Chapter 15
Will
“So, you asked Nathan out yet?”
Alessia stands next to Will at the bar, trying to catch the bartender’s attention by waving her empty glass jauntily in the air. She’s already had three mojitos, and Will’s about to buy her another one, because it’s her birthday and he wants to spoil her a little.
The bartender puts the card machine down and moves over to a woman in a pink dress who’s just approached the other end of the bar. She orders, blissfully ignorant of Alessia’s grumbling about the sanctity of the queue.
As soon as Pink Dress has her bottle of pink fizz, Will leans over the bar. “We were next, mate. Strawberry mojito and a margarita, please.”
The bartender nods and grabs a pair of glasses, bottles flying from every direction towards him. He plucks them from the air one by one, mixing their drinks with maximum flair as the waiting bottles spin slowly around him.
“Impressive,” Will murmurs. “I can see why you chose this place.”
“I chose it because I wanna dance tonight. Fancy cocktails are a bonus.”
“I’m not letting you drag me onto the dancefloor tonight, Lessi, I swear.”
“You’re going to deny your best friend on her birthday? Charming.”
“If my best friend wants to make me do something I hate, what kind of best friend is she, anyway?”
The kind of best friend who laughs, giggles, and shoves him teasingly, that’s who.
“New topic. Ask Nathan out yet?”
“Not yet.”
“Yet?” Lessi grins toothily at the barman as he presents her drink with a flourish.
“Yeah. No point pretending there’s nothing there. Hey! My treat.” Will pushes her credit card back into her hand and offers his own. “Even if it’s probably too soon after Kai.”
She swizzles her straw around in her drink. “Nathan’s your bondmate, not some random guy you met at the club.”
“Was my bondmate. Still. Feels a bit disrespectful, thinking about dating someone else so soon. Even if basically everyone thinks I should be dating him already.” Will lifts his glass to his lips, enjoying the first sugar sharp sip wash over his tongue.
“I just want you to be all coupled up and happy like I am with Jake. Not holding people at arm’s length like you did with Kai.
And James. And whatshisface, the one with the blonde hair.
You massive commitment-phobe.” She hiccups, and it’s adorable, even though she’s definitely being judgemental and maybe a little patronising.
“The thing is, Will, if you want to be happy in a relationship, you gotta let people in. Do whatever it takes to make it work. Understand?”
Will hugs her, dropping a kiss on top of her head. “Alessia, I love you, but mojitos and life advice are a bad mix. We know this from past experience. Remember?”
“Yeah, yeah,” she grumbles. “I just want you to be happy.”
“I know.”
They chat for a while, standing there at the black granite bar, a tide of people ebbing and flowing around them.
“You want another mojito?”
“I’m gonna have a bit of a break. But hey, there’s a guy staring at you. Like, I mean really staring at you. It’d be creepy if he wasn’t super hot.”
She raises her arm and points, politeness worn away by the alcohol. Will pushes her arm back down and turns to look.
A bolt of surprise strikes him as his eyes connect with Nathan’s. He’s standing stock still next to a beautiful Black woman who’s hugging Jake, Alessia’s boyfriend.
Fuck. What’s he doing here?
“That’s Nathan.” He tries to keep his voice down, heart pounding with the surprise of seeing him so unexpectedly.
“Ooh.” Alessia beams with excitement. “Selene said she was bringing her new housemate along, so… wow. What a coincidence! It’s like fate brought you together! Go! Go to him!”
She tries to push him away from the bar. He’s thankful that he’s big enough that she can’t move him even an inch. Not that it really matters, because Nathan is walking towards him, a smile breaking over his face.
He’s wearing black jeans that hug his muscular thighs, and a deep red shirt embroidered with a subtle swirling design in black and gold thread. The shirt fits him very, very well, and he’s left a few buttons undone, offering a glimpse of the top of a defined chest.
Will takes a hasty swig of his drink, his mouth suddenly dry.
“Well, this is unexpected.” Will smiles as Nathan stops a few steps away. Alessia is almost vibrating with excitement by his side, and he has no option but to introduce them. “Nathan, this is Alessia. We met at university, she’s a paediatric nurse. Alessia, this is Nathan, he’s—”
“Oh, I know who he is.” Alessia darts forward, giving Nathan a quick welcoming hug and taking the opportunity to not so subtly squeeze his bicep. “It’s good to meet you! Will and I were just talking about you.”
Will shoots her a dirty look, which she studiously ignores.
“Nothing bad, I hope.” Nathan laughs nervously. “You and Selene know each other?”
“Yeah!” Alessia nods. “We go to the same capoeira class. She told me her new housemate would be tagging along tonight, what a coincidence!”
Nathan laughs again, a thin, inauthentic sound. Will realises that he’s out of his element, an outsider amongst a group of friends.
“Nathan, can I get you a drink? And Lessi, maybe you should go say hi to Selene?”
Alessia gives him an exaggerated wink. “Oh, yeah, I should. See you two later!”
Nathan murmurs a soft see you in response and steps up to the bar. “Well, um… this is weird.” He looks up at Will, a hesitant smile on his lips. “Is it okay, me being here?”
He looks so uncertain that Will can’t resist reaching out to squeeze his shoulder reassuringly. “Of course it is. I’m happy to see you. And I owe you a drink after last time. What’re you having?”
Nathan’s smile widens. “A beer, thanks.”
Will tosses the last of his margarita back and orders another round. Drinks replenished, they head over to a table at the edge of the roped-off area Alessia booked, chatting lightly on the way.
“Is Alessia a close friend, then?” Nathan lifts his beer to his lips, eyeing the group of friends speculatively.
“Yeah, I’ve known her for ages. Not as long as you, obviously. She’s great.”
Alessia’s chatting happily with Jake and Selene and a few others. Will doesn’t really know Selene. They’ve ended up at the same bar a few times, usually at this kind of gathering, but she seems nice enough. She looks over, eyes moving from Will to Nathan as she raises her glass with a wink.
Are they…?
A squirmy feeling pools in his stomach.
Will takes a sip of his margarita, playing it cool. “Are you and Selene friends, or…”
“Oh! No, no. She’s my housemate. She’s seeing someone. Even if she wasn’t, it’s not like that.” Nathan blushes.
Will pretends not to notice. The squirmy feeling is replaced with relief, cool and welcome with an undertone of anticipation.
“How’s your boyfriend? What was his name again?”
“Kai. We broke up.”
“Oh.” Nathan wrestles his expression into neutrality. “Sorry to hear that.”
“Don’t be. It was a casual thing.” Will takes a sip of liquid courage, remembering Lessi’s comment about holding people at arm’s length. “But I… I think I’m getting a little tired of casual things.”
Nathan clinks his bottle gently against Will’s glass. He drinks, Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallows, placing the empty bottle conspicuously on the table in front of them.
His lips curve in a smile that’s half shy and half flirty. “Can I get you another? Same again?”
“I’d like that.”
Nathan squeezes his thigh as he gets up to make his way to the bar. The contact sends a tiny pulse of excitement through him, a desire to have Nathan’s hands on him properly.
Maybe it isn’t too soon.
He watches as Nathan drums his fingers on the bar impatiently. A moment later he looks back over his shoulder, green eyes sparkling when he realises Will’s watching him.
Maybe I should make a move.
Nathan returns, choosing a seat a little closer and steadying himself with a hand on Will’s shoulder as he sits down. Glasses chime with another toast, accompanied by smiles that forecast a good night ahead.
The casual touches continue, each more thrilling than the last.
Nathan pushes Will’s shoulder gently when he tells a particularly funny story.
Will taps the back of Nathan’s hand as he makes a point about a TV series they’ve both watched recently.
They’re on their third round of drinks when the chanting begins.
“Shots, shots, shots!”
Jake shuffles slowly back from the bar, carrying a tray full of shot glasses, a dish of lemon wedges and a saltshaker.
Will usually prefers his tequila in margarita form, long drawn-out sips over the fast path to oblivion, but tonight he can’t say no. Who could say no to Nathan, who licks a stray drop of tequila from the corner of his mouth, eyes glowing with mischief as he holds a shot glass out like a promise?
The evening gets better and better.
It’s almost like he never left. Like he’s been the heart of my life forever.
Will feels euphoric until all of a sudden he doesn’t, the room tilting gently as Lessi leads the charge to the dancefloor.
He takes a seat on a banquette and watches Nathan, dancing with Alessia and a few others. He’s a very good dancer. He’s confident, he has rhythm, and he spins Selene around perfectly, laughing as he does.
When he comes back, I should ask him out.
Make it clear it’s a date he’s looking for, the start of something. There’s been enough flirting tonight that he’s pretty sure Nathan will say yes.
Fuck, he’s so hot. I wanna kiss him.
One moment, Nathan’s on the dancefloor, and the next he’s sitting on the banquette, his firm, denim-clad thigh pressed against Will’s.
“Will? Are you okay?” Nathan splays his hand between Will’s shoulder blades, his touch a burning brand.
“Hmm?” His head is spinning. Was there something I was meant to do? “Yeah, I’m okay.”
“Let me get you some water.” Nathan’s warmth disappears abruptly from Will’s side.
He returns quickly, bringing two glasses beaded with condensation. He passes one over, making sure Will's hand is wrapped around it securely before he sips his own. Will drinks, feeling at once mildly embarrassed and cherished.
“You good?” Nathan smiles at him, flashes of light dancing over his face in time with the music.
Want you. Do you want me too?
“Will?” Nathan leans closer, raising a hand to brush a few wayward curls away from his face.
Remember when you kissed me for the first time? Your lips, a shock and also… not a shock.
Perfect. Your lips. Perfect.
“Will? Do you need to go home?”
Before he knows what he’s doing, his face is lurching towards Nathan’s, their noses bumping awkwardly as Will attempts a kiss.
He misses. Tries again, lips glancing sloppily off Nathan’s.
Nathan pushes him gently away, and his heart drops through his body and into the ground.
“You don’t wanna kiss me?” Will demands, tucking his sweaty hair back behind his ears.
Nathan’s hands curve over his shoulders, holding him steady. “I’d love to kiss you, but you’re drunk.”
“So?” Will’s affronted, annoyed that Nathan would let a little thing like tequila get between them after so many years. “Kiss me. Come home with me.”
Nathan hesitates for a moment before he leans in, brushing his lips softly over Will’s.
He melts, desire and happiness flooding his entire body, lighting him up in a way he’s only felt once before.
He feels his cheeks rise in a goofy smile, arousal starting to throb under his skin, making him grab for Nathan’s arms to pull him in.
Nathan laughs, not unkindly, keeping too much distance between them. “I’ll get you home, but I’m not coming in. I’m so happy you want this too, but we need to wait ’til you’re sober.”
Will frowns, rejection threatening to push out the euphoria.
If I can explain… how much I missed him… maybe he’ll…
“Is he okay?” Alessia appears out of nowhere. “Oh, crap, he’s drunk, right?”
“Lessi! I kissed him!” Will grins at her, filled with triumph. He lets himself pitch sideways into Nathan’s arms, pressing kisses against the hot skin of his neck.
“Slutty drunk Will, oh how I missed you.” Alessia laughs, shaking her head. “He gets like this when he’s had too much sometimes.”
“S’not too much. S’courage.”
Nathan wraps an arm around his waist and drags him upright. “Let’s get you home.”
“Home! Yessssss!”
Gonna get laid. Gonna finally have a first time with my Nate.
“Don’t worry.” Will’s vaguely aware Nathan’s talking to Alessia, not to him. “I’ll get him back to his place and then leave. I wouldn’t take advantage.”
“But…” Will looks down at him, a woozy smile taking over as a memory hits him. “Don’t you remember? When we were apart? Felt you through the bond. Felt your desire. Felt you thinking about me. It was good… remember?”
“Oh god,” Nathan groans, his cheeks turning pink as Alessia raises an eyebrow in confusion.
He doesn’t remember?
Suddenly Will is a teenager, back in his bedroom, lying in bed late at night.
Feeling Nathan’s arousal through the bond, feeling it sharpen and deepen as it joined with his own.
Touching himself, knowing Nathan was doing the same thing at the same time, his orgasm so much stronger shadowed by Nathan’s…
“Nathan.” His voice is nearly a whine, but he can’t bring himself to care.
The object of his desire shakes his head with a smile. “Let’s get you home. Happy birthday, Alessia. It was great to meet you.”
“You too, Nathan. Let’s get together sometime, the four of us?”
“If he still wants me in the morning, sure.”
“Oh, he will. Good luck.”
The rest of the night is a blur. Nathan walks him slowly and steadily home, one arm around his waist. There are no more kisses, but Will’s fairly sure that Nathan holds his hair back when he finds himself vomiting into a bush.
His keys jingle as his front door swings open, the scent of home a comfort despite the way his head spins. Nathan guides him gently through the rooms until he finds the bedroom.
Will tries and fails to pull Nathan down onto the bed with him. He laughs softly, depositing a kiss on Will's clammy forehead before he walks away.
Nathan returns with a glass of water, taking a moment to put it carefully on the bedside table before he leaves, closing the door softly behind him as consciousness fades away.