Page 95 of Grind
Ezra had even jumped into the world of couponing, so they could save up for that dream trip with more ease. It was as impressive as it was concerning, considering Ezra’s obsessive personality, but at the end of the day the practical nature of this new passion benefitted them both. In the end, Frank decided to let him do his thing and strategize the shopping however he liked. He made sure to bring Ezra any magazines that had coupons, and sometimes they’d sit at the table and cut them out together, chatting or watching the news.
Frank did insist on getting their turkey from a farmer friend. It would be the best quality,andfree, since the guy owed him a favor, but all the other choices regarding food were up to Ezra. He took them very seriously, and Frank smiled, watching him check his extensive list as they turned into another aisle. The cast was gone, and while Ezra worried the scars on his face weren’t healing fast enough, Frank definitely saw progress. Talking about them at all was a minefield though, so he didn’t mention them unless Ezra did it first. The same went for Ezra’s eating habits.
Frank fell behind to have a look at the protein powders, but when he caught up with Ezra, his man lingered close to a table with samples.
Ezra stared at a tiny chunk of chocolate-covered marzipan as if it were one of those weird spiders that buried themselves in the dirt and caught their unsuspecting prey by pulling it underground. In this case, the little paper muffin cup holding the candy played the role of the trap, and Ezra was clearly trying to convince himself that digging in wouldn’t be a big mistake.
He had already looked up marzipan online, explained (more to himself than to Frank) that it did contain some minerals and vitamins, so it wasn’t completely nutritionally useless, but at the end of the day it was almond paste with lots of sugar. Ezra’s life would be so much easier if he accepted that not every single meal needed to be balanced, but that was something he ought to work out himself.
Frank could only support him, which was difficult at times, because, having no inhibitions related to food, he didn’t understand the process going on in Ezra’s mind. In fact, he never thought about it much at all and assessed his meals based exclusively on flavor. Being on Ezra’s meal plan convinced him that his previous attitude had been a mistake, since he could already see the results of eating more mindfully, but balance was always best, and it pained him to see how much distress Ezra went through every time he couldn’t be perfectly on plan.
But patience was in Frank’s nature, so he petted Ezra’s toned back in encouragement. This needed to happen at Ezra’s own pace, but he started seeing a therapist about his food issues and was making progress by not measuring the weight of every single meal. Trying new foods was part of the process, so when Ezra shoved the bit of marzipan into his mouth and chewed it like a child trying broccoli for the first time, Frank’s chest lit up with joy.
“How is it?”
Ezra hummed, sucking on the food with an uncertain expression. “Very sweet.”
“Too sweet?”
“Yeah. I mostly taste the sweet cocoa glaze.”
Frank nodded and gave Ezra’s hand a gentle squeeze. “I never liked it much either. At least now you know.”
Ezra shook his head. “I had this one friend, who ate tiny marzipan balls in dark chocolate as a treat once or twice a week. She said she allowed herself that because it wasn’t just pure sugar like gummy bears, but at the end of the day, a sweet is a sweet, right?”
“You may as well have the one you really enjoy,” Frank told him and pushed the cart along the area with clothes, which never had anything in his size anyway.
“Oh, look at that,” Ezra said, jogging up to a stand with sunglasses. He picked up a pair with forest green frames and smoky lenses before striking a pose for Frank. The shades not only went well with Ezra’s toned down yet elegant outfit featuring his favorite Burberry coat but also complimented his tan skin and dark hair.
“You like them? Would be great for the winter,” he teased, fighting the smirk.
“Perfect for a winter vacation in the sun,” Ezra quipped back and grabbed a pair of thick tortoiseshell frames before putting them on Frank’s nose. “You look like you’re a character onMad Men.”
“Is that likeMad Maxbut gay?” Frank asked but glanced in the mirror, unsure if Ezra’s comment was a compliment or a joke.
Ezra snorted and placed his hand on Frank’s, where it still rested on the cart handle. It was discreet enough to remain unnoticed by the other customers, but the warm touch of perfectly smooth hands smoldered against Frank’s skin.
“No, it’s a show set in the fifties, and it’s full of well-dressed guys in suits,” Ezra said and pulled out his phone. “You could be an executive, I could be your secret beatnik lover. It all checks out,” he said before leaning against Frank to snap a quick picture of them.
Frank made a serious face to go with his role, but he looked more like an 80s mobster than anyone who might work in an office. “Should I get a suit? Would come in handy when I take apart the next rusted car.”
Ezra chuckled, his face relaxing with pure joy. Nothing was better than seeing him like this—truly at ease. It fueled a part of Frank that previously hadn’t been satisfied, and he was only now starting to realize just how much he needed to take care of somebody this way. It made his heart full.
“If you want to roleplay that scenario I just mentioned, let’s thrift for one. Otherwise, no need. You look so good the way you are,” Ezra said, watching him with sparkling eyes.
Frank grinned. “Look at you, first couponing, and now thrifting. Who have you become?”
Ezra sighed, and his face stilled behind the glasses as he contemplated the question. When he responded, his voice sounded even and earnest. “I think being at your place made me realize that all that fancy stuff never made me happy. You do.”
Frank gave him a brief hug. He’d kiss him too but didn’t want to risk someone causing a scene. “You’re so sweet. So what else do we have on the list?”
Ezra pulled the shades off Frank’s face. “Other than those two pairs of sunglasses? I think we’re done.”
Frank chuckled and pushed the shopping cart in the other direction, but he’d been too hasty and it bumped into someone else’s.
The young woman looked up at him with a scowl. “Watch where you’re—”
Ezra stared at her as she blinked, adjusting the silk scarf she had tied around her neck in a fancy manner.
