When Mel finally drops me off, two hours late, it occurs to me only after he's gone I have six hickies that are pretty visible. I grab my vest and my helmet and start working, trying to just ignore the few stares I got. Jason comes up to me.

"Hey Hoyt, was that Mel I saw, droppin' you off?" he asks.

"Yes," I say, trying not to start a conversation.

"You two like... friends now?" Jason says, eyes narrowed. His eyes scan over my neck and he frowns.

"We're sort of dating," I mutter, unsure if it was right to say that, but figuring Mel won't mind.

Jason stares, "Mel's gay?"

"Um, yeah."

"And so are you?"

"Well, you could come to that conclusion," I turn so my back is to him, working, and hoping he'll leave me alone. Luckily he does. I put in a good, steady day of it, and then Mel swings by and I hop in. He drives me home so I can get my stuff to come to his place. Mama isn't home, so I'm happy I dodged a bullet, and an argument. Mel helps me load my shit in his truck and then we go to Merlotte's for dinner.

Mel is very comfortable about being gay. At least when it comes to me, he does not hide it. He holds my hand, and rubs my thigh and pecks me in between bites. Some people look at us, but its funny, because when he's with me, its like he doesn't notice. And even though I notice, when I'm with him, I don't really care. Mel wipes some ketchup off my lip with a napkin. That gesture made me smile.

After dinner, we head back to his house. Isn't five minutes before our clothes are off and we're going at it. Afterwards, I lay in his arms and I wonder how I got here in just two days, less than. I'm happy. I'm not alone. Mel is great, and I'm staying at his place. Seems like it happened really fast, but I don't really mind. Spent enough eventless years so this one is well waited for.

"So, your car is still at the bar," Mel whispers. "We should run and get it in the morning."

"Sounds good. Jeez, I stink," I blush, "And I'm dirty. I can't believe you'd lay here with me like this. I'm gonna shower." I hop up and head into the bathroom, in view from the bed, and turn on the water to warm.

"Not your fault your job is muscle work, outside," Mel says. "And I don't think you smell bad."

"Well, you are too nice," I stick my tongue out at him hop in the shower, starting to clean off. Mel turns a lamp on and grabs a book and reads until I come out. We have sex one more time, and then we fall asleep. Funny. It feels like I've been doing this for my whole life. At least since I started getting boners and stuff.

The next morning I drive up to work in my own car and park. Seems like Jason's trying to get to me, because him and his buddies are talking bad about being gay, though they never mention me by name.

"Bitch, don't you even be talkin' about me and my hot mother-fucking boy over here," Lawfayette says, putting an arm around my shoulder.

Jason sighs, "I just think its wrong to not tell people you're gay. I mean, Hoyt, you've seen me naked and its like... this whole, you were checkin' out my ass?"

Lawfayette smirks, "That white boy thinks every thing with eyes is checking out his scrawny ass."

I avoid Jason the rest of the day, and head to meet Mel after work. He's standing at the bar, waiting for me. I stop and stare, and he notices.

"What are you doing, babe?"

"Just checking out your ass." And for the record, its so much better then Jason's.