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The New Orleans sky was like a blanket over Snafu’s shoulders, bundling him with warmth and cleanliness as he took another drag from his cigarette. Cold red brick dug into his back, leaning against the wall of his small home balcony. From inside, he could hear the running water shut off, the sound of Sledge’s gentle humming and footsteps down the hallway.
“Shower’s open, I’m all done Mer,” damp ginger hair pressed against Snafu’s neck when Sledge pressed his face into the crook there, hot breath and soft lips toying with all of his heartstrings. “You’re out here… thinking? We’ve got plenty of time to smoke out at the club, you know I’m trying to help us quit.” Snafu groaned as Sledge took the half burnt cigarette from his fingertips, putting it out against the railing and tossing it into a crystal ashtray.
“I’m tryin’ too, just really needed now, Gene.” Eugene took Snaf’s hands in his own, and pulled him inside from the broken balcony door, and holding him close and placing calloused palms against his bare hips. The intimacy was strange, but Snaf was adjusting every day, taking each moment with Eugene to learn more about himself and his love.
“You can talk to me Snaf, I’ll listen. I always will.” Eugene’s grasp had travelled up the other’s back, fingering with the curls at the nape of Snaf’s neck and holding him tight against his nude body. He felt home, despite what the voices in the back of his head had been telling him this whole time. He made the choice to take Eugene off that train with him and he had never felt more safe.
His parents didn’t take it well, though. The second Merriell had walked through that door with Sledge behind him and not some broad, he had been told to find somewhere else to go and never visit home. He hadn’t even mentioned a thing about the status of their relationship — they just assumed their son was nothing but a queer and sent him on his way. Tears began to well up in Snaf’s eyes, and he held back choked breaths as Eugene held him.
“I know I love you, it’s just so damn hard that nobody else wants me to.” Eugene cradled Snaf in his arms, holding him tight and whispering soothing affirmations into his ear. He pulled up the hem of his tee-shirt to wipe away any evidence of emotion, and looked to the other man.
No matter what Snafu threw at him, he was a rock; always there to comfort him, bring him back to reality. The light at the end of the tunnel for Snaf was and has always been Eugene, and having him here made everything else bearable.
Eugene’s skin was warm against his body, and he felt safe. The cool night air from the balcony swam in slowly, embracing the two as they stood together,no more exchange of words, just their bodies together. From the streets below their little apartment, low humming of a double bass accompanied by brass horns and jumpy piano mingled between the streetlamps and passersbys, making its way into the two men’s ears from the jazz club nearby.
Eugene pulled back and looked Snafu in the eyes, pushing a loose curl behind his ear and smiling dearly. “We don’t need anyone else, Mer. We have each other now. We’re finally just us two.” Gene leaned forward and kissed a lone tear from Snafu’s cheek, pulling him back in for one more quick hug before jumping back to the bathroom to grab his clothes. Snafu laughed quietly, longing for many more moments like this, where he was alone with the love of his life and everything felt right.
“You hear those tunes, Snaf? The music is calling us, and we’re late!” Eugene threw on a plain t shirt and slacks before hopping out of the bathroom, grabbing his coat and looping his arm in Snafu’s. Snaf relished in the feeling of the younger man leaning his head against his shoulder, an action of nothing but pure infatuation. The music gets louder. Everything is okay.