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Kurt returns as the kettle dings Our routine is s when there are two knocks, low on er than caffeine But Kurt looks at me in confusion as if to say, I’m already here?

"I could let myself in," Josh says, in cheerful spirits "But I won’t, because that’d be rude Also, youdressed, and that’d be--"

"She’s dressed," Kurt says "Co idea

"Hey," he says There’s an uneasy pause "So I guess you’ve stopped propping this open?"

I actually, literally sot"

Kurt slides over my physics textbook with his foot, and I shove it underneath the door "Nate was out last night," he says, "so I stayed over"

Josh enters the room, but his arms are crossed Unsure "You slept here?"

"Yes," Kurt says

I srimly "Not to be a cliché? But it’s really not what it sounds like"

Josh uncrosses his arms "No, I know" He shakes his head and starts to cross theain, but he catches himself His hands ht want to get some breakfast Lunch Whatever it is I’ll come back--"

"No!" I say "Join us We have bread and terrible coffee Yeah? Huh, huh?"

"You do "

My smile softens "Come on Stay"

Josh returns the smile, at last "Fine But only because I feel sorry for you Clearly an angry gangwhat one chin can do"

Kurt studies us from the bed as if he’d chanced upon a pair of wild beasts in their natural habitat

Josh’s expression falls "I’" My smile widens as I drop a spoonful of powdered coffee into the Oktoberfest stein "I only have two izing"

I add the hot water and give hirins I take a seat beside Kurt and thrust half of uette at Josh, who protests with a waved hand I insist He accepts We’re bordering on uncomfortable silence territory

I’m relieved when Josh turns to Kurt "You know, there’s so I’ve always been curious about I once saw your name written down on a list in the head’s office Your full nahs Heavily "I was born the week Kurt Cobain died My parents were friends with him, so they named me in his honour"

Josh freezes, Nutella-smeared knife mid-air "They were friends with hiuitarist for Dreck"

"The early nineties grunge band," I say "They had that one hit, ‘No One Saw Me’?"

"Yeah" Josh shakes his head "Yeah, I knoho they are"