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The flame hissed and spit down the short wick towards the firework. “Fucking hell those are gonna blow off the side of the apartment,” Izzy said around his cigarette.
Their apartment complex was having a summer barbecue, complete with sparklers and fireworks. Izzy had been invited by Jack and Ed separately, even though only Jack actually lived here.
Jack was kneeled now by a long row of fireworks. He lit each one with glee and then dashed back to watch.
“Yeah, I’m not telling the landlord why we have black scorch marks under the windows. God.” Lucius brushed off his pants and went towards the crooked line of fireworks. He picked up the last one that was nearest the building to chuck it farther away.
Jack was laughing delightedly behind him. When he noticed what Lucius was doing he started to whine loudly. “Lucy come on-“
Boom!
Immediately people started shrieking. Jack rushed over to Lucius’s limp and bloody body to scoop him up in a princess carry. Lucius was already out, head limply bobbing against Jack’s shoulder.
“Oh my fucking god, oh fuck, fuck fuck,” Izzy muttered as he rushed over to Jack. “We need to call an ambulance.”
“Like fuck! I’ll put him in my truck, let’s go.”
Ed ran up from one of the clusters of people. They were all watching with raised shoulders and hushed voices. “Izzy, Iz, wait! Are you guys gonna be okay?”
“We need to go,” Izzy said tightly around the open car door.
With a click, a rattle, and a hum the truck sped out of the neighborhood and towards the hospital.
Lucius was still out cold, his hand was a mangled mess. The sight of it made Izzy feel like puking.
“Hold it down, Izzy,” Jack said. He didn’t play the radio. “Don’t look at his hand.”
“His hand, he’s, always doing those fucking sketches. How’s he gonna?”
“Shh, shhh,” Jack was driving with one hand and combing his hand through Lucius’s hair with the other. “Okay, we’re here. There’s the paramedics.”
Izzy leapt out of the truck before it even pulled to a stop. “We have an emergency, firework exploded in his hand.”
They carried him away and Izzy couldn’t stop his eyes from tearing up. “Shit.” He blinked rapidly to will them away.
Jack cleared his throat. There was a fraught and vulnerable air between them. Jack handed a cigarette to Izzy. “He’s not gonna blame me, yeah?”
“I would. But who knows.” Izzy sucked a deep lungful of smoke and held it for a beat too long.
“They’re not gonna let us in, are they? Like past the waiting room.”
“No. Probably not.”
——
Lucius was asleep in the bed, hand bandaged and pain meds dripping into his body. His brown hair was matted to his forehead, and his long lashes fanned out to make him look almost peaceful.
The doctor hadn’t told Izzy a damn thing. They weren’t next of kin. But the late night had become morning, and visitor hours had started.
Jack and Izzy were perched in chairs at Lucius’s side. Izzy was absentmindedly looking out the window.
“Hey,” Lucius's now raspy voice cut through the silence.
“Yeah?” Izzy leaned so far forward he almost fell out of his chair.
“Shit!” Jack snortled out of a half nap. “You’re awake.”
“How bad is it?”
Izzy stood up and started to pace. “They won’t fuckin tell us. But we can call the doctor now?”
“Um, yeah. Sure.”
Both men reluctantly filed out when the doctor showed up. Izzy felt like an idiot waiting there in the hallway.
The doctor left a few minutes later and the two of them ducked in behind. Lucius was staring at his hand.
“So? What’s the damage?” Jack plopped down on the edge of the bed. As if the dumbass hadn’t caused this, Izzy thought bitterly.
Lucius licked his lips and kept his gaze down. “She said it could’ve been a lot worse. I won’t have my index finger anymore, plus some nasty burns. But otherwise everything was intact.”
“Shit, I can help with the burns.” Jack flexed his left arm.
“You better,” Lucius grumbled. A small smile graced his mouth. “Since it’s your fault.”
Jack gasped and clutched his heart. “Wounded, oh wait that’s what you are.”
“Ass!” But Lucius was laughing and it was good to see him vibrant. He had looked so pallid in the truck. When Lucius’s laughter petered out he flashed a wicked look. “But you know? You should get me gloves for Christmas.”
Izzy snorted.
“Fingerless ones,” Izzy muttered and both Jack and Lucius shrieked with laughter.
For lunch Jack drove a few blocks over to get take out from a cafe. “No one likes hospital food.”
Lucius ate it gratefully. He was all jokes and smiles even as he held the fork with his non-dominant hand. Izzy embarrassingly almost asked to feed him.
Those animal impulses were best left unspoken.
——
They were meant to release Lucius three days after he was admitted. He’d have to return for prosthetics if he wanted one, which would be its own arduous process.
Today, a few hours before his release, Lucius was playing a slow game of go fish with Jack. “God, I’m so done with sleeping here. It’s creepy.”
“Yeah?” Jack squinted at Lucius then drew a card.
“Yeah. How about two’s?”
“Three of them. You little fucker.”
Izzy lowered the two fingers he’d been holding up behind Jack’s back. “You should stay at mine. You’ll need time to readjust with your finger and all.” He watched Lucius’s face for a sign that he hated the idea. Izzy almost hated himself for asking, for wanting to fill the rooms there again. For wanting to continue to keep watch over Lucius.
“Your cabin?” Lucius flicked his eyes over to Izzy. Izzy held up ten fingers. “I’ll think about it. Have any tens?”
Jack grumbled and threw down one ten.
“I mean, do you have space for me? I’m not sleeping on the floor.”
“Yeah I have fuckin space for you, Luce.”
“His place is nice. Can I come?” Jack twisted around and caught Izzy holding up four fingers. He leapt up off the bed. “You cheating fuckers! It was like you were clavoy-clarity-cloy-able to see the future or some shit.” Jack dropped his cards onto the bed and folded his arms. “Anyway you better invite me after that, Iz.”
“Yeah you can come,” Izzy said with a smile on his face. “Took you long enough to notice.”
Lucius started to pick up the cards and place them on top of the deck one handed. “The three of us in a cabin in the woods. Sounds like a recipe for murder. Or fucking.”
Jack wiggled his eyebrows. “Why not both?”
——
Lucius walked out of the hospital sandwiched between them. “You know, this is not how I expected my summer to go,” Lucius said tiredly. “At least Stede was there to see it happen so he knew why I wasn’t at work.”
“Yeah I think he might’ve fainted just seeing you,” Jack chuckled. “We’ll head by the apartments so we can get our stuff. Then off to the cabin.”
“I’ll be right behind you.” Izzy nodded at his own car. “You can put boxes in my car if you need.”
“Boxes? How long am I gonna be there?”
Izzy planted his feet and stared sternly up at Lucius. “As long as it takes.”
Lucius smirked, “Sure.” He squished Izzy into a side hug before hopping up into Jack’s truck.
——
Jack was hefting a box up on his shoulder, muscle tank hanging loose, and trying to show off clearly. Izzy traced the lines of Jack’s muscles with his eyes, the summer-induced sweat trickling down his neck.
“You need a hair tie?” Lucius pulled one like magic from his pocket and handed it to Jack. The box went in the back of the truck and Jack’s hair went up into a ponytail. “Do a bun, it’d suit you better.”
“Don’t know how.”
Lucius beckoned him to turn around. Izzy watched from Where he was leaned against his car as Lucius regathered Jack’s hair into a bun.
“You need a shower,” Lucius said. “But that’ll do for now.”
“How was I supposed to shower while I was waiting by your sickly bedside,” Jack said.
Lucius wrinkled his nose and looked back at Izzy. “Well Izzy managed to, so.”
“Come on, let’s go. You got all your shit?”
“I think so. You have running water right?”
“Yes I have fucking running water.”
Lucius walked over to Izzy’s car. “I’ll ride with you on the way.”
Izzy made eye contact with Jack as Lucius headed around to the passenger seat. Jack winked at him and puckered his lips. Izzy rolled his eyes back, but his cheeks were flushed from more than the heat.
When he sat in the driver’s seat he was self conscious of how the seats were scorching hot and reeked from cigarettes. Lucius was already fiddling with the air conditioning. “You have any nice CDs? Or an aux cord?”
“Yeah there’s a cord.” Edward had gotten it. Izzy had been fine with his CDs.
“Oh fab.” Lucius started blasting some bubblegum song with a girl singing about her ass or something. Izzy’s dislike was clear on his face, because Lucius cackled. “I’m fresh out the hospital, no complaining!”
“Fuck me.”
It was about thirty minutes to the cabin. Jack’s truck trailed him most of the way, until about five minutes to their destination Jack pulled over at the gas station.
“Pull over, if you leave him behind he’ll get lost,” Lucius said. He had his head lolled against the seat like he was fighting sleep.
Izzy pulled over to the shoulder without a word. He watched in the rear view as Jack gassed up and headed inside. He came outside with a big bag that he was clearly pleased with and a few packs of beer.
They got back on the road and Lucius was practically glued to the windshield taking in the forest. “It’s gorgeous out here. I mean I’m not really a nature guy, but you know. It’s pretty.”
There was a chunk of dirt beaten down by Izzy driving over it again and again. Jack and him both parked. Lucius stepped out of the car and breathed in deeply. “I feel like those Victorian children. Fresh air will fix me lungs,” Lucius said doing an awful accent.
“Never do that again,” Izzy snarked. He unlocked the front door, and started to carry in Jack and Lucius’s things. He paused over the threshold. Where should he have Lucius sleep?
Better have him decide. Izzy set the box down and went for more.
“Do you have first aid stuff? They sent me home with a few things but, long term…” Lucius trailed off. Izzy grunted and kept bringing things in.
Jack sidled up to Lucius and the two of them watched him. Jack whistled low and Lucius tittered. “We shouldn’t let him do all the work should we?” Lucius said loudly to Jack. It was clear they were going to let Izzy do all the work.
When they were all inside Izzy stood awkwardly in the kitchen. “There’s water.”
“Are you offering me water? Sure.” Lucius kept scanning the walls and furniture. “This place is kind of sparse. How long have you been out here?”
“Four years. One with just me.”
Lucius looked horrified. He accepted the glass of water and drank deeply.
“It’s fine. I don’t mind it.”
“Yeah, well I’m gonna need better than that.”
“There’s an area perfect for woodworking,” Jack appeared in the kitchen. “I’m fucking excited. For to tonight though.” Jack dropped the bag and the beers onto the table. “I got treats.”
Lucius dumped the bag out. There was tons of candy, beef jerky, and the cigarettes Izzy smoked.
“I don’t smoke, but fuck you know I love chocolate. Do we have real dinner though?”
“I can catch us some fish?” Jack not so subtly flexed.
Izzy cleared his throat and picked up the box of cigarettes. “I’ve seen you do that, Jack. I’ll set up some lines.”
“How about we both do it and see who catches a fish faster?”
“Suit yourself,” Izzy headed for the shed. Lucius went to the bathroom to change (and probably to snoop knowing the boy).
All things settled, Izzy set up some lines and Jack waded into the river bare chested. Lucius sat daintily on a rock nearby to watch.
“I’m gonna catch em with my hands. Like a real man.” Jack started to thrash about in the river. Catching no fish of course, but thoroughly soaking himself in the process.
Lucius leaned forward so he could whisper in Izzy’s ear. “He looks like a fucking idiot but you can see the outline of his cock like this.”
Izzy choked on his own spit. “Yeah,” he grit out. “He’s big.”
“No shit, you two have?”
“Yeah.”
“Damn. I don’t know who I’m jealous of.”
Izzy couldn’t allow himself to dwell on that even though it left him horny beyond imagination. His mind flashed with images of Lucius between them, of him and Lucius taking turns sucking Jack off.
One of the lines jerked and Izzy leapt into action. He ended up with three decent sized fish. “I think that’ll do. Come on, Jack, quit flailing about. You look like a fuckin dumbass.”
Lucius clapped and cheered for the fish. “You tried,” he offered Jack.
Jack shrugged and scoffed with bravado. “They knew I was in there, they got scared. Sent them running right towards the line.”
“Sure,” Lucius squinted at him but seemed to find Jack’s demeanor more amusing than annoying.
Lucius threw open the cabinets of the kitchen. “You don’t have a lot of spices.”
Izzy rolled up his sleeves and started to clean and prepare the fish. “Haven’t needed that many.” The mere presence of other people in the kitchen, let alone cooking for them, was settling something deep inside him.
Lucius sat down in a chair and kicked his feet up. “Hmm, we should change that.”
“Cajun seasoning is pretty good,” Jack nodded as if he was discussing haute cuisine. “You ever had something so spicy it hurt going in and going out?”
Lucius made a pained noise. “Jack, please.”
“Shut the fuck up, Jack.”
“What? It’s true! You know it’s true.” Izzy heard Lucius smack Jack on the arm. “Whatever, I know you get squeamish Izzy, baby.”
“Don’t call me that.”
Jack swatted at Izzy’s ass. “What, your name?”
The fish was delicious. They put the beer in the fridge while they ate and when they were done they sat on the screened porch and drank themselves silly.
Lucius had an extremely low tolerance. He cuddled up on a couch on the porch between Izzy and Jack, bare legs tucked up underneath his body. He swayed between them, chattering about the hospital drama he’d picked up on in his short time there.
At one point he leaned his cheek on Jack’s shoulder and grabbed Izzy’s hand. “Have to keep myself steady,” he said.
Jack sighed. “Wish I had some weed. That would make this moment perfect.”
“Mm, maybe next time,” Lucius murmured. His eyes were closed and he was starting to relax into sleep. “My hand is so fucked.”
“You’re gonna be fine,” Izzy said.
They stayed curled up like that until Izzy was starting to fade too. Jack lifted Lucius up and laid him in one of the beds. “Where do you want me to sleep?”
“You can sleep in the bed with me,” Izzy said tiredly. “Better than the floor.”
“Sweet.”
“But you have to shower first. You smell like dirty fish.”
“Aww fine.”
Izzy laid down and was nearly asleep when Jack noisily climbed under the covers with him. He was damp, but smelled clean. Jack’s arm slipped around his waist and his palm spread over Izzy’s stomach. Izzy thought about elbowing him away, but it didn’t feel right. He went back to sleep instead.
——
Mornings were always unbearably cold. This morning wasn’t though. Izzy had Jack’s warm body to burrow into. He realized he had been wriggling back, half asleep, and stilled.
“Nah, nah, that felt good,” Jack groaned. “Keep going.”
“Fuck off,” Izzy said, voice thick with sleep.
Lucius appeared at the door, rubbing his eyes with his unbandaged fist. “I need my bandages changed and also it’s freezing.” He didn’t comment on the intimate spooning Izzy and Jack were doing. Instead he squeezed in next to Jack.
“Jack you smell nice,” Lucius said in surprise.
“Yeah, yeah. That’s the price of admission to this bed.”
“Good going Izzy.” Lucius breathed out slowly. Jack turned onto his back and looped an arm around Lucius as well. “Uh oh,” Lucius yawned. “We’re gonna end up falling back asleep.”
“Nope,” Izzy swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He immediately regretted leaving the warmth, but there were things to do. “Bandages. Come on.”
“But it’s cold,” Lucius whined.
“Put on one of Jack’s sweatshirts.”
“I left one here, didn’t I? A black one.”
Izzy stiffened. He did have that. He wore it often around the house. Izzy forced himself to relax, but not fast enough.
“Oh ho ho, I see. Sorry, Lucy that one’s taken. I brought a few though. Lemme see.” Jack got up and started to walk between piles of his things. He was naked except for his boxers.
“Ah, here we go.” Jack pulled a few sweatshirts out of a bag. “How about this green one? It says Fish want me, men fear me.”
Lucius sighed but held out his hands for it.
“And Izzy, I want to see you in that black sweatshirt.”
“No.”
Jack folded his hands together. “Please?”
“Only if you get dressed.”
“Done.” Jack ruffled Izzy’s hair and ducked away from his fist. Jack hopped into socks, pants, and a sweatshirt.
Lucius had on shorts so short they couldn’t be seen around the sweatshirt. He looked naked from the waist down and it was making Izzy feel stupid. He forced his own body into the black sweatshirt and tried not to relax into it. Even though he loved how it swallowed him up.
“Okay, hand time! Hands helping hands,” Jack cheered. They all went towards the kitchen in a line. “I’ll cook breakfast.”
“We need to get better food.” Lucius held out his hand over the table. “Full offense.”
“Well, eggs and bacon for now. Does that suit your palette, princess?”
“Oh shut up,” Lucius stuck his tongue out. “That’s fine.” He hissed as Izzy pulled the bandages away from his raw skin. “Thank god Stede is giving me PTO. I don’t know how I’d go into all the fancy places he sends me to looking like this.”
“Like what? You look fine. They’d mind their fucking business.” Izzy wiped away some blood gently. He spread the ointment on the burned parts. Then he moved Lucius’s hand around to inspect the nub where his finger once was. They’d done a good job sewing it up. He replaced the gauze, slowly winding it around Lucius’s palm.
Izzy tapped his fingers on the table. Here they were in his kitchen in the morning, all in Jack’s sweatshirts like they’d fucked. He was about to eat a meal he hadn’t cooked for the first time in years. Ed had rarely cooked, and once he started to get really into it, it was mostly for Stede’s benefit.
“Do you have a deck of cards or something?”
“I have some in my car, glove box,” Jack said. He pointed towards the loose direction of the front of the house. “Keys are somewhere.”
“Helpful.” Lucius stood up and planted a kiss onto Izzy’s temple. “Thanks.”
As soon as Lucius was out of earshot Jack burst out onto guffaws. “Your face! That was bold of him. You woulda strangled anyone else.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Jack stepped away from the stove to lean against the table. He leered down at Izzy. “You look good in this. You ever wear it to bed, think about me?”
“You wish.” Izzy shooed Jack away. This was their game anyway. This was exactly how Jack would come onto him every time, and a few times it had worked. Unfortunately.
Lucius appeared back in the doorway and smiled knowingly at the two of them. He had a light tread when he wanted to, the fucker. “How about go fish again, no cheating?”
“How about rummy?”
“Sure.”
——
Lucius was curled up on the porch, scribbling away in his sketchbook with his right hand. Every few minutes he’d grunt in frustration and flip the page. The snap of pages started to get closer together so Izzy headed out with a glass of water.
“You could wait for the bandages to come off.” He set the glass down on the small table nearest Lucius. He had commissioned Jack to make it. It was a simple thing, with three legs and a smooth top. It could almost be mistaken for a stool.
“I don’t want to wait.” Lucius set aside the book and drank the water. “I feel stupid holding my phone in one hand and sending voice messages all the time and like. You don’t have a tv.”
“Yeah? Didn’t realize you needed me to entertain you.” Izzy sat down next to Lucius close enough that their legs touched.
“Shut up. You invited me here.”
“Want me to drive you back?”
Lucius sighed. “No.” He flexed his right hand and shook it out. “Although maybe we could go somewhere? Like a diner or something?”
“Yeah? Sure. You want Jack to come?”
Lucius looked at him but Izzy kept his eyes forward. “Yeah, he can come. You know I’m not mad at him right? I went and picked it up.”
“Yeah. I’m not mad at him either.” Izzy stood and headed for the side of the house. When Jack noticed him he flinched hard and stepped in front of the block of wood he’d been working on.
“What? I mean. Hey. What’s up?”
“We’re going out for dinner.”
“Yeah?” Jack perked up like a dog. “I’ll be ready in five.”
“Make it two.”
——
Lucius and Jack sat across from Izzy in the booth. The diner was twice as humid inside from the swamp cooler and the menus were sticky.
The waitress was busy flirting with the other girl on shift, twirling her hair and laughing a little too loud at everything she said.
“Well I don’t know how soon we’re going to get to order,” Lucius complained. He closed his menu and set it aside. “Do people ever call you CJ?”
“People I know from college.”
“You went to college?” Lucius snorted and then covered his mouth. “I mean, erm sorry, what’d you study?”
“Business. Dropped out after a semester.”
“Ah. Okay. Like I’m sure you could, it just doesn’t seem like your type of place.”
“Yeah it was a long time ago.” Jack stretched out his arm on the back of the booth in the most embarrassingly obvious move Izzy had seen in a long time.
Lucius sipped at his water to stifle his laugh. Izzy caught it anyway. Although Lucius didn’t tell Jack to fuck off, which was a different response than Jack usually got. “Why business?”
“Ah well, I thought I might get into tile selling, out of my truck?”
Izzy was surprisingly content to let them talk amongst themselves while he watched. He considered trying to flag down their waitress, but what was a few extra minutes here?
“Anyway, turns out the classes was a lot of math.”
“Oh yeah I’m terrible at math. You’re pretty good though, right Izzy?” Both of them looked at Izzy.
“Um, yeah. Can do my taxes and shit.”
Jack leaned closer to Lucius, as if conspiratorially. “You have to do math to build a house too. Did you know he built the cabin?”
Lucius’s eyes bugged out. “Seriously? By himself? I mean, by yourself?”
“With Ed,” Izzy said.
“Still, that’s impressive. Love a man that can work with wood,” Lucius grinned and started to do a hand gesture to match.
The waitress breezed by with her pad and a bored look. “Ready to order?”
“Yeah.”
——
“Did they have to graft skin onto your arm?” Lucius was rubbing his finger over the shiny patches on Jack’s arm.
“A little bit. Took some from my thigh.” Jack had acquired the weed he wanted. He was halfway in the couch cushions, bag of chips tucked under one arm and Lucius under the other. Izzy was keeping himself busy with cleaning, but he couldn’t help listening to them.
“They grafted a patch onto my palm, from my thigh too.”
“Yeah I know,” Jack chuckled. “You probably don’t remember telling me, you were so high.”
“Oh yeah.” Lucius eyes the joint for long enough that Jack seized the moment.
“You want some?”
Lucius kept his fingers on Jack’s arm, and tilted his chin up. “Why don’t you help me?”
Jack wet his lips and smiled like a shark. “I like your style, Lucy. C’mere.”
Izzy had stopped cleaning the shutters. He stood, and watched with glazed over eyes as Jack’s mouth met Lucius’s pretty lips.
Lucius still coughed a few times. He wiped tears from his eyes and nodded. “Yeah, okay.”
Jack took another hit and stared right into Izzy’s soul. “You want some Izzy?”
Izzy wondered if he meant the same way. He thought about pulling in Jack and indirectly kissing Lucius. “Yeah sure.” He held out his fingers. He could’ve sworn Jack looked disappointed as he handed the joint over.
——
Lucius started to work from the cabin. His job seemed to consist mostly of fielding calls for Stede, ordering things for Stede, and managing Stede’s appointments.
Izzy was breezing down the hallway when he heard Lucius raising his voice.
“Sir, I am trying to order a ship in a bottle. That is all. I have the measurements written here. I don’t understand what the problem is.”
Izzy stopped in the doorway and listened to the argument Lucius was having on the phone.
“Yes, it’s for my boss. Yes. Excuse me?”
Izzy ducked into the room and hovered near Lucius.
“Alright,” Lucius said with a clipped tone. “Then I will be conducting business elsewhere.” He hung up and tossed his phone onto the bed. “Unbelievable! The man was as thick as,,, as something thick! Fuck me, what do you need?”
“I’m about to make lunch.”
“Oh.” Lucius straightened up and his whole face brightened. “Let’s go then. What are you gonna make?”
“Burgers.”
Lucius sat across from Izzy at the kitchen table. This was a common occurrence now two weeks into Lucius’s stay. Jack was often out on contracting jobs during the day, and Lucius and Izzy both worked from home. Izzy was semi-retired, although he knew he could never truly retire. He needed something to do to keep sane.
“Jack has been working hard lately. Kind of surprising.” Lucius was cutting up his burger into smaller pieces so he could eat it without staining his bandages. “Although I guess he is making you that-um I mean he’s making things on the side of your house.”
Izzy couldn’t stop the smile breaking out on his face. “You’re a terrible secret keeper.”
“Oh god, please don’t act like you know.”
“It’s okay, I already figured it out. Jack’s better at keeping secrets but he’s not that good.”
“Mm yeah, guess so.”
“It’s a new cane, yeah?”
Lucois kept his eyes on his burger. “I can neither confirm nor deny.”
“Alright. I’ll take that as a yes.”
——
On the weekend the three of them went on a hike.
“You know this really isn’t my bag,” Lucius said as he ducked under a low hanging branch. “I can just turn back, honest.”
“You’d get lost,” Izzy said. “Keep going.”
“Well, I suppose that’s true.” Lucius flinched away from a bush. “God, I feel like there’s bugs everywhere.”
“Careful there.” Izzy grabbed Lucius’s shoulders as he passed him on the trail. “Just be still and shit will leave you alone.”
“Will it?”
Still, chatter turned fairly benign until they reached a small waterfall and pond.
Jack immediately started stripping down. “I think that pond is filthy,” Lucius said. Jack hit the water a second after. “Well, it’s still mostly peaceful.”
“Yeah.”
Jack hollered and whooped until he realized Izzy wasn’t going to join him. “C’mon Lucy, get naked, come in here!”
Lucius folded his arms loosely. “I can’t! I’ll get my bandages wet.” He held up his hand to demonstrate.
“Aw, hold it up out of the water. I swear I won’t splash.”
“Leave it, Jack,” Izzy warned. He could see Lucius’s shoulders hunching in further and further.
“I can’t get in-“ Lucius’s voice cracked. “I can’t even swim,” he said quietly.
Izzy felt panic shoot down his spine. He didn’t know how to deal with crying men. When Edward cried he wanted to be left alone, but he had a feeling that wouldn’t work here. “We can teach you to swim. Later.”
“I want to swim now.”
Jack crawled onto the banks dripping and naked. “What’s going on?”
Izzy couldn’t even focus on Jack’s bare skin dripping with water. He covertly pointed at Lucius’s teary face.
“I want these bandages off already. I just want to stick my hands in the dirt without it getting infected! I hate dirt, but it’s the principle of it, you know?” Lucius was blubbering into his knees.
Jack awkwardly shifted on the banks before crouching down. He started to rub Lucius’s back with his wet hand. “I can try and clean the dirt?” He looked over to Izzy. “Can you boil dirt?”
“You’re so stupid,” Lucius cried harder. “God you’re so nice and stupid.”
“Thank you?”
“Come on.” Izzy stood and brushed off his pants. “Let’s head back.”
“I wasn’t trying to ruin the hike.” Lucius still climbed to his feet and wiped his eyes with the back of his arm. “But yeah I’m ready to be done with this.”
Jack finished most of the hike back in clothes that were damp and muddy. The mood was too sour to pay any mind to it.
When they got back to the house Izzy started to make a pitcher of Pimm’s. He had the ice and the mixers in. He opened the bottle.
“Oh fuck yeah,” Jack said when he got out of the shower.
“Izzy?” Lucius peeked his head into the kitchen. “Can I talk to you real quick? Privately?”
“Finish this, needs the alcohol added.” Izzy shoved the pitcher back and didn’t bother warning Jack not to overdo it. He would.
When they got to the hallway, Lucius stopped by the bathroom. “Um, I was wondering if. Well, washing my hair one handed is really difficult? And I never feel fully clean. Would you mind washing it for me?”
“Yeah.” He used to wash Edward’s hair sometimes when he got bad. He’d bring a chair into the shower for him to sit on when his knee hurt too much to stand.
“Oh. Thanks.” Lucius walked into the bathroom, let Izzy pass, and shut the door. He started stripping off his clothes and Izzy instinctively looked away. “Come on, don’t want your clothes getting soaked.” Lucius flipped on the spray.
“Right.” Izzy slowly started to disrobe down to his underwear. He couldn’t bare taking them off.
Lucius pulled on the plastic cover over his hand. He stepped under the water and turned to face Izzy. “Okay, that’s my shampoo. It’s not a 2 in 1 so it really stands out. All good?”
“Yeah.” Izzy forced himself to focus. He was performing a service. He made sure Lucius’s hair was wet and then he lathered the shampoo in his hands. “Turn the other way.”
Lucius put his back to Izzy. Izzy started to work the soap in, and massage Lucius’s scalp.
“Oh,” Lucius moaned. He fucking moaned. “That feels amazing.”
“Jack is gonna think we’re fucking,” Izzy said, embarrassed.
“Yeah, this might be better than orgasm.” Izzy manipulated Lucius until his head was under the water. He worked his hands through the hair until all the soap was gone.
Izzy smoothed conditioner through his hair and then stepped back. “Done.”
“Thanks. You sure you don’t wanna wash your body at least, while you’re in here?”
Izzy wanted to say no, but it made sense. At this point it would be weirder if he didn’t, right?
“Sure.” He reached for the body wash but Lucius stopped him.
“Let me.” Izzy short circuited. Lucius made no effort to take off his underwear, but he started rubbing the soap over Izzy’s chest, arms with his right hand. “I like to feel useful too.”
Izzy couldn’t stop staring at Lucius’s mouth. He wasn’t a dirty old man, this was a come on right?
“There.” The air between them felt supercharged. “Just rinse off, the both of us, and we’re done.”
When they both got out of the bathroom, Jack was halfway into the pitcher already. “You guys had a party in there, and I had a party out here.” He pouted for a second before he poured them both drinks. “Come on, you need to catch up.”
Lucius took a sip and gagged. “Did you put the whole bottle of Pimms in this?”
“You know he did.” Izzy sat down and knocked back his entire glass. He needed to be drunk and not horny right now.
“Oh wait, I forgot, when I got home I saw a package for you.” Jack got up, swaying, and came back with a large box.
“Oh yes.” Lucius cut the box open carefully with scissors. “I ordered a wall tapestry.”
“A fucking what?”
Lucius lifted up what looked like a very thin blanket. “It’s decorational. Your home is tragically sparse.”
“Okay.” It was pointless to fight Lucius on it. Instead he went for a second drink.
——
Jack spent most nights in bed with Izzy. Some mornings Jack would leave for work early and Lucius would come crawl under the covers for another hour or two.
Lucius would tuck his head onto Izzy’s chest, and Izzy would be too pleased to go back to sleep. He’d bask in the touch until Lucius blearily looked up at him and asked for coffee.
In their third week, it was a Wednesday, Jack rolled over and slipped his hand into Izzy’s boxers. “Want a morning handy?” His hot breath tickled Izzy’s neck.
Jack had asked before. Usually Izzy said no, but he’d been so pent up since his shower with Lucius. “Yeah,” he croaked out. His voice was still thick with sleep.
Jack wrapped his hand around Izzy and started gently stroking. “Hang on.” He withdrew his hand and spit on it. “There we go.”
Izzy groaned softly as Jack jerked him off quickly. He started rutting up into his hand and back against Jack’s clothed cock.
“Fuck,” Izzy choked out and he came into Jack’s hand.
Izzy immediately rolled over and got a hand on Jack. He pressed their mouths together. Jack made a muffled noise of surprise that melted into pleasure.
The door opened and then shut again. “Sorry!”
Izzy stilled but didn’t remove his hand from Jack’s underwear. “Izzy, please.” Jack kept moving his hips to get friction. “Izzy I have to leave soon.”
“Then work for it,” Izzy said dazedly as he stared at the closed door.
“Fuck me, that’s hot.” Jack kept rubbing his cock against Izzy’s hand until he came. “Shit, thanks babe.” Jack kissed his cheek sloppily and left the bedroom with his cummy hand in clear view.
Izzy slowly got up and used a tissue to clean his hand off. He felt like he was operating at half speed.
“So…” Izzy whipped around to see Lucius leaned against the doorframe. “How long have you two?”
“Just then.”
“Ah,” Lucius said lightly. “Are you exclusive? Like do you need me to quit staying here?”
“No!” Izzy jumped to his feet. “No. Just, it’s fine.”
“Yeah? Good.” Lucius left the door and his feet pattered off towards the kitchen. “Well, come on then!”
Lucius had already brewed the coffee. They both say at the table with a mug. “I think by Friday, maybe I can get down to just a bandage. Like not a full wrap, you know?”
“Yeah.”
Jack whisked into the kitchen. “My boys!” He grabbed a piece of bread, didn’t even toast it, and kissed Izzy on the head, then Lucius. “See you later.”
“Well, good to see he’s not embarrassed,” Lucius laughed into his mug. “Not that you should be, but you know.”
“We can’t all be exhibitionists, Spriggs.”
“Cheers to that.” Lucius clinked his mug forcibly into Izzy’s. “Although if you expect me to get through today without thinking about your hand down Jack’s pants, you’re dreaming.”
Izzy nearly choked on his coffee. He tried to keep his face as blank as possible. “Fuck off.”
——
Izzy was up on a ladder fixing a broken shingle when he heard Lucius’s tread on the dirt. “I don’t want to spook you and have you fall, so I’m making as much noise as possible!”
“What do you need?” Izzy tried to sound annoyed, but he didn’t really mind.
“Time to change my bandages. I don’t trust Jack not to get a splinter in my hand somehow.”
Izzy sighed loud enough that he was sure Lucius could hear it. “Let me finish this.”
Izzy slinked down the ladder and folded it to put back in the shed. He washed his hands thoroughly, and got the first aid box.
They always sat at the kitchen table. Izzy wished he’d had someone to change his bandages back when his toe had been fucked. He’d been fine on his own, but the thought of Lucius tenderly wrapping the wound nearly brought him to his knees.
Lucius held out his hand for Izzy.
Izzy slowly pulled the bandages away from Lucius’s hand. Both he and Lucius inspected the skin, as they did everytime they changed the gauze out. “Yeah, let’s do the smaller bandage.”
“Oh good.” Lucius sighed as if he had been waiting for Izzy’s go ahead. “I mean I’ve gotten glimpses of my nub but it’s kind of weird to have it out already. I can’t stop staring at it.”
“That’s what she said,” Jack bellowed as he sailed into the room. “Oh! Look at you. Fingies out.” He bent over Lucius’s shoulder to look.
“Look out, he has a kink for injured guys,” Izzy said under his breath.
“Ha!” Lucius giggled and used his free hand to cover his mouth. “Absolutely demolished.”
“Well jokes on you, babe. Kinkshaming is another one of my kinks.” Jack sat down next to them and kicked up his feet onto the table.
Since the wall tapestry, Lucius had added pillows to the couch and a rug to the floor. He had put a hand soap in the bathroom, and five blankets or so onto his bed.
He had told Izzy he’d bring some of it back to his apartment when he left. The rest would be a housewarming gift. Izzy was rather hoping he’d leave it all and move in instead.
Izzy lightly pressed the bandage down. “Go on then.”
“Thanks.” Lucius held his hand up close to his face. “Do you guys think I should get the prosthetic? Or should I rock the nub look?”
Jack bobbed his head in thought. “Can you get a fancy prosthetic? What’ll your insurance cover?”
“Ehh, nothing great. Basically just a simple finger lookalike.”
“Man, if you can’t go full cyborg then what’s the point? Nah, definitely keep it how you got it for now. As long as you can sketch and stuff?”
“Oh yeah.” Lucius lit up and went for the corner of the room where he’d stashed his sketchbook. “Let me try.”
“Into the sitting room. Go!” Lucius shooed then out of the kitchen. He sat down in the armchair across from the couch. “Stay still, both of you.”
He gripped his pencil using his second finger and his thumb. His brow furrowed and both Izzy and Jack stayed absolutely still for him. After what felt like an eternity Lucius brought the drawing over to them.
What Lucius showed them was loose and lacked detail, but it was undeniably them. “Shit, Lucy, this is good.”
“Yeah,” Lucius said smugly.
“It’s good,” Izzy said. Lucius was beaming ear to ear.
Izzy desperately wanted to sit for another drawing. Would it be too obvious to ask?
“You ever need a model, you tell me,” Jack said. “I’ll pose for ya anytime.”
“Yeah? Would you catch fish again? Let me sketch you in the water?”
“Of course,” Jack flexed his arms and totally missed Lucius’s joking tone. “I can go right now, get us some dinner?”
“I’m a bit tired right now, and there’s some fish in the fridge already we need to cook.” Lucius batted his eyes.
“Yeah, yeah I can cook it for ya.” Jack slid a hand through his hair to comb out some of the tangles.
“Thanks.”
Jack popped up to start cooking and Lucius took over his spot.
“He loves acts of service almost as much as you,” Lucius said quietly with a smirk. He put his hand on Izzy’s knee.
Alarm bells started ringing in Izzy’s head. “He’s also a sucker for a pretty face.”
“You think I’m pretty?” Lucius’s smirk dropped to a smile, and he took his hand away.
“Shut up,” Izzy groused. Jack started whistling from the kitchen some jaunty tune. “I didn’t end up getting a prosthetic myself. Just use the cane.”
“Yeah?” Lucius rubbed his fingers over the couch absentmindedly. “I don’t know what I want yet.”
“It’s fine not to know.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
——
That night Jack came to bed with his hands behind his back. “I finally finished my gift for you.”
“Yeah?” Izzy sat up slowly. He was shirtless tonight because it was disgustingly humid and hot. He waited for Jack to show him.
Jack revealed a beautifully carved cane, sanded down and polished. “I took it into a friend’s shop to do some of the heavy duty work on it.”
Izzy got out of the bed and took the cane from him. He started walking with it. The cane was a nice height, just as comfortable as his usual cane. Emotion crashed over him, and Izzy felt overcome.
He rested the cane gently against the wall. “Why’d you make that?” His voice came out soft and all together too gentle for the moment.
“For you.” Jack smiled almost bashfully. “Always been crazy about you. You know that.”
“Did I?” Izzy walked closer to him. “Jack.”
“Yeah? Too much?”
“No.” Izzy placed both his hands on Jack’s shoulders. “You’re killing me.”
“I hope in a good way?”
“Yeah.” Izzy pulled him down to kiss him. He deepened the kiss and slid one of his hands onto Jack’s back. When he moved back, Jack was looking down at him with a glazed expression.
“Babe, I’ll give you gifts every day if it goes like this.”
“Shut up. Don’t you have work in the morning?” Izzy fell back into the bed. He laid facing the wall as the small spoon with a word, like he always did.
“Nah, tomorrow’s Saturday.” Jack settled in as the big spoon in bed. “But I’m off to bed, I swear.” He kissed the top of Izzy’s head. “Can I at least grope your tits for a bit?”
“Go to bed,” Izzy barked. Still, he moved Jack’s hand with his own up to his chest.
——
Saturday morning Izzy woke up with Lucius already cuddled up to him. When he looked over Lucius was awake.
“He finally gave you the cane. What’d you think?”
“‘S good.” He sleepily rubbed Lucius’s shoulder. “Where’s Jack?”
“Making breakfast. Pancakes I think. Did you fuck him after he gave you the cane?” Lucius needled his finger into Izzy’s side with a smile in his voice.
“No, we’re old. We went to sleep.”
“Aw shame, I wanted details.” Lucius sounded so genuinely wistful Izzy looked at him again.
“What is this? What are you doing?”
“Mm, nothin much. You want a kiss?”
Izzy blinked and then said, “Yeah.”
Lucius pulled him in and gently kissed him. There was nothing incredible about it, but it was sweet. “There we go,” Lucius patted Izzy’s chest twice. “Let’s go eat.”
“Okay.” He trailed behind Lucius to the kitchen like a puppy.
Jack was shirtless in the kitchen with an apron hung around his neck. “Good morning, the price of breakfast today is a kiss.”
Izzy tiredly kissed Jack on the cheek and took his plate to the table. Lucius grabbed Jack by the shoulders and planted a full kiss on his mouth. Izzy perked awake at the sight.
Was that what they were doing now? Did Lucius just kiss any one? Was it a statement?
“Well hot damn, Lucy. What a wake up.” Jack shoveled pancakes and bacon onto a plate for himself and sat with them at the table. “So, plans today?”
“Mm,” Lucius wiped his mouth. “No, not particularly. But it’s still so hot. We should stay inside.”
“I can do a beer and cigarettes run?”
“It’s 8am,” Izzy groaned tiredly and rubbed his eyes with the heel of his palm.
“Ah live a little,” Jack knocked into Izzy’s shoulder and shoveled more food into his mouth.
“No, that’s a bit excessive. But I won’t stop you.” Lucius pushed away his plate. “I was thinking more, just not doing anything. Maybe doing some sketching.”
Izzy didn’t say anything, which they took as his agreement to an easy day inside.
——
Lucius had his legs splayed out, head to one side, and he was crookedly sketching Izzy. “You look very distinguished.”
“No I fucking don’t you brat.” Izzy had a cigarette dangling from his fingers, near the window. His mind had been turning over the kiss all day like a smooth stone. “What was that kiss about this morning?”
“Hmm? Oh, I just wanted to.”
“Yeah? Alright then.” Izzy leaned forward and stubbed the cigarette out in the ashtray. “You don’t like fucking owe me for staying here.”
Lucius smiled, then laughed and then squirmed in his seat. “You are precious. I know I don’t have to fuck you because you changed my bandages a couple times. I want to fuck you cause you’re hot and a gentleman. And very grumpy.”
Izzy shakily lit another cigarette. “Yeah? Okay.”
“Okay?” Lucius sat up and set his sketchbook aside. “Jack, get in here!”
“He can’t possibly hear you from here.”
“Alright, two seconds.” Lucius sprung up from the couch like he hadn’t been half asleep a minute ago. He sauntered outside and returned with Jack in tow. “Now that I’m clear on how Izzy is feeling, sit down Jack.” Jack moved towards the couch and plopped down. “Anyway, now that I’m clear on how everyone is feeling, I would like to propose that we date.”
“We? All of us?” Jack scratched his belly as if that wasn’t mind boggling news.
“Yes. All of us, great question Jack.” They both looked to Izzy.
Then it dawned on him. Oh these fuckers. They had already talked this out. “Fine with me,” he grunted. He wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of his surprise.
“Yeah?” Lucius walked over to where Izzy was seated and sat in his lap. Izzy inhaled too sharply around his cigarette and had to half cough it to the side away from Lucius’s face. “Are you freaking out a bit?”
“I’m fine.” He tentatively placed his hand on Lucius’s lower back. He longed to slip his hand under Lucius’s shirt and feel the soft skin there.
Out of the corner of his eye Izzy noticed Jack’s hand creeping towards his crotch. “You two look nice like that,” Jack leered.
“Yeah? You looking for a show?” Lucius looped his arms around Izzy’s neck. “Or we could move over to you?”
Izzy nodded slowly at the idea. Lucius had started playing with the hair at the base of his neck, and it was killing him into a dazed silence.
Lucius pulled him by the hand. Izzy ended up sitting on the couch with Lucius sat in between Jack and him.
Lucius reached into Jack’s lap and wrangled his hand so he was holding both of their hands. “Know what? I’d like to see the two of you kiss.”
“I like the way you think, Lucy.” Jack leaned around him and smiled wickedly at Izzy. “Come here, baby.”
“Told you not to call me that,” but Izzy was already leaning forward. He was focused on the feel of Jack’s mustache against his face until he felt Lucius’s hand on the back of his head pushing him closer. Izzy moaned and gripped Lucius’s thigh tightly.
They pulled apart, panting, and both of them looked to Lucius for what to do next.
“I’ve been wanting to see your cock, Jack.” Lucius knelt on the ground. “Why don’t you hold it in place for me, Izzy?”
“Fuck,” Izzy gasped and dropped to his knees next to Lucius.
Jack held his cock so it was aimed at them both. “Or I could watch you two kiss this time, hmm?”
Lucius leaned forward, and angled his mouth sideways. Izzy leaned forward himself and licked along Jack’s dick before meeting Lucius’s lips. He had sucked Jack’s cock before. It was sick that this was only the second time he was kissing Lucius. It had him achingly hard.
Jack groaned and clutched the fabric of the couch in his fists. “You two are so fucking hot. You’re gonna kill me.”
“Good,” Lucius said and then he trailed his tongue down to the base of Jack’s cock.
Izzy sucked the head of Jack’s dick into his mouth. Jack couldn’t hold himself back anymore, and he started to shallowly thrust into Izzy’s mouth.
“Shit, Lucy you ever seen Iz deep throat? He’s a champ.”
Lucius drew back and put his hand back on Izzy’s head. “Oh yeah? Wanna show me?”
Izzy moaned and nodded slightly.
“Good boy.” Lucius pushed Izzy’s head down until his eyes watered. Lucius wound his fingers into Izzy’s hair and started to jerk him up and down. Jack started thrusting ever so slightly again. “That’s it, let him fuck your face.”
Izzy made a broken noise and tapped against Lucius to be let up for air. He forced himself back down onto Jack’s cock, a deep gag rolling through him as Jack hit the back of his throat.
“Fuck me,” Jack panted. “I’m so close babe, you gotta stop. Gimme a second.” He pulled Izzy off but dragged him up onto the couch. “But let’s show Lucy these tits.”
Jack pulled Izzy’s shirt off. Izzy climbed into his lap and laid back against his chest.
Lucius stood and bent over the both of them. “I can’t believe you’ve been keeping this all to yourself, Jack.” Lucius cupped Izzy’s pecs in his palms and brushed his thumbs over his nipples.
Jack’s hand slipped into his underwear and worked them down until his cock was out. “Careful,” Jack teased, his mustache tickling the side of Izzy’s neck. “He’s a slut for having his nipples played with. You can’t come early though.” Jack squeezed his cock hard.
Izzy whimpered and arched into Lucius’s fingers as he tugged on Izzy’s nipples.
Lucius brought his mouth close to Jack’s, right by Izzy’s ear. “How about you fuck me, Jack, while Izzy fucks my mouth, hmm?”
“Shit, sounds like a plan to me.” Jack rattled his leg around so Izzy moved with it. “That work for you?”
“Yeah.” He followed them to the bedroom.
Lucius spread himself out, lube magically already in hand. Izzy didn’t ask how long he’d been planning this.
“Come on, Jack,” Lucius grunted. “Show me what you can do.”
Jack grabbed Lucius by the hips and dragged him down to the edge of the bed. He started working in two fingers, then three. Lucius breathed heavily out of his mouth in almost-sighs but was otherwise quiet.
Izzy went to the bed and sat by Lucius. He combed fingers through his hair while Jack worked him open.
“You two old men have been waiting to split me open, haven’t you?” Lucius lifted one of his hands to grab onto Izzy’s wrist. “Come here.” Lucius opened his mouth and moved Izzy’s index and middle finger in.
Izzy watched as his pink lips went to the base of Izzy’s fingers. He could feel Lucius’s tongue working around his sensitive fingertips, until Lucius pulled off with a lewd pop.
Jack lined up his cock and rubbed it against Lucius’s hole. As he slipped in he groaned and smoothed his hands over Lucius’s stomach and thighs. “God you feel amazing, Lucy.”
“In my mouth, Iz, let’s go. Sit on my face big boy.”
Izzy felt flushed from his cheeks to his chest. He carefully put his leg over Lucius’s face and slipped his cock between his lips. He slowly slid into his hot mouth and groaned loudly.
Izzy was trying desperately not to come too quickly. He would lower into Lucius’s throat until his throat fluttered around his cock, then withdraw so Lucius could gasp for air. Jack’s grunts behind him were growing more ragged and punched out.
Lucius suddenly cried out around Izzy’s dick. “I’m touching his pretty cock. He’s leaking like crazy,” Jack said. “What about you, Iz?”
“Hhngh, fuck,” Izzy breathed. He gave Lucius time to breathe, mostly for his own sake.
“He’s doing such a good job,” Lucius said with his fucked out throat. “Why don’t you come on my face?”
“Shit, let me come on you too, honey.”
Jack pulled out and Lucius kneeled on the floor between Izzy and Jack. Jack reached out and grabbed Izzy’s cock in his other hand, and jerked them both off toward Lucius’s face. “Yeah, go ahead and stick out your tongue, you slutty thing.”
Izzy came first. His cum splattered onto Lucius’s cheek and his lips. Jack moved his hips down and dragged the head of his cock over Lucius’s tongue and came. The white shot across Lucius’s mouth in a streak.
“Fuck,” Lucius sighed. “I’m close.”
“I’ve got you,” Izzy and Jack said at the same time.
“Ass or cock?”
“Ass,” Izzy said. Lucius stood and Izzy kneeled behind him. He pried Lucius’s cheeks apart and started to lap at his puffy rim.
“Fuck, that’s it,” Lucius groaned. He ran his hands through Jack’s hair as Jack sucked his dick. “Oh fuck, don’t stop.” He gasped and rocked back and forth between their mouths. “Shit.” Lucius whined and came down Jack’s throat.
“Premium milk right from the source.” Jack rubbed his face like an affectionate cat against Lucius’s thigh.
“Izzy, get a damp washcloth for me?” Lucius reached back and scritched his fingers through Izzy’s hair.
He melted deeper into the contact. Oh, right, Lucius needed something. “I’ll get it.”
When Izzy came back Lucius was sat on the edge of the bed and Jack was splayed out. “Thanks.” Lucius cleaned his face then reached for Jack’s mouth and wiped his. “You too, Izzy.”
Izzy leaned down and felt like a beloved dog as Lucius wiped his mouth. “Good. I call middle spoon.”
——
“Hey.” Izzy jerked awake to Lucius shaking him gently. The room was dark. “We decided to let you sleep, but I need a ride.”
“What time is it?”
“Uh, like 5pm?”
“Mm.” Izzy sat up and stared at Lucius. He was in a tank top and sinfully tight shorts. “A ride where?”
“To the apartments. Need a couple things.”
“Sure.”
They left a note for Jack and headed out. Lucius casually put his hand on Izzy’s thigh. “You should teach me how to drive.”
“You don’t know how?”
“No,” Lucius shrugged. “Might be useful though.” The trees raced past them in a blur of shimmery green and brown.
At one of the slower turns Lucius cooed. “A deer.”
“They’re everywhere right now.” Deer were nothing special. “As long as they don’t get in front of the car they’re fine.”
“Always the cynic.”
When they reached the apartments Izzy couldn’t help but stare at the spot where Lucius had gotten hurt. They waltzed past it anyways to the entryway. Lucius checked his mail, checked Jack’s, and dumped the paper into Izzy’s arms.
He pulled out two sets of keys from his crossbody. “Jack asked me to get some of his stuff too. In fact, if you could run those out to the car.”
“I’m not your assistant,” Izzy griped loudly. Lucius was already heading for the elevator, like he knew Izzy would bend to his whims.
When Izzy reached Lucius’s apartment he was directed towards heavy boxes and crates of books. Lucius was busy gently taking down decorations. “Okay, good. Now a few things from Jack’s.”
Jack’s was surprisingly barren. His roommate, some scrawny looking guy, waved at them as they passed by. Jack’s room was covered in naked men and women, a few old porno magazines were stacked by his bed.
“He wanted some box of tools, specialty ones. And his magazines.” Lucius grabbed a tissue and used it to pick up the magazines. He deposited each one in the box Izzy was holding without touching them. “Okay, tools. He said it was grey box-Oh, there.” Lucius shoved aside a trash bag and stood with the box.
Lucius looked around the room one more time and nodded sharply. “Let’s get the fuck out of here.”
Back in the car Izzy blasted the air conditioning and boldly reached for Lucius’s hand first. “Why do you need all that stuff?”
Lucius fiddled with his phone with his right hand. He played some alternative rock song Izzy had never heard, but he didn’t mind it as much as the electric pop. “Oh, I’ve been meaning to grab it,” Lucius said, sounding forcibly nonchalant. “I’m gonna sublet my place until my lease is up.”
“Hm?” Izzy squeezed Lucius’s hand once.
“I’m gonna move in. If that’s acceptable,” Lucius teased.
“Yeah.” Izzy felt like pulling over and kissing Lucius senseless. He wanted to call Jack and tell him. “Does Jack know?”
“Not yet. He told me he was thinking of renting his room out.”
“Yeah? That’s, that’s good.”
“And, while I’m sharing news, I think I am going to get fitted for a prosthetic. I think I’d like to have it, for peace of mind.”
“Sure. It’s your hand.”
“I know, dummy. I’m just telling you so you know. I’m communicating.”
“Right.”
When they pulled up Jack was leaned against the porch. He saw them and waved, and he looked guilty.
Lucius hopped out of the car. “What did you do?”
“I found a mama cat and her kittens. I couldn’t leave her.” Jack revealed a box with a mother cat and two kittens. “I don’t know what happened to the others, but it seemed like she needed help. It’s probably the only pussy I’ll be seeing for a while.”
“I got your stuff,” Lucius said. “I want the mother.”
“Sure. This grumpy little runt can be Izzy’s.”
Jack lifted up the mewling kitten and handed it towards Izzy. Izzy didn’t want him to drop the damn thing, so he reached out with cupped hands.
“I’ll name him the Kraken,” Izzy said quietly. The sweet thing was nuzzling its face into Izzy’s palm.
“I’m gonna name mine Destroyer,” Jack rubbed his finger over the head of the other kitten in the box.
“Alright, help bring stuff into the house. I’ll set the cats in the kitchen.” Lucius cradled the box in his hands and headed inside.
“You’re buying the fucking cat shampoo, the tic remover shit, the litter, all of it.” Izzy jostled into Jack, but he didn’t even budge.
“Come on, you know you’re already smitten.” Jack kissed Izzy on the corner of his mouth. “The little one you named reminded me of you.”
“Yeah, yeah I get it. Just take your porno mags inside.” Izzy hefted the box into Jack’s hands.
Izzy slammed the trunk of the car. He lugged the rest of the stuff into the house in one armful and kicked the door shut behind him.