dogshitjay
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65: Boiling Over
🕑 Added 2021-05-04 21:35:24 +0000 UTCStephen dropped the hem of Inho’s sweater and returned his stare, “Why are you being so rude?” he demanded, shocked.
Inho didn’t answer, just slapped his hand away, and stormed back to the dinner table.
“He seems nice,” Alanna said around a sip of wine.
“Shut up, Alanna,” Stephen shot back and followed Inho back to the table.
He sat next to Inho, who was studiously looking at his phone. Stephen checked the screen. Inho was just scrolling through his apps. What the heck?
“Can I talk to you?” he said, hoping it sounded firm and not hurt and confused. He was spinning quite a bit now.
“Talk,” Inho said without looking up.
“Inho. Please.”
Inho looked up, and rolled his eyes, “Fine.”
Stephen saw Tavy’s eyes follow them as he led Inho into the corridor by the bedrooms, but the others were distracted. Stephen took a deep breath and tried to clear his mind before he spoke, “What’s wrong? Why are you acting like this?”
“Like what?” Inho gave him a flat stare.
“You know what; you were super rude to Alanna just now.”
“She was rude to me. Calling me like that.”
“Like what? Japanese?”
“A bottom.”
Stephen blinked. Was Inho someone who tied his masculinity to what his butt did in the bedroom? He hadn’t considered it. Inho wasn’t always the bottom either, so this made no sense. Alanna was clearly joking about the dirty talk she’d walked in on. But also, what was wrong with being a bottom? Nothing. If Inho had a problem with it, they needed to talk about it. If only he weren’t so drunk. He was taking too long and Inho was glaring again. This felt too familiar.
“Is there something wrong with being a bottom?” He managed to ask without slurring.
“I’m not….I...she’s a stranger, she doesn’t need to comment on how I have sex. She just met me.”
“I think you’re overreacting, she doesn’t care, she was just making a joke.”
“And, what the hell is up with Connor?”
“Connor? What?” This was so hard to follow, Stephen’s vision was starting to blur. How much had he had to drink? He put his hand on Inho’s shoulder, as much to keep himself steady as to comfort Inho.
“He’s been saying shit to me all night, what’s his problem?” Inho was gesturing angrily now, and getting louder, “And, who is this Japanese guy in the West End?”
Stephen cringed, “He was nothing, just a random.”
“Then why do they all know about him?”
“He was just a good lay. I brought it up, and I guess it was close to when we went on a date so they mixed it up.”
“But, you didn’t bring me up then? Am I not a good enough lay?” Inho’s tone was getting harsher by the word, “Since everyone’s so interested in how I fuck.”
“Inho you’re being ridiculous, Alanna was joking,”
“There's been a lot of jokes at my expense tonight, haven’t there?” Inho hissed.
“Have there? What are you talking about? Can you just calm down for a second?”
“Your friends, Stephen. They don't like me, ‘cause I'm not a doctor.”
“What do you mean, Inho – what? You’re exaggerating,”
“Chris called me fucking Kpop earlier.”
“When?” Stephen grimaced, he should have expected some of this, “Ugh, Chris is an asshole.”
“Yeah, he is – so why did you have a beautiful romance with him?” Inho demanded.
Stephen ran a sweaty palm over his hair. Why did Inho have so many snappy comebacks? What was happening right now? “What. What even–” Stephen shook his head trying to grasp at the connection, “What are you saying?”
“Oh, I'm sorry,” Inho bristled even further, his eyes widening in anger, “Do you not understand 'cause my English isn't good?”
“What? Did someone say that to you?”
“Connor did!”
Stephen put up his hands in an attempt to fend off Inho’s rage. He needed to fix this. His head was pounding, now. He lowered his voice to a soothing tone, “Inho, Inho wait. I don’t care about Connor. Is he being a shit? He’s gone,” Stephen gestured like he was throwing something away, “You’re my priority.”
“Guys,” Tavy’s voice interrupted them.
Stephen turned to see Tavy and Blaire standing in the hallway with them. Connor was behind them cradling Your Mom upside down like a baby.
Fuck. Why is this all happening at once?
Blaire made an exaggerated grimace. Connor’s face was still but his shoulders slumped. He looked very small. Tavy shook his head at them, and promptly shooed Blaire and Connor away, “Keep it down, huh? You’re yelling.”
Stephen turned back to Inho, and scrubbed his hand over his face, “Now I have to fix that too. Please, tell me again. Simply. Why you’re so upset.”
“Your friends are treating me like shit, and you don’t even notice. I just… I just thought you’d be on my side.” Inho brushed past him, “I’m going to go buy some smokes.”
Stephen followed him to the door, “Wait, you don’t need smokes,” was all he could muster. Inho pulled open the door and paused.
“Stephen, your nephew has locked himself in the bathroom,” Tavy called.
Fucking fuck.
“He took Your Mom and a bottle of whiskey,” Tavy added.
Stephen clenched his fists. Inho shook his head and left.
Stephen went to yell at a locked bathroom door.
