And Then There Were More (Gay Poly)✔

Chapter 9 - Heart to Heart

Ricky sat awkwardly at the bar as Hector finished cleaning up. He considered offering to help, but realized he had no idea where anything went.

"Would you like a drink?" Hector held up a bottle of red wine.

"No thank you." He replied with a grimace. Hector took notice.

"Not a fan?"

"Not really."

"Is it the taste?" He pushed. "Maybe the kind you tried just wasn't to your liking? Wine can come in a wide variety of flavors you know. Sweet, Dry, savory. What's your preference?"

Ricky waved him away. "I just don't drink alcohol."

"Really?" Hector tilted his head. "Not to bring up a sore subject, but I heard that you and Chris first met at a bar or something?"

Ricky started fiddling with his thumbs. He and Chris had actually met at a club and got closer when they realized they had similar tastes in fashion. After dancing, drinking, and chatting all night they had exchanged numbers and started meeting up regularly. Not long after, Ricky learned that Chris was sneaking out from under his parent's over-protective eyes. This was what started his rocky relationship with the Mendova's. They swore that Ricky was dragging their perfect son through the mud and filling his head with defiant thoughts. At the time, he liked being considered the bad boy.

"So Chris bothered to talk about me once his secret was exposed, huh?"

Hector uncorked the bottle and poured himself a glass of wine before sitting next to Ricky. "Kind of. He mentioned having an ex but was very standoffish on the topic. It wasn't until after Damon found out about you two still being married that he started talking about you. Every time we try explaining that you'd want the divorce, he dredges up some old story about you two to try and emphasize the sort of relationship he was trying to salvage."

"And he told you about how we met?"

Hector took a delicate sip. "Just that you met over drinks, so I assumed it was a bar."

"A club." Ricky corrected him. "And yeah, I used to drink, but I stopped a while back and have been on a health kick. Now, the only cocktails I drink are juiced vegetables and apples."

"At least you're being healthy. I personally can't stand the taste of kale or celery, which seems to be in most of those juice mixes."

Ricky laughed. He wasn't wrong about that. "You sound like my friend David."

Hector raised an eyebrow in question.

"He's a human I hang out with occasionally. Now him I met at a bar. It wasn't too long after...Well...I was still drinking at the time and he just kept hanging around even after I quit."

"Are you two close?" Hector asked without pause, putting his glass down and eyeing Ricky.

Ricky glanced out beyond the window, towards the pool and thought about it. "Yeah, I guess we are. He was with me through some really rough times, and he never left. As a matter of fact, I don't think I ever properly thanked him for it. Honestly I think I may be a terrible friend to him..." Suddenly he felt bad for wishing David bad luck earlier. Of course he would run, David was human and it wasn't like a mere human could stand a chance against a demon.

Turning back towards Hector, he noticed his eyes were glowing faintly red. 

"How close, exactly?" Hector asked as he stood, fighting to keep a straight face.

Ricky's heart skipped a beat when he realized that Hector seemed upset about something. 

"Uh....Er.." Ricky stuttered..."H-how do you mean?"