Everything

Chapter 4

The tapping of a laptop keyboard echoed throughout the kitchen. "Shit, shit, shit, shit!" Stefon slammed his finger against the backspace key several times and put his head in his hands. Frustration clawed at his mind. I can't help this person. I'm screwed. Of all the jobs he could have had, he chose to give advice in the newspaper under a pseudonym. It gave him a sense of anonymity while still being able to regularly appear on TV a few times a year. He regretted his decision every time he reached a point he couldn't relate to. He had a limited amount of time to make his article and have it revised and edited so it could be published. Early in the week was always his best bet. The editors weren't so busy that they had to hold it off and he could go about his life. Writers block hit him like a ton of bricks following a drug-induced sleepless night however, and irritation pricked his mind. He slammed his laptop shut and stuffed that and the letter from the writer into his bag.

As if on cue, his phone buzzed. It was a message from Shy letting him know he would be up in a minute. Perfect, he thought, I have a reason to be done. He stood from his chair and placed his laptop bag there. "Seth!" he called. "Shy's here!" Seth was taking a shower so he couldn't be sure he was heard but it didn't matter much because he had already promised to get dressed in the bathroom just in case. Stefon opened the door to the hallway and waved to Shy as soon as he stepped off the elevator.

"What a lovely place," Shy commented as he stepped through the threshold and looked around.

"I know. It's great. He keeps it so nice in here. You want a drink or anything?" He shook his head. "Well why don't we go watch some TV? Seth is in the shower. He should be done any minute."

"Sure." Shy shrugged and followed Stefon into the living room. Stefon spread himself along the couch and beckoned to his friend to sit with him. He reached out his arms to pull Shy onto his lap and they sat their like that, flipping aimlessly through TV channels while they giggled and cracked jokes. Eventually Stefon handed over the remote and wrapped his arms around his companion's tiny waist in a hug that was met with arms around his neck. He rocked back and forth rhythmically, feeling joy in the presence of his best friend. It was moments like this he wanted to last forever. There were very few people in his life that made him feel so complete, Seth and Shy among them.

Seth stepped out of the bathroom rubbing his short hair with a towel. He saw the couple of young men cuddling on the couch and cleared his throat. They looked at him. Stefon had a huge grin plastered to his face. Seth crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, propped up by his shoulder. "You must be Shy."

"Nah, not really." Shy joked. Seth furrowed his brow. "I mean, that's my name, not my personality," he quickly explained.

"Yeah, I see that. So," Seth focused on his feet as he made his way to the loveseat adjacent to the couch they were taking up. "How long have you two known each other?" His face was unreadable, his tone even. Stefon couldn't tell how he was feeling and this made him uneasy. He let go of his friend, who seemed to get the same idea. The two separated and Stefon sat up straight to make some room for him."

"Since I was...maybe about fifteen, I think?" Stefon looked at Shy for confirmation.

Shy nodded, his face and deep monotone voice just as even as he locked eyes with Seth. "Eight years."

Seth nodded thoughtfully, never once pulling his gaze away. Stefon suddenly felt tension in the air. It was like watching two cats stare at each other, not knowing which would make the first move, but knowing if he didn't step in there would certainly be trouble. "How old are you, Shy?"

"29. Yourself?"

"37. What do you do for a living?"

"I'm a lawyer."