LGBT Short Stories and One Shots

Merry Go 'Round

CW: Underage drinking, sexual discussion, implied sex, internalized homophobia
Ship: Levi/Easton, Levi/Ana mentioned
Word Count: 1,128

Levi watched as Ana pulled out of her driveway, waving at him sadly before turning out into the street and speeding off. He scoffed, shoved his hands in his pockets, and walked to the park.

It was 10:45 at night. Their small town was shut down at 6pm, so only the hoodlums were out at the late hour. Guess that made Levi a hoodlum.

He pulled his letterman closer to himself, crossing his arms to secure it. He kicked loose rocks that scattered the sidewalk, mulling around in his brain. Overthinking, Ana would call it, but Levi would say thinking just enough for the situation, in which she would respond with smart ass or brain boy or some other quip that would make him smile.

He loved how well the two played off the other. He loved Anastasia Monoe, but not in the way she needed. She needed soft touches, strong arms, and someone in love with her. Not some country bumpkin who had aspirations to leave, but not the motivation.

He was stirred out of his thoughts as a slurred baritone sang out quietly, and as he turned the corner, he saw the town celebrity. The ginger was perched on top of an immobilized horse on the carousel, grasping a bottle of gin in one hand, stroking the wooden horse with the other, as he sang a drunken version of "Till There Was You".

Levi quietly observed the man, settling himself on a bench nearby to watch the stranger's show. After about the third stumble through of a verse, he finally caught the man's eye.

"Hey," he slurred, pointing at him with the bottle of gin, sloshing some of its contents onto the pavement. "Dr. Murphy." The man attempted to get off the stallion, but slipped slightly, nearly giving Levi a heart attack.

"Jesus," Levi sighed, springing up and helping him off the horse. "Don't you already have a concussion?" Levi asked rhetorically.

"Mhhh," he hummed, lolling a head onto his shoulder.

"Alright," Levi sighed, stopping his feet to stand the stranger up straight. "That's enough of that." Levi snatched the bottle from the man's hand, who reached for it sluggishly in response.

"You're no fun," he pouted, standing up shakily without Levi's assistance.

"I'm thinking about what's best for you," Levi muttered, looking at the bottle that's two thirds gone. "Did you drink all of this?"

"Most of it," the man admitted, "some of it splashed onto the ground during my reenactment of Swan Lake." The man made up for his slurring by over enunciating the end of his sentence, his accent thicker than the day Levi met him.

"Christ," Levi chuckled and shook his head. He should be home right now.

"Have a drink, Doctor," the man smirked and threw an arm around Levi again. "Loosen up. My prescription."

Levi cautiously brought the bottle to his nose and sniffed. He had had a shitty night. Fuck it.

He quickly brought the bottle to his mouth and took a big swig. As he pulled off and looked at the man, he looked impressed.

Levi smiled at that, handing the bottle back to him.

~~~

He wasn't sure when names were properly exchanged, he wasn't sure when they decided to move their conversation to Easton's motel room, he wasn't sure how he started talking about Ana's habit, and he wasn't sure how he got so drunk.

"So what kinda fella," Levi started, making sharp gestures with his hands. "Let's his girl sleep around?"

The bottle of gin was long forgotten, empty and somewhere on the floor. Easton was enraptured with Levi's retelling of the night, nodding and humming when necessary.

"When's the last time you've been laid?" Easton asked after Levi's rant.

"Christ," Levi sighed and thought. "Two years ago? But it's not that we're not interested in each other! It's just that way!"

"People can just not like sex," Easton muttered, "maybe she realized your lack of enthusiasm and decided not to continue."

"No," Levi sighed, picking at the bedsheet. "It's not that. She's uncomfortable. I'm not her type."

"What's her type then?" Easton mused. Levi was silent.

"Women," he muttered. Easton was silent. Levi slowly looked up at Easton to find him smirking. His voice got caught in his throat.

"How does that make you feel?" Easton asked, the smile still playing on his lips.

"Upset," Levi matched his tone, their conversation growing much softer.

"Why?" Easton asked, causing a spark in Levi's gut as everything fell into place.

He's known, but Ana's known longer. About him.

We're not that way, she'd say. Stop trying to force this to be normal.

The knowing look permanently moved onto Easton's face, the stranger peeling him layer by layer until he reached the core of Levi's vulnerability. The man seemed to know all, all except Levi's next move.

Levi held eye contact with Easton, before surging forward and clashing teeth and smushing noses. Easton made a surprised noise, pushing Levi away quickly.

"No," Levi huffed, "you wanted to get to know me, so get to know me." He gritted, unbuttoning his shirt. "Doctor's orders."

"Murph," Easton scoffed, but his eyes were glued on the man's fingers.

"You hit me where it hurt, Wells." Levi shucked his shirt off and pulled his undershirt over his head.

"Murphy," Easton protested lightly again, placing a hand on his knee.

"Now sooth the pain," Levi begged, salt mixing with his words.

"Levi," Easton said, and the world stopped spinning. Easton leaned forward and kissed a cheek, then the other. He took Levi's hands in his and stared at him, deep and hard, like all of the words he wanted to say were dancing in his eyes.

There was so much in that look, but absolutely, utterly idiotic chance floated to the surface.

This stranger was giving Levi a chance.

"Wanna get out of here?" Easton asked, squeezing Levi's hands.

"Where would we go? Everything's closed," Levi laughed.

"California," Easton suggested. "Or I can back track to New York. Or drive up to Massachusetts."

Levi was awestruck, staring slack jawed at this stranger in front of him who offered to run away with him.

"You don't-" Levi began to protest, getting cut off with: "Then let me know you." Levi stopped again, shutting his mouth and pursing his lips.

"Yes," was the last word slurred between them that night before Easton tore off his shirt. A carton of cigarettes bounced off the floor as Levi threw himself onto Easton. Clothes rustled and sounds of pleasure were made that night as the drunken men made messy love after a messy proposal; however, in the morning, Levi's course of action was just as clear as it was the night before. He had to talk to Ana.