Page 56 of Paint Eater
As Jay had predicted, he was able to get the week off work easily, never having taken a holiday before. His mom had looked troubled, but Jay hadn’t told her any details about Logan’s mom, knowing she’d be pissed off at someone disapproving so strongly of him.
“Be careful,” she’d said and pulled him into a hug. It’d hurt, thinking about how Logan had never, and would never, have this from his own mom.
Jay mostly managed to not overthink about the trip too much, but he could feel the sadness and anxiety in the way his body ached from the tension, jaw straining every morning from clenching it in his sleep.
It was a relief when the day of the trip finally arrived. He stuffed his things into the trunk of Logan’s car and hopped into the passenger side.
“Hey,” he said, relief tangled up with something heavy and ragged inside Jay.
“Hey.”
They looked at each other for a moment, not kissing or touching before Logan started the car and started driving.
Jay couldn’t stand the silence that hung between them, plugging his phone in. “Road trip playlist, baby. Made it just for you.”
Logan snorted, shooting him one of his typical ‘I’m-pretending-to-be-exasperated-but-secretly-think-you’re-an-utter-delight’ looks.
At least, that was Jay’s interpretation.
The further away they got from New York, the more relaxed they were, until Jay was knee-deep into a detailed retelling of the tattoo he’d done on someone’s whole head. “Yes, Logan, I’m not kidding. People are whack.”
As Logan laughed, Jay knew that, despite whatever came after, they’d make the most of the week they had.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
JAY
Judging by Logan’s monstrosity of an apartment, Jay had been expecting the place in Boston to be just as lavish. Instead, they found a modest apartment, wood furnishings in the living room, a bright-yellow breakfast nook separating it from the rather large, bright kitchen. There was an office that was locked and then the master bedroom, with a massive bed covered in crisp white sheets, a deep-red blanket arranged aesthetically at the foot of it.
“Wow. This is really nice. Was kind of expecting more marble or something,” Jay half joked.
“Yeah. My dad’s family are all overachievers, but my aunt Lena is the normal one among them.”
“Bet your mom loves her.”
Logan snorted. “Oh, yeah.Lovesher.”
They left their bags against one side of the room. It was already dark, the trip having exhausted both of them, and they moved around each other quietly, showering and eating before getting ready for bed, simply adjusting to each other’s company.
By the time they crawled into bed, Jay didn’t have the strength to even think about whether it was awkward. They shut off the lights and curled up facing each other, legs tangled together, made un-self-conscious by the dark and the descending sleep.
**********
They’d arrived in Boston on Sunday, so Logan had to rise early the next day for his first day of work experience. Jay thought it was a little ironic, having workexperienceand not justwork, but he wasn’t going to tease Logan about it. It was giving them this week, after all.
Jay watched Logan get ready blearily from the bed and called him over before he left. “Have a good day at work, darling,” he said in a falsetto, smacking a wet kiss on his lips.
“Asshole,” Logan grumbled, but there was no mistaking the fondness in his voice. The fake kiss turned into a real one pretty quickly, and Logan had to practically rip himself away from Jay’s clinging arms so that he wouldn’t be late for work.
Jay got up a respectable amount of hours later when the sun was actually up and not just being shy about it. He had a spare set of keys, so after showering, he went out to the grocery store for some snacks and actual food, the latter so that Logan wouldn’t look at him with too much disappointment when he saw all the chips and candy.
Jay didn’t have a real destination in mind when he went out again, just wandered through Boston, deciding on a whim where to go. He found a few cool pieces of street art a friend had recommended, but Boston was definitely more reserved than New York in its flair.
By the time Logan was due back at the apartment, Jay was already there. “Let’s go drinking,” Jay said, grinning.
“Hello to you too,” Logan joked. “We’re twenty, not twenty-one, in case you’d forgotten.”
“I know a place.” Good street art wasn’t the only thing his friend had advised him on.
