Gerard murmured "Cal," and didn't push it. Even his Cal had a sometimes complicated relationship with his name, but permitted it from Gerard because if what it meant to him... a bit like how Gerard stopped dying his hair because of how Cal made it into something different than another reflection of his mother in him.

That was his Cal though, not this one. He let go with a final squeeze and stepped back. Fuck, right, the tea. He busied himself with getting that poured.

"Sorry," he said again. For bringing it up. For the hug without asking, the full name in a backwards sort of too familiar when using it. "I'll get the milk and sugar, just a sec-"