Nando sat on Gus’s
bed, watching as his best friend sorted through the depressing area of bland,
discount clothing that constituted his wardrobe.
“She said casual.”
Gus was visible frustrated as he sorted through the shirts, each a different
variation of gray, black or mossy green.
“A date is never
casual.” Nando waved his hand
dismissively. “A date, a true date, is the opposite of casual. It is a finely tuned dance, a mating
ritual. The first step is
presentation.”
Behind the snark and
advice, Nando was bubbling inside. Gus
was going on a date. How long had he
waited for this day to come? It was like his baby was growing up and leaving
the nest.
Nando stood, walking
slowly towards the closet, eyeing the drab T-shirts. Everything was so monotone that it seemed to
blend together. No wonder Gus had seemed
so depressed. His life completely and totally
lacked any form of color.
A flash of dark
purple caught his eye. He brushed past
his roommate, reaching into the closet, and pulling out a long sleeved button
up. It was a little wrinkled, but the
color was perfect. Not too bright, but
not so overtly masculine that it seemed daring.
“Here,” Nando thrust
the shirt at Gus. “This is it. This. Is.
The one.”
Gus looked at the
shirt. “Where did that come from?”
“I gave it to you
last Christmas.” Nando narrowed his eyes.
“I knew it would come in handy some day.”
There was a rustling
in the background. Nando could see Missy
pacing back and forth outside of the bedroom, her arms crossed over her chest,
her mouth in a severe pout. She looked
like a spoiled child throwing a tantrum.
“What’s with Touched
by an Angel over there?”
“Honestly? No clue.”
Gus took the shirt and walked towards the dresser mirror. “She says Regina is evil, or something.”
“No or something.”
Missy’s voice boomed into the room. “She
is evil!”
“Are we talking
bitchy, queen bee evil, or Exorcist evil?” Nando glanced at Missy as she passed
by the room.
“Exorcist!” Missy
held up her fingers next to her head, mimicking a pair of horns. “So don’t come
running to me when she starts spitting green slime and trying to swallow your
soul.”
Nando shook his
head. At least she was
entertaining.
He pulled a black shirt out of the closet, and tossed it towards Gus. “Put this on under.”
Gus didn’t say
anything. He caught the shirt, tossed it
on the bed, then slipped off the sweater he had been wearing.
Nando turned his
head, his cheeks growing just the tiniest bit warm at the sight of Gus without
his shirt on.
He would never admit
it to anyone, but he had always carried a little torch for his roommate. It was never anything serious, and he fully
understood that Gus was straight, but still, that flame was there.
He looked out the
doorway, and caught Missy looking at him.
The littlest angel was smirking at him.
He narrowed his eyes
and mouthed the words shut it .
Missy just threw her
hands up, and resumed her pacing.
“So, how do I look?”
Nando turned his
attention back to his roommate. “You
look… very handsome.”
“You sound like my
mother right before she would try and slick down a cowlick with spit.” Gus grimaced.
Nando approached
him, doing his best to clean up Gus’s sloppy presentation. Then, just for the hell of it, Nando licked
his fingers, and smoothed down a stray curl that had popped up on the top of his
roommate’s head.
“You look like a
real heartbreaker.” Nando gave Gus a gentle clap on the shoulder.
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