Little secrets

Chapter 2: Deviant

"You've better not been on my computer again Vince"

"I haven't! Why are you always blaming me for anyway?"

"Because I know you've seen my...my browser history" He replied knowing that the embarrassing red flush had only deepened.

Vince rolled his eyes and swung out of his chair to approach the counter. "Look Howard, everyone watches porn every once in a while, its human nature innit? Just try not to believe what all them girls in the videos say and do okay? Warps your mind tank. An if you must know, I haven't been able to figure out your password for a month" he admitted looking dejected.

The admission and advice surprised Howard for a second. He knew perfectly well that most of the porn on the internet was fake and scripted. That wasn't the issue here. He had been afraid that Vince had seen his recent history. For some reason he didn't want the younger man to know about his curious leap into the gay depths of Pornhub. Something about Vince knowing made Howard tense and anxious. Hadn't Vince been the one to rebuke the idea of Howard being gay? What would he think if he knew Howard not only enjoyed the idea but had eagerly and with great pleasure rubbed one out to more videos then he could count. An what would he say about LittleDeath's videos? It was all to uncertain, and if Vince assumed that Howard kept to the straight and narrow he wasn't about to correct him. 

"I'll remember that little man, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't try and break into my computer again" 

"Aww but where's the fun in that! How else am I suppose to change your info on all your jazz lover websites?" Vince giggled and ducked a half-hearted swat from Howard.

"You better be lying!" he hissed, knowing that as soon as he could he would checking those websites just to be sure.

"Hmm I might be, I might not be" Vince teased, backing away from the counter with a grin that could only be described as mischievously evil. "Anyway, I've got plans with some mates so I'll catch you later yeah?" he explained as he headed for the door. "Don't wait up!" he called as the door closed behind him with a jingle.

Howard didn't even try to respond. Vince was always coming and going without warning and it was exhausting to watch. He didn't understand why the younger man couldn't just stay in the shop with him until closing time. Things had been going okay, hadn't they? They had laughed and squabble over the snow-globes, then bantered venomously with each other about the snow-globe girl. It wasn't as if it had been a fight, but it left Howard feeling drained and sad all the same once it was over. One minute they were best of friends and the next strangers. An Howard wasn't sure what to do or even if things needed fixing.

A few hours later, he closed the shop by himself as always and then went about preparing dinner as if on autopilot. An when he went to bed that night, instead of dwelling on Vince and the odd turn their friendship had taken his thoughts turned to those compelling videos on Pornhub. He had known without a doubt that he would return again and again to them. He didn't know what that meant really. Either he was a deviant of some sort, obsessed with a nameless, faceless body or maybe probably more accurately he was just lonely. Whatever the case, he wasn't going to let it bother him. To many things bothered him, and if he couldn't have this one thing what could he have?

Over the next week, Howard returned to the website and LittleDeath's account multiple times. When ever he got the chance he found himself scrolling through the seemingly endless amount of videos. Realistically there were only about 19 videos, but there were a good number of photos. Each photo laid out just like the videos, except in some of the photos he was posed differently with different color pants and nail-varnish. At least he was consistent Howard thought with a wry grin as he scrolled through the pictures. It was Friday night again, and he sat in the front room with the computer open in his lap. It was a risky thing to attempt, everyone was home and if any of them happened to look over his shoulder they would know instantly what he was looking at. He had positioned himself in just the right way that they wouldn't however. Back against the arm rest he faced the kitchen where Naboo and Bollo sat with a bubbling cauldron between them, and a heavy leather bound tomb in-front of them. Neither of them had so much as looked in his direction in the hour the had passed so he figured he was safe from their scrutiny. Vince was another matter. At the moment the younger man had commandeered complete use of the bathroom. It was Friday night and that meant another weekend long bid to see how long the trendy population of Camden could go on nothing but alcohol, drugs, and headache inducing music. The same music reverberated off the tiles and linoleum of the bathroom and out into the rest of the flat. Vince was singing along to the ridiculous lyrics as he got ready.