Chapter twenty
David
Astheywerewrappingup, David found himself not wanting to be alone. In fact, he was damn tired of being alone. That talk about the past had brought up more emotions than he expected, and try as he might to draw them out in his sketchbook, they lingered inside of him.
He was maudlin. Nostalgic. Comforted. It was all bittersweet, though.
He hadn’t been a particularly happy kid. Not miserable by any stretch, but he’d always felt different. That didn’t change after watching Pine Point Fixer-Uppers. That didn’t change after coming out.
But the difference had stopped feeling like loneliness, and that’s when David first really felt comfortable in his own skin.
Talking about the past brought back all those feelings again, like he didn’t belong, like he needed an exit, like he had so muchgoing on in his own private world that simply had to burst out of him if he didn’t want to explode into a million tiny pieces.
Maybe Mason’s anxiety really is rubbing off.
If so, it was going to get worse. David waited in the hallway until Mason walked out. He seemed to be the last to leave pretty often, and that night was much the same. He locked the door behind him, then halfway stumbled when he turned around and caught sight of David. “Everything good? Did you forget something?”
David shook his head. “Just waiting for you.” He looked side-to-side to check for anyone who might be listening in, trying not to seem too pleased with himself out of nowhere before speaking again. “I figured a good boy like you would be here eventually.”
Mason shut his eyes and sucked in his lips, and he stood like that for a few seconds before responding. “You’re doing that on purpose.”
“Obviously. I was hoping maybe I could get you worked up enough for…round two?” He figured now was a good time to press his luck a little bit, consider Mason was playing along, not backing off. “After a quick bite to eat. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t eaten all day and I’m starving.”
David saw the tension hit Mason like a wave in the ocean. His jaw tightened right before he spoke up. “I’d happily sit with you and keep you company, sure. I ate a little more than I should have at craft services.”
“I think you should eat however much you want.” David wished he could just shake Mason and get their heads in the same place, but he had to be at least a little bit gentler than that. So he simply shrugged. “Your call, though. I’d be happy for the company.” Getting Mason to a restaurant felt like a win in its own right, so David wasn’t going to question it. “You want to stop by your room first or just head out? There’s a Nigerianplace a couple blocks from the hotel that I’ve been waiting for an excuse to try.”
“You like Nigerian food? I’ve never tried it.”
“Me either.” David smiled broadly. “So I’m going to find out.” Maybe if it was something Mason hadn’t tried, he might get over his objections.
It wasn’t as if David had some undisclosed food kink. If he did, involving Mason in it without his permission would have been questionably moral anyway. But Mason treated eating in front of David like it was shameful.
And as far as David was concerned, there was absolutely nothing Mason needed to be ashamed of.
They ended up only going to the hotel long enough for Mason to drop off his bag in his room, then they walked the couple of blocks in the dimming sunlight. They only had to dodge electric scooters twice, which was pretty good in David’s experience, and there wasn’t a significant wait for a table.
Once they were inside, surrounded by bright blues and reds and enveloped in the heady, nutty scents wafting from the kitchen, David was pretty sure he’d made the right choice.
“This is definitely not something I’ve experienced before.” Mason was all smiles when he said it, at least. It was better than the tension that had crashed into him as soon as food came up. They were seated toward the back of the restaurant, toward the kitchen, where the smell of the food was most intense. It made David’s eyes water and nose run just a little from the hot peppers that must have been being used, but he wasn’t mad about that.
They sat down across from each other and a waiter brought them waters and two menus. David had approximately noknowledge of Nigerian cuisine—that was the whole point of going some place new—but luckily there were descriptions for the different menu items, so he wasn’t flying completely blind.
Maybe even more luckily, Mason seemed to be actually giving the menu a look. When he saw David looking at him, his cheeks reddened. “Smells great in here.”
“As long as you don’t mind hot food.”
Mason chuckled, then sipped his water. “Maybe I’ll make a swing here some time. Pine Point’s not that far of a drive.”
“We can split something if you want.”
Mason closed his eyes, then shook his head. “I…David, it’s getting a little weird that you keep pushing me to eat. I’m not skin and bones, you know?”
Well, if he wants to dive into this, who am I to say no. “I’m not trying to push you to eat. I really am not. I just think…” He knew how best to put it, but he had to lean in and lower his voice. This was still a public place, and though David had less modesty than average, he certainly still had some. “Your cock was rubbing against my uvula. I would think you could be comfortable eating in front of me.”
David could tell he was trying not to react, but Mason’s mouth curled up into a smile anyway. Far as David could tell, it was a natural smile, even if it wasn’t planned or necessarily intended. “I suppose that makes sense. I just…I try not to…Jesus, this is way more awkward than sucking each other off.”
David hesitated, not sure that he had the right plan, but after a moment, he extended his hand, resting it on Mason’s. “Can I take a crack at it?”
