Page 23 of Curious Cameron
"He left recipes," Cameron corrects, "including a newbie friendly one for the baked ziti I screwed up."
"Next time we eat in we'll cook together," I say while I stand up.
"Are you sure?" Cameron asks, twisting bits of his napkin off and letting it fall like snow onto his empty plate. "Shouldn't I be cooking for us? You're the only one working right now."
None of that. I don't want Cameron to think he has to shoulder all the responsibility for cleaning the house and cooking meals. "You're busy too, Cam. You're working on yourself. If I'm too stressed or when I get too tired, I'll ask you outright to handle dinner plans."
Cameron looks uncomfortable. His pink lips waver with the start of a protest, but I toss him a quick wink.
"Okay?" I prod him.
"Okay," Cameron agrees with a nod and faint smile.
"Good. Now wait here. I got a present for you."
"You really shouldn't have," he calls after me.
"Should and shouldn't have nothing to do with it. I got it because I wanted to get it for you." With glee, I heft my treasure back into the dining room: a massive antique silvery painting frame with embossed wood.
"Is that..?" Cameron's so gobsmacked he can't even finish his sentence. No problem. I've got no issue finishing it for him.
"It sure is," I grin. "It's a painting frame for the living room and your next piece of art is going in it."
"Trev, that's massive!"
"So?" I counter. My grin grows in size. "Remember our freshman year of high school when Mrs. Bailey had us do those huge self-portraits on butcher paper? You loved that shit, Cam. Paint whatever you want, dude, but make it big."
I know whatever Cameron makes, I'll be proud to hang it up for us in the living room. I want him to take up space. To be loud and needy. To show himself without shame. This is just one way to go about teaching him all that.
"Thank you," Cameron says, his voice warm but his eyes wet. "Really, Trev. Thank you for everything, but…extra thanks for this. I was just looking at my art today and I think…no, I know I'm ready to start creating things again."
"I can't wait, man."
I prop up the frame against the wall for now. Maybe it should go in the dining room instead of the living room? I mull it over, briefly glancing around the room, but in the end can't make up my mind. Though I guess it doesn't matter. I'm planning on our house being full of Cameron's art.
A painting or drawing in every room.
I just know he's going to make great things.
"You get enough to eat?" I ask.
"Oh, yeah," Cameron nods as he stands up too, already reaching for the dirty glasses. I help out and grab the plates. Together, we move everything into the kitchen to get it cleaned up. As we stand side by side at the sink, me on washing duty and Cameron on drying detail, he looks at me out of the corner of his eyes.
"Hey, Trev?" he carefully broaches. I hum but stay silent, letting Cameron pursue things in his own time. "I'm kind of nervous about the…threesome. What if I'm not good at it? You know, the sex stuff. Shouldn't we practice more before Marlon comes over?"
I bite my tongue as I rinse off the glass in my hand, carefully handing over it to Cameron. I glance over at him, leaning in close. "You wanna practice kissing boys?" I tease.
I know exactly what I'm doing. I'm embarrassing Cameron and ruffling him up on purpose. I can't help myself. He's so easy to tease and has the cutest reactions.
Color rises across his nose and his neck. He puffs up his cheeks at me as he sets aside the glass without bothering to dry it all the way.
"Yeah, Trev. I want to practice kissing with you. And…and I want to…" Cameron's voice trails off and he clears his throat. He stops looking at me. His gaze falls to his hands as he rubs them on his thighs. "I want to learn how to suck cock too," he blurts out.
Well, fuck.
I can't tease him a second more. Not with such a brave admission like that.
I get the leftovers put away for us in record time.
