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 Posted: Sun May 07, 2017 8:18 am
Al fell quiet for a bit, thinking about what Melvin said, considering that it actually made a lot of sense in the grand scheme of things. "I think, if it was me and Noah. I think I could sorta forgive him too, I guess." He thought out loud. He doesn't think he'd ever be able to just let Noah go, either. Even if Noah found someone else like Lawr had.
"Yeah, I bet the sickness makes it impossible. For what it's worth, a lot of people don't even know or care about Lawrence. From what I can tell it's mostly just America, Peyton, and their lackeys. Rep hates him too. Even so, I don't think I've really noticed anyone judging you based on his bullshit. Only when you backed him up on it really."
There was a thoughtful pause before he added, "Maybe some gay guys on island could really use your services to avoid zombie babies. Does it even work that way?"
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Posted: Sun May 07, 2017 8:24 am
When Al floated back, Melvin shoved his head into the water, releasing just as quickly and waiting for him to bob back up.
"I'm not a zombie birth control service. I can get in serious trouble if I infect too many people. I've been warned about it. Passing a disease around to all the hunters on the island could probably get me thrown into a pod or sent to some Sahara mission where they don't expect me to come back. And then all the people who have it can also get in trouble. You get it? I CAN'T inflect anyone. If I do, I have to make sure it's someone I'm serious about and a person who is okay with having it and won't leave me. That's a BIG commitment and hard when you want to start dating. It's a wall in the middle of the intimacy, and I already have enough walls in that department."
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Posted: Sun May 07, 2017 8:33 am
Al bobbed back up with a loud indignant sputter, "Dude chill. Just a suggestion since zombie babies are a real concern. Speaking as a gay man, I'm only capable of making zombie babies and I should hope the organization doesn't want any more of those."
He slicked his hair back with his hands so it would stop sticking to his face.
"It would be helpful for those guys who can't get clipped for some reason or another, is all."
He understood though where Melvin was coming from. The organization was really funny about 'donating to the cause', so to speak.
"Then just date and do hand stuff, I guess? Would you have let Lawrence infect you still if you both knew what he had at the time?"
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Posted: Sun May 07, 2017 9:02 am
"Probably. Back then I didn't care what happened. I never thought he would entertain the thought of trying out marriage again, and so I never asked. He seemed set on sleeping around, and I was okay with that as long as he returned home. Things are different now, but if it meant missing out in the moments I was with him, then I'd take the infection." He confessed, and then caught himself and blinked. Why the HELL was he telling Al of all people all of this?
You have no friends and you get friendly in water. Saliva pipped in.
"Don't tell anyone all of this. I'm being weirdly chatty." He grumbled as he looked at Al.
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Posted: Sun May 07, 2017 9:12 am
"You do realize I tell Noah everything, right? I mean. I wouldn't just bring it up to be a jerk, but I would tell him how you're doing and s**t. It might come up but he doesn't spread s**t and it wouldn't be out of any judging or anything." He had to be honest here. "It's not like, a bad thing, anyway. It just means you were willing to accept that an' if you were, then someone else will be willing to accept that with you too an' s**t. That's all."
Al looked like he was being open and honest at least.
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Posted: Sun May 07, 2017 9:28 am
"Well, ....okay." He guessed that was fair that couples shared everything. He talked a lot to Lawr about things he knew, but not everything. There were certain things he kept to himself based on the line between friends and being with someone.
He dipped down under the water, swimming under Al in long strides before popping up on the other end. The hair stuck down, less puff as usual, but he didn't bother moving it aside. It was actually longer when it was wet and not puffed out. "Are you two doing okay? With any together issues?"
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Posted: Sun May 07, 2017 10:19 am
"We are," he smiled sadly, aware that wasn't an answer that would be helpful for Melvin. They had their ups and downs like any relationship, but they always worked through them together in the end. "He snores loudly sometimes," he tried. "Your DVDs helped with a lot of the other stuff."
No, he wasn't going to specify since that was Noah's business too.
"What part do you miss the most, that you lost?" He tried to word himself carefully, but there just wasn't a gentle way to ask about that.
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Posted: Sun May 07, 2017 10:24 am
He wasn't sure who he was referring to, as he had covered both Mia, Rin, and Lawr. "Which person?"
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Posted: Sun May 07, 2017 10:26 am
"Lawrence," Al clarified. It was obvious what he missed with the others, Al felt, since they were gone - gone. But Lawr was still there and still trying to be friends.
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Posted: Sun May 07, 2017 10:37 am
He thought about it. "The illusion that things were fine and I had his full attention." It was a sad, sobering thought, but the carefully construction denial was almost magical in a way for a time, and that constructed universe had been warm and welcoming to him.
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Posted: Sun May 07, 2017 10:50 am
"Something he can't ever give you, I guess." Al waded over and attempted to give Melvin a hug. "Damn, sorry man. You deserve that at least."
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Posted: Sun May 07, 2017 11:03 am
When Al got closer, Melvin swam slowly back. "What are you doing?"
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Posted: Sun May 07, 2017 11:04 am
Al stopped, arms still spread out. "Trying to hug you man. Nobody ever hugged you before?"
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Posted: Sun May 07, 2017 11:13 am
"Yeah just......." And it touched at something he didn't want to tell Al. One of his major limitations. If they had shirts on, the contact would be minimal and might be able to be excused, but bare chested meant he was going to have skin on skin contact and the water wasn't enough of an excuse to be sanitary.
He said he'd be better at this. That is wasn't bad. That there shouldn't be a worry. Lawr touched him plenty. The other infection wasn't real. He had been to the Infirmary plenty of times, tested plenty, to know this.
"....I can't."
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Posted: Sun May 07, 2017 11:16 am
"You can't?" It was one thing for someone to deny a hug. Too intimate for some, certainly, but to say one can't was a bit... unusual. "Bad memories?" He guessed and let his arms go limp so they just floated wherever.
"No biggie anyway. Just was a bro hug."
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