• “Henrietta it’s not going to work and what do you care anyway?” Pete flipped his hair out of his face and pouted.



    “Aw c’mon but aren’t you curious?” Henrietta stared at Pete from across the booth they sat at Benny’s while taking a sip of her cheap black coffee out of the stained off-white coffee mug.



    “Okay but just because everyone knows I’m gay doesn’t automatically dictate that just anyone is going to want my d**k.”



    “Just hear me out.” Pete lets out a deep sigh.



    “Fine. Go ahead.” Pete taps his fingers on the table anxiously.



    “Tonight, we will meet at his place and about fifteen minutes in I’ll suddenly have to leave and you can try out my theory..”



    “So you think I should just draw as much attention to myself subliminally and it’ll make him act differently? That’s so dumb I’ve known him for years he’s indifferent as ******** to anything I do at this point.”



    “Yeah, but you never really tried have you? I could argue the same point, you’ve known each other for years right? So if you were to act a little differently don’t you think he’d be pretty keen to pick up on it?” Pete blinks a couple times and smooths his hair back.



    “s**t you’re right.” He starts to agree with her but suddenly shakes his head and stands by his defensive disposition.



    “But why would I do that? That’s so dumb..” Pete fails at an attempt to argue well, his brain is kind of starting to malfunction due to the conversation at hand. Henrietta senses this and preys on his ceasing attitude.



    “It could be fun~.” She said with a sly smirk and a singsong voice. Pete feigns indifference to this by staying quiet.



    “Nothing big, just start small, see how he reacts.” Henrietta let’s out a small mischievous giggle towards the end of that and Pete flips his hair.



    “You’re like way too into this…”



    “Don’t act like you’re not.” Henrietta plays smiling triumphantly as Pete blushes slightly and bites his lip.



    “Okay I’ll do it.” Pete grabs some crumpled bills from his pocket, leaves it on the table and they’re off to meet up at Michael’s house.



    “********.” The anxiety didn’t quite creep in for Pete until just about now, here, standing out in the cold on Michael’s porch seeing him appear in the doorway as he greets his friends letting them in.



    “Hey.” Michael said indifferently. Pete’s nerves are shot at the moment as he follows behind Henrietta through the house into Michael’s kitchen. As soon as they make it in the room Henrietta looks at her phone in a fake state of anguish.



    “********~ Sorryyy guys I gotta go.” Henrietta gives them both a couple quick hugs and scurries out. What the ******** she said fifteen minutes it’s barely been five!?



    “That was weird.” Michael pointed out staring at Pete looking for an answer he doesn’t have. Pete feels like he’s choking on his words but really they come out as easy as always.



    “Yeah she’s something else..” Pete feels a little more at ease. This is Michael after all, one of his best friends, he should have expected things to be easy with him . So ******** it, let’s play. A small smirk plays on his lips.



    “So hey Georgie is still on vacation with the Broflovski’s right, did he say when he was coming back?” Michael leans against the counter making easy talk.



    “Oh yeah I think he said he’s coming back on Thursday?” Pete casually walks up to him and stands a little too close. He bends over grabbing a wet mug that says ‘Party Like Cthulhu’ on it from the dishwasher. Michael just watches with an apathetic expression.



    “There’s dry ones in the cupboard.” Michael pointed out. Pete grabs the pot from the coffee maker and starts to pour himself a cup of coffee and then innocently stares into his eyes as he speaks.



    “Yeah but this ones my favorite.” Pete places the pot back neatly and takes his first sip, feeling the hot liquid start to warm up his body.



    “Mmm.” That small moan of contentment wasn’t on purpose but Pete did notice the light fidgeting and averting of eyes from Michael. It was so slight but Pete noticed it. I mean who knows it could mean nothing...



    “So hey have you been writing at all lately?” Pete asked casually whilst shifting closer to Michael as he leaned against the counter.



    “Nahh not really, just haven’t been in the mood, you?” With a light clack Pete puts his mug down.



    “No I’ve been more in a music mood lately, drawing some dumb s**t and vibing out by myself.” Michael gets this smug knowing look on his face.



    “What’s the verdict?” Michael is referring to the music Pete’s been listening to.



    “Nothing new just Nine Inch Nails.” Pete says bored. Michael nudges him lightly laughing.



    “Oh yeah? Lonely and horny lately?” Pete laughs out loud with him, he wasn’t expecting that response.



    “What, why do you say that?” Pete’s a little defensive in his tone. Michael rolls his eyes and talks in a knowing tone.



    “Oh c’mon let’s get real Pete, you only listen to them when you’re in a mood and you know it. Anytime you’ve been talking to a new boy you usually play their dirtier songs and get lost in your head by yourself for a few days. I know you man.” Michael finishes his mug of coffee and puts it in the sink. Pete is pretty frickin shocked but also he’s right.



    “********, alright. Damn.” Pete zones out; kind of disassociating a little bit after being sort of literally called the ******** out.



    “So?” Michael snaps Pete out of it and he stares into his eyes.



    “So what?” Pete asks stupidly.



    “Who’s the guy?” Michael asks curiously. Pete bites his lip, ********. Abort mission ********, how do I get out of this…



    “I don’t want to tell you right now.” Pete said suddenly. Michael is kind of taken back by this. He opens his mouth to say something but then closes it and pauses for another moment.



    “Ok.” Michael said simply. He must be pretty confused right now because Pete is never secretive and usually can’t shut the ******** up about who he’s crushing on.



    “I need to smoke, come with?” Michael said simply taking his leave out the kitchen onto the back balcony. Pete follows behind quietly and makes his way outside, he closes the sliding door behind him. It’s a little chilly but they still have their coats on. Michael is already lighting up his cigarette as Pete leans against the wooden frame of the deck staring at him. Game on? Do I still try? Pete can’t help but stare at Michael’s lips as he exhales the smoke.



    “You ok?” Pete asks nervously feeling a little off put.



    “Ya...Sorry for prying or whatever.” Michael looks away as he said that in almost a mumble, he leans against the deck staring out into the patchy snow covered yard. Pete sighs and leans into him getting kind of close. Michael can feel his presence and looks to the side making eye contact, they’re a few inches from each other’s face and wow Michael has freckles on his nose that’s so cute. Michael blinks a couple times assessing the closeness, his breath hitches so slightly . Pete stares at his lips and back in his eyes.



    “Can I hit that please?” Pete asks simply. Michael takes one more drag before handing it to Pete and ruining their closeness by moving to sit down in one of the dirtied white plastic lawn chairs behind them. Pete watches him move as he smokes the cigarette.



    “I never really thought about it before but sharing a cigarette is kind of like sharing an indirect kiss in a way.” Pete said in a daze staring at the floorboards still leaning on the wooden ledge of the deck.



    “What?” Michael questioned and Pete looked at him in a slight panic. s**t did I say that out loud?



    “What..” Pete said back playing dumb. Michael shakes his head and kind of leans back choosing not to say anything else about it.



    “Pete. You ever notice you only have dated guys younger than you?” Michael says out of the blue.



    “Yeah? I guess I never really thought about it like that...But I think you’re right I mean Stan was in the same grade but a year younger than me. Gregory was like 2 years and Damien was also about a year and a half off wow, huh.” Pete doesn’t think much of the question other than what it is.



    “Is that what you prefer?” Michael asked whilst lighting another cigarette just as Pete was finishing the one he bummed off him. Pete kind of shrugs it off answering honestly.



    “I don’t think it was on purpose but I guess in a way I liked being seen as more dominant in that sense but I’m not like opposed to dating someone older...It just hasn’t happened yet I guess...Why do you ask?” Michaels flicks the ash of the tip of his cigarette and looks into Pete’s eyes with an intense look as he takes another drag. Smoke leaves his mouth as he speaks again.



    “Just wondering I guess.” Michael then blows the final stream of smoke from that drag and smirks leaning back.



    “I know.” Pete flicks his cigarette into the yard somewhere and crosses his arms.



    “You know what?” Pete says with a pouty tone.



    “Ya know I ******** around with Damien at one point too.” Michael dodged the question like a politician but also wait what did he just say…..



    “What? You never said anything about anyone like ever??” Pete said, flabbergasted.



    “Yeaaa that’s why I couldn’t really be mad when you didn’t want to tell me who you like but it’s cool I get it now.” Michael says with a smug look and Pete can’t help but to sit down next to him in the other patio chair and question him thoroughly.



    “Wait but backup I didn’t even know you liked guys yet along people; dude I thought you were like ace or something.” Pete said in less of a question but more of a revelation. Michael laughs and leans his head on his hand leaning against the table next to them looking into Pete’s eyes at a close proximity.



    “Yea well I’ve ******** a couple girls too.” Pete does the motion and noise of an explosion psssshfffttt.



    “Mind officially blown. Holy s**t. What girls?” Pete asked curiously.



    “Bebe, Annie, oh and Wendy when Stan and her were on a break and also, when they weren’t.” Michael said montone.



    “Like...When Stan was Raven and making out with me behind the bleachers type of break?”



    “Ya and like a week after they got back together when he broke your heart and went back to being a douchey jock again.” Pete’s eyes were wide in realization.



    “Holy s**t...that’s why he hated you so bad goddamn.” Pete flipped his hair out of his face. Pete freezes when he feels a hand on his thigh and his face heats up a little. Suddenly he feels Michael brush something off his pants and move his hand but it feels like he lingered just a second more than he should have.



    “Sorry you had ash on you.” Pete is flustered and kind of stays silent. ******** this was supposed to be my game he’s got me worked up so fast and what the ******** does he mean he knows? Is he onto me? And why is he better at this than me, what the ********...



    “Michael.” Pete stares into his eyes intensely. Michael stares back with a normal expression.



    “Pete?” Michael questions.



    “How many guys have you been with and did you go all the way?” Pete asks seriously.



    “Uh like 3 and only with one of them..” Michael trails off.



    “I have to admit this feels weird. I never really talk about this kind of stuff.” Michael admitted slowly.



    “What changed?” Pete asked nicely, fiddling with the sleeve of his jacket. Michael laughs lightly almost in indication that Pete already knows the answer.



    “You did.” Michael said simply standing up. Pete said nothing contemplating what he could have meant by that but choosing not to question it. Pete followed Michael back through his house and into his room, they took their natural positions of whenever they hang out,

    Michael kicks off his shoes and sits up on his bed. Pete goes right to Michael’s speaker and hooks up Bluetooth playing his music. He puts on Tool’s first album ‘Opiate’.



    “What no Nine Inch Nails?” Michael said, throwing a light shade at Pete. Pete rolls his eyes and kicks off his purple boots next to where Michael left his and looks back at him with a pout.



    “You’re just sooo perceptive aren’t you?” Pete teases. Michael scoffs at this.



    “Pft when it comes to you? Ya.” Michael slides his coat off, throwing it on the chair near his bed.



    “Ok well if I’m so readable what am I going to do next?” Michael shrugs his shoulders.



    “I don’t ******** know that’s not really what I meant.” Pete took his coat and shirt off in one swoop tossing it over a chair and he swore he caught Michael subtly licking his lips. I know he knows. But I also know he knows that I know… But what if I don’t make a move? Will he?



    “Your room is always so well heated.” Michael’s gaze starts to travel down Pete’s exposed torso, Pete notices him bite his lip a little, he looks kind of perplexed like he’s contemplating something.



    “So Michael. Why so open about everything tonight?” Michael smirks at this and sits up on the side of the bed placing his feet on the ground.



    “I think you know why Pete.” Michael said sharply.



    “What if I don’t?” Pete challenged and reached for Michael’s poetry book nonchalantly taking a seat on his couch flipping through the pages.



    “Pete.” Michael said sternly as Pete looked up to Michael standing over him and leaning in close. Pete blushes and freezes what he’s doing as he feels Michael reach over behind him to crack the window. Pete can’t help but to appreciate the details of Michael’s face from this view as he pulls back and his hands now rest beside Pete on the back of the couch locking him in, inches from his face he speaks.



    “You’re different today.” Michael said just above a whisper. Pete blushes and leans back into the couch feeling kind of vulnerable.



    “So are you.” Pete pointed out as his eyes traveled up and down Michael’s body. Pete starts to feel the cold chill from the window on the back of his neck.



    “You wanna tell me Henrietta doesn’t have something to do with this little game you’ve been playing all night?” Michael calls Pete out once again now standing up straight but looking down at Pete with his arms crossed.



    “Whaaaat.” Pete exclaimed in a higher tone than he meant to, looking down, not wanting to look him in the eye.



    “Mhm.” Michael confirmed.



    “Pfft what do you mean? What did I do?” Pete asked defensively, still averting eye contact and denying everything.. Michael puts his thumb and forefinger on Pete’s chin and makes him look into Michael’s eyes now very close to his face. Pete swallows and stays very still looking into Michael’s eyes with an expecting look. ********.



    “I’ve never had such a strong effect on you before Pete? Could I be the boy this time? The one you’re all flustered over? What changed?” Michael let’s out a string of questions Pete is not sure he has the answer to. He catches Michael looking down at his lips and back into his eyes.



    “I- um ********, man, I don’t know..” Michael lets go of Pete and nods.



    “Ok.” Michael said simply in a dark tone, possibly getting irritated with Pete being so indirect with him.



    “Two can play Pete.” Michael said as he slowly walked out of the room leaving Pete sitting by himself in a state of shock and maybe kind of turned on.



    “What just happened..” Pete said out loud to no one in particular. Do I still go with it at this point? He made it very clear that he’s caught on and also did kind of mention that he started playing along… This whole thing is kind of getting out of hand huh?



    Pete sighs and looks up to the ceiling zoning out and listening to the music in the background, oh s**t this is the last song on this album. Pete fishes his phone out of his pocket to change the album and decides yeah, game on . He puts on a mix of Nine Inch Nails which ******** slaps so good right now as the song Discipline plays through the speaker. Pete fishes his THC vape from inside his coat pocket and clicks the square button five times. The vape lights up showing a 98% battery. Pete leans back and starts to puff on the pen, feeling himself relax into the chair and lose himself into the music.



    Am I taking too much

    Did I cross the line, line, line?

    I need my role in this

    Very clearly defined



    I need your discipline

    I need your help

    I need your discipline

    You know once I start

    I cannot help myself



    And now it's starting up

    Feels like I'm losing touch

    Uhh and nothing matters to me

    Nothing matters this much



    Michael walks back in the room with two mugs of coffee placing them down on the coffee table in front of the couch, his being the ‘Party like Cthulhu’ one that Pete was using earlier. Michael sits next to Pete but doesn’t say anything about the music change. He just sips his coffee with an arm slung behind Pete over the back of the couch with one leg resting crossed over the other. Michael zones out into a corner of the room. Pete picks up his mug and sips it, staring at Michael next to him wondering what he’s thinking, feeling a little stoned. Michael catches him staring so Pete takes another hit of his vape sucking the white smoke back into his nose and out his mouth in a clean french inhale. Michael’s gaze follows the smoke as he wordlessly takes another sip of his coffee before putting it down in front of him with a light clack.



    “Let me hit that.” Michael broke the silence taking the vape from him and taking a long drag, exhaling normally and Pete can’t help but zone back out into the lyrics of the song playing.



    I'm drunk

    And right now I'm so in love with you

    And I don't want to think too much about what we should or shouldn't do

    Lay my hands on heaven and the sun and the moon and the stars

    While the devil wants to ******** me in the back of his car



    Michael slides his hand onto Pete’s thigh keeping it there as he smokes his vape still looking ahead of him. Pete shifts a little closer to Michael leaning into his touch. Pete shifts his weight against Michael burying his face into his neck.



    “Pete.” Michael said in a low warning tone. Pete stops and takes the vape back sitting up straight like nothing happened but still sitting thigh to thigh with Michael.



    Nothing quite like the feel of something new

    Maybe I'm all messed up

    Maybe I'm all messed up

    Maybe I'm all messed up in you

    Maybe I'm all messed up

    Maybe I'm all messed up

    Maybe I'm all messed up

    Maybe I'm all messed up in you

    Maybe I'm all messed up

    This is the only time I really feel alive

    This is the only time I really feel alive



    “Michael.” Pete said in a low voice.



    “Yeah what’s up?” Michael responded casually.



    “You’re going to make me make the first move aren’t you?” Pete asked seriously.



    “I never make the first move Pete.” Michael said honestly. Pete stares at him for a moment.



    “Really? Why?” Michael looks into Pete’s eyes with a look Pete has never seen before.



    “I just don’t.” Game on.

    …



    To be continued...
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