Clang (15 page)

Chase didn't know how to explain how much that made his fear grow. Weirdly, knowing that Jackson was capable of beating the crap out of his uncle didn't make him feel better. It actually made things worse.

Now he knew Jackson was capable of the same as Jerry. But Jackson would never, ever lay into him with words or with fists...

Chase shivered again and swallowed hard, closing his eyes so as not to let Jackson see the fear that returned and knotted his breathing.

Don't let on. Don't ever let that on.

At last, he had a good thing going. Nobody wanted to date someone who was afraid of him.

Chase smiled and laughed all afternoon. They quickly finished the bottle of wine. They watched TV for a while, cooked pasta for supper, and then split another bottle of wine...

Jackson didn't buy it for a second. Those few seconds of fearful glances had told far more than Chase suspected.

Jackson had expected to hear this sometime. He hadn't expected to confront it firsthand, but some of Chase's mannerisms had made him wonder from the beginning.

He'd told the truth when he said to Chase that he didn't pity him. He was also pissed as
hell
at his family – or former family – for making him feel like this. But even those few moments of anger had startled Chase and made him withdraw.

So, Jackson decided to stay calm and play along with Chase's too-rapidly improved mood. He let him have at least a shred of his pride. This was reality for a lot of kids his own age, even more older, and still many younger. It made Jackson sick and angry, but there was precious little he could do about it.

“You know, since you're over here...” Chase smirked once the second bottle was gone – most of it into his glass. He scooted closer, running his hand up Jackson's thigh.

Normally, Jackson would have laughed and leaned into the touch, but something felt off.

“Feeling horny again? It's not just the wine talking?” he teased, resting his hand on Chase's shoulder instead of his hip or worse.

Chase winked. “Well, I gotta give you something worth fighting for.”

Jackson had been cool and collected all day, but that line made Jackson freeze.

Shit. Chase was used to trading sex for protection, wasn't he? “Did your ex take you in before or after you left?”

Chase looked confused at the question. “After. It was just a place to stay and sex first, and then we started dating,” he drawled, his speech a little slurred. “Why?”

Jackson bit his lip. This looked a lot like a pattern. He had to be careful around Chase. “You ever worry he'd kick you out if you didn't do things for him?”

Chase pulled his hand back from Jackson's thigh. He looked like he resented the question, but he wouldn't meet Jackson's gaze, either. “Yeah.”

“It's not like that with me,” Jackson shook his head. He let that hang in the air for a few seconds. The words were worthless, but eventually, he'd prove them. Over time. “You should get to bed. Early night for the drunk, hm?”

Chase nodded, and Jackson helped him up to his feet. He steered Chase into the bedroom and flicked on the bedside light. Then, he sat him firmly down on the bed before pulling off his t-shirt.

“Mm, baby,” Chase breathed out through the semi-darkness. He yanked his jeans off, kicking them free.

Jackson leaned in to press a gentle kiss on his shoulder, then his cheek. He pulled back the covers for Chase. “Not tonight.”

Chase groaned. “But sleeping with you... is gonna be hard otherwise.”

“I'm sleeping on the couch,” Jackson told him softly. Once Chase was under the covers, he pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Night, Chase.”

“Night,” Chase murmured. Though he clearly wanted to protest Jackson's decision, he was exhausted. His eyes shut as fast as that.

Jackson watched Chase for a few more moments. When he didn't stir, Jackson rose to his feet, turned off the lamp, and tugged the covers up around Chase's shoulders.

He checked the bedroom window lock, then all the other windows. He had no idea how bad this family was, and he didn't intend to give them any chances at Chase.

Charlie?
For the first time, he had a moment to think about that name he'd heard. Clearly, Chase didn't like it. Maybe he'd changed his name when he ran away.

Jackson sighed and checked the door lock twice, then circled the living room. He checked all the window locks, then the balcony door. They were on the third floor, but it still seemed prudent.

He crashed on the couch, turning onto his side and pulling one of the couch cushions beneath his head.

Chase needed a safer place to stay. If his family knew where he was, they could track him down and harass him when he wasn't around. That guy, Jerry, had already hinted as much.

The solution was obvious, but there was one problem. The solution: Chase could move in with him. The problem: Chase might feel obligated, even subconsciously, to have sex for protection. Just like his ex. That final piece of the puzzle was in place now, too. Jackson wasn't having any of that.

But Jackson had to do
something
to help his new boyfriend.

He barely remembered drifting off to sleep.

***

When he stirred, Jackson heard quiet sounds from the kitchen. He cracked open his eyes, rubbing them and stretching. “Oh, man...” His back was gonna kill him later.

“Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you.”

Chase looked bedraggled, but not hungover. He was putting on toast. “S'okay,” Jackson murmured. “No hangover?”

“I don't usually get them,” Chase shook his head. “Want toast?”

“Sure.”

Jackson gingerly sat up and stretched, trying to chase the kinks from his back. Meanwhile, Chase put on and buttered two slices of toast. He came to sit next to him on the couch.

Jackson took his plate of toast before he leaned in to kiss his forehead. “Feeling all right?”

Chase nodded, working his jaw around with a sheepish look on his face as he stared at his toast. “Yeah, yeah, I'm okay. I'm sorry you had to, you know... deal with all that.”

“It's nothing to be sorry about,” Jackson shook his head. “I was thinking, though...”

“Yeah?”

Jackson nibbled the crust off his toast. “Well... Your family knows where you live now, right?”

“Yeah,” Chase winced.

“And I take it that's not a good thing.”

“That's... not really, no.”

Jackson licked his lips. “If you'd feel safer elsewhere, I have lots of room. You could move in with me. Just for a few days, or weeks, or however long it takes to find a new place, or to drive your uncle out of town...” he trailed off, then crunched the rest of his toast and set the plate aside. He said around the toast, “S'totally up to you.”

Chase looked stunned. “You... you wouldn't mind?”

“Course not!” Jackson squeezed Chase's knee. “I mean, at least I can help you get a restraining order or break your lease, or whatever you have to do. I just... I can't let you face this alone.”

Chase was giving him a funny look, and Jackson couldn't quite place it at first. It took him a minute to realize that it was shock and... deep gratitude. Chase's expression was soft and warm. His eyes flickered back and forth between Jackson's.

“Thanks,” Chase finally murmured. He set aside his own half-eaten toast and leaned in for a hug.

Jackson was happy to squeeze him, pressing his cheek against Chase's. “It's all right. We'll work things out.”

Chase nodded silently, and Jackson heard his breathing hitch before it smoothed out again.

I suppose this can't be solved by me finding him and beating the shit out of him
. If only it were that easy.

“Just one thing,” Jackson murmured, pulling back. “Something you said last night.”

Chase winced. “Embarrassing?”

“No. Just that you... used to worry about your ex, um... kicking you out.”

Chase's eyes widened, his lips parting before he tried to hide his surprise. He didn't go around blurting that out to everyone. “Right?”

“I don't want you feeling like I'm taking advantage of you. I'm... not comfortable with us having sex while you're relying on me for shelter.”

Chase looked stunned. “Oh.”

“Is that... a problem?”

Chase slowly shook his head. “I mean, I'm gonna be horny as fuck, but...”

“Not saying I won't be, too,” Jackson laughed. “Just for the first week or something, until we're both settled. I just... I feel uncomfortable with it is all.”

Chase nodded. “No, I think I get why. When you put it that way... it
does
sound a bit...” he trailed off.

Jackson didn't want to fill in
manipulative
while Chase was thinking through his past. Instead, he clapped Chase's knee again and squeezed. “'kay? We good?”

“We're good,” Chase confirmed. For the first time since they'd seen Jerry, his shoulders were down and his breathing was easy. If not completely carefree, he at least looked grounded again. His lips even curved up in a beautiful smile that crept over his lips.

When he leaned into kiss Jackson, Jackson slipped his arm around Chase's shoulder. He kissed him gently in return.

You're worth fighting for.

It might be a lifelong task to get Chase to see that, but Jackson didn't mind one bit.

“I'll be back in... forty minutes or so,” Jackson promised, squeezing Chase's hand. “I'll just grab moving boxes and my truck and we'll get your important stuff moved over to my place today.”

Chase squeezed back, then let go. He pulled open the door to his apartment. “Okay. Thanks. See you in a bit.”

“Stay here until I get back, okay?”

“Yeah,” Chase laughed under his breath.
That
wasn't a problem. He wasn't unlocking the door for anyone after the close call they'd had last night.

Jackson leaned in and down the couple inches that separated them to peck his lips. He headed out to the elevator with another wave.

After waving back, Chase let the door close and locked it, then leaned against it.

This was all happening so fast. Since Jackson had suggested moving in with him, they'd only needed a couple minutes to discuss it. When they'd agreed he should move in with Jackson today, Jackson had sprung into action.

Chase could tell he liked having a plan, and a way to help. He was grateful that Jackson was so determined to help keep him safe. He still felt weirdly squirmy inside about having someone else – another guy, no less – shelter him from his family. He'd hoped he was man enough to stand up to them himself, but... when he'd tried, he'd just shut down.

Chase was fulfilling everything they'd predicted, and he hated it.

He shook his head, rubbing a hand down his face. “Just shut up,” he muttered to himself. He strode to the bedroom to choose a pile of clothes he'd bring. In the bathroom, he packed up his essentials. The kitchen was his next stop, to bring perishable foods and alcohol.

It took less time than he'd expected to gather everything worth bringing. After all, he didn't have a lifetime of trinkets to sort through. He'd done this twice now, and every time, he lost more and more excess stuff. He was a minimalist, but by force, not choice.

Chase shivered when he grabbed his bag of sex supplies: condoms, lube, a couple toys. He'd need those if Jackson held out on him.

Not that he blamed him. Part of him – a large part of him, actually – was relieved that Jackson had laid down that ground rule from the start.

That meant more to him than all the empty words in the world.

But what if Chase scared him off by being his usual flirtatious, sexual self? He hardly knew how to relate to men except with sex. As much as a problem as he knew that was, it had worked more or less fine for him in the past. Now he was going to have to get to know his boyfriend by living with him before he slept with him again. It was gonna be downright weird.

Living with his boyfriend. God, it had been a while since he'd done that. After fleeing his ex, Will, he'd lived in crappy Ontario apartments before escaping out here. It had gotten bad enough he'd considered adopting a cat just to keep him company. But he'd never felt responsible enough to have one.

Jackson's knock interrupted his reverie.

Chase lit up with a sudden grin. He'd thought of the possibility that it was Jackson
before
worrying that it was his family. Something had changed.

Sure enough, the peephole showed him it was his boyfriend. Jackson's muscled arms wrapped around an armful of flattened boxes. He had a roll of packing tape in one hand, his car keys dangling from a finger.

Chase hastily unlocked the door and yanked it open. “I'm already packed.”

“Great,” Jackson grinned. He stepped sideways through the door to toss the boxes on the floor in the living room. “This won't take much time, then. When do you work?”

“One PM. Then class right after that.”

Jackson checked his phone. “Oh yeah, we'll be fine by then. Do you think this is enough boxes? I have more in the truck.”

“Oh, yeah.” The half-dozen identical, flattened boxes looked like more than enough room.

***

As small as the five filled boxes had looked in the middle of his living room, they looked even smaller in Jackson's guest room.

Chase grimaced at the stack of boxes in the corner of the room. It was a beautiful enough room next to Jackson's master bedroom, but... it wasn't where he wanted to be. He squared his jaw, prepared to argue. “I can do the no-sex thing, but... I'd rather stay in your room at night.”

Jackson's arms slipped around his waist. “Okay.”

“Okay?” Chase blinked. That was easy. He leaned into Jackson's chest and rested his head against his shoulder.

Jackson rubbed his back. “That's fair. We'll just use this room to store your stuff. I'm renovating my master to include this space anyway, and then we'll have more than enough room.”

Chase nodded. He wanted to sink into Jackson's arms and make out on the couch to forget the stress, but work called. “It's almost noon, isn't it?”

“Mmhmm. I'll make you a quick lunch before you go.”

Chase's chest felt warm. He was well cared for. “Thank you.”

“Get changed or unpacked or whatever you wanna do,” Jackson instructed. He kissed the top of Chase's head. “Come downstairs when you're ready.”

Chase grabbed his shoulder to keep him close, then leaned in to brush their lips together. The kiss was so light it was almost teasing. Jackson's eyes closed and he leaned into it. After a few more moments, Chase pulled back. “Okay.”

“Mm.” Jackson smiled, then pulled away again to head downstairs.

Lunch turned out to be homemade creamy chicken pasta. Chase polished off his bowl without thinking twice about it. It was so much better than the boxed stuff. Jackson was as good in the kitchen as he was in bed.

When Chase told him as much, Jackson laughed richly and stood up to gather their dishes. “Get to work, you,” he teased. “Want me to drive you?”

For the first time since last night, Chase felt safe. He shook his head. He could deal with one little walk to work, especially since his family didn't know he was here. “I'll be fine.”

“Text me when you get there, okay? And before you leave to walk home.”

Jackson's worry for him was adorable, and Chase glowed as he nodded. “I will.”

“See you later. Have a good day.”

This
was what Chase had missed about living with someone. He bit his lip and nodded. “You too.” It was the hardest thing to pull himself away from the table and grab his shoes to head out the door. Stalkers or not, they both had work to do. He couldn't pull Jackson away for days on end, and Floyd expected him to be on time.

Though he kept his fist curled around his keys in his pocket for the walk to work, he didn't see any familiar faces. By the time he got to the tattoo shop, Chase was a little more relaxed.

“Hey, Floyd.”

“Hey, man.” Floyd was just seeing out a customer who'd gotten a fresh tattoo, and Chase tried to steal a peek. Already bandaged, though. “You have a good day. Call me if there's any complications, right?”

“Okay.”

Floyd turned his attention to Chase. “How's it going?”

If only you knew.
Chase laughed under his breath. “Uh, not bad. You?”

“All right.” The door closed behind the customer, and Floyd looked at him. “Had some guy in here asking about you.”

Chase's stomach sank. He curled his hands into fists again.
There's only a couple shops in town. It's easy enough to find me. He probably just went to each one.
“Right...”

“He looked a little shifty though. I told him nobody by that description worked here. He brought a couple photos that looked a lot like your work.”

Chase could tell he was expected to spill the beans. He sighed, walking up to the counter despite his instincts telling him to flee or freeze. “Yeah. They probably were. Thanks, man.”

“You're welcome. That was the right thing to do – say you weren't here?”

Chase nodded.

“So?” Floyd raised his eyebrows, then jerked his chin in a silent command to tell him what that was about.

“Uh... A few people I don't wanna find are trying to find me,” Chase told him. Even as he said it, it sounded melodramatic and he cringed. “Just family stuff.”

Floyd paused, his eyes narrowing. “This about the same thing as before? You gone to the cops?”

Chase shook his head. “I'm taking steps of my own.”
Like... fencing? That won't protect me. I'd never be able to actually wield a weapon against my own flesh and blood. Moving in with Jackson? More like running away.

Floyd nodded slowly. “Just don't run off on me, all right? If you need help, I'll figure out something with you.”

“Yeah. Thanks,” Chase murmured and pushed himself away from the counter to get to work.

Floyd clapped his arm. “Welcome. So, we got a couple new bookings...”

As Floyd filled him in on their upcoming clients, Chase's mind wandered.

Maybe Floyd was right. Maybe all he was doing was running. Sooner or later, he had to face his own problems and tell them to fuck off once and for all.