Living with Giovanni was an experience. It had only been three days since Giovanni had moved in for the time being and Ashkii had already noticed some things, he hadn't picked up from simply hanging out in the man's apartment when they met up to hook up.

     For one thing, Giovanni didn't eat very much. That would be obvious to the average person just looking at him, but it was a bit fascinating (and worrying) to watch him go three days in a row, just drinking coffee and grazing on some toast and vegetables here and there.

     Ashkii wasn't sure if he was allowed to bring that up. For one, it was only three days and maybe Giovanni was simply stressed, or he would bring it up and they would have a mini fight over something Giovanni probably didn't think about too much or cared enough about to weigh in Ashkii's opinion. Ashkii was also not his boyfriend, and an "I would like you at whatever size" speech would be more of a nuisance than anything.

     Ashkii had learned not to say things or start conversations that would upset him. If Giovanni ever left the apartment, he wasn't going to ask who he saw. He would keep any questions he had vague, and end the conversation if Giovanni started to go into detail. He was also going to avoid asking Giovanni any questions about types, dating, or things he wanted in a relationship, even though he was curious. He knew Giovanni's type. He didn't want to give the older man a reason to reiterate them with additional clauses. He already knew he wasn't tall enough, old enough, fit enough, or macho enough. He didn't want to hear the same three things framed in two hundred different ways to tear down his self-esteem.

     That made Ashkii upset—worrying and guessing that maybe someone or a handful of people were part of the reason Giovanni wasn't eating very well, and he couldn't really do anything about it.

     Aside from the somewhat worrying detail, another thing Ashkii also noticed was that Giovanni used a lot of products—face creams, exfoliating bath gels, toners, and multiple other things he couldn't pinpoint the names of. That explained the man's baby smooth legs and thighs, and wonderful hair. Giovanni's products took up about seventy percent of the bathroom shelves now.

     The last thing Ashkii noticed was that Giovanni was very horny. It was less shocking to him than overwhelming. He knew Giovanni was very sexually active, but he'd had more of an idea. Even when they'd started sleeping together, they only met up every once in a while, but now that they were in the same space...

     Well, Ashkii couldn't complain that he was getting a blow job every few hours.

     On two out of the three days, Ashkii has gone to classes and work, leaving Giovanni alone for a few hours at a time. He felt bad about it, but Giovanni didn't seem to mind. The older man cleaned up watched TV or took a walk. Gio not working for the time being also meant Ashkii got a lot more texts in between work. They ranged from mundane to flirty, and sometimes a bit serious. It seemed the bartender was becoming more open with him, and giving him details of his life he hadn't told Ashkii throughout the months of their knowing each other. Now, Ashkii knew the name of Giovanni's ex, and vaguely what had happened between them. A lot of Giovanni's behavior started to make sense. His non-commitment, general nonchalance, and how he wouldn't let people get close—were coping mechanisms. Ashkii knew that even though Giovanni hadn't said any of that part himself.

      Ashkii kept a lookout for anyone who seemed new in town. He would drive by Giovanni's place, hoping to see someone he could maybe guess was Leslie, but for the past three days, it's just been the closed doors of Giovanni's pub and nothing more. Today though, Ashkii tried driving around a little later, and sure enough, there was a car parked on the street that looked vastly out of place—expensive, high-end, and unprepared for the murky mud slush of spring in Massachusetts.

      Ashkii tensed up in his car, coming to a stop right in front of the bar. He noticed there was a blond man at the door, in a long green jacket and work shoes that the weather would ruin. The man didn't seem to notice Ashkii at first. He kept dialing a number, groaning anytime it would immediately hang up. He cursed under his breath, though Ashkii couldn't make out what exactly he said. The blond man started biting his fingers as he stared up at the bar's door. He only noticed Ashkii's care when he turned around and started to pace. He stopped abruptly. Staring at the car for a good minute or so before walking over.

      Ashkii watched him, taking a good look at his face as the man walked over to the driver's seat and leaned over the window.

      "Do you know what days this place is open?"

      Ashkii assumed the man meant the bar. He shrugged. "It hasn't been open for a while. Maybe the owner's not in?" Ashkii offered, trying not to come off as suspicious.

      "Do you happen to know where the owner goes when they're not in?" The man asked, leaning off the car.

      Ashkii shook his head. "Couldn't tell you, the owner's a bit of a loner."

      The blond man sighed, stroking his beard. "Well, that's an unfortunately accurate description of Vanni," the man said, whispering the nickname Giovanni hated so much.

      There was a pause for a bit, and then an exhausted sigh. "Okay, thank you anyway," the blond man sighed, turning and walking away with his hands in his pockets. Ashkii watched him drive away, staying at his parking spot before eventually deciding to drive home to the apartment. When he got back, he hurried into the living room. Giovanni looked out when the door swung open, and Ashkii looked over at him, feeling his face warm up as the older man smiled.

      "Hey," Giovanni said, sitting up on the couch as Ashkii dropped his book bag on the desk and wandered over to the living room.

     "Hey," Ashkii said in response, sitting next to him before resting his head on the older man's shoulder. "I think I saw Leslie today."

     "Oh." Giovanni's voice became a little stiff. "Where?"

     "Just standing at the door of your pub. Well, I think it's him—"

     "Blond, full red beard, and a mustache?" Giovanni asked, and Ashkii nodded. "Okay," Gio said, letting out a sign. "Well, at least I'm not going crazy and for sure know that he's here. I wonder when he'll leave. He can't stay here forever."

     Ashkii reached out to hold the older man's hand, and Giovanni smiled, squeezing it a little. "I wonder where he's staying. Probably one of the resort inns at the edge of the city." He sighed. "I miss working. Fuck this."

     He wasn't going to work indefinitely. And that didn't only mean a deeper hole in his pocket. He was pretty much barred from his apartment, and he wasn't sure for how long.

     "I can find out where he stays if you want..." Ashkii mumbled, caressing the man's knuckles.

     Giovanni shook his head. "I don't want you involved in this more than you already are. Leslie's a bit... obsessive..."

     Ashkii raised a brow. From the bits and pieces, Giovanni had told him Ashkii could make out that Giovanni's ex was a bit of a spoiled rich kid who didn't take not having his way very well. Giovanni had explained they'd broken up eons ago, but never told him over what exactly. He'd hinted that his ex couldn't come out and that he moved to get away from him when things got tense.

     I wish you'd tell me more. Ashkii almost said out loud. "I want to help," he said instead, squeezing Giovanni's hands. "I'm just not sure what else I can do."

     "There really isn't anything we can do but wait for him to fuck off." Giovanni's voice was irritated and strained.

     He must really hate that bastard. Ashkii thought watching as the older man's features softened again.

     "Oh, by the way, Nate reached out," the bartender said and all of a sudden Ashkii felt nervous. "He said he came into town yesterday and saw my place was closed and was wondering where I was."

     Ashkii stayed quiet.

"I think I'm going to meet up with him tomorrow," Giovanni said, sighing as he rested back on the living room couch. "He's only in town for four days, so we'll just catch up."

Ashkii felt his throat clog up. He blinked, looking away before wandering off to the kitchen counter. He was trying to stay focused. He didn't want to act out like a child over this. Of course, Giovanni was bored staying in his small basement apartment all day. What he had expected.

"What about Leslie?" he managed to let out, letting his eyes rest on Giovanni's face as the man's brows seemed to knit in thought.

"As long as I'm not at my place, I'll be fine, and I'll stay clear from public areas for a bit. Leslie's a coward. He won't bother me in a space that's not mine," Giovanni explained, looking down at his phone's screen. "Nate doesn't know the situation. I just told him I'm at your place for a bit and was vague about it."

"Oh, okay," Ashkii mumbled, turning away as he began to feel his eyes burn. He hated that he was so jealous, and this was working him up so much. Who cared if Giovanni was going to visit Nate at his place? 

Well, him... apparently.

He cared.

A fucking lot to be honest.

Sometimes their situation often made Ashkii frustrated. He couldn't be mad at Giovanni for wanting to meet up with Nate. He wasn't doing anything wrong. They weren't dating. Fuck, but he couldn't help feeling hurt and helpless.

He loved Giovanni.

But he couldn't do anything if Giovanni didn't love him back. If he asked for any sort of exclusivity, he'd come off as clingy and Giovanni might straight-up refuse and they wouldn't have the little they had now. Ashkii didn't want to lose that. He wouldn't know what to do with himself if that happened. So, he sucked it up and told himself that he was okay with the way things were.