How It Goes - Part 18
#19 of How It Goes
Aaaaand I fucked up second time in a row. What was supposed to be a Wednesday release became a Thursday one. Might be for the best to publish them every Thursday.
Jump aboard the drama train! The story's timeline is one I admittedly am struggling to pin down. I have a general idea of how quickly time flies, but it is difficult to convey. Currently the story is in the end stages of April, having started in November.
I'll admit to not being completely content with this part. It serves its purpose well enough, but it also feels a bit misplaced. I figure I'm allowed to have off days, as it were, and I can promise that next installment will be a lot better.
I ask that you suffer through this bit, but I hope you'll enjoy it all the same.
"I hope you're not disappointed."
Scott shifts and remains firmly under the blanket as Amy walks around the bedroom, searching for clothes. Her naked frame makes Scott blush and look away.
"Disappointed? Yeah, of course I am. I'd hoped for some wolf meat last night." She laughs and smiles at him. "I am sorry, though. It was not cool of me to be so forceful with you. I hope you don't think too ill of me."
"I'd say something about shame, but we both know the response to that," Scott replies meekly. "I think you're a bit too forward, though..."
"Yeah..." She sighs softly. "Oh well. Did I blow my chances forever with you?"
"I don't know," Scott replies. "I mean... maybe if we were with Theo it'd be better for me?"
"Sign me up for that bear-wolf sandwich anytime." She finally puts on a shirt, black with Muse's The 2nd Law emblem on it. "I'll get into some pants, hold on... I really am not used to having visitors, I always just spend time at home in the nude."
"You're not used to it?" Scott asks curiously.
"Nope. Only people I've had at home are my parents, Wally, and now you. That bed's never been christened before:"
"Christened?"
"Nobody's fucked in it. In fact, you're the first guy to ever sleep in it, and second person overall." She looks up with a grin.
"But... do you always ... well... fuck other people at their place?"
"Or at a party. Once or twice." She shrugs and smiles; there's a mischievous twitch in the corner of her mouth. Scott narrows his eyes.
"How many people have you actually been with?"
She eyes him slyly. "Two."
Scott blinks. "What."
"Yep." She slips into a pair of pants and then a set of trousers. "Theo and Brian. Lost my virginity to Theo. Mind you, I was off my tits the second time, I might have imagined it. Third and fourth were that night with the threesome. Once with the both of them, second after Brian fell asleep. Good times."
"Huh." Scott rubs his head.
"Yep. I'm actually very picky about who I sleep with. Honestly, I think I want my third to be you. " She looks at him wistfully. "Yeah, I think I'm pretty certain about that."
"I don't want to promise anything," Scott says weakly.
"Don't feel pressured. You've got Theo, you lucky bastard. I'll hopefully get some more bull, though. How about a foursome?"
"Yeah, no, that's not going to happen," Scott says flatly, and looks away.
"Oh? I heard something about you and Brian being really close."
"Stuff happened. Shenanigans. I'd rather leave it at that."
"Sure thing. Anyway, I think I will have to chase you out within the hour, the jamming starts at noon and it's a three quarter walk."
"Yeah. Could I maybe... get dressed in private?"
"Aww," she sulks playfully. "I had hoped to see some quality wolf beef."
"Guess I have to disappoint you some more."
"Hah, no worries. I've gotta tune my guitar anyway." She winks at him and leaves the room. Scott sighs and gets out of the bed. As he dresses his phone starts to buzz. Theo's grinning face flashes, and Scott answers right away.
"Hello."
"Hey Scott. You doing okay? Sleep well?"
"Yeah," Scott sits down on the edge of the bed. "Stayed at Amy's, went to a gig with her last night."
"Amy? Really?" Theo pauses. "Did you two...?"
"Fuck? No. She did make a move, though..."
"You sound uncomfortable."
"I am a bit," Scott admits. "I mean... I was aroused and I sorta wanted to? But it...it didn't feel right."
"I'll talk to her about it, if you want. You're my wuff, after all." Scott smiles and wags ever so slightly. "What about the Brian thing?"
"I'm worried about his drinking, but when I told him about my concerns he told me to fuck off. I don't want to think about it."
"I... yeah, okay."
"Can I come over?"
"I'm at my parents' place," Theo says apologetically. "There's this fancy dinner party, black tie affair, and they insisted I come over at nine o'clock so we could also have breakfast and shit. Catching up and all that. I want to, I really do, but..."
"Yeah, okay," Scott sighs. "Don't worry about it. I'll go to my dad's, probably."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry, you doofus. I just miss you, s'all."
"I do too. Actually..." Theo's voice grows deliberate. "I was thinking, since you're over at my place as often as you are, I should give you a key to my flat."
"Really?"
"Really. If you want to, that is?"
"Yeah, of course."
"Right." There's a call in the background, and Theo groans. "Ugh. Mother's calling for tea. I really should go."
"Okay."
"Love you, Scott."
"I love you too, Theo."
Scott finishes getting dressed to the sound of Amy's guitar. He finds her seated on the coffee table, guitar in hand, as she tweaks on the tuning machines.
"You and Theo hanging today?" Amy asks as she plucks a string. She winces at the sound, flat and sour, and she continues her tuning.
"No," he says sadly. "He's with his parents."
"Parental units, huh. Always a bunch of fun, aren't they?"
"I suppose..."
"What're your parents like, anyway?" She finishes her tweaking and does a swift riff. "Mine are okay, maybe a bit overbearing at times."
"My dad's great," Scott splays his ears and lowers his head. "My mum's dead."
"Oh." The music stops. "Wow. Really?"
"Ten years ago. Car crash." Scott looks up. Amy looks at him, though in a way she never has before.
"I never knew."
"I never told," Scott shrugs.
"That must've sucked."
"Pretty much, yeah." Scott shakes his head. "I should probably get on my way, shouldn't I?"
Amy snorts, and Scott looks at her bemused. "Sorry," she runs a paw between her ears. "First guy I ever bring home, and it's an awkward mess, isn't it?"
Scott snickers. "Yeah, it is."
"We're cool, though, yeah?"
"Of course we are. You made my night last night."
"Shame I didn't really get to make it, if you know what I mean," she winks. Scott buries his face in his palm. "Well, it is a shame! All that delicious-"
"Yeah, I get it, something about shame, cock, and wolf-bear-meat sandwich, right?"
"Couldn't have said it better myself, big boy," she grins, gets up, and opens her guitar case. "Well, we both should be off, yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Righto. I'll talk to you later!"
"History. Is. Boring."
Cecil slams his head into the desk repeatedly with every syllable with a long groan. Scott and Theo exchange looks.
"Is it that difficult?" Theo says uncertainly.
"Difficult? No." Cecil rolls his eyes. "Look, I wreck history. History's my bitch. I do it on a daily basis, but... it's this book. It's so droll and grey, jegus, nothing like Renaissance. What the author thought when he wrote this shit..."
"She," Scott points at the name of the author, some Amanda H. Horn-
"Okay, she, whatever." Cecil sighs and puts away the book in favour of an ICTvolume. "Got my ICT practise exam on Friday anyway, great excuse as always."
Scott looks over at Theo, who shakes his head with a smile. "You really remind me of..."
"Yeah, he does," Scott nods.
"Remind you of who?"
"Tom." Scott looks wistfully down at the grey photographs in the history book. "I haven't heard from him in a while..."
"You should call him," Theo says softly, stroking his neck. Scott murrs gently as he turns a page. Theo turns his attention to his books, and riffles through his copy of the code. He mutters under his breath about applicable paragraphs.
"Or just go visit him," Cecil shrugs. "I'd be happy to go with you."
"I don't really feel like going to a gay bar again," Scott replies quietly. "The smell still haunts me."
"Say what?" Theo looks up, confused.
"I... I didn't tell you?" Scott says doubtfully.
"No?" Theo gazes at the two of them, then gets a fit of panic when he almost loses his code page. "Oh fuck."
"Tom works in a gay bar," Cecil says simply.
"He... what."
"Yeah, he's lives in Kidlington."
"I thought he lived with your dad," Theo replies slowly.
"He moved out two months ago. He works as a bartender."
"At the Ox de L'Amour," Cecil nods.
"Gay bar?" Theo looks blank. " Really?"
"Yep."
"How did you find out?"
"I went to all the gay bars just to check them out," Cecil grins.
"You never struck me as a... a cruiser," Theo says skeptically.
"Glad to hear that," Cecil laughs. "I keep expecting people to assume the worst 'cause I'm a rabbit."
"It never crossed my mind," Theo replies as he looks away.
"Heh. But no, I'm not a cruiser."
"So what are they like?"
"Pretty tame, actually, during the weekdays. Went once during the weekend, though. Holy. Shit."
"That bad?"
"Who needs porn, all I'm saying." Cecil shakes his head, but Theo still looks discomfited.
"Theo?" Scott asks as he brushes his hand against his elbow.
"Huh? Oh... I'm just surprised, s'all..."
The bear's gaze grows absent as he flickers through the code. Cecil rubs his hands together, cracks them, stretches his arms.
"When was the last time you contacted Tom, though?" Cecil asks as he flickers through the pages of his newly-found ICT volume.
"When we were at the Ox," Scott hums quietly. "Which... was two weeks ago? Really? It feels like months..."
"That's time for you," Cecil snickers. He finds his chapter, and his eyes dart across the writing half-heartedly. After a moment, the bunny checks the time. "Only a quarter before lunch... jegus, time flies fast, doesn't it?"
"Why am I imagining the personified aspect of time is a pig with wings?" Scott says slowly as he gazes idly around the library.
"Maybe that explains why time goes slowly sometimes," Cecil hums absently. Scott stifles a yawn as he closes his history book. He looks at Theo, the bear's eyes not reading with any heart.
"Theo?" Scott murmurs quietly as he lays his hand gently atop the bear's. Theo perks up and shakes Scott's hand off of his own.
"Huh? Oh..." He looks down at Scott's hand and his own, and then at Scott, whose expression is lined with confusion and ache. "Scott, I'm sorry, I am really out of it..."
"Do you want to go to Sesame for lunch?" Scott asks delicately.
"Yeah, that'd... that'd be nice." Theo closes his books and starts stuffing them into his backpack. Scott's eyes turn to Cecil, who is watching them both intently, mystified, bemused.
"Do you want to come? My treat," Scott turns to Cecil, and his voice is rocked with quiet.
"No, that's okay, I'm not particularly hungry, and I really need to get studying." Cecil smiles. "Thanks for the offer though."
"You sure?"
"Of course I'm sure. You two go and clear your heads, yeah? I'll see you in Geo."
"Are you okay?"
Theo looks up at Scott's face, riddled with worry. "I'm sorry, Scott, I just worry about Tom."
"Really?" Scott replies, a bit too much surprise in his voice. Theo looks over at him with a frown.
"Well, yeah. He's always been abrasive, but..." Theo shakes his head as they enter Sesame's, the soft chill of the air condition washing over them both. "I'm just... I don't know, he's vulnerable, isn't he? It's not really wise for him to be in that sort of environment, is it?"
Scott looks up at the bear, who gazes down at him with a resigned look. Then his snout perks up and, with a long sniff, turns around to check the closest booth. "Amy?"
"Huh?" Amy's voice squeaks as she peeks out of her booth. Her usually cheerful face is lined with agony and anger. "Oh. You."
"Are you okay?" Scott asks as he checks her table.
"Do I look okay?" she snaps, baring surprisingly sharp teeth. Scott pulls away, and Theo frowns.
"Don't start on him," he growls quietly.
"Ugh, sorry Scott," she sighs. She turns to her half-eaten meal. "It's Brian. He's a cunt."
Theo sits down opposite Amy and reaches for her hand. His large brown fingers wrap around her snowy white paw, and she looks up with a small smile. Then she glances at Scott, who stares blankly at the both of them.
"I'll just go get lunch," he says flatly. He dumps his backpack next to Theo's seat, and makes to leave. Theo grabs him by the hand too.
"Scott," he says quietly.
"It's fine," Scott looks over his shoulder. The fur on Theo's and Amy's fingers brush weakly against one another. "What would you like to eat?"
"Are you sure it's okay?" Theo urges, gently squeezing his hand.
"Yes, you doofus."
Theo smiles and nuzzles Scott's paw. "Small with extra chips, then, sir."
"Sir? Really?" Scott snorts and shakes his head slowly. "Okay."
"Love you," Theo murmurs and he nips Scott's paw. The wolf squeals and bounces away with a grin, though as he turns his back on them his ears droop. He approaches the waiter - a tall and slim hyena - who wipes the floor. The hyena perks up at the sight of him, and turns to him smiling.
"Hello there," he says smoothly. "Here to order?"
"Yes, please," Scott replies quietly.
"You look down. Bad day?" The hyena pulls out a notepad and a pen.
"Long day," Scott sighs. "I'll not bore you."
"No worries, no worries. Usual for you?"
"Yes, please. And a small burger with extra chips."
"Noted, and noted. I'll bring it to your table." The hyena winks, grins, and slips behind the counter toward the kitchen. Scott blinks at him for a moment before he buries his face in his paw. He returns to the table.
"And the worst part is I really need a good fuck right now and nobody's fucking available."
"I'd be happy to accommodate, you know that," Theo replies with a smirk. He looks up and his grin shifts into horror as Scott looks at them blankly, then he buries his face in his paw. Again.
"Oh fuck, Scott," Theo groans, "I'm sorry, I am fucking this up big time, aren't I?"
"It's okay," Scott sighs. Theo grabs him by the hand and guides the wolf down to sit next to him. "It's okay. If it makes you both happy, I don't mind."
"You're a trooper, Scott, but I don't really feel like screwing Theo. Or you. Not right now." Amy shakes her head. "I think I'll get on my way. Thanks for the talk, Theo. You take care of Scott."
She grabs her jacket and leaves in a hurry. Theo calls out to her, but she exits Sesame's without a response, and they both watch her storm down the street. Theo sighs somewhat angrily and he slams his fist into the table.
"Theo, can you please talk to me?" Scott whimpers softly, and he nuzzles the bear's cheek.
"I'm sick of this," Theo growls. "Of having to listen to people's problems."
"I... I didn't..." Scott stammers, and he splays his ears. "I'm sorry."
"It's not you," Theo sighs as he slumps down over the table. He mulls quietly, and when he speaks it's very carefully. "It's Byrne and Kato."
"Kato?"
"Remember that fox Stewart punched in the face? The cafeteria confrontation?"
"Vaguely," Scott replies uncertainly.
"Promised to keep this quiet, but... well..." Theo lowers his gaze and splays his minuscule ears. "He and Byrne are sorta... going out. Except Byrne is very conflicted about it, you know, sexually? Ashamed. And the poor lad is really torn about it all. He's been crying on my shoulder, 'cause he's confused too, and Byrne's... well...he's being a pain in the fucking arse."
Scott surveys Theo and lays a hand on his leg. "Theo..."
"I'm not good at this shit," Theo sighs. "I just feel sorry for all of them 'cause I want to help, y'know? But now this crap with Amy, it's just overwhelming as fuck."
"Can I do anything to help you cope?" Scott nuzzles up at Theo's cheek.
"You're doing plenty," Theo says warmly as he leans into the wolf's wet nuzzle. "It's just... it's got me down."
Scott brushes his snout alongside Theo's, though he looks away shortly after. "You got all down when we talked about Tom..."
"I want to help him too," Theo sighs. He pulls Scott closer. "I just...can't right now. I'm so fucking tired, Scott. Look, can we just... talk about something else? Please?"
"Yeah, of course," Scott says softly. He buries his face into Theo's neck, and they bask in each other's warmth. The silence is momentarily broken by the hyena, who strides up to their table with their meals in hand.
"Here you two lovebirds go," He winks and smiles slyly, as their food is served. When he walks away it is with swagger, though when the bear and wolf look at each other, it's not with smiles.
They eat in silence.