Alone Together

It Seems This Game Is Simply Never-Ending

Albert and I continue to sleep together, and have been for the past month and a half, but our relationship never goes beyond that. We like each other, sure, but neither of us is interested in each other in an emotional level. But one look from an outside perspective would make people assume otherwise. I spend more and more time at Albert and Julian's place, sometimes sleeping over for days at a time; and of course I was sleeping in Albert's room which gave everybody the impression that we were definitely a thing.

In the first few days it becomes very apparent that the guys are very close with each other. Nikolai, Fab, and Nick come and go at all hours of the day and night; the amount of time they spend together cooped up in the apartment proving that they'd much rather spend time together than go out and get laid. Although of course, it does happen from occasion.

One of those occasions for Julian involves the girl from the night in which I helped unzip his pants, Emily; sooner or later she begins to hang out around the house as well.

---

Having another restless night I get out of bed and make myself a cup of my favorite tea. It had become normal for me to sleep over at their place that I figured I might as well bring some things with me.

I sit down on one of the leather couches with my cup of tea, ipod, and sketchbook. Pressing shuffle on my music,  I begin to let the music guide my mind which in turn guides my hand. Steven by Alice Cooper is playing inspiring me to go for a Stephen Gammell-esk style, not just because of the name reference but because of the creepy feel to the song.

"That's really fucking good," I feel a breath along my neck.

Julian is leaning down but being so tall still hovers over me from behind the couch, his eyes studying my sketch.

"Shit, did I wake you?" I ask startled pulling out my ear buds and closing my book.

He shakes his head and walks around the couch taking a seat at the other end of the couch, "I wasn't sleeping to begin with, kinda just laying there. I like the night. Something about it. . . I don't know, it excites me," he looks up to meet my eyes and smiles a soft smile.

"We're on the same boat then," I smile back.

"I didn't know you could draw," he motions to my sketchbook, "may I?"

I shrug, giving him the okay to go through it.

"Wow. Liz, these are really fucking good," he mutters flipping through the pages, pausing occasionally to fully observe some of them.

"Thanks. I'm not too good so I just keep it to myself, kind of like a hobby you know?"

"No, Liz, these need to be seen. I'm fucking serious, they are fucking great man," he looks up from my book and his eyes are filled with sincerity.

"Thanks," I blush slightly.

"You know, Fab is a great artist as well. You guys should do some sort of a collab or something. He's been working on a sort of mural back at his place but seems to have hit a artistic road block and hasn't done shit with it since. Maybe you can give him a hand?"

"I don't know. . . I would hate to fuck up whatev-"

"I'm gonna let him know," Julian interrupts with a grin.

I sigh in resignation, already having gotten to know Julian well enough to know that he is a stubborn bastard and there is no winning with him.

"Why aren't you doing anything with this?"

"I guess I figured there isn't much that could be done with it. I mean, in order to make good money in the art industry you have to be like a modern day Monet or something and I'm definitely not that."