Page 101 of Black Hollow: Awakening

Will mentioned the encounter with Axel to Liam, though he left out that it happened in the middle of the night and didn’t relay everything he’d heard; he didn’t want to sound like he was being dramatic. Liam said Axel was just trying to scare him. He told Will to ignore it and not to worry, that nothing more serious would come of it, and that he’d have a word with him. The promise didn’t make Will feel any better. He avoided Owens like the plague.

January twenty-eighth was his birthday. He hadn’t planned anything special, just invited Oscar over, hoping things would take their own course.

Oscar showed up at his place at six sharp.

“Hey,” Will said with a wide smile.

“Hey,” Oscar replied, stepping over the threshold and immediately handing him a small, decorative gift bag. “Happy birthday,” he added, placing a tender kiss on Will’s lips.

“Thanks,” Will replied cheerfully, looking at his present. “Oh… It’s…”

“The new Venom album.” Oscar was full of enthusiasm. “It wasn’t easy to get. I drove all over town, but there wasn’t a single copy anywhere. I had to go all the way to New Wing, and even there it took a while, but I finally got it. I hope no one beat me to it,” he added, apparently expecting a more joyful reaction.

“Hm? No, no. Thank you.”

Will kissed Oscar, concluding that he would probably never be able to confess how much his musical tastes had changed. Still, he appreciated the gesture. It was clear that Oscar had put in the effort.

“So… what are we doing?” he asked, taking a step back.

“It’s your birthday, Will. We’ll do whatever you want.”

“Um… So… do you want to go out or…?”

“Whatever you want,” Oscar repeated with amusement. “You decide.”

Will bit his lip uncertainly, hesitating for a moment before suddenly crushing his lips against Oscar’s. Oscar immediately returned the kiss, pulling Will into his arms.

“Sorry,” Will blurted out, realizing Oscar hadn’t even taken off his jacket yet. “I’ll let you get undressed.”

“Instead of letting me, you could help me,” Oscar suggested with a smile.

Will chuckled. He didn’t need to be told twice.

He helped Oscar enthusiastically—so much so that by the time they reached the living room, Oscar was half-naked. Will quickly shed his own shirt, and then they both landed on the couch. Oscar’s lips wandered over Will’s neck while Will struggled with Oscar’s fly.

Suddenly, Oscar stopped.

“How far do you want to go?” he asked, looking into Will’s eyes.

“What do you mean?”

Oscar’s gaze became more pointed.

“Oh. As far as we can.”

“Are you sure?”

“Why are you asking?”

“Because you haven’t had sex with anyone before, and I don’t know if you want to.”

Will turned red.

“How do you know I haven’t?” he grumbled, figuring he must not have been doing a very good job.

“Because I’ve headed in this direction a few times, but you didn’t seem to be catching on,” Oscar noted with amusement.

“W-What? Like when?”