The Boy [mxb]

5

"Well, aren't you a handsome lot?" Our bold brunette waitress eyes us appraisingly as she approaches our table. Her eyes fix deliberately on me, trailing from my V-neck shirt to the black leather jacket stretched taut over my shoulders, before lingering on my face.

The owner, Bonnie, scoffs where she's wiping down a nearby table.

"Oh, quit flirting, you old bootlicker."

"I'm not flirting!"

"Oh, please. You've been watching the slope of his butt in those uniform slacks since you first laid eyes on him in here."

"I'm a math student," the brunette protests. "I was thinking of sinusoidal curves!"

"Just leave the man alone. He probably gets bribed with inappropriate favours every day on the job."

The table chuckles collectively at the back-and-forth squabble.

"Beast doesn't always get tried by a girl," Reagan snorts. "Only, like, every third call or so."

"Sorry, sir," she apologizes to me.

"I'm fine," I smile politely, hiking a shoulder in a half-shrug.

"Yes, you are." She sighs dreamily. Then her eyes widen. "I mean-"

"Beth! Kitchen. Now. And don't you flirt with any more of my customers no more."

"I'm sorry!"

"Ladies, ladies. Relax, it's alright," Ken smooths over. "We have to pull women off of him at least once a week. And besides. He's super boring anyway, totally not worth it."

"Yeah," Preston nods sagely. "Doesn't even believe in sex before marriage. Sorry to disappoint."

"Wow..." The brunette - Beth - stares at me with jaw agape before meeting the older woman's sinister gaze and scurrying off to do as bid.

I brush off Bonnie's apologies. I really am fine; I don't care. Today someone asked me to park my big sexy police truck in their garage, if I know what she means, wink wink. I'm very well-versed in the art of deflecting and ignoring.

Bonnie whips out her notepad, pencil poised.

"What can I get y'all tonight? Beer for everyone but Beast?"

"You know it, Bonnie." Ken claps my back. "Captain America here can't risk a beergut. Total fuckin' health nut."

"Can you imagine Beast drunk? Humping his patrol car and screaming God bless America... throwing up gang signs... I'd pay to see that."

Bonnie chuckles.

"Coming right up, gentlemen. Sorry again about the rookie. She won't disrespect any of you again."

As soon as she's out of earshot, the guys let out a low, mocking whistle.

"Damn," Preston draws out.

"What a man," Reagan whistles appreciatively. "That's what I'm talkin' about. My dude's a straight-up Pulse, Rainbow Six Siege, you know what I'm saying?"

"Except more buff," Ken teases, knocking my shoulder. "Look at those broad shoulders, that square jaw, high cheekbones. Hair dark as sin... I say that as a staunch heterosexual, by the way."

A faint peach dusting colors my cheeks.

These guys, this close-knit group of four men, are my family. We became friends somewhat because our aligned shifts allowed it. We started as cadets, washing the trucks, scrubbing toilets and cleaning the station, while still in police academy. Then we were fresh out of the academy walking a beat and trying not to piss ourselves. Had to pull a triple every week. Our 'state-of-the-art' equipment was crap, there were so many rules, mostly about what we couldn't do.We were just trying to survive the day without dying, violating policy or making national news. We've been together every step of the way since.