One More Night

Ship To Shore

So apparently in Toronto there's this gay neighbourhood they like to call the "gaybourhood"
I dunno about you guys but I'm in.

"Jou have mein number...make sure jou call if jou need anyzhing. I'm serious. If jou feel even zhe least bit sad, no matter how late it is, just call, okay?"
Matthew let Gilbert hug him for the hundredth time since they stopped outside the gates of the mansion where he would be staying.
"Und I vant jou to call right before jou go to bed und vhen jou vake up, just so I know Jou're alive."
"Okay. I will."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
"Good. I'll see jou tomorrow." Gilbert let Matthew go, walking away with reluctance. Matthew pushed through the gates and walked up to the front door.
He knocked and waited the few minutes it took for the door to fly open and for his face to be pulled into a pair of large breasts.
Katyusha had the habit of pulling taller people down when she hugged them. When Ivan had first introduced Matthew to his sister he had admitted to feeling jealous of her affections. He grew out of it immediately after he discovered that the blonde was gay.
"Mattie! It's so good to see you! It's been so long!"
"It's good to see you too. How's Kuma?"
"I thought you'd get right to the point. He's around here somewhere."
Matthew nodded and whistled, hearing excited paw steps as a reply. Kumajirou turned the corner and leapt into Matthew's open arms excitedly. He was heavy enough that he knocked the giggling blonde to the ground, licking his face as greeting.
"Stawp!" Matthew shouted, trying to bat the bear away without hurting it.
"You're still the only one he greets like this." Katyusha updated. "I really think he missed you."
"I'm sorry for being gone so long." Matthew told his pet once he got him settled. "Daddy had some things to do."
Katyusha looked down at a piece of paper in her hand Matthew was only just noticing with a concerned look on her face.
"What's that?" He asked. Were they in some kind of trouble?
"Oh, just a recipe, sweetie. Nothing to worry about." She crumpled the paper up and stuffed it in the pocket of her overalls.
"Where's Natalia?"
"She's doing a reading."
"We better not bother her, then." Matthew stood, carrying the familiar weight of Kuma in his arms.
"She should be almost-"
"Thank you, Natalia, I'll be seeing you next Thursday." A woman exited the living room casually, as if she had been there many times. She probably had. Natalia had many regulars.
The woman had light brown hair decorated with a flower and green eyes. Her smooth legs poked out of her mid-thigh length skirt and into heels.
"Oh." She blinked when she saw Matthew. "Kat, is this you boyfriend?!"
Katyusha's face turned red. "No!"
"Awe, but he's so damn adorable."
"This is my brother's widower, Elizaveta." Natalia hissed under her breath. There was no teasing when she was around. Not when the teasing involved Ivan.
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Elizaveta bowed her head apologetically.
"It's no problem." Matthew assured her.
"Well, I've got to go. See you next week." Elizaveta slipped into her coat and out the door.
"Come to the living room, Matthew. I think I have some cookies in the fridge." Katyusha skipped off to the kitchen, the bouncing of her boobs audible even from where Matthew stood.
He followed Natalia off to the living room, the two sitting down in large cushy chairs.
"How have you been?" The slender woman asked. There was a lot about Natalia that Matthew admired. She seemed cold and ferocious on the outside, but was secretly a huge softie and a trivia nerd. Her fashion sense was calming, full of dark purples and pretty dresses that complemented her soft frame. She looked like a little doll. And then there was her talent. Natalia could talk to ghosts.
A lot of people were skeptical, but Matthew was not one of those people. Ivan hadn't. The concept of it scared the shit out of him.
"I've been...the same as usual."
"He's worried about you."
"He hasn't moved on yet?"
"He can't move on until he's sure you'll be alright."
"I know...it's just..."
"Good news! They're your favourite!" Katyusha entered, holding out a plate of chocolate chip cookies with maple chips instead of chocolate. Matthew recalled the times when they were younger, when he would snack on the little bits as Katyusha baked. The Ukrainian would end up having to either buy an extra package of them or have Ivan distract him with cuddles that would have ended in more if a young Natalia wasn't reading in the next room.
Matthew bounced back to the present, taking a cookie and biting into it. They tasted the same as usual; delicious. They were warm. Katyusha usually put them in the microwave if they weren't fresh from the oven.
Kuma nipped at the cookie's edge, but Matthew pulled away just in time.
"So, this man moved into your old house..."
"Yeah?" Matthew cocked his head to the side.
"He's a computer programmer...his name is Edvard and he's pretty charming."
"Oh, I know where this is going." Matthew teased.
"She's smitten." Natalia smirked.
"Shut up! It's not like you don't have a thing for his housekeeper."
"Natalia has a crush? Tell me more!"
"His name is Toris. He's from Lithuania, I think...he's really adorable." Katyusha gushed. "He came over the other day with flowers."
"Hey! I don't like him. I told you I'm using him for..."
Matthew giggled softly. "How do you think he would react to Ivan?"
"Oh god! Tori would probably be scared to death of him." Katyusha laughed.
"That's because he's a chicken shit...and not my boyfriend."
"Whatever you say, Nat."
"Oh man, I've missed this. How come you don't visit anymore, Mattie?" Kat wiped the laughter tears from her eyes.
"I've just been...sick..."
"Are you at least staying the night this time?" Natalia questioned.
"Yeah, if it's no trouble."
"Of course it's not! Your room is still the same as before."
"Thanks."
That room...
There were so many memories made in that room. Most of them good.
He really hoped he could cope through the night.

Yes, maple chips exist in our country. Yes, I have eaten them straight from the package. Yes, I did almost get sick off them. But only because I'm single and have no sense of control!