Take My Body (Curse Bound 2)

He didn’t want to think about it.

And in fact, it was time for him to go.

Paws tapped against the floor, and Dingo came in, watching them with brown eyes that didn’t look more intelligent than any other dog’s. And yet, he’d been the one to fulfill their wishes, like a fucked-up version of a genie, one without a bottle and with way more fur.

Caspian needed to get out of here before he went crazy.

Gunner watched him intently, but remained physically distant, as if the air between them was too dense for walking through. “And um… Can I do anything for you? Like… go tell your parents it was somehow my fault? That I gave you drugs or something? You can throw me under the bus, I don’t mind.”

It hurt Caspian to even think about it, and he shook his head. “No. I want to stay in touch,” he said softly and pushed his feet into the lavender-hued trainers Gunner had gotten during that first shopping trip with Alexander.

He might not feel like the cute, twinky style Gunner had adapted during his brief time in Caspian’s body was him but had to admit that the new clothes Gunner purchased fit him much better than the plain, baggy stuff that still filled his wardrobe. It might take a while, but Caspian would eventually find himself somewhere between the somber style he used to prefer and the youthful, colorful clothes Gunner favored.

Noah’s head popped out of the kitchen, and he walked into the living room with a large smoothie in hand when he saw neither of them was naked. “So it worked.”

Gunner smiled. “It did. Have you won the lottery yet?”

Noah’s face soured. “No, still poor. Are you staying for lunch?” he asked Caspian. “Wow, this is so weird. I keep seeing you as Gunner.”

Caspian did want to stay, but when Gunner looked at him in a way that felt all-too-familiar, he knew he might not keep himself together unless he ran. So he shook his head and shoved his hands into his pockets. “Thanks, but I need to talk to my mom and dad. I have your number, Gun.”

Gunner finally met his eyes. “I’ll make sure to delete your browser history.” He winked, but Caspian could sense the awkwardness for miles, so with stiff knees and shoulders, he went straight for the door.

***

“So it was meds? All of it?” Dad asked, staring at Caspian with brows lowered to shadow his eyes. It was a peaceful Sunday, and while Caspian knew he’d have to personally apologize to all the guests who’d seen Gunner’s outburst at yesterday’s party, his parents seemed to have brought the situation under control. He couldn’t feel sorry for something he hadn’t done, but the sense of shame was still there.

“I’m sorry. I forgot I’d already taken one tablet, took another one, and it made me so agitated. And when Alex—I wanted to eventually tell you. But not like that, in front of everyone, and I just snapped.”

Mom sipped coffee from her favorite mug. “Oh. So that part was true?” she asked, and her inquisitive gaze bore into him with the force of a drill. “Wait. Is this related to that man who’d brought you home drunk? Tell us, Caspian. Was it meds or drugs?”

Caspian’s shoulders dropped as he breathed in the fresh air seeping into the bright, elegant living room through a window larger than the shower stall in Gunner’s burned-down trailer. Life really wasn’t fair.

“It’s meds. I got nervous about all those changes, and that’s why—” He exhaled and looked at them again, because he didn’t want to remove Gunner out of his life. In one way or another, he’d always be someone important. And while Caspian could never have Gunner the way he wanted, he needed to make sure his friend was welcome here. “He had nothing to do with this. Gunner’s a really good guy, deep down.”

Dad frowned, and Caspian cringed at him, connecting the dots in his head. “That man, Gunner. Did he seduce you into this? We all experiment when we’re young. It’s okay—”

Caspian stood up. “No.”

In fact, it had been the other way around.

Sweat beaded on Caspian’s back, but it felt good to speak more plainly about things that were so important. “No, I’ve had… partners at university. Gunner and I… we reconnected when I got back. He might look like a thug, because he’s been through a lot, but he’s trying really hard to turn his life around.”

Mom raised her hand. “Okay, okay, no need to raise your voice. So… Is he your boyfriend?”

Caspian swallowed the anger buzzing inside him when he remembered how wary his parents had been when he’d brought Gunner here some time ago. It still hurt. “You are so judgmental. You think you’re not, but you are. So he has a tattooed face. And his dad was a criminal, and he dropped out of high school, but he really cares for people. Just yesterday, he took me to the ER after I had peanuts!”