Scum (Wrong Side of the Tracks 1)

Shane froze. He’d only been out of prison for two weeks, and while there was some allure to dealing, there was nothing hot about working at a junkyard. And he definitely didn’t want to talk about his other side gig, so he took his time, breathing in the delicious cologne. “I’m… I’m saving money for my own business.”

“Oooh! What kind of business, boyboss?” Ros’s smile was so wide even the rain seemed to disperse and become less heavy.

“A what? Do I look like a boy to you?” Shane asked, unsure whether he was being made fun of.

Ros nuzzled his cheek. “I’m just teasing. You know, like girlboss, but—no, seriously, Shane. Never mind. Tell me about the business.”

The apology soothed Shane’s agitation, and he pulled Ros closer, trying to think on his feet. Maybe he should have just told Ros the truth? But as he agonized what kind of random idea to pitch as his grand plan for the future, one came to him unexpectedly. And he wasn’t resenting it.

Back in prison, he’d been part of an assistant dog training program, and he’d been damn good at it. Why wouldn’t he keep doing it, this time for cash?

“I want to train dogs for blind people.”

It felt like winning the jackpot when Ros’s blue gaze softened for him. And the best thing was that Shane meant it. That the job he’d mentioned wasn’t a sweet, manipulative lie, but something he’d enjoy, if the future offered him the right opportunities.

“Aww. That’s such a good idea! Do you have a dog?”

Shane’s shoulders dropped. “The last one passed on some time ago” —had been given away to the person who needed it— “I’ll have to discuss it with Frank.”

“If you do decide to get one, you’ll have to take me with you to choose.” Ros pushed back his hair, happy in Shane’s lap as if he had no care in the world. Shane was jealous of Ros’s peace of mind but also desperately wanted to be a part of his reality.

Ros froze, clutching at Shane’s shoulders. “Don’t move,” he whispered, staring to their right, beyond the gazebo.

Had the owners of the truck returned?

Shane followed Ros’s eyes, but every muscle in his body stiffened when he spotted a black bear shoving its head into a large trash can.

He squeezed Ros’s thighs, and he looked around for something he could use as a weapon. “If it comes close, you’ll climb to the roof,” he whispered.

The tremble in Ros’s breath awoke an unexpected need to take charge. He wasn’t sure if it was because Ros was physically weaker than him, or because they’d just had sex and he was on a hormone high, but he was ready to fight that fucking bear over him.

“Is this the one you should look in the eye, or shouldn’t?” Ros asked in a high-pitched voice.

“I don’t fucking care about its feelings. If it comes any closer, I’ll fuck it up.”

“Okay, let’s just… not move.” Ros seemed to have stopped breathing altogether as they watched the wet bear drag something out of the trash with its paw, without paying them the slightest bit of attention.

“Fine. But I won’t let it get any closer,” Shane grumbled, holding on to Ros as the animal dug through the bag of trash, unaware of their presence.

Ros was like a statue in his lap, but the way he held on to Shane spoke volumes of his fear. “I think it’s leaving…” he whispered when they saw the bear grab the bag with its teeth and drag it away.

Shane’s hands got sweaty, but he wouldn’t let go and watched the beast disappear between the trees. The pulsing, which had been booming in his skull, quieted, and he leaned back to look at the tense expression on Ros’s face. “Hey, it’s fine. I wouldn’t have let it touch you.”

Ros laughed nervously but tightened his arms around Shane. “What would you have done? Punched a bear for me?”

Shane winked at him. “I don’t discriminate. Man, bear, if they go for your pretty face, they’re gonna pay,” he said with self-satisfaction.

Ros gave him another kiss and slid off his lap, still pale as he looked back to where the wild animal had been moments ago. “That’s too sweet, but let’s go in case it comes back for seconds.”

“Yeah, fine,” Shane was still wary of leaving the gazebo, but there was no trace of the beast, and how could he resist when the elf prince himself was pulling him along by the hand?

It was still raining though, and he stopped Ros right before he walked into the drizzle. “You want my jacket?”

The boy hesitated, and a new kind of tension sparked between them like static. “Yes. Won’t you be cold though?”.

“I’m naturally warm. And I’ll just change once I get home. It’s no big deal,” he said and pulled off the jacket before opening it for Ros. Doubts and shame sprouted in his mind before he’d even done it, but the shimmer of excitement in the blue eyes made his mouth stretch into a smile.