Page 16 of Trevor Takes Care

He really must think that Trevor was nice to him to get something. Maybe his work was sought-after and he dealt with ass-kissers all the time.

“I’m not offering in order to get work out of you,” Trevor assured him. “Although, if you really built your garage and made that cat tree in the living room, then I’m sure a desk you made would be amazing. That cat tree… the trunk looked like real wood. I mean, itwaswood. But it looked like a real tree. That’s quality artistry. But I’m… a setup from IKEA would work for me. I’m not that serious.”

G.G. cut him a look, then turned his head to face him again. “That isn’t what your grandmother says.”

Trevor was not someone to blush, but he was close to it now. “Grandmothers.” He held out the casserole dish again. “Anyway. If you want, show me where the plastic wrap is and I’ll take care of you. Your hand,” he added quickly. “I’ll take care of your hand. So you can shower.”

G.G. opened his mouth. His attention dipped downward for a second, possibly considering Trevor’s dog-washing ensemble. He closed his mouth.

If anything, Trevor’s current look should have convinced him more to let Trevor help. Trevor clearly wasn’t someone afraid of getting his hands dirty.

“Come on.” It fell out of Trevor, natural as anything. “Stop worrying and get it over with. You’re like Ellie. She’s good for her baths, but going to the groomer? She gets so difficult even though she’ll be happier once it’s over. In her case, about halfway through her haircut when she’s cooler.”

“Did you just compare me to your dog?” G.G. demanded, warmly incredulous.

Nearly a thousand miles away, Sky was probably raising his head from his work to elegantly roll his wrists and look knowing.

Trevor briefly shut his eyes, then nodded before he opened them again. “…Yes. You could blame lockdown if you want, and not me being immature or,” he stumbled over the word, “pushy.” Their age difference must be glaringly obvious to G.G. Trevor didn’t notice it much because he had spent two years with someone older than both of them so his perception was skewed, but G.G. must think of him as a babbling kid.

Trevor hadn’tactuallyoffered to groom G.G. like a dog. That was something at least. Although once he thought that, Trevor immediately thought of tethers, and suds, and a spray hose, and really, really didn’t know how to react to the combination of images. Did that count as puppy play? He’d have to look it up. A gentler bath would make more sense to disarm a toughened warrior anyway. But maybe a tether could be used if he was a prisoner or something.

Or a pet.

A tether would definitely help Sky keep still. Not that Sky needed to be forcibly bathed. But he did need to take the time for something more luxurious and decadent than a shower. A bubble bath? Nowthathewouldhave to be forced…encouragedto do.

And where would that be?Trevor asked himself sarcastically a moment later. In his grandma’s guest bathroom tub with the nonslip butterflies on the bottom and the plastic shower curtain?

“Um,” Trevor said, because he hadn’t been saying anything. “That is to say, there’s no one around anymore. Not without more effort. Families are distant. Friends are across town or farther. So if you want this done, I’m offering in a not-at-all weird or pushy way.” He took another second. “Don’t you want to shower without risking fucking with your stitches and ending up back at the ER or Urgent Care?”

G.G. released a small, barely audible breath. “I’d really like to not smell.”

Trevor beamed at him. “I won’t even offer you a treat when we’re done. That’s a joke. Because I have an awful sense of humor.”

G.G. fixed him with a look exactly like the ones he had given Trevor from across the court for two years now. Not fury. Not even a glare. Just a look. A study. Trevor stared back. He didn’t know what else to do and he liked looking at G.G. anyway.

“I’ve heard worse on worksites,” G.G. finally volunteered, breathing faster. “If you’re sure you don’t mind.”

“You’re so funny,” Trevor told him as kindly as he could. “You want me to offer again?”

G.G. surprised him with a smile, quickly squashed, and then frowned and stepped back to invite Trevor into his home.

Trevor didn’t leap forward. He didn’t. He moved slowly and stopped next to G.G. as G.G. leaned in close to shut the door behind him. “Worksites?” Trevor was breathing faster too.

“I’m a contractor—I used to be. Still am, legally. I haven’t let my license expire. But I don’t work professionally” G.G. went through the beige dining room toward the kitchen. “I only work for me now. Would you like coffee?”

Trevor briefly reflected on being twenty-four or twenty-five and going to visit friends in their apartments and being offered beer or soda or nothing at all. Coffee felt like something his parents would offer. Like something he should have offered to anyone coming to see him, back when he’d lived elsewhere. Of course, it also might not have occurred to him because…

“I’m actually not much of a coffee drinker, but thank you.”

G.G. turned around long enough to give Trevor an affronted look straight out of his grandmother’s coffee-loving playbook. But then he nodded and stopped inside the kitchen, catching the swinging door a second too late, although Trevor managed to not let the door smack him in the face.

“I’m sorry.” G.G. looked at him so mournfully that Trevor nearly apologized for having a big nose that had clearly gotten in the way of the door. G.G. continued to look pained. “I’m not used to having people over.”

Almost no one was these days, except for those who had partied through a pandemic, but Trevor narrowed his eyes suspiciously as G.G. seemed to internally debate what to do next. Trevor almost,almost, asked when was the last time G.G. had a visitor, and if it had been well beforeall this, but it truly wasn’t his business.

And he hadn’t seen any guests in all this time. He might have missed a few, of course; Trevor wasn’t outside all day to spy and creep. But even Nancy had the occasional visitor that caught his attention.

G.G. finally took the dish from Trevor’s hands and put it on the counter next to the coffeemaker Trevor noticed for the first time. A jar of local honey sat next to it the way Trevor’s grandmother kept a canister of sugar next to her coffee machine.

---