The sounds he was making were like nothing he'd heard from his own mouth since his mom died, and his damned body betrayed him one more time because it was physically impossible to hold the sobs back.He cried against Eli's neck until he couldn't breathe.And the whole time, Eli just held him and rubbed his shoulder with one hand and said nothing.
But eventually Tyler had to man up and stop sniveling.He pulled back and wiped his face with the back of his hand.Eli let him go and they stood looking at each other in the cooling entryway.
“Sorry.”Tyler's voice was rough and thick, but at least it was a real word.
“What can I do?”Eli asked.“What do you need?”
“That...that was good.It was...Thank you.”
“Anytime.How about a shower?We have instant hot water, no waiting.”
“That would be good.”Tyler rubbed at his nose again.Snot, yuck.He tried to see how much of a mess he'd made of Eli's shirt but the light was too dim.
“Come on.”Eli picked up one of the bags and led the way to the bathroom.He pulled a towel out of a cupboard, and dug around in the plastic bag.“Here, clean shorts.”The boxers had little American flags on them and Eli colored.“It was what they had.Sorry.”
“No.”Tyler clutched them to his chest with the towel.“It's fine.Thanks.”
“I'll leave you to it.”Eli hung on the door for a moment, looking dubiously at him.“You'll be okay on your own?”
I've showered on my own my whole life.Although, Tyler had to admit he probably wasn't giving off an aura of competence about now.“I'm fine.”Only after the door shut did he wonder if that had been code for, “Do you want me to stay and join you?”Stephen said Eli was interested.And if he was...Tyler skinned off the borrowed clothes and stepped under the water.Even if Eli was more into Tyler than he'd realized, Tyler wasn't ready for any sexy water games.Not now.Not tonight.Not even if his dick stood half-erect in blind anticipation.He pushed it down roughly and it sprang back, tempting him with the thought of Eli sharing the spray, putting his hand there.Not now.
When he got out of the shower, the bathroom had cooled with some very effective AC.He shivered and wrapped the towel around himself.The boxers were slightly stiff but clean.He pulled the shorts and hoodie back over them and stepped out the door.
Eli glanced up quickly from where he was waiting, leaning against the opposite wall.“You're okay?”
“I'm good.”
“Hungry?Thirsty?”
“No.”Tyler's stomach twisted.He should really eat, because this was clearly going to be a six-ibuprofen night, but he wasn't sure he could keep anything down.And...he didn't have any meds with him.“Fuck!”
“What?”
“Do your folks have any aspirin?”
Eli sighed and pointed at the bag by his feet.“Giant bottle of ibuprofen in there.I haven't been your roomie for two years for nothing.”
“Thanks.You're a lifesaver.And you said something about a bed.”
“I'll show you the bed if you eat something along with the pills,” Eli said.“I put Twinkies in there, and mini donuts, and chips.”
All the junk food Tyler craved and resisted eating as an elite gymnast.“I guess quitting will have its perks, eh?”he said hoarsely.
Eli hesitated, then took one step to put himself face to face with Tyler.“More than one perk.If you want them.”He cupped Tyler's face between his soft palms, leaned in, and brushed Tyler's mouth with his.Tyler froze, stunned, feeling that kiss heat his whole body.Before he could draw breath to speak, Eli had stepped past him into the bathroom and closed the door.
Holy shit!Holy, holy shit.Tyler raised a finger to his mouth, touching his lip.There was really no misreading that.Eliwasstill interested.
In a daze, Tyler wandered down the hall, bag in hand.One room was obviously the master suite, with a giant wooden sleigh-bed and heavy furniture.The next room held a queen-size with a gray comforter.Tyler felt like he couldn't go one step further.He dropped on the bed flat on his back.The bag in his hand dangled off the edge, and he briefly thought about making the effort to look inside it and find his meds and food, but it wasn't worth moving.It wasn't until the bed dipped under Eli's weight that he realized he'd almost drifted off.
“Here.”Eli untangled the plastic handle from his fingers, and peeked inside.“You haven't opened anything.Do you want to just sleep?”
It sounded so good.Just sleep, and sleep, but eventually unless he was lucky enough to die in his sleep he would have to wake up, and then if he hadn't taken any anti-inflammatories he might not make it out of the bed.He raised himself on his elbows with a groan.“Just the Advil.”
“No dice.”Eli grabbed a pillow and stuffed it under Tyler's shoulders.He pulled out a Twinkie.“Here, eat that while I get the bottle open.”
It felt easier to follow directions than to protest.Tyler bit into the totally non-food substance of sponge and sweetness, practically feeling his taste buds go into shock.He watched Eli wrestle the childproof cap off the pill bottle.
Eli raised an eyebrow.“How many?”
