green boy flower boy

chapter three

Lloyd had never been completely at ease in new situations, but he adapted quickly. It was a survival skill. There was always... something about a place. It was too bright or too loud or smelled funny and it all rubbed him the wrong way until he could steel himself and just ignore it.

For once in his life, a place he was going didn't have any of that mess.

Micah's house was surprisingly calm, dim, and didn't have any fans making an obnoxious noise. There was a smell, but it was the smell of food cooking. Lloyd's stomach started to rebel, growling loudly. "Sorry." He said.

Micah's mother smiled at him. "You're fine. But can you wait about five minutes?"

"Sure."

"I'll help." Micah offered.

"You know the last time we had all four of us trying to make dinner it was chaos. You and your boyfriend can just relax for a little."

"He's not my-" Micah started, but his mother had already left. He looked at Lloyd, blushing. "Sorry about that. She assumes anyone I bring over for dinner is a romantic partner."

"It's fine." Lloyd said. "Four of you?"

"Me, my mom, my dad, and my little sister Sinnia. Do you have any siblings?"

"No. I've always wanted a sister, though."

"What are your parents like?"

Lloyd thought about how to respond to that. In the end, he just said, "my mother is a genius and my father was my hero."

If Micah caught the difference in tense between the two, he didn't say anything.

"Your mom doesn't have red hair." Lloyd noted, wanting to switch the conversation around.

"Hm, red hair is a recessive trait." Micah pointed out.

"Like blonde." Lloyd said absently.

"You're blonde?" Micah blinked.

"Yeh? Is my hair that dirty?" Lloyd looked around for a mirror.

"It looks light brown." Micah admitted. "You're serious? You're blonde?"

"God, I need a shower." Lloyd sighed. "I'm blonde. And I still haven't figured out if you're a natural red head or not."

"It's natural." Micah laughed. "I have some pictures of five year old me to prove it. Why are people so embarrassed of their baby pictures? I peaked as a five year old."

Lloyd laughed with him.

---

Micah thought it was sweet how well Lloyd and Sinnia got along.

The twelve year old had demanded to sit next to Micah's boyfriend, even though Micah had tried to tell her, no, Lloyd wasn't his boyfriend, just a hermit who lived in a tree house and apparently was a blonde. Sinnia was adamant, and Lloyd ended up sitting between Micah and Sinnia. Lloyd was apparently great with kids, because Sinnia adored him.

"How did you two meet?" Micah's dad asked Lloyd.

"I was walking in the woods and he was being a hermit in his hermit tree house."

"Micah, for the last time, I'm not a hermit."

"A hermit in all but looks." Micah said. "So we met each other a few days ago, and he is not my boyfriend, thanks."

"Do you wish he was?" Sinnia asked.

Micah wanted to bury his face in his hands, and preferably die of embarrassment. "Next line of questioning?"