Ethan looked up at exactly the right moment and saw Aahan walking back from the bar; he was in deep concentration, his eyes focused on the drinks he held in his hands, stretched out slightly to maintain optimum balance as he walked slowly and carefully back to their table. Ethan’s face broke into a smile, if Aahan’s head had been made of glass you could have seen the cogs struggling to dedicate the same amount of concentration to every aspect of his safe return.
“You’re laughing at me,” Aahan deadpanned once he had placed the two rum and cokes on the table and slid back into his chair.
“Not at you.” Ethan smiled. “With you.”
Aahan slapped Ethan’s arm playfully.
“I could see every thought you were trying to process.”
“Well, I didn’t want to trip and make a complete tit of myself.”
“Why start worrying about that now?”
Another slap. “Bastard.”
“Thanks for the drink anyway.”
Aahan rose his glass to his mouth. He took two gulps before he replied. “Well, I thought another drink may confuse you enough to want me.” He laughed to himself before looking slyly at Ethan. “Or I get drunk enough to do something myself.”
Ethan frowned. “What? You think I don’t like you?”
“As a friend, yeah, I can tell that, but—”
Ethan’s laugh cut over Aahan’s gentle voice. “Shit. I should try harder to show you. I’ve been sat here hoping that you’d make a move to kiss me. I’m shit at making the first move. Damn—”
Aahan’s lips connected with Ethan’s, covering up the rest of his sentence. Ethan let the words be devoured by the kiss, returned it, matched the passion behind it. It was a kiss that he had wanted to experience for a good portion of the unplanned evening but had held back for what was clearly the same reason Aahan had. That did not matter any more, the kiss had been initiated and Ethan let himself enjoy the moment.
They broke away from each other, sat back in their seats. Both had a smile on their face. No embarrasment hung between them as they looked at each other.
“So…” Aahan said, a smug self-satisfation easily detected in his body language.
Ethan let out a laugh before he leant in for another bout of kissing.