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Sal hurried to tidy up the basement, rushing against the clock. Travis would be arriving at 6:00, but the time read 5:54 when Sal heard muffled knocks at the front door coming from upstairs.
“Shit.” The blue haired man blurted out, rushing to throw away the remainder of the beer cans Larry left on the coffee table.
Another knock, “Sal?”
“Just a second!!!” He called back, running up the stairs. He gripped onto the railing as he moved, hoping not to fall with his slick socks against the wooden staircase.
When Sal reached the door, he opened it slowly, taking a deep breath before he spoke with a smile on his face, “Hello Travis.”
Travis can’t see Sal’s smile behind the prosthesis, but he could infer that it was there from his lighthearted body language.
“Hello Sally Face.” The blonde man said, a small smile painted on his face as he stepped inside.
“You can keep your shoes on if you’d like, if you want to take them off, you can set them over there.” He said, pointing to the shoe rack, where only his blue converse rested.
Gizmo strolled over towards Travis, sniffing his shoes before rubbing up against his pant leg.
“Haha look! Gizmo likes you!” Sal said, nudging Travis with his elbow before leaning down to pick up his beloved cat.
“We’re going to hang out downstairs, it’s the cleanest part of the house right now.” Sal stated, walking towards the door that led to the basement. Travis followed right after, a knot in his throat from heightened anxiety.
Sal plopped down onto the couch, dropping Gizmo right next to him on the couch. The blue haired man directed his crush with a wave of his hand to sit on the cushion just to his left.
“Do you smoke?” Sal asked, turning to Travis, who was now sitting oh so tense on the couch.
“Do I smoke?” Travis gawked back, shocked at the question. “My dad would kill me if I even TOUCHED a melatonin stick.”
“Your dad really sucks.” Sal stated in response, a frown plastered on his hidden face.
“The Bible says that my body is a temple, so I mustn't inhale anything more than air.” Travis says, mocking his father’s voice.
“I think it’s a load of shit, everything that The Bible says. I’ve realized that god isn’t real, the image of him has been used only to scare me.”
“I’m proud of you for standing up for what you believe in, even if it’s only to me.” Sal said, happy to see this vulnerable side of Travis.
Sal reached across the table to a small metal container, he opened it, pulling out a single joint.
He prepped the joint, lighting it before lifting his mask just enough to take a pull. He released the cloud of smoke a few seconds later, a long sigh following it. He set the blunt down in the ashtray for a moment, letting Travis have another moment to consider if he’d like to smoke.
Travis turned his whole body to face Sal this time, bringing his shoe-less feet up onto the couch. “You can take your mask off if you want.”
“It’s not pretty.” Sal said, more as a warning than a statement. After a moment of silence from the two men, the blue haired one spoke, “If you promise you won’t run away.” Sal said, reaching for the back of his head, fondling with the clasps as he waited for a response.
“I promise. You’re beautiful to me, no matter what.” Travis said, pressing his forehead to the white and pink mask. His hands reached up to meet Sal’s, unclipping both of the straps, the mask only being held up by Travis’s face.
Sal’s face was exposed a moment later, and Travis couldn’t tear his eyes away from the sight in front of him.
Sal noticed the man’s behaviors, he decided right then and there that he wanted to do a thing he’d never let anyone else do. He reached down to grab Travis’s hand, it was rough from all the years of physical labor he’d performed.
He lifted the scar covered hand to his scarred cheek, holding a few inches between them, leaving the decision up to Travis if he’d like to share the intimacy of this moment.
Travis smiled shyly, closing the few inches that Sal provided. The skin was unique, a texture unknown to him.
Travis leaned into Sal, pressing his lips onto the other man’s lips. Travis had only kissed one person before, but this was much different.
Not because Sal only had half of his lips, but because it just felt.. right.
Sal pushed back with passion, he had wanted this for far too long.
He was overjoyed that Travis was his first. He had had a strong crush on Travis since high school, and now, they’re both in their 2nd year of college.
Sal pulled back, slightly breathless, but feeling brave with this new kind of adrenaline rushing through his veins
“I want to try something.” He said, reaching for the joint.
“And what might that be?” Travis cocked an eyebrow at the other man, both curious, and a little turned on by the new aura in the room.
“Do you trust me?” Sal asked, fiddling with the blunt between his fingers. Travis only nodded, a thick knot forming in his stomach. “All you need to do is inhale.”
Sal took a drag from the blunt, cupping his hand softly around the right side of the man’s throat, pulling him close.
Travis had no idea what was happening, but took Sal’s words on advice. He closed his eyes and took a leap of faith, he inhaled, and to his surprise, he tasted something he had been taught to fear.
Before Sal could even get all of his air out, Travis locked their lips together, hungry for more.
Just like any new smoker, Travis felt that angry tickle in his throat. He started to cough as soon as Sal pulled away, a smug smile on his face when he saw the flush on Travis’s cheeks.
Sal passed Travis a glass of water he had prepared before the man had even knocked on the door.
“Happy 4/20 love.” Sal said, a smirk on his face as he watched Travis weakly cough.