Re: lakeside mansions: Dietre A. & Hugh C.
“ I don’t think I could ever manage that sort of arrangement...” Dietre knew himself well enough to know that he could never be involved with someone intimately and not have feelings for them. He didn’t quite understand the whole friends with benefits thing. Probably because he had so few friends to begin with, and, for him, sex had never been an important factor in how he felt toward anyone. He and Liam had never even kissed, for example, yet his heart had still been broken in the end. “I just… feel things regardless…”
Hugh stood, so Dietre let go of his knees and stood too, albeit maybe not quite as gracefully. Muffins? He was eager to get back to safer ground and food seemed like just the way to do it. “I am most definitely interested.”
He had tested the waters of deeper conversation and it hadn’t killed him. That meant he could be braver in the future, say more, go deeper. Baby steps and all of that. In Quiet Home they always tried talk therapy with him and it didn’t work because he’d never really talk. It was different with a friend, though the risks were greater.
“Thank you, Hugh,” he said suddenly. “For listening. Even though… um… I don’t think I’ve said much, but still.”