"I'd be better off without you," Desmond said softly, poking an old, shrivelled bean into the sink.
"Like hell."
"No, I mean it, Brady."
Silence hung over the room like the smoke from dinner. The cheap exhaust fan was useless, running for hours and hours without doing anything to the smoke clinging to the ceiling.
"You're mean," Desmond said.
The quiet pushed in again.
Part of him wished Brady would deny it, push back a little. Snap or yell, even. But the truth between them always sat in silence.
The ride home from Thanksgiving. Why did you say I was a friend? The walk after their first fight. Did you really mean that you hate me? The morning after the first time they slept together. I can see myself with you, Brady. Earlier that morning, standing in the cluttered living room. Do you love me?
"Desmond... You know it's complicated."
He huffed.
Oh, he'd heard that one. One time, two times, ten.
"Do you think life is gonna just magically tidy itself up?" Desmond asked, bitterness creeping into his voice. "Or do you think it'll just take care of me for you?"
Silence.
"Jesus, Brady. If you hated me so much, why'd you let me move in?"
"Rent was high."
Desmond looked down at the shrivelled bean in the sink. It wobbled as his eyes watered. For once, he would have preferred the silence.
About the Creator
Silver Daux
Writer of the dark! Think of it like flipping rocks, the weird little stories underneath are my jam and jelly. Jam and butter? Just jam. Absolutely no use of AI in any of my works :)
Ah, also:
Tiktok/Insta: harbingerofsnake
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