Page 5 of Zero Confusion

“Why did you stay here?” Miles asked.

Zach wouldn’t insult him by continuing to pretend it was about classes, so he went with a half-truth.

“Didn’t really want to see my family.” He shrugged and changed the subject. “Should we get an early dinner? You must be starving.”

Miles nodded enthusiastically, and Zach was grateful he didn’t push. The topic of his family would definitely come up again, but he was safe for now.

They walked five blocks to Zach’s favorite hole-in-the-wall taco joint and grabbed a corner table. Miles bounced with excitement, carefully studying the flimsy paper menu as if it held the secrets of the universe.

“There’s too many choices,” he complained without looking up.

Zach grinned and waited until the server was at their table, then ordered the large sharing platter, immediately rewarded with Miles’s grateful smile.

It was the least he could do, and he planned on doing much more. Miles was here, on his turf, and Zach couldn’t wait to share everything he loved about Portland with his best friend. Partly because he felt the need to show Miles how amazing the city could be, to justify his desire to stay, but the main reason came from a much purer place.

For as long as he could remember, he’d always wanted to share everything good in his life with Miles.

After working their way through the pile of tacos while chatting about Miles’s family and life at the Carter farm, Zach leaned back in the rickety chair and checked the time.

“You gotta go home and study?” Miles asked, not missing the gesture.

Zach grimaced. He wished he could spend all his time with Miles, but he couldn’t drop the classes without losing his scholarship. “Yeah, I’ve got a ton of reading for Monday.”

Miles nodded, picking up the last taco and offering it to Zach. When Zach shook his head, Miles bit into it with gusto.

“I can make you a list of stuff to check out in the city,” Zach offered apologetically. “Touristy stuff or clubs, whatever you’re in the mood for.”

Miles stopped chewing. “What are you talking about?”

“Well, I stay in most nights to do homework, so I can’t tag along, but there’s plenty of places you can go on your own. You got Lyft or Uber on your phone, right? I don’t want you getting lost on a bus.”

“Zee.” Miles wiped his fingers on a napkin before reaching over to cover Zach’s hand with his own. “I’m here to see you. I don’t give a shit what fun places I could visit. I’d much rather sit quietly on your couch and watch you study.”

Sometimes Zach hated how open and guileless Miles was, how he said the absolute sweetest things without realizing their impact.

“Well, then you’re in for quite a treat.” He squeezed Miles’s fingers and got up to order some tacos to go.

Kink Talk

DomOliver: Those of you that date people outside of the kink scene, how do you bring it up? Do you feel them out first, or do you just go “Hello, I would like to dominate you”?

DomicronPersei8: Why did I read that with an Austrian accent?

SubSequins: Maybe don’t lead with that unless you want your date to run away screaming.

DomOliver: Obviously. That’s kinda my point. It seems terrifying to…come out and say it.

SubLily: It’s not scary. Dating is about gauging compatibility, and being honest is the only way to do that.

DomOliver: Everything about the unknown is scary. I wish the local kink club had a mentorship program.

SubAir: Wouldn’t that be nice? I wish I could just rent an experienced Dom for an hour to ask him questions about dynamics and expectations and all those little things that no one talks about.

SubZero: Oh, but you could.

SubZero: It’s pretty expensive, but from what I understand, satisfaction is guaranteed.

SubAir: You know what I meant!