Chapter 12: Pancake Promises

Miss Ruby's Diner was packed with the after-church crowd, but they managed to snag their usual corner booth. Z slid in first, immediately grabbing for the kid's menu despite knowing it by heart. Ti settled in across from him, trying not to react when Reece chose to sit on his side instead of with Z like usual.

"Ain't you got that thing memorized?" Reece asked his son, but his leg was pressed warm against Ti's under the table.

"Gotta make sure they didn't add anything new," Z replied seriously, tongue poking out as he studied the familiar laminated page.

"Mhm." Reece's voice held that hint of softness it always did with Z. To anyone else he probably looked stern as ever, but Ti had learned to read the subtle shifts in his expression.

Ruby herself came to take their order, her grey hair caught up in its usual neat bun. "Well if it ain't my favorite Sunday crew," she winked at Z. "Let me guess - chocolate chip pancakes?"

"With extra whipped cream?" Z tried, giving her his best pleading look.

"Boy, you trying to bounce off walls all day?" Reece raised an eyebrow, but Ti caught the amusement in his tone.

"Half portion of whipped cream," Ruby decided diplomatically. "And for you two?"

"Usual," Reece said, not bothering to look at the menu.

"Same," Ti added, hyperaware of Reece's thigh still pressed against his.

Ruby's knowing look flickered between them before she headed off with their orders. Ti wondered how obvious they were, or if she was just good at reading people after thirty years of running the diner.

"Ti, can you do the chalk drawings with me?" Z asked, already pulling the little box of restaurant crayons closer.

"After you eat," Reece said firmly. "Don't want mess on them church clothes."

Z's pout lasted approximately three seconds before he got distracted telling them about his Sunday school lesson. Ti listened, sneaking glances at Reece who was watching his son with that fierce tenderness that made Ti's chest tight.

Their food arrived in Ruby's efficient way - plates hitting the table with practiced precision. Z immediately dove into his pancakes while Reece doctored his coffee.

"Here." Reece pushed the sugar closer to Ti without being asked, knowing how he took his coffee by now. Their fingers brushed in the passing and neither pulled away quite as quick as they maybe should have.

They fell into comfortable silence broken only by Z's happy humming around mouthfuls of pancake. Ti felt Reece's leg shift, pressing more deliberately against his. When he glanced over, Reece was focused on his food, but there was a tension in his jaw that said he knew exactly what he was doing.

"Daddy?" Z's voice was sticky-sweet with syrup. "Can Ti come to my soccer game Saturday?"

Ti felt Reece go still beside him. They hadn't ventured into territory like this yet - public outings that weren't their usual breakfast or haircuts. This was something else entirely.

"If he wants," Reece said carefully, and Ti heard the question in it.

"I want," Ti answered both the spoken and unspoken. Under the table, Reece's knee bumped his in what felt like thanks.

Z beamed, face smeared with chocolate. "You can sit with Daddy! He always stands by himself anyway 'cause he says the other parents talk too much."

"They do," Reece muttered, but there was a pleased set to his shoulders that hadn't been there before.

Later, when Z was occupied with his chalk art and they were nursing fresh coffees, Reece spoke low enough that only Ti could hear: "Don't gotta come if you got other plans."

"Want to," Ti repeated firmly. "Unless you don't want-"

"Told you I did," Reece cut him off, voice gruff but eyes soft when they met Ti's.

And there it was - another small step forward, another careful piece slotting into place between them. Ti hid his smile in his coffee cup, watching Z create elaborate chalk worlds while Reece's leg stayed pressed warm against his.

Some things didn't need words. Not yet anyway.