Brothers In Arms

Chapter 19

I glanced over my shoulder at the door to the shop and my mouth watered from the smell coming from the food stand in the middle aisle. I spied the selection of treats with a longing look and made up my mind. The throat clearing beside me jogged me out of my thoughts and I refocused on my boyfriend as he held up two choices of shirts.

"Which one?" He demanded of me. I pursed my lips.

"Who is this for again?" I asked before pronouncing my choice.

"Ian. Mom says he needs something comfortable for around the house." He replied. I nodded and pointed to the dark blue one.

"That one. The gray would look better on you with your hazel eyes." I answered offhandedly. He grinned at me and tossed the shirts over his shoulder.

"So I'll get both. I kind of liked the gray one." He went to go pay but I grabbed his arm for a second.

"I'm just going to the stand to grab something." I pointed to the stand and he nodded before going to the register. I walked up to the mouth-watering feast and waited for my turn to order.

"Hey... uh, Alex was it?" I heard the voice say from the left of where I stood. I scanned the crowd and saw one of the friends from the other day. Was it Zoe? I thought it was. I nodded and waved at her, and then it was my turn. I got a cinnamon bun and hot chocolate. She waved me over when I was done paying, so I went to sit with her.

"Hey. What brings you here?" I asked conversationally. She smiled sheepishly and pointed to the other side of the mall aisle where numerous kids were browsing the Disney™ store. "Sister or brother?"

"Sister. She wants to be 'Moana' when she grows up. My mom regrets ever showing her the movie." She admitted with a smirk. I nodded understandingly.

"Well it could be worse. My sisters spent two years calling me 'Cinderella' and telling my mom they were my stepsisters. Try explaining that to your friends." I chuckled at the memory and Zoe grinned.

"Kids are fun though. I thought it would be weird when they had her, but I am loving every second of it." She leaned in to confide with me.

"Yeah. I wouldn't change a mad second of it with my sisters." I agreed with her.

"Are they... you know... supportive?" She asked hesitantly. I nodded.

"Sure. They are my fan girls." I didn't bother to mention how they wouldn't stop randomly texting me questions about the Wrights now that they knew Vincent was my boyfriend. Good thing my mom decided to keep paying for my phone despite my father.

"That's good. So... um, how did you meet Vince?" She seemed genuinely interested in my answer so I smiled and told her as I ate my bun.

"We are rooming on the same floor at school and met in passing when we were playing some poker." I admitted, licking the sugary syrup off my fingers.

"Hey Zoe. He was a natural. Although I think I just got lucky that he was interested in me the way I was in him." The deep voice broke in from above us. I smiled up at him and he bent down to kiss the corner of my mouth. "You taste like cinnamon."

"Took you long enough to get around to mentioning that you liked me." I accused him with a grin. He shrugged.

"Didn't want to presume." He responded with a raised brow.

"I can see that. You don't really seem gay, Alex." Zoe interrupted. I looked at her in confusion.

"What? How does a person 'seem gay'?" I teased her. She shrugged and flipped her hand around.

"You know. They 'seem' gay." She blushed as she emphasised her words instead of explaining.

"Nope. I don't get it. What do you think she means Vince?" I had a playful look in my eyes when I glanced at him.

"Man, I dunno bro. My gaydar is broken. I was waiting for you to wear pink or something." He said with a serious face. She smacked his arm with an embarrassed look.

"Shut up! It's not like I have much experience to go on." She whined to us. We were both laughing at her expense now.

"Good thing. Then I'd think you were some gay-man-stalker or something." I chuckled as she blushed and looked away from us.

"I'm not that desperate." She mumbled. Vince stole the last piece of my bun and I gasped and faked a hurt look.

"Oh meh gawd. Stahp." I faked the tone with a dramatic fake slap. Vince looked sickened for a second and then burst out laughing at me.

"Oh shit! Babe that was hilarious... but don't ever do that again. I'm serious. I will spank that ass so hard if I see you flip that hand again...." He grasped my shoulder and put his head down as Zoe continued to giggle at us.

"Sorry. I couldn't resist. Honestly though, you really can't tell with a lot of gay men unless they outright told you. Plus, there is always the bisexuals. Near impossible to tell with them." I confided to the wide eyed girl.

"Huh. I guess I just thought... you know, that bottoms were mostly like 'that' and all." She blushed as she said it. I wanted to roll my eyes, but this was not said maliciously or anything.

"Being gay isn't always so cookie cutter. It isn't all about being top or bottom. As cute as the mangas and books can be... well it isn't real life." I tried to explain to her. Vincent nodded.

"Yeah. Popular culture is doing no services to young gays. I don't know what was worse though, the 'gay fiction' or the dating sites. I tried it once but it didn't really work out too well for me." Vincent admitted to us both.

"Tell me about it. Nothing like going for a blind date and having a thirty something guy with a ring impression trying to take you back to his place." I made a face of disgust and shuddered.

"What? But you are still in high school...." Zoe had a weird look on her face.

"So? Like that stops some old geezers from trying to get laid while the wife is away?" I responded with a nonchalance that I was only partly feeling.

"Isn't that illegal?" She asked me.

"Only if someone knows about it. Most guys are either too ashamed to speak up, figure no one will listen or care, or simply brush it off as part of the gay dating process." Vincent commented.

"That is why so many dudes get away with it. It can be hard to find a decent boyfriend that is 'out' and your type, even in this day and age." I chimed in. Vincent smiled and grasped my hand.

"That's why I feel so lucky to have found Alex. Honestly, if your father wasn't such a prick about you being gay... I might shake his hand and thank him for sending you to me." He teased me. My eyes widened and I gasped.

"Doooo iiit." I hissed and then bit my lip mischievously. Vincent just laughed and shook his head at me. I gulped down the last of my drink and he pulled me up out of my seat.

"We better get going if we want to finish by dinner time. It was nice chatting with you Zoe. Text me later if you want to hang out." He gave her a half-hug while still standing, and I waved to her cheerfully as he dragged me back into the bustle of the mall at Christmas time.

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