Bonedust

in a loose knot behind his head. Then he slid his hand into Gabe’s, their fingers knotting together. “You’ll like it. I promise,” he breathed into his ear, pleased as it seemed to draw a shiver from the other man.
    He gazed out the window as the landscape grew more familiar, the gleam of Battery City shining bright even in the afternoon sun. As they drew closer to a station, Urban tugged down on the release and the bus slid to a halt. He helped Gabriel down the aisle despite the strange looks he got—he flashed them a toothy smirk and looped his arm around Gabe’s waist, as if claiming the man as his for all eyes to see. He waved as the Aerbus drove away.
    “Please don’t tell me we had an audience,” Gabriel said as they walked down the sidewalk.
    “Of course we did,” Urban laughed. “What, you embarrassed?”
    There was a thoughtful pause before: “Strangely? Not as much as I should be. You’re corrupting me, Urban.” Still, he wore a smile as they lapsed into silence.
    Urban’s heart thudded louder in his ears the closer they got to Haven. He wasn’t sure what exactly he was trying to prove. Haven had been his and Dante’s secret place, the little sundae shop filled with so many memories. It had been the place where Dante had first kissed him. It had been the last place they ever went together as a couple. His stomach gave a turn.
    “Can you hold my hand any tighter?” Gabe asked, a hint of amusement in his voice, and Urban realized he’d been squeezing it. He took a breath, forcing his tense muscles to relax. He would not let a memory of a man rule his mind, rule his life. It was time to make new memories. Happier ones. He stared into the glare of the glass front of Haven and thought, just for a moment, that Dante was smiling back at him. He blinked and it was gone.
    “Come on,” he said, shouldering through the door. The little bells chimed a welcome and he was immediately hit by the rich smells of chocolate and sweets. The little shop was tiny, but the décor was mostly crystallite and frosted, beveled glass, gleaming and reflecting rainbows on the walls everywhere the sunlight hit it. The booths were clear with red leather benches that looked a little scuffed in spots. He helped Gabriel ease down into the booth, then sat next to him, their legs rubbing together.
    A little redhead in a silver and black miniskirt bounced over to them, an order pad in one hand and a pen in the other. She offered Urban a wide, flirtatious smile that dimmed a little in brightness as she saw their hands clasped on top of the table. She didn’t give the blindfold a second glance. “Welcome to Haven! Anything special I can get for you today?”
    Urban flashed his trademark grin before tapping his fingers on the table. He gazed around the little shop—the only thing that seemed to change in Haven was the menu. Spying it up on the wall, the words penned in red, he said, “Let’s go with your special. For both of us.”
    “I’ll be right back then.”
    Urban’s hands found Gabriel’s and he rubbed his thumb against the side of his hand. “Almost there,” he said about the same time that the waitress came back with two crystal bowls. The sundaes were three scoops of creamy vanilla, topped with rich chocolate syrup, a sprinkle of nuts, and a cherry on top. Beautiful and decadent. She offered Urban a pair of sterling spoons, then walked off to the next table. “Okay. You can take it off now.”
    Gabriel reached both hands back and the blindfold fell away. He blinked a moment, gazing at the ice cream as if it was the best gift he’d ever been given. Urban quirked a brow. “That’s just the icing on the cake. Look around, babe,” he said, waving a hand in the air.
    Gabriel followed it, his eyes widening as he took in the shine and sparkle of things all around them. His gaze lingered on a spray of rainbow, gleaming across the wall as the door swung open to welcome a new customer. “I always thought it was the most beautiful place in the world.”
    “It’s gorgeous,” Gabriel said softly, a smile touching his lips. His fingers reached for the little spoon and he dipped into the ice cream, taking a taste. “And delicious, all at once. How’d you find this place?”
    “Someone in my past brought me here a long time ago. I decided I’d have to come back here with any boyfriends I may have in the future, just to share it. Plus they have the best ice cream in the world.” He shot him a smile,