They took an Uber back to Cory’s place, and by the time they made it back to Cory’s apartment the other man had lost his maudlin mood and seemed to be excited for the evening of gaming ahead.
“We haven’t done this in years,” he said, hooking up his PlayStation to the TV while John looking through his collection of games to find something they could play.
“I know. Not since college.” He held up a World War Two game that they’d both been obsessed with and grinned. “For old times sake?”
“Let’s do it,” Cory said, grabbing the controllers and sitting down on the couch. John put the game in the console and sat down next to him, taking a controller of his own and propping his feet up on the coffee table.
“You’re going down,” he said, shooting Cory a cocky grin.
Cory snorted, shaking his head as the menu loaded. “You fucking wish.”
***
“So what happened with the asshole at Club Thorn?” Cory asked after about an hour of playing. He was kicking John’s ass and it was frustrating as hell.
“We’re dating,” John said. He frowned when Cory managed to sneak up behind him and kill him—again. Cory paused the game and turned to look at him.
“Seriously?” His voice was incredulous. “That possessive dickwad?”
“He’s not too bad,” John shrugged, smiling at just the thought of Carter. He knew that Carter had behaved pretty horribly the last time Cory had seen him, but it wasn’t like John had just rolled over and taken it. He’d made it clear that Carter’s jealousy was unacceptable and Carter had apologized.
“If you say so,” Cory said, looking back at the TV. “Is it serious?”
There was that hateful question again.
“I think so,” John said, wondering if the answer was just wishful thinking. “But it’s complicated.”
“Because he’s a werewolf?”
John shrugged. “Pretty much, yes. His pack doesn’t know that he likes humans and he doesn’t want them to know. That’s why he uses Club Thorn. The non-disclosure agreement everyone has to sign protects him.”
“And because he’s kinky as hell,” Cory said. “I’ve seen him down in the public play area. Dude can fuck like there’s no tomorrow and he likes to be rough.”
John shrugged, not liking the idea of anyone seeing Carter fuck. He was pretty sure that Carter hadn’t been going to Club Thorn without him, but now that he thought about it he realized that he and Carter had never agreed to be exclusive.
“We’re pretty compatible in the bedroom.”
Cory gave him a considering stare. “Why did we never hook up again?” he asked, making John choke on his own spit. The question came out of nowhere.
“Because we’re friends and the one time we kissed it was awkward as hell,” John reminded him.
Cory ducked his head and laughed at the memory. “Oh yeah, fuck, I remember that. You kept pushing your tongue into my mouth like you were trying to lick the back of my throat.”
“You just sat there with your mouth open!” John defended himself. The kiss had truly been the worst he’d ever had, and by far the most awkward.
“I’m glad we never hooked up,” Cory mused, looking down at his hands. “I’d be sad if you weren’t my friend any more.”
John nudged him with his elbow. “We could still have been friends even if we’d broken up. You never know.”
“Neither one of us has ever stayed friends with one of our exes,” Carter pointed out. He reached down to the coffee table and grabbed his beer, taking a sip. “Even the ones that started out as friends.”
John had to give him that. He grabbed his own beer, tipping the can up high and finishing it as he wondered what it would have been like to date Cory.
He didn’t think he’d have liked it. Cory was a good friend, but as a boyfriend he was an unattractive mix of needy and standoffish that John quite frankly didn’t think he had the temperament to put up with.
“I’m going to get another beer. Do you want one?” John rose from the couch, crushing his empty can and looking down at Cory.
“No, I’m good,” Cory said, yawning and stretching his back. “You were right. I don’t want a hangover tomorrow at work.”
“Good thinking,” John said. He walked into the kitchen and found himself another beer, spending a second looking at and judging the mess that was Cory’s sink, and then headed back into the living room.
Cory was snoring. His head was dangling back against the cushion and his legs were stretched awkwardly out in front of him. John smiled. He put his beer down and gently manhandled Cory so that his whole body was up on the couch, his head resting on a decorative throw pillow, and then draped a blanket over him.
He wasn’t mad that their night had been cut short. Cory obviously needed the sleep, and John was glad he’d managed to help him relax enough to get some.
Making his way back into the kitchen he grabbed a piece of paper and a pen from the drawer and wrote a quick note to Cory telling him that he’d headed home. He then took his jacket from the hook on the wall in the hallway and made his way out of the apartment.
It was only eight pm. John debated going back to the bar for another drink, but he wasn’t in the mood to drink by himself. He could have called Mike or even Luke, but when it came down to it going home and taking a hot shower and watching TV in his sweats sounded much more appealing.
***
