Rey
I was wiped out when I made it inside. I took off my jacket and shoes, and Lake came to hug me and asked me if I wanted to just go upstairs, and I nodded.
“I might want to eat upstairs too. Tell Madden he’s welcome to come to my room,” I added before I started on the stairs.
Lake would know it also meant I didn’t want anyone else to come to check up on me.
I trudged up the stairs and down the hall, grimacing when I realized I couldn’t just faceplant on my bed. Instead, I went to use the bathroom and then, since I was there, I took a long shower. Showering had always been a self-care thing for me, even before I learned the term.
I dried myself about halfway, then started to dry my hair as I stepped back into my room.
“Whoa, warn a guy!” Madden exclaimed.
I guess I was too drained emotionally to be startled, because I just lowered the towel and looked at him. “What?”
“I don’t need to see your junk,” he whined, hand covering his eyes.
I snorted and turned the dresser to put on some underwear. “This better?” I asked, sticking my ass out, because I knew it was a very nice ass.
“I don’t need to see your ass, either,” he grumped, then dramatically flopped down on my bed and winced.
“Wait…” I frowned and went to sit next to him. “You’re not…?”
“Gay?” He lifted his head to look at me. “No, I don’t think so.”
At my dumbfounded expression, he sighed. “Picture this,” he started, then did the whole hand gesture of drawing it across an invisible screen or canvas, whichever it was supposed to be. “You’re born in a family where there’s no comfort anywhere, all your mother’s boyfriends are conservative assholes, and then you’re suddenly on the streets having to do whatever it takes to keep your baby sister alive.”
I winced. I could guess where this was going. “You’ve never had the mental space to figure that shit out.”
“Yep.” He popped the P and shrugged. “I’m not too fussed about it, either.”
“Well, Ben is ace,” I said thoughtfully. “And Theo is on the ace scale too, I think. In case you need anyone to talk to.”
Madden snorted. “You know, if I ever needed someone to talk to, I’m pretty sure I could find someone in this house. I just…I don’t know. Like I know I’m attracted to people, I just haven’t ever made any conclusions about it. I figured that if someone comes along that I find interesting in that way, I’ll know.” He shrugged again, as if it was no big deal.
“Huh. That’s…a mature way to look at it, I guess.”
He smiled wryly. “Oh, I know. Thanks anyway.” Then he looked at me. “You’re gay though?”
I shrugged again. “Maybe pansexual? I’m still trying to wrap my brain around the fact that sexual and romantic attraction can be totally different.”
Madden frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Like some people are bisexual, but only feel romantic attraction toward their own or the opposite sex, not both. Or like Ben is asexual, but he’s not aromantic. I think he said he thinks he’s River-romantic, which is cute, but you know.” I waved my hand, smiling. “Anyway, it can be different. You could be gay as in homosexual but be able to fall in love with multiple genders. That sort of stuff.”
“Huh. That’s interesting.”
“You really need to do research, my man,” I teased him, and he rolled his eyes.
“I won’t let him buy me a laptop, for fuck’s sake.”
“Aww, don’t let your wannabe father down now, Madden.”
He poked at my side, and we were flopping and rolling on the bed, laughing when the door opened.
“I tried knocking but you guys were laughing too hard to hear,” Jack rumbled.
He was holding a tray with one hand and looked at us like we were a little crazy.
