Of moonshine and memories | BoyXBoy

Chapter seven

I looked over at the food I had been making earlier.
It seemed pointless now. I dumped it in the trash, appetite completely gone, and slumped into my chair, trying to focus on work, but my thoughts were scattered, my concern for Lucian gnawing at me.

The hours dragged on and there was no sign of him returning. Frustration and worry finally overwhelmed me. I couldn’t just sit there, waiting for him to come back.

I grabbed my jacket and headed out, walking briskly through the nearby streets and alleys. The city was a mix of glowing lights and deep shadows, the kind of place where someone could easily disappear if they wanted to.

I considered checking his bar, but something in me knew he wouldn’t be there.

I was about to give up, the cold seeping into my bones, when I bumped into someone near a side street. 

It was Giulia, a colleague I’d hooked up with a few times in the past. We weren’t anything serious, just casual, but we had a strange kind of closeness. She looked surprised to see me, her lips curving into a smile as she stepped closer. 

"Well, well, Vincent. Fancy meeting you here. You out for a late-night stroll?"

I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to seem nonchalant. "Just...clearing my head."

Giulia raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "Uh-huh. Want to grab a drink? You look like you desperately need one."

It was a bad idea, I knew it the second she said it. But I was frustrated, angry, and confused. "Yeah, sure. Just one."

We ended up at a nearby bar, talking over a couple of drinks. Giulia was easy to be around, no strings, no expectations, but I wasn’t really there. My mind kept drifting back to Lucian, wondering where he was, if he was okay.

After a while, Giulia gave me a knowing look and leaned in closer, her hand brushing against my thigh. "You know, you could come back to my place. Maybe that would help clear your mind a bit."

I knew what she meant, and for a second, I considered it. But something in me snapped back to reality. This wasn’t what I wanted. This wasn’t going to fix anything.

I shook my head. "Thanks, but...I should go."

She didn’t look too disappointed, just gave me a shrug. "Suit yourself. But don’t be a stranger."

I left the bar and headed back to my apartment, the walk feeling longer than it was. The frustration still simmered beneath the surface, but the alcohol had dulled the edges.

When I got to my door, I nearly tripped over something…someone.

Lucian.

He was slumped against the wall by the door, his eyes half closed.
As soon as he saw me, he straightened up slightly, his eyes flicking to me and then narrowing. "You smell like booze. And perfume." His words were slurred, but there was still an edge to them. "She make you feel better?"

I sighed, kneeling in front of him. "It’s not like that."

Lucian scoffed, dragging a hand through his buzzed hair. "Right. Whatever."

He struggled to his feet, and I reached out to help, but he swatted me away, though he didn’t leave. He had nowhere else to go, and we both knew it.

Without another word, he followed me inside, the silence between us thick and unresolved. The tension between us felt unbearable.

I shut the door behind us, glancing at Lucian as he slumped onto the sofa, his shoulders hunched. The room was dim, and the only sound was the faint hum of the fridge.