“Stop giving that bottle head!” Punk demanded.
Elijah pulled his lips off the glass bottle, looking ruefully at his lover. “I ain’t doin’ nothin’, baby,” he retorted.
Punk glared at him. “You’re drunk, you idiot. What happened to ONE wine cooler?”
“It’s 7 sisters wanted to go down with it,” Elijah muttered, taking a swig from the bottle he had been licking a moment earlier. “I love shrubbery daiquiri.”
Punk heaved a deep sigh. “I’m going home.”
7 He stood, but Elijah caught his hand, tugging him back onto the couch. “It’s Sandman’s birthday!” he insisted. “It’d be rude fer me ta come ‘n not drink! S’like not readin’ at the liberry!”
Punk continued to glare at him. “I don’t know why you made me come along,” he snapped. “I’m not into any of this, and I don’t want to have any part of it!”
“Baby…” Elijah frowned. He glanced around, confirming that there was no one in earshot. “S’Marcus.”
Punk rolled his eyes. “Marcus wanted me to come?”
“No!” Elijah clutched his lover’s hand urgently. “I wanted you to be here. He kissed me.”
Punk stiffened. “What?” he hissed through clenched teeth.
Elijah nodded seriously. “I di’int wanna be here, w’out you, ‘n with him here.”
Punk squeezed his lover’s hand, feeling more worried then annoyed now. “Did he do anything else?” he asked, his voice a bit strained.
Elijah shrugged. “He looks at me, a lot. ‘specially when I’m changin’. An’ it was only yesterday he kissed me.” He stopped himself, glancing at Punk nervously, then lowering his eyes to his lap.
“What?” Punk growled. Elijah shrugged again. “What are you not telling me, Elijah?” Punk demanded.
Elijah sighed. “It was in the shower,” he confessed softly, “when he kissed me.”
“And you – you didn’t kiss him back?” Punk felt his heart beating nervously at the image of his Elijah in another man’s arms.
“No!” Elijah insisted. “I love you, baby.”
“I love you, too,” Punk whispered, lacing his fingers securely with his lover’s. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Elijah frowned, then shrugged. Punk nodded. He cupped Elijah’s cheek, leading the other man into a kiss. “I love you, Elijah,” he whispered.
“Love you too.” Elijah hugged him, holding him close for several minutes. “Can we go home?” he asked softly when they drew apart. “I gotta drink some water and go to sleep.”
“Yeah.” Punk kissed him again, taking his hand and leading him
through the rooms of revelers, out of the party.