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It didn’t take theet to the park Mason had been here before It was a little out of town, and had not only hiking trails but also sports and other activities on the other side

They’d grabbed some food, water and ice before they arrived and put the that Mason had with him, then tossed it into a backpack

"You see to think you had this planned" Gavin leaned against the door as Mason walked over to his side

"You figured ive them jobs, make them jump out of planes with e of them" He leaned in, invaded Gavin’s space "Or let the for the trail, leading through the trees "Makes sense One question, though Why go through all that trouble? I et laid?"

"You’re a funny man" Mason stepped up beside hi, that’s typically all that’s on " Which was only a partial lie He thought about sex, often But he also kept busy Even before the bar, when he worked for the restaurant chain, his life mostly consisted of work

He and Isaac had that in common They’d worked well in that respect Worked hard, and when they had time, fucked hard, too They were committed to each other but also committed to their work They’d been exclusive, but their first priorities had always been their career--a career Mason had beento leave behind, even if it took a lie to finally lanced at him as they rounded a rock and continued on their way up "You don’t seem the type Not that I’m surprised you take your work seriously, you just…"

"Eh, things haven’t always been the way they are now," Mason finished before Gavin could continue "I grew up thinking --rew up around the that one day they would be h-end?" Gavin asked

"The kind where I worked in a suit every day I started to run the main restaurant in Denver It’s the kind of place where people drop big ot that His parents were the sas he’d rather spend ry and a bottle of chaed Mason, which made him stop Gavin pulled a bottle of water froain

Not wanting it was an understatereell, never ithout anything My parents loved ay, but…" It had never felt right He’d never wanted the sas they did He’d always felt different

"You’re lucky Not everyone has it that easy"

Mason didn’t take offense Gavin was right He’d known a lot of people in this life that had friends or faet that, why one person cared who the hell soe how you feel, though"

"No…no, it doesn’t" Leaves and branches cracked beneath their feet as they walked Neither of them spoke, but he sensed the heaviness of the s must have been pretty bad with his family, and that reminded Mason how lucky he was in so many ways Why couldn’t he just accept that?

Finally, Gavin spoke "We have a few things in co it there, the

"Like what?" Mason asked

Gavin’s first instinct--not to reply--hit hih him from the ju instead of keeping himself chained to certain ideas of what his life should be It was those things thatpeople who love you expect so specific frorabbed the bottle of water frohtly froood Christian boy To repent, find a nice woman to marry, have children and raise them in the church It’s the only way to spend the afterlife within hell"