Darkness

Groceries

"I am thinking about getting a seeing eye dog" Avi said while Scott and him were in the car on the way to the grocery store a couple of days later. It was raining and he listened to the pitter patter of the rain against the windows, his eyes darting from left to right. "He or she would get me out of the apartment more, you know? I would have a reason to get up and going."

Scott held a cup of iced coffee from Starbucks in his hand and stopped in front of a red traffic light. "Honestly, I have thought about that too. Especially after you fell asleep with Olaf. And your parents have dogs too, right?"

"Mhm, grew up with them" the bass mumbled and ran his fingers though his hair, tucking a strand behind his ear. "I don't know."

"Well, keep thinking about it and one day you know." He turned right and parked the car. "Ready to get food?"

"Yeah. Nervous."

"There's no need to be nervous. It's just the grocery store."

"But people will stare.."

"So what, you can't see them" the baritone said and grinned. "It'll be just fine." He got out first, walked over to the passenger's side and opened the door. "Hop out, c'mon."

Avi sighed and put on the sunglasses Scott had given him, climbed down from the seat, took his collapsable cane and slid his hand through the wrist strap. He felt for his friend's biceps and together they made their way to the store. 

"I like that you're using your cane" the baritone said, took Avi's free hand and placed it on the shopping cart handle. Then he pushed the cart over to the fruit and veggie isle with one hand resting on Avi's lower back. He got berries, apples and bananas before he turned to the bass. 

"Do you want melon?"

Avi turned in his direction, one hand holding the by now collapsed cane and the other on the shopping cart. "Do they have cantaloupes?"

"Yeah." 

"Small ones?"

Scott took one and handed it to his friend. "Here, smallest one."

The bearded man felt the rind, located the stem end and pressed against it before he smelled it. "This one isn't the best...the stem end has to be sunken in and give in just a little when you push against it. And you have to smell it, if it has a strong aroma of a cantaloupe the fruit is ripe. Same for honeydew."

Scott stood there, then just nodded and returned the melon. It took him almost three minutes, feeling and smelling melons, before he decided on one and put it in the shopping cart. "How do you know that?"

"Mama grows melons in the backyard" Avi just said and let the baritone guide him through the store. He focused on Scott, his voice and his warm hand on his lower back, and tried to ignore other people that passed them. 

Half an hour later they were back in the car, both holding a pint of Ben and Jerry's, spooning the ice cream into their mouths. "Wasn't too bad, huh?" the tall blonde asked and patted Avi's knee. 

"No" he simply said and licked the plastic spoon again. "Was alright. Did you get Goldfish though? I think I forgot-"

"I grabbed two big boxes, I know how much you love them."

Avi looked at him. "Two boxes? I mean- you're probably right. Do you wanna have a sleepover tonight? Watch movies, eat popcorn?"

"I don't want to be rude-" Scott started but Avi shook his head. 

"I still watch movies. Only the ones I know, of course, but I still watch 'em. We can listen to audiobooks too but maybe you'd prefer a movie.."

"You're sweet. We can watch a movie if you feel comfortable with it. And I wouldn't mind staying the night."

They unloaded the groceries after stopping at Scott's to pick up some clothes and toiletries for him. Scott carried everything to the kitchen while Avi took his time to put his shoes and the cane away before he walked over to Scott and fill the pantry with everything they had bought at the store. The baritone couldn't help but admire how smooth Avi's movements were, how well he was able to get around in his apartment.  It felt good to see him trying to be as independent as possible. Avi didn't take long to empty out the bags and he put the basmati rice away before he walked to his snack cabinet to get something to nibble on for the movie. 

"Do you want beer? I have a couple of cans in the fridge, just help yourself. There should be coke and other drinks too, Kirstie stopped by two days ago and dropped some off."

"Oh cool! How was it?"

"Fun! She came over with Olaf and we went for a small walk. It was hard to adjust to her height at first, she's so much smaller than you and holding onto her arm just felt weird for the first few minutes but we went to the park and I played with Olaf. She tried really hard to make sure I didn't trip or run into anything or anyone" he said and walked over to the couch, holding a bowl filled with tortilla chips and a jar of salsa. "I am thankful to have friends like you, Kirstie and Mitch. And Kevin too. We're not as close as you and I are but he's still a friend of mine and I am really looking forward to seeing him soon. Right now he is somewhere in Africa to visit his extended family but once he comes back we want to go out for wings and beer."

Scott sat down next to him, took the bowl from Avi's hands and started eating some chips. "Did you call him?"

"Yeah! I mean, I texted him first, and then we talked for half an hour I think? It was fun." Avriel leaned back, felt Scott's warmth against his right side and scooted closer to his friend. He put his head down against the baritone's shoulder and put one arm over his tummy, pressing his forehead against the side of Scott's neck.

The other man was about to ask how he would be able to watch the movie when he wasn't even facing the TV before he mentally slapped himself and just smiled. He wrapped an arm around the bass. "Cozy?" Holding Avi like this felt good and he enjoyed being close to him.

"Very, yes. Pick whatever you like from my watchlist, I know the movies on there pretty well."