Dinner and Discussion

"Cool, but you probably should sleep."

Nils smiled just a tad bitterly and shrugged. "I... can't really sleep very well anymore. Especially not alone. And I've found that since... things started going down, I don't need to sleep nearly as often as I used to. Which is good, because the nightmares kind of suck."
He cleared his throat a bit uncomfortably. He hadn't meant to let that slip. "But yeah, apparently we don't need to sleep as often as we used to."

"Yeah. I'm a bit nocturnal myself, but I suspect that is for other reasons. Thompson and I get more alike every day."

"Yeah, you are a bit catlike." He replied with a smile. "Although admittedly the two of you are so alike that other than the fur it's hard to tell you apart already."

"I never ate a hobo."

Nils laughed. "Yes, but that's because you have access to the delicious world of human food." As if on cue, their waitress showed up with their food. Nils fell silent while she placed things and grabbed his cup for a refil. "I can't imagine those hobos taste half as good."

"That's fair. Hobo meat is bound to be tough."

This startled another bout of laughter from Nils. "Very true." He replied once he'd calmed down enough to speak. "I'd personally just stick to eating helpless livestock."

"Mmmm cow."

Nils laughed and nodded. "Indeed. Beef and chicken and pig and all the other adorable tasty animals."
He fell silent for a bit, eating his food. "So, I know I sort of already asked this, but how are things at the frat? I hope we're not causing you any problems... Although I guess from their point of view you're hanging out with a bunch of hot women. I know I lost my head a little bit when you got shot, though, and I'd hate to cause a problem..."

"Ah well Trent figured it out. He's asking alot of questions about the healing rather than the whole sleeping with men thing. About being gay he's been pretty cool about it. He even has a nickname for me. The other guys mostly want Ronnie's number, and if anyone else is more focused on my sexuality, they keep it quiet. I think Thompson sees to that."

Nils raised an eyebrow. He was surprised at how casual his lover was about the whole thing. Although, if Trent was taking it well, there was really no reason not to be. It was good that Chad had someone in his own circle that knew, especially someone like Trent, whom he knew Chad respected. That Thompson was protecting Chad was not surprising at all-Nils knew firsthand that the relationship between the two of them was less pet and owner and more friends or roommates. Possibly even family.
It was perhaps a little worrisome that Trent was getting nosy about Chad's fast recovery, but Nils had every confidence in Chad to dodge the question. Or not, really. It might not be the end of the world to have someone know-that is, if Trent would believe it.
"So, are you out to all of them, or just to Trent?" He asked.

"I'm out, and I use the term loosely, to Trent. Trent already figured it out, I just kind of confirmed it. I doubt anyone else knows."

Nils nodded. It made the most sense. Though he wished for both of their sakes that it was viable for Chad to be completely out, he knew it was impractical at best and dangerous at worst. That knowledge more or less quieted the selfish voice in the back of his head that raged against the need for secrecy.
"Yeah, you're pretty good at being sneaky." Nils agreed. "I imagine your secret is quite safe."

"If it isn't, I like to think I intimidate them enough that it won't matter much."

"Also fair." Nils said with a laugh. He wondered, not for the first time what exactly the inside of a frat was even like. He couldn't imagine living and spending a majority of your time with a group of people that you had to rely on secrecy and intimidation to stay safe around. There must be something he was missing. Chad seemed to enjoy it well enough, and it certainly wasn't like he was the first man to ever stay in the closet.
Nils sighed and put down his fork, his food finished. Glancing at Chad's, he saw that he was similarly finished. "What do you say to getting out of here and heading to my place for dessert?"

"By dessert, do you mean sex or cake?"

"I think there is opportunity for both." Nils replied with a smile. "We can start with one and end with the other."

Chad laughed. "Let's go then." Then they left the restaurant. The end.