Chapter 12
'We really need to go up there and see him,' Lus watched Arados read through his letter for the fifteen-millionth time, 'clearly you miss him like hell.'
'I have no right to miss him that much,' Arados lowered the letter and sighed, 'he's Drake's boyfriend, not mine.'
'Don't hit me for saying this Ara, but I'm kind of glad you two aren't together.'
Instantly Arados glared at him. Sighing heavily, Lus shifted his gaze away and rested his head on his hand. For a few moments there was silence.
'I thought you said you weren't in love with him,' Arados half grunted, breaking the silence.
'And I'm not,' his gaze drifted out of the window, 'but that doesn't mean I wanted to become a third wheel to the pair of you.'
'We wouldn't have made you a third wheel Lus.'
'Wouldn't you?' His eyes shifted back to meet with Arados's. 'I mean, I'd be the only one of the three of us not batting for the other team. And what exactly were you expecting me to do when you two got all cosy with each other? Avert my gaze and hope some hot chick would appear out of nowhere to take my mind off of it?'
'Hmm…'
'As far as I'm concerned Taylor ending up with Drake is the best thing that could possibly have come out of that situation. And it's not like you're never going to find anyone else Ara.'
'I won't if I'm never able to leave this room without suffering a major coronary,' he folded his arms, before giving another heavy sigh.
There were a few more moments of silence, before Arados's eyes thoughtfully began to study Lus.
'So you really like the girls, huh?'
'What?' Lus frowned at him.
'You said you were the only one of the three of us not batting for the other team; you mean, you're straight.'
'Yeah,' he shrugged, 'I am.'
'What's it like, you know, fancying girls?'
Lus half chocked out a laugh of surprise and for a few moments was unable to do anything but gawk at Arados. Then, giving a slight cough he tried to regain his composure.
'What kind of question is that Ara?'
'I don't know,' he shrugged, 'I'm just curious, I mean, I am probably going to have to marry one.'
'Did your Dad say that?'
'No,' he shook his head, 'my Dad thinks it'll be fine if I meet myself some cute boy and go down the path of science in order to produce an heir for this line. But that just seems like so much hassle. I think I'd rather marry someone I didn't love and found about as sexually attractive as a piece of cold meat.'
'You find cold meat sexually attractive?' Lus couldn't help but smirk at him.
'Oh you're just trying to be difficult now,' Arados glared, 'you know what I mean.'
'Yeah, yeah,' he gave a covert breath. 'So you don't find women attractive at all then? Not even in the slightest?'
Shrugging, Arados just shook his head.
'It's not from lack of trying,' his gaze lowered slightly. 'I mean, I spent a lot of time fighting against all these crushes I was getting on guys, but in the end they kind of won out.'
'How come you never tried talking to me or Tay about it?'
'It's not that I didn't want to,' Arados sighed, 'it was just hard. I mean, you both had so much going on with you, that I didn't want you to get… and besides, I thought you both were the same way anyway so I didn't see the point in us having a conversation where each of us gained nothing.'
'Well I guess you had a point when it came to Tay, but…'
'I know, I get it, I should have at least checked with you before assuming things, right?'
'Right.'
For a few moments there was silence. Then Lus tilted his head in a curious manner and an even more curious smirk spread across his face.
'You know, there would be certain other advantages to us going up there to see him.'
'Oh?' Arados frowned.
'Well, then I'd be able to introduce you to our new post-girl.'
'Don't you mean Taylor will be able to introduce us to her? You've only met her once and for like five seconds at that if I remember what you told me right.'
'Yeah, well Tay's still mute, remember, so…'
'You really like her, don't you?'
'Don't be stupid Ara, I only met her for like five seconds. She's cute and there's something curious about her, but my interest is purely a professional one.'
'Professional how?' Arados cocked an eyebrow at him.
'Well I'd like to know what kind of person SK was getting to deliver mail for him.'
'Really?'
'Yes.'
'Hmm,' Arados narrowed his gaze for a moment, before laughing and shaking his head. 'Just one problem genius, I'm currently agoraphobic; or had you forgotten about that.'
'I could Jump you there without warning.'
'Do that and you'll find yourself eating all your meals out of a tube for the next six months.'
'Fine,' he held up his hands, 'but I can't exactly go up there on my own, that would look suspicious.'
'Then how about you take Taylor's boyfriend with you,' Arados rolled his eyes, 'I'm sure he'll be glad someone's remembered him in all this.'
'You're right,' Lus began nodding slowly, 'I should have thought of that before.'
'Yeah, well…' Arados shrugged, clearly trying to act as though he wasn't bothered one way or another about it.
'I should probably leave it till tomorrow now, either way,' he sighed, his eyes shifting distractedly towards the window. 'I'm kind of worried about my Dad. He's really not taking to this whole being the Face of Friendship thing too well and he's beginning to push Mum away.'
'I don't think my parents have said so much as two words to each other in the entire week since that happened,' Arados gave yet another heavy sigh. 'Dad seems to spend all his time in here with me. And Mum spends all her time with Jo,' his jaw clenched slightly at that.
'She was in here with you earlier.'
'I know,' he glowered up at him, 'that's the first time I've seen her all week.'
'Really?'
Slowly he nodded, before lowering his gaze again.
'For some reason,' his voice was strangely tense, 'she finds the idea of her brother loving daughter easier to cope with than her gay potential rapist son.'
'You don't know that,' Lus shook his head, 'maybe she just feels Jo needs her more right now.'
'But she's my Mum too. And that bitch… And my sister has no right to her,' his face twisted in sickening anger, 'not after what she did. No way.'
