“Hey William, you here?”
“Woah you’re home? Yeah um – shit I’m not wearing-”
I come into the kitchen and we catch each-other off guard. “Oh! Yeah you’re not wearing pants,” I chuckle.
“Gah, sorry, Patrick, I didn’t realize you’d back so early.” He blushed, holding his tank top over his crotch. It’s not long enough and pulling it down has exposed his pectorals.
I feel a flash of envy at his muscular body. “It’s alright, we’re both guys anyway.” I shrug.
“Yeah… that’s true. It just um, well it’s kinda sore so it feels better to just not wear pants.” He’s blushing even harder now and looking at the ground.

“Wait…Will, are you telling me? Did he -?”
“Yeah,” Will gives a sheepish smile, “He did.”
“Ohh he finally pierced you! Congrats. I know this is weird, but can I see?”
My roommate shifts foot to foot then lifts his tank top enough for me to see the tip. “See? Right through the foreskin.”
“Oh wow. That’s a pretty ring. Did it hurt?”
“It hurt so bad! But it was over in a second. Daddy said he was really proud of me.”
I long ago got over my uncomfortableness with him using that term to describe his significant other. Adult discipline relationships were completely foreign to me but I tried to be understanding. “So things must be going well hm?

Will covers himself again and smiles. "Yeah they’re going well. Really well. His lease expires in four months, we’re talking about perhaps moving in together.”
“You’re over there all the time anyway.”
“This is true. I dunno Patrick… I feel so comfortable around him. I love his presence in my life. Plus now, there’s this. I feel kinda warm inside when I think about it. He’s been such a positive force in my life. I’m happy he still wants to mark me, to make me his.”
“Aww, Will, you are so lucky to have someone like that. I hope to meet a girl one day that appreciates me half as much.”
“Oh! That reminds me…” Will scurries off in an awkward waddle.
“What?” I asked, setting my stuff down on the kitchen table.
He came back wearing a pair of loose shorts. “Here. The piercing girl was cute. She had a Young Frankenstein tattoo. I got her name and number for you.”
“Oh sweet! Thanks Will, you’re the greatest.”
He beams. “Call her.”
“I plan to. You know, I have a really long tank top I never wear cause it’s too long. You look really uncomfortable – you want that tank top so you can take off your shorts?”
“God yes,” he groans. “It’s so sore!”
I chuckle. “Poor Will. Love hurts.”

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Text is fictional. I think this is Czech model Martin Gardavský.