Devil's Drop

A Friendly Favor

The moment Chester heard his phone ringing, his eyes shot open. His blurry vision quickly focused on his cell phone sitting on the nightstand. He reached for it, holding it over his head, looking at it with one eye open as his pupils adjusted to the bright morning sunlight.

Ryan's name was on the screen, and Chester quickly slid his finger across the accept button. "Hello," he said quietly, his head still on the pillow as he laid on his side. Mike was behind him, his arm thrown over Chester's side underneath the thin red and black flannel top sheet they'd been sleeping under.

"Chaz, you're not sleeping are you? Shit, man, it's early. I'm sorry."

Chester shut his eyes. "No, it's okay," he said, still keeping his voice low. "Everything okay?"

"No," Ryan stated immediately. "Jay just called me and he's dying to get away from Mark."

Chester's eyebrows furrowed together before he let out a sigh. "Ry, just hang on a minute, okay?"

"Sure."

Chester pulled his phone away from his ear and hit the mute command. He set it on the nightstand before he laid back down. He let out another long breath as the silence surrounded him. It was Wednesday morning, and it was early. There was no need to be getting up, but he knew his friend needed to talk and vent.

He twisted a little, trying to catch a glimpse of his boyfriend's face; Mike was still fast asleep. His lips were parted just a little as he snored softly and Chester smiled. He gently picked Mike's arm up and off his side, before he scooted away from him, swinging his legs off the side of the bed. He yawned and stretched his arms, scratching his nails over his side and then his shaved head before running them through his flat mohawk. His back ached a little as he twisted from one side to the other.

He stole another glance at the clock, and the early morning hour before he took the red pair of underwear and matching red and white pajama bottoms from the nightstand, pulling them on one at a time as he stood up. He gave Mike one last look; he'd grabbed a pillow in Chester's place and was snuggling with it like it was made of flesh and bone. He's so cute.

Despite the awkward event that had happened between Chester and his lover the night that Anna and Dave had helped them move the rest of Mike's things into the loft, the couple had made their amends, and for the most part, Chester felt like things had gone back to normal. Mike had been more attentive over the last few days, but other than that, life had gone on as if nothing had happened.

Chester grabbed his phone and headed down the stairs. He clicked the phone off mute and said, "Ry, I gotta pee and them I'm all yours. Just hang on." He didn't wait for his friend to agree before he muted the phone again. He left it on the kitchen bar and headed to the bathroom to take care of first-thing-in-the-morning business.

Three minutes later and Chester felt like a new man. He'd managed to pee, wash his face and brush his teeth in record time, and now he was ready to make coffee while he listened to whatever Ryan was upset about.

"Okay, go," Chester said, when he took his phone off mute again. He balanced the phone between his shoulder and his ear, as he maneuvered around the kitchen, fixing the coffee pot up.

"It's Jason," Ryan said, his voice not quite a whimper. Yet. "They got back from their romantic weekend." Ryan's snide tone didn't take Chester by surprise. "And now Jason's going crazy. He said Mark did nothing but pick on him the whole last day they were in Malibu or wherever it was they went. . .and he's upset. He needs a break and we haven't seen each other since last week. Mark's such a dick. I hate him." His last words came out in a huff.

Chester turned the coffee maker on before he took a step back and leaned against the counter. "I second that. He's a royal dick. We all hate him," he muttered as the older man's face popped into his mind, and Chester shuddered. The maniacal quality of Mark's gray eyes, his honey sweet voice and the way he always seemed to word things just right to get anyone and everyone to do exactly what he wanted - it was too much.