Chapter 8: Chase catches up
GRIFFIN
The day after Chase told me he wanted to give the two of us a shot, we barely left my room. I remember waking up the next day with his messy blonde hair tickling the lips that I used to kiss him all throughout the night. Chase was such a needy sleeper, constantly reaching out for some part of my body he could hold onto which made my heart swell. Every time I felt those long fingers cling into my arm or leg or some...other...part of me, it was a reminder that he wanted me- maybe even just as much as I wanted him. After about an hour or so of cuddling and pretending that we were still tired, we eventually raided my mini fridge and found just enough milk for two big bowls of cereal and a large mason jar full of leftover cold brew that Greg let me take home because it was a day old. Chase grabbed the bowls and poured us a fifty-fifty mix of Honey Bunches of Oats and some Trader Joe's granola with specs of peanut butter and toasted nuts. I gave Chase's share of cold brew a splash of the remaining milk because he doesn't like it too strong. We took our sets just like last night, playing footsy on my Target rug while chatting through breakfast.
We slipped on some clothes sometime between brushing our teeth and breakfast- which provided a welcomed distraction from the seven or so inches of meat that he kept hidden underneath a pair of blue boxer briefs. It was nice to have both worlds- a guy I could be so sexually drawn to, yet someone I could also be a complete dork in front of. It always seemed like I could only ever have one or the other. But not with Chase- this newfound playfulness was well received, because this wasn't just about me and what I wanted, but also him.
After breakfast, we fell into this modified version of a typical Sunday afternoon. Chase took my desk and started typing away at some writing assignment he was confident he could knock out in under two hours. I meanwhile stayed back in bed, going over a few slideshows from class lectures while scribbling notes. Every now and then, I'd look over to see his back scrunched up, flexing those muscles I didn't know he had whenever he was trying to think of the right word to use. He ended up finishing fifteen minutes before he thought he would, right as I was writing down the last few bullet points in my notebook.
Chase slid back into bed, kissing me square on the lips. "Time for the dicks?" he asked.
"The what?" I asked, not sure if I heard him correctly.
"The dicks!" he insisted. "We gotta find out who drew the dicks!"
I let out a laugh as he punched my arm. After some playful wrestling, I reached for my laptop and started up the last few episodes of American Vandal we had left. Chase cozied up next to me with his head resting on my chest as we watched that cool introduction credits scene and eventually, the last of season one.
It was just after one when he finally convinced me to leave the room and go get some food that wasn't microwaved. After the last episode, he'd fallen into my arms and I'd been holding him close while he offered up a few of our usual spots - knowing that eventually I'd bite. I pouted when he pulled away to get dressed, and after realizing I was being a baby, he tossed a few clean clothes in my direction before coming over for a kiss. I didn't complain after that, slipping on the clothes- not without taking a hundred or so mental pictures of Chase trying to squeeze his ass into those tight jeans he liked to wear. We slipped on our shoes and closed the door behind us, standing there in the hallway for a second like we were waiting for a meteor to come crashing down in the middle of McKinley Hall. Both of us had been so fucked over the past few years that the idea of some happy ending seemed like a cruel twisted fate before an eventual collapse. We braced ourselves, clutching onto each other's hands and waiting for the blow. But it never came. We were together, and that same universe that wouldn't let me have him in the first place, was somehow now okay with us as a couple. God, she was a twisted fucker.
We were walking past the lobby when I realized that Chase and I had never let go of our hands. It was weird at first, considering I wasn't typically one for PDA, but again- as I say all the time- it's different with Chase.
As the day went on, I still had to stop an appreciate how far we had come. Chase was mine and he made no efforts to hide us. He'd always wait for me just outside my room with his hand held out as if needing to hold mine before we walk off. And then there were the little touches of affection- the way he'd brush my shoulder when coming up behind me, or how he'd intentionally bump my arm when we walked close. All of this worked to make me realize that he was just as into me as I was of him- my deepest fear disappearing into a wandering wind.
***
I tried on what felt like the fifteenth shirt that night, hoping that whatever I decided on would be good enough for Chase. I had to be out of the door in the next five minutes to meet up with him, but none of what I owned seemed right. He'd seen me in all of these clothes already and as stupid as it sounds, there's still this part of me that wants to impress him. I look over to the clock just above my desk and let out a few curses before settling on a navy button up shirt that he's complimented me on a couple times.
Chase is standing just outside our residence hall and I take a few seconds to shamelessly give him a once over. God does he look good- filling out a black polo and khakis as he stands around like a piece of meat just waiting to be snatched up. But that boy is mine, and I make that even more evident as I slip an arm around his shoulders and give him a soft kiss on the cheek. He likes acts like that- with his blushing cheeks as an indicator that I'd done good.
We get to the block of some famed restaurant that's got nothing but shimmering reviews on Yelp. Yesterday we decided to go on an actual date- knowing that our entire timeline has been messed up since we got together. Chase and I had skipped over three bases and were dangerously teasing the catcher as we played around with the idea of running straight to home. As far as sex goes, there's still one line we hadn't crossed and not because we didn't want to. Hell, Chase could give me the green light on a random Wednesday afternoon and I'd come running. But I think deep down, we wanted to wait a little bit and catch our breaths. It was still only a week into the two of us and so an obligatory first date seemed like the right thing to do.
When we walked over to entrance, we saw a line wrapping around the entire other end of the block. Chase peeked his head over to see another ten or so couples just waiting to be seated, each looking as uninterested and annoyed as the next. We even took a quick look at the menu, managing to hide our joint shock at how expensive every single item was. Chase simply shrugged his shoulders, asking, "Wanna just go somewhere else?"
I quickly nodded, feeling my stomach grumble, "Yes please." I looked through my phone to see what else was nearby, offering, "There's this wing shop a couple blocks down that's apparently really good- you down for that?"
Chase sighed out loud, "Wings sound so good right now, Griff." He looked over at me as I led the way, "Definitely seems more our style anyways."
About fifteen minutes later, the two of us were deep into what felt like our sixth or seventh wing. Chase had gone for a dozen lemon pepper while I went with the same number of garlic parmesan. A basket of fries, a good portion of cut up carrots and celery, and two glasses of sweet tea rounded out the meal. Chase and I hunched over the stainless steel table, careful not to get any residual sauce on the nice clothes that ultimately were worn for no reason at all. I let out a few laughs when I saw him sucking one of the bones dry, as if trying to get as much flavor out of it as he could.
He rolled his eyes, "Can't we have one meal in peace without you dirtying it up?" He asked, tossing a rolled up napkin and hitting me square in the face. I shot back at him, stealing one of his wings in the process. I took a bite on the crunchy exterior, sinking my teeth into the juicy meat that was chock full of lemon and hints of spice. It took everything in me to not suck the bones dry just as he did.
I tossed the bones aside as he gave me a knowing look, "See what I mean, Griff?"
Chase accepted my defeat and swapped baskets until all that remained were countless bones and a few celery stalks. After sipping down the last of our tea, we both leaned back into the soft booth, staring at the wreckage left behind after two hungry boys.
"I'd glad we ended up here." Chase said, wiping off the residual sauce from his fingertips.
