Husbands But Not

22: Last Names

Noah

Our lips broke apart like frazil dissipating back into the water. Too strong to be water, too weak to be an entity of its own.

For a minute there, I had forgotten that there were other people in the room.

"Did anyone even know that Noah is gay?" Ruby broke the sudden silence first.

"Surprise!" I said sarcastically. I did not come out. What someone had in their pants didn't define whether I was going to be attracted to them or not.

"Well his parents are gay as hell." Raiken joked.

"Says the one with gay parents and gay uncles." Ruby retorted.

"It's just one uncle, and don't act like you aren't my cousin." Raiken added. Kent was watching the play fold out amusingly.

"That's because I'm not your cousin, Curly."

"Second cousin is cousin, Ruby Red."

"Shut up, Raiken Red."

"Both of you shut up." Spyder said.

"I'm enjoying this." Sawyer smiled.

"You're supposed to be on my side, Sawyer Scott." Ruby threw a pillow at her. This was their idea of banter: using their full names.

"When were you going to tell us you were gay, Noah Grayson." Ruby asked.

I instinctively touched my lip where Kent's kiss lingered. Awkward truth is, I wasn't going to tell them. Or anyone for that matter.

I looked Kent in the eyes. They were shining a fierce brown. "It kinda just... Happened, I guess."

"I have to go, sorry." Spyder said abruptly and walked to the door. He was trying to play it casual, but we were all aware of his demeanor.

"Where to, Spyder Haynes?" Raiken asked, playful and unbeknownst to Spyder's aggravation. Or maybe he was just pushing a few buttons.

"It's Friday, I have to help dad set up the stage." He said a quick goodbye and left.

"Oh yeah, it's the Mug Drug's musical night." Raiken realised. "I should probably go help too."

He packed up his stuff and left, albeit not as rushed as Spyder.

Raiken's dad owned the Mug Drug, and Spyder's dad played there every Friday.

"I guess we should be on our way too." Sawyer said. "Let's go Rubes."

"You're coming to music night?" Ruby asked me fully aware that I wasn't going to miss it. We loved music night, and Spyder's dad had a great voice.

"Of course I am."

They got up and left the room leaving Kent and I to our privacy.

"Must be nice to have friends to go places with." He spoke with sorrow. "I don't think I've ever been invited somewhere."

"Anyone can go to the music night." I could tell he was going to be sad about it. "Plus, you'll go with me, right?"

I didn't invite him out of pity, I did it because I genuinely liked his company. He was different than my friends. He wasn't loud or fussy, which was a foreign change to what my friends were.

"It feels like your friends don't like me, and that's okay." He moved away and headed to the armchair where Raiken was sitting.

Before I got to explaining anything, Ruby was back in the doorway. "Also Kent, don't be a stranger, tag along too. Bye babies." She was crazy, but she was my best friend.

"See, you're invited too." I snatched the plastic bag dad placed earlier and threw it gently in Kent's direction. "Now open this."

"When did this bag even get here? And why am I opening it?" he asked a million questions when he was confused.

"Just open the bag." I repeated.

He opened it, cried, and gave it back. "No."

"What do you mean no? It's yours."

"No." He wiped his eye on his sleeve. "This is not some crappy phone. It's an iPhone and I can't accept it. I won't be able to pay you and it's very expensive."

I frowned. "One, I didn't ask for money. Two, dad got it, not me." I handed him the delicate white box. "I caused your phone to break. So suck it up."

He hugged me tight. But then, he hissed as pain took over his whole body. "I'm alright." he quickly said.

"I'll be back in a minute." I said and headed towards the kitchen. I snagged the first aid toolkit that was in one of the cupboards.

I brushed past the stairway and back to my room. I shuffled through the bandages and gauze until I found the ointment.

"This should help alleviate the pain a little." I opened the cap and squeezed a little of the white substance out. It felt cold on my fingertips. "Lift up your shirt."

He lay down on the bed and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and reluctantly lifted up his shirt up to his chest.

My teeth clenched as I tried not to gasp. His body was like a watercolor paper with a wet wash of brash blue and scarlet red, cross-faded together into a muted purple.

I applied the pain relief cream gently and as careful as possible. His skin felt smooth and fragile. "Are you going to tell me why won't you go to the police regarding this abuse?"

"Can you just... Trust that I know it's a bad idea? I know it sounds stupid, but please believe that it'll cause more harm than good."

I didn't argue but I didn't like it.

"Leave your shirt up for a bit to let it dry." I walked to the bathroom and washed my hands. Then I stood in the doorway and marvelled at the frail shell of the human being in my bed. He was a joyful soul lost in the shadows of others.

He eventually fixed his clothes and sat by the window. "I'm not a crybaby, Noah. I don't break down easily and I don't like being a pity bucket. But you," he turned away from the window and fixed his eyes on me. "A mere touch from you is a first class ticket to sob land."

It didn't feel like I needed to reply. The silence was comfortable, decorated by the shuffling of clothes as I put on a different pair of pants and a fresh shirt.

"We'll go to the Mug Drug after dinner. Sounds good?"

"I'm fine with whateve- Oh My God!" Kent gasped. "We have exams next week."

"I've done a lot of revising the last couple weeks so I'm good." I said. I wasn't too worried about exams.

"Between getting beat up and sleeping under my bed or around corners, studying kind of slipped my mind." the comfort of the silence was no longer there. A rancid bitterness filled the gaps of smugness. "I'm sorry."

"I don't pity you because you're not pathetic."

"Then why do you treat me differently?"

"I don't know why I treat you differently. I don't think I treat you differently. I don't try to treat you differently. Everyone deserves a shot at something good."

"Do you kiss all your friends, Noah Grayson?"

A/N:

This chapter is kinda part one out of two. Hope you like it. Vote and comment your opinions!

More soon x.