Havin' A Bad Day

“Babe! Where you at?” Jeph called out to his lover after just returning home. His hands ached from hours of beating flour, knees from standing for almost six hours straight. Body breaking down and bones pushing out of his skin, all Jeph wanted at that moment was a hot shower to wash away the dirt and grime of the day. And, possibly another warm body to hold him in the shower, one to make him whimper against the white tiles of the wall as he came all over them. At that moment, all he wanted was Branden next to him, dark hair and eyes filling up his view.
Instead, he found the older man folding clothes into a suitcase on their bed.
“Babe? What are you doing,” Jeph bit his lip nervously, wondering why the man appeared to be packing.
“I’m leaving Jeph.”
“What?” Surprise chilled the air in front of him, icy tones crystallizing in the air.
“There’s a band in Smithfield* that wants me to drum for them.”
His bluntness shocked Jeph, Smithfield being hours away from their home in Orem.
“But…what about me?” Jeph knew it was selfish; knew but didn’t care because it looked like Branden was leaving him.
“You knew we were temporary Jeph. I have to go.” He offered no sign of remorse, no regret as he stood with his bag at his side.
“But I love you,” Jeph’s eyes filled, tears threatening to spill over. The man in front of him was not the man he had fallen in love with.
“Branden…” The door slammed. And Jeph woke up.

Jeph awoke with a start, heart hammering in his chest and a layer of sweat thick on his body. His arms flailed about, trying to find the body that should have been next to him. Light blurred his vision, and he remembered that it was day and Branden wasn’t home. He rubbed his inked skin as he pulled off his shirt, heading for a cold shower to wash away the remnants of a nightmare.

Branden came home a few hours later, tired but excited to tell Jeph all about the hideous dresses he had dry cleaned that day.
“Hey Jeph, come check this out!” He watched as his boyfriend stumbled into the living room of their house. He was shirtless, looking oddly thin and pasty. His hipbones stood out against his baggy pants, belt barely holding them in place.
“Fuck, baby,” Branden held out his arms to the shorter man, arms tight against chilled skin. Branden noticed Jeph’s cracked lips and sunken eyes; asked what was wrong.
“Mmm, s’okay. Couldn’t sleep,” Jeph mumbled against the crook of Branden’s next. Branden picked up the lighter man, holding him close and moving their bodies to the couch. With Jeph curled on his lap, he ran his fingers through his recently shaved head, pushing the wispy ends though his finger tips. Jeph had cut all his dreads off to keep his job and his hair was growing back in soft patches of darkness.
“I keep dreaming…” Jeph trailed off, not wanting to look at Branden. He knew it was silly, knew Branden loved him. But he couldn’t wipe away the insecurity that had risen from his dream.
“We’re gonna make it out, right?” Sad chocolate eyes questioned those above him.
“God, yes, we’re gonna make it out of this town. Is that what you’re worried about?”
Jeph shook his head. He couldn’t make his fear come out, afraid it would become reality. Branden tilted his head up forcing their eyes to lock.
“Why are you freaked out then baby?”
“Do you love me?” The blunt force of the question put Branden at a lose for words before he laughed warmly.
“Of course I do Jepha. Is that what you were doubting? Because if it was…” Chapped lips cut off his sentence, force hard against his own. He moaned as a tongue slipped its way between his lips, coursing its way through his mouth and memorizing every crevice of his mouth ten fold. This was his lover on his lap, heat melting his body into the couch. The lips pulled off and he sighed.
“What was that for?”
Sweet breath on his face whispered, “Had to...” Fingers traced the overly apparent ribs of his love and he sighed softly.
“Have you eaten anything today?”
The younger man bowed his head almost out of shame.
“No, there’s hardly any food left and I didn’t work today, so I wanted to leave it for you.”
Branden sighed again, holding Jeph close as he stood. He forced himself to forget his own worry, instead focusing on taking care of the younger man for a change. It was almost never like this, Branden having his own insecurities that Jeph helped him work out. Jeph was always the secure one, confident and sweet as Branden spilled all his fears to him.
“Come on babe, I’ll make you dinner.”
“But…” Jeph started to protest.
“Stop,” and Branden silenced him with a soft kiss. “I’ll eat too. I’ll share with you, okay?”

As the pair cooked, chatting and kissing lightly, the sun set in the sky behind them. They ate the only thing in the house besides ramen that was in their fridge, a meal for two of mushroom omelets. Jeph cuddled close to Branden on a single kitchen chair. Jeph’s fears were disappearing, instead being replaced with love as he spent more time with Branden. It was an unspoken rule that wherever one went, the other would follow. As the dream made its way out of Jeph’s mind, he returned to his normal self. Branden tickled his sides, sending milk flying out of his nose as he laughed. They stopped their play only for an “I love you” and kiss before standing to wash away the day together. It was at that moment that they realized; things were looking up.