Interconnecting
- 3 -
"You wanna go to Esque?"
"I'm supposed to be meeting someone there."
Daisuke, Kou, and Yu all sat in the corner of Starbucks the next morning. They were all on a break between classes, and usually they would gather in the same place, in the same spot, to talk about the same general things. But today was a little different.
It was no secret that Daisuke and Kou had been dating for some time now. The openly gay couple was more than caught up in one another, but that wasn't to say that they didn't frequent to the clubs often for the atmosphere. Yu had tagged along a few times, just for curiosity's sake. Ever since he had been hit with the realization that he was attracted to a stranger who was a guy, he had to see if he had any other attractions to other men that he saw.
The few times he had ever gone to that club at the beginning of the semester, he'd never seen anyone that he found to be that attractive. There were okay looking guys, and he had gotten a few offers for drinks but he always declined. It wasn't in his nature to be, well in blunt terms, the bottom in the scenario of things. He was just more dominating, a leader, and he knew what he wanted. Now the only thing that was left was getting what he wanted.
"Is this that guy you were telling us about before?"
"Yeah, it's him."
"Do you even know his name yet?"
"No. I'd rather not have us say our names through cyberspace. If it might be serious, then I'd rather do it in person."
Kou nodded in agreement just as Daisuke sipped some of his latte before setting the cup down.
"Well, we can go tonight. What time did you want to meet up?"
"Around 11-11:15. We can just meet there?"
"Yeah. We've been there enough to where we can just walk in without having to wait." Kou gave his partner a nudge just as the shared a mutual smile.
The rest of the afternoon was like a blur. Classes, books, and endless note taking. None of it was sinking in, and Yu was completely set on imagining just who this person was going to be. He kept remembering previous conversations, trying to find some sort of hints in any of the words or to read between the lines. He ended up with nothing. The only solution was to go to the club in less than six hours now and meet up with the stranger.
When he got home after six, he shrugged off his over-coat. Glancing around, he saw that his roommate wasn't home just yet. He usually didn't get in until around eight because of his later classes. As he moved into his room, he turned on his laptop, letting it boot up before he signed into the chat as he normally did around this time.
When it started up, he saw that the other wasn't online. Shrugging it off and assuming the other was just overly busy that day, he decided to leave it on just in case he did sign on. It was as he was about to head into the kitchen to make something for dinner that he heard the front door open and his best friend walk in.
"You're home early." Yu raised an eyebrow as he saw the other rub the back of his head and throw his bag on the ground.
"I forgot my book for class, there wasn't any reason for me to stay if I couldn't even follow what he was lecturing about."
"Nice one."
Yosuke waved him off as he sat down at the bar with a sigh. The one who just entered the kitchen started to grab some things from the fridge. "Want something to drink?"
"Just pass me a soda."
After Yu had laid out what he initially pulled out, he grabbed a can of soda from the fridge and slid it across the bar to the other who gave him a smile and thanks in turn.
"So what are you making tonight?"
"Alfredo with bits of steak in it instead of chicken."
"Sounds amazing already." Yosuke leaned his head on his hand as he watched his best friend going through his flawless cooking routine. Ever since they had been younger, he had regarded the other as his personal chef. Though he wasn't able to give much back in return, it seemed as if Yu had never minded and actually enjoyed cooking for both of him, and sometimes just for Yosuke.
"I've yet to start teaching you how to cook." Yu had just tied on his apron and was letting some water boil as he started cutting up the steak to put it into the skillet. Once he had finished with that, he turned and beckoned the other over. "Come on."
"What? Are you serious?"
"Yes."
"Dude, me and cooking is like a fire hazard waiting to happen."
"Come on."
Yosuke grumbled as he slid out of the chair and walked around the counter until he was standing next to the stove.
"I was trying to save your eyebrows.."
Yu chuckled as he directed his friend to take the fork and stir the pieces of steak around in the skillet. He was giving more directions as time went on, telling him to add certain spices. When the water had boiled, he instructed him to open the package of pasta and pour it all into the water.
"Just stir that every now and then. With the steak, make sure you keep an eye on whether or not it's cooked all the way." He moved around Yosuke, letting his hand trace down his right arm as he held onto his hand now and helped him move a piece of steak in a certain wait to check.
Yosuke's heart rate was picking up to a rapid pace as he felt the presence behind him. The hand lingering on his own made him blush darkly, and the scent that had always been on his best friend made him feel faint. That made him sound so fucking girly but in this instance it was completely true. He was almost going weak at the knees, feeling how close he was and that breath lingering along his ear as he was still talking to him in a normal manner.
"If it's still too pink, you need to let it cook a while longer."
Yosuke swallowed uneasily. "How much while is a longer-I mean-how much longer is a while?"
Yu let out another chuckle, right near his ear, sending shivers down the other's spine.
"Probably another five minutes, then check again."
They stayed that way even after he had finished showing him just what he was supposed to do. Yu didn't feel compelled to move and Yosuke wasn't about to make any sort of move since he was pretty much frozen from the touch itself. The closeness made Yu want to remain, or more like, his body and mind wasn't letting him move away. Sure they were best friends and something like this shouldn't have been a huge deal, but for some reason it felt like it was in that instance.
Yu gradually let his hand fall away as he glanced at the clock nearby, remembering that he was supposed to be meeting someone else completely different later. A stranger sure, but it was someone that he had been keen on meeting for a few years now. He couldn't let the secret attraction that had built up for his best friend get in the way of that.
"I-I think the pasta is almost done." Yosuke was trying to find some sort of stability given how nervous he was now. He saw the other use it as an opportunity to grab some oven mits and take the pot off the stove to go to the sink to strain the pasta.
The loss of contact made Yosuke feel a little relief but also a little sad. He hadn't been that close to the other in…well a long time. It had been a while since they had ever made physical contact like that, and the touch on his hand was enough to send that reeling sensation through all of him. It also sent up a red flag, because he was not supposed to be feeling this way for his best friend who was straight, and also because he was supposed to be meeting someone that would hopefully prove to be what he needed.
When Yosuke found a chance to completely escape the kitchen, he went straight to his room, going for his computer and starting it up in dire need of the distraction of the stranger. His hand was still tingling from where it had been touched, and he eagerly started moving his mouse to open the chat and see that NY2004 was online.
YH1994: Getting cold feet?
He sat there, staring at the screen, waiting for some kind of reply. Sitting for about five minutes, he hadn't received anything yet. He had already gone through his usual routine of checking his e-mail and other social sites, and it was just as he was about to just get up and head back into the kitchen that he heard a sound.
NY2004: I should be asking you that.
YH1994: I work there, so it's not like I really have a choice on showing up or not.
NY2004: Well I should be there around 11:30 at the latest.
YH1994: Make sure you look sexy then. ;]
NY2004: Don't worry; I'll remember to pop my collar.
Yosuke openly laughed out loud as he clamped his hands over his mouth and then went to quickly reply. He forgot that his best friend and dinner were waiting for him in the kitchen.
YH1994: Can't wait to see that.
NY2004: Well I can't wait to see you.
YH1994: Me too.
YH1994: But I have to go for now. I'll see you tonight.
NY2004: I should get going too. See you soon.
The quick conversation with the stranger re-set Yosuke's mental stability. After he exited the chat and went to head back out to the kitchen, he breathed in and out and felt like he had a handle on himself again.
As he walked back out, he didn't see his best friend at first. Simply shrugging, he figured he must've had to take a call from one of his many lady friends. The food was already laid out on the plates, and he took his usual seat at the bar to start twirling his food around to see more steam rise from it.
Seeing his friend reappear seconds later, he saw the smile placed perfectly on his lips. All of him was perfect so that was no surprise. He couldn't help but to feel his heart fall a little as he probably had just gotten off the phone to arrange yet another 'sleepover'.
"You look super happy."
"Oh, it's just; I got some plans for tonight."
"Oh yeah? A new lady?" Yosuke nudged his arm with his elbow before going to take his first bite of food.
"Something like that."
As he bit into the food and realized it was still too hot, he exhaled some of the heat before swallowing it and taking a quick drink of his soda. He felt another pang at his heart, but he brushed it away, remembering the conversation he just had with the stranger. The stranger he was going to meet in less than four hours.
Hopefully tonight, he'd be able to find someone to make him forget all the things he felt for his best friend. Tonight was what he needed more than anything.
Little did they know, tonight was going to be more than either of them ever expected.
