No Strings Attached

FREDDIE opens the door to let SEB into the derelict block of flats. They're polar opposites; Freddie strong by stature, silent by choice. Seb wears his slender figure with a slouch and speaks too much when he's nervous. They walk up to the flat, Freddie leads the way. Seb follows behind, curiously exploring his graffiti-covered, ill-maintained surroundings. They reach Freddie's flat. He locks the door behind them. Freddie insists a bottle of vodka on Seb, who is reluctant to drink. It's not laced, he promises, but that thought hadn't even crossed Seb's mind, and now he's worried. Freddie takes a swig - neat - to reassure him. Now it's Seb's turn. He gulps and the harsh taste causes him to cough. FREDDIE "Hoped you'd have a better gag reflex than that..." Seb is intimidated by Freddie's dry, direct approach - Freddie enjoys the dominant role he has over his timid counterpart. The alcohol continues to flow, and spill, giving Freddie the perfect opportunity to remove his t-shirt and reveal his impressive physique. Seb can't stop himself from admiring it, a fact not lost on the cocky Freddie. For him, one thing is clear, it's time to get down and dirty. SEB "Can we talk first?" Nerves get the better of Seb. Freddie responds to Seb's questions without even feigning interest. It's only now that they formally introduce themselves to one another. Seb continues to question, and admits he's envious of Freddie living alone, being able to do whatever he wants. Freddie responds to accusations of loneliness by berating Seb's close relationship to his family, while letting slip his only source of intimacy is to bring strange guys over. SEB "Do you do that regularly? Bring guys like me over?" FREDDIE "I ain't never had a guy like you over before." It's not a compliment. Usually Freddie has done the deed by now and slung the other guy out. But Seb would rather sit and chat? Freddie doesn't understand. Seb explains he thought they got on well while chatting online... They've both had mixed signals. Freddie was looking for sec; Seb was looking for... Something else. Something he won't find from Freddie, as the lone wolf insists. Freddie puts it bluntly; He has no use for love. SEB "Everyone needs to feel loved." Freddie's response is to tell him to run back to Mummy and Daddy, stay in the closet. Seb protests, he's not in the closet. A tense silence. Followed by another question from Seb. He wants to know if Freddie is 'out' too. But Freddie has no-one to be out to. Instead he gives Seb a few home truths about his life, the lonely, run-down world he's trapped in. Seb apologises, but Freddie changes the subject - back to his abs. Freddie teases Seb by leading his hand down his ripped body, and Seb's only response is an involuntary grunt of enjoyment. Freddie takes that to mean more, and he rips Seb's shirt over his head, despite a last minute appeal. But it's too late. And the scars up both of Seb's arms are revealed. Years of self-loathing and insecurities exposed to the world. Freddie runs his fingers along the scars, his eyes now full of the curiosity that earlier encapsulated Seb. And when asked why it's Seb's turn to be the silent one. Until he can take it no more. He explodes into a fit of rage, years of anger releasing as he screams about how difficult he finds life, how his family still question his 'decision' to be gay, how his friends still use the terms 'gay' and 'faggot' and how much that hurts him. He shouts about how difficult it is to try and date online, how there are so many labels in the gay community, and that people only ever want to hook-up with no strings attached. Freddie tries to get him to cope the only way he knows how; violence. He tries to coax the shy, damaged boy into punching him, insisting he can take it. Seb relents; Freddie calls him a faggot. A single punch is all it takes for Freddie to hit the floor. He leaps back to his feet, fists clenched. But instead of retaliating with violence, he throws Seb onto the sofa, and they rip each others' clothes off. THE NEXT MORNING. It's Seb trying to sneak out early, not Freddie. SEB "You said you didn't want anything serious..." Freddie laughs. They walk down the stairwell, and this time Seb's stature holds more confidence, though his curious eyes are still present. They reach the door. They linger. Neither man walks away. Instead, in perfect symmetry, they lunge towards one another, and kiss.