Ignite

If You Breathe in My Poison, Will My Kiss Be the Antidote?

It was raining again.

Thick droplets of water smacked against large glass windows with great ferocity. Strong winds forced leaves to blow in random directions, some of them hitting the surfaces of other buildings. Flashes of lightning made fleeting appearances before disappearing. They left behind fierce thunder in their wake.

A large analog clock displayed the time. 6:17. Part of the six was hidden by a well placed glare from one of the overhead lights. Long bulbs kept the room bright and tinted it a pale yellowish color.

Multiple employees were sitting at a long, oval shaped table. Papers and folders littered the wooden surface. A few people had their arms crossed on top of it. Mugs and disposable cups of coffee were placed nearby as well.

It was a familiar scene that came about whenever board meetings commenced.

Alessandro's mind was cluttered as he fiddled with a capped pen. His folder was open, but he wasn't actively looking at its contents. Rampant thoughts forced his mind to be elsewhere. The facade of Mr. Bale made it easier to keep his expression painted as neutral.

He still couldn't believe that he kissed Lance. That things got so heated. That they almost...

Alessandro was partially thankful that they were in a public setting when the ordeal happened. Because had everything happened in the comfortable privacy of the Bale household, chances of things escalating even further were pretty high.

Had a certain call of his name not pulled him out of the moment, they probably would've ended the night by sleeping together.

He felt guilty.

He was also very confused.

Neither of them were drunk enough to not be mindful of their actions, so they knew what they were doing. It didn't make sense that the experience was enjoyable for both parties.

Sure, Lance and Alessandro were friends. And yeah, a bit of casual flirting made its way into their conversations every now and again. But that was just for fun. Even though last night was more than amazing, they'd never talked about doing things like... that. It wasn't even something Alessandro considered because of the mess that became of their last relationship.

He couldn't deny that he wanted more though. Last night's make out session was addictive from the very moment it started. It felt right too.

Being that close to Lance. Holding him. Breathing in every exhale. Soaking up every gorgeous moan.

But as far as Alessandro was concerned, all of that was taboo. Because he couldn't say whether or not Lance wanted to pursue a romantic relationship with anyone.

"All right, everyone, I think we should take some time to unwind," Stephan announced while getting up. "Does a ten minute break sound good before continuing?"

Multiple agreements were given from around the room. People slumped in their chairs with exhausted sighs. Others took long sips from their coffees.

Five straight hours of important business talk definitely made those reactions appropriate.

"Mr. Bale, could I speak to you for a moment?"

Alessandro nodded halfheartedly. He followed Stephan out into the hallway that led to the main lobby. It was quiet between them. Pounding rain sounded even heavier now that they were in a longer, more echoed space.

"I'm sorry if this is too frank, but what's going on with you?" Stephan questioned with a hushed voice. "You're not usually like this. And while I understand off days can happen, I'm just concerned that you're not taking care of yourself. I just don't want-"