As always, they hadn't spoken that evening. Jason knew better and simply took what was given. Glad the feud between them was over; he was full of energy and started working on a commissioned painting. Bluetooth earphones spared his surroundings while he lost himself in the music.
Conner entered, after knocking three times without hearing a response, and was now trespassing. Karen had asked him to call Jason for lunch after he failed to reply to several messages. Duncan already assured him that it usually took about three days for Jason to get over an angry mood. Mesmerized, he watched Jason move unaware of his company. With his 1.95 he was a head taller than the man whose slight build was hidden under a light blue blouse and sand-colored pants.
He walked between a workbench and an easel on where a large rectangular canvas stood. Conner moved cautiously into view. Satisfied, he found that the expression of Jason didn't change. Duncan had been right. Instead of saying anything, he made an eating gesture.
"Five minutes," Jason said, and turned his back on him.
Grinning, he leaned against the workbench. Karen had warned him about this.
Distracted, Jason looked up.
"I said five minutes."
Conner put his thumb up.
Irritation overcame his apathy about Conner's presence and he pulled the earphones of his ears. The cello suites of Bach were audible.
"Why don't you just go away and bother someone else," he grumbled. "You upset my rhythm. I was just in a flow!" He wiped his hands on a paint rag.
"Five minutes, ten minutes. It's all the same to me," Conner shrugged. "This is pure self-interest. If I don't bring you with me, I don't get to eat."
"You're really just like your brother," he spat angrily and marched out of the studio.
"And you like your sister," Conner retorted. "If I didn't know she was four years older, I had taken you for twins."
With their blond hair, blue eyes and slender build they seemed similar. In temperament and worldview they were like-minded. Jason snorted dissatisfied.
"You're right. We are very alike. Therefore it baffled me that she fell in love with a boorish peasant like Duncan."
Conner suppressed a small smile.
"So I'm a boorish peasant by association," he concluded.
"Yes," Jason agreed wholeheartedly and stomped up the stairs.
"How's your project?" Karen asked as soon as she saw him.
"Good. Don't bother calling me for lunch," he said, sitting down at the table. "Or for anything else," he added, with an increasingly warning glance toward Conner.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" He asked indignantly. "I just did what Karen asked me."
Jason snorted and shook his head.
"Oh please! I recognize Duncan's finger-prints all over this. Waiting three days for my mood to improve and then placate me with friendly behavior." He raised his eyebrows. "So come on. Tell me what you want."
Conner looked caught from Karen to Jason, who was impatiently staring at him. When he didn't immediately respond Jason took a piece of paper and wrote something on it. He then threw it on the table, picked up his full plate and stood up.
"What's that?" Karen asked.
"Tanja's phone number," he said coolly. "Will you get my usual groceries?"
YOU ARE READING
Blue Boy (gay) ✔️
RomanceA classic tale of push and pull. Conner, a tough homophobic marine and Jason, a talented openly gay artist, have nothing in common. Until a night of male bonding lets them see each other in a different light. It binds them together on an elemental l...