7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Adam

I stared at the blue check mark next to his name in disbelief. Locke—verified—messaged me. He crossed to an entirely different social media platform to message me . Not only that but to give me the finger. I couldn't help but laugh at his determination to follow through with it. I still had to pinch myself that he had contacted me again.

And hearing him give me a shout out in the stream—oh my fucking stars—I squealed. Out loud, squealed. At least I was alone in my room and not at Randy's. Though it was usually busy enough there, maybe it wouldn't have mattered much.

Opening the Twitch app, I read back through the messages again, and how he reacted to me slipping a ‘baby' in there, fearing it was too familiar. His long pause had me desperate to retract what I'd said, but then he said he didn't mind it, which just gave me all kinds of thoughts swirling about in my head. Was he simply being polite, or was he into it?

Gah ! I needed to let it go or I would drive myself bananas thinking about it. What I should focus on was the fact we had an open line of communication. One that Locke started, so it wasn't me being a creeper. That was a win in my book. A big one.

Needing to get my mind off of him so I could settle, I binged my favorite show, Expedition Unknown . Watching Josh Gates travel to remote and exotic locations to track down legends and archaeological wonders was my happy place. It always made me wish I could travel and walk the paths of ancient grounds, but that was on my someday list. Someday , I hoped I would get to do it.

For now, I was grateful that I had local history at my fingertips and underfoot. I might not be diving to the depths of the ocean to find actual pirate treasure, but I was sharing the rich, beautiful, and sometimes very queer past of a town that I loved with people eager to hear it. To me, it was way better than teaching to students that couldn't care less what you said and were simply watching the clock until it ended.

After getting home from work, I was itching to get back to my game. It had been a week since I last set up at Randy's. A week since I met Locke. Our chat had been quiet, though I had been tempted to reach out a few times, but even with permission, I wasn't quite sure what to say.

With my Keroppi hoodie on and the crate of computer supplies in my arms, I headed to the diner. Some familiar faces were there and waved when I walked in. No one was bothered by my computer in a crate. I went to the corner where I usually sat and set up my monitor, laptop, and keyboard.

After I sat down, Henry came over, his heels clicking on the checkered tiles. He was a drag queen in his spare time but was always happy to perform however he could here at Randy's.

When he saw me, he leaned to one side and propped his hand on his hip, his long nails wrapping around it. He wore a mischievous smirk. "Good to see you again, Adam. You know…I've heard some interest in your set-up here recently."

"Interest?"

"Yeah, some young, blond thing seemed particularly curious about it."

"OMG! You talked to Locke?"

He arched one brow, amusement in his eyes. "Is that his name?"

"Yes, his name is Locke. For future reference, if he ever comes back, I give my permission for Randy staff to share my information. I've been trying to connect with him."

"Oh, you want to connect , huh?" Henry gave a little bump of his hips.

"Hang out, get together, whatever." My cheeks burned under his attention. I may have been carefree and loved sex, but I had zero control over my skin flushing. The more I tried to tell my body to stop, the worse it seemed to flare.

"Alright, I'll get the word around." Henry winked. "Are you hungry tonight, or would you just like a drink?"

"Maybe just a sweet tea for now." I packed a few snacks from home. As good as their food was, I didn't have it in the budget to eat here every time I came, which was normally two to three times a week.

Henry slipped his notepad into his apron. "Sure. And just so you know, Kit is here tonight. They've been working on some new desserts."

Kit was one of the cooks who had a love for sweets. Much like my family, they felt like dessert was a cure-all, and with their skills in baking, I was a believer. On a budget or not, I was always willing to make a sacrifice for Kit's desserts.

"Thanks, Henry. Hit me up in a little while."

"Sure thing, love." He wiggled his fingers at me.

Two hours and a few glasses of tea later, I finally caught on to the rhythm I needed to get past the electrical surges being thrown at me and got a couple hits in on the dragon. I died, but at least I had a good feel for what needed to happen. "One more, this is it, I can feel it."

I took a drink, shook out my hands that were cramping from the stress of playing, rolled my neck, and psyched myself up. I tapped the key three times, paused, and then held it, setting off a resonation that off-set the surge. I dove forward and released a few arrows, getting damage on the dragon, before the cycle started over again. It took a solid fifteen minutes, and I was sweating by the time I finished, but when the mechanical dragon went down, I threw my hands up and cheered. Several heads turned toward me, and I waved apologetically.

Slumping back in the booth, I smiled with the satisfaction of defeating a beast I'd been fighting for a couple of weeks. Sure I could have taken Locke up on his offer for advice and been done with it a lot more quickly, but I wouldn't have had the same feeling of victory. The game wasn't over, and there were more baddies to come, but it was a big step.

I waved for a server, and Henry came back over.

"Ready for dessert?"

A few packs of peanut butter crackers might not have been the most nutritious meal, but after the hard-fought win, I definitely earned it. "Yes, bring it on. What's Kit making today?"

"They decided to play with some local favorites but put their own twist on it. So we have a Boston Cream Cheesecake and a Cannoli Layered Cake."

"Oh, damn, those both sound really good. Any preference?"

Henry shook his head. "I haven't tried them yet, I have a show coming up and I gotta keep my girlish figure. But customers have been raving about both. If I had to pick, though, I would go with the Cannoli Cake."

I was practically salivating. "Yes, let's do it. Thanks."

After saving my game, because I did not want to go through that battle again, I packed away all of my gear, carefully nestling it into the blanket in the milk crate to protect it. Henry returned a few minutes later with two to-go containers. My brows pinched in confusion.

"I only ordered one."

"Well, Kit told me that they were plating a piece that fell apart, and they are kind of a perfectionist, so they didn't want to serve it. But I hate to see good food go to waste, and I thought you might like it." Henry set them both in front of me with a bag.

"What? You didn't have to do that."

"I know. Enjoy. Maybe you'll find someone to share it with." He gave me a wink and handed me the bill with only one dessert charged to it.

Someone to share it with sounded nice. I looked around the diner to see who I knew. There were some faces I recognized, but no one that I was close to. One person came to mind, but I wasn't sure if he would be interested.

Fuck it, you never know unless you try.

I pulled out my phone and hopped onto the streaming app. Cruising through his channel, I could see he wasn't doing any lives at the moment. I was pretty familiar with his schedule, but I wanted to be sure.

With a deep breath, I opened our Instagram chat.

Me: Hey! Guess what!

Locke: Hey, Adam. What's up?

Me: I finally beat that dragon.

Locke: Oh yeah? That's great! How long were you at it?

Me: A couple hours…tonight.

Locke: (laughing emoji) Points for persistence.

Me: Persistent or maybe just stubborn, but either way, I feel so accomplished.

Locke: You should. That was a hard battle.

Me: Soooo hard, I hope I never have to do it again.

Locke: Well…I hate to break it to you, but there are a few more and they only get harder.

Me: Nope, not listening, la la la. I am currently basking in my sweet, sweet victory.

Locke: (smiling emoji) Bask away.

Me: Speaking of…

Here goes nothing . The worst that could happen would be getting turned down, or maybe scaring him off for good.

Locke: Ummm, yes?

Me: I'm at Randy's and I ordered myself dessert as a reward, and they gave me two. I happen to love dessert, so having extra is no real hardship, BUT I was thinking you may live close by, and maybe you also like dessert.

My head fell in my hands. Well, that was smooth.

Locke: I'm a fan.

Me: Yeah? So, if it's not too forward, would you be interested in helping me eat it?

The dots that showed he was typing danced on the screen long enough to make me want to unsend the message, even though he had clearly seen it. As I was about to apologize, his response came, making my heart leap in my chest.

Locke: That actually sounds really nice.

Me: OMG! Wait. Really?

Locke: Yeah. Unless, you're having second thoughts and plan to devour everything, which…valid, you DID just win a big battle.

Me: No! No second thoughts. I meant it and would love to have you join me. Should I just wait here?

Locke: Well…I'm not really sure I'm ready to show my face at Randy's again so soon.

Me: We could meet at Hayes Park. Is that close enough?

Locke: Sure that sounds great. I can be there in about fifteen minutes.

Me: Ok. Perfect! I'll see you soon

Locke: See you soon.

OMG, OMG, OMG! This is not a drill ! Panic and excitement kicked in. I was actually going to meet up with Locke. THE Locke! I gave myself the biggest of mental high fives for asking him.

I hurried to pay my bill before bagging the food containers and collecting my milk crate. I didn't have time to go home and drop off my stuff first, unwilling to risk making Locke wait, so I hauled everything with me and walked briskly to Hayes Park.

When I got there, I looked around but didn't see him, so I sat on a bench near a large, round planter, filled with beautiful pink flowers. The West Canton Street Child overlooked the planter. I always loved the bronze statue of the little girl with the jump rope; it reminded me of the carefree innocence of childhood. This park was one of my favorites with such a serene and beautiful setting. It made for a nice spot to sit and people-watch, too.

That sense of tranquility I usually felt here was far from reach now. I felt anything but tranquil as I sat there anticipating the arrival of my favorite streamer.

He appeared a few minutes later, walking with his hood up and his head lowered, but he lifted his gaze, shaking his white-blond hair out of his face. Our eyes locked across the circular planter, and I could swear time stood still. Birds stopped twittering, people froze in place, even the slight breeze halted around us.

Well, maybe it was just me, but it sure felt like a moment. A moment that left us staring at each other awkwardly. I held up my hand and waved, as if he hadn't seen me already. Locke gave a little half-smile and began to walk around the planter toward me. I stayed in place, not really sure what to do.

He was here! Locke actually came out to meet with me, and he was now walking right…toward…me. Holy shit!

Locke stopped a few feet in front of me and shoved his hands into his jacket pockets. He was taller than me, though at five-three, a lot of people were. Still, he had maybe four or five inches on me. His eyes roamed over me, making my cheeks warm.

"Um, hi, Adam."

God, my name sounded so good on his lips, lips that looked slightly pink and perfectly kissable. Lips that I stared at maybe a little too long. I shook myself free of the hold they had on me and forced my attention up. "Locke! Hi! Thank you so much for meeting me, I'm, like, pinching myself that you are here."

"Who can resist a free dessert?" Locke shrugged.

"Right? I would get trapped or kidnapped so easily. All they would have to do is offer something covered in chocolate, and I would be lured away."

Locke's lips twitched with amusement as he looked over me, his eyes dropping to the Keroppi hoodie, making my skin feel warm despite the chill in the air.

"Would you like to sit?" I indicated the bench behind me where my computer crate sat, topped with the bag from Randy's.

"Yeah. Sure."

I moved the crate to the middle, not wanting to force us to sit too closely, in case that would make him uncomfortable. When I opened the bag, Locke looked at the contents of the crate.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you had all this stuff with you. I could have met you at the diner so you didn't have to lug it around."

"Oh, it's no biggie, I'm used to it anyway. So, I have two new desserts that Kit made, and I don't know if you know Kit from the diner, or are familiar with their desserts, but I can promise you anything they make will give you a mouthgasm."

"A mouthgasm?" Locke arched his brows.

"Yeeeessss! Trust me! Okay, we have a Cannoli Cake and a Boston Cream Cheesecake. I'm honestly fine with either, so whichever you would like works for me." I held out the two to-go containers.

Locke's eyes flicked to mine. "I happen to be a huge fan of cheesecake, if that's okay."

"Oh, yeah, absolutely, the cake is what I originally ordered, though it had been a hard choice." I handed him the container and a fork, and I dipped my head in a partial bow.

"Thank you." His lips twitched in amusement again. I wasn't at work, I didn't need to be bowing. Just chill, Adam .

I opened my container and stuffed a forkful of cake into my mouth and let out a moan that was louder than intended. The vanilla cake with chocolate chips, layered with a ricotta filling, topped with broken pieces of the fried pastry dough hit every flavor I would expect of a cannoli and made my taste buds explode. Locke watched me, and if I wasn't mistaken, his eyes lingered on my mouth before flicking up.

"That good, huh?"

"Yeah, sorry, I haven't tried this one before, and it's heaven. Would you like to try it?" I held it out to him.

"Okay, sure." Locke used his fork and grabbed a bite of mine, echoing the reaction I'd had to it. "Damn!"

"Right? How's yours?"

I watched him take a bite of chocolate ganache, Bavarian cream, and cheesecake. As his pink lips wrapped around the fork, his eyes closed, and he had a moment. A soul leaving your body moment. While he was somewhere on an astral plane, I couldn't help but stare at the chocolate on the corner of his mouth. His eyes opened, catching me, and I quickly averted my gaze.

"That's the creamiest cheesecake I've ever had, and the chocolate and custard on it just took it to the next level."

"See? Mouthgasm, am I right?"

"Shit! I gotta remember to order their desserts more." Locke took another bite and then held his out to me. I happily took some from him, trying not to freak out that I was sharing food with the Locke. He was right, it was delicious, though not as delicious as he looked when he was in pure food bliss.

We continued to eat, switching off between our own dessert and the other's as if us sharing food was something we'd always done. It felt so comfortable and easy.

Locke tipped his head toward my crate. "So, do you always take all your gear and set up at the diner?"

"Usually a couple times a week, if I can."

"Why there? Can you not play at home?"

I felt heat rise up my neck. It wasn't that I was ashamed of where I lived or how much I made, but this was Locke. He probably never had to worry about money. "I don't have Wi-Fi at home, and it's too much for my hotspot on my phone to handle. So, I use the free Wi-Fi there."

There was no judgment on his face, only interest. "And they don't mind at Randy's?"

I shook my head. "No, not at all. I wasn't too sure about it at first, but I used to spend a lot of time studying there during school, so they already knew me. I know I could go to a library or something, but I love the vibe at Randy's. It's always been a safe, comfortable space for me. Plus, there are lots of folks that hang out there with computers and games and all kinds of stuff."

"I don't know what I would do if I couldn't get on my computer any time I wanted. I mean, that wouldn't be optional for me, since my whole life revolves around it. But I'm glad to know that you've found somewhere that lets you set up and play. Though, I'm not sure how comfortable I would find it there, especially after last time."

I turned to face him, tucking a leg under me. "Oh, right! You mentioned it was a shitshow. I've never had a problem there, what happened?"

Locke fidgeted in his seat, his eyes darting away. "I usually order online, pick-up, and go, so I'm not really sure who's who over there, or how things normally work. But, I inquired about you."

"I can't believe you were actually looking for me. That's surreal."

Locke slid a glance toward me, his blue eyes connecting with mine for a moment. "Yeah. Well, I kind of wish I hadn't. Not that I didn't want to see you, just that it was mortifying."

"Why?"

"I asked a server about you, and he told me to ask for Randy. So, I did."

"Oh, did they pull a Randy on you?" I'd heard stories, but then there were a lot of stories when it came to Randy, and it was hard to tell what was real and what wasn't.

"I'm not sure what that means, but they gave me a run around, though I think it was mostly out of protection. They wanted to make sure there wasn't any kind of trouble, I guess, and they refused to tell me about you. Which is actually a good thing, just a lot more than I bargained for, and I couldn't wait to get out of there. I never even got to talk to Randy."

I chuckled but smacked a hand over my mouth to suppress it when I saw the concern on Locke's face. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to laugh. That sounds very frustrating."

"So what's the deal? What do you mean they were pulling a Randy?"

I set my empty container on the bench to free up my hands, which moved when I talked. "I don't think it was malicious, first off."

"It felt like it while it was happening, but with some time and space, I do think it was more for your safety than my harassment."

"Yes, agreed. As for Randy? Well, I have no idea who Randy is. I've heard a lot of tales about them, some tales taller than the others. Randy was CIA, Randy was at Stonewall, Randy has a dirigible, Randy was a gay basketball player for the Celtics, Randy is the Mother of the House of Indulgence, made famous in the Boston ball scene. Ask anybody about Randy, and you'll get a different story. But whoever Randy is, at the heart of it is someone who created the diner to be a place where queer people, and especially trans folks, can feel safe and never have to worry about having to hide who they are or if someone will hurt them. So, I'm guessing since the staff at the diner may not be as familiar with you, they went into protection mode. Which I appreciate, though I've let them know that if you ever came back, they were welcome to share my info with you."

"You did?" Locke looked hopeful.

My lips stretched into a wide smile. "Yes, I did. I was hoping to get to see you again, and here we are."

"Here we are, no thanks to Henry."

"Henry?"

"Yes, he's the server that set everything in motion by having me ask for Randy."

That minx, no wonder he looked so pleased with himself. "Well, if it helps to know, he's also the one who slipped me the extra dessert and suggested I share it with someone."

"Are you sure it was the same one? The one I talked to had long nails." Locke wiggled his fingers to emphasize.

"And high heels?" I asked.

"Yes!"

"He's the same. I think this was him making up for it, perhaps."

"Well…that was nice of him," Locke relented.

"See? I promise, they are all good folks at the diner. There might be some interesting characters there, but they are harmless. Unless you don't like kale, then avoid Neve's specials. She has a thing for health food."

Locke shuddered. "Kale? No thanks."

I let out a laugh. "I feel the same. Chocolate over kale any day."

"Amen to that." Locke met my gaze, and we shared a smile.

"So…I'm dying to know what you wanted to tell me before you got Randied."

Locke bit his lip. "Ah…about that."

"I know you said you can't really say anything, and I'm honored that you even thought of me, though I'm still not really sure why. I know you don't really know me yet, but I'm here for…whatever."

Locke met my gaze and gave me a soft smile. "Thank you, I appreciate that. As for why you…well, the truth is, I don't know a lot of people IRL outside of family and the friends I've made online. I've been sitting on some major news, and there's no one I can tell about it who would understand, and I also don't want to cause any weirdness with gamer friends."

"Well, hey, I'm happy to be your last resort, baby." I winked.

His eyes snapped to mine and a funny expression appeared and disappeared too quickly for me to catch it, though it made me think of him saying he didn't mind when I'd let it slip online before. A thought that made my insides flutter.

Locke shook his head. "I didn't mean it to sound like that."

I reached over and patted his leg before quickly drawing my hand back. Sharing desserts didn't necessarily mean I'd earned that level of familiarity. "It's totally fine, honestly. But after all that build up, you gotta give me something. You're clearly dying to share it, and I am a very willing recipient."

Locke let out a soft chuckle. "I really need to talk about it. I've been spinning over it. I…feel like I can trust you, but it's something that needs to be kept quiet. And honestly, I don't even know how legit it is, so it might not even happen in the first place."

A cold breeze whipped around us, making me shiver. Locke had multiple layers on, at least, but I hadn't dressed for being outside. It was getting late and too cold to hang out in the park, but I would rather turn into an icicle than leave now. It was Locke that made the suggestion.

"You look like you're freezing, so maybe we should head inside somewhere," Locke said as he zipped his outer jacket up.

"There's the diner?" I offered.

"No, I don't think I'm ready for that yet. What else is open nearby? Oh, wait, you have your stuff. I don't want you to have to carry it around everywhere."

"I could drop it off at my apartment. I'm not too far from here."

"Okay, sure." Locke stood and looked around, before returning his attention to me. "Do you mind if I walk with you?"

Locke? Walking me to my place? Knowing where I lived? Butterflies fluttered in my stomach at the thought, imagining him coming over whenever he wanted.

I stood beside him and offered him a wide smile. "No, that would be nice."

Locke scooped up my crate, despite my protesting. "It's only fair, plus you got me dessert."

"I got you free dessert, no reciprocation needed."

"Too bad, I'm carrying it, and I'm just going to pick a direction and start walking away with it, unless you tell me where we're going." Locke's expression was set with determination.

I let out a laugh. "Okay, fine, you win. Who knew you were so stubborn?"

We followed the sidewalks as I led him to my apartment, trying hard not to freak out or read too much into it. I needed to distract myself.

"Okay, now that you are stuck with me, spill the beans. What's the big news?"

Locke took a deep breath, slid his eyes toward me, before looking ahead again. "You can't tell anyone, Adam, I mean it."

Stepping in front of him, I walked backwards, letting him see how serious I was. "I won't, I promise. I wouldn't betray that trust, and I can keep a secret. Hell, I kept a secret from myself for twenty years. It took my friend;s help for me to see my own identity."

Locke's expression softened as I returned to his side. "It's not always easy to understand how you feel, especially with societal influences."

I appreciated what he said, but I didn't want to veer away from the original matter. "Nonetheless, I am a vault, ready to Locke up your secrets," I guffawed and nudged him with my elbow.

He shook his head as a smile stretched his lips. "You are ridiculous."

"Yup, that's me. Ridiculous but trustworthy all wrapped up in a cute, little package." I skipped and swung my arms to emphasize my point, which earned me an actual laugh from Locke. It was a sound I really liked, and I had no problem making a fool out of myself if it meant I got to hear it.

"Okay, so you're familiar with the streaming world, right?" Locke asked.

I barked out a laugh. "Uh, yeah, maybe a little."

Locke shifted the crate in his hands, and I reached out to take it from him, but he leveled a stare at me, daring me to try. "You know there are a few different awards they do each year."

"Yeaaahh?" The suspension was killing me.

"Have you heard of the Play OUT Loud Awards?"

"OMG, yes! I love that they recognize queer content creators. I follow it every year. I'm dying to see who's in the running for it this year."

Locke clicked his tongue. "Well…yeah…that's the thing."

My heart stopped, and I spun toward him, grabbing his arm. "Shut up! Are you serious?"

He shrugged. "It's only rumored so far. Nothing official."

I let out a squeal. "Holy shit! That's so fucking cool!"

Even under the streetlights on a dark night, I could see a spark in Locke's eyes. One he'd been trying to keep control of. I grabbed my crate and set it down before he could protest. Holding both of his hands in mine, I began jumping and whooping. He stood there, watching me with amusement.

"What are you doing?'

"I am totally freaking out over this, and you should be, too. Come on, jump with me, you know you want to." I couldn't be the only one excited about it.

He looked around, before intertwining our fingers, and we both jumped and squealed like we were little kids, hopping around in a circle.

When we stopped, a wide grin stretched his face, and he looked so ridiculously beautiful. Locke was stunning.

"See? How do you feel now?" I asked, our hands still clasped together, neither of us making a move to pull away.

"Actually, a lot better. I've been keeping it to myself and haven't had anyone to share it with. Thanks for freaking out with me."

"Absolutely! Anytime you need someone to get hyped with, I'm your guy."

Locke bent down and scooped up my computer gear, and we began walking again. "That sounds nice. My parents would be supportive, but they wouldn't understand how big a deal it is. And my gamer friends, well…I don't want the rumor to continue, especially if it proves not to be true."

"Well, I get it, and it's huge! It's got to be true, though, you totally deserve it."

"That's really nice of you to say. I guess we'll find out."

We came up to the steps of the brownstone where I lived. "This is me. Do you want to come up?"

Locke glanced up at the building. I hadn't originally planned to invite him in, but with the big news he just dropped, I wasn't ready for this to end. Even if he hadn't just shared about the awards, I still didn't want it to end.

"Would it be okay? You don't have a significant other or someone that would be bothered by me being there?"

Interesting…was Locke fishing? If so, I was ready to get hooked, the butterflies stirring within. "No. No boyfriend. I have a roommate, but she's just a friend. So, yes, it would absolutely be okay. Just…be aware, it's a little small."

"That's fine, Adam."

"Alright. Let's go." I led him into the building and up the stairs, pausing to take a deep breath before unlocking the front door to our apartment. It's only my favorite online personality coming into my home, no big deal.

Pushing the door wide, I stepped through and held an arm out, bending in a full bow as I would on the Freedom Trail, and when I spoke, the Colonial accent I used came out. "Pray, good sir, may you honor me with your presence in my humble home."

Locke chuckled and brushed past me. "This is cute."

"Thanks, it's cozy, but it works. My room is right through there. I'll put my stuff away, and then we can sit out here if you'd like."

"You said you have a roommate?"

"Yes, Kris. She's great, kind of like a cool aunt."

"Would it be terrible if we hung out in your room instead? I'm not sure I'm up for polite conversation with someone I don't know."

The butterflies were flying at full force now. "Yeah, sure. Just don't mind the mess."

Locke followed me in, and my eyes darted around for anything that I wouldn't want him to see. I threw the blanket in place, since I'd left the bed unmade, and took the milk crate and shoved it underneath, before sitting on the edge of it.

"Sorry, I don't have any chairs or anything in here. We can go somewhere else if you want to." I didn't want to make him uncomfortable, though I couldn't deny how excited it got me to think of him on my bed.

"It's fine, I don't mind."