Do You See Me Now? ✔

Chapter 22 - The Arrest

Monday, October 29th

     Jesse was dressed warm, and in black. Loek lent him a beanie in black because the temperature dropped and was now close to freezing point. While they walked their way to a new spot for graffiti art, they were silent.

Jesse didn't really know what it was that caused them to be silent. Even after they had slept together, they had decent conversations. But that night, there was something in the air. Some sort of tension.

Loek was way too silent compared to how Jesse knew him, and he seemed deep in thought for most of the evening. It came as a surprise to Jesse that Loek had asked him if he wanted to go out at night again.

During their silent walk, Jesse had time to think, and by the time they arrived at Loek's suggested spot, Jesse had an idea about what was going on.

Loek had previously told him he used graffiti as a distraction, as an extension to his therapy. Which caused Jesse to believe it wasn't such a coincidence for Loek to ask him to go out this particular evening, during which he was more silent than ever.

Something could be bothering him, and Jesse was unsure if he should ask Loek about it. He didn't want to seem nosy, but he surely didn't want to come across as uninterested either. Because he already concluded he was very much interested in Loek.

"Hey..." he started off, while he followed Loek through a fence that was cut open at one place. It looked like someone had tried to fix it, but that hadn't stopped others from going through either. "Is something bothering you?"

"No."

"Oh, okay..." Jesse wasn't convinced. He wasn't convinced at all. Loek's answer had been abrupt and a bit angry. Something was definitely up with Loek, and his denial had only confirmed that Jesse was right.

But Loek obviously didn't want to talk about it, and Jesse wasn't the obvious prying type. He felt like he needed to steer the conversation in a certain direction in a subtle way. He wanted to get Loek to talk even if he didn't want to.

One way to try was to tell Loek something about himself. Something that bothered him. Sharing is caring, right?

"So, I hung out with Axel most of the day," he started telling Loek, who had already put on a mask, and grabbed a few spray cans. "Calix has different classes on Monday mostly, but he was there whenever he could."

"That's good," Loek answered, his words muffled by his mask.

"They really try to be great friends, but it's... I don't know, different. I didn't want things to change, and it still did." Jesse sat down. He wasn't here to make graffiti art. He was here because Loek asked him to join and he didn't mind spending some alone time with him.

"They'll get used to it soon enough, and then everything will be back to normal." Loek's replies sounded... as if he didn't really care. Jesse knew he cared, it just didn't come out the right way.

"But everything is different, isn't it? I live with you guys because my parents don't want me anymore. I broke up with Yoni after being together for over three years. My best friends know I'm gay and it's only a matter of time before they'll try and be my wingmen..." Jesse took in a deep breath and waited for Loek to turn around and look at him. "Not that I think I need one." He offered Loek a shy smile, trying to tell him that he didn't mind sleeping with him more often.

On the contrary, Jesse really hoped they would.

Loek shortly took off his mask and smiled back. "I don't know if you need one. But if it's up to me, they don't have to be your wingmen."