Laker called his friend and until the boys decided one way or the other that’s how he’d remain in my eyes. I found it comforting and a little scary that my little brother was seeing boys as potential love interests, while the other was firmly into girls. Was I a bad influence?
Kyle met us down stairs as we left to go into Little Italy. He was about as tall as my brother but he was thinner and wore glasses. His red hair and freckles made me think of Ron Howard back in the day. Laker was wearing a leather jacket and I couldn’t help but laugh at the image in my head. The Fonz and Richie, how fucking epic. I snapped a picture and I’d show Sage later.
I introduced myself, “I’m Nox” I offered him my hand.
He flipped my hand to examine the black nail polish. “Why don’t you match them?” Kyle nodded to my head.
“I don’t have the color nail polish so it’s easier just to stick with black.”
“My mom won’t let me do any of that” e said.
I asked, “Why?”
“She doesn’t want me to look like a girl” Kyle groaned out.
“I look like a girl?” I grinned at him.
“No. But she doesn’t think about it like that.”
“She’s just looking out for you. I got a beat down or two as a kid growing up. Kissed a boy and he kicked the shit out of me. I got a few for wearing eye liner and nail polish. Though no one has ever accused me of looking like a girl.”
“I should let you talk to my mom.”
I laughed. “I don’t think you mom would like talking to me. I’m everything she doesn’t want you to be.”
Kyle laughed too. “Yeah, but you are put together, have a job, you make money to live in this place. Put you in a suit and I guantee my mom will listen to you even with the eye liner and nail polish and the dyed tips.”
I shrugged, “Maybe, if you want me to. You should see Dorian.”
Laker agreed as he took Kyle’s hand and pulled him towards the subway station. “Dorian is all business, but you’d never know he was gay until you got a glimpse of him with his husband.”
Laker and Kyle talked in whispers together. Rider and I tried to ignore them by standing instead of sitting across from them. Rider bumped my hip and I turned to look behind me and saw my little brother kissing his first boy. I smirked and nodded my head in the direction of the front of the car. Rider just chuckled. “You think I should tell them to get a room?”
I shook my head. “It’s just a kiss.”
Rider laughed, “Like you and Alex have just a kiss.”
“Did your dad have the whole birds and bees talk with you?” I asked Rider.
“No but we’ve had health class. Abstinence is the best policy and if you are going to have sex always protect yourself.”
I nodded. “This goes for you too, but my bed side table always has condoms.”
Rider laughed, “I know and lube and toys and…” He smirked, “I took a few the other night when we went out.”
“I’d prefer it if you bring your your girls back to the house and not some sleazy motel or something,” I told Rider.
He didn’t blush. “I’ll keep that in mind. Though I think Laker might have issues with that.”
“Laker can bring his boys home.”
Rider grinned up at me, “He’s happier here with you. I think Dad pushes the girlfriend thing a little too much for him. It’s not that he’d hate Lake or anything but I think he’s afraid Dad will hate you for it.”
“I don’t blame him. My dad blames Dorian 80% of the time. He’s just now starting to understand that I was thinking about boys long before I even knew Dorian liked men.”
“Yeah, but Kai’s looking for excuses to make you not his son. Or that’s how I take it. He doesn’t want to be the dad of the guy who’s different. Cause it means that there is a lot to say about nurture versus nature.”
“You’ve talked with my dad?” I asked Rider.
He nodded. “I talk with everyone about you. Sometimes I feel like the older brother and then there are times I feel like I need my big brother, and you can’t be my big brother if you are falling apart. So yeah I talk to Margo and Dorian and you dad. I’d talk with Alex if I could.”
I sighed. “He’s not talking to anyone these days.”
Rider wrapped his arm around me as the train came to a stop. “I know man. Sage will find him then you can go give him an ear full.”
The Mind of Nox 