Drugs, Sex, and Money (boyxboy)

27

"Well, you just said 'fuck you' so..." Dominic stated.
Mack's eyes widened. "I am so sorry." he stated.
Dominic snickered fondly. "It's fine. I know you didn't mean to."

Dominic had been sitting with Mack for two hours and teaching him more sign language since he was more fluent and Mack thought it would be a fun gift for his mom. He knew it well enough when he saw it since she uses it to speak but he for some reason struggled to do it himself.

"Just take a break, you learned enough." Dominic insisted.
"I thought you said you were um...r-rusty." Mack stated.
"I am."
"Doesn't seem like it."
"I haven't used sign language in like ten years."
"Wh-Why'd you stop?"
Dominic looked at him.
"Oh..." he realized. "I'm sorry..."
"Stop sayin' that."
Mack nodded.

"Can I ask how?" he wondered.
"Cancer in his ears took his hearing. He had a few other symptoms like not being able to move the left side of his face. But then they attempted to remove it. So for two years my brother was still deaf but he was cancer free. After those two years he started having earaches and was always dizzy or something along those lines. The cancer came back but by the time they decided to do something about it, it was too late. Went to bed one night and didn't wake up."
"What was his name?" Mack asked kindly.
"Daniel."
"That's a nice name."
"Yea, it is."

"Were you two close?" Mack wondered.
Dominic scoffed. "That bastard followed me around like a lost puppy."
Mack snickered.
"And I let him. Sounds weird but even though I was the oldest, he was my best friend. I couldn't have had a better little brother. I'd do anything for that asshole to come back. The universe takes the best people."
"My sister's my best friend so I think I get it. I don't know what I'd do if I lost her."

Dominic nodded but deep down he didn't think anyone got it. No one understood. Daniel was Dominic's favorite person. The sweetest kid and he was super funny.
Daniel would be asked how his day at school was by his parents and each time he'd say it was 'okay' or 'good' but when Dominic asked he went on rants. Daniel told Dominic everything and vice versa.
The two celebrated achievements with family like birthdays but afterwards would do something with just each other like bowling or going to the zoo.

During Daniel's first battle with cancer, Dominic spent as many hours as he could sitting next to Daniel in his hospital bed and the two told stories and jokes while eating pizza Dominic bought because Daniel hated hospital food.

Daniel was the first person Dominic told that he was gay.
Daniel responded with, "That's what we have to do? I like girls."
To which Dominic laughed and asked with his hands, "What?!"
"You just told me you're gay. I'm telling you I'm straight. We're coming out to each other. High five." Daniel signed and sat up in his bed to give Dominic a high five.
Dominic laughed and shook his head as he high fived his little brother.

Daniel became in deep thought as he looked at the bed.

Dominic waved his hand to get his attention and Daniel looked up, making Dominic sign, "What is it?"

Daniel replied, "Well...I never knew you were gay so I always thought you'd end up with a girl."
Dominic just watched his hands.
"Which means I never thought to practice my fighting skills. Do you think being deaf will make it hard for me to beat up a guy?"
Dominic laughed. "Beat him up why?"
"Well I couldn't hit a woman so fighting wasn't a big deal but now I know you're bringing men home so I can kick their asses."
"You're 12, stop cursing." Dominic signed.
Daniel rolled his eyes. "Can I fight while deaf?"
"You want to fight seniors in high school?"
"Yes."
Dominic laughed. "No!"
Daniel rolled his eyes again but laughed back.

"What happened to your mom?" Dominic asked Mack.
"Car accident."
"Was it just her in the car?"
"Her and my dad. He didn't make it."
"Were you close?"
"Y-Yea. We bonded over football the most. T-Took him a while to understand that I was gay. He wasn't against it, he just...didn't know how to respond to it."
"I told my dad and he said 'yea alright, go be gay in my office and find me a pen' as he read through some paperwork."
Mack laughed and Dominic looked at him.

Not because he was upset or thought it wasn't a laughing matter.
He just liked the way Mack laughed. He thought it was cute.

"Alright, I've been here too long and I gotta go check on the kid to make sure he hasn't died or killed somebody else." Dominic said and stood up.
"O-Oh...okay..."
"Yea, I'll see you later."

"Wait..." Mack called.
"Yea?"
"Are you a football fan?"
"Uh...I guess? I don't hate it."
"Oh...it's just...um...I was having a um...w-watch party with maybe three old friends and I was wondering if you'd...w-want to come..."
"Uh..."
"I mean if not it's fine. Just a friendly thing...not a couple's thing..."
"Sure, Wa-...Mack. I'll look through my schedule and see if I can stop by." Dominic agreed.
"Okay..."

Dominic left the apartment.

Mack froze and stared at the floor as he wondered why he lied.
He'd planned nothing of the sort he just wanted an excuse to spend more time with Dominic.
Now he'd pull his hair out and try to plan a watch party at late notice.

Dominic reached his car and sat in the driver's seat just staring at the steering wheel.
He wondered why he said he'd even attempt to show up to said made up party.
He also wondered why he'd told Mack any of the things he had. Not even Shawn or Landon knew about Daniel, except Landon knew that he existed once and doesn't exist anymore.

He laid his head on the steering wheel.
"This is ridiculous."