Chapter 20 #2
Cosmo switched the phone to his other ear. “Sorry. Yes, the sentient garbage can I used to date showed up at Night Gallery.”
“Let me get my jacket, and I’ll meet you at your car.
We can go back to your place, but I think you should call the police too.
” Micah hurried down the sidewalk, then turned for the stairs that would take him up to his level.
He needed more than a jacket. If Zedd was showing up at Cosmo’s place to leave threats at his door, then they had to prepare for it to escalate.
He needed vigilance, he needed a flashlight, and he might need a weapon.
Cosmo - Snagged Thread
Cold metal from the car door handle dug into Cosmo’s fingers.
As much as he relished the idea of him and his new beloved alone in the kitchen, Cosmo offering Micah a spoon of vodka sauce to taste or – goodness – feeding him a forkful of pasta, he didn’t want Déjà to feel scared and alone either.
He spoke into the phone. “Are you going home? Or would you like to have dinner with Micah and me? I’m cooking. ”
Déjà hesitated. “I’m invested in this drama now, even though I know I shouldn’t be. But I don’t want to cramp your style.”
“You could never. You amplify it by your mere presence.”
“Save your flirts for Micah.” There was a smile in her voice. “Meet you here.”
Cosmo hung up. If Mom were in town, no doubt she would insist he stay with her for the time being.
He had no choice but to head back home, but it was still a huge relief to know he had two people nearby who cared about him and his safety.
His relationships with Déjà and Micah weren’t flawless; there would be more arguments and hurt feelings because that was life.
But they wouldn’t ever betray his trust the way Royce had.
“Something In My House” hammered from Rye’s apartment.
The tangerine string lights twinkled, and candles inside the jack-o’-lanterns on the step wobbled in the breeze.
Since Déjà wasn’t at the party, it seemed like things between her and Rye hadn’t worked out, which was terribly sad.
They seemed like they would have made a good fit.
Micah came out of his apartment on the floor above, wearing a jacket, a small luggage bag in one hand. When he stopped at the car, Cosmo asked, “What’s in the bag? Rope? A set of knives? Duct tape? We’ll need a shovel too. Zedd’s grave isn’t going to dig itself.”
“Duct tape, yeah. But there’s only one knife. A phone charger.” A flush crawled up Micah’s neck. “Also a couple books. I wasn’t sure what you like. And… my toothbrush.”
Butterflies swarmed in Cosmo’s stomach. His toothbrush? “Dinner, murder, and a sleepover? That’s quite a full night.”
“Does it turn you on to think about me sitting in a chair in the dark, keeping watch while you sleep? Because that’s what I was picturing.”
“Yes, it does.” Though that wasn’t at all what Cosmo had meant by “sleepover.”
“I just want to be prepared in case this is worse than we think and you want me to stay with you. Don’t want you to be alone. Did you call the police yet? I’d suggest you spend the evening in my place, but, well…”
“I’ll call them after I see the note. And you’re coming home with me.
Toothbrush and all.” Cosmo climbed into the driver seat.
Micah was going overboard by bringing a weapon, but Cosmo wasn’t going to tell him to tone it down.
When he slid in, Cosmo said, “Is there really a knife in there? I have knives, you know.”
Poor Micah couldn’t possibly have any blood left in his body with all of it rushing to his face. “It’s my, uh, comfort knife. I keep it taped under my art desk.”
Cosmo pulled out of the parking lot and merged with the evening traffic. “Do you always take it with you when you go somewhere? I’m asking sincerely, not to be judgmental.”
“I doubt it would be a good idea to keep it strapped to my ankle when I’m out getting groceries. No, it stays in my place, and I know Zedd only taped a note to your door, but I’ll feel better with it nearby.”
“Okay.”
Micah pulled at a stray thread on his seatbelt. “It’s weird to have a comfort knife.”
“Since when has weird been a bad thing?” Cosmo flashed him a smile. “I’m going to make penne alla vodka. You like pasta, don’t you?”
“Definitely. Especially if it has a criminal amount of–”
“Cheese?”
“Yeah. I only cook easy stuff for myself: eggs, stir fry vegetables from a bag, canned soup. But as you can see” – Micah patted the modest paunch of his stomach – “if someone offers me carbs or cheese, I take it. Ximena was determined to fatten me up in the months after I came back from the hospital. I probably would have starved without her because I didn’t have the motivation to make anything for myself. ”
Cosmo reached over and squeezed Micah’s knee. “I’m glad someone was looking out for you… Do you see Everett often?”
“We talk a lot, but I don’t see him much in person.
It’s hard when you’re two thousand miles away from each other.
” Micah looked out the window as restaurants and car dealerships drifted by.
“He took time off and flew out after the assault to take care of me, but that was the only time he’s been to visit since I’ve moved to Lemon Disco.
I know he wanted to stay longer, but he had work obligations.
My parents didn’t want me to stay here at all. Wanted me to move back.”
If it took something that big for Everett to get time off work and see Micah then that didn’t bode well for what Other Micah was going through on the future timeline. And what kind of callous asshole did that make Cosmo to not be there for him when he needed it so badly?
“I’m going to cook you so much pasta,” Cosmo said.
Micah chuckled.
They pulled up to Cosmo’s complex. The arc sodium light over the sidewalk was off, shadows and high juniper bushes shrouding the building.
Tiny plastic pumpkin lights glowed dimly from someone’s window, but the other apartments were dark.
It felt more ominous than it should have, and the knife in Micah’s bag was lending them both comfort now.
Déjà hopped out of her car and met them on the sidewalk.
A thick three-ringed binder was tucked under her arm.
She eyed Cosmo’s door like Zedd was hiding in the bushes beside it.
Which Cosmo wouldn’t put past him, but there were three of them against him, and Micah had already scared Zedd away once.
Micah looked as apprehensive as Déjà, clutching his luggage bag to his chest. Cosmo marched past them both and tore the note from the door. It was a little hard to read in the twilight, but Zedd had written in big angry Sharpie letters.
Cosmo cleared his throat and read aloud, “‘I hope there’s enough space in your body locker to fit in the guard dogs you have wrapped around your finger.’” He pursed his lips at the page.
“Clearly he means Royce and Micah. ‘You win. I don’t want to be anywhere near you. Keep your boyfriends away from me, and I’ll stay away from you. ’”
It took reading the note three more times before the words finally sunk in. Cosmo looked up. “I win? I win!” He laughed and bounced on the balls of his feet. “Micah! You scared Zedd away for good.”
Micah scratched his head, a furrow between his brows. He took the note from Cosmo and chewed on his bottom lip as he looked it over. “I didn’t really do that much. And mentioning a body locker still seems like a threat.”
“Oh, that. No, he’s referencing a conversation we had back when I was planning my funeral party.” Cosmo kissed his cheek. “You might not think you did much, but you did what no one else could in the last three years.”
“Damn, Micah.” Déjà punched his shoulder. “Way to go.” She snatched Cosmo’s arm and pulled him into a hug. “Thank god!”
“I guess he did look pretty scared when I told him to leave the gallery. He ran all the way back to his car,” Micah said. “Still doesn’t make sense, though. He had a black eye and his fingers were in splints. What are the odds your new director kicked his ass?”
“Clarence? Please. Zedd is always injuring himself at his gigs. He plays with fireworks and falls off the stage. No, it was all you, Micah, and I know exactly why.” Cosmo took the note, then unlocked the door and ushered them inside.
He took Micah’s luggage bag and set it on the bed.
“I hate to say this, because it’s horribly unfair to both me and my past lovers, but it’s because you’re the first man I’ve dated since Zedd.
I was with a trans femme person before this, and two women previous to her.
None of them lasted long because Zedd didn’t see them as threats.
He should have because I thought for sure Marla would gut him like a fish.
She didn’t. She ghosted me like the others. And I thought you would too.”
“Never.” Micah locked the door, then tested the front window. After drawing the curtain, he opened his luggage bag and pulled out an alarmingly large filet knife and a roll of duct tape. He glanced at Cosmo, then taped the knife under the coffee table.
Déjà made a slight noise and looked like she was trying to school her face into a neutral expression. Cosmo leaned to her ear. “Stop staring. It’s his ‘comfort knife.’”
“And he brought it for you? Aww.”
Cosmo could think of all kinds of comforts to give Micah in return, if he was interested.
Starting with pasta. He switched on the TV, and Pinhead’s pasty, nail-studded face splashed across the screen.
“Hellraiser again. Oh, but this is one of the awful straight-to-DVD installments.” He handed the remote to Déjà.
“Change it to whatever and make yourselves at home. I’m going to start dinner.
Don’t ask to help. I’m cooking for you.”