Page 51 of Love Limits

Ash: night!

Goodnight, Daddy, they added secretly in their head.

And then they went off to brush their teeth.

Just like Daddy told them to.

Chapter 11

Zhong

Zhong sent the text, waited a few seconds for Ash to buzz them in, and then pulled open the door. Ash’s apartment was on the second floor of what looked to have been a three-story house.

He’d been looking forward to seeing Ash’s place on the upcoming game night, but when Ash invited him over for the evening, he’d been happy to make the drive over. He’d imagined their space as an artists’ flat with untamed colors and curiosities scattered from floor to ceiling, like an extension of their bouncy energy and fantastical clothes.

The reality didn’t disappoint.

The vestibule held a thrifted table with three cute little bins for mail, each labeled with the tenants' names and a little cartoon drawing. It looked like the first floor neighbors had two children and a cat, while the third floor had a couple. The second was obviously Ash’s represented by a fantastical whirl of curly hair and a few curves and angles for the rest of their body.

Cartoon Ash looked happy and free, just like the real one.

Zhong opened the inner door, taking a moment to appreciate the fancifully decorated reminder to shut it hard and made sure it clicked.

He guessed that all of the whimsical additions were Ash’s, and it made him happy to see how they had formed a little nest for themselves in their apartment building.

He raced up the carpeted stairs, almost taking them two at a time.

Alright, so he was really excited to see Ash.

They were going to play board games and order Thai food. That plan would have had him excited with anyone, but doing it with Ash was so much better. Plus, he’d only seen them once last week, which was clearly not often enough.

When he reached the top of the stairs, Ash was just poking their head around the door sideways, their curly hair bouncing all around them.

You look like a Muppet, Zhong signed.

Ash popped back behind the door and then out again.

Yeah. Like that.

They grinned, then stepped aside. They were wearing some sort of slinky red dress today with thick black combat boots, the laces sprawling loosely over the top. Zhong looked them up and down. Nice look. What does it symbolize?

Queer empowerment! Fuck the binary! They waited a beat. Or I had to take the trash out and these were the easiest shoes to slip on. They toed them off.

Nice. Zhong held up the black grocery bag he’d been carrying. I got you something.

Ooooh! Yes! Presents! Ash pulled out the pint of ice cream.

It’s half frozen glop with crunchy gooey things and half other frozen glop with other crunchy gooey things. Or at least that was how he understood it. He’d found the Ben & Jerry’s flavor with the greatest diversity of sugary crap available.

Mmmmm… my favorite. Ash launched into a hug, landing a kiss on his cheek.

Zhong wasn’t in any hurry to let them go, so they stood there for a moment while he got to enjoy Ash’s enthusiasm.

The air just seemed to glow around Ash. Everything was brighter and more beautiful, whimsical and fierce.

Eventually they pulled away and he shrugged out of his coat. He dropped the other bag he carried by the door. He’d brought over two new board games, but he figured he could see what games Ash had before pulling them out.

Want to show me around?