Page 32 of Royal
Chapter 9
Royal
“Fuck you, and fuck this game,” I said, tossing the Xbox controller beside me on the couch.
“You gonna cry for me, R?” Brysen teased in the headset before making crying noises. “Need me to get my tiny violin?”
“As I said. Fuck you.”
I wasn’t seriously mad. Brysen always kicked my ass when we were in competitive player mode onDead Smash, a game set in a post-apocalyptic world where you fought zombies and searched for a cure. There was a story mode where you played the story missions, but you could also play against other online players.
“You guys still playing?” Kyler asked through the headset. He’d logged off about an hour ago so he could eat dinner with Declan before Declan had to leave again for a shoot.
“If Royal stops being a baby,” Brysen said before doing the crying sounds again.
“You forget, B,” I said. “I know where you live.”
“Oh, don’t tease me like that. It’s making me so hot.”
“Is he moaning into the headset?” Kyler asked.
“Are you really surprised, Kye?” I responded.
“Not really.”
Since the three of us couldn’t get together in person as much as we liked, we had game nights where we’d get on and play together. Kyler and Declan were home in California after taking a weekend trip to Paris. I couldn’t even imagine traveling that much. It’d wear me out.
I asked about the trip, and he said they’d kissed in front of the Eiffel Tower. Kyler was such a romantic sap. Declan wasn’t any better, though. Those two could barely keep their hands off each other in public. Not that they should have to.
I smiled as I listened to Kyler. Declan had struggled a lot before coming out. For years, he’d denied his sexuality, but meeting Kyler the year before had changed both of their lives for the better.
“How’re things there?” Kyler asked after telling me about how he’d nearly fallen into the River Seine on their stroll through the city. Typical Kyler. “You weren’t that talkative this morning.”
Every morning, I texted him and Brysen and wished them a good day. I didn’t know why I did it, but it helped us talk at least once a day, and I’d been doing it for the past two years. It felt even more important to do it now, since Kyler lived so far away.
“Sorry if I’ve been distant lately,” I puffed into the mic and moved my character on screen. The three of us had started a story mission together. Smoke rose from the surrounding buildings, and cars were left abandoned on the side of the trash-littered street. “Things are just…complicated right now.”
“Because of the murders?” Brysen asked. His character moved in front of me and started dancing.
I rolled my eyes and shot at him.
“I’m worried about you guys,” Kyler said, the emotion reflecting in his raspy voice. “See if you can get off work for like a week and come stay with us here in LA. I know Dec wouldn’t mind, and I’d feel better knowing y’all are safe.”
“If I take any more time off, I’ll get fired,” Brysen said with a sigh. “Otherwise, I’d be game. Hey, ask Declan if he has any sexy, older friends who are filthy rich and looking for a sugar baby.”
“Most of Declan’s friends are straight, B,” Kyler answered, snorting a laugh. “But I’ll keep an eye out.”
“While I have both of you here,” I started, getting nervous for some reason. “Remember that ex-boyfriend I told y’all about before?”
A horde of zombies came around a crumbling building, and the three of us started shooting them.
“The one who cheated?” Brysen asked, chomping on what sounded like chips.
“Yeah. But he didn’texactlycheat,” I said, keeping my eyes on the TV. All the lights were off in my house so I could see the screen better. But with the mention of the murders earlier, a sudden uneasiness crept into my gut. “Technically, he broke up with me andthenhooked up with someone else. Five minutes later.”
“Welltechnically,” Kyler chimed in, “he’s a fucking asshole and needs to be written into one of my books and given a gruesome death.”
“Jesus, babe,” Brysen said. “Are you sureyou’renot the serial killer terrorizing the good people of Addersfield?”
