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over his body and looking away from the fogged mirror. The thought of seeing his reflection made him sick. Finally he was dry, and there was nothing else to do. He opened the bathroom door and peered out, shivering from the cold. He was naked in a strange house. He shuddered, and forced himself to run across the hallway into Cooper's bedroom.
    It was messier than the rest of the house, and looked more lived in. But Luke couldn't allow his eyes to drift over the bedroom too much, because Cooper was lying on the bed staring at him. He was shirtless again and something in Luke's stomach jumped, and then was devoured wholly by disgust.
    He could feel his face flush, and his body started to shake against his will. This was wrong. This was so, so wrong, he shouldn't be doing this, he'd tried so hard not to, and ... He turned and rested his head against the doorway, gulping back tears.
    He could hear Cooper sit up suddenly. "Luke, are you okay?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern. "What's wrong?"
    Luke scoffed through his tears. "What do you think is wrong?" he hissed, refusing to turn and look at Cooper.
    Cooper was silent for a long moment. Finally he spoke again. "Luke I—are you really crying?"
    "No," whimpered Luke, taking a deep, shaky breath.
    "Yes, you are, Luke." Luke could hear the bed shifting again as Cooper moved on it. "Come here."
    Luke choked back another sob and nodded determinedly. He summoned up all the resolve he had and turned to face Cooper. Naked. He was naked, and Cooper could see him. He resisted the urge to cover himself. He didn't care. Why should he care? Cooper was nothing. Just a means to an end. Just a necessary evil. Who cared if he saw him?
    But Cooper looked upset. He had moved from his lounging position on the bed to sit up. "I'm not gonna hurt you," he said. "Just come here and sit down."
    Luke nodded and walked to the bed, sitting down on the side and crossing his arms over his chest. He knew he was supposed to  try and be sexy, but he just couldn't.
    Cooper leaned forward and touched a hand to Luke's shoulder. It was warm and sure, and something in it calmed Luke a little, or numbed him. He wasn't sure which. "You—" began Cooper, "You really don't want to do this, do you?"
    Luke turned to look at him. He couldn't help it. Was Cooper serious ? "Of course I don't!" he snapped. "I'm only doing this because I have to, because I have no other choice! I don't have to like it. Why do you care?" He turned his face away again, to hide another sob.
    Cooper took his hand off of Luke, and reached for the blanket that was folded at the end of the bed. His eyes were downcast and darting, looking anywhere but at Luke. "Here," he said, pushing the blanket at Luke. "Cover yourself."
    Luke took it automatically, staring at Cooper. "Why?" he asked.
    "Because I don't want to do this!" snapped Cooper, his voice suddenly angry. "What, you think I'd just be happy to have sex with a guy who doesn't want me at all?"
    "Yeah," said Luke, and it came out as a dismissive scoff, harsher than he'd meant it.
    Cooper's face tensed up. "You must think I'm such a great guy," he said dully.
    Luke didn't know what to say. He wasn't aware that Cooper had been trying to come across as a nice guy.
    "No, I know," Cooper continued. "That's my fault. Just ... fuck. Put that blanket on."
    He leaned forward and grabbed a pack of cigarettes from his night table. He picked one out and lit it, propping himself up against the headboard. "We can try again another night."
    "Okay." Luke hated how broken he sounded. He wrapped the blanket around himself and stared at Cooper as he finished lighting his cigarette and took a puff. Another night. He was safe for tonight. He couldn't feel any relief though; the dread was so tightly burrowed into him.
    "You're really messed up about this, eh?" Cooper asked him, taking a long drag on his cigarette.
    "I'm not messed up, " said Luke, although there wasn't much vehemence behind that lie. "I'm just