the half of it

chapter twenty five

"who's Shephard?" Owen asked grayson, who was half asleep watching television on owens chest.

Through trial and error the two of them found the only comfortable spot without pulling on the tube or straining grayson.

"hmm?" Grayson muttered, confused and still drowsy.

"you have something today that just says Shepard"owen explained, showing grayson the phone without moving much.

"Prosthetist" grayson muttered, annoyed at aaron for putting it on his calendar when he knew owen would see.

"it's in two hours, I could take you?" Owen asked as he played with graysons hair.

"I'm not going" grayson said, instantly self conscious about the tube and his personal hygiene (or lack thereof).

"Can i ask why?" owen said, guessing at the answer in his head but wanting grayson to say for himself.

"shit why are you letting me lay on top of you?" Grayson said urgently as he tried to roll off of owen without pulling on the painful tube.

"Because i asked you to and you love me" owen teased as he helped grayson lie on his back.

"I fucking stink, disgusting" grayson rolled onto his stomach and pushed up with his hand off the pillow.

"Hey, hey stop" owen sat up and caught grayson as he fell back, tears blossoming from his cloudy eyes.

"If you want a shower we can do that, but I will never think you're disgusting" owen leaned over grayson, his hair falling in front of his face.

"Owen?" Grayson said, his mouth turning into a smile.

"Grayson?" Owen copied, matching the smile that grayson wore.

"Kiss me" grayson smiled and laughed as owen leaned in and their lips locked.

—

"Olivia keeps texting you, who's she?" Owen asked as grayson showered.

"What is with doctors and blowing up my phone today" grayson joked as he turned off the shower, pulling back the curtain and drying off with the towel.

"You can look if you want, I know you know my password" grayson teased as he got into his chair.

"She's asking if you're coming Tuesday" owen said as he tossed grayson a sweater.

"This Tuesday?" Grayson asked as he rolled over to the couch and patted the spot next to him.

Owen nodded and walked over and sat down, kissing grayson as he pressed his phone in his hand.

"Yeah, this Tuesday why?" Owen asked, grabbing a granola bar off the counter.

"I can't cause I didn't go to that prosthetist" grayson shrugged and laughed as owen picked him up, swinging grayson onto his lap.

"I'm going out of town tomorrow for tennis" owen changed the subject, knowing Grayson didn't want to talk about it anymore.

"championship?" Grayson asked, playing with Owens hair.

"yep, hopefully I'll win so I can put it on my college app" owen smiled, pressing his forehead against graysons.

"I know you'll win" grayson laughed, wrapping his arm around tight as owen stood up and walked over to the bed.

"You don't know shit" owen teased, kissing him as they lied down.

"I know lots of things" grayson teased, pushing a pillow underneath him.

"Like what" owen turned onto his side to face grayson.

"Like.. I love you" grayson smiled, his perfect teeth shining white.

"Ohhh fuck off" owen laughed and shoved his shoulder, resting his head on his shoulder.

—

"Are you okay gray?" Aaron asked as they pulled out of the driveway.

"Better" Grayson nodded, leaning against the pillow placed against the door.

"so you should definitely switch to pamelor and parnate" aaron said as he turned onto a busy road.

"yeah" grayson said as he drifted off, jerking his head to keep from falling asleep.

"Do i turn right here?" Aaron asked as he approached an intersection, hovering his hand over the turn signal.

"Yeah, right here and then the second left" grayson glanced at the directions on his phone, laughing as he saw texts from gracie pop up on Aaron's phone.

"Gracie wants to know if you're still coming to a picnic tomorrow" grayson laughed and Aaron blushed, scoffing at grayson and shoving him lightly.

"She was walking her dog and found this grassy spot and immediately knew she wanted a picnic" aaron tried to explain but grayson just laughed, giggles that sounded nothing like his deep voice.

"no - no, it cute" grayson laughed, smiling as they pulled into the parking lot.

"don't act like owen doesn't rope you into dates you don't want" aaron joked, turning off the car and waiting.

"don't act like you don't want to go on the picnic" grayson dodged the subject, suddenly aware that owen and him hadn't been on any real dates.

"ohh fuck off, now let's go or you'll be late" aaron punched him lightly and got out of the car, getting graysons chair out of the back.

The office was small, a hallway that lead to two rooms and a receptionists desk up front. The lady sitting behind the desk was short and fat, the buttons on her blouse straining.

"Hi, here for Morgan at 3:00" grayson said as he approached the desk, looking around nervously.

"Second door on the right" the lady said, pointing behind her and then going back to typing on her computer.

"Thanks" grayson nodded and followed her directions, knocking on the white door.

"Come in!" A loud and a voice almost as deep as graysons boomed from the other side of the door.

The room was small, an exam table off to the side on one wall and across from it were many shelves holding various prosthetics, sockets and molding tools.

"You must be grayson" the man stood up from a chair and walked over to grayson, shaking his hand and then gesturing further into the room.

"That's me" Grayson nodded as his eyes darted around, nervous sweat bubbling on his brow.

"Ready to start?" Morgan asked and snapped on a pair of rubber gloves, sitting down on a chair with a tray of supplies around him.

"Ready as I'll ever be" grayson put on a smile, his eyes giving away his secrets.