I Wanna Do Bad Things With You

"Th...thank you," he said, sighing softly. "...next time, I'll pay, though, okay?"

Angel smiled at him, and then somewhat sheepishly said, "although it might have to be a more dinner at my place and it's probably crappy takeout kind of night instead, but still."

His smile widened. "Next time? Are we that close already? I mean, I know I'm cute, but that's quite the compliment."

"Wh-" he stuttered, feeling his cheeks turn red. "I just- I mean, I thought people, like...do that sort of thing."

Angel, very clearly, did not. Or at least, had not before.

"I'm just glad I haven't scared you away yet, is all," he said, glancing away from Angel's eyes with a mischievous expression. "I told you, I find it hard to make friends with people with similar interests. Like you." He grabbed their smoothies as they were placed on the counter, handing Angel his. Their fingers brushed together ever so slightly, and he took a long sip of his smoothie, his practiced lips puckered around the straw in a way that could easily be described as suggestive.

Angel reminded himself yet again that he had decided to put his exploration of his sexuality on hold until some other day, something he had been doing for years now, and he forced himself to look away from Cash so he could instead focus on his own smoothie, which tasted particularly good at the moment. Or maybe it was just because it tasted like a distraction?

"I...I know that feeling, so uh, glad we managed," he said, barely looking in Cash's direction.

Cash glanced around the small beverage restaurant, chewing on his cheek.

"Are there any parks nearby? Or a mall or something? I want a place where we can talk a little more freely."

"Uh, there's a park near campus not too far, but it's the only one I really know of, I'm not..." he paused, looking sheepish not for the first time that night. "...not much for the outdoors so."

He laughed. "I mean, we can also go back to your place, if you really hate the outdoors. I just thought that a park might be more casual, first. You don't know me super well, do you? I'd hate to be pushy and scare you off."

Angel bit his lip as he thought about which was worse, having to sit around in the sweltering heat or inviting a guy he barely knew into his apartment. It didn't take long for him to decide.

"My place is fine," he said, shrugging. "It's a dorm and god knows the walls are thin as hell because I can hear the guy next door fucking his girlfriend at all hours of the day so if you try to murder me there's a good chance someone will notice so. I'm not worried."

Cash slapped his knee, almost doubling over with laughter. "Sounds fair, then! And I'll have you know I've been in plenty of stranger's rooms, and the bodies are always alive at least by the time I leave." He nudged Angel with his elbow, winking.

"But I'm not sure if that makes you feel better or worse."

Me neither, Angel thought, but didn't know how to reply properly so he just opted for another long drink of his smoothie.

"It's, uh, it's not far, I'll show you the way," he said.

He flipped through his phone again as they walked, swiping through his new notifications. A sly smile spread across his face.

"...How many dudes who live in your dorms are gay, do you think?" he asked bluntly.

"What?" he asked, frowning slightly. "I...don't know." He thought for a moment, about the people he saw as he went to and from class. "I mean, at least, like, a couple, I guess. I see some of them, sometimes, you know, I guess."

He shrugged.

"...why?" he asked, equal parts curious and suspicious.

"What would you say if I told you there were eleven?" he said, triumphantly showing him his cracked iPhone screen.

"What, really?" he said, grabbing Cash's phone so he could get a closer look. "What, no way!"

Angel points to one in particular. "That's my neighbor and he always has his girlfriend over, I've, like, seen her."

"Really? 'Cuz he just hit me up," he said, swiping through and showing Angel the message. It was less than subtle.

"He's not really my type, but I can definitely figure out once and for all if he likes dudes, if you want."

Angel wrinkled his nose, shaking his head. "N-no, I...uh, I'm pretty sure he likes dudes. I just...must suck for his girlfriend."

He felt kind of bad for her, though he was sure that would be forgotten about when she was screaming right next to his wall while he was trying to sleep.

He shrugged. "To be honest, I'm not a homewrecker, so I don't think I could see him even if I wanted to. I'm more of a casual fun, nobody gets their heart ripped in half kinda guy. At least, you know. Outside of our hobby." He winked, smiling at the injoke he was sure Angel would get.

"Uh, right," he said, still more or less distracted by the thought of his gay next door neighbor. Sooner, rather than later, Angel was opening his door for Cash, ushering him into his room. It was surprisingly neat for a college boy's room. Angel was neat by nature so most everything was where it oughtta be, aside from a few text books and notebooks scattered on his bed and desk. The walls were plastered in wall to wall metal posters and Halloween themed lights illuminated the walls. His bed sheets were black, as was all the furniture in the room. It made the room look drab but that was clearly the intent.

"Sorry it's really small, but you can sit anywhere," he said, motioning to his desk chair or the one next to the window. He tossed his empty smoothie cup in the garbage under his miniature kitchen counter.

Cash sat down on the bed, unlacing his boots. "So this is where the magic happens," he teased. "Looks like a proper HQ for an up and coming demon hunter, I suppose."

"What now?" Angel asked, raising a thick eyebrow as he turned his chair to properly face the bed so they could at least talk like regular people. He hadn't fully processed what Cash had said until he finished what he was doing, at which point he reiterated, "...what?"

"You know," he pressed, gesturing with his large hands. "Our hobby. Demons, ghosts, the supernatural."

"Right," he said, waving his hand as he sat down. "Right, right. No, that stuff is like...my shit. I mean, it's so interesting, there's so much to learn...it's too bad there's no degree for that sort of shit, honestly. I would ace those classes...not so much my geometry one, though."

He laughed. "I agree, I think I'd be more of a college guy if that were the case. But here I am--a drifter. I don't think my father's particularly proud, but he can deal." He sipped at the dregs of his smoothie.

"What are your parents like? Are they cool with everything? Do they know?"

"Uh, well...sort of," he said honestly, idly braiding his long hair into a messy braid. "They're more or less aware of my interest in the occult but...I don't know. They're...I'm not sure. I think they're okay as long as I settle down and decide what I want to do with my degree, but...no luck there."