Page 2 of Taken By the Lord of the Nocturne Court

Kurt’s busy texting, most likely with his new girlfriend, so I grab a mop and get to work. It’s time for penance. At least the clock is ticking, which means I’m closer and closer to leaving this hell hole.

“Do you want to go on a double date with me and Daria?” Kurt asks with a smile. I don’t know how, but on him, even the ugly uniform looks attractive. Maybe it’s because his shoulders are broader than mine? Though I’m pretty sure his golden retriever smile and shiny blue eyes help elevate the outfit too. I would hook up with him if he wasn’t so painfully heterosexual.

I lean against the mop. “How would that be a double date?”

“You and Larry?”

“Larry…” I drift off, confused until the disastrous date from a week ago pops into my head. Instead of fucking me, like a normal person, Larry spent three hours talking about himself and asked me a total of two questions. Yes, I did count. “Oh, Larry! God no, I’ve only been on one date with him, and that was definitely enough for me.” It wasn’t even supposed to be a date, but he roped me in by offering food and then I felt too awkward to refuse him conversation.

Kurt’s smile turns into a pout. With a face like his though, it’s no wonder he’s never without a girlfriend despite barely making his rent every month and needing rides to work. “I’m so sorry, dude.”

I raise my eyebrows. “Nothing to be sorry about, I’ll be happy to never see him again. I don’t know why I bother dating. I’m not looking to get married. I just want to have a good time every now and then. It’s not like I’ll be finding my Prince Charming in this dump anyway.”

“Now that’s just depressing, man. You gotta give people a chance, get to know them.” Kurt says but doesn’t seem too convinced himself as his blue eyes search mine for confirmation. At least he’s aware he doesn’t know the first thing about gay dating. “This one time, I met a girl who looked all preppy and shit, but then it turned out she did heroin every weekend.”

I don’t know what the conclusion is supposed to be, so I just stare at him. “That has literally no application to my situation.”

Kurt shrugs. “Just sayin’. Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

Like he’s ever read a book in his life.

I get on with the mopping, because I need to do something with the pent-up energy after such an agitating conversation. He doesn’t get that not everyone is a serial monogamist. I don’t want a relationship. I don’t want to engage in any mushy feelings, buy Valentine’s cards, or plan a future with some other guy while we both look at the stars. A dirty quickie in the back of a car has always been good enough for me.

“My relationship status isn’t all that interesting and this county isn’t exactly a bustling metropolis filled with eligible gay bachelors.”

Kurt groans, leaning against the counter. “But I’m invested in my gay best friend!” We’re work colleagues at best, but whatever. “You could be one half of the kind of adorable gay couple who get a dog together and make him little outfits. You could even have him be the ringbearer at your wedding. I could be your best man. I bet you’d make bank as an Instagram couple.”

He doesn’t specify how that would come about. I’m pretty sure he hasn't given much thought to the future he imagines for me, but I do kinda like Kurt, so I don’t want to grill him about it. “I’m twenty-one. I’m not getting gay married just so you can say you were a best man at a gay wedding.”

“That’s homophobic, Luke. You get ‘married’, not‘gaymarried’.”

I’m about to school him thatI’mgay and therefore I can call it whatever I want, but I end up letting it go. It’s too cute that he’s such a big dopey ally.

Straight guys have it so easy. There’s an endless supply of amazing women, and all they have to do is be a half-decent human being to attract one.

Then again… maybe that’s my problem with guys? MaybeI’mnot a half-decent human being. A quarter at best. But I don’t want to date anyway so it doesn’t matter. You don’t have to be nice to get laid.

I mop the ugly tiles with more vigor as I ponder whetherI’mthe problem.

Kurt eyes me suspiciously. “Is it ‘cause you want your guy to be goth, rocker, or whatever? You have to look beyond the superficial.”

Do I? Do I ‘have to’? I don’t have to do shit. I need to pay my mother rent and afford my own groceries. Beyond that, I’m notobligatedto anything, especially not dating. I was done being compliant when they kicked me out of boarding school in spectacular fashion.

I keep my thoughts to myself when Marty passes across the room, leaving dark footprints on the floor I’ve just cleaned.

“I’ll be back in an hour or so. Don’t burn the place down!” he says in a cheerful voice.

I give him the smile he wanted to see so badly, but as soon as he’s out, I take off my cap to scratch my head. My hair used to be all green, but it’s grown out a lot since the last time I had spare cash to dye it, so now it’s dark brown on top, fading into green at the ends. Shorter at the front and with lots of layers, it is a shaggy mess that barely reaches my shoulders.

I hoped the earlier topic was forgotten, but the moment Marty leaves, Kurt is right back at it. “You should let me set you up. I know this one guy. He’s a drummer in a band, and you know what they say about drummers…” Kurt wiggles his eyebrows.

“What do they say…?” I pretend not to know, just to mess with him.

He groans in exasperation. “That they’re good with rhythm, so— Never mind! Want a blind date or not? I’ll make sure he wears black.”

My heartbeat picks up in panic. “What? No!”

Kurt stops typing on his phone and sighs. “You’re hopeless. The Prince of Darkness himself could walk through the door right now and you’d give him the cold shoulder ‘cause his horns are uneven.”