“There’s always Himbos,” Kaiden said with a shrug.
Rus quirked a brow, raising his eyebrow piercing. The curiosity softened his gloomy face.
“It’s the gay bar,” Kaiden explained. “Semi queer but mostly gay.”
“Meaning?” Rus asked.
“Meaning they do like Sapphic Sunday brunches and karaoke for all on Wednesday night, but they’re pushing twinks, leather, poppers, and gloryholes in everyone’s faces.”
“Plus, all the tourism,” Dylan added.
“Tourism?” Rus asked, his face looking even more confused than a second ago.
“Straight girls looking to dance and not get hit on,” Kaiden elaborated. “Straight guys looking for free drinks and easy targets from girls who just came to dance.”
Dylan nodded with an exasperated sigh. “And the annoying couples looking to show they’re adventurous.”
Kaiden chuckled. “Exactly.”
They weren’t usually adventurous. They just wanted to stare at the gays like exotic animals on display. That was the key distinction between an ally and a tourist in Kaiden’s mind. The number of times Kaiden had been told to ‘slay’ by a supportive drunk woman was innumerable. Not to mention, there was always one woman who teasingly warned the gay boys not to flirt with her man, as if either of them were worth anyone’s time of day.
“Never been,” Rus replied. “It’s twenty-one and up, I think, and I only recently turned twenty-one.”
“You just turned twenty-one?” Kaiden asked, feigning shock.
“And no fake I.D.?” Dylan tsked. “A lawbreaker like you.”
Rus snorted. “You punch one douchebag and suddenly…”
Kaiden side-eyed Rus, green eyes catching the light. “I heard it was waaaay more than one.”
Rus counted on his fingers, then gave a sly smile. “Still single digits. I’m pretty sure.”
“Well, now that you’re finally all grown up, you’re going to have to check it out.”
“I’m plenty grown.”
“Uh-huh.” Kaiden nodded, mockingly, playfully, he wasn’t quite sure, but the teasing brought a grin to his face.
Rus scoffed. “And how old are you?”
“You never ask an elder gay their age.” Kaiden pressed his hands to his chest, dramatically playing offended.
“Twenty-four.” Dylan shot Kaiden a judgy look.
“Practically a baby yourself,” Rus said, then turned his hazel eyes onto Dylan. “So, that makes you the oldest?”
“Ooof.” Dylan cupped his hand over his heart. “You wound me.”
“I mean, twenty-six,” Kaiden said with a shrug. “You should be applying for gay senior citizenship pretty soon.”
“You are toxic.”
“The best boys are.” Kaiden batted his eyes, feeling feisty the more they bantered.
“Did you do anything fun?” Dylan asked, turning his attention back to Rus. “Since you just turned twenty-one.”
“Clearly not,” Kaiden said.
