by Trina Lane
Trevor looked around and noticed some key absent items. His bathroom vanity was cluttered with his toothbrush and toothpaste. Usually you could find he’d hadn’t put away his razor or shaving cream, maybe even left out his bottle of aftershave. However, Niall’s countertops were completely bare. So that meant that either Niall was a neat freak or he didn’t actually use this space much, which would be a shame because Trevor would kill to have a bathroom like this. He spread his arms out and turned in a circle in the space. A soft laugh escaped when Trevor realised that Niall’s bathroom was bigger than his living room. He shook his head as he left.
When Trevor stepped into the bedroom, he stopped at the sight before him. While he had been gone, Matt and Niall had reached out and were now holding hands in the centre of the bed as they slept. Trevor smiled and began to gather his clothes as quietly as possible. His sweater was on one side of the room, his briefs and slacks on another. Now where did his shoes and socks go? Ah there! The toe of one shoe stuck out from beneath the edge of the floating platform, and the other had somehow ended up over by the wardrobe cabinet. Socks. Where were his socks? Trevor was just about to give up when his right foot nearly slid out from underneath him on the wood floor. He looked down to find both missing socks. He snagged them up and with a last glance over his shoulder at the bed, left the room.
Trevor made his way down the hall towards the living room. He passed the tightly closed door of Niall’s darkroom, and the two spare rooms—joined by a shared bathroom—Niall had shown them which served as a guestroom and Niall’s office. There was one last guest bath at the end of the hall closest to the living room. Trevor stepped into this bath to get dressed then tried to tame his hair somewhat. The quick towel dry of his hair the night before had led to this morning’s rat’s nest.
Once dressed, Trevor pulled up the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority website on his phone and looked at the subway routes. A quick twenty minute walk and he could catch the red line at the Broadway station and make his way south back to his neighbourhood. Score!
Trevor thought about leaving some kind of note. The whole reason he was leaving was because he hated awkward morning afters. It was so much easier to leave first than to wake up with someone you’d had sex with, only to find the magic of the night before had worn off. If Matt and Niall wanted to see him again, they had his contact information. Nothing said that Trevor couldn’t make the call either. He was no simpering maiden who waited for his Prince Charming—or Charmings in this case—to rescue him from the tower.
Trevor hesitated as he went to open the front door, because if he was honest with himself, last night was more than a casual hook-up. Those two men had made him feel more in a few hours than he’d felt with any other bed mate. Trevor didn’t want either of them to think he didn’t appreciate the evening or that he didn’t care. This was no walk of shame, it was self-preservation.
Decision made, he looked around for a piece of paper and a pen. Leaning against the countertop, Trevor scratched out a few lines then looked around for a good spot to put the missive. The front door? A little too kiss-off for his taste. The kitchen table? Nah, what single guy actually sits at the table? The fridge cabinet? Well food and sex were always the first two things on his mind. He obviously wasn’t going to tape the note to Matt or Niall’s cock, so fridge would have to do. The wood cabinet wouldn’t support a magnet so Trevor opened the door slightly and suck the note in. He quickly closed the door and waited to see if the note would fall, but apparently the seal on Niall’s high-end appliances was better than Trevor’s dorm variety at home. Satisfied, Trevor once again headed for the front door and slipped out.
The elevator arrived almost instantly after Trevor pushed the button. When the doors opened on the ground floor, Trevor headed towards the exit.
“Have a good day, Mr. Mitchell.”
Trevor stopped and looked over at the man a few years younger than himself behind the desk.
“I’m sorry, do I know you?”
“No sir, when you arrived with Mr. Roberge last night, he informed me of your name. He asked that you be placed in the system as his permanent guest. That means you are free to go up to his condo without checking in first at any time.”
“Wow. Um, okay. What’s your name?”
“Adam, sir.”
“Nice to meet you.” Trevor held out his hand. “Please don’t call me sir. I probably have less than a decade on you and it’s a little weird. So you work the graveyard huh?”
“Yeah, four days a week, but it gives me a quiet place to study. I’m a sophomore over at Northeastern. Architectural major.”
“You’re a full-time student and you still work the night shift?” Trevor exclaimed. “Hat’s off man, I couldn’t do it. Hell, I never even went to college.”
Adam shrugged. “College isn’t for everyone. But the end product is worth the crazy schedule and lack of sleep to me.”
Trevor was impressed by the young man’s dedication and work ethic. When he had been Adam’s age, most of the guys he knew from high school that did take off for the ivy walls of higher education ended up spending most of their nights either stoned or drunk. At the time Trevor had thought himself quite a step above them because he was holding down a full-time job and supporting himself. He was sure he’d missed out on a few of life’s initiation rituals, and a small part of him wished he had a degree to hang on his wall. However, a piece of paper wasn’t everything, and Trevor was proud of what he’d accomplished on his own.
Right now, he didn’t want to get caught chatting with the concierge if Matt and Niall woke up and found him gone.
“It was nice talking to you, but I gotta run.” He headed towards the door, waving as he left. “Good luck!”
Trevor jogged the mile long trip to the station. The pace kept him from getting cold in the November air. He reached the surface entrance, ran down the steps and flashed his link pass just in time for the train to pull up. Jumping into the nearest corner, he sat down and tried to catch his breath.
“You okay, kid?”
Trevor stopped gasping as if he were a sixty year old heart attack waiting to happen and looked up to see an old man in derelict clothing in the row of seats opposite him.
“I’m fine, just more out of shape than I thought.”
“You do know that more than one train comes through here each day, right?”
Trevor laughed. “Yeah, but I guess I was just focused. Nothing really on the schedule today. Could have waited for the next one, but you know…”
“Yeah, I have a corporate meeting at nine o’clock I can’t be late for,” the man deadpanned.
Trevor winced, “Sorry. Didn’t mean anything.”
“Bah, don’t worry over me none. I’m living the life.” He stretched out his legs and crossed his arms behind his neck. “I get to travel in style and see our great city.” He pointed at Trevor. “Meet interesting people—those who bother to talk to me anyways—and occasionally scrape up enough silver to grab a hot meal in a fancy eatery with golden arches.”
Trevor reached for his wallet and slipped out the last of his cash. “It’s not much, but all I have. Have one of those apple turnover things for me, will ya? I have to watch my girlish figure.” He patted his stomach.
“Hmm yes, I can see how that’s a problem for you. Hell boy, you’re skinnier than I am! Maybe you should take this back and go get yourself some food.”
Trevor waved his hands. “No, no. I want you to have it. I would just waste it on things that will rot my teeth and my mind,” he said with a smile.
“You have such a nice smile, hate to ruin it.” He shoved the dollar bills into the trench coat pocket.
Trevor noticed that the digital sign flashed the next stop as Fields Corner, where he had to get off. He pointed to the sign. “That’s my stop.”
“Thanks for the conversation, kid. And the…” He patted the coat pocket.
Trevor stood as the train came into the station. “What�
�s your name?”
“Clyde.”
“Have a good day, Clyde. Try and stay warm, it’s supposed to be nasty today.”
“Thanks son, you’re a good seed.”
Trevor shrugged as the doors opened. “I’m just me.”
Trevor made his way over to Dorchester Avenue from the rail line. Another twelve block walk to his apartment and it was hot shower and veggie time for him. As he passed the Adams split, he wondered if Niall and Matt were awake yet. Had they found his note, or were they having a slow morning fuck together? Matt seemed to have a bit of a dominant streak from what Trevor had gathered the previous evening. That was hot. Trevor loved a big man in charge in the bedroom. Whips and chains were not for him, but a firm voice and commanding presence and it was on like Donkey Kong. Outside the bedroom Trevor was his own man, if perhaps sometimes overly sensitive to others’ guidance. Okay—if Logan and Clay were to be believed, always over-sensitive to others’ guidance, even when offered with the best of intentions. Now Niall seemed more like a laid-back kind of man. Passionate, sensual and very in tune with his surroundings and thoughts. Last night when Niall had fucked Trevor, there had been power behind each thrust, and when Niall had sucked him as Matt took his turn with Trevor’s ass, the gentle hungry pulls of Niall’s mouth had brought Trevor to the edge faster than he’d thought possible at this point in his life. Decrepit Trevor was not, but neither was he eighteen any longer.
Trevor made his way up the outside stairs to his door. When he turned the corner Trevor saw something that would forever be burned into his memory.
Trevor covered his nose and tried to breathe through his mouth, but his stomach still threatened to spew its lining. Lying right outside his front door was a dead dog. Not just dead, but eviscerated.
What the fuck!
Who or what would do that to a dog? It looked a lot like the neighbour’s dachshund.
“Oh Mindy! What happened to you?”
Trevor ran down the steps and across the alley to the house next door. He banged on the front door, until it opened by the diminutive old man who lived inside.
“Trevor? What’s wrong, son?”
“Mr. Carlyle. Is Mindy home? Please tell me Mindy is inside,” he pleaded.
“Have you found her! Did you find my little baby? She’s been missing since last night. I’m so worried about her. I let her out to do her business, and she disappeared. I guess the gate somehow got opened and—”
“Mr. Carlyle. I…I think Mindy…oh, god…I’m so sorry!”
“Trevor, calm down.”
Trevor took a couple of cleansing breaths. “I think I know where Mindy is, but it’s not good. I…I don’t know what happened, or how she—”
Mr. Carlyle’s eyes swam with tears. “Where?”
“My front landing. I wasn’t home last night, and just found her.”
He sighed and took a step out the front door. “Let’s go take care of her, then.”
“No!” Trevor put a hand out to stop Mr. Carlyle’s progress. “Please, you don’t want to see her like that. Something…not right happened. I’ll take care of it. I’ll bring her to you for burial. Give me a little while to take care of things and…and stay inside. I’ll treat her right, I promise.”
He nodded. “I’ll call her vet. They’ll take her.”
Trevor stepped away from the widower and headed back to his stairs. At the base, he squared his shoulders then began the climb. When he reached the top, Trevor couldn’t even look at the remains of the sweet puppy. He pushed open the front door and walked back to his bedroom. Trevor changed into the rattiest pair of old sweats he could find and a T-shirt left over from high school days. A pair of sneakers covered his feet. He dug underneath the sink in his bathroom for a pair of long rubber gloves, bleach, and a couple of trash bags. What would he use to scoop up Mindy? He didn’t own a shovel, no place to store it. That left his hands. Unpleasant didn’t begin to describe the coming process, but there was no alternative.
Trevor opened his front door, and a quick glance across the alley assured him that Mr. Carlyle wasn’t staring out the window. When Trevor looked down on the landing, his vision blurred at the sight of the sweet-hearted companion who’d kept Mr. Carlyle going after his wife passed a few years ago. The sadness quickly turned to rage as Trevor realised that this was no animal attack. Mindy was killed methodically by someone who could only be devoid of any human emotions.
His suspicions were confirmed when he saw the note beneath Mindy’s head. He gently lifted the little skull and big floppy ears that had loved a good scratch in life.
This is what happens to pets that disobey their owners.
“Sick fuck!” Trevor grumbled under his breath. He had no idea why someone thought this kind of thing would be a good joke, but whoever they were had serious issues.
Trevor did his best to transfer Mindy into the trash bags with as little disturbance as possible. He stomach rolled and Trevor was very glad he hadn’t had time to eat anything after leaving Niall’s. When all the remains were enclosed in the bags, Trevor placed Mindy on the step below. Blood had soaked into the wood of his landing, and Trevor uncapped the bleach then proceeded to pour the contents over the area. He scrubbed until his arms hurt and his nose burned from the chemical.
He placed the scrub brush, his gloves and the now empty plastic jug into another trash bag. He couldn’t for the life of him understand why someone would want to hurt Mr. Carlyle this way. The old man had a temperament that matched his faithful companion. Trevor had met him shortly after moving into the building. Mr. Carlyle had been trying to clear the snow from his driveway, and Trevor had volunteered to take over. The two quickly became friends, and Trevor was glad to have a grandfather figure to dote on. A few months later, Mr. Carlyle had asked Trevor why he hadn’t settled down with a good girl yet and Trevor had simply said he wasn’t looking for one. Whether Mr. Carlyle had taken that to mean Trevor was straight and not looking or correctly made the connection to Trevor being gay was never clarified. Mr. Carlyle continued to be a friend and neighbour, and Trevor continued to do little chores for the old man when he could.
Trevor gathered up Mindy’s improvised coffin in his arms and carried the other bag down the steps. He disposed of the trash and walked across the alley. Mr. Carlyle opened the door as if he had been waiting for Trevor’s approach.
“I called her vet. They said to bring her over, and they would—” He swallowed roughly. “—handle everything. Would you mind coming with me? I don’t think—”
“Of course I’ll come with you. Do you want me to drive? I’ll warn you it’s been awhile since I was behind the wheel, but I really don’t think you should be driving right now.”
Mr. Carlyle smiled. “You couldn’t be worse than my grandson. Every time he picks me up for a family thing, I feel as though I see my life flash before my eyes. The only problem is he drives so fast, there’s not enough time to get to the present.”
Trevor laughed. “I promise not to drive like Mario Andretti. More than likely it’ll be more like Driving Miss Daisy. I can’t speak for the other maniacs on the road though. Some drivers in this city are insane!”
“Aye, why do you think I mainly stay off the roads these days? Let’s get this done then. Her vet is over on Freeport Street, only a couple miles as the crows fly.”
Trevor and Mr. Carlyle got Mindy’s remains over to her vet and after a very tearful goodbye from the old man Trevor took Mr. Carlyle home. They had a cup of coffee and Trevor allowed his neighbour to talk about Mindy, and what a good companion she had been. When Mr. Carlyle said he wanted to lie down for a little while, Trevor said his goodbyes and told the older man to call him if he needed anything.
Later that afternoon Trevor was curled up on his couch, not watching the movie he’d slipped into the DVD player. His cell phone rang, and he jumped at the loud sound intruding on his thoughts. When he looked at the screen, he expected to see Mr. Carlyle’s name, but instead it was Niall’s.
A small smile crept up the corners of his mouth.
“Hello?”
“Why did you leave this morning?”
Was that disappointment in Niall’s voice?
“I thought it was the best thing to do at the time.”
“And now?”
Trevor curled up into a tighter ball on the sofa. “Now…well I kind of wish you were here.”
“You as in me, or you as in us?”
That got Trevor’s attention. “Is Matt still with you?”
“Yes, but you didn’t answer my question.”
There was a soft click on the phone and Trevor heard breaths coming through the connection.
“When I got back to my apartment, there was an unpleasant surprise. It’s taken care of now, but I could use a couple of pairs of strong arms and some of that excess body heat the two of you seem to have.”
“Bello? Are you okay?”
As Trevor had thought, Matt must have picked up an extension at Niall’s condo. His didn’t know what ‘Bello’ meant, but he liked the sound of it coming from Matt’s deep voice.
“I’m fine. Nothing happened to me. It was my neighbour’s dog. I found her dead on my front landing. It wasn’t a natural death.”