Home Sweet Home

[Black Philip]

I knew he meant well, and that I needed to do better. He asked about my favorite color, and it made me snort. To be honest it's never something I'd really considered. I mean, I'm sure I got asked in like grade school, but honestly had no idea what it was. How sad to not know your favorite color. I fought the urge to say black. I tightened my grip as I thought, and then answered without further prompting, "orange."

The colors of daylight i missed were the blood orange colors of sunset. It was one of the only things I thought about when I gave up mortality. I felt myself relax at the new line of questioning. This was okay. I could do this. Before asking my own question I decided to address the elephant in the room regarding my upbringing.

"Listen, I'm not much of a sharer," I began. That sounded bad. "But... I want to share with you. I want to tell you stuff. It just might take me some time. I wouldn't want to if you were anyone else. I'll say this, about my upbringing I mean. It sucked growing up that way, but it's made me who I am so I wouldn't change it. We are who we are, right?" I realized that was a question, and decided to see how philosophical Zeph could get. I already knew stuff like his favorite color. It was the benefit of all the spying.

[suneater]

Zeph's nose wrinkled, as if he could smell the slight falsehood. "Orange," he repeated dubiously. He had half a mind to crawl off the bed and start rifling through Drew's closet, but that would have involved effort he wasn't at all interested in expending.

His expression softened when Drew opened up. It was only a little, but it was enough- at least, enough for now. The nymph smiled gently and nodded in reply. "We are," he said simply. The question didn't qualify for the game Zeph had envisioned. He regarded his boyfriend quizzically, his eyebrows hedging up toward his ash-blond hair.

Eventually, he'd coax a question from Drew, and then fire back with one of his own. The game of minor revelations continued until Zeph's food arrived, but by then he was flagging- eyelids drooping, speech growing more and more quiet. He got through only half of his noodles before yawning egregiously and setting the leftovers on the floor beside the bed and curling up against Drew.

"Nap time," he murmured. His eyes were already closed.

[Black Philip]

Zeph looked sleepy well before his food arrived. I'm happy he was awake to eat some of it because I don't have a fridge. I looked at his sleepy face, and considered how much ground had been covered tonight. Being emotionally available is exhausting but as Zeph curled up to sleep I was glad. Sharing that little bit of myself felt like the steam inside me was slowly being let out, and then I realized we'd talked the night away. It was nearer to sunrise than I think either of us realized, but I quickly figured out it was nap time for me too.

I got comfy on the mattress, and even slipped my way under the blanket to be nearer to Zeph. I pulled him into my embrace, and closed my eyes. Zeph was already dead asleep, but I whispered just for me, "night boyfriend."

/end