It was an overstatement to say Garland could tolerate my friends. My camp friends he loved, my more intelligent friends not so much. He detested one friend in particular, a gay guy of twenty four named Gideon. It wasn't the fact that Gideon was exactly like me that bothered him, nor the fact that Gideon's appearance cleverly matched mine, with black hair to his shoulders and a body lean as mine. Gideon's eyes were a sea of crimson and his angular features made an amazing combination with his sallow bone structure.
What made Garland uncomfortable was that Gideon liked me. Never mind that, Gideon adored me and it showed in his actions. The physical contact, the teasing and cuddling me and Gideon did made Garland sick with avarice. Gideon was in love with me and there was no convincing Garland otherwise. I of course had no love for Gideon, but the fact we had "history" didn't help the situation.
I loved Monopoly, and in a desperate attempt to end the one-sided dispute between Garland and Gideon I sat us all around the table one grey Sunday evening to play it. We actually got into it well. After teaching both of them the basics, of course.
I drew a block that forced Gideon into jail, and on his next turn he wrapped his arms around my shoulders offering a kiss in exchange for freedom. Oblivious to how sexual an act this was, I allowed it. I slid my tongue past Gideon's lips and flicked it over all the spots i knew Garland loved, which Gideon seemed to love too. He fought for dominance but allowed my tongue to win, and I slid along the inside of his lips.
In all honesty I felt absolutely no desire for Gideon as a physical partner, but his warm mouth tasted sweet like Garlands, and reminded me of brambles. I bit on his lip and drew the sweet fluid from his body. When we pulled out lips apart, Gideon still rested his arms draped over my shoulders. I looked to Garland with a hint of boredom evident in my gaze.
"It's your turn, babe," I said in a monotone, admittedly I was bored and did get a little excitement from Gideon's actions.
Garland huffed and flipped the table, causing a loud clatter and the board to crack on the floor allowing the hundreds of pieces to scatter, forever lost in the untidy labyrinth of my antique furniture. I stared at Gideon the ran upstairs after Garland, expecting Gideon to absolutely not make his way out.
"What the fuck is wrong?!" I asked, closing the bedroom door behind me. Everything in the room was my design, black wallpaper with inscriptions, guitars lining the walls and candles to light when it became dark outside. Traces of Garland existed, but the place was decorated to reflect myself. My house, after all.
Garland looked up at me, a tear-stricken face making his glasses foggy. His eyeliner was running and he looked defeated. I sighed and sat down beside him, gently bringing him to rest his head on my chest. I shouldn't have raised my voice. I stroked his hair to soothe him.
"I'm sorry to talk like that. Trust me. But please, what's wrong? Did I do something wrong?"
"You kissed someone!" Garland snapped "you kissed another man in front of me and let him fondle you like it's nothing! Do I need to be worried?"
"Oh...." I realised why he wouldn't like it. I hadn't thought.
"But you see, to me it is nothing. It's nothing because I've never thought of him like that. Only your fondles and kisses matter because you're the only one I love. His don't matter to me, they're simply amusing,"
He wasn't satisfied with my answer, I'd said being touched my Gideon amused me, and to him that meant i liked it. Why was he so paranoid anyway? I would never be unfaithful.
"If it makes you feel any better, I'll never let him do it again. Or any other man for that matter. I love you and I never want to lose you, you're the most important thing in my life. I'll do anything to make you happy Garland,"
Garland wiped away his tears and smiled his warm smile at me. I smiled back and then wiped the fog from his glasses, causing them to glare. I lay down on the bed pulling my arms up, displaying my shamelessly shirtless state in all my non existent glory. Garland traced my ribs and scars laying his head on my chest again, then pulled back up.
