legs. I loved being on top of her, working my shit
in deep, hearing her moan. I wish you guys could have been there. You'd have really dug it.»
Blay rolled his eyes. «You having sex. Yeah, now, there's something I need to see.»
Qhuinn's smile was slow and a little evil. «You like watching me fight, right?»
«Well, sure, you're good at it.»
«Why should sex be any different? It's just something you do with your body.»
Blay seemed nonplussed. «But… what about privacy?»
«Privacy is a matter of context.» Qhuinn got out a third beer. «And, Blay?»
«What?»
«I'm really good at sex, too.» He cracked the top and took a pull. «So here's what we need to do.
I'm going to take a couple days to get strong, and then we're going out to the clubs downtown. I
want to do it again, but it can't be with her.» Qhuinn looked over at John. «J-man, you're coming
with us to ZeroSum. I don't care if you're a pretrans. We go together.»
Blay nodded. «The three of us are a good vibe. Besides, John, you're going to be where we are
soon.»
As the two started making plans, John got quiet. The whole picking-up-chicks thing was
unfathomable, and not just because the transition had yet to hit him. He had a bad history with
things of a sexual nature. The worst.
For a split second, he had a vivid memory of the dirty stairwell it had happened in. He felt the
gun at his temple. Felt his jeans being yanked down. Felt the unthinkable as it was done to him.
He remembered his breath scratching up and down his throat and his eyes watering and how,
when he'd pissed himself, it had gotten on the tips of the guy's cheap sneakers.
«This weekend,» Qhuinn announced, «we are going to get you taken care of, Blay.»
John put his beer down and rubbed his face as Blay's cheeks got red.
«Yeah, Qhuinn… I don't know-«
«Trust me. I'm going to make it happen for you. Then, John? You're next.»
John's first response was to shake his head no, but he stopped himself so he didn't look like an
idiot. He was already feeling behind the eight ball, all small and unmanly. Turning down an offer
to get laid would put him solidly in Loserland.
«So we got a plan?» Qhuinn demanded.
As Blay fiddled with the bottom of his T-shirt, John got the distinct impression the guy was
going to say no. Which made John feel so much better-
«Yeah.» Blay cleared his throat. «I… ah, yeah. I'm, like, juiced as shit. It's almost all I can think
about, you know? And it's, like, painful, for real.»
«I know exactly what you mean.» Qhuinn's mismatched eyes sparkled. «And we are going to
have us some good times. Shit, John… will you tell your body to get its groove on?»
John just shrugged, wishing he could leave.
«So, time for some 'sKillerz'?» Blay asked, nodding to the Xbox on the floor. «John's going to
beat us again, but we can still fight for number two.»
It was a royal relief to get focused on something else, and the three of them got wound up by the
game, yelling at the TV, throwing candy wrappers and beer caps at one another. God, John loved
this. On the video screen they competed as equals. He was not small and left behind; he was
better than they were. In sKillerz, he could be the warrior he wanted to be.
As he tanned their hides, he looked over at Blay and knew the guy had picked this game
specifically to make John feel better. But then, Blay tended to know where people were in their
heads, and how to be kind without embarrassing someone. He was an excellent friend.
Four six-packs, three trips to the kitchen, two full games of sKillerz, and a Godzilla movie later,
John checked his watch and got off the bed. Fritz would be coming for him soon, because he had
an appointment at four a.m. every night that he had to make or he was kicked out of the training
program.
See you tomorrow in class? he signed.
«Good deal,» Blay said.
Qhuinn smiled. «IM later, k'ay?»
Will do. He paused at the door. Oh, hey, meant to ask.
He tapped his eye and pointed to Qhuinn. What's up with the shiner?
Qhuinn's stare stayed absolutely steady, his smile bright as ever. «Oh, it's nothing. Just slipped
and fell in the shower. Really stupid, huh.»
John frowned and glanced at Blay, whose eyes hit the floor and stayed there. Okay, something
was-
«John,» Qhuinn said firmly, «accidents happen.»
John didn't believe the kid, especially given that Blay's peepers were still down for the count, but
as someone who had his
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