Elijah stared at him, still rigid, and Aaron stared back, pretty fucking amped himself.
Elijah looked away. He rolled his eyes, but all the spit was out of him. “I need a cigarette. You going to follow me and lecture or stay here and suck your thumb?”
It was a weird victory, and Aaron wasn’t sure what to do with it, but he was taking it all the same. “I’ll come. Except I wish you were going off to down a fifth of something instead of smoke.”
Elijah, it turned out, was pretty when he smiled, even when it was a nasty one. “Oh, I’ve got that too. Come on, roomie. Let’s go hang out at the Dumpster and get shitfaced.”
Aaron bowed low as he gestured at the door. “Lead the way, asshole.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
It was cold outside, but not windy, and it wasn’t snowing. Elijah led Aaron to a partition beside a Dumpster, where he produced a small bottle of liquor—vodka, most likely, but Aaron wasn’t sure—from one pocket and a packet of off-brand cigarettes and a lighter from another. He offered both to Aaron.
Aaron accepted the bottle but not the cigarettes. “Is it okay to smoke here?”
Elijah gave him a look as he lit up. “No. It’s not okay to drink when you’re twenty, either, and you’re not supposed to perform sex for money at any age. Do you want to call the cops, or should I?”
It was going to be a few hours before Aaron developed a callus for Elijah’s barbs. “Thanks for the drink,” he said, because it was the only thing he could think of. He unscrewed the cap and took a heavy hit. And winced. It was bad vodka.
But it rubbed the edge off as it was supposed to. Aaron shut his eyes and drank deeply.
Elijah watched him with interest as he smoked, then held his hand out for the bottle. “You’re no stranger to sin yourself, cowboy. You put alcohol away like a pro. Here I thought you were going to get prissy and mother hen about the sex thing, but you’re too busy getting ready for your first AA chip, aren’t you?”
Aaron held his hand out for the bottle. “I drank a lot in high school. Haven’t here, mostly because it’s harder to do.”
“Not if you know the right people.” Elijah took a long drag and blew smoke up into the air.
Obviously Elijah did. “It’s kind of weird, talking to you after dead silence this whole time.”
“It’s not what I expected, no.” Elijah leaned against the wall. “So. They kicked you out. Clothes on your back and nothing else?”
“Giles’s dad went over and got some of my stuff, but my laptop is probably destroyed along with all my composition notes.”
Elijah straightened. “Fuck me, you don’t have your laptop? God, I wondered where it went.”
“Why are you all upset? It’s my laptop.” He paused, catching up. “What do you mean, you wondered where it went?”
Elijah grimaced. “I used your laptop every time I knew you weren’t going to be in the room and you left it behind.” He gave Aaron a mock puppy-dog look. “Are you gonna be mad at me?”
“I’m not in love with you, no. Why didn’t—?”
“They’ve been suspicious of me ever since Thanksgiving, and they put in key-logging software on my laptop and my phone. Yours was still clean, though.”
Aaron deflated, weirded out both by the idea of spying parents and the idea they might have spied on him too. “You could have asked.”
“You could have said no.”
True. “It’s still pretty skeevy.”
“Yeah, well, I can’t use it now, so congrats.” He took a long drag, and for the first time that night, Elijah seemed wounded.
“Giles’s mother gave me a tablet and a new phone. If you can keep from mocking me, I’ll let you use them both.” He’d talk to Giles about the extra laptops his roommate had. Now he wished he’d let Mrs. Mulder buy him one after all.
Elijah passed over the bottle, his snark melting away. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”
“You know, you could have been talking to me this whole time. You’re an asshole, and I think you’re going to need a mountain of therapy to get your head on right, but you could have fucking talked to me.”
Elijah’s smile tipped sideways. “I would have, maybe, if I’d known you weren’t all goody-two-shoes.”
Aaron sat on a discarded box, dusting off the snow first. “So what are you going to do about your parents? Because if you tell me the same thing you’ve been doing, you’re an idiot. You look as if you’re about an inch away from coming apart most days—and you’re worse when your parents come. You’re a walking zombie after a break. How do you plan to survive summer?”
“I don’t know.” Elijah ashed out his cigarette in the snow and pulled out another. “I have an online friend in Baltimore I’ve considered begging for a summer of couch-surfing, but I don’t know him well enough. Plus I’d have to trick or hitch all the way there. That’s a lot of truck-stop cock, and I’m not sure I’m up for it.”
“You should let me help you.”
“Right, because you’re in such a great position to promise aid right now.”
“Did you miss the part where I basically tripped and everybody on planet Earth swooped in to help?”
Elijah snorted as the flare of his lighter illuminated his face. “You think packets of ramen and cookies are gonna help me? Fuck. You really think they’re going to help you?”
Aaron stared at him, a hollow starting in the pit of his stomach. “What do you mean?”
He took another drag. “Here’s the deal, princess: you’re alone now. You think I went back to the ’rents because life got a little cold? It was a fucking arctic winter, babe. I went to the streets pretty goddamn jaded, but I did things that curl my toes, and it still was barely enough to survive. It got to the point I started looking for white slavers because I figured at least they’d give me a square meal every day. One night it got so bad I almost died. A guy—” He shut his eyes, smoking again before he continued. “Someone got me out of a bad situation, pressed a wad of hundreds in my hand and told me to go the hell home. So I did.” He exhaled and stared right at Aaron. “That’s what waits for you.”
Walter rang in Aaron’s head, his vows to help him no matter what pealing like a church bell. My net, like Dr. Mulder said. “It wouldn’t happen to me, not in the same way. But I’m sorry it happened to you.”
He passed the vodka over before Elijah asked for it. Elijah took a long hit, and when he mashed out his cigarette, he looked weary and defeated. “I’m probably going to run off to the Cities again come May. I think it would be different this time—I’m older, and I know where the dangerous places are. If I can trick enough over the summer, maybe I can put together a down payment for an apartment in the fall.”
“Jesus, stop. Do not fucking sell yourself.”
“Why not? It’s my damn body. Nobody’s making me. It’s a commodity. It’s not much, but it’s what I have. Hell of a lot better than Walmart. If I could get up the courage to go bare, I’d clean up, but—”
“Stop talking.” Aaron pushed to his feet and loomed over Elijah. “I don’t care that nobody’s making you. It’s not safe. If you want to do it because you’re some kind of batshit daredevil, fine, but don’t do it to survive when there’s another way.”
“There isn’t another way, Pollyanna, not without relying on other people, and I’m not going there. Ever.”
“How is it, exactly, you think letting people at your ass isn’t a risk? Maybe it’s more a risk to your body than your heart, but—”
Elijah shoved him and staggered out from behind the Dumpster, shaking. “I don’t need to listen to your self-righteous bullshit. You don’t know shit about my heart.”
Aaron followed him. “You will listen, you stupid idiot. Everybody needs a net.”
“Well I don’t have one.”
“I do. And you’re going to share it whether you
want it or not.” He closed the distance between them, caught Elijah’s hand and held it tight. “You’re going to borrow my net, Elijah, until you get your own.”
Elijah tried to be caustic, but hurt won out. “Why? Why would you help me?”
“I told you. I might be eighteen, not sixteen, and I might have a lot of people waiting in the wings to help me, but I’m never going to forget the horrible feeling of being cast out like that for being nothing more than myself. Because I can help you, if you stop being so fucking nasty for ten minutes.” He arched an eyebrow. “And, honestly, because for once I can be the guy who helps instead of the clueless idiot everybody has to save.”
Elijah said nothing, didn’t even laugh.
“Let me work on it. Talk to some people. In the meantime, though, talk to me. Let me help you. Use the gift cards. Use my tablet and phone. Quit going to that goddamned Bible study and live your own fucking life.”
“If I quit, the toads will report me. I have to keep up the charade until I have a better plan, because they’ll stop tuition payments and yank me out of here so fast if they even think anything is going on.”
God, that was so fucking sick. “Then we’ll figure something out fast. Okay?”
Elijah didn’t answer, only nudged Aaron’s foot with his. “If you’re my net, does that mean I get to call you Spider-Man?” He raked his gaze over Aaron, letting a whisper of approval escape. “Though if you’re a Marvel hero, you’re Captain America.”
“I’d go on my knees for Chris Evans in a hot second.”
Elijah laughed. “You’re fun when you start to get smashed, Cap. You need to do it more often.”
Aaron accepted the flask with a grin and a wink. “Name the time and bring the goods, Loki, and I’m there.”
Elijah snorted and lit another cigarette.
But he smiled the whole time he did it.
When Giles entered the cafeteria Monday morning to meet Aaron for breakfast, he saw his boyfriend sitting with Elijah. Giles stopped dead, wondering what the hell was going on.
Aaron waved him over.
Seriously, what the hell?
The weirdest part was, as uneasy as Giles felt about whatever this was, Elijah was even more skeptical, that much was clear. Elijah appeared ready to bolt at any second. What kept throwing Giles for a loop was how equally clear it was Aaron wasn’t having any of it.
Aaron also looked good. Not only hot but put together, no more lost, dazed puppy but a guy with a mission. Apparently the mission had something to do with Elijah. Giles put down his tray and did his best to figure the rest of it out.
“Hey, you.” Aaron smiled and moved closer as he sat down.
Giles tried not to stare at Elijah, but the way Aaron’s roommate glowered, Giles felt like he’d sat down to breakfast with a tiger. “Hi, sweetie. You sleep okay?”
Elijah rolled his eyes. “Oh my God, I’m going to stab you both in the neck with this butter knife if you don’t stop being so cute.”
Giles tensed, ready to snap, but Aaron dismissed Elijah with a mild wave. “Ignore him. He’s not used to being with actual people.”
Why is he here, exactly? Giles couldn’t say that, so he attempted to make nice. “Did you…uh, have a good break?”
Elijah gave Aaron a look part fury, part desperation.
Giles decided he’d had enough. “Do one of you want to tell me what’s going on?”
“I’ve been adopted.” Elijah’s voice dripped with derision, and he gave Giles a freakish mock-smile. “Congrats, Daddy, it’s a boy.”
“You can be as snarky as you want,” Aaron replied mildly, wiping his mouth with his napkin. “You’re still meeting with Walter this weekend. Though I’ll warn you, if you’re mean to his fiancé, you’ll find out what fierce means.”
“I’ll be good, Mommy, I promise. I won’t sleep with Daddy anymore, either. Can I have a cookie now?”
“I’ll see you after you get back from the toads. We’ll make some plans.”
“I think I’ll sleep in the fucking Dumpster tonight, thanks.”
“If you do, I’ll be sure to let the maintenance staff know you smoke on campus grounds.”
“Nobody needs this kind of net,” Elijah murmured, rising with his tray. His long wool coat ballooned behind him as he stalked toward the conveyor belt taking used dishes to the kitchen.
Giles turned to his boyfriend in disbelief. “What in the hell is going on?”
Aaron had his phone out and was frowning at it. “Crap. I forgot I told Jilly I’d meet her in the lounge. But you haven’t eaten.” He rose and bussed Giles on the cheek. “You stay. I’ll fill you in later.”
Giles opened his mouth to argue, then cut himself off, changing his mind. “Okay. Will I see you at lunch?”
“Absolutely.” Aaron all but ran away.
Giles watched him go, gave him a few seconds to get through the lobby. Then he rose, heading the way he’d seen Elijah go.
His quarry was halfway across the common by the time Giles spotted him, and he had to break into a trot across the snow to catch him. It didn’t escape his attention that not only did Elijah hear him coming sooner than most people would have, he also tensed and turned around with a grip on the strap of his pack indicating he wouldn’t hesitate to use it as a weapon.
“Oh good, it’s you.” Elijah shifted his pack on his shoulder. “So is this where you ask me what the hell is going on, or are you going to finally take me up on seconds? I warn you, my rates have gone way up.”
God, this guy was an ass. “First one. And if you could skip the sarcasm and stick to the facts, that’d be great.”
“Sorry, Romeo. Package deal.” He pursed his lips into a mock pout. “Juliet didn’t fill you in?”
“I wanted it straight from the wise guy’s mouth. I can tell whatever it is, it wasn’t your idea.”
Elijah snorted. “God, you must be smart. Yes, he’s all about saving my sorry ass. Which, thanks to the pile of do-gooders eager to help him out, he wants to spread the love.”
“What exactly is he saving you from? Your winning personality?”
“Funny.” Elijah crossed his arms over his chest. “None of this is necessary, girlfriend. You can stand down. I plan to humor him for a few days, after which I assume he’ll see a squirrel and run across the lawn. I’ll be out of your hair before your next hallway choral number or whatever you guys do over in the music building.”
“What is he saving you from?”
Elijah glared, a tic forming in his cheek. “Russian gangs. I banged a delivery boy and shorted him his drug money. I have a huge price on my head.”
“Anybody ever tell you they want to knock your fucking block off?”
He regretted the words even before he saw the shadow cross Elijah’s face. “Nah. Can’t say it’s ever happened.”
The wind was picking up, and Giles was cold, but he couldn’t very well stalk off, no matter how much he wanted to. “That was a dumbass thing to say. I’m sorry.”
“Take your pity and your concern and your apology off to class, Prince Charming. We’re all good here in the trenches.”
“If Aaron’s made a project out of you, you’ve got something wrong other than the huge stick you can’t get out of your ass, so like it or not, you’re my problem now.”
“Bitch, you don’t know fuck all about my problems. They’re a hell of a lot more involved than someone shouting fag at me across the football field, so back the hell off.”
Giles closed the distance between them, not slowing down this time when Elijah flinched. “I’d had a little more than fag thrown at me, thanks. I just don’t feel the need to flash it around like a poor me martyr poster.” He swallowed his fury and forced himself to calm down. “If you’d quit fucking winding me up so I could talk to you as an actual human, that’d be great.”
&nbs
p; The wind left Elijah’s sails, dragging his shoulders down and taking the piss out of his expression, leaving him ragged and weary-looking. “My parents are freak shows. Different than Aaron’s, but he insisted on bonding. It’s not as simple as he’d like to think, though. It’s not simple at all, and nobody can help me, so let it go.”
“Yeah, probably not happening.” Giles stuffed his hands into his pockets. “What kind of freak show we talking here? I’m guessing religious homophobic wing nuts to start, given your tchotchke collection?”
“Did you notice it’s freezing out here? Maybe you like blue balls, but I don’t.”
“Then I’m taking you to the coffee shop next to the White House, and you’re telling me everything you’ve got.”
Elijah’s smile was grim. “Yeah. It’ll be the student union coffee shop, because if I go north of Broadway, my father will call and ask why my GPS says I’ve left campus.” When Giles’s eyes widened, Elijah held out his arm in an ironic ta-da. “Oh, sweetheart. We’re just getting warmed up.”
Giles had a bad feeling Elijah wasn’t kidding. “Let’s go inside. Coffee’s on me.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“My parents are what you might call rabid, crazy, conservative Christians.” Elijah slouched in his corner of the booth and stared at his steaming mug of black coffee as he spoke. “They were always a little weird, but then my older brother went off to Afghanistan when I was ten and didn’t come home. It was right about the same time they got wrapped up in this crazy right-wing church. We’d always been Lutheran, but they started going there for support-the-troop rallies and political events. They tipped slowly over the deep end and never came up for air. My dad has an arsenal in the garage because our president is from Kenya and the government is coming any second to gay marry us all, et cetera. Three times he’s fired at deliverymen, to the point that we have to go to a UPS substation to get our stuff because they won’t deliver. He sent Dan Savage hate mail until a lawyer served him a threatening letter.”
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