“You don’t think he’s gonna think it’s a little weird you decided to take a second shower?” Trinket suddenly got hotter. “Trinket,” he said, trailing his nails up Trinket’s back, all the way up into his still-damp hair. “You want me to fuck you? Leave you sticky for him? Think he’d notice?” “Not if I took a shower,” said Trinket, continuing to unbutton Mini’s shirt, skin hot wherever Mini touched it. “What do you want, baby?” asked Mini, lifting his head to press his next kiss right below Trinket’s jaw, close enough to his ear to murmur. “We can make it quick,” he said, and began to unbutton the top of Mini’s shirt. “Because,” he said, wiping a crumb off his lips, “I can separate the acts from my emotions.

“Why are you allowed to cause as much bodily harm as you want, and he’s not?” Mini nibbled on his second croissant. Trinket waited for the sound of the front door closing before turning back to Mini.

Zee gave it to him, lips lingering a second too long for it to be a casual kiss goodbye, then straightened up and headed out. “It’s too cold to run for long.” “Be careful,” said Trinket, and turned his chin up for a proper kiss.

He emerged in sweats and a dingy old hoodie reserved for runs, stopped to drink directly from the sink faucet, then kissed Trinket on the temple. “I just suggested there were ways to have fun that didn’t involve risk of bodily harm.” The sound of footsteps preceded Zee’s return to the kitchen. Amused by Trinket being riled up, but not malevolently. “Not exactly,” said Mini, a smile on his face. Why shouldn’t he ask my advice?” “Was that your advice? A threesome?” Trinket’s voice was still accusatory. “Then what’s the point?” asked Mini nonchalantly, and reached for a croissant. Would he have been less nervous if it were another person? More nervous? Was he scared that this would reveal something to Zee? Maybe he was scared that he would like it too much. Trinket couldn’t quite pinpoint the exact nexus of his anxiety. It didn’t matter that Mini had already fucked him senseless innumerable times, knew what Trinket looked like naked, knew what he looked like when he came. Sex with another person watching? Just another person present. Even if it hadn’t been Mini, the idea would have been overwhelming. How could he be so relaxed? Trinket felt like his pulse was going to break the skin, it was so intense. It wasn’t just that Mini aimed to needle Trinket was used to it at this point, and Zee seemed to have adjusted, too. “What else?” he asked, honey-sweet, sipping his coffee. He glanced up from his coffee, saw them both eyeballing him, and smiled.

A Final Stroke by Daniel May