Chapter Twenty-Seven
With a new year came a new semester, and Rus remained hopeful his unwanted nemesis wouldn’t end up in any of his courses.
Unfortunately, that also meant he wouldn’t have any classes with Daysha since her focus had shifted to courses for her business and econ major, whereas Rus had to stack his history and poli sci requirements side by side in order to obtain his double major.
Rus missed Dylan and Kaiden something fierce after nearly two weeks away from them, but he barely had time for himself as he adjusted to classes, so he told them they’d meet up soon when he could actually dedicate time to them both.
And oh boy, did he want to set aside some time for them.
During the holiday, he gave himself a New Year’s resolution to be a bit more adventurous.
His mind wandered with everything he’d thought about over the break, everything he’d missed about them, everything he wanted to explore.
But Rus quelled those curiosities as he walked across campus. He’d planned to meet Daysha for lunch between classes, making his way to the café near the student center.
Hope was dashed when he spotted Emma beeline directly toward him.
Even her sorority sisters seemed agitated by her hostile demeanor.
Rus rarely garnered sympathy from them since he usually berated their choices when arguing with Emma.
Personally, the sorority itself never bothered Rus, aside from how dated Greek life on campus had become, but he found their presence excruciating when he knew it’d undoubtedly lead to a confrontation with the worst pick-me girl in the universe.
Rus clenched his fist, biting back his anger.
A wave of heat washed over him, building frustration for the impending argument.
He hadn’t even thought about Emma since their last day of class together.
Part of him was amused by how easily he must’ve gotten under her skin that she’d immediately seek him out at the start of the new semester, but his stomach sank and twisted into knots at the realization that he also relished arguments.
Of course, he’d never get through to Emma, convince her to open her tightly shut eyes. She embodied everything he despised about the country, the state of the world, and, in turn, made the perfect verbal punching bag.
As his nails dug into his palms, Rus cooled his temper. There was no point getting riled up before she’d even spouted whatever obnoxious one-liner she had planned.
“I can’t believe you showed your face here, you filthy fucking whore!” Emma shouted, brushing through a small crowd and stomping right by Rus.
“The fuck?” he muttered.
The tension he’d built fizzled away as he watched Emma approach her bestie, Landon, the worst kind of self-centered, self-hating homo.
An argument broke out between the pair, with Emma threatening him in a thousand different ways, and Landon alluding to every dirty secret he held on her.
“You think I’m afraid?” Emma raged. “Scorch the earth, motherfucker. I’ll gladly toss you into the flames too.”
Rus half-smiled, bemused by his own arrogance in assuming Emma wanted to spar with him. It also made him late for his plans, perplexed by what could’ve happened between these evil besties to drive a wedge between them.
“Dick,” Daysha said, side-stepping over to Rus. “It always comes down to genitals with you allosexuals.”
“Huh?”
“You’re trying to figure out what they’re arguing over.” Daysha gestured over to Emma and Landon, in no way being subtle, but the pair roared and raged so intensely they didn’t notice the growing crowd of onlookers.
“Maybe I’m a little curious.” Rus shoulder bumped Daysha. “What’d you hear?”
“Emma and Landon went on some resort or ski trip or something absurdly decadent,” Daysha explained. “Her, the perfect picture of prestige with her man on one arm and her token gay on the other. Unfortunately, for Emma, they decided to lock arms—and a whole lotta other stuff—without her.”
“Oh, shit.” Rus grinned. “That’s hilarious. She probably didn’t even think Landon could have sex.”
Emma was the type to perceive gays in two categories.
Good self-deprecating gays, like Landon, who were merely eunuchs in conservative eyes, and then, of course, the bad gays that made their whole personality political and were naturally sexual deviants who obviously fetishized everything with their wicked groomer gaze.
Rus snorted, thoroughly entertained by the unfolding argument. The world was a chaotic mess, but sometimes the universe smiled down and handed you a good day by making a terrible person’s life a little more miserable.
“Couldn’t have happened to a better pair, if you ask me.” Daysha scoffed, eyeing Emma and Landon up and down.
“Think they’ll kiss and make up?” Rus asked, turning to lead Daysha into the café.
“I hope not. I want to see them drag each other online.”
“Oooooh. I might have to unblock them if they post anything good.” Rus laughed. “Keep me in the loop, bestie.”
The pair walked off to grab a bite and discuss their new semester.
The week flew by with Rus adjusting to his new schedule and finding time to spend with his boyfriends.
He’d texted with Kaiden and Dylan off and on, planning a get-together after his last class on Friday.
While he waited for Dylan to pick him up, Rus contemplated the interests he’d been wanting to explore.
It wasn’t something they discussed much since Kaiden was more than comfortable bottoming for both men.
But all the same, Rus found himself curiously considering it.
Every time he fucked Kaiden, he wondered how the sensation felt.
Every time he watched Dylan rail Kaiden into a breathless state, he craved the very same.
Rus took the time he had to prepare for any possibility—though he wasn’t sure he’d work up the nerve to mention it, he did want to be ready if things took such a direction.
After cleaning up, Rus hopped in the shower and used his favorite body wash that Kaiden had bought.
A fruity scent that drove Dylan wild every time.
Rus quickly dried off, tossed on a hoodie with jeans, and walked outside. Suddenly, he regretted his outfit, feeling it didn’t scream intimacy or curiosity or whatever the hell else Rus wanted to say without explicitly saying it.
But it was too late to turn around as he’d reached the railing of the stairwell and caught Dylan waving up at him. Rus went downstairs, hopped in the car, and silently rode with Dylan over to Kaiden’s place.
Dylan sniffed the air, grinned at Rus suggestively, and then focused on the road.
Every time Rus went to speak, his mind wandered with all the right ways to broach the topic, yet none of them seemed correct.
“You’re awfully quiet,” Dylan said, turning into Kaiden’s neighborhood.
“Long week.”
When they arrived at Kaiden’s, Rus continued his internalized contemplations, trying to find a way to jump into the conversation with such a random suggestion.
Usually, when they initiated something intimate, no one struggled to make a move.
Hell, Rus had started things on more than one occasion, but it was easier for him to suck a dick or get sucked or even fuck an ass than it was to suggest getting fucked.
They lounged on the couch with Kaiden drawing, Dylan gaming, and Rus lost in his thoughts.
Kaiden had bought a used PS4, so they’d have something to do when visiting, especially since Rus and Dylan kept bringing over the PS5 for gaming weekends at Kaiden’s place.
He never cared much for games themselves, but he seemed rather content watching while he drew.
Normally, Rus would hop into whatever game Dylan picked, or at least watch with some enthusiasm, but he struggled to even pretend he paid attention.
Truthfully, his mind drifted too much to focus on gaming, on conversation, on much of anything.
“What’s on your mind?” Kaiden asked, setting his sketchbook onto the nearby coffee table.
Dylan paused his game, tossing the controller onto the carpet and peering over Kaiden’s shoulder.
They were clearly curious. Rus needed to work up the nerve to say it.
To express his desires. It wasn’t like either of them would judge him, but Rus worried, despite how much he wanted to move things in a different direction, that he might not be ready for it.
Even if his eager body suggested otherwise.
“I’ve just been thinking,” Rus replied, adjusting so his back pressed against the arm of the couch, and he faced Kaiden and Dylan. “I’d like to be a little more open with you both. I’ve been thinking about it, and I wanted to share—”
“Oh my God, you’re going to tell us your full name,” Kaiden blurted, overly excited, and flailing a bit on the middle seat of the couch as he folded his legs crisscross in some poor effort to calm his enthusiasm. “Okay, okay, I’m ready.”
An equally eager Dylan set his chin on Kaiden’s shoulder and stared intently at Rus.
“I wasn’t planning on that,” Rus sighed. “I was thinking of something else, something bigger.”
“Aauuuugh,” Kaiden whined. “My heartbreak knows no bounds.”
“Will I ever recover from this letdown?” Dylan collapsed onto the other side of the couch, dragging Kaiden with him as the pair feigned defeated depression.
Rus stared at them silently, then let out a deep huff of annoyance. “Fine, I will share my name, with a few stipulations.”
“Anything.” Kaiden immediately perked up.
“You’re not allowed to call me by it. You’re not allowed to share it with anyone—”
“Our secret,” Kaiden interrupted.
“Even under threat of death.” Dylan crossed his heart.
“You’re not allowed to laugh,” Rus continued. “You’re not allowed to make jokes. I don’t want any Greek mythology innuendos or references or any of that bullshit.”
“Greek mythology?” Dylan and Kaiden turned to each other with puzzled expressions.