Risotto sat at the gym bench, drinking water after a long day of hard work. A drug dealer in town has been selling drugs, and druggies have been violent, causing people to sign up for a self-defense class.

One student caught his attention. Her name was Trish Una, and strangely, she reminded him of a dropout he knew from when he was in college. Wanting to learn more about her, Risotto approached her after training one day.

"It's for my dad," Trish answered.

"Shouldn't your dad come here then?" Risotto asked her.

She sighed. "I tried telling him about this place, but he always tells me he's too busy."

"What's his job?"

"I don't know. It must be a physically exhausting job because when I see him on the streets, he's covered in bruises and cuts. I asked my mom why he doesn't live with us and other questions, but she doesn't want anything to do with him."

"Your dad doesn't live with you?"

"No, they aren't married. I don't know what goes on in my parents' minds. Anyways, I should go. Thanks for the talk."

Risotto tried thinking about what Trish's dad's job was. Whatever it was, it sounded dangerous. Perhaps he was a cop or served in the military, but Trish's mom would've treated him with respect and gotten married.

A scream broke his thoughts. Wanting to help, Risotto looked out the window and spotted the dropout from college, Vinegar Doppio. What was he doing here? Someone shoved him into the puddle from yesterday's rain. Another guy was there, too, with a bottle in his hand and a pocketknife in the other.

Risotto rushed out.

"Get away from him!" he yelled.

The two men were scrawny, just like Doppio but looked worse. They were pale and deathlike. Druggies.

"This guy isn't worth our time," one of them said.

They escaped, leaving the two alone. Risotto gave Doppio a hand. The pink-haired man blushed as he grabbed his hand.

"Wow," Doppio commented, admiring Risotto's muscles, "you're strong!"

"Do you not recognize me?" he asked.

Doppio examined his facial features and tried to remember. His eyes widened. "Oh, no way! You're Risotto Nero. I remember when you used to have long hair and wore black makeup every day! You were less muscular too."

"Strangely, you're exactly the same as I remember." Then he looked at the various marks on him. He thought of how Trish described her dad, but it couldn't be him. Risotto never got Doppio's age, but he must be around his age. "You look like you've been to war."

"My boss is sending me to dangerous locations," he said with a frown. "I have to meet with all kinds of shady people. Anyways, I should head home. My pants are wet."

"Let me escort you home. Those guys might show up."

"Thanks."

Escorting him, Risotto tried to get closer to him and ask how life has been treating him after all these years.

"So," Risotto started, "what did you do after dropping out?"

"After finding out I had a daughter, I had to get money somewhere."

"You have a daughter? How old? Three?"

"You're way off." Doppio giggled. "She's 15."

"Wait, what?" So, this was Trish's dad.

"I was surprised too. Apparently, I slept with someone named Donatella Una and knocked her up. I don't remember how or when, but five years after Trish was born, she suddenly contacted me and asked for child support. That's why I dropped out. I had to make money somehow."

"How old are you?"

"Why does it shock people so much? I'm 33. You?"

"28."

The two were approaching the apartment complex, the one where Risotto resides.

"That's odd," Risotto commented. "Did you know we live near each other?" His neighbor next door is a buffed, pink-haired man with green dots in his hair and tattoos on his arms. He was tall too. As for his face, Risotto couldn't describe it because he'd come late at dark and always covered his face. "What's your apartment number?"

"403," Doppio answered.

"That's strange," he replied. "We're neighbors. The guy living next to me has been living there for a couple of years. If you live with him, how come we never met? Who is that guy? Is he your brother?"

"What? We've been living next to each other? I—oh, my head hurts." Doppio put a hand near his forehead.

"Are you okay? Do you need water?"

Doppio almost fainted, but he grabbed onto Risotto.

"No, no," the smaller one said. "I just need to change clothes and lie down."

They went upstairs. Doppio searched through his pockets and found his keys.

"Thank you for everything," he said as he unlocked his door.

"Wait, do you want to hang out?" Risotto asked, wanting to get to know him after all these years.

"Sure, let me change first."

Risotto stepped inside his home and sat on the expensive-looking couch. Everything seemed neat and in order, and most of his furniture was pink. He thought it was cute, just like Doppio.

Doppio came back with some new clothes. He wore a white t-shirt, exposing his tattoos that were the same as the buff stranger's, and some pink shorts.

"Is there anything you want to drink?" he asked.

"Are you sure you don't have a long-lost brother?" Risotto ignored his question.

Doppio giggled. "You're so silly! I have way too much going on in my life. That's the last thing I need." He sat down next to him. "Why do you ask?"

Risotto described the stranger that has been entering Doppio's apartment.

"What?" His face looked serious. "Why? If I had a brother, why would—" He got frustrated and began searching the apartment for anything stolen. "Everything seems in place. That doesn't make sense. Why would a stranger try and come here? I barely have anything. It has to be a stalker. Risotto, you'll protect me, right?"

"Of course, just calm down and relax. If he swings by, I'll handle him."

Doppio plopped himself back on the couch. "God, my life feels out of control. I wish I had spoken to you back then. You seem nice."

"Yeah. You seem like you could use a friend."

Doppio lay down on the couch, head on Risotto's lap. "...are you single?"

Risotto looked at his flushed face. "I am."

Doppio sat up and hugged him tightly. Risotto heard him sniffle. Was he crying? He hugged him back in response.

"C-can we be together? Like a couple?" Doppio asked.

"Yeah."

"When we were younger, I was too scared to approach you. The other students say a lot of things about you, but I always thought you were attractive."

"It's alright. We're together, finally. I also wanted to talk to you, but I didn't think you'd want to hang out with me."

Doppio withdrew from the hug, looking at Risotto with his teary eyes. Their faces got closer, and they closed their eyes, lips locking together. The taller one held onto him tightly. He could hear the smaller one's heart pounding.

"Take me to the bedroom," Doppio demanded, legs wrapped around his body.

Risotto got up and walked to his room. Once there, he lay the smaller one on the bed.

"Take off your shirt! It's sweaty. Have you been working out all day?"

Risotto did as Doppio demanded. He threw it somewhere on the ground. As Doppio brought out some condoms and lube from the nightstand, Risotto noticed the black lipstick on his nightstand. "What's that?"

Doppio looked at the lipstick. "Oh, I don't remember when I got this. It kind of reminds me of you."

Risotto grabbed the lipstick and noticed Doppio must have used it a lot. "You used it often?"

"Hmm? No, I don't."

He wasn't sure why he was lying, but that didn't matter. He applied the lipstick and helped Doppio take off his shirt. Risotto was on top of him and began kissing him. Then he left trails of kisses on his neck and then his nipples, kissing and gently biting each of them.

"Riz," he moaned.

Risotto went lower, reaching his shorts. He was about to pull them off.

"Stop!" Doppio placed a hand on his head.

Risotto stopped. "Is everything alright?" He noticed the other's eyes turned green for a few seconds and then back to brown. No, that was probably his eyes playing tricks on him.

"My head is hurting again. Damn it! Why?"

"I'll get you some water." Risotto got off the bed, hurried to the kitchen, got a cold bottle of water from the fridge, and returned, placing the bottle on the nightstand.

"Thanks," Doppio said. "So, are you going to stay here?"

"If you want me to."

"I want you here." He patted the empty spot on the bed. "Sleep with me."

Risotto slightly chuckled. "You're so bossy."

"Ah! Sorry, headache. I love you."

He lay down next to him, getting into the covers and cuddling him. "I love you too."