Justin handed the wet dish to JC before sinking his hands back under the sudsy water. “So, which one did you like?” he asked, swishing the hot water around and grabbing another plate. JC thought for a moment. “The first one,” he said, rinsing the dish and placing it in the drainer. Justin looked taken aback. “Really?” he asked. “But it’s farther away from your work.” “But closer to yours.” “Yeah, but that’s a long drive, Jayce.” He handed JC another plate. “Why the first one?” JC rinsed the plate. “The set up. It’s a ‘roommate’ floor plan,” he explained, struggling to make little quote marks in the air and almost dropping the slippery plate. Justin grabbed the plate before it fell. “What’s so special about that?” he wondered. JC smiled. “The bedrooms are on different sides of the living room.” “So?” “So, they’re not right next to each other.” “So?” JC rolled his eyes. “We’re not exactly…quiet, Justin.” “Oh…OH!” Justin finally realized what JC was talking about. “You mean you don’t want Tyler to hear us?” “I just think there would be more…privacy in an apartment like that.” Justin nodded. “Yeah, you are a screamer,” he said matter-of-factly. “I am not!” JC argued. Justin gave him a look. “Okay, but it’s not entirely my fault, you know.” Justin grabbed JC with his damp hands. “Guilty as charged, lover,” he said, slipping his hands under JC’s shirt, making the older man yelp. “How about I make you scream now?” JC melted against Justin’s touch as they slipped to the floor, the dishes forgotten as passion took hold. *** JC nodded as the sale’s man’s voice droned on and on about the quality of the set he’d selected. “You won’t be sorry with this set, sir,” the man finally said. “Thank you,” JC replied, looking around for Justin. “Please write it up, and I’ll be right back,” JC told the man, moving between the displays to find Justin. The younger man was sprawled over a high queen size bed. JC noticed that other sales people were looking at Justin with annoyance and not a little bit of trepidation. JC considered his lover and had to agree he looked a bit out of place, a punked out kid, lying down on a pristine mattress set in a department store. “Enjoying yourself?” JC asked, sitting down next to Justin. Justin raised his head. “How about this one?” he said, bouncing a bit on the mattress. “Kinda big for Tyler, don’t you think?” JC asked. “No, for us,” Justin explained. He pulled JC down to lie next to him. “It’s really nice, and way firmer than our bed.” He flipped over to look at JC. “We’re here for Tyler’s bed, Justin, we can’t afford both.” Justin gave an exasperated snort. “No, doofas. We’d get this bed, and Ty could have our old one.” “Doofas?” “Yeah, doofas.” He snuggled closer to JC. “Come on…think about how much time we spend in bed…don’t you think we deserve this?” JC blushed at Justin’s words, looking around to see if anyone heard him. “Well, it is nice…and much roomier.” He picked up the price tag. “Woo, Justin…did you see the price?” “Yes, I saw the price,” Justin said, pulling the tag out of JC’s hand. “And I know it’s more than the bed we’re supposed to get for Tyler, but think about yourself for a change, Jayce.” “I don’t know, Justin…” he said, his mind still on the price. “Did you change your mind, sir?” the salesman said, coming to a quick halt at the sight of the two men on the bed. “Did you, JC?” Justin said, bouncing on the bed again, smiling wickedly. JC took a deep breath. “Yes….yes I did. We’re going to take this one instead.” The salesman smiled broadly as his commission increased. “A very good choice.” he said. “You won’t be sorry with this set…” *** “I don’t think we should go,” JC said, cleaning up the breakfast dishes. Justin sighed. “I figured this was coming.” “I just don’t think we should go.” “We’re going.” “But Justin…” “No. We’re going.” “Listen to me,” JC pleaded, sitting back at the table and grasping Justin’s hands. “This might be the last time Tyler has with our parents, and I don’t want to interfere.” Tyler’s graduation was today. It was still three months before he turned 18 and moved to Seattle, but this was an important day for him as well. “We’re invited, JC,” Justin pointed out. “He wants us there.” “I know…but…” “Now, you listen to me,” Justin ordered. “You’re not responsible for Tyler’s problems with your parents. He’s a good kid who needs his own space to find his way, and you know they won’t let him do that. It’s their way or the highway. That’s why you left, right?” “I guess..” “No, ‘I guess’,” Justin scoffed. “You were supposed to be straight, and obedient, and stay around Beaverville for the rest of your life, no matter what you wanted, no matter that it would have killed you inside.” “Willamette Falls,” JC corrected with a laugh. “Whatever. I’m right, right?” JC nodded. “And Tyler needs the same thing. It could be that he’ll want to go back, JC, did you ever think of that?” JC shook his head. “And if he does want that, would you stop him?” “No, not if that’s what he truly wants.” “Then let him make his own decisions, starting with who he wants at his graduation,” Justin said simply. JC cocked his head. “How’d you get so smart?” JC asked. “Close observation of you, lover,” Justin explained. “Now, let’s get on the road so we won’t be late and give your folks another reason to hate me.” JC kissed Justin quickly. “I love you.” “You’d better,” Justin said with a wink. *** JC moved a bit, waking Justin up. “Come on, baby,” he said, rousing the younger man. “Time for bed.” Justin protested and tried to snuggle closer to JC on the couch. “No, come on.” “Okay,” he said, rising from the couch and stretching. He flipped off the TV, then went to the front door, checking to make sure the dead bolt was locked. “Did you set the coffee?” he asked, walking by the kitchen. “Doing it now,” JC replied, setting the coffeemaker to automatic. He left the kitchen and flipped off the lights, joining Justin in the bedroom. The younger man was setting the alarm clock. “Six-thirty?” “Six.” They slipped out of their clothes and into bed, snuggling together on their new big mattress. “Thanks for making me go today,” JC said, kissing Justin’s head as it lay on JC’s chest. “Mmm…I’m glad we went, too,” Justin said with a yawn. “Totally worth it to see your dad introduce us to Tyler’s principal. “You’re mean,” JC scolded. “Only to those who try to hurt people I love,” Justin said solemnly, lifting his head and locking eyes with JC. “I have no patience for that.” “I know,” JC said, kissing Justin quickly. “I love you.” Justin snuggled closer and yawned again. “Love you, too,” he said before they both slipped into sleep.