Sammy's Kitchen - 16. Chapter 16

It was the coldest day of the year so far. The chilly wind was howling outside and I was happy I had no reason not to stay at home all day. Mom was at work and Jake was at the swimming pool. But I wasn’t alone.

“Now, you just throw everything into the blender cup and shred it all on medium settings. Sasha, you can do the honors.”

Sasha looked bored and unimpressed as he pushed the blender button and everything inside started whirling, slowly turning into a uniform pulp. I gave up on trying to make Sasha look more excited and approachable in front of the camera. What mattered was that I didn’t have to ask him twice to take off his shirt. I found it a little distracting because his lean body was beyond sexy, but luckily he was putting me off with his attitude.

“How much longer?” he asked.

“You’re done! Sorry, I phased out a little bit,” I said. “Now you can transfer the smoothie into a cup or anything you want. You can carry it with you to drink after the training or put it in the fridge and drink it after you get home."

"I don't think I want to drink it," Sasha grunted as he poured the mix into a long glass. "It looks like mud."

"Maybe this shake won't give you many likes on Instagram but it will give you protein and vitamins to help your muscles grow after a workout."

Sasha warily assessed the thick, earthy liquid. "Here goes nothing," he said and took a small sip while squinting his eyes and I used this opportunity to stare at his hot, slim body. His skin was pale and completely smooth. I was so happy that my phone's camera was able to really capture it and give it justice.

He held the shake in his mouth as if getting ready to spit it out in case it started burning his mouth. I observed him intently, fully aware that his negative reaction would kill the video. But then, he opened his eyes and started slowly chewing before eventually swallowing it.

"So, is it tolerable?" I asked with hope.

Instead of answering Sasha took another sip, and then another. I exhaled slowly. It looked like the video was saved.

"Well, it's not McDonald's and it feels like eating gravel, but it's not as bad as it looks."

"Thank you, Sasha. And what's most important, it's super nutritious and good for you."

"Do you want to record another take where I say it tasted awesome?" he asked, taking me by surprise.

"No need. I liked your natural reaction. I think it went well."

I watched Sasha dress up while my eyes were busy doing the opposite, imagining his tight, bare ass, concealed beneath his thin shorts. I'd never cheat on my Jakey, but his friend's body was really unique and I couldn't wait to watch and edit the video later and shamelessly stare without limits. This wasn't exactly the type of video that I'd want on my channel regularly but this was the best thing I could think of to include Sasha.

It felt weird asking Jake to skip this one. I hope he understood but he didn't seem happy when I told him. I was still afraid Jake would try to "protect me from Sasha" and while it would be sweet of him, it would give Sasha an opportunity to keep ignoring me. I was still a little afraid of him but now my curiosity gained the upper hand and I wanted to figure out what his deal was.

"I can send you the recipe if you'd like to do it at home," I said as he was about to leave.

He gave me a weird look. "I'll pass. This took forever. Besides, cooking is gay."

I paused for a few seconds, unable to find proper words to counter this illogical accusation.

"How is cooking gay?" I just managed.

"I don't know, it just is," he shrugged. "You can send the recipe to my girlfriend."

I opened my mouth to ask if his girlfriend was gay but I closed it just in time and said "I am gay, Sasha, but it doesn't mean that everyone who cooks is too."

"I don't want to hear about it," Sasha said without looking at me and he left with my 20 bucks in his pocket. I sighed. It's not how I imagined my first coming out to a straight person to look like. This better be worth it.

A few days passed and I spent them editing the Sasha video and planning new recipes to post on my YouTube. I realized I had been scared of checking out Sweet and Spicy ForFanz profile. I had to ask Jake to do it for me as my manager and each time he checked, we had at last one new subscriber. I was happy but also felt tired under the weight of it.

"Are you feeling fine, Sammy?" Jake asked one day when I was spacing out in front of the video editing app, staring blankly at the screen for ten minutes.

"I'm fine, Jakey. My dream is coming true. It's just… it's a lot of work."

"It only means that it's worth it, Sammy."

"I just want you to know I'd never make it without you, Jakey."

He responded by hugging me for a long time and this was exactly what I needed.

I posted the Sasha workout smoothie video later that day and it quickly started getting numbers. While some comments were about that smoothie, most of them were about what they'd like to do to Sasha or more precisely, what they'd like him to do to them.

Anyway, the video was doing good and I was happy about it. It looked like my audience was expanding. But I needed an idea to get more people interested in the cooking part. After all, this YouTube account was to be my smokescreen. Two days before New Year's Eve, I finally figured it out.

"Winter comfort food, Jakey," I told my brother when he came back from the gym. "Just look outside. People are going to crave fat, spicy, and filling recipes to survive this damn weather."

"It's a great idea, Sammy, I hope it's not too late."

"It's not if I start right now!"

I really felt I was onto something with this idea. I was lost in researching chili butternut squash recipes when I got a message from Sasha - "alright, send me that gravel shake recipe." I shook my head and smiled and quickly typed him all the ingredients and steps. This turned out to be a massive list because I liked to fine-tune every step to perfection… Well, it was still one of the easiest things I could teach him.

As it turned out, it wasn't easy enough. About an hour later, I got another message from him.

"I don't understand a single word. Can you just come over and help me do it?" And, before I could reply, he added "not now, I need to get the ingredients first. You're a psychopath."

I smiled to myself. Sasha might look tough but it seemed he was easily intimidated by chia seeds and vanilla aroma.

It apparently took him the whole day to get all the ingredients I listed for him because the following day he asked me to come over. It wasn’t the first time I was at his house but it was definitely the first time I was there without Jake. Considering we lived in the same building, it might sound strange but it wasn't. He and I just never had any business to meet outside of the times Jake and he were hanging out.

I got even more nervous when I realized his parents weren’t home. I started having irrational thoughts about him beating me up. But it quickly became apparent that he was as nervous around me as I was around him.

“Here is all the stuff,” he said, showing me the ingredients arranged on the counter. “The spinach is in the freezer.”

“Wait, you bought frozen spinach?” I asked in disbelief.

“Yes, why?”

I had to force myself not to slap my forehead. “Uh, you definitely need fresh spinach for this.”

“How was I supposed to know?” he complained.

“Well, you watched me do it yesterday!”

“Do you think I could tell the difference?” he asked, irritated. “I wasn’t even paying attention. I was there to get shirtless in front of the camera and we all know that.”

“Okay, okay, don’t worry, we can replace it with something else. Do you have bananas? Or peanut butter?”

“I think I have both but how do they replace spinach?”

“Good point. It’s going to have a completely different effect but it’s still going to be great. In fact, I think it’s going to be better!”

“Yeah…” he murmured and bent down to reach the bottom cabinet. I gulped and turned away from his ass shape visible now through his shorts. Damn, his body was just…

“There’s just some leftover peanut butter on the bottom of the jar,” he said, straightening up and reminding myself to look him in the eyes.

“That’s as much as we need. Pour some almond milk inside the jar and mix it well to get every little bit out.”

“Here, do it,” he said, handing me over the almost-empty jar.

“Sasha, you have to do it by yourself. Otherwise, you’ll forget everything by the time you do it next time.”

“This is just a waste of time,” he complained again and I had to take a deep breath. So this is how teachers feel when dealing with bored kids at school.

“Why didn’t you ask your girlfriend to do it with you if you hate it so much?”

“She can’t cook. And I’m thinking about dumping her anyway.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” I said, caught off-guard by his confession. “She really seemed into you.”

“Tell me about it,” he said and I paused in anticipation, hoping for him to elaborate but the topic was over.

Even though the recipe was as simple as measuring every ingredient and throwing it inside a blender, Sasha kept complaining and asking me to do it for him. He wasn’t very nice about it either and I felt really uncomfortable trying to stand my ground. I felt relief when everything was assembled. Finally, he pressed the blender button, and we watched its contents slowly get mushed into a uniform mixture.

Sasha was still moody as he was pouring the smoothie into a plastic cup but then something happened. He took a sip to try it, and for the first time in my life, I saw a genuine smile on his face. It was so different from his usual distanced, ironic smirk I was used to. It only lasted a fraction of a second but it hit me like a train. Somewhere deep beneath the serious macho pose that he was presenting to the entire world, there was someone cheerful and, well, I had to admit, pretty beautiful.

It was such a fleeting smile that I was almost ready to believe that I imagined the whole thing.

“So, tell me, how is it?” I asked.

“It’s okay,” he said casually but I was pretty sure that he was forcing his face muscles from forming a wide grin. Fuck me! He was really proud of himself.

“Let me try,” I said and took a sip. It was good! Maybe not the best smoothie I’ve ever had, but considering that he’d done it by himself, it was pretty impressive. Even if all he had to do was to read the measurements from the kitchen scale and blend the shit out of everything.

“Wow!” I exclaimed. “This is actually really good!” I said and looked away to have another sip but from the corner of my eye, I saw Sasha was beaming!

“Still tastes like gravel to me,” he said, going serious again. It was adorable watching him trying to hide his real thoughts.

“At least it’s healthy and nutritious, Sasha. This should last you for a few days. We can make another one when you’re out of it.”

“Yeah… maybe…”

“Come on, let’s clean up the mess!”

We cleaned up in silence, even if I felt like singing. I was in my element. Meal prepping and making someone discover their true self while at it. Heaven on earth!

“I gotta go,” I said when we were done. “I’ll try and come up with a new recipe for us to make next time. Maybe I can think of something that doesn’t taste like gravel for once.”

“Yeah,” he said and followed me to the door. “Listen,” He added, “Would you like to. Do you think you…”

“Yes?”

“Uh, I mean, never mind. Thanks, Sammy.”

When I left, he was holding the door as if he wanted to say something more but he eventually closed it without a word. I came back home with a mix of excitement and awkwardness. Something was really off here.

***

In the evening, I was alone in my room, reading a book. Jake was away, I wasn’t even sure where. It was almost 11 pm when he came back home, took a shower, and just in his boxers jumped on my bed, crushing me without remorse.

“Jakey…” I squealed as the air was forced out of my lungs, “I thought doggies didn’t belong on beds.” He was grinning like a madman, very proud of himself and smelling very nice, too.

“I’m not your doggie tonight, Sammy.”

“So who are you then?”

“Take a guess.”

“Knowing your unique approach as a manager, I think I…”

But Jake was already bored with this little game and sealed my mouth with his lips.

“Mhmm... Jakey,” I moaned and grabbed his erection through his underwear.

A few minutes later, we were making sensual love, with Jake slowly riding my dick and looking me right in the eyes. I was happy with him doing all the work, leaving me free to play with his skin and nipples, which he appreciated a lot. We didn’t rush it. The climax was beautiful and intense and I was happy that Jake didn’t insist on sleeping on the floor tonight. I wanted him close to me.

We were laying there in silence, listening to our breaths and heartbeats.

“Are you coming to the New Year’s party at Sasha’s house tomorrow?” Jake asked me after a while.

“Why would I? He didn’t invite me,” I said, surprised that my brother would even bring it up. “He never does.”

“This time he did. He told me to ask you specifically, Sammy.”

“What? Why didn’t he ask me when I was at his house earlier today.”

“I have no idea,” Jake said, but something in his voice told me that he knew.