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The boy's just no good. {missedstations x HKitten}

Curling up like a puppy against his master, Nathan sighed with a small touch of contentment at being able to fall asleep with his lover. The hours ticked away like minutes, just as the days seemed to float away like dandelion fluff. After the somewhat awkward but quiet first morning they shared together, he escorted René (or was it the other way around?) out to the front and a chaste kiss goodbye. Promises of calls and a second date were made, before he left to do the mundane things of the collapsing world.

At work, while he sat through a few hours of meaningless debate, higher ups finally decided a date for him to be leaving. It made him cringe at that thought of how soon that was to be. Three, maybe four weeks before he had to board the ship. Airplanes had been outlawed years ago, leaving the transportation methods to be ground or water based. There had been rumors about a new aircraft being built, using no fuel but pure hydraulics. While their world was on the downfall of society and the upraise of technology, he didnâ??t think it was possible. But then again, it was part of his job to make it possible. Scope out the wonders of the world, the sources of the world, and report back anything he had to help projects like that one succeed.

After the meeting, he found himself in the workersâ?? lounge, sipping some ice-cold coffee that should have been hot, and fiddling with his EP. The blonde realized it had been a nearly a week since he had contact with René as of this date. Of course he gave every other night calls and the like, but physical contact was a plus, if not vital, in a relationship. However, he wasnâ??t the kind to push being together all the time like someone clingy, so he tried to â??take it slowâ?.

Checking the time to see he had plenty of time, he decided a call this earlyâ??it was reaching five PMâ??wouldnâ??t seem out of the ordinary. â??Call, René.â? he spoke into the EP, hearing a soft dialing in the background as he waited for an answer. Taking another sip of the coffee, he licked his lips and told himself that he should tell the brunette of his departure dateâ?¦ it was only fair to the other male to know, after all.
 
The morning after was awkward, yes, but also strangely comfortable. He would have liked to wake up next to Nathan more often, even if it was disgustingly early and he could barely fall asleep since his sleep schedule was so fucked up. It was strangely sweet, Nathan's kiss. He liked it, and found himself thinking of the goodbye kiss the most... René wanted more kisses like that. Was it so foolish of him?

Never before did he pounce at the phone every time it rang, sometimes disappointed that that it wasn't Nathan. Maybe he wasn't in love at first, but he wanted to be. So it was easy to learn to long to see Nathan again, to enjoy the sound of his voice. Of course it did not interfere with work. The bruises faded. He went, stood at his usual corner, paid his bills. Sex was a physical act, and half the time he did not even get off, not really. How wonderful it had been to be with someone who did not know, who had no idea. Who treated him like a real person.

René was getting dressed when his phone rang, preparing slowly to leave and go out. A week ago he would have just ignored it, finished putting clothes on, but as it was, he ran out of his bedroom, and then leant over the back of the sofa to reach the phone on the coffee table: hence being a tiny bit out of breath when he answered. Nathan's was one of the few numbers he actually had saved now, and he grinned as he saw the caller ID.

â??Hey, you!â?
 
Half zoning out, Nathan nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the rough yet smooth voice of his boyfriend on the other line. The sudden switch from dial-tone to a resounding â??hey, you!â?? made him sit up straighter unconsciously. â??Hey!â? he swallowed, still strangely nervous in talking to his lover over the phone whenever they called one another, despite the frequency. A few people around him gave him a strange look at the volume he had said that in, so he slouched just a bit and lowered his tone of voice. â??Heyâ?¦ am I bothering you?â? the blonde asked out of habit, half knowing that he probably wasnâ??t, as René only worked during the nights.

A few people shuffled around him, most going back to work, some knowing him and wondering who he was talking to. Scowling at them, he shooed them with a wave of his hand, before taking another sip of his coffee. Wired was better than tired, but he probably sounded like a teenage boy caught with his hand down his pants whenever he talked to the brunette. â??I justâ?¦ I wanted to tell you that I found out when Iâ??m being shipped out. Itâ??s planned in a month from now, but I wonâ??t get the exact date until the week of departureâ?¦â? he finished off his cup of coffee faster than usual.

Scratching his head with his free hand, he threw away the cup and tried to shake off the jitters he had. Surely he didnâ??t have the most interesting of jobs, being average Joe and all, but he hated that the one interesting thing that happens ends up being the one thing that could tear up the delicate relationship that they were starting. Of course, let no one say that Nathan didnâ??t try to keep it together, as he had often times askedâ??never pressingâ??René if he still considered coming with. â??I guess itâ??s not a topic to talk of over the phone, but I guess I just wanted to tell youâ??I just found out this morning.â? he pauses for a moment, trying to formulate his thoughts. â??Would youâ?¦â? want to come with me? â??want to talk about this tonight over dinner?â?
 
He was smiling as he started the conversation. â??No, course not. I always have time for you.â? René dropped into a more comfortable position on the sofa, putting his feet on an armrest and stretching out, almost catlike. Hm, his sock had a hole in it where his big toe was... He should fix that sometime...

Wait, what? Being shipped out? A month? Fuck. He'd put it an indefinite time in the future, maybe months at least, not so soon! Not so soon. He had been trying to have a normal relationship, one with phone calls and long chats, and not just sex. â??Oh.â? He tried to hide his disappointment, but didn't quite succeed.

As much as he wanted to go, it wouldn't be easy to leave everything that he was familiar with. To leave the world where he knew the rules for an entirely unfamiliar one? It was a hard thing to ask of anyone. And at this point he knew that he was lying, rather than just avoiding the truth: he'd left it too long to just say it. He didn't want to go with someone while concealing such an important thing about himself. All he had been for years was just a cheap whore, what was he trying to be now?

â??Ah, sure,â? he finally replied. â??I have some stuff in the fridge that needs to be used up... Remember where I live?â? He tried to sound casual, while knowing, if he was being rational, he should just break it off now. But remembering that Nathan had said they needed to try out René's bed... He wanted to do that too much. At least that. â??I'll skip work then... If you want.â?

René had always been warned to not take drugs, and not to rely on anyone too much, but he'd never realised how wonderful it was to want someone, and to be wanted in return. He didn't want to ruin it.
 
â??I remember.â? he replied, not knowing what else to add onto it. Nathan wasnâ??t sure what he was supposed to say, truthfully, as he knew this was probably not news that one could balm over with sweet words. He was definitely going to be sent away from London for a long period of time, so there wasnâ??t any other way to make the relationship work. They either went together or parted now. Of course they both had to be hard choices. One risk was to try to make the relationship work, but finding out that it wasnâ??t going to go anywhere, or worse, not trying and losing the chance of being with someone who could have been â??the oneâ??.

The blonde wasnâ??t as stupid as to believe in â??the oneâ??. Not completely at least. But he did believe that true love was built with time invested into another person and how compatible the individuals were with one another. â??Iâ??m off in a few minutes actually, so if itâ??s not a bother, Iâ??ll come over in an hour.â? enough time for travel and to clean himself up. â??Wouldnâ??t want to bother your working schedule.â? because René didnâ??t bother his, so it wasnâ??t fair for him to expect that he could do the same to the brunette.

Licking his lips, he murmured that he had to get back to work to finish some things before he left, before hanging up with a small endearment of â??canâ??t wait to see you soon, loveâ?. The blonde rolled his shoulders to stretch them and straightened his suit out, before he went in to inform the secretaries that he was taking the day off. They gave him a dirty look for gypping out on work, but knew that with little time left in this branch, heâ??d get little done either way.

Once he left the building, he went directly home and got ready, before picking up salmon on the way towards Renéâ??s areaâ??hoping that the other hadnâ??t ate yet either. Just beyond the Southern â??borderâ??, he heard a siren wail and a few gunfire snaps. It had become so common to hear it, that he barely gave mind to it. Just failed experiments, animals turned beastly creatures, being kept out of the cities.

Heâ??d never admit it, but it took him just a few minutes more than intended because he actually did forget where René lived. Ten minutes of being lost caused him to walk in a large circle around the area before he realized that one of the earthquakes must have shifted the streets out of order. Luckily, he walked passed the building and from there, made it towards what he hoped was Renéâ??s door. Three sharp knocks as he wondered if this was the wrong place, and he was going to get shot in the nuts as soon as whomever on the other side opened the door.
 
â??You shouldn't worry about my work,â? René said, keeping the tone light. One advantage of being a whore: irregular work hours, easily rearranged to suit personal lives. He wanted to see Nathan, and he had enough money to pay protection fees for next week. He'd earned money for bills this week already, anything extra was for his personal needs. If he had to, skipping a meal or two wasn't difficult.

â??Bye, darling,â? he said, going red to his ears at the endearment. It was lucky for him that there was no one around to see! Usually, when people gave him nicknames, they were ironic or mocking. Suck my cock, sweetheart was so different from can't wait to see you, love, and he relished that difference. It was so rare that he could enjoy someone's real affection, and he was looking forward to seeing Nathan too. He looked forward to leaning against Nathan again.

An hour? That was a good amount of time. René changed out of his 'work' clothes: something better, bought specifically so clients wouldn't think he was cheap. It was becoming a deliberate deception, he knew that, as he put on a softer pair of jeans and a softer, old blue shirt, bought ages ago from a second hand shop, for pottering around at home in. Cold, he put on a jumper, and then put on the heating. He didn't want his lover to be uncomfortable. He ran a brush through his hair, then tied it up in a ponytail, more neatly than usual.

Luckily for Nathan, it was the right place, and René used the peephole to check who it was before saying, â??Just a sec!â? It was for a good reason that he had three locks and a chain. One of them was stiff, and he ended up kicking the door to unjam the door. â??Sorry,â? he said with a grin when he got the door open eventually.
 
For a few moments, the blonde entertained the idea of leaving and calling René back to tell him to meet him at a certain place. Mainly because he was sure he had to wrong place, and it was best to be safe than sorry he met his maker. The thought was only reinforced when he heard the multiple locks unhookedâ??who had so many locks if they werenâ??t doing something illegal?!â??and then the door being kicked to openâ??oh, gods, he was going to get murdered!

Luckily, it was only René.

Phewâ?¦ he mentally sighed, a smile stretching his lips as soon as he was relieved of danger. â??Hey, brought salmon.â? he stated as a way of greeting, stepping forward to get into the apartment. Instead of acting like some stranger in a place he had never been into before, Nathan was bold and at ease when he just â??invitedâ?? himself in and hung his coat on what he thought looked like a coat hanger. Leaning into the brunette, he gave his lover a chaste, yet firm kiss on the lips.

Slow and sensual worked its way in, lips pressing and pulling, before he pulled back completely to look into emerald orbs. â??Hey.â? he greeted again, softer this time and tone much more intimate than the first. Some time from there to here, the hand that wasnâ??t holding the shopping back found its way to the ponytail, where he gently brushed his fingers through the strands.

Not wanting to appear completely infatuated as he was feeling, the blonde took a breath and a step back to give them space. â??So, kitchen? I didnâ??t know what you had, so I bought everything needed for baked salmon. Just lemon juice, butter, salt, pepper, oregano, the aluminum, the salmon, and red potatoes as a sideâ?¦dishâ?¦â? he trailed off, realizing that as he took out each item, René could probably see for himself, and that Nathan was just rambling. â??You ever had this before?â?
 
He kicked the door closed â?? hm, that was probably why the door didn't function properly in the first place, all that abuse â?? and then embraced Nathan. â??Good to see you.â? He enjoyed the kiss, in so much as he could... But he wasn't so silly so as to not forget where he was living, and as soon as Nathan let him go he went back to the door, relocking it. â??Keeps out unwelcome guests,â? he explained. The whole area had that vibe, and it was best to be safe.

Only then did he nudge Nathan into the kitchen, sneaking up behind and resting his chin on Nathan's shoulder as he watched, wrapping his arms around his lover's waist. He didn't particularly want to break contact. â??Hmm, real fish is a bit out of my price range...â? A proper luxury these days. â??Had salmon once, in one of my foster homes,â? he added, nuzzling Nathan's neck.

It was a far smaller place than Nathan's. The kitchen was the only two people maximum sort, with the other person always being in the way. He didn't even have a dining table. The living room was smaller too, and he had only one room, but it looked far more lived in than Nathan's apartment. The furniture was all mismatched and old, some of it bought and most of it coming with the place.

â??Are you actually going to cook for me this time?â? René asked, referring to their first little cooking fiasco. â??Or will I have to save you again?â?
 
Despite Renéâ??s explanation, Nathan felt as safe as a kitten in its home. Then again, the man probably had low survival instincts, so that vetoed him out of being judge of such things. Instead of responding to that, he just shrugged and continued on, emptying out the bag completely and placing the ingredients on the counter. A quick glance into the apartment confirmed his thoughts on how Renéâ??s home was; just barely there for someone who only needed a spot to rest. At least, thatâ??s what he gathered from what his lover mentioned, and in his mind, this was just the right size for one person to live.

His trail of thoughts was cut off when he felt arms around his waist, causing him to lean back against the brunette and grinned. â??I can make salmon just fine, thank you very much.â? he defended with a small tease, before thrusting his hip backwards to butt René free. â??Can you turn on the oven for me? Three fifty would workâ?¦â? he requested while he did a quick rinse of the fish, before lathering it up with the ingredients he brought, and then wrapping it in the aluminum foil.

Once finished, he made sure his hands were washed and cleaned, before he inched his way back into his loverâ??s arms. â??Soâ?¦ foster home?â? the question was touched on with much care, as he knew that René wasnâ??t one to just dish out information. That, and he wasnâ??t sure he had a right to ask for private details of the brunetteâ??s life any more. The topic about him moving seemed too intense to start off with, but he had to wonder if his blonde moments were showingâ??past sharing wasnâ??t the best topic either. Iâ??ll eventually have to talk about itâ?¦ if he comes with me, weâ??ll have plenty of time to share past storiesâ?¦ Thatâ??s if René even had an inkling of wanting to come.
 
He removed himself from Nathan with a tiny snort, whether of disbelief or annoyance was not entirely clear, and turned on the oven obediently. An older model, and he'd had to spend two full hours scrubbing it when he moved in. It had always been slow to heat up. Old crap that still worked â?? no need to replace anything until it broke.

â??Well, I guess it's not so hard to stick everything in the oven and bake it until you're sure it's dead,â? he teased. Maybe that one was a bit harsh.

Wrapping his arms around Nathan again, he considered the question while nuzzling his boyfriend's neck. â??Hmm. Never knew my parents. My mother hung around long enough to name me, but apparently she just walked out of the hospital and never came back. Didn't get adopted while I was still cute...â? He shrugged lightly against Nathan. â??Once you're over ten or so, people don't want to adopt anymore. So I just got moved between foster homes.â?

It was probably more of the past than he had shared with anyone. â??Some of the places weren't so bad, some... Eh.â? It had never been abuse, just neglect. â??I ran away when I was sixteen. I guess they didn't care enough to look for me.â? He was twenty-one now, had spent enough time living alone.
 
Despite the teasing, Nathan just smirked in Renéâ??s general direction and finished wrapping the fish up. â??Well, itâ??s not my fault it refused to die in the first place.â? he joked in response. Sure, his joke didnâ??t make all that much sense, but to him, it was better than not saying anything at all. Once finished with the preparations, he washed his hands and waited for the oven to heat up before he would place the fish in. For now, he was content with staying in his loverâ??s arms. A small flutter of soothing pleasure began in the pit of his stomach at the feeling, so he leaned back just fractionally and bent his neck just a bit to the side so that there was enough room for the brunette to nuzzle him.

â??What are you talking about?â? he finally spoke up, turning in Renéâ??s embrace and wrapping his arms around the other form. â??Youâ??re still pretty cute to me. Only Iâ??m lucky youâ??re over eighteen, else youâ??d be jailbait.â? Nathan chuckled, giving the other male an Eskimo kiss. It wasnâ??t the saddest story he had heard, but it was the first to hear from someone he was romantically interested in. However, the blonde didnâ??t think it should matter, since it was something in the past.

To him, someoneâ??s past was like a sunken cost. It had already been incurred, so there was nothing one could do about it, and it shouldnâ??t affect the future decisions as much as the present facts would. And thinking of the futureâ?¦ â??Hate to bring this up in such a peaceful moment butâ?¦ what are your thoughts onâ?¦â? his voice trailed off, arms tightening around Renéâ??s waist so that the other male didnâ??t just bolt away from him or hit him for speaking up about it.

Truthfully, he didnâ??t know how to broach the topic with any finesse. He did know what he wanted though. It was for René to come with him, to whisk away like two lovers eloping away from London and live some adventurous affair.

But back to reality.

He cleared his throat before continuing. â??I know you donâ??t speak about your job as muchâ?¦ but maybe you could ask for vacation time? Or umâ?¦ well, thatâ??d be long for a vacation. Maybe a transfer?â? he knew he sounded clingy, but it was just like grasping straws.
 
The past? Well, he couldn't do anything about it now. He had some regrets, but everyone did. Maybe things could have turned out one way or another, but the cards had fallen this way. At least Nathan knew that part, and didn't seem to mind... One hurdle down? Many people would say that people from the orphanages are all kinds of fucked up. Many ugly stories came from those parts of town.

â??I'm not cute,â? René told Nathan lightly with an evil grin. â??I'm devilishly handsome.â? He rubbed his nose gently against his boyfriend's, and was about to follow it up with a compliment, maybe you're the cute one or you're just as handsome as me, he couldn't quite decide, but then...

â??Ah...â? He did stiffen a little in Nathan's hold. That was a little blunt, yes, but he kept his hands loose around Nathan. Not much point in bolting in your own house...

â??I can disappear for a while,â? he said finally. â??Quit for a bit. But what am I going to do while you're doing your job..? What is it going to be like?â?

Well, Nathan probably got what he wanted â?? René was seriously entertaining the idea. He didn't want to lose this. But they were going to need a serious chat soon. It was hard to hide the serious look on his face.
 
Upon hearing a slight affirmation, his schooled face blossomed into a wide grin. Clearly it was what he wanted, but at the same time, it worried him to hear that instead of taking a leave, it was â??disappearâ??. Either way, Nathan wasnâ??t going to quibble over terminology, so instead, he stepped back and moved to put the fish into the oven. Once the timer was set, he moved back towards René and inched them towards what he assumed was the living room, as the sofa was there.

â??Well, you can work as my assistant if youâ??d like?â? he began, trying to think of what all of this would entail. Of course he wanted to only give the candy coated things that would convince René to come with him, but he knew that it wouldnâ??t be fair if he didnâ??t give the entire picture. Honesty was going to get them further than white lies; that was for sure. â??My job will be to explore the remaining world, take notes of what people appear to needâ??technological and medical based. Iâ??d be working mainly as an experimenter though, soâ?¦â?

â??So we have a high chance of death and horrific battles for our lives against ungodly creatures that man has unleashed upon the once green Earth.â?? â??Soâ?¦ weâ??d be collecting samples and doing a few tests here and there. Itâ??s going to be dangerous though. Only sixty percent of the species out there are identified and treatable. If we encounter ones that we donâ??t know ofâ?¦â? at this he shrugged. â??We might have to hunt it down.â? â??Of course, we also have a eighty percent chance of painful mutilation in the attempt, but what are numbers, yeah?â??

So there were a few things he decided to leave out of his explanation. Commentary usually comes after the feature anyways. â??Think youâ??re up for it? Or do youâ?¦ er, have other questionsâ?¦â?
 
René had to smile a little when he realised how happy this whole planning things made Nathan. It just wasn't wasn't easy to stay serious when someone was clearly a little over-enthusiastic... He dropped down onto the sofa and pulled Nathan down on top of him, kissing him lightly.

â??Really now,â? he replied, smiling a little. It sounded just like an adventure story, one of the films he so liked to watch. What was the harm in saying yes? Maybe, if Nathan's company was willing to pay for them both... And he supposed he could 'earn his worth'. But even so, it sounded more like a fantasy than the reality.

â??Maybe I'd like to go.â? Even if the vague you can work as my assistant if youâ??d like did not convince him at all about his purpose in the whole mission... And well... He really did want to see the world, and he would never be able to afford it on his own. The most he would ever be able to buy would probably be a ticket to another city, where his life would end up being exactly the same.

â??I'd be up for it...â? But what if you got bored of me half-way through? René really didn't know how to say it. He'd had men promise him the world before. â??But what if... You know. You get fed up of me?â? He had to say it in the end. There were too many doubts. Maybe he did talk to this man every day, but a relationship was built on more than that.
 
Unconsciously, he licked his lips after the kiss and began to scoot closer towards his lover. It was strange to say how comfortable he felt with René and just pressing up against the other male was enough to ease his worries of the trials they might have to go through. Together was always a good thing though, because like most fairytales, united, they stood. Metaphorically speaking.

When René voiced his hesitancy though, Nathan had to blink a few times and actually think about it. It hadnâ??t even come up in his mind that heâ??d be bored of the brunette at any time of their journey. Sure it would have been at least a year or so on this scholarly adventure, but he saw them together in the long term picture. Perhaps that was presumptuous of him. â??Thatâ??s a good thing, isnâ??t it?â? he asked, curious as to what René could do to make him want to throw the other male towards unknown creatures. Not much, or so theyâ??d both hope.

â??I mean, we canâ??t get along all the time. Itâ??d provide room to grow andâ?¦ well, weâ??d work it out, wouldnâ??t we?â? because in his mind, they were two grown adults that could work through things. If they couldnâ??t, well, letâ??s just say only one was going to be coming back to London inâ?¦ piece.

Shaking off the morbid joke in his mind, he leaned just the faction closer to seal their lips together. They had companionship and hopefully, they had fiery lust. The two worked well together, and perhaps on this journey, theyâ??d gain the withstanding of time. Pulling back, he continued to pepper kisses along Renéâ??s cheeks and lips, trying to remain soft, as he wanted to continue the conversation. â??No worries on the dangers we might face?â? he teased.
 
â??No,â? René said with a laugh, amused at Nathan's kisses, holding him away a little so he could talk. So far, they had no problems with lust... All that Nathan had to do would be move his hands down a little, and he would find that... Er. Better not get there so soon.

â??I'm sure you will protect me from wild beasts,â? he joked. â??You'll... Ah...â? He wasn't entirely sure how Nathan would protect him. He had to laugh: Nathan looked far more of a scientist than a fighter, and René's method of 'winning' fights was to kick them in the nuts and run for it. He considered the problem a little further. â??We'll scream for the guards?â?

It was fine, René knew that he was not a manly man, that he would not be clubbing animals over the head. He knew his limitations perfectly well. Provided no one asked him to fight anything to the death, he was going to be fine. Mostly decorative, but fine. But why the hell was he thinking about this so far? He wasn't really expecting it to come true, was he? What was he going to do if Nathan found out? Or if he told him... Could he conceal it all? He didn't want to base a relationship on lies.

â??Well, if something eats me, I won't need to worry about you getting bored of me...â? he joked. â??If I go along with you... What if things go wrong? I won't be able to just leave and go home...â? Those were the more serious words, realistic worries. He worried about just relying on one man. Relying on himself was safer.
 
While he pouted a bit at being stopped from peppering kisses along his loverâ??s form, Nathan leaned back obediently and allowed the other male the room he obviously wanted. At the joke, he couldnâ??t help but laugh, wondering if the same could be said about him. â??Honestly, things probably will go wrong at some point. Weâ??re treading unknown territory and I wouldnâ??t be surprised if the maps that we have are inaccurate.â? it had been only two years since the newest map had been charted, and that in itself was already too long of a time distance. The earth reshaped its surface much too fast these days, so two years could have changed the surface and climate of what used to be the United States of America.

â??And if you wanted to leave and go homeâ?¦ well, itâ??d take a week or two to get things set up, but itâ??s possible to have a convoy shipped out to do so. Weâ??d want to avoid it, but its happened.â? he shrugged, remembering the news about the last time someone went out on such a journey. The company had been around for quite some time, and five years ago, they had done something similar. That was how a large portion of new studies and technologies had arisen from.

It was then that the timer went off, causing a loud squawking sound to fill the room. Nathan jumped a bit at that, before raising an eyebrow at René as if to ask him what was wrong with his timer. Obviously it was malfunctioning, so he hoped that it still timed correctly. Patting the brunetteâ??s leg, he stood up and moved back into the kitchen to turn off the timer and check on the fish. After a few various prods in different areas to check if it was done, he took it out and placed it on top of the stove to cool. The potatoes were ready as well, so that would only take a quick drain, some butter, salt, milk, and a brisk stir.
 
â??Hmm, I see,â? was René's only reply to that. He wasn't entirely interested in the mechanics of this grand adventure... He wanted to go see, with someone who he... Liked? Trusted. Fuck, he hoped to hell that he could trust Nathan because this was going way too far already. Having someone in his place, in his kitchen(?! He was surprisingly possessive of his kitchen), letting Nathan touch him like this...

René shrugged at the eyebrow â?? he never relied on the timer, that sound annoyed the shit out of him. It was a bit old fashioned of him, but he still was the type to have a clock in the kitchen and time everything by that. He let Nathan leave him, popping his head over the edge of the couch to watch what Nathan was doing, occasionally shouting the location of things that he guessed Nathan was looking for.

There was no dining table â?? the flat was too small, so most of René's meals were taken in the living room, on the coffee table. René didn't really have many kitchen utensils either, apparently believing that less is more, or just in using as few boxes as possible when he had to move. Every time he moved he lost most of the things he owned, somehow.

â??Are you done yet?â? he called out â?? and he didn't even have to raise his voice very much. â??There's some filtered water in the fridge, by the way.â? He used filters because he couldn't afford bottled. It was close enough, safety-wise. â??And glasses are in the top cupboard.â?

It was so much better to be here than out on the street.
 
Once he had the potatoes mixed up, he grabbed for two plates and dished up their dinner for them. It felt nice doing something for René, as if taking care of his lover in some small way was fulfilling. Opening the fridge door to grab for the filtered water, he briefly wondered just how strong of a filter this thing was.

It was an older model, but he figured it had to be rather powerful, considering the fact that it was filtering water from this area of the city. Mentally shrugging that off of his mind though, he poured two cups of water and moved to add just another flick of salt over the butter and salmon.

It took a moment, but he finally found something that could act as a tray for him to easily bring all the items over towards René without dropping them. A cookie sheet wasnâ??t exactly a tray, but it worked wonders as a flat surface. Placing everything on it, he held it up with one hand like a waiter and maneuvered him back to the living room in a few short steps.

â??Dinner for two is served.â? he playfully announced, placing the drinks down on the coffee table and then handing the brunette his plate. Once seated, he prodded at the fish, gave René a peck on the lips, and then took a bite of the fish. â??Mmâ?¦ soft, tender, juicy and delicious.â? Nathan licked his lips. â??Oh, and the fish is good, too.â? he teased.

It was then that his EP beeped, informing him that he had an incoming call. Instead of answering it, he just pressed the piece down to â??ignoreâ?? the call. It wasnâ??t like he didnâ??t know it was the human resource manager calling anyways. Probably just to inform him of what he should do to prepare to go and all that mumble jumble. â??Soâ?¦ what do you think?â? he asked after a moment, wondering if René still considered going with him and if there were any other questions.
 
Well, a few glasses of it were definitely not going to kill anyone. The water, if Nathan tasted it, would have had the peculiar non-taste of distilled water, with most of the trace elements gone, not just the poisonous ones. René found the risk acceptable. He could not easily afford a better area... Nathan should feel lucky that he had the luxury to think like that...

â??Oh, thank you, darling,â? René replied with a grin, accepting the plate. â??You might make a housewife yet!â? Okay, he was feeling a little mocking, and a relationship where one partner could stay on their ass and look after the house was a fantasy unless you were filthy rich.

He laughed at the compliment though, kissing Nathan's cheek to show his appreciation â?? René liked the little non-sexual gestures of affection best. He shifted, folding his legs under himself before balancing the plate on his lap and finally tasting the fish.

â??Oh?â? What did he think about what? â??Lovely food.â? Then he realised that Nathan probably meant their previous conversation... He took another thoughtful bite before saying, â??We can talk about that tomorrow morning. Can I just enjoy this for now?â? It was a gentle reprimand, to not keep bringing up the uncertain future. René knew that futures had a way of falling down mid-flight, and he was steeling himself to tell Nathan. It wasn't right. He could hide everything, but it wouldn't be right.
 
â??Sure thing.â? he chuckled, knowing that he should probably spread out the conversation as much as he could anyways. The thought of him being a housewife made him chortle inside, but oddly, it wasnâ??t the first time he had thought about it. Sure, he had a few relationships in the past where the female had been nothing but career oriented.

That wasnâ??t a problem in the relationship, and Nathan usually had the spare time to do most of the cooking and housework. The only reason those relationships never worked out was because of the trust issues they had between them. â??Lying skanksâ?? was a nice term the coworkers had been calling them after things hit the fan.

Instead of dragging things on, he scooted closer to his boyfriend and gave a friendly nuzzle of cheek against cheek. â??So, what do you have planned for the night? If nothing, maybe we could go take a walk or hit a park?â? he wasnâ??t sure if there was a park near byâ??or if itâ??d even have a basketball hoop if there was a parkâ??but something besides watching a movie sounded interesting. The last few dates had been movies and curling up inside the apartment, so he felt itâ??d be nice to get some semi-fresh air.

Playfully, he forked a good amount onto his utensil and held it up to Renéâ??s lips. The brunette obviously had his own food and didnâ??t need to be fed like some child, but Nathan was a closet romanticâ??he couldnâ??t help himself.
 
René took the bite from the fork obediently, grinning at Nathan. He liked that. A little romance was always nice, just like in the movies. Most of the time he felt as if he was just acting it out, but when Nathan did it, it felt real. That was interesting. Most of his relationships felt like a game they were playing: make-believe, like children. René doubted he even knew what to do with a stable and normal relationship. He'd probably never had one, but then again... He didn't exactly have a measuring stick.

He had to laugh at Nathan's question. â??Don't you know what part of the city this is?â? he asked as if this was perfectly obvious. After all, there was a reason for having three locks on the door... It ensured not being bothered by strange people.

â??We're five minutes away from the red light district,â? he said flatly, not quite wanting to say it at all. â??You sure you want to go out at this time in the evening?â? René certainly didn't â?? too many people knew him and would wonder why the fuck he was out walking with someone and not working.

But cheerier stuff now - â??I was planning to stay here and... Cuddle.â? He said it like it was a dirty word, a word he never used.
 
Nathan blinked a bit, wondering exactly what the other male was talking about. Surely, he knew what part of the city this wasâ??the disaster zone, of sorts. But at the name of the â??red light districtâ??, the blonde felt his expertise mind go blank. Unlike a lot of the children growing up in â??the real worldâ?, Nathan had been sheltered by his family growing up. The only knowledge of things that were outside of the righteous norm was spoken through friends and colleaguesâ??none of which spoke much about seedy areas of the town. So it wasnâ??t a surprise that he had no idea what René was talking about.

â??Whatâ?¦ er, whatâ??s the red light district?â? he asked after a bite of salmon. â??Is it like, where the street lights are tinted red? Whatâ??s the point in that?â? then again, there were all sorts of people out there. Not that he hasnâ??t done anything strange, stupid, or illegal himself. But there were just some things that he hadnâ??t dipped his pen in.

Even while he asked that though, he inched even closer towards his lover and wrapped an arm around him. Cuddling was something that he could do. The romance that Nathan knew was ninety percent from watching movies, reading books, observing others (usually for what NOT to do), so it wasnâ??t a surprise to him that he tried to give romance in the cliché form. Flutters of warmth usually resulted from it, so he wanted to share it with René. â??Not that staying indoors is a bad thing though. We could put a show onâ?¦â? he looked around, wondering where the Rover would beâ??if René had a Rover.
 
René had to laugh â?? almost choking on a piece of fish. But that sort of innocence was also worrying. He'd never met someone who genuinely did not know these things. René had grown up with the hypothesis that his mother was probably a hooker, and that was the most likely reason she'd given him up. And some of his foster homes were very close to the dirty parts of town. How on earth was Nathan going to react if he found out?

â??You must be kidding with me,â? René said, but the look on Nathan's face told him that it wasn't a joke. â??It's where... whores look for johns.â? He went red at describing his job in that way, but he gave no hint that it was his own profession that he was describing. â??I don't know where the phrase comes from...â? He trailed off.

â??It's part of why this place is so cheap,â? he added, suddenly, fishing out the TV remote between the sofa cushions. If you didn't mind the used condoms in the park and long walks to any real shops, it was a great place to live.

René still had a TV, a small and cheap one, just enough to amuse himself, and probably second hand. He handed the remote to Nathan. â??I don't have as many channels as you.â? It was a stupid thing to be embarrassed over.
 
For the briefest moment, Nathan was tempting to ask why whores were looking for the bathroom in the red light district. But then his brain caught up with him and he realized that johns could mean an entirely different thing. The blonde was already blushing from having his lover laugh at his naivety, but coupled with his realization of how obvious it was made his cheeks turn a darker read. â??As if you need him to know how stupid you areâ?¦â?? he mentally sighed, focusing on his fish as if to take away the embarrassment.

â??Makes senseâ?¦ I mean, are you safe here though?â? suddenly, a thought entered his head and he had a strange mental picture. So strange that his movements paused in the moment of it, completely feeling as if the idea was from the left ball park or something. â??Umâ?¦ René are youâ?¦ are youâ?¦ er, that isâ?¦ do you workâ?¦ erâ?¦ areâ?¦â? he really didnâ??t know how to phrase this without being offensive. This would have been the first time he met someone that was in this profession if it was true. Clearing his throat, he tried to gather courage in asking his question. â??Umâ?¦ itâ??s justâ?¦ are you aâ?¦ pi-pimpâ?¦?â?

Because wouldnâ??t that be the strangest thing. Him fucking around with a pimp. René didnâ??t seem crazy like one, but while he wanted to make the relationship work, he wasnâ??t so sure about how heâ??d handle it down the long road. Pimps, from what heâ??s heard of, were possessive as if anyone within their radius was their property. Nathan wasnâ??t sure heâ??d enjoy a relationship where René thought he was his property to sell out.

Oh gosh, he really hoped that this relationship wasnâ??t Renéâ??s way of getting more whores, and he was playing right into it.
 
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