25. My Dae #2
Oh. That made more sense. Theo tried to hop as Dae hoisted, and the result was a bizarre piggy-side-ride, with Theo hitched on his hip like a toddler. They adjusted, and Theo ended up clutched to Dae’s front, holding on not unlike a koala.
“Piggybacks happen on the back.”
“We're committed now,” Dae said, already halfway up the first flight of stairs.
Theo laid his head on Dae’s shoulder and let the alcohol sloshing around in his brain take over, encouraging him to slide his hands down Dae’s back, feeling his muscles working with each step. “Damn, Dae. You work out?”
His breath was getting heavy. “You see me go to the gym every day.”
“Just take the compliment.”
A low rumble came out of him that vibrated through Theo’s chest. “Okay, then yes. I’m very strong and manly.”
Theo took another deep breath, savouring the smell he knew was unique to Dae; his shampoo, his skin, his sweat. He wanted to lick him but was saved by the sudden shift in momentum as Dae stopped to catch his breath on the landing.
Do not lick your best friend, Theo told himself sternly, hoping that thought hadn’t slipped out of his mouth as the world once again started to shift.
The sound of Dae’s heavy breath was doing something to Theo’s body—something that could not happen while they were in this position. He closed his eyes tight and thought about his grandma taking out her teeth. When that didn’t work, he tried the climate crisis. Then zombies.
“Are you going to throw up?”
“No.” He squeezed Dae’s shirt in his fists.
“Almost there.” A bead of sweat rolled down Dae’s temple, over his jaw and onto his collarbone, disappearing underneath his shirt.
Mold on pastries. Funeral homes. Garbage day in summer. As soon as they reached the fifth floor landing, Theo squirmed out of his arms and stumbled to their door. “Thank you.”
“Any time.”
“Really?”
“No.” Dae panted, bending over and leaning against his thighs. “Not really. Never make me do that again.”
“But you’re so strong and manly.” What was he doing?
Luckily, Dae ignored him and went inside the apartment. Theo followed, his hands on the wall, because apparently that was how he walked now. Was it forever? Possibly.
Dae put a glass of water in both his hands, surrounding them with his to make sure he was holding on properly before letting go. Another deliberate touch. More intoxicating than the alcohol. And likely why Theo couldn’t quite feel his legs.
“Am I standing up?”
Dae laughed. Fuck, Theo loved that sound. “Drink.”
He did. It was delicious. Could water be delicious? Yes, apparently.
“Hey.” Theo was struck with brilliance and grabbed Dae’s arm, not only to steady himself but also to make him understand the life-changing significance of what he was about to say. “I have an idea. A radiant, resplendent, rapturous idea.”
Dae’s fond smile was so bright, his dimples were out. “Have you been reading the dictionary again?”
“Jordan should move in with us.” Theo gave him what he assumed to be a conspiratorial grin. “We could pull a shenanigan. Pretend we need her help with something and then lock her in the bathroom. I’ll guard her while you go get her stuff.”
“Great!” Dae took Theo’s other arm in his excitement, holding them out like he was teaching a toddler how to walk. “That’s not insane at all, and I’m sure we won’t get arrested.”
“Probably not!” Theo couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic or supportive, but either way, he liked the enthusiasm.
Dae laugh-sighed. It was Theo’s second-favourite sigh. “Jordan and Becks are a couple.”
Theo wanted to spit on the ground like he’d seen old ladies do in movies. “They shouldn’t be.”
“Well, try to keep that to yourself. Come on.” He put his hand on Theo’s lower back and led him to his bedroom. It was so easy. So domestic. Theo needed to laugh it away.
“Are you going to tuck me in? Tell me a story?”
“If you’re good.”
Dae went to the closet to find clothes while Theo struggled out of his belt.
“Who invented belts anyway? Not worth it.” Gambling with the possibility of flashing his ass in public would be a small price to pay to never have to take off a belt again.
Devil may care! He finally got the contraption off and flung it across the room, then gave up on getting out of his clothes.
The belt was enough of a victory, best to quit while he was ahead.
Dae paused his pajama search to pull his phone from his pocket. Had he gotten a text? Who would text him this late? Was it a sex proposition? If so, Theo would support it, of course.
Except.
It was late.
And travelling alone at this hour wasn’t a great idea.
Theo figured he should protect his friend and tell him it was too risky to go trolling for sex this late at night. “That’s dangerous.”
“What?”
“Your phone.”
Dae made one of those wtf is this guy on about faces, but cute. “My phone is dangerous?”
Theo nodded. Then regretted it.
“It’s the Romans.”
“Who the hell is Roman?” He’d meant that to come out more interested than distraught, but Dae didn’t seem to notice.
“The Romans first invented the belt. Well, wait.” He referred back to his phone. “Technically the belt buckle, but it all evolved from there.”
Theo watched him tuck his phone into his pocket and continue with his task. Not a sex proposition. An info search. Adorable nerd.
“Here.” Dae crossed the room holding the blue t-shirt Theo had never given back. “Think you can change your clothes yourself?”
His tone was joking, but in just one night, Theo had become addicted to the deliberate touch, and he knew, somewhere in the back of his alcohol-soaked brain, that after tonight, he wouldn’t have an excuse anymore. So he held Dae’s gaze as he slowly shook his head.
It would’ve been perfectly fair for Dae to scoff and leave, but he didn’t.
Because he was Dae, and he never said no to Theo.
Not when Theo was outright asking for something.
And maybe, right now, neither of them knew exactly what he was asking for, but whatever it was, Dae still nodded. He would give it.
“Okay.” He swallowed, his eyes dipping to the buttons of Theo’s shirt. Theo stood still, watching Dae’s concentration as he undid one, then another, the pink of his cheeks spreading to his ears and down his neck. “Arms up.”
Theo obeyed and then the soft fabric was brushing against his skin and over his head.
Dae held his shirt for a moment, and Theo wondered what impulse had him so mesmerized.
But then he tossed it on the bed, turning his attention to the button of Theo’s pants and nothing else, not even the quickest flick of his vision to any bare skin.
Theo wanted him to look. His body was thirsty for Dae’s attention.
But Dae’s focus was flawless, his fingers expertly undoing the button and sliding the zipper down.
This time, there wasn’t a gross or creepy enough image in the universe to keep Theo from getting hard.
He knew this was stupid in the way he knew eating the entire carton of ice cream was stupid—vaguely and with the understanding that it was Future Theo’s problem.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, not daring to see if Dae’s body was responding the same way.
“Happens,” Dae whispered back, letting the pants fall to the floor.
Then his hands were on Theo’s hips, guiding him forward to step out of them without tripping.
They stood there for a moment too long, and Theo couldn’t help it when his eyes slid closed so he could properly appreciate the feeling of Dae’s rough fingertips on his skin.
Then his hands slid off, and his heat disappeared just long enough for Theo to miss it before it was back.
“Okay,” Dae’s voice scratched like an old record, “arms up again.”
Dae threaded Theo’s arms into the shirt and pulled it down, his knuckles running against his arms, then chest, then stomach. It was too much sensation, and he felt himself swaying, then Dae’s arms were around his waist.
“Sorry,” Theo mumbled again, letting his head fall onto Dae’s shoulder.
“S’okay,” Dae mumbled back. “C’mon, get into bed.”
Theo half expected Dae to pick him up and place him on the bed like some kind of Disney prince, but instead, he just held him steady as Theo stumbled, hiking one knee onto the mattress, then the other.
Dae actually tucked him in, rolling him to his side and pulling the sheets over him. But he didn’t tell him a story. “Go to slee—”
“You really didn’t like the pretty spinach girl?”
It took Dae a second to decode what Theo had asked, then shook his head, a half-annoyed, half-fond smirk displaying one single dimple. “I really didn’t like the pretty spinach girl.”
“So she was pretty.”
“Go to sleep.”
Theo stuck his foot out onto the floor to stop the room from spinning, which was a trick his aunt taught him. “Thank you for taking care of me.”
“You’ve done it for me.” He turned off the light, and in the darkness, Theo could imagine he lingered for a while, watching over him until he fell asleep.