The Question

Finn asked Chris if he had been faithful. Chris left the crab ointment on the kitchen bench. Finn could see Chris was taken back. He was.

“Finn?...” Chris’ eyes glassed over, as if they had already decided. “I never...” 

For the last year, since Angelo gave them to Chris, just occasionally Chris felt something crawling and he put the ointment on and change his sheets and everything is fine. He said, “I don’t even really feel them. It’s just a feeling I get sometimes.”

Angelo still lives up the street. He's just finishing uni. But Chris hasn't, not since he met Finn.

“I know. I just wondered,” said Finn. He was quiet after that.

Chris suppressed the urge to confess. Brain kicked in. It was one of those red stop-light moments. Don't say anything. Count to ten. Do not question. Don't pull a face.

“I have only been with you.”

“Me too,” said Finn. “I’ve only been with you.” I guess he felt he should add that, just for the record.

“The cream is psychosomatic,” said Chris. “It is all in my head.”

“What is?”

“The crawling on my skin,” said Chris.

“The crawling on your skin?”

“Yes, not another man,” said Chris.

Finn laughed nervously. “Is that why the cream is on the bench?”

“Yes, that’s why the cream is on the bench.”