Chapter Two
Matt left the club, went to the parking garage for his car, and drove home. He took a leisurely pace, going the long way so he could have time to think. Really, he would've done better to stay home, filch some of Davis's ice cream, watch porn, and go to bed in a more satisfied state than he was in now. Life just couldn't make itself easy or interesting for him, could it? Matt drummed his fingers on the wheel, irritated. No, not merely irritated; he was pissed off. Things were doing well until all of a sudden, when he realized that a quick fuck and somewhat sadistic domination didn't do it for him. Things were doing well until he started thinking that sitting in front of a cheap porn video and whacking off like a randy teenager would be more fun than fucking a stranger silly. Things were flat out better until now!

Arriving home, Matt slammed in the front door and stopped dead. The television was unexpectedly off and Davis was no longer present. He checked around the apartment, and not seeing a trace of his roommate, decided not to worry about it. He went to the freezer, planning on getting revenge by eating Davis's ice cream, and found a note taped to the refrigerator.

Going out tonight, may not be back in the morning. Don't you DARE touch my ice cream or else I'll kill you. I mean it. I can tell you were going to.

Well, well, well, Davis wasn't the sex-starved, horndog idiot he made himself out to be. At the very least, he was a good guesser, or he knew Matt too well. Pulling the note down, Matt put it on the counter and decided to go for a beer. He was already a little soused, but he felt like having more. He went into the living room and flipped on the TV, figuring he would watch VH1 or something tame. As he expected, it was still on a porno channel, and he found himself watching with mild interest. He also found himself rubbing his hard cock through his pants as the action onscreen got hotter. Davis had good taste in porn if this was the kind of thing he'd been watching recently.

Matt put his beer aside and was unbuttoning his pants when the front door flew open again and two people made their way in. Davis was joined at the lips and at the waist to another man, a little bit shorter, their hands busy roving over one another's bodies. Davis paid no attention to Matt's presence and led his one night stand back to his bedroom. Matt turned away from the TV and the porn and listened to the sounds of Davis slamming his door and shoving the other man against the wall. Matt's interest - among other things - was already aroused. He heard the pair falling back onto the bed, heard someone moan. It was higher than Davis's moans tended to be, so Matt assumed it was the other man.

They had no reservations about creating noise, as he found out within five more minutes of listening in on their activities. Davis was obviously fucking the guy now, judging by the moans and little cries that kept emitting from the room. They weren't at it for long the first time. It was a quick, undoubtedly dirty fuck, though Matt could tell that both enjoyed it. The second time around, however, they lasted longer. Over the sound of the TV, Matt could hear their pleasured gasps and moans. He heard Davis murmur something to the man. Something that caused the noise to increase sharply. Then he heard the headboard slamming rapidly against the wall. Like a drum, he thought idly.

It got to be too much for Matt to resist unbuttoning his pants and jerking off while listening to his roommate having sex with another man. This was a new experience of sorts for him. His cock was harder than it had been in the club, and that meant serious business. Not to mention misery unless he gave himself some relief, which he did very willingly. Of course, Matt had heard Davis having sex before, had even walked in on it, but something about it tonight... Something got to him. He tried to keep his voice down, choking on the moans that broke loose from his lips; he didn't want Davis to realize exactly what was getting him off. Davis knew perfectly well that Matt didn't jack off to porn.

He heard a soft scream from the bedroom, and then silence for about ten minutes. Davis burst out of his room at the same time Matt came, his head thrown back against the couch, cum splashed over the carpet and his pants and his hand. As he tried desperately to clean it up with only his bare hands - not very useful - before Davis or the other man could notice, he remembered all the times he'd found Davis doing the same thing after jerking off in the living room. Shit. Something about that thought went directly to his cock, making him harden again. Lina was right on the money when she said he had problems. He had to remember to tip her better.

Matt finished cleaning up in the nick of time. His erection was very evident in the tight pants he was wearing, so he turned off the TV and ducked into the kitchen, where the counter would hide the remaining evidence. He rinsed off his hands and watched Davis kiss the man goodbye. "So?" he said, when the man had gone and they were alone again.

"What?" Davis shrugged, tossing his hair a little. He was shirtless and sweaty, his only article of clothing being the jeans that hung low on his bony hips.

"Nothing," Matt said, shrugging in return. He dried his hands and headed for the freezer.

Davis made a comical picture as he ran to block Matt from stealing his ice cream. "I told you, don't or I'll kill you!" he hollered violently. He opened the door and, snatching the remaining carton of Häagen Dazs, laughed triumphantly as he retreated to the couch.

"I buy that ice cream, and it's expensive," Matt reminded him. "I deserve some of it."

"No!" cried Davis, like a petulant five-year-old refusing his parents. "It's mine!"

"Awwww, poor baby." Matt sat down on the couch with his roommate and slapped his thigh.

"Mm-hmm, poor baby," Davis agreed, digging into the half-empty carton. "Hey, you wouldn't be willing to buy me more, would you?"

"You need to hit the gym tomorrow." Matt slapped Davis's thigh again, but he stood up and got his car keys from where he'd left them on the counter. "I'll be back in five to ten." He waved jauntily to Davis and left. He didn't know why he was doing it, acting like some sort of slave or personal shopper for his friend's convenience. He didn't really care to know why, so he went to the nearest convenience store that would be open at ten thirty and bought Davis two more cartons of Häagen Dazs. Damn his kindhearted, generous nature.

Ten minutes later, true to his word, Matt got home again and plopped the bag down on the counter beside his keys. "There you -" He turned and saw Davis very busy with himself, whacking off and fixated on the television. He studied Davis's hooded eyes, his big hand wrapped around a similarly big erection, studied the expression of ecstasy on his face and the sweat that trickled slowly down his chest. Davis looked good like that, he had to admit. The thought brought a blush to Matt's cheeks. He was being stupid. He tore his eyes away from that very enticing picture and looked at what Davis was watching. It wasn't bad, either. There were three hot, naked guys all twined around each other, currently busy with foreplay. Matt was tempted to join Davis on the couch.

Sorely tempted. He resisted it and retreated to his room. He locked the door behind him and, sitting on the edge of the bed, tried to clear his head. All that happened was he got the stronger urge to jack off. Matt scowled and flopped back to stare at the light fixture attached to the ceiling. There was a small crack beside it, creeping out from the glass dome that covered the bulb. His scowl deepened. The neighbors better not jump around partying some night and break through his ceiling. Matt had to scold himself; that was the least of his problems, and highly unlikely. Right now, he needed to figure out what exactly was his problem.

Why was he thinking like this, anyway?

Matt gave in to carnal instinct and the ache in his groin and, unfastening his pants, he let his fingers brush over the heat of his hard cock for a moment. The slight touch wasn't enough for him; Matt began to stroke himself harder and faster, almost like simulating the fast fuck he'd had earlier that night. It didn't take him long playing with himself, fingers playing across the burning hot head of his cock, stopping his cum from splashing everywhere. His hand ended up soaked and sticky. With another slight frown, Matt licked the cum off his hand. It wasn't erotic by any means, and totally different from the times he'd done it before when he was actually having sex with someone other than his thumb and four fingers. Whatever. It worked, and that was what mattered. Plus he didn't want to get up and trot across the hall to the bathroom where Davis might notice what was going on.

Davis! Everything felt like it was explicitly about him these days. His unemployment, his ice cream, his pornography, his habits, his one night stand... Matt should have marched out into the living room - never mind what Davis was doing - and given him a good, hard kick in the balls. He laughed mirthlessly. Davis, Davis, Davis. He really was pathetic if he had to think along those lines. He needed help or a good screw or something. Anything to keep his mind off worrying about Davis or even thinking about him for more than five seconds. Anything to eliminate all but passing, casual thoughts about his roommate. Casual thoughts meaning that sexual elements were not involved, and meaning that he didn't listen to his roommate have sex and get off on it.

"Matt, you okay in there?" Davis knocked loudly on the door. Too loudly. It shook the door and made Matt feel like getting an ibuprofen or three. "Matt?"

"Fine, Davis." He kicked off his shoes and undressed, changing into boxers and a t-shirt to sleep in. No need to run around naked in the middle of the night. Like Davis, who slept in the nude. Davis who was getting into his head and his life again, despite his resolve not to allow it! Matt threw his clothes, both his work clothes and his clubbing outfit, into the hamper with violent force. He flinched when one of the buttons on his pants clacked against the wall.

"Okay," said Davis. He sounded doubtful, but his footsteps went back to his bedroom and Matt heard him close the door. Good. He was out of the picture temporarily.

Matt stayed up all night, ultimately falling asleep around five thirty. He was glad he didn't have work on Saturday. Otherwise, he would have called in sick to work to have more time to think and screw his life up even more than it already was. At nine seventeen the same morning, Davis woke him by banging thunderously on his locked door. "Matt, what are you doing in there?"

"I was sleeping," Matt grumbled, getting out of bed and slouching over to open the door.

"Sorry." Davis grinned sheepishly and ducked his head, making his long bangs fall against his face and shadow his brown eyes. "I was worried, 'cause you never sleep past seven."

Matt shrugged and brushed past Davis into the kitchen to make coffee. Now that he was awake, he couldn't very well go back to bed. For one thing, he wouldn't be able to sleep again, and for another, Davis would get seriously worried and probably try to drag him out to see a doctor. "Do you want coffee?" He didn't look at Davis, just got out his usual mug and turned on the coffee maker.

"Nope," Davis said, opening the refrigerator and digging through its contents, "I already had vodka and orange juice."

"You mean a screwdriver."

"Mmm. One of those." Davis pulled out the milk and went in search of his cereal, leaving the fridge door open as he did so. Matt closed it and glared at him until he offered another blushing grin and duck of his head, saying, "Whoops. Sorry."

Matt leaned against the counter, watching his roommate assemble his breakfast and shaking his head at the choice of cereal. "Trix, Davis?"

"Mmm," said Davis again. "Trix are for kids."

"Kids don't get fired for sucking cock in the back room," Matt snapped.

"Geez." Davis stopped pouring his cereal and put the box down to stare at Matt with a half puzzled, half angry look on his face. "Something crawled up your ass and died. Didn't you get a good fuck last night?"

Matt felt color rise to his cheeks as he replied, "Yes."

"Leave me alone, then. I don't know what's wrong with you today, but whatever it is, cut it out."

"Nothing is wrong with me, Davis." Matt tried to keep his voice level and calm, but failed. The words came out like a desperate denial.

"Something fucking well is wrong with you. You're PMSing, you came home early last night, you slept in this morning, and you were jacking off to porn when I came in! What the hell? We both know you're acting weird, like... Like..."

"Like you?" Matt couldn't help the cynical retort. He regretted saying it and looked down at the floor, letting his bangs fall over his eyes.

"That was uncalled for, you little shit!" Davis shouted. He looked ready to hit Matt, or beat the crap out of him. "Fuck you, Matt. You could use a good fuck if it meant your mood would get better. Leave me the hell alone." He finished pouring cereal and milk and began to eat angrily, not bothering to cap the milk or put the plastic carton away. The entire time, he glared at Matt. More correctly, at Matt's back, as Matt had turned away to avoid that hateful gaze.

"I -" Matt choked on the word and quit while he was ahead.

"You what?" Davis's voice had softened a bit. Matt chanced a fleeting look at his friend and saw that Davis's visage, too, was softer and more open now. "Matt, are you okay?"

"Ye -"

"No, you're not, I can tell," Davis interrupted. "Are you sick?"

Matt shook his head.

"Are you depressed?"

Matt hesitated, then shrugged, then shook his head. He couldn't make up his mind on that one.

"Are you worried about money?"

Matt shook his head. He made enough money to support them while Davis looked for another job, and if that wasn't enough, he could add a nighttime job to pay the rent. Or he could stop spending so extravagantly and give up the clubs. That sent a little nervous shiver down his back, which he promptly pretended to ignore.

"Is there something else on your mind?"

After thinking for a long, tense moment, Matt nodded slightly. Davis frowned and, dumping his empty bowl in the sink, came over and took hold of his shoulders. Matt looked up at him, afraid at first that Davis might start shaking him or would beat him up for how he acted before. Nothing like that happened. In fact, nothing happened at all. They merely stared at one another. "Wanna talk about it?" Davis prompted. His thumbs were stroking Matt's shoulders lightly, soothingly. Matt relaxed into the touch a bit, trying to enjoy it. He found it all too easy to do so.

"I'm not sure yet." Matt looked down at the floor. He needed to mop.

"All right," Davis said. He let go and went about putting things away again. He hummed as he did it, a song that Matt couldn't recognize. "If you want to, Matt, I'm in my room." He retreated and Matt could hear him closing and locking the door.