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“You’re—” Daniel blinked.
“That’s right. I’m not long for this world.” Minty gave a feral, rageful grin. “So if I get taken out doing what I love most—getting fucked—so be it.”
“Minty—”
“Fuck off,” he sneered, glaring at me, Daniel, and Barry. “I don’t have to explain myself to you. I can do what I want, when I want, with who I want. Don’t you get it? I have nothing to lose. Nothing at all, anymore.”
“You don’t have to punish yourself,” Daniel said, his voice gravelly. “This isn’t healthy. If you’re positive, if you’re sick, then this—rough sex—is that much worse for you. The infection possibilities alone! You can get tears and… Minty, please. If you’re positive, if that’s true—”
“You think I’d lie about something like this?”
“—you should be treating yourself with love, with tenderness and care.” Daniel reached out once more, but Minty evaded his touch again.
“Like how you treat Peter?”
“Yes.”
“Pfft.” He lifted a brow. “You haven’t even fucked Peter.”
“Minty—”
“Why? Because it should be special? Because it should be tender and sweet? Jesus, this glorification of penetrative sex isveryheterosexual of you.”
“This isn’t about—”
“Oh, isn’t it? At least a little? You and Peter haven’t evenfucked. Like you’re both some sweet little virgins instead of the horny gay men you are! Screw that! I’d never want that!”
“Minty, this is a distraction. What Peter and I have or haven’t done has nothing to do with—”
“It does! It has everything to do with it! Have you ever had someone fuck you blind while they choke you out? Because if you haven’t, and you don’t want that, then you can’tbeginto talk to me about what I should or shouldn’t be doing with my body now that I’m dying. Got it?”
“You’re not—”
“Shut up! I’m as good as dead!” Minty yelled, spinning on his heel and heading for the stairs again. “Fuck this!”
Daniel started to follow, but Barry grabbed his arm. “No. Don’t. Let me handle it.”
Daniel tugged his arm away. “He won’t listen to you. He only listens to me.”
“He isn’t listening to you now,” Barry pointed out. “Trust me.” Barry locked up the register and tossed his apron on the bar. “I’ll handle this. If the boss asks where I am, I’m taking my break. I’ll be back in plenty of time before Pearly’s show.”
We watched Barry hustling down the stairs like a man on a mission.
“Wow,” I said, sitting down on a barstool. My knees didn’t want to hold me up any longer.
Daniel sat down next to me, leaning against the bar and burying his head in his arms. “I fucked that up so bad he’s probably on the way to that Kyle asshole’s dorm to get beaten to a pulp.”
“Barry’s on it,” I said, stroking his back. “He said to trust him.”
Daniel nodded. “I guess.” A big swallow and then he choked out, “So. He’s positive…”
“Yeah.”
“Fuck.”
“I know,” I whispered and shook my head.
“This doesn’t have to be a death sentence for him,” Daniel said, sitting up straight again. “If he takes care of himself, if he starts on AZT when the time comes—I can pay for it. I’m getting a lot from the settlement with the company—and if he doesn’t put undue wear and tear on his body, then he can live—” His throat seemed to close up on him and tears filled his eyes. “Well, he doesn’t have to die. Rightaway.”
