Sort-of Soulmates

Chapter Three: Dylan

Thanks everyone for being patient while I rested up! I'm doing much better now I've had my rest.

Love, Cam.

♡

Alex helped me back to his apartment, which was really going above and beyond for me, the person he'd met earlier that day. His flat was above the café, and I stumbled up the stairs, knowing fully well that I'd regret all of this the following morning with the cold light of day and sobriety.

The door opened, and Alex's brother looked up from the sofa, surprised by the entrance. "Hey, thought you'd be out longer," Luther began, then caught sight of me and grinned. "Hey, stick-up-ass guy! Shall I make myself scarce?"

"Stick-up-ass guy?" I asked, bewildered.

With uncanny accuracy, Alex picked up a cushion and pelted his brother with it. "Dylan is a little tipsy and can't drive home, so he's staying here. Get off the sofa so I can set it up."

Luther got off the sofa, pulling the cushions off it so he could help Alex pull the sofa-bed out. He caught sight of my keys and said, "R8 Spyder?" When I nodded, he whistled. "Nice. What the heck do you do?"

"Long story," I replied heavily, not wanting to get into it again.

Luther eyed me and said, "When you say that, it makes it sound like you're mafia, dude."

I smiled a little, but didn't reply. Luther grabbed a couple of blankets and a pillow and set up the bed for me. Alex had disappeared, but quickly returned with pyjamas. "I stole Luther's, given he's more your height," he grinned. I liked his smile. It made his eyes light up. "You doing okay, cupcake?"

Again with the nicknames. I usually hated that. But it felt nice coming from Alex; his voice was soft, and he smiled so genuinely alongside it. I blushed a little, knowing I was fully embarrassing myself, and said, "Yeah, I'm fine. Already embarrassed for future Dylan, but hey, that's future Dylan's problem."

Luther said goodnight and vanished into his own room, and Alex went to the bathroom so I could have privacy to change. Luther's pyjamas were comfortable and I suddenly realised just how exhausted I was. Was it really earlier in the day that Joshua had given me this major issue? It didn't feel like the same day.

 What was I going to do? I wanted to fall in love. I couldn't just date people, turning them away when I didn't immediately fall perfectly in love with them. I couldn't force myself to fall in love. I couldn't rush that. But what choice did I have but to try and rush it?

"Hey," Alex said. I hadn't realised he'd returned, and he was looking at me strangely. "I can hear your mind whirring from here," he teased. "Kiddo, you have to sleep. You need a bedtime story?"

I snorted, and got under the blankets, settling in. "Not a kid. Pretty sure I'm older than you."

I heard a deep chuckle and Alex replied, "You're the one lying drunk on my sofa while I lecture you about your life choices - I believe in the competition of who's more mature, I win."

"I had a difficult day," I protested, but it was cut off by a huge yawn. Alex laughed again, but leaned over to tuck me in and pat my head before saying goodnight and disappearing. I nestled in amongst the covers, wondering why on earth this, a sofa bed in a stranger's apartment, felt more like home than my own flat had done for three years.

*****

I awoke to Luther switching on the TV. He grinned at me unapologetically and said, "Sorry, man, but my need to switch my brain on for work overrides your need for sleep after drinking last night."