulders, and when they turned around, big smiles split their faces as they hugged Harper.

"You made it!" he heard Collin exclaim, and Harper grinned.

"Yeah!" He held out the wrapped gifts shyly. "These are for you," he said.

"Oh, thanks!" Samantha grabbed both presents and put them on a long table behind them. "We'll open them when we cut the birthday cake."

She took Harper's hand and tugged him towards the bounce house. "C'mon!" she exclaimed, and Harper followed her, Collin on their heels. "Let's go play!"

Enzo craned his neck to be able to see Harper better. He suddenly felt a warm weight on his lower back, and he startled before whipping his head around.

Luca stood there, gently pushing him forward.

"C'mon," he murmured. "We'll see Harper better by the gift table. He'll be fine. We'll watch him the whole time."

Enzo nodded and followed him, sticking by his side. Within a few minutes, however, that Melissa human approached them, another woman beside her.

"Luca, hey!" she greeted with a smile. To Enzo's surprise, Melissa also turned to him. "It's good to see you, too, Enzo."

He barely nodded back, but at least Luca didn't have to elbow him this time to prompt him to respond. Maybe talking to those humans at the climbing gym was good for something. 

Melissa gestured to the woman next to her. "I just wanted to introduce you guys to my sister, Charlene," she said. "Sam and Collin can't stop talking about Harper, and she's been dying to meet you."

Enzo was immediately on alert at that, and he narrowed his eyes. She wanted to meet us? he thought warily. Why?

He looked the new human woman up and down. She looked a lot like Melissa, with the same dark hair and dark eyes. She was smaller, though, her frame narrower. Her eyes were patient and bright, and she wore a friendly smile. As Enzo watched, she nodded eagerly at Melissa's words.

"Oh, you guys have no idea how thrilled I am that you and Harper could make it," she exclaimed. "Sam and Collin have been talking about Harper nonstop all month, saying how he's the fastest kid they've ever met."

She laughed a little. "And you would not believe how many how many mini heart attacks they've given me as they've tried to replicate the way he climbs on the playground. They were overjoyed when Melissa told us that you'd be coming."

Luca smiled, saving Enzo from having to answer. "Harper's been the same way," he said. "He's been looking forward to the birthday party ever since Sam and Collin invited him. They're his first friends since he moved here."

Charlene smiled back and looked over at the kids. Harper was now in a tree retrieving a balloon that had gotten stuck while Sam and Collin cheered him on. Enzo stared, too, much preferring to see Harper alone in a tree than on the ground with so many human gremlin children.

"Well, he's certainly stolen Sam's and Collin's little hearts," Charlene joked. "I homeschool them, so it's not too often they get to meet kids their age. We have a homeschool group that meets once a week, but they haven't hit it off with anyone like they have with Harper. In fact, they've been badgering me constantly about inviting Harper over." 

Enzo looked at her uneasily, not liking where this was going. It was one thing to attend this... this birthday party event. Birthdays only happened once a year, after all. But... coming over? He didn't want to have to come back here. 

Charlene wasn't done yet. "I was thinking that since you live in the same building as Mel, that means you don't live too far from us," she pointed out. "We'd love for Harper to come over for a playdate sometime, if you're comfortable with that. We're not doing much this summer besides swim lessons, so we're pretty flexible on days to meet."

Enzo's heart froze. He had no idea what a playdate was, but he most certainly wasn't about to let Harper make visiting humans a regular occurrence. He was just about to say so when Luca caught his eye and shook his head ever so slightly. 

"I'm sure Harper would love that," Luca said. "We'll talk it over at home and let you know. Could I get your number?"

Charlene nodded and pulled out her phone, and after exchanging numbers, one of the other parents pulled her and Melissa away, leaving Luca and Enzo on their own again.

Enzo watched her go, still feeling uneasy. "Luca..." he began, but his human just rubbed his back for a minute.

"Let's talk about it at home," he suggested. "And just focus on Harper for now."

Enzo hesitated, but he nodded, inching closer to Luca and trying to relax.

The party continued, and true to his word, Luca kept an eye on Harper the whole time, waving him down every ten minutes to check in. Harper wasn't the biggest fan of these interruptions to his playtime, but he didn't complain as Enzo looked him over and asked how he was feeling. 

Aside from that, Harper had never looked happier. He was the smallest kid there, but judging by everyone's smiles, the other kids seemed to like him just fine. It looked like everything was... fine. Just like Luca had said.

Despite the lack of surprising size changes or cruel humans, Enzo still had a hard time enjoying the party. He did end up relaxing a bit as he hung out next to Luca, his human's tall, steady presence a comforting reminder that even if the unthinkable did happen, Luca was well-equipped to handle it. 

But Enzo quickly realized that his inability to enjoy himself was actually Luca's fault— or rather, the fault of all the people who came up to talk to him. 

Just like at the climbing gym, Luca was sucked into conversation after conversation by kids and adults alike. Even Harper pulled him away from Enzo, tugging him into games like freeze tag or something called pin the tail on the donkey.

Luca was still attentive to Enzo, though, constantly glancing down at him to check in. He made sure Enzo got food and water and reminded Harper to eat, too. But even though Luca was perfect, as usual, Enzo was still... bothered. 

He watched it all, feeling more and more overwhelmed as the party and voices whirled around him. The same feeling that he got at the gym rose up in his chest as well, that angry, jealous feeling when he saw Luca with Elise. He stood still with it, trying to figure out where it was coming from.

It didn't take him long to realize what was happening. As he watched Luca laugh with one of the other parents, his light eyes squinched up and his silver hair brushed back in the breeze, Enzo was suddenly able to pinpoint exactly what was causing the feeling.

He was upset because... because he wanted Luca. All to himself.

***

Luca considered the party both a success and a failure. A success because Harper had an absolute blast. He chattered nonstop all the way home, going on and on about the people he met and the fun he had, describing the games he played in great detail.

But it was also a failure in the sense that Enzo looked absolutely shell shocked. He was stock still and silent all the way home, only responding to Harper if his little brother specifically called for him in the middle of his happy ramble.

Luca sent Harper into the bathroom to shower and put on pj's once they got home, promising him a movie night after dinner. Harper trotted off obediently, face aglow at such a perfect end to a perfect day. 

And then it was just Luca and Enzo, alone in the entryway.

Enzo stood motionless next to the side table, the same table that Luca had first found him under all those years ago. Luca couldn't help but think about how different his life would be if he hadn't seen Enzo back then. 

He certainly wouldn't be living in this apartment anymore, that was for sure. And he... wouldn't have Enzo and Harper in his life, either. Luca shuddered at the thought. Without even realizing it, those two had become his whole world. 

Thinking of this now, Luca remembered he still had one borrower to cheer up. He hung up his keys and turned to Enzo, stooping a little to peer into Enzo's downturned face.

"Well?" Luca prodded, nudging Enzo's chin up. "How was it? Not a total bust, I hope."

Luca was expecting a sharp glare and a biting retort. Maybe even an eye roll and the silent treatment. He definitely wasn't expecting Enzo to let out a shuddering sigh before half-collapsing against his chest.

Surprised, Luca caught him and wrapped him in his arms, holding his close.

What's this? he wondered, trying to breathe slowly to calm his suddenly racing heart. What's gotten into him?

"Damn, Enz," Luca said aloud, trying to keep his tone light. "That bad?"

"I don't want to do that again," came Enzo's muffled voice from the direction of his chest. "There were so many humans. I was so worried about Harper the whole time."

Luca rubbed his shoulders, concerned by how tight they were.

"It's ok, Enz," he said. "It all turned out alright. And Harper had a great time! You did good. I'm sure you're brother of the year in Harper's eyes."

Enzo didn't say anything, so Luca just shut his mouth and focused on holding him. For someone so small, Luca could never get over just how tough Enzo's body felt against his. Whether it was the muscles the borrower had built up over the years or the tense way he carried himself, Enzo always felt like a marble statue.

When Enzo still didn't lighten up, Luca pressed him closer to his chest. "Shh," he soothed, figuring Enzo just needed some comfort and reassurance. "Harper's home. He's safe. You're home. You're safe. Everything's ok. You can relax now."

Enzo let out a shaky breath, and Luca felt his shoulders drop a fraction.

"There we go," Luca murmured, his lips pressed against Enzo's dark hair. "I know today was a lot. You did so well."

After a few more minutes, Enzo finally pulled away, rubbing at his eyes tiredly. 

"Thanks," he mumbled. "I needed that."

And then he was gone, off to check on Harper.

Luca watched him go, already missing the warmth of Enzo in his arms.

I don't know what he meant by that, Luca thought, gazing after him wistfully, but I don't think I can go much longer without telling him how I feel. 

_____________________________________________________________

A/N: Enzo is just an overstimulated introvert who believes that going outside will literally kill him. Relatable.

Also... NEXT. CHAPTER. We are finally getting a confession. I'm actually quite curious- who do you think confesses first? Luca? Enzo? Don't forget to comment and vote!