The Elegant Corpse

Jay lay down beside him, tracing a line of light and shadow on Sean's forehead with his fingers.Sean turned to him. "Same reason you still wear that ring?" Sean asked.

"I can't talk about that yet, but I will," said Roger.Sean's emotional and physical energy was waning, and his eyelids were getting heavy.Roger felt the same way.He pulled up the blanket and took a small pillow and put it on Sean's back so that his hot skin wouldn't be crushed by the blanket.Then, he calmly wrapped his arms around the other party in a possessive and protective attitude, and fell into a deep sleep.

***

When he woke up, Roger felt lost.

No doubt it was because he slept in the guest room of Marianne's house who had lived there.There is a bookshelf from the 50s in the room, and there are quite old Helin romance novels on it. The bedside is made of iron, and the patterns on the faded wallpaper are fish and pheasants.The room was obviously used by an old man whom he had never lived with.

Yet he felt as if he had been ripped out of the real-life timeline.Lost in a space and time that was completely foreign to him; when he awoke, the soft-breathing man lying under his arms was the only thing he felt familiar with.This situation is extremely strange.

He put on the T-shirt and the wrinkled pants and went for coffee.

***

"Let him move to your house," said Marianne, as soon as Roger stepped into the kitchen.She was leaning against a cabinet, wearing a large T-shirt and baggy checked shorts.Her hair was ruffled from scratches and cobwebs, and she looked as if she had just cleaned the garage.

Roger leaned over her to reach the coffee pot, poured himself a cup, and made no reply.

"You have an extra room," Marianne said sharply.

"I doubt he would agree. By God, what did you do, Marianne?"

"I thought I saw a spider in the bathroom." She ran her fingers through her hair until she finally found the web. "Eeeeeeeeeee," she said, shaking it off in the sink, "disgusting. I need a shower."

"Need me to get rid of it for you?" Roger hid his smile behind his coffee mug.

"Forget it. I'll take the gun this time," said Marianne. "I love you, Roger dear, but I don't want you to have any special fetishes in my bed, okay?"

Roger's face turned red.

"Oh, my God, don't have a heart attack. Aren't you worried about him? Then take him home now." With that, she left the kitchen.

***

"I'm going home and changing," Roger said, slipping his tie under his collar.Sean was still lying comfortably, half asleep. "I'm not sure until what time I'm going to work."

"Why tell me that?" Sean said.

"This is a spare key. I put it on the table together with the address and the letter of introduction to the doorman. You can enter the complex with it. You can eat whatever is in the refrigerator, because I'm not sure what time I will be back. Home." Roger holstered and buttoned.When he raised his eyes, he happened to see Sean staring at him with a complicated expression.

"As you wish," said Roger, "you are welcome to live with me until we find you a more suitable place."

Sean let out a long sigh, rolled over and lay down, covering his head with a sheet.

Well, that's a much better reaction than he expected, Roger thought. "Have a good day," he said as he walked out of the room.