Call me kitten (boyxboy love) ✓

35. Nothing can go wrong with a Cosmo

Because my mom had helped me organize my poor closet, Ash had room for his clothes pretty well, even if he whined a little because he had to fold some of them instead of hanging them. I just had to tease him for it, but he seemed almost overly protective of his stuff and went on about the importance of treating certain garments in certain ways. At last he settled with only having one of his leather jackets hanging on a hanger.

He got a happier face when he saw the well-stocked fridge. Although I couldn't help noticing that he seemed tense somehow. He paced around, inspecting every shelf and every cupboard, restlessness radiating out from him. Was he worried how it would be to live with me? When I asked him, he threw himself on the couch with a sigh.

"No, I'm not worried, I'm just trying to shake off the afternoon," he said in a tired voice. "Met my baby brother today for the first time in ten years, you know."

I had totally forgotten about that. He had been forced to meet up with his family when moving out and here I was worrying that he wouldn't like it here. It was so much more than that for him. Carefully I sat down next to him and caressed the nape of his neck.

"Wanna talk about it?"

He shrugged and looked up at the ceiling. But then he seemed to make up his mind and lifted my legs up on his lap.

"The shitty thing is that I don't think Nathan is like them," he said and there was anger in his voice. "Not yet anyway. He seems like a good guy, but I guess it's just a matter of time before that'll change. That's what's pissing me off."

"Don't you think he can do as you did, break with them?" I asked.

"Maybe. Don't know. I think he might be a little too nice for that." He squeezed his eyes shut. "I want a drink. Just one. You have anything fun?"

Regretfully I shook my head. I could count the number of times I had booze at my place on the fingers of my one hand. Not because I didn't like to have a drink from time to time, but since I never had people over, I never saw a reason to have anything at home. But now I would give up my left arm just to be able to offer Ash a drink. Then the next best thing hit me. I could surprise him with a suggestion that he never would think I would make.

"We can go to Cupid's Den for a while, if you like?" I said and smiled.

Ash's eyes widened and he looked at me in astonishment. Mission accomplished. I smiled even bigger.

"Do you have a fever or something, or did you mean that?" he said.

"We can't stay there for long anyways, it's Sunday and all. But it seems like a great way to end the day, right?"

He was out of the couch in one twirling motion and dragged me up with him. The gloominess had almost disappeared from his eyes, and it made my mind ease up a bit. Now I would also be able to see what kind of place it was, as the only experience I had from before was that dreadful night when I had picked up a semi-conscious Ash there. I would probably like it better this time around. And I could cross out visiting a gay bar on my bucket list.

The place was unusually packed even though it was on a Sunday and the only reason we got a place in one of the booths was that Florian was there too and waved us in. Apparently, Nicola was away on a business trip and Florian felt lonely, so he offered us each a sickly-sweet shot of some unknown origin. As I sat down, I discreetly glanced around. In my head I had this stupid notion of what a gay bar would be like. Filled with leather clad guys in mustaches and loud disco music. That was not the case. There wasn't really any different from an ordinary bar, except that you couldn't see many couples consisting of opposite sexes.

Florian was accompanied by a girl in her thirties that seemed to know Ash and she presented herself as Amanda and looked at me with curious eyes.

"I haven't seen you here before, are you new in town?" she asked.