“You claim to have a nice family. How did you grow up so mean?” Roach shook his head, glad to have finally reached their home. He had another old hoodie in there. It was splashed with paint but would have to do for now.
“Every nice family needs its black sheep,” Zane said, pacing around the room with a stiff expression. “You know, like an openly gay son who’s an embarrassment to everyone else.”
Roach added the new layer for warmth, then grabbed a bag to stuff some of the non-perishable food in it. Gale didn’t have a microwave but he did own one of those electric kettles, so ramen noodles would work for him.
He stilled, his mind racing as he glanced at Zane. “Did they hurt you?”
Zane’s gaze met his for tense seconds, until Zane looked away, shrugging. “Define ‘hurt’. Dad smacked me a few times, but the way he sometimes talked to me was much more painful.”
Nothing serious then.
“Oh, boo hoo. You’re living the life now, so what’s your problem with me helping someone who’s much worse off? Even if Gale does have a little crush on me, nothing’s gonna happen.”
“I don’t trust you,” Zane said curtly, waiting at the door as if he didn’t want Roach to forget they were leaving together.
Roach shook his head and threw more snacks into the bag. “Wow. Ladies and gentlemen. My boyfriend.”
“You get what you deserve.”
Roach pondered that in silence. Maybe it was true. He wasn’t a good person, so why would he expect a nice boyfriend? He grabbed a pair of gloves and pushed them into Zane’s hands on the way out, just to show his moral superiority.
“No?” Zane continued to buzz as he followed him out of the room and back into the cold. “You won’t try to convince me what a great guy you are?”
Roach shrugged. “You know I’m not. Maybe I’m a lying scumbag who’s actually been fucking Gale on the side all along?” He was a shit for saying that and enjoying how it ignited a fire in Zane’s eyes. It felt good to know he was an object of jealousy, even if for the wrong reasons.
“Then you will be sorry very very soon,” Zane said, and looked around, still uncomfortable with the cold despite having taken Roach’s jacket. He had no idea where Gale lived. Of course.
“I’m terrified. You gonna fuck me only every other day?” Roach turned the corner at the side of the building and climbed the narrow stairs to the second floor. The hallway smelled of piss, which was to be expected at this time of year, when nobody wanted to freeze their dick off out in the open, but Zane ignored it and followed Roach wordlessly, like a dog in the manger who wouldn’t let Roach fuck him but was worried over someone tempting Roach into their bed for some of that.
Roach stopped in front of Gale’s door, wiggling his eyebrows and hovering his hand over the plywood. “Last chance, Zane. You gonna let me have some of that sweet ass, or do I have to go to Gale?”
Zane scowled and kicked Roach’s shin—not hard enough to make him stumble but it was meant to hurt. What a touchy subject.
“Don’t fuck with me.”
“Well, I guess I won’t,” Roach grumbled, but didn’t waste any more time on Zane’s petty bullshit and knocked. The sooner he dropped off the groceries, the sooner he could eat himself. Maybe once Zane stuffed himself full with burgers and dessert, his attitude would turn less sour too.
Something thumped inside the room, as if Gale had knocked over a chair. Had he been asleep?
Zane exhaled. “What did you mean that his business isn’t going well?” he asked, though at least he had the decency of lowering his voice.
“It means he’s not working much, and I’ve heard Culver complaining that Gale’s late on rent. He’s… still really young. Sooner or later, something needs to change,” Roach said, thinking back to all those times he’d seen Gale bruised or sleeping somewhere outside even though his room was so close
He frowned at the door and knocked again, but while it unlocked, Gale didn’t open it for them.
“Can we come in?” he asked, staring at Zane with a frown, but his lover had less tact than him and pushed the door in, only to have it stuck halfway open.
Roach stepped back, blinking at the dusky interior, but when he lowered his gaze and spotted legs lying prone on the floor, he pushed Zane out of his way and entered, his hand hitting the light switch.
The scent of sweat and instant ramen was thick in the air. A lamp had fallen off the nightstand, and the comforter trailed off the bed as if it had been tightly wrapped around Gale’s body and dropped to the floor as Gale made his way to the entrance.