he smooches jim, only to distract him from the fact that he's stealing his taco.
he’s taken by surprise, a small gasp turning into a giggle. he smiles against toby’s lips, their breath awful and jim’s mouth still filled with half-chewed taco.
he is happy here. he thinks maybe it is the first time he has ever been truly happy, no conditions hanging over his head, no age-old promises he needs to keep. he is aware, always, of the amulet that sits in his bookbag, the horngazel. he is aware, always, of the boy he was, the boy who brought him here, the boy who did everything in his power to make his home feel like a home and not just an empty space. he loves his mother, but it always felt as though he were making up for something. even his joys arose from his pains. and now he is pursuing his dream, studying culinary arts in upstate cali.
it is midday, tuesday. he and toby both have a lunch break between classes at this hour, and a quick gyre trip between them. the golden sun beats down on them, catches on toby’s hair like an oak in autumn. jim has his jacket thrown over the back of his chair, the california spring warm on his bare arms. he puts a hand on toby’s chest and pushes him back, still grinning. “ you can’t even wait for me to finish chewing ? ” he says, but the exasperation in his voice is exaggerated.
he swallows his taco and leans in again for another messy kiss, laughing against toby’s mouth. it is only when he goes to take another bite that he realizes his taco is missing.
