||Wattys 2022 Shortlist||
Kian Advani was a closeted queer in his high school. Always in denial of his true feelings and emotions. So much so that he did everything to blend in with the rest of the straight crowd. But that didn't mean he wasn't att...
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Kian watched the boy from behind the counter for a few long restless minutes. While his boss Simone packed up for the day, Kian stayed right where he was since he saw Enzo. How could he function when the boy who every so often came in his dreams was right there?
Finally pulling his senses together he slid behind the counter and settled to brew a strong cup of coffee for the drunk boy. Kian was never good at dealing with drunk guys. He either shooed them out of the café or asked someone else from the staff to attend them. Neither option was at his disposal that night. He couldn't throw the guy whose mere presence set butterflies wild in his belly and he was the only one at work late that night.
He shook his head. Why did he have to re-enter his life when he was so close to getting over him? Reaching for a cup, he poured it with the black coffee up to its brim and looked over at Enzo. He was still in the same hammered state only now his face was nowhere to be seen, only his jeans clad legs were visible from under the table and his black timberlands. He had fallen off the table and was now lying face first on the red vinyl couch.
Kian hesitated a bit at first but when he saw Enzo's face, his legs betrayed him and within seconds he was at his table. He tapped his shoes with his own once, twice and again when he didn't so much as twitch from his position. Releasing a defeated sigh, Kian placed the coffee on the table and leaned over Enzo to make him sit upright. Wrong move!
The moment his body loomed over Enzo's, his strong musky scent hit Kian like a thunderstorm. His mind instantly traveled back in time to the seven minutes in the closet with him. He held the back of the couch in a vise grip to stabilize his senses and wrapped his other arm around Enzo's torso to pull him off the couch. Enzo always had an athletic body so it would have been very difficult for Kian to wrestle through his strength. But that was back then, now he had him upright with just a strong pull.
"Kiki," the boy had a wide grin the moment his face came in near contact with Kian's, making him freeze in that position. "I found you."
His words didn't make sense so Kian settled his back on the couch and stepped away from his close proximity. After running his trembling fingers through his unruly hair and taking deep breaths, Kian pushed the black coffee towards him. "Drink up."
"I don't need coffee," Enzo grimaced. "You know I hate black coffee."
"But that's exactly what you need to sober up." Kian gave a flat reply, crossing his arms across his chest. "It's closing time and if you don't want to spend the night on this couch then I suggest you drink it."
Enzo blinked up at him for two long seconds before looking back at the black liquid. He frowned at the drink and tried two failed attempts to hold his body upright without the support of the couch. On the third attempt however Kian was there to hold him with his hands around his shoulders and his chest against his side. The sudden touch had his heartbeat go crazy but tried to subside those feelings from resurfacing once again.
