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Ben is nursing a beer at the Prince Albert when an old hook-up stops by his table. "Hey, sexy," the guy says, and honestly Ben doesn't even remember if he ever got a name—he didn't always, depending on the night and the amount of booze—but Ben does remember that he's probably one of the ones from around the time Callum finally came out, their first few disastrous dates. Back when Ben freaked out because there weren't quite as many barriers to having an actual relationship with someone. The guy is lanky like Callum but more of a beanpole. He slides into the seat across from Ben and grins. "Ben, right?"
Shit. "Uh—yeah. And you're—?"
"Matthew."
"Right." One of the Gay Matthews, there's always at least ten in any gay bar. Ben smiles, lifting his bottle to his mouth. He checks the door; Callum should be here any minute, and Ben doesn't fancy his boyfriend finding him talking to this guy, an inconvenient reminder of the bad old days, when Ben was being a right prick to him. "Uh—sorry, I'm actually waiting for somebody."
"So no rematch?" Matthew smirks and drinks from his highball glass. "Although I guess you didn't strike me as much of a repeat offender at the time."
"I'm actually waiting for my boyfriend."
"Never really struck me as a boyfriend type, either."
Ben starts grinding his teeth. "Well, I am now, awright?"
"Awright, awright—you guys share?"
Ben rolls his eyes. Not like he would never say no to a threesome with Callum—he's definitely thought about it—but he's pretty sure Callum wouldn't be into it. They've been through a lot to get to where they are, and Ben isn't about to threaten that, especially not for an old hook-up who isn't really even worth remembering. "Sorry, mate."
"Too bad, I remember you being a proper freak—"
"Well, I'm off the menu now, ain't I? So just run along." He considers standing up himself, just moving along, but this is his mother's bar and he was here first. He doesn't want to get into a bust-up— Callum would kill him, but—
"Ben?"
Shit. Callum is hovering by one of the other tables, holding a couple bottles of beer. Ben recognizes the look on his face, the flare of anxiety that almost reminds him of the bad old days all over again. "Cal," Ben says. "Sorry. This bloke—" He looks back at Matthew.
"Matthew," Matthew says, sour-faced.
"Right, Matthew. Matthew's just leaving."
Matthew doesn't move. He gives Callum a once-up-an-down and smiles. "This really him? I can't really picture it—he's gotta be hung like a gorilla, right?"
Callum sputters. "Excuse me?"
"I said he was just leaving." Ben kicks Matthew under table. "Right, mate?"
"Fine," Matthew says. "Ain't gotta be such a fucking prick about it." He stands up, abandoning his highball and giving Ben the hairy eyeball when he moves away, pushing past Callum and heading out onto the dance floor.
Callum doesn't sit down. "What the fuck was that?"
"Cal—don't worry about it, it was nothing." Ben says it and then he regrets saying it, because he can see Callum's face harden and he still won't sit down. It was nothing was always, always code for something bad, back then. If Callum doesn't think he's some old piece of arse, he's going to think Ben's up to something dodgy again. "Sorry," Ben says. "I didn't mean—he was an old hook-up, trying his luck again." He doesn't like talking about his conquests with Callum, not when Callum can put a face to a name, because he knows Callum still has moments of insecurity—and, honestly, because Ben does too. He doesn't like people thinking he's still that person. He definitely doesn't want Callum thinking that. "Will you please sit down?"
Callum lowers himself onto the chair next to Ben, not across from him. "What was that crack about the gorilla?"
"Told him I had a boyfriend, didn't I?" Ben stretches an arm across the back of Callum's chair and drags him closer. Callum is still not entirely comfortable being physically affectionate in public, but he's used to it at the Albert, at the very least. Ben takes a breath. "He wanted a threesome with us."
"What, really? That guy?" Callum actually makes a face, and Ben isn't sure if it's because of the guy or the idea of a threesome.
Ben fusses idly with the hair on the back of Callum's neck. "I was in the middle of telling him to buzz off when you showed up. Seeing how I've already pulled for the night."
"Oh, have you?"
"Well, I was planning on taking you home tonight—"
"Oh, so I'm a sure thing now?"
"Callum."
"What?" Callum tilts his head back and drinks. "I can't make you work for it?"
Ben huffs out a laugh and says, "Callum," before leaning over and kissing the side of his neck hard enough that Callum groans and bats at him. "I'll work for it if you want me to work for it."