Stewed Art

do you think one night while charles and john sat by the campfire with a half-built house behind them and blisters on their hands from swinging a hammer all day, that they were tired, and sharing some whiskey, and john said something he didn't even think about, some offhand remark about nothing, but his voice twanged a bit lower on a certain word or his hand gestured in a certain way, some little habit observed and mimicked a long time ago from an older brother he always wanted to be like, and do you think charles felt his heart in his throat and impulsively kissed john. and do you think john sort of liked how warm it was, though it seemed like charles might be crying. and do you think when they broke apart and john looked at him with a question in his eyes that charles could only say, tears wet on his face, “i'm sorry, you just — you reminded me of him.”