An awkward question

Once they’d dressed and made sure the bar was fully shut down, the duo shared a spliff in under the bar’s awning. Tom had been more taciturn than usual after Lily had teased him about being pent up, and she was determined to get to the bottom of it. As she exhaled her drag and passed the spliff back, Lily asked in a gentle voice “You doing ok Tom? Not to pry, but you seem a little blue.”

The big man stared off into the distance before sighing heavily. He took a hit off the joint and gave it to Lily, opening his mouth to speak before closing it. Placing a hand on his shoulder Lily reassured him “No pressure to say anything if you don’t want to, and if you do want to talk it stays between us” she paused “scouts honor.”

Tom genuinely chuckled “fuck you, never should have told you I was an eagle scout.” He sighed again, “Look Lily, I like you, you’re good company and fuck like a woman possessed. But like, I’m thirty-two and I’ve got it bad for a woman who thinks I’m a dumbfuck with a good dick. I was pent up… I haven’t been with anyone since Quinn backburnered me for the hundredth time.” Lily frowned, she’d never really considered Tom’s side of the on-again off-again thing with Quinn, she’d always assumed it was mutual. Tom went on “Other than you popping in every once in a while, there’s no one else y’know. I know Q’s never going to change her mind. If she ever does settle down with someone, certainly ain’t gonna be me. I dunno Lily, it just sucks sometimes.”

Lily wrapped her arms around Tom, pressing her head deep into his chest as she hugged him. “Nothing I say’s going to change Quinn, but you’re a good friend and a good guy Tom. If you’re looking for a forever person, I know you’ll find them someday.” Tom sniffed, the cracks in his gruff exterior wavering as he quite obviously suppressed a tear, “Thanks Lily. Appreciate you.”

The spliff burned down and the two bundled into Tom’s car as another thought meandered its way into Lily’s mind. “Tom, this is a pretty direct question, but considering you just fucked me half to **** I don’t feel awkward asking you.” A quizzical look on his face, Tom waited patiently for the follow-up. “Have you ever fucked a guy?” Tom shrugged, “Quinn’s drummer sucked me off at a party once but that’s it. Why?” Lily soldiered on “Ok, but like are you super against it? Is it 100% not for you or like, you just never went for it?” In the darkness Lily couldn’t tell, but as they passed under a streetlight, she could have sworn he blushed.

When he didn’t immediately respond, Lily filled him in on the particulars of the Cedar Street house, how everyone there was somewhere on the queer spectrum, but no one ever judged or pushed. Tom had been to a couple of their parties, but he’d never really visited on an average day. The threesomes with Lily and Quinn invariably took place at Quinn’s apartment. Lily made her case “look Tom, I’m not saying move in with us, but like, if you wanna come spend a weekend and see if you’re into it, see if you vibe with everyone else? No pressure at all if you wanna just drop me off and head home that’s A-Ok. But if you’d like you can crash in my bed tonight.”

Tom pulled into the driveway as Lily finished, his hand hovering over the keys as he debated with himself whether he should drive away or not. Lily sat with him before kissing him on the cheek and hopping out, as she made her way to the door she heard the car lock and turned to see Tom following her.