Dimitri gave him a suspicious look. “It’s not a love story between a city girl and a country bumpkin?”
“Well, okay it kind of is, but it’s still different.”
Dimitri’s expression was dubious. “How?”
“This one’s gay!”
“To be fair, all of those movies are pretty gay.”
Arlo glowered at him. “That’s offensive.”
Dimitri snorted. “Hey, if I am gay enough to dick you down, I’m gay enough to say those movies are kinda gay.” Before Arlo could protest, Dimitri frowned. “Uh, baby…what is smoking behind you?”
Arlo spun around, a distressed whine leaving him as he took in the pot on the stove. “Oh. Oh, no. Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God,” he chanted, disappointment ricocheting through him like a bullet. I gotta go. Hurry home. Bye.”
“Babe—”
Arlo hung up, yanking the pot off the burner and staring down at the black gelatinous ooze at the bottom. He hadn’t remembered turning the burner on. He flinched at the sound of four beeps and a click, glancing up just in time to see Dimitri fall through the door. “Baby! Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” he huffed, shoulders sagging as he stared at his ruined concoction.
Dimitri entered his space, wrapping muscular arms around him from behind. He was warm. Arlo leaned back against him without thought, inhaling the scent of his spicy deodorant and expensive cologne.
Dimitri peered over Arlo’s shoulder. He watched his nosewrinkle from her periphery. “What is that”
Arlo sighed, forlorn. The acrid smell coming from the pan almost overpowered Dimitri’s reassuring scent. “Itwashot chocolate.”
“Oh,” he said, voice light. “Are you sure?”
Arlo huffed, giving him a dirty look over his shoulder. “What else would it be?”
Dimitri grinned, taking the wooden spoon from the counter and poking at the mess at the bottom of the pan, both of them recoiling when it hissed then rolled to the opposite side of the pan.
“Um, I’m pretty sure you accidentally made a symbiote,” he said, poking at it again. “You know, like Venom.”
Arlo whined low. “Don’t be mean.”
Dimitri chuckled. “Who’s being mean? Venom is way cooler than any hot chocolate recipe.”
Arlo sighed, becoming dead weight in Dimitri’s arms. “Everything is ruined. Totally ruined.”
He tried not to succumb to the sinking feeling, but it was slowly overtaking him.
Dimitri hugged him tighter, nuzzling his nose into his neck, words vibrating against him as he said, “Nothing is ruined, baby. We can try and make it again if you want. Together.”
“Why bother?” Arlo mumbled. “I just wanted tonight to be perfect.”
Dimitri’s lips traveled along the skin of his neck, up to his jaw, pressing a kiss to just behind his ear. “Our perfect night doesn’t have anything to do with hot chocolate flavored symbiotes,” Dimitri said. “We can still make the best of it.”
“You mean watch reruns ofThe Officeand eat pizza in our underwear?” Arlo asked, sullen.
Dimitri bit his earlobe. “That does sound nice. But I mostly just meant having dinner together and then going to bed. Together.”
Arlo nodded, even as his eyes filled with tears. He tried to blink them away. But he wasn’t fast enough. “Okay. Let’s just…do that.” Dimitri fell silent. Arlo tried to free himself, but he held firm. “What are you doing?”
“Comforting you.”
“I’m fine,” Arlo said, then promptly sniffled.
