31 - The darkest night will pass…

The trolley ride from the Quarter to the Garden District was filled with long silences and soft smiles between Kemp and Seth. Neither of them was demonstrative enough to be willing to sit with their arms around each other, even though there were other male couples who had no qualms about doing that and more.

Once they were off the trolley though, Seth took Kemp’s hand as they walked towards Rikard’s house. After a long moment of silence he asked, “What’s on your mind?”

“You.” Kemp grinned. “But something else too.”

“Are you going to spill it?”

“Trevor wants to turn his territory over to me on a permanent basis.”

“Whoa. Are you serious?” Seth stopped walking, looking at Kemp. “And?”

Kemp frowned, chewing the corner of his lip. “And I think whether I take him up on it or not is a decision we both have to make, if this thing between us is going to work and be real.”

“This ‘thing’?” Seth chuckled softly. “If you’re trying to ask if I’m serious about being in a relationship with you—I am.”

“Good. Because so am I. It’s just…it’s happened so fast if you think about it.”

“And why is that a problem? This is the twenty-first century, not the eighteen hundreds. There doesn’t have to be a protracted courtship period, since we both know what we’re feeling. We’ve already moved well past that anyway, if last night is any indication.” Seth squeezed Kemp’s hand. “Sure there are things we have to work on, because there’s a ton about each other we still don’t know. Like, humm, do you squeeze the toothpaste from the middle or the end?”

Kemp laughed. “The end of course. Do you hang up your clothes or just toss them? Excluding last night when we were racing to get naked and down to it.”

“Fifty-fifty. But when I toss them it’s onto a chair, not the floor. Showers or bath?”

“Showers, and I don’t mind sharing them. Cook or fast food? Oh, never mind, you don’t eat.”

“Nope, but I’d much rather smell a good meal cooking than something from a burger joint. Boxers or… okay, that one I know already.” Seth grinned.

“How many past lovers?”