An MM romance. Asher and Caleb (Ash and Leb)
Chapter 1. My new roomie
Asher.
I stared at my laptop screen for the hundredth time. My back pressed to my chair as my fingers tapped on my wooden work table. The bright light from the screen shone on my spectacle as I adjusted it with my hand.
In a few hours, the second occupant of my room will be here. And beside me was my bed, the bedsheets out of place and my pillows right on the floor. My kitchen screamed for help as the stack of dishes from last two nights laid unwashed on the sink. My work clothes scattered on the edges of my pressing table. The others stucked to my hangers as they rested on the sofa chair waiting to be folded and arranged into my closest. Right there by the foot of my work table was my black leather bag. This week's target carefully written on a white paper resting just on top of it. My boss—Caleb was at it again. He owns one of the most popular gaming enterprise in the country and every week his game writers came up with new game and unique roles for each character; with me being the leader and head of the department— everyone looked up to me and my craft as it had contributed immensely in the enterprise bringing in more revenue and visibility to the firm. And as something I do for passion than for money. I always look forward to bringing up something new and interesting to our customers who love gaming. For every new week, I came up with the ideas of the game spreading my wings around whether it be played on a laptop or consoles, or played with dice, imaginations or even basic world rules. I made sure it stood out from other market keeping us number one in the poll.
But now, since two days I've been staring on my computer and my characters, unable to give them active roles and make them engaging for my players. Is safe to say I'm experiencing a writer's block or something. This one has gone two days in, which was not the usual. I had tried seeing movies and taking a walk but nothing seem to be coming in my mind.
My house is a whole mess except from the other room the second occupant will be staying. I had managed to tidy up that one but sat face up hoping an idea will pop.
The door bell rang. And I jumped up from my chair spreading out my bedsheets to cover the entire bed. My pillows back in place and my clothes squeezed, all in haste. The tip of my toe pushed over some stacks of shoes that laid by the entrance, my curtains dragged to fit in just in place. And when the knock came again. I pressed my lips together, taking deep breath. My other hand smacked on a sleeveless shirt, the bottoms out of place and my broad hairy chest all in the air.
I cleared my throat, my fingers soft on the door knob while my eyes peeped through the tiny opening. There he was, my roomie I was expecting.
The door opened and beside him were his luggages. He's tall, dark with dark small eyes. A black scarf on his head and a munch snack in his hand.
"Good evening." He finally say, his fingers throwing in one snack after another like he's been starving for hours.
He paused, his eyes trailing down my chest.
"Nice body." I heard him say, I bet you work out."
"Umm… yeah." He reached out for his luggages as I help him with the others.
"Feel at home. You're welcome to our apartment."
"Thank you."
"I'm sorry the house is in a little mess right now. But please your room is over there." I pointed with a finger to the inner part of the house.
"Oh! cool." His response short. "I bet you guys must be running on twenty four hours electricity in here?"
"Yeah. Except from the water supplies." I retracted back to my seat while he goes into the kitchen.
"What's up with the supplies." He said loudly. And I turned to him.
"Relax. You're loud." My voice calm and collective.
He's on headphones. I heaved a sigh. And the next minute he's back in my front.
"I said what happened to the water supplies?" He touched me by my shoulder.
"Take this off so you could hear me properly."
"Oh! sorry." He removes it from his head and holds it in place.
"The water here are not safe for drinking-"
"How about cooking? I can't imaging making pastries with an unclean water." His face flushed, his back pressed to the wall.
"You bake?"
"Yeah I do. And as a matter of fact. I've got an event to cater for." He rolled his eyes grabbing his menu book from his crossbag.
"Wow! You must really be great at it?" I say to him. He gives a nod with a grin playing on his lips.
"Well… I'll let you be the judge. Pardon my feminine voice."
I chuckled "As if you know I was going to ask."
"Growing up, baking has always been a kind of therapy. Sounds crazy right?." He pulls up a seat from the table and sat down facing me. My back pressed to the sofa staring at both him and my computer.
"Sorry— you should introduce yourself again." And he chuckled softly eager to speak.
"Fine. I'm Caleb. But you can call me Leb for short."
"Good. Interesting." I nodded reaching out for a handshake.
"So just like I said baking is like therapy for me. It saw me through high school and even college. And since then it's been from one deal to another. I also cook to. Yeah. Intercontinental dishes…."
"Honestly. I never knew a whole career could be build out of pastries.. cooking…and all that. But is a big shot. I mean you can pull through with it."
"Thanks gee." We pressed another handshake as our shoulder tip met the other.
"Gosh his cologne was just on point. And his perfume… My God!" I muttered as I pressed back to my seat avoiding eye contact.
He's checking his phone now and his eyes were so small, that was the only thing I could notice in his face. I wouldn't want to say sexy but.. those eyes screamed my ex girlfriend.
I didn't wanted him to start feeling uncomfortable so I quickly shoved it off changing the topic in my head.
"I'm Asher. And I'm a game developer." He raises his face, pushing back slightly.
"You're what?" A brief chuckle excaped his face.
"I fucking love games." I heard him say.
"Like you actually design the characters from scratch and give them active roles?" He squealed at my catalogues and previous works.
"Wow this's amazing. I'm signing up immediately." His cheeks burning in excitement. He grabbed up his phone. His keypad sound loud and straining to the ears as he typed in our website official name.
"Wow. This's interesting. As if I know I came with my gadgets."
"You did?"
"Yeah. So tell me, what are you working on next?"
"Mmm…" my mind racing, as I stared to the ceiling.
"Don't tell me you're experiencing a block." He gave a suspicious stare.
"Not really. Is just that their roles have refused to pop."
I responded, shifting my face to the door. Like those eyes were super cute. He should just answer without staring so deep into my eyes.
I guess he's comfortable now due to the awkward silence of the room. I didn't know what he was searching for on his phone whilst he looked scrupulously into my halfway designed character profiles.
"Here! don't your characters fit into these roles?" He brought in his phone close to my face.
"Perfect!" The word left my mouth without even me thinking.
"How did you know they would fit so well."
He chuckled, his dimples I never thought was there visible on screen.
"You know character needs relatability. Something the players can relate to and whereby they have pre programmed roles. It saves time and makes the game more interesting."
"Yeah you're right. And I'm very flexible with my games. I love varieties and I know my audience also do."
"Same." He slowly pulled back to his seat. His gaze shifting to the kitchen.
"So what are you cooking for launch?"
"Hmm. The last time I checked I'm your new roomie not a babysitter." He stood up, shoving his menu to my chest.
"Get some clothes on." He said, then paused halfway to the kitchen. I flinched as the menu struck my open chest.
He looked at me, my fingers flipping the pages of the menu book.
"Make your choice. And get to grade me." He spoke by the foot of the kitchen. His tone almost seductive, or was I just overthinking things—Maybe I am."
I exhaled deeply, my heart beating slightly. "I guess I've love to try your intercontinental dishes."
He smiled. "You don't have a option yet or should I choose for you?"
"Hmm… sure you can. I mean. I.. I'm not really good at choosing."
He walked up to me. His hands folded in place. "Let's go for some korean dish and a pastry. My favourite....."
"Sounds like fun."
"Relax. You're gonna love it."
"Okay. I'm in for it."
"But. You have to do the dishes when you're done eating so we don't get to stack up things like that in the kitchen."
I sighed playfully "Silly head." And he stared at me. Okay fine. I'll."
"That's more like it."
And with that he swayed to the kitchen. I shook my head, smiling to myself. My face buried to my laptop screen.
"At least now. I have something new for my boss tomorrow courtesy of Caleb."
Chapter 2. Next Recipe. Bad Combo!
Caleb.
"You're back?." I asked Asher but he gives me a stern look.
I paused, exhaling deeply.
"Have been out here knocking for the past thirty minutes." He replied with his pressed jaw, his mandibles almost visible.
"I'm sorry. Asher. I got too carried away with the music." He looks at me, then turn looked away frowning a face.
"Disturbing the neighbourhood with gay songs you mean."
It's not me. It's her, she loves his songs. He shoved my words cut with a hand in the air. His shoulders slouch.
"You must really had a bad day at work today. Tell me… I guess your boss must be so complex and daunting to work with. Right?"
He moved halfway in, his eyes shifting to Maya's footwear.
"Wait a minute. You have a visitor?" He turned back to me, scanning my head to toe.
"Yes. She came to say hi. She lives upstairs. We're neighbours."
"Shit! You mean Maya."
"Yeah. That's what her name is."
"She's my ex girlfriend. I dumped her when I found out she was gay."
"Hmm. Interesting. But how come she lives in the compound as your tenant?"
"Well. She couldn't move on. And since then she's been stuck around me,even when I pay her little to no attention."
"Hmm. Pretty bad for her. But.. she's such a soft girl. Maybe she was framed. Or it was probably a mistake or something."
"Far from that. You don't know her. Or would you want to have something to do with a lesbian?—"
"Reduce your voice. She's inside. She might hear you."
"I don't really give a fuck about her. And I bet you should too."
He unzips his shirt, throwing it to the couch. My eyes blinking at his lower thighs. He's on short.
"Okay maybe I guess I should dismiss her then."
"Your choice. You've got your room. And I've got a target to hit for my boss. So do you."
"Now you're sounding angry like we're quarrelling."
"I never said so Caleb. Sometimes we just have to be honest."
"You call this honesty, I walk slowly to him. "Everyone's got a dirty secret. For the fact you haven't been vulnerable doesn't make you a saint."
"Now you're sounding like her friend. What has she been feeding you just these few days."
"Nothing. We barely know each other. But the little thing she's stayed. I like her vibe."
"Okay. Okay Caleb can I get the food."
"Sure. Over there."