“I know.” Marc grinned as he stepped into the shower. “We’re gonna have food for the entire weekend, I’m afraid, though,” he said while putting his hair up in a messy bun. “I ordered like seven different dishes.”
“Not the first time you go crazy ordering food.”
“That’s what happens when you leave me alone to order when I’m starving.”
“Now you gonna blame it on me?”
Water started running, cascading over those tight muscles. The glass was frosted from the waist down and he couldn’t see it all, but it didn’t matter. He was already enthralled by the way the liquid drew and molded to every delicious slope and valley of his torso. His shoulders. His pecs. His abs.
Chris hadn’t realized it before because both the living room and his bedroom were dimly lit compared to the bathroom, but Marc had some ridiculous shades of tan marks on his arms and legs. Even though they’d gone to the pool, the beach, and even lay down on their towels like lizards near the bus some days during the Burn to Rise touring festival, after spending most of their time under the sun, the tees and cargo pants were bound to leave their trace.
Still, the bassist was a stunning masterpiece, or maybe he looked like one, now more than ever, since Chris was aware of the pleasure he could provide.
As if he’d read his mind, Marc smirked. “It’s your fault.”
“Yeah, right.” He snorted, turning away to brush his hair. And yes, to avoid the intensity of his stare that was sending blood to his cock again.The fuck.“Anyway, did you also get those wonton dumplings?”
“Of course,” Marc scoffed as he lathered his body. “Who do you think I am?”
“A jackass?”
“That too.” He cackled alone, making Chris roll his eyes once more. “So, what are we gonna watch while eating?” he asked when he eased out of his laughter. “And don’t say you don’t care.” He raised a finger to stop him when he was about to answer. “We know how that shit is gonna end otherwise.”
Chris flashed him a cheeky smile. They would always say stuff like‘nah, you pick’,‘I don’t mind’,‘just put whatever’, and then spend an hour trying to decide between series or movies because nothing the other said convinced them.
“I really don’t care.”
“I was about to watchZodiacbefore you barged into my house.”
“One of those thrillers you love so much?” Chris twisted his mouth in disapproval.
“See? We can watch any of theDark Knightor fuckingAlienmovies again, since you love those so much,” he said as he slid the glass screen open and that dick came into complete view again.
Chris cleared his throat and looked away as fast as he could. Not quick enough though, because he didn’t miss the shit-eating grin on the bassist’s face as he asked him for one of the dry towels he kept in a small cabinet.
“Here,” Chris said as he handed it to him.
“Thank you,” Marc purred in a mocking tone that made the guitarist want to punch him in the nose.
Has he always been such a massive tease?
The doorbell rang and Chris let out the heaviest of relieved sighs.This was the perfect excuse to get away from naked Marc, who seemed so damn keen on making Chris’s world spin out of control.
“Gonna get that.”
“Scaredy cat.”
With a tight smile on his lips, Chris showed him the middle finger and tossed his wet towels in the sink. “Fuck you!”
Marc was playing with him, forcing him to accept and embrace his new self with no shame. And although he was out of his element, he didn’t hate itat all.
It was confusing and painful at times, excruciatingly so. Couldn’t deny it. This back and forth with his friend and the upheaval of emotions he had was driving him insane. But the things he felt when he peeked behind the door of these new dynamics were empowering. All he needed to do was to find common ground for the two halves of his soul constantly fighting and everything would be fine.Right?
Walking out of the bathroom with the bassist shouting at him that his wallet was on the console by the entrance, Chris pressed the buzzer to open the building door to the delivery guy. Then rushed to get dressed before he got to the apartment.
That was when he realized that while he was taking a shower, Marc had not only put clean sheets on the bed, but had also folded Chris’s clothes, leaving them on the armrest of the couch. He’d even set up the coffee table for two—chopsticks, glasses, plates, and beers.
His heart gave a violent kick.
