Drugs, Sex, and Money (boyxboy)

23

The guys had been walking around the store for twenty minutes now because Michael refused to let Mack leave but would walk off, leaving Mack and Dominic together. His plan wasn't that successful because most of the time that they were left alone, the two would just mess with whatever merchandise they saw and kept quiet.

Like right now.

Mack fixed the clothes on a mannequin while Dominic just lazily looked through the shirts on the hangers.

Dominic sniffed for the third time.

"Are you...still sick?" Mack wondered.
"No. Dust in the air." Dominic lied.
"Oh..."

"Can I ask you a question?" Dominic asked as he looked through clothes.
Mack nodded.
"Why are you like this?"
"Like what...?"
"I don't know. Shy or whatever."
"I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"I just am."
"Oh."

"Why are you like that?" Mack returned.
"Like what?"
"I don't know. Stand-off-ish and cold."
"I just am."
Mack nodded as he accepted that answer.

Michael came back with arms full.

"Is this good?" he asked.
"You got like one pair of pants and a bunch of hoodies. Where the fuck are your shirts, underwear, and socks?"
Michael groaned. "I hate shopping."
"We wouldn't have to do it if you actually owned shit! Go find a cart and put that in there then go get what I told you."
"Fine." Michael said and turned around.
"DON'T FUCKING WALK PAST THE CENSORS WITH THAT SHIT IN YOUR HAND!" Dominic stated.
Michael set it all down on the floor then walked off to find a cart.
"Idiot." Dominic sighed.

"Why doesn't he own anything?" Mack wondered.
"His mom sold his shit."
"Why?"
"Cause she's a drug addict and if she needs money she takes from him. He doesn't know that's what it's for, she'll tell him it's to help with rent, but I know that ain't it."
"I didn't know he had a mom..."
"He has both his parents. They're just shit."
"S-So you take care of him?"
"If you wanna call making sure he's alive and not in prison 'taking care of him' then yea, I take care of him."
"You clearly also clothe him. I-I mean...he's always with you. I kn-know you feed him...because he's put groceries in your cart when we...bumped int-to one another at the store."
Dominic thought about it.
"You let him s-sleep at your place, don't you?"
"I guess."
"So then yea...y-you take care of him..." Mack pointed out.

Dominic looked at him. "Are you alright?"
"Y-Yea...w-why...?"
"The more questions I ask you, the more you stutter."
Dominic had also noticed him shaking but decided he wouldn't mention it.
"I'm s-sorry..." Mack said and scratched his head before looking back at the clothes.
"Don't apologize for that. Am I makin' you uncomfortable? You should learn to tell people to fuck off."
Mack shook his head.
"What?" Dominic asked.
"You're not m-making me unc-comfortable..." he claimed.
"Then what is it?"
"You m-..."
He stopped himself. What he wanted to say seemed to be embarrassing.
"What's the problem then?" Dominic asked. "I can't read minds."
"You...make me nervous..."

Dominic wanted to laugh but he kept his composure.
He didn't want to laugh at him. It wasn't like Mack was an idiot or anything. Dominic was just confused as to how he could make Mack nervous. If anything Dominic should be nervous. Mack could fold him like a lawn chair if he wanted to. Dominic thought that he should be the shy one.

"S-Sorry..."
"Stop apologizing to me." Dominic commanded.
Mack stared at the floor. Embarrassed that he'd said anything.
"It's fine, Watts. But why?"
That was a question Mack was definitely not going to answer.

They heard the wheels of a cart approaching.
Michael soon appeared and picked up the clothes he'd placed on the floor then put them in his cart.

"There." he stated.
"Whatever. Now go get underwear, socks, shirts, and more pants."
Michael sucked his teeth and walked off lazily.

Dominic looked back at Mack who was reading graphic tees and hoodies.

"Hey." Dominic called.
Mack looked at him.
"I uhh...I apologize. You know...I snapped at you...the other day..."
"It's fine..."
Dominic just nodded.

There was an awkward silence between them both again.

"I um...I didn't know you spoke sign language..." Mack stated.
"Yea..."
"You said your little brother is deaf?"
"Was."
"Oh, d-did he have a surgery or..."
"He's dead, Watts."
"Oh...I-I'm sorry..."
"For what?" Dominic asked and looked at him.
Mack didn't answer he just looked back at him as well.
"Did you kill him?" Dom questioned.
"N-No..."
"Then shut up."
Mack looked back at the floor.
He realized his brother was clearly a conversation that Dominic didn't feel like having so he let it go.

They both watched as Michael came back with a handful of stuff and dumped it in the cart.

"Is that your size?" Dominic asked.
Michael shrugged.
"I'm gonna kick your ass, I swear to god." he threatened and walked towards him to help.