Chapter six
SIX
On the second morning of peanut butter cracker breakfast, Aiden looked up from his phone.
“Bryce just got power back.”
“Fuck yea, maybe it’ll come back here today,” Marcus said.
“Hold on,” Aiden said. He typed and Marcus sucked peanut butter off a spoon.
“Okay,” Aiden said. Then, “let’s go over there. Come with me.”
“What? Isn’t that weird?”
“No, it’s not weird. Come over just for few hours. Charge your power bank and take a shower.” Marcus looked carefully at Aiden.
“I’m having a hard time believing you, but I also need to charge my phone,” Marcus said.
Marcus had imagined Bryce was a large, stern looking man. He imagined a jealous man who would be annoyed Marcus had stolen his boyfriend for the past two days. His stomach churned the whole drive, and Aiden’s shitty tires on the ice didn’t help.
When Bryce opened his apartment door, Marcus was immediately charmed. The man wasn’t particularly tall or large, and he had an easy, genuine smile. He wore a black band t-shirt and black jeans, and black socks on his feet. He smiled openly at both men, then stepped back to let them inside.
Bryce’s apartment was warm and bright, and it smelled like food. Warm food.
“Did you cook?” Aiden asked, sounding astonished.
“No, I didn’t fucking cook. I walked a couple blocks and picked up a gallon of soup,” Bryce said. Marcus followed Aiden’s lead and began to strip out of his coat the boots. A pair of wet combat boots sat by the door in a small puddle of melted snow.
“We’ve been eating pantry food for two days,” Aiden said.
“Yeah, same. Well, I ate the cheese first before it got too warm,” Bryce said. Aiden peeled off Marcus’s hoodie. “Then I drank all the beer. You know, so it wouldn’t get warm. Is your apartment still out of power?”
“I haven’t gotten a text that it’s back on,” Aiden said. He peered into the pot on the stove. “Can I eat this now?”
“Of course you can. Three bowls? Marcus, is chicken okay?” Marcus nodded, still feeling awkward.
He noticed a silver chain along the neck of Bryce’s shirt.
He wondered if he always wore the key to Aiden’s cage.
He wondered if Aiden made the same noises when Bryce fucked him.
He remembered the photo he had taken with Aiden’s phone and texted Bryce.
It had been easier to be brave behind a screen.
Aiden, oblivious to Marcus’s anxiety, ladled soup into bowls. He placed the bowls on the counter and opened a drawer for spoons.
“Do you mind if I plug in my power bank?” Marcus asked.
“Of course, anywhere you can find an outlet. Y’all need a shower?” Bryce took a bowl from Aiden and carried it into the living space. Marcus followed him.
“So bad,” Aiden said.
“I can tell,” Bryce said.
“Fuck off,” Aiden said, good naturedly. Bryce pressed up behind Aiden and inhaled against the back of his neck.
“You smell like someone else’s bed,” Marcus heard Bryce murmur.
“Like it?” Aiden asked quietly. Marcus felt like he was intruding, but he couldn’t help but listen.
“I’m going to like fucking it off you,” Bryce said. Marcus took his bowl of soup from the counter and fled to the living room.
Marcus stood while Aiden and Bryce sat on the sofa. After they settled, Marcus sat in the chair across from them. He tasted the soup. It was spicy and thick and he was starving. He tried not to eat too fast.
Aiden and Bryce talked about the bar and work and the ice.
Marcus listened and ate and looked around Bryce’s apartment.
It was sparse. A record player sat in the corner with a shelf stuffed with vinyl records.
The TV sat on a stand and the wires to the speakers were exposed on the walls. The chairs and sofa didn’t match.
“I’m gonna go shower,” Aiden said, tilting his bowl and drinking the last of the broth. Aiden stood up and went to the kitchen and Marcus heard the bowl clatter into the sink. Marcus looked down at the little soup that was left in his bowl. He stirred it. He tried to avoid looking up at Bryce.
“Thanks for taking him home during the storm,” Bryce said. Marcus made himself look up.
“It wasn’t exactly charity work,” Marcus said. He cringed at himself and looked back at his soup.
“I was worried about him. The bar shouldn’t have been open. His car is shit…” Marcus chuckled, remembering the harrowing drive to Bryce’s apartment in the small car with bad tires. A moment of silence passed between them as Marcus focused on his soup.
“Want to fuck him again before you go?” Bryce asked. Marcus coughed in surprise.
“Sorry,” Marcus cleared his throat. “Sorry. What… what are you thinking?”
“I didn’t want to ask in front of him. But if you want to, I’m sure he’d be into it. From his texts it sounded like he was having a good time with you. Said he came on your cock.” Bryce said. Marcus looked to the hallway to make sure Aiden wasn’t there, then leaned forward.
“He was so loud.” Marcus mouthed the words. Bryce nodded.
“He gets like that when he comes in his ass. I love it.”
“Are you going to take the cage off?” Marcus asked. Bryce pulled the chain from under his shirt and let the silver key drop back to his chest. He fingered it and pulled it along the chain.
“Nah, at least not right away. I bet I could get him to come at least once with it on. Do you want to try?”
“Yeah,” Marcus nodded. He was nervous, but he wasn’t sure if he was capable of turning down the invitation. Bryce smiled openly and Marcus’s heart fluttered. He could see why Aiden liked Bryce.
“There’s more soup,” Bryce said, changing the subject.
“Oh.” Marcus looked down at his empty bowl. He was still hungry. “Okay, thanks.”