"As I live and breathe, Charlie Parker out and about," Tristan said from behind the bar. Charlie managed a wane smile as he approached the bar. "This deserves shots!" Tristan began over pouring two hearty shots of Jameson for the both of them.

"Hey Tristan," Charlie said. "Yeah... it's been a while."

"I heard about all that shit that's been happening with you at school and it's bullshit."

"Cheers," Charlie said, raising the shot and throwing it back as Tristan poured them Magic Hat chasers.

"I'm sorry that I haven't checked in. I've been busy." The Grindr noise coming from his pocket made him turn bright red.

"Uh huh. Really busy," Charlie said, throwing playful shade. Charlie took the pint of beer and sipped it. "It's ok, I haven't felt quite myself lately. I think this might be the first time I left the house all month."

"Oh! What's the occasion?"

"My boyfriend's taking me to dinner and a show," Charlie smiled, still feeling the odd stomach-butterfly tingle of saying the word "boyfriend" in relation to himself. "But only on the condition that I met him outside of the house. I've been pretty mopey myself."

"I feel ya girl. That's like that one time when Braden and I started trickin' with the same ho... " And as Tristan prattled on with one of his vapidly insipid stories, Charlie smiled as he half-listened. There was no love lost for his bar bestie, for sure, but when life stopped revolving around hopping as many bars as possible in one night or who was tricking with who... it was like the best friend you had in elementary school. The one that was your blood brother, that you always swore would be in your life then running into them one holiday after college, at a grocery store, or on the street and realize that they're a complete stranger. That no matter how many memories you both throw out at each other hoping one will stick and recapture the same old connection between you, nothing bites. Maybe it was a sign that Charlie was indeed growing up and outgrowing Boystown. Maybe Tristan was a friend lost in leaving the second childhood that the gayboorhood imposed.

And as Charlie watched Tristan regale him with his most outrageous escapades, he was filled with a melancholy guilt. He wouldn't leave Tristan behind. Tristan was growing up in his own right and Charlie wanted to know the man he was becoming and introduce Tristan to the man that he was becoming.

"Hey girl, I see my man over there. I should get going, but... you free on Friday? We should hang, just you and me."

"Oooh! You wanna grab some Jack and Coke Slurpees and judge people walking out of Steamworks? Like old times?"

Charlie chuckled. "How about we grab some dinner and go from there? Like new times."

"Ooh a respectable date!" The Grindr sound came from his back pocket and Charlie laughed.

"Might be a nice change of pace."

"Have you ever met someone off of Grindr and it was more than a hookup?" Tristan asked earnestly.

"Sure. Well tried to anyway."

"Was it... weird?"

Charlie started to put on his coat. "If it's about that guy blowing up your phone, take a chance."

"You think I should?"

"When I was in high school, there was this guy... "

"Seabring. Yeah, I heard this story a million times."

"What have you got to lose? If you've been chatting for a minute and haven't raced to the sheets, maybe it's a good thing. You deserve good things." Charlie gave him a peck on his cheek. "See ya Friday. Can't wait to hear how it goes."

Tristan watched Charlie kiss the handsome shaggy brunette by the door and walk out. For the first time in a long time, Charlie looked really happy. Even happier than when he was with Tom. He wanted that. He checked his phone. It was, indeed, another message from JacksonMaxium:

"Want to meet up?"

Tristan thought about it for a minute. Then he replied back. "Yes."

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Just joining us? Catch up here:

Volume 1 -
Week One, Week Two, Week Three, Week Four, Week Five

Volume 2 -
Week One, Week Two, Week Three, Week Four, Week Five

Volume 3 -
Week One, Week Two, Week Three, Week Four, Week Five

Volume 4 -
Week One, Week Two, Week Three, Week Four, Week Five

Volume 5 -
Week One, Week Two, Week Three, Week Four, Week Five


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