Fortuitous (BoyxBoy)

Six

THE FIREPIT

            Sein’s deck had a firepit, making the wintry air bearable. There were two things I knew about whatever Sein had on the grill: one, there was steak, and two potatoes were included. Oh, I knew there was lots of cheese included also. Apparently it was something I confessed—my love for cheesy foods—in one of our late night conversations.

            He was having wine while I had a glass of Mango and Pineapple juice blended with ice. It was really good. It made me curious to ask him a mountain of questions about his life and his life experiences. It should make sense though. Sein, the adventurous and curious man I met online that loved to travel and go on road trips.

            “Flanked steak stuffed with spinach, roasted peppers, a little bit of seasoned bread crumbs, bacon, and of course, lots of cheese. Also, roasted potatoes with a bit salt and pepper and shredded cheese.”

            “Well, I am surprised,” I stated, honestly. “Thank you.” He nodded but didn’t move. “You gonna sit or am I going to eat by myself?”

            “Yeah, I didn’t know if you wanted to go back inside.”

            “Out here’s fine. It’s nice.”

            “It’s romantic,” Sein added for me. It’s what I wanted to say but refrained for some reason. I smiled at him.

            I ditched my fork and picked up a roll of the stuffed ambrosial food, not even being subtle about my voracious appetite for his food. I bit a huge chunk and I couldn’t stop the way my eyes rolled back in my head and the obscene hums and moans that came out of me as diverse flavors erupted on my tongue with every chew. I was not ashamed.

            “You like it then?” Sein asked. There was amusement in his voice.

            I looked at him but I couldn’t talk. As much I wanted to respond with someone smart for the teasing tone in his voice. I had taken another bite before he asked me and my mouth was too full. But as soon as I swallowed the last of it I said instead:

            “Multiple food–gasms.”

            Sein laughed that almost obnoxious laugh again, head thrown back and everything. His cheeks looked like they were just slapped and his ears looked like they had been bitten. He was that red and it wasn’t just from laughing.

            When it was quiet between Sein and I, there wasn’t that much of a difference between when we were talking or laughing. The silence was filled with so much words and feelings and contentment that it only needed to be interrupted out of choice and not by obligation.

            “Why did you sign up for lgbtlove?”

            He sat back in his chair, pinching the tip of his nose before placing is index finger over his lips. I wanted to take my question back. He did that once before and when I had told him he didn’t have to answer me he had relaxed and we had moved pass it.

            “My last relationship was a huge slap in my face. It ended about two years ago. I kept telling myself that I’m at a good place in my career, goals, my life in general right now, and I’m stable enough to be with someone dedicatedly. In reality, I was never really ready. My last relationship really fucked me up. Whenever I thought about being with someone else I felt sick. I just couldn’t do it. It had nothing to do with where I was in my life but how I felt about the whole thing. I didn’t know how to put myself out there again. Just...anyways, I was able to get over it. My friend from work met his boyfriend on lgbtlove and he told me about it and that was that.”