Who can tell which smiles I'm fakin'

 

Actually, he was old enough to know better, but some codes are a given and as soon as Brandon met Declan, he knew exactly where it was going.

At least, it was a way of keeping things good with Yuki and Remi. Honestly, he didn't want to put them out and well, Declan got drunk so Brandon drove him home and he stayed the night.

Seriously, the place was too posh for him, and he did feel out of place. Not that he was expecting anything more than just a one-night stand. It would probably be better to forget it. After all, he was expected at work and after his deli shift he only had thirty minutes to get to his next job. So he needed to get walking now.

Once upon a time, Brandon had a car of his own, but that crazy ex of his had it in his name and painted it black. Funny (not so funny) how something like that could put you in jail. It was the downward spiral of things with Kyson, and Brandon had had to pay for it. 

He'd even been named Devil Toe during his weekend in the slammer due to the double toenails on his second toe on the left foot. His sister had helped to get him out, but she said no more, and he'd been doing his best to pay off his little problem. She told him to forget about Kyson because eventually, he ended up in jail too, but that was in Kansas. Brandon still didn't know what he was doing in Kansas. Talk about meeting the wrong guy, Brandon knew he should know better. Obviously not.

Yet he was out of his element at the moment. It had been fun with Declan. But now..Brandon needed to leave, like hours ago, but somehow Declan had a way of wanting him to stay just a little longer.

"I don't want to owe you anything," Brandon finally said. By the looks of things, Declan was going to stay in bed all day. Brandon made him breakfast and knew now it was a bad idea to say goodbye because well, goodbye things happened and he was having to get dressed again.

"When did I say you owed me anything?" Declan asked. Declan wanted to know when he got off work. 

"I don't know." He didn't want to dare look back at him. It was after all his first day at the Soap Factory and he might have to learn to close. He didn't want to grit a smile, but it happened anyway because that was his life. You just smiled right through it.

He didn't want to talk about it. If he'd only known what a rich little brat Declan was he would not have driven him home. He should have known. The guy had a nice sports car. His clothes lasted. Not like Brandon's which were from Good Will and on their last thread. 

Brandon knew he'd outstayed his welcome. It was time to get back to his real life.