Silver Jungle

Chapter 5

"Didn't know you were an early riser." Was the first thing Keyes Algeirs heard when he walked into the bathroom the next morning, and found Dani in the bathtub, essential oils billowing from the still warm water. The strapping young man stumbled backwards and let out a scream.

"Jesus fucking Christ man!" He said, jumping maybe a foot in the air. Dani frowned, looking down at the water. What was wrong with this?

It was actually his third bath of that night, the first to clean his body, the second to relax, and this one to heal his aching skin. The water was cloudy with oils and moisturizing salts, so Keyes couldn't see anything, but the bright red plaques on his shoulder and flaking scales on his upper chest were visible.
"What?" He asked, bored.

"You just surprised me. How's your skin?"

Dani made a surprised sound. That wasn't the first thing he'd expected the young man to say. "It's okay, thanks for asking."

"So, uh, you have plaque psoriasis, right?" Keyes scratched the back of his neck, looking nervous. Dani blinked, surprised again.

"Uh, yeah I do. How did you figure it out?" Dani inquired, shifting up further in the tub so he could talk better to Keyes.

"I looked it up. I felt bad about how I first reacted." Keyes sat down on the bath mat next to the tub. Dani, who was used to his sister doing this, as they talked, was a little unnerved by Keyes doing it. "Damn, you are really toned." The other boy said.

"Thanks." Dani said, a little amused by the boy's reaction, but also a little confused. "All that lacrosse."

"So, um do you need me to do anything?" Keyes asked, his face turning red, most likely from the steam rising from the tub.

However, something in Dani's brain clicked, and he realized why Keyes was so... awkward. He filed it away for later use.

"I feel like you're offering to rub my back, but I really don't know why I'm getting that vibe." Dani said, raising an eyebrow, and giving Keyes a conniving smirk. "Do you know why I'm getting that feeling?"

"Uh, n-no." Keyes stuttered, turning a little red at Dani's words. "I mean, I will, but I wasn't planning on it, but if you want...?" He trailed away, putting his forehead on the rim of the tub. "Okay, shoot me now."

"Nah, you're too nice to kill." Dani said. "What time is it, by the way?"

"About eight o'clock. But we're going to do something at ten o'clock, so you're good for a while. I was going to take a shower, but seeing as your already in here..." Keyes lifted his head, looking at Dani.

"I'm not sharing, Keyes." Dani stated. Keyes turned even more red, and looked away.

"And I was not asking at you do!" Keyes yelped. "Geez, Dani! Why you gotta say stuff like that?"

"Well, I'm sure I don't know what you mean." Dani said, imperiously, poking Keyes' forehead.

"How old are you, Dani? You don't seem that old."

"I'm three years older than you, Keyes." Dani rolled his eyes. "I'm a senior."

"Right. And I'm a freshman..." Keyes seemed to deflate at that.

"What's so bad about that? You're a great person." Dani told him, surprised about how he was acting.

"You really think so? Damn, I didn't think you thought so highly of me."

"Honestly though, you remind me of my little sister. That's why I think I like you so much. You're just like Carrie. Like a little brother." Dani wasn't lying, just the words became truth when he spoke them.