Love after Five

Chapter 12

       It was the first time Max had entered Tul's bedroom and he took a moment to take it all in. The word that could be used to describe it was spartan- a simple grey bedsheet on a double bed with two pillows neatly arranged, a nightstand with a single black lamp and a phone charger on top of it, a white dresser with a few baskets on top of it. There weren't any photos or personal touches that would make it seem homey and welcoming- there wasn't even an area rug on the floor. He'd have to do something about that eventually, a person should have some comfort and beauty in their life. 

      "Sorry it's such a small bed, I don't usually have anyone you know... sleeping in it." Tul said with a sad little shrug. 

      "Don't worry, that just means we can lie really close together." Max said with a chuckle, enjoying the red flush that Tul's ears always took when he was shy or embarrassed. 

    "Let me get you some pyjamas." Tul said, opening the dresser, and digging around the disorganized mass of clothing inside of it. 

    "This room seems pretty small for a bedroom." Max commented, noting to himself that there wasn't even a closet. 

    "Oh, it used to be my office, but when Bright came, I gave her my room because girls need... space for things I guess?" He said, reaching behind him and putting a tee down on the bedspread, continuing his search. 

     "She's only five, I feel like you need a bit more space than she does." Max said with a laugh, sitting down on the bed and picking up the teeshirt. 

     "Yeah, but she won't be five forever. I'm sure before I know it she'll be a teenager cursing my very existence." He said with a mirthless laugh, putting some exercise shorts on the bed as well. "Are those okay for sleeping? I usually just sleep in shorts." 

    "Oh yeah, they're totally fine, I'm pretty easy going about what I wear to bed. Half the time I sleep naked." He said with a laugh, pulling his shirt over his head. "Obviously I won't do that when I sleep here, we wouldn't want to scar poor Bright." 

     "I'm sure she'd appreciate that. I've taken to only showering when she's asleep just in case. I'm pretty paranoid about that, people always look at a single guy adopting a kid weird, let alone a young girl. Not that, yeah, that's disgusting and horrible." He said quickly, his face flushing. 

     "I don't think anyone who knows you thinks anything bad about your relationship with Bright. You're a really great Uncle." Max said, rubbing his shoulder comfortingly. 

     "If you say so." 

     "I do, don't worry. Shall we get changed?" 

    Max began to just strip off his clothing unselfconsciously, standing in nothing but his boxers at the end of the bed while he neatly folded his jeans and shirt, leaning over to put them on top of the dresser. Tul tried not to openly stare at him as he reached up to put on his shirt, but couldn't really help himself, noticing a series of bruises across his ribs. 

     "Wait!" Tul said, reaching out to run his fingers across the bruises, frowning. "Who did this to you? What happened?"

      Max smiled at the worry leeching into his voice and reached down to cup his chin gently. 

     "I train in Muay Thai, my sparring partner got a good one in on me today while I was distracted." He leaned down and gave Tul a perfunctory kiss on the lips. "Don't worry, I wouldn't let someone hurt me or anyone I care about, this is just a training accident." He said with a grin, kissing him again before standing up and sliding his shirt on, pulling the short on up over his boxers. He then turned to Tul, sitting stock still on the bed, still reeling from the many changes in his private life that had happened in a relatively short amount of time. "Aren't you getting ready for bed? I'm going to go brush my teeth. Do you have any extra tooth brushes or can I use yours?"