Devil's Fate

A Meaningful Trade

Jason twisted his neck side to side and looked up at his boyfriend. He'd been sitting on the floor of the closet, handing clothing to Ryan piece by piece, and watching him put each item on a hanger before deciding where to hang it. They were on suitcase number two, which meant everything left was packed away in the boxes that had been brought up from the Lotus, but Jason would sit on the floor of the closet all night if Ryan needed him to. Every article of clothing that found its home on a hanger or in a dresser drawer was proof that Ryan wasn't leaving.

His eyes drifted over Ryan's backside again and he smiled to himself, waiting for his lover to have to stretch out or bend over again. Jason was cataloguing every move Ryan made and appreciating the lines of his body. It was all lines he got to touch, anytime he wanted, out in the open. The exhilaration of that freedom hadn't worn off yet.

They'd been at it for a while, and Ryan's constant narration of each item he put away had tapered to a sentence here and there while he worked and mostly mumbled to himself. It was his side of the closet, and Jason didn't interfere with his opinion of where things should go. He simply enjoyed watching Ryan debate with himself over how to best organize his things in the vast space that they now shared. Jason didn't know he could be excited over sharing a closet with someone, but he was.

He already had the next shirt in his hand, ready to pass off, when Ryan turned around. "It's looking good in here, Ry," he encouraged, flashing him a smile.

"It is," Ryan agreed easily as he reached to take the next shirt. "It actually looks like two people live here now." He fitted the black and gray shirt on the hanger and found it a spot before he turned back around to face his boyfriend. "I'm really glad I'm that other person." He paused thoughtfully. He wasn't used to seeing Jason on the floor. He had to admit his lover was looking rather fetching at the moment, surrounded by clothes and suitcases and shoes. Jason was head to toe in his pajamas - a soft wine colored pair tonight, with thick off-white stitching. The three top buttons were already undone, and Ryan smiled. He could see a little bit of Jason's chest. One of his favorite sights.

"Me, too," Jason said softly. He didn't know if words could adequately describe how happy he was that Ryan was there and was staying. He'd missed him so much. "Though, I don't think you're even gonna fill up half this empty space. Look at us, so minimalistic. I never thought that would be a thing, but I love it. It feels so good not to be weighed down by extra stuff. All we need are things we really love. No need to fill every square inch until we think we need to move. I feel like this is plenty of space for us." He handed Ryan another shirt when he turned around.

"I'm still impressed with how much you let go of after you moved out of the big house. It makes my head hurt just thinking about it. There was so much." Ryan glanced around the closet. Jason was right. Even with all their stuff, there was still going to be space - room to breathe - and that was okay. "You're right," he decided as he hung another shirt. "I think it's good to not be so crowded. And just think, if there was a fire, we'd know exactly what to grab on our way out the door." He stopped and smiled at Jason as they both said, "Blue" in unison before they laughed.

After the giggles subsided, Jason felt his insides grow serious. "None of the stuff matters, Ry. All of that artwork, the furniture, the things that Mark and I collected... that stuff was meaningless. Stuff doesn't equal happiness. Or love." He thought about that for a moment. "I walked away from that house with hardly anything, and I haven't missed any of it. And since I've been here, I've gotten rid of pretty much everything from there except my clothes. And my watch. But that's it. No point in holding on to anything that came from a place that made me so miserable." He looked up to see Ryan paused, his blue eyes studying him intently.

"I'm glad we're not there anymore," Ryan said as he slowly sank down to the floor to sit right in front of Jason. He reached forward to cup Jason's leg, running his thumb back and forth lightly over his kneecap. "You're right. Things don't matter. Wherever we are, Jay, whatever we have or don't have, being together is all that matters."