Those Eyes, That Mouth

My roommate’s not even my type.

The day we met he was wearing Tretorns and a rugby shirt. Bless his heart. But he had every Anne Rice on his bookshelf, Love and Rockets on CD, and the stereo to do it justice, and I thought, Okay. Maybe…

Two months later I know the look on his face when a song destroys him. But I promised myself I’d never be the pathetic gay guy pining for his straight friend.

Tonight we’re going to a Halloween concert dressed as Louis and Lestat. I’ve spent the last hour on Nathan’s makeup — pale base with blue veins, dark eyeliner, red lipstick — my hands shaking the whole time and hoping he didn’t notice.

Somewhere between the Cocteau Twins on the turntable and a shared cigarette on his bottom bunk and the moment our faces were closer than they’d ever been, my reasons for keeping my distance have started to feel a lot like excuses.

The show changes everything. Not the way I wanted.
Now I can’t be here when he gets back.
My trunk is open. My drawers are empty. I’m packing in the middle of the night.

Those Eyes, That Mouth is a slow burn, roommates-to-lovers, both-pining MM romance — one night that changed everything, set in 1987, written and narrated by the author. The first novella in the Cool Town series, it can be read as a standalone.