How It Goes - Part 4
#4 of How It Goes
I will admit to being reluctant to publish this bit of the story. It is one of the more dramatic parts of the story, and to be honest, I wonder if perhaps the story delves further into drama the more I write it.
Reading over it, I find that I am content. Perhaps this bit is a little short comparatively - certainly, parts 1 and 3 are longer - but length is hardly everything.
For those curious, the story is progressing slowly. I do have two or three parts already written, and they will be released sometime soon.
In the meanwhile, please enjoy.
Radiohead blares throughout the kitchen. Scott yawns, rubbing his eyes as he listens to Brian finish a phone call, sitting by the kitchen table. The smell of toast is in the air.
"Right, great. Yeah, end of the week. Thanks a lot, uncle." Brian hangs up, before coughing.
"You okay?"
"Yeah. It's the cigar from last night, I think," he replies, coughing again.
"They do that to you." Theo walks in and hugs Scott from behind, coughing too. Scott leans into him, sniffing. "Good album."
"Yeah, I always play Kid A on New Year's Day. Done so for the last three years. Really... sets the mood."
"What's that... smell?" Scott asks.
"Finished the cigar from last night just now. Didn't want to let it go to waste. Didn't taste all that great either." Theo nuzzles Scott between the ear.
"Anyway, Scott, that was my uncle Jerry. We got the apartment." Brian beams at Scott, who smiles back.
"That's great."
"Wait, you're moving in together?" Theo's hold on Scott loosens slightly.
"Yeah, my..." Scott splays his ears. "My step-mum wants me out of the house."
"You didn't mention," Theo replies, his voice slightly stiff.
"She... told that to me yesterday before I came here. I didn't want to think about it."
"I've got a pretty big apartment," Theo says, nuzzling Scott's ear.
"And you two have been going out for two months. Look, I know what you're getting at, but two months is way too early for you to be asking Scott to move in with you," Brian says as he gets up, moving towards the toaster. "You two hungry?"
"I guess it is." Theo sighs. "Yes, I am."
"Did you sleep well?" Scott turns around and nuzzles Theo's chin.
"Slept okay, except for the... well." Theo looks a tad awkward.
"Except for...?"
"You didn't... hear them? You must've slept like a rock." Theo throws a glance at Brian.
"Oh. I... I see. Why did Tom come to my bed at six in the morning?"
"He did what?"
"No idea," Brian shrugs, putting the toast on the table. "Toast. Here."
"Thanks," Scott murmurs, hugging Theo quickly before sitting down by the table; Theo sits down adjacent to him.
"Did you sleep well?" Theo says, starting on his toast.
"Tom woke me up. Barely slept at all, to be honest," Scott mutters, stifling a yawn.
"Tempted to go finish that cigar now," Brian says, shuffling along on the floor, moving to the music.
"Might be better to go for a new one. I bought more of them," Theo says, mouth half full.
"If you're offering." There's a creak from the hallway, and Brian turns around. "Morning, miss sunshine."
Tom grunts, waddling awkwardly towards the toaster iron, his eyes firmly set on the floor.
"Got painkillers if you need them. I figure you might," Brian goes on, moving towards the fridge. He pulls out a beer. Scott glances anxiously at Tom, and then at Theo, who looks at Tom rather awkwardly.
"You know, I feel like a beer and a cigar that hasn't been out on the balcony all night." Theo gets up and claps Brian on the shoulder. "What do you say?"
"Sure thing, feel free to get one from the fridge." Theo wraps an arm around Brian's shoulders, and walks out of the kitchen. Tom stands by the counter, fiddling with the bread.
"You okay?" Scott gets up and approaches.
"Does it look like I'm okay?" Tom mutters quietly. "My head hurts, and I'm hungry,the music's so... annoying, there's a stink out in the hallway, and my arse..."
Scott hurries over to the table to find the remote, turning off the music.
"Thanks," Tom sighs sullenly.
"Aspirin?" Scott asks. Tom nods.
Scott watches Tom nibble on his toast, his ears partially splayed.
"Why'd you... come to my room last night?" Scott asks.
"Brian was snoring," Tom replies, quietly.
"Why did you two...?"
Tom looks up, eyes red and puffy, teeth gritted. "I like him, Scott. I... really, really like him. But I don't think he likes me back. I'm scared he doesn't."
Scott reaches out a paw, and grabs Tom's.
"Please don't tell him. Or anyone. Ever."
"I won't," Scott replies. Tom lowers his gaze, nibbling a bit more on the toast. There's silence, before Tom pushes away the plate.
"I'm gonna go home," he mutters.
"Want me to walk with you?"
Tom looks up, and nods.
"Thanks for bringing him home, Scott," Mrs. Brams said, looking pained. Behind her, Mr. Brams was yelling loudly at Tom. "I do hope you had a good new year's celebration."
"I did, Mrs. Brams. Please don't be too hard on Tom."
"Your mother and I have told you how we feel about that fucking drinking of yours. How dare you run out on us like that? And I don't like you spending time with that ... that wolf, I don't want him putting any ideas into your head, didn't you hear that he's a faggot-"
"You should go," Mrs. Brams urges, stepping back into the warmth of her house. Scott lowers his gaze, and turns to leave.
"I'm back," Scott calls, entering Brian's house.
"There you are." Theo asks, looking out from the kitchen. The shower rattles down the hallway. "Brian's in the shower, he wanted the cigar smell out of his fur. I don't blame him, holy shit, the aftertaste. Never again am I doing two cigars in the span of twelve hours."
"Why'd you do that, though?" Scott says, hanging up his jacket.
"Tom," he says, shrugging. "I figured Tom and Brian shouldn't be in the same room. Is Tom okay?"
Scott smiles sadly. "No. No, he isn't."
Theo sighs. "So what's the plan for today?"
"Think I'll go home and start packing, since Brian found a place."
"Yeah, you mentioned last night. Why does your step-mum want you to leave?"
"Because she doesn't want a faggot in 'her' house." Scott looks away. Theo looks scandalised.
"She really said that?"
"Yeah. Right after you left on Christmas day, actually. There was a huge fight, she stormed out of the house, my dad was really upset and angry."
"So she finds out you're gay and the same day decides she can't live with you?" Theo slams his fist into the table. "That's bullshit."
"Actually, she ... overheard somebody at the grocery store talk about me after I asked you out."
Theo stares at Scott, his fist loosening. "I... oh, shit, that never crossed my mind, I..."
"It's okay. It's not like I get treated any differently at school."
"That's because everyone's scared I'll beat the shit out of them if they try to bully you," Brian says, entering the kitchen, stark naked while drying his chest with a towel. "Where's Tom?"
"He went home," Scott says, looking Brian up and down.
"Oh. Figured he'd want to see me proper in the light." Brian reaches down to hug Scott; Scott notes the beer breath.
"Could you maybe get some pants on?" Theo says, blushing and looking away.
"If the otter isn't around, might as well." Brian strides out of the room, swaying slightly. Theo looks at the door as the bull leaves.
"I didn't think Brian was like that," Theo says after a while.
"Me neither."
"Want to get out of here?"
"Yeah..."
Theo gets up and lays his arm around Scott. "Let's get our stuff, I'll walk you home."
"Yeah, thanks... let me just go thank Brian for the party, though."
Scott knocks on the door. There's a moment's quiet, and then, "Yeah?"
"Me and Theo are leaving."
"Oh." The door opens. Brian's got on a pair of trousers, and nothing else. "I thought maybe you'd stay a bit longer."
"I'm sorry, I'm just really tired."
"There's a bed here, you know that." Brian leans forward and embraces Scott.
"I know, but Theo wanted to go, and he said he'd walk me home."
Brian lets go, sighing but smiling. "Right. Truth be told, I probably should get some sleep myself. I'll see you out the door."
"Are you okay?"
"No," he says, shaking his head. "No, I'm not, Scott. Don't worry about it, I'll be fine. Let me put on a shirt..."
"Hey, cuntboy."
Scott turns around, standing face to face with Travers, who shoves him up against the wall.
"W... what?"
"Well, aren't you? Either Theo's mysteriously grown attached to the taste of dick, or you've got something between your legs that even I would shove my cock into. So which is it?"
Halfway between fear and confusion, Scott opens his mouth wordlessly.
"See, after you went mental and outed yourself in the cafeteria, you and Theo have been spending a bit too much time together for just an odd friendship, only when I asked him about you, he said it was nothing of the sort."
"Did he?" Scott replies, breathlessly. Travers cocks his head to the side. "Why do you care?"
"Well, if it turns out Theo's lying to me, I'm going to have to punch him in the face. I hate liars."
"And what are you going t-to do with me?"
Travers narrows his eyes. "Why would I do anything to you? You think I'm going to kick the shit outta you because you're a queer? 'Cause I'm not that kind of arse. You outed yourself in the most retarded way possible, but at least you have the guts to be honest with yourself. Just don't start hitting on me, 'cause I really, really don't swing that way, and we're fine."
"But your friends-" Scott says, biting his lip. Travers rolls his eyes.
"Are grade A cunts." Travers lets go of his shoulder, straightening up. "So, you and Theo going out?"
Scott looks away, splaying his ears. "Ask him."
"Right." Travers slips away down the hallway, leaving Scott standing there, alone.
"So Travers didn't beat the living shit out of you?"
Brian glances at Scott, who's got his nose almost touching the bottom screen of his 3DS.
"No," Scott mutters.
"That's good, isn't it?" Brian turns back to the television screen, focusing on his game.
"I guess..."
"What'd he want, anyway?"
"Wanted to know if Theo and I were together."
"Yeah? Why?"
"Travers said Theo said we're not together." Scott closes the 3DS screen, and looks up at Brian.
"Considering the crowd he hangs with, I don't blame him for lying about it," Brian replies, not looking away from the screen, frantically mashing buttons on the controller. "And shouldn't you be talking to Theo about this?"
"You asked how my day was. Where were you today, anyway? I didn't see you or Tom at school."
"I was busy," Brian deflects, grunting in frustration. Downstairs the doorbell chimes, and then footsteps.
"Why are you so distant with me?"
Brian doesn't look up, though when there are angry footsteps storming up the stairs he turns to the door; Scott looks too. Tom strides into the room.
"When the fuck were you going to tell me about Beth?" Tom growls, panting.
"What... how did you know about-" Brian starts, but Tom cuts him off.
"My sister dances with her. You've been going out for three months, and you're..." Tom catches his breath, and glares. "You're together, and yet on new year's, you... we..."
"Tom, I'm... look...You were drunk off your arse, and I was too, and you came into my lap and just started kissing me, and before I knew it you had pulled out my cock, and you just... really seemed like you wanted me to... fuck you. And I was horny."
"Is that all this was to you? Just a ... a fuck?"
"Tom, we're just friends. I messed up. I shouldn't have done... you."
Tom's brow twitches, and he clenches his teeth. Trembling, he turns around to leave.
"Please don't tell Beth."
"You were my first," Tom says, his voice breaking. He storms out of the room as Brian rises from his chair.
"Tom, wait!"
The angry footsteps rumble throughout the house, punctuated by the front door slammed shut. Scott looks at the doorway, and then at Brian.
"Scott, could you leave?" Brian says, shaking his head and pulling out his phone. Scott lowers his head, and with a sigh gets up to leave.
"See you," Scott says, glancing at Brian. Brian doesn't reply, frantically typing on his phone. Scott closes the door as he leaves, trotting downstairs.
"You leavin' already, dear?"
Mrs. Byrne stands in the hallway, a book in her hand.
"Brian wanted to be left alone," Scott replies quietly.
"Was what Tom said true? I do hope the otter's okay," she says, taking a step closer. "I knew something was up with Brian after New Year's. You'll keep a watch on 'em both, won't you?"
"Of course, Mrs. Byrne."
"And how you holdin' up? Brian told me you got a boyfriend," she smiles. "Is he nice to you? Does he treat you well?"
"I'm okay. Yeah, he... he does. He makes me happy."
"Now that's good. And how are things at home?"
Scott lowers his head.
"Brian told me about your step-mother. I've half a mind to call Charles, give him a good tellin' to, God knows you deserve better." She sighs, and gives Scott a tight, stifling hug. "If you ever need anyone to talk to, or a place to stay, you're always welcome here, Scott. Always, y'hear?"
Scott raises his head and smiles, returning the hug.
"Right, dress proper now, the wind's harsh today. Be careful out there."
"Thanks, Mrs. Byrne."