Cute, Cozy, Queer Stories

Part 2: Liam & Erinne Continued

Liam was the perfect roommate. He washed his dishes after using them, didn't leave his clothes in the bathroom, didn't mind sharing his food in the fridge, and even cooked dinner for both of them three times a week. He even wiped down the sink after he shaved—a first in Erinne's experience in living with men—leaving only a few stray, dark hairs behind. What Errine originally considered a cohabitation of convenience turned quickly into a pleasant and familiar family atmosphere.

For most of the day, Erinne didn't see Liam much. She'd signed up for a half dozen different odd jobs while her other job applications percolated, so she found herself dog-walking, driving, delivering, cleaning, answering surveys and proofing content for most of the day. He was still with a local web design company and working from home, staying in his room most of the day. He usually emerged once at noon, and again at six. Erinne's days were irregular, her schedule all over the place, and it was comforting to know Liam would be there when she got home.

On Friday evening, Erinne went downstairs at about 5:30. She carried Mr. Potato, the sleepy, gray-black elderly Schnauzer she was dog-sitting, down the stairs. She'd decided yesterday that she deserved some time off, and decided to treat Liam to a nice evening too. It wasn't much—a vegan curry cooking in the crockpot, a chocolate coconut pie she'd bought, and a fifteen-dollar bottle of chardonnay—but she'd been looking forward to it all week.

Taking the lid off the crockpot, she drank in the spicy steam. She replaced the lid, smiling, as she took the cool chardonnay out of the fridge and the chocolate coconut pie out of the freezer. Fishing the corkscrew out of the drawer, she opened the chardonnay and took a sniff of the light, lemony scent. Taking two glasses, she nearly poured out the bottle between them. Taking both glasses, she went to the back bedroom and knocked on the door with her foot. The door had never closed reliably and now stuck loosely in the frame, shaking loose when she struck it.

Liam sat at a small, scuffed desk Erinne suspected was a dumpster dive and a chair borrowed from the kitchen. When Erinne first saw him, she had to double-take. Liam's make-up was impeccably done, with a smooth, beige complexion, pink cheeks, light gray eye-shadow, and matte red lips. He wore a black pencil skirt with black heels, an emerald green sweater, and a shocked looked on his exquisite face.

It took Erinne a moment, but she recovered from the surprise. "Sorry about that," she nodded towards the door, then towards the glasses she held, "just wondering if you wanted some wine?"

Liam blinked once, opened his mouth to speak, but hesitated. Under his makeup, the pink on his cheeks darkened. He didn't look at her. "Um. Yeah. I, uh..."

"Call it an early day." She swirled both glasses. "It's Friday."

He glanced up once, quickly. "Sure. I, um, I'll be out in a minute."

"Okay." Erinne started to turn, but paused. "You don't have to change or anything. If that's what you were thinking." She shrugged a shoulder. "You look really nice."

Liam finally met her eyes. "Really?"

"Yeah, of course." She titled her head. "Do you do your make-up every day?"

He looked away again. "Not every day."

"It looks great. Anyway," she swirled the glasses again "chardonnay. And curry. And pie. Whenever you're ready." She turned back down the short hallway and returned to the kitchen.

Erinne set the glasses down on the counter and took a drink from one. She tried to review the exchange in her mind, wondering if she'd said the right thing. Liam had always been so quiet, never showed an ounce of anything ostentatious, seldom even showed personality—it was a surprise to see him looking so... refined.