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  Dylan felt moderately better by the time class ended. The students with finished cards handed them over before making their way out. He had an hour before the next class started. He took the cards to his office, then returned to the classroom. He unlocked and opened the Foundation’s supply cabinet. He had no plan for the day. He wasn’t even sure he entirely expected the non-CSG kids to show, but they did.

  He gave them the same options he had given the CSG kids. More of them opted for card making, but a few still worked on their own things. The hour seemed blissfully short. Some of them packed up quickly, ready to get on with the rest of their day. He didn’t rush the stragglers who wanted to finish their cards. Afterwards, they took their time cleaning up the classroom.

  He picked up the cards he’d left in his office, sticking them all into a manilla envelope. The school was eerily quiet without students. He remembered liking the emptiness at the end of the day, after everyone had left. Now, it just seemed lonely. The burst of noise as he exited the building and stepped off the property, onto the city streets was a nice reassurance that life was still happening.

  It was too late to drop the cards off at the Foundation office. He took the train back to Alphabet City instead. He was feeling listless. It was strange to know that he wouldn’t be seeing Stuart the next day. He often stopped into the Friday Freeform classes. They had weekly meetings in his office as well he no longer had to look forward to. Anxiety wrapped around his heart; the future of the Foundation and his job feeling at a loose end.

  Stuart’s influence had gotten him into a school when none other would humor having him. It had been life changing, to say the least. He’d found friends, he’d had a good romantic relationship, and he’d found a purpose. At least, for that short time, influencing other teens. It had been weird at first; teaching kids his own age. He’d worried they wouldn’t take him seriously, but they had. Coming back to New York and getting to do it again had been great. He hadn’t even fully adjusted to being back in the classroom. What if it all went away?

  The apartment was empty when he arrived. Jack was still on campus; Thursday was his Critique Night. He contemplated something for dinner, but nothing in the fridge looked appetizing. After fifteen minutes of staring blankly at his computer screen, he grabbed his keys again and made his way back out of the apartment.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Staring at a blank page on his drafting board in the studio wasn’t any better than the computer screen. The difference was, the studio felt like home. It being in his childhood home likely had a lot to do with that. Rosa had automatically brought him a plate and gave him a hug. The house was quiet, but he knew the staff was meandering around. Occasionally one of them would pass by the open door. Whether they were doing legitimate work, or checking up on him, he wasn’t sure. It was reassuring to have people close by.

  “You don’t look like you’re getting much done.”

  Dylan looked up, somewhat surprised to see Benjamin in the doorway.

  “I thought you were banned from ever speaking to me.” He was surprised by his own levity.

  “David let me off monitoring detail,” he replied, stepping into the room. “He sent me up. We were surprised to see you. You haven’t been home in a while.”

  “I was hoping that a change of scenery might inspire me. It hasn’t.”

  “I’m sorry to hear about your mentor.” He took a seat on the model’s stool across from Dylan. “Have you heard anything about the funeral?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Do you need anything?”

  “That depends. What are you offering?”

  Benjamin’s lips tweaked in a soft smile. “I go off the clock in ten minutes. We could get coffee.”

  “Just coffee?”

  “The only other thing of comfort I can offer is Goliath Cuddles. He did take a liking to you.”

  “I’m surprised you’d be willing to let me back into your apartment after last time. I did coerce you into having sex with me.”

  “That’s one way of looking at it,” Benjamin acknowledged. “I’m a big guy. I could have resisted if I had really wanted to. Plus, I was on top. Sounds consensual to me.”

  “True enough.”

  “So, coffee?”

  “I’m not in a cafe mood. I wouldn’t say no to getting to know your mutant cat. I deserve that at least, after he got so well acquainted with my testicles.”

  “He has that habit.” Benjamin stood up from the stool. “I have to go officially punch out. Meet me in the side foyer? Unless you want to drive separately? I could stop and pick you up from your apartment. There isn’t a lot of open parking around my place.”

  Dylan stood up, moving around the desk. “If I stay over again, would you drive me back here in the morning?”

  “I would drive you back even if you didn’t stay the night.”

  “What if I wanted to?”

  “You like my cat that much?”

  “I might like you that much,” Dylan answered. “You’re the only one who came up here to talk to me. Why are you so sweet?”

  Benjamin shrugged. “It’s my nature to be kind. I’ll meet you downstairs. We can talk about staying over later.”

  Dylan watched him stride from the room. He looked back at his blank page before he put his pencils away and flipped the light off. He closed the door firmly behind himself and made his way down to the side foyer. He didn’t have to wait long before Benjamin met him, keys already in hand.

  “You saw my freezer,” Benjamin began. “You want to stop for anything on the way? Food? Desserts? Drinks?”

  “As long as you let me make the coffee, I’ll be fine. We can order something in if we change our minds.”

  Benjamin nodded, ushering him toward one of the small black sedans. The drive to Benjamin’s neighborhood was quiet. It wasn’t long before he beckoned Dylan through the door of the tiny efficiency apartment. Goliath appeared right away, butting his head first against Benjamin’s legs, then coming to inspect Dylan.

  “I’m going to change,” Benjamin told him after giving Goliath a scratch behind the ears. “Make yourself comfortable. Help yourself to whatever’s in the kitchen.”

  Dylan watched him make his way over to the bedroom area to pull out some clothing items from a small dresser. He hummed in disappointment as the man disappeared into the bathroom. He took a seat on the couch and Goliath jumped up next to him. Giant paws kneaded his thigh. A rumbly purr resonated from deep within the cat’s chest.

  “He says you’re not a mutant,” Dylan whispered to the cat, “but I think you are.” If Goliath was offended, he didn’t show it, bumping the top of his head into Dylan’s chin. The purr grew, if possible, louder. He couldn’t help but smile, digging his fingers into the cat’s scruff.

  “Have you ever had a cat?” Benjamin asked, returning from the bathroom. He’d swapped his suit for sweats and an old Army t-shirt. “I’ve never seen him take to someone so quickly before.”

  “No. My parents had a dog when they first got married and were restoring the castle. It passed away when I was five, I think. They decided not to get another one, what with us having a historic house and everything. Not worth the potential damage.” He looked up from loving on Goliath. “I do like animals. I thought about getting a pet while I was in California. I wasn’t sure what my living situation would be like after the dorms. Then, moving back here after graduation.” He shrugged. “It’s probably better that I try a plant or something before a living creature.”

  “Cats are easier than dogs.” Benjamin took a seat on the other side of the couch. “They occupy themselves for the most part. I do have to take this guy for walks. He’s too big to get proper exercise in such a small apartment.” Goliath made his way back over to his owner to give him an affectionate headbutt. “He was my grandmother’s. When she passed away, my Dad was going to surrender him to a shelter. I couldn’t let that happen.”

  “How old is he?”

  “Six,” Benjamin
answered. “She got him after I was deployed, to keep her company. She wasn’t very social. My parents are usually out of the house, working around the ranch. That was part of the reason that my Dad wanted to surrender him. Goliath was her baby. I think it hurt too much to look at him. He’s a lot to look at.”

  “He is, but he’s quite handsome.” Dylan reached over, giving the cat little scritch on the butt, above the tail. “I can see why he was a good replacement for you, while you were gone.” He pulled his hand back into his lap. “When did she pass away?”

  “Last year. She and my parents had decided not to tell me how sick she was, while I was deployed. We were close. She lived with us my whole life. It was her parents that started our ranch. After she died, I moved here and started working for your parents.”

  “You couldn’t find a better pet-friendly place?” Dylan gave the apartment an appraising look again. “I know my parents offer help for moving, particularly for veterans.”

  “I like this place. It’s out of the way. It’s a good neighborhood. It’s cheap, considering its Manhattan. A lot of my neighbors are college students, so it can get loud sometimes, but not intolerable. I can sleep through almost anything.”

  “Are you on the list for an apartment at the castle?”

  “No,” Benjamin shook his head, “they changed the qualifications. You have to hold a position for at least three years.”

  “I didn’t realize that,” Dylan said. “Things changed while I was gone.”

  “It’s all right. I don’t know if I want to do this kind of work for that long. It’s a nice stepping stone and looks great on a resume.”

  “What would you do instead?”

  “I’m taking an intro class for Criminal Justice right now, but...” Benjamin wrinkled his nose. “I’m not really feeling it.”

  “Do you like working security?” Dylan asked.

  “The job is fine,” he said. “The pay, benefits, and perks are great. The idea that I’m protecting people is nice. It’s also weird. Like, what makes you more important than the other people in this city who need protection but can’t afford it?”

  “I don’t have an answer for that. Mostly because I don’t think I am important enough to need protection. Although, I was nearly kidnapped when I was eight, so I suppose it isn’t a complete waste of time.”

  “What?” Benjamin gasped.

  “I don’t really remember it, it happened so fast. I was at the park, meeting with some friends. I had a nanny then, even though I felt like I was way too old to have a nanny. It was by chance that one of our security guys was sweet on her and stuck around to flirt. He tackled the guy who tried to pick me up and carry me to a van. I remember biting the guy’s hand as hard as I could. Broke skin. First time I was ever tested for HIV.”

  “Holy shit.”

  “The guard and the nanny got married a year later.” Dylan pondered, “What were their names? Howard and Jeannette, I think. They decided to get out of the city. Now they run a B-and-B in Vermont. My parents have visited a few times. They say it’s lovely.”

  “I had no idea. That must have been scary.”

  “To a normal child, it would have been. Mostly, I was annoyed that I got blood on my favorite t-shirt.”

  “You must have been spunky as a kid.”

  Dylan chuckled. “That’s one word for it.”

  Goliath jumped down from the couch, stretching before padding over to the large cat tree attached to the wall. He climbed several platforms before sprawling out on the top most level. He surveyed his tiny kingdom from above while he washed his paws.

  “He must be sick of all the attention. He’s not used to it,” Benjamin teased. He looked around the apartment, a sense of awkwardness looming. “Uh, I don’t have a TV right now. I could pull out the laptop and we could stream something.”

  “That would be fun.”

  “There are some chips in the cupboard,” Benjamin suggested. “Soda or water in the fridge.”

  While Dylan went to get refreshments, Benjamin got up to retrieve the laptop. They converged on the sofa again after Benjamin kicked an over-sized footstool over in front of the couch.

  “We’ll have to get cozy,” he apologized.

  “I don’t mind,” Dylan assured him. “Coke?” He handed over the red labeled can. “Your taste in chips is atrocious, but I did find your cookie stash.”

  “What’s wrong with my chips?”

  “They’re pickle flavored.” Dylan wrinkled his nose. “No one buys that in a full size bag.”

  “Obviously someone does,” Benjamin countered. “There should have been some cheese puffs or something too.”

  “I didn’t see any.” Dylan offered him one of the cookies. “Also, you have microwave popcorn, but no microwave?”

  “I blew up my microwave last month. I haven’t replaced it yet,” Benjamin replied sheepishly. “I accidentally left a spoon in a bowl.”

  “Way to go.”

  “I was very tired,” he explained. “I don’t even like microwave popcorn. I prefer to buy pre-popped stuff, when I do get an odd craving for it.”

  “I’m not a big popcorn person either.” Dylan propped his feet up on the footstool and got comfy. “What are we going to watch?”

  “What are you in the mood for?” Benjamin asked. “Comedy? Drama? Horror?”

  “Something that doesn’t take a lot of brain power,” Dylan requested. He bit into another cookie.

  “Quirky teen soap opera?”

  “Is that a guilty pleasure for you?”

  “Maybe. Shut up.” Benjamin poked him with his elbow. He clicked through a few screens on the laptop before setting it on top of their touching thighs. He reached for the cookies as the opening theme started.

  “How many times have you watched this?” Dylan asked.

  “This one? Only once, way back when it was first on TV,” Benjamin assured him. “I’ve been meaning to re-watch it since it started streaming.”

  Dylan hummed, shoving another cookie in his mouth. “LGBT rep?”

  “Non-existent,” Benjamin groaned, “but I will forever ship the main guy and his best friend. The lead cheerleader is obviously in love with the geeky brain character, who I am one hundred percent sure transitioned in college.”

  They watched the first episode quietly. Benjamin got up once to grab the pickle chips. Goliath left his perch on the cat tree to come rest on the back of the couch, as though he wanted to watch with them. He was disturbed when Benjamin shifted to adjust his shoulder, half way through episode three. Disgruntled, the cat moved to Dylan’s lap.

  “Holy crap, you’re heavy,” he groaned as the cat flooded his lap.

  “Come on,” Benjamin tried to scooted him away. “You’ve got a whole cushion you can sit on.” Goliath was unmoved.

  “He’s fine.”

  “He’s nearly twenty pounds. If you thought he had already acquainted himself with your balls, wait until he steps on them.”

  “I can take care of my own balls, thanks.” Dylan rubbed the cat’s ears. The responding rumbling purr vibrated through him.

  Benjamin bit his lip, holding back a chuckle. “No, it’s too easy.”

  “Too easy?”

  He released a light sigh. “You said last time, and I quote, once was enough.” He adjusted the laptop onto the footstool as he straightened. “It’s getting late. Why don’t I drive you home?”

  “Poor choice of words on my part,” Dylan didn’t move. “Once was enough. That doesn’t mean I’m not open to doing it again. If you want to.”

  “Do you want to?”

  “Aren’t you afraid of being unprofessional? Or getting fired. Worse, being put back on full time monitoring duties?”

  “I have faith in your ability to be discrete.”

  “I am many things. Discreet has never been one of them.”

  “I suppose it’s hard when you’re constantly watched.” Benjamin’s hands found his hips. “However, that might work in our favor, as I�
�m one of the people who is meant to be watching you.”

  “Was that supposed to be flirty? It came out a little on the creepy side.”

  “I heard it as soon as it was out of my mouth.” Benjamin’s grin was intoxicatingly charming.

  Dylan gave Goliath one more pet before he hefted the cat onto the sofa cushion beside him. The cat jumped away, making his way over to his food dish with a disgruntled sneeze.

  “Do you want to? I don’t have to buy you this time?”

  “You didn’t buy me last time. You bartered for a quicky. I’m worth a lot more than a phone number.”

  “You still gave it to David,” Dylan reminded him.

  “It was for your own good,” Benjamin answered. “He would have gotten it anyway. He doesn’t pull any punches. I only wanted to protect you. Even if it was from yourself.”

  “I don’t want to be protected.”

  “Understood.”

  Dylan stood. He had no idea what he was doing. Benjamin seemed sincere. He enjoyed their feelings-free sex. It was more freeing to sleep with someone he had no feelings at all for, than it had been to sleep with Jordan after developing them.

  “Do you want to then?” He finally asked.

  “Yes. Do you?” Benjamin raised an eyebrow.

  “Yes.”

  “Come on then,” Benjamin stood and held a hand out to him. “Let’s not rush it this time.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  [KYLE] Can we talk?

  [KYLE] Come on. It’s been two weeks.

  [KYLE] Two weeks, three days.

  [KYLE] I’ll start counting minutes, if that’s what it takes.

  [KYLE] Please talk to me. I’m sorry for what I said.

  [KYLE] Three weeks, Jordan. It’s been three weeks and I can’t stand it.

  [KYLE] I’m not leaving my studio until you come talk to me.