Page 26 of Nate

“This is the living area.”

The far wall had his flat screen TV mounted to it, and was painted a deep midnight blue. A chest with several drawers served as the coffee table. Video game controllers and comics were strewn atop it. A big, cushy couch was in front of the TV, an arm chair slightly off to the side. Nate dropped down on to the couch. Bouncing a few times, he stretched his arms out along the back. “You’re right. Definitely comfier than mine,” he said with a wink. Kevin laughed, his shoulders losing their stiff set.

“Get up and come help me set this up.” He walked over to the kitchen and set the bags down on the counter. “This is the kitchen obviously.”

The walls in there were a bright white, as were the cabinets. The far counter held the microwave and canisters. The other counter was obviously for eating as it was higher and there were two bar stools set up in front of it. Kevin put the broth in the microwave.

“So how long have you lived here?”

“Almost three years.” He came back around the counter, gesturing off to the side. “And last my work area and bedroom.”

His bedroom was a loft bed. The steps leading up to it had pull out drawers. A standing wardrobe was against one wall. And underneath the bed was a desk, set up with computer and a giant monitor. Notebooks, pens, books, and other stuff Kevin used for work were scattered across it.

“This is nice. You’ve made great use of the space.” The microwave had beeped while Kevin was showing the sleep/work area. They went back to the kitchen and set up their bowls of pho. As they took a seat on the bar stools, Nate looked at the framed movie posters on the walls, noticing a few of them were signed. “Very cool.”

“I got them autographed at the Con in San Diego. I go every year.”

“San Diego is beautiful. I had a fight out there once. Maybe I can go with you next year.”

Kevin gave him a strange look and shrugged in response.

He squeezed a bit more lime into his pho. “I really do like your apartment. It’s very nice.”

“It’s small, but it’s all I need. It’s not as nice as your place.”

“Can I tell you a secret?”

“I don’t have any needles to stick in my eye, but yeah go ahead.”

“I don’t really like the way my place is set up.”

Kevin looked at him in surprise. “Huh? Why not?”

“It’s too sterile. Too precise.” He looked around the casual comfort and clutter of Kevin’s apartment. “I’d prefer something like this.”

“Then why does your house look like that?”

Nate sighed and set his spoon down. “When I got out of boxing I was tired. Tired of the dirty warehouses and gyms I was fighting in, the crummy hotels I stayed at when traveling, and the shitty apartment I came home to. Once I left and opened up my first gym, I wanted something clean and fresh, something that showed I was successful. I hired a designer, told them what I wanted and that house is the result.” He left out the part where he’d been screwing the designer.

“How did you get into underground boxing in the first place? If you don’t mind me asking.”

Nate shrugged. “It’s not a big secret. I told you before how I was small, skinny, and gay. I was also poor.” He shook his head at the memory. “I was pretty much a verbal and physical punching bag for most of my time in grade school. After Gage and Max beat the shit out of a couple of guys harassing me in the locker room, I wasn’t bothered any more. I had friends finally, but my life was still pretty shitty. I wanted to be able to stand up for myself and I wanted to have money so I didn’t have to live in a rundown trailer park like my mom. I started working out, trying to put on muscle. It didn’t really take until my growth spurt. And I got a part time job to pay for boxing and martial arts classes. The boxing gym I went to was pretty scuzzy because that’s all I could afford with my fry cook money.”

Kevin grinned. “I’m having a hard time picturing you standing over a vat of grease and wearing a paper hat.”

“Are you laughing with me or at me?”

“Both?”

Nate gave him a mock frown before continuing on. “One day I found a flyer for underground fights. It clicked as soon as I saw it. That’s what I was going to do to earn money. I didn’t tell many people my plan, mostly because they all thought I was crazy. Except Max and Gage. They thought it was cool. Both of them sparred with me even though they didn’t have any official training, only what they’d picked up in street fights.”

“How’d your first fight go?”

Nate laughed. “I got my ass kicked. I got my ass kicked for a while. I didn’t quit, but I was getting sick of losing. Then one day everything changed.” He took a bite of rare steak. By the time he was done chewing, Kevin was practically on the edge of his seat.

“What? What changed?”

“I was in the ring, sparring with this big guy. Gage and Max were there shouting encouragement, insults, whatever they could think of to get me hyped. When suddenly Max yells,Pretend he’s the assholes who used to harass you in school!That was the second thing that clicked for me. I focused in on my opponent like it was personal and went after him hard. It ended with him on his ass and me standing over him, still pumped and ready for more.”

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