Page 28 of Gratification in Gluttony

“Good,” Jude said. “In the end, that’s what matters. Makes the shitty parts worth it.”

“What about you? Are you happy?” Toni sent the question back, and Jude exhaled heavily, half a scoff, half a sigh.

“I’m getting there.”

“Good,” Toni said.

After a beat of silence, Jude inhaled deeply and exhaled in a rush. “Well, I should get some sleep.”

“Yeah, okay. I should too.”

“I’m glad your mom’s okay.”

“Yeah, me too. Could have done without the death scare, but as Gem likes to point out, my family can be a tad dramatic.”

Jude snorted. “Coming from Gem, that’s honestly terrifying.”

“Tell me about it. I’m the youngest of five, and the only boy. My childhood was very loud.”

“Four older sisters, huh? No wonder you have such a healthy view of masculinity.”

Toni scoffed, “Ha, my father would beg to differ. He was always on me for liking, in his words, girly shit. But come on. I had four sisters; it kind of set me up for failure when it came to ‘being a man,’ you know? Or what he thought a man should be, at least.”

“You never stood a chance, did you?” Jude teased, and Toni chuckled.

“Nope. I don’t understand why my father was so surprised when I came out as a raging homosexual. Or wait, that’s not the right word, is it?” Toni pinched the bridge of his nose as he sorted through his limited English vocabulary when it came to sexuality. “What do you call it when, like, you’re super gay but also not?”

Jude was laughing fully now, and Toni ran a hand through his hair, adding a playful growl to his voice as he said, “Don’t laugh at me! I’m doing my best here.”

“Not laughing at you,” Jude said, clearly laughing at him. “Um, I think you mean bisexual? Like, you’re attracted to multiple genders?”

“Yeah, that, I guess. It’s not even about gender, really, and the equipment don’t matter either. It’s just… I’m an equal opportunity fuck, you know?”

“So pansexual, maybe?”

“Don’t matter much to me. Never cared for labels.”

“Well, you don’t have to choose a label if you don’t want to.”

Splaying his hands, even though Jude couldn’t see him, Toni shrugged. “I’m just Toni, and Toni thinks people are hot.”

“Well,” Jude said around another laugh, “Toni viewing attraction that way makes him very hot himself.”

A more genuine rumble of satisfaction vibrated up Toni’s throat. “Is that so? Toni likes that very much.”

“Easy, killer,” Jude said, and Toni grinned. “Friends, remember?”

“I remember. I’m just saying, sometimes, friends kiss.” Toni reveled in the amused huff Jude sent him. “Would that be so bad if we were friends that kissed?”

Instead of answering him, Jude tisked. “You’re dangerous, you know that?”

“Only if you want me to be,” Toni purred.

“Toni,” Jude reprimanded, sterner this time.

“Okay, okay. Sorry.” Toni emptied his glass of water and set it in the sink. “You know I’m just teasing.”

“Are you?”

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