Salubrious part 23

Allan kept thinking back to the recent exchange:

Allan perked up, giving Charlie a look that said stop. Charlie looked at Allan, his eyes saying, “Isn’t this what you want?”

Allan said with his eyes, again, “Stop.”

He was waiting outside the office building, feeling incredibly comfortable and happy wearing Charlie’s orange hoodie. He was analyzing the whole picture, taking each conversation and look apart piece by piece.

He hadn’t wanted Charlie to feel overwhelmed by all the new relationship stuff he had brought up but he instinctively knew that he put a lot on his plate. When Charlie characterized their early morning texts as, “shooting the shit,” to Pim, he realized that his new partner used bro terminology when he was anxious or socially awkward.

He wanted a lot more from this relationship than he had ever imagined he’d expect, especially since he and Charlie barely had had a real social interaction outside of work for a long time. It took a lot of effort and work to figure out their actual friendship first, which made the leap to more a serious commitments a veritable sign that their trust and comfort with each other was real.

Their relationship was so very fragile at this point, Allan decided that he’d try to be more free spirited. Just a little bit, though.

Allan rolled up the sleeves of the hoodie, biting his lip. Charlie’s hoodie was so welcoming, it smelt like burnt jasmine rice, a musky sort of masculine smell that only was found in this particular hoodie. It made Allan really feel safe.

But the only thing Allan could say when he saw Charlie was:

“Your hoodie has permanent stains. I could launder it for you,” Allan suggested. Charlie looked at him a little confused but then he smiled.

“Listen, you can just have it. Wear it when you’re cold,” Charlie offered, whispering it close face to face. Allan took Charlie’s arm and held on to it.

“What if I’m cold all the time?” Allan asked, feeling a gush of silly feelings strangle his logic.

They started walking to Charlie’s car. Charlie leaned into Allan’s touch.

“I can’t change the weather,” Charlie joked.

“No. Do you really want me to have the hoodie?” Allan asked as Charlie opened the passenger door.

“Um, oh yeah, of course man, you can have it,” Charlie muttered quickly.

Allan had a slow grin spread across his face. “Wow. Woah. That’s… really…”

Charlie made sure that Allan was in the car properly, leaning in.

“No problem, Allan. You want me to close it?”

Allan nodded. “Yes.”

Charlie closed it gently and went to his side.

“Where do you want to go eat?” Charlie asked causally.

“Salty’s,” Allan automatically answered.

Charlie have him a brow raising stare, “Uh, Allan, you don’t really… I thought you didn’t like Salty’s.”

Allan gave him a shrug. “So?”

“Well, what do you want?”

“What you like,” Allan confirmed.

“No, man. What’s your favorite place to eat? We can do that instead.”

Allan sighed. “Why don’t we go to Salty’s. Then tonight, we can go to a fancier restaurant. Or maybe we can dine alla cartel…”

Charlie laughed in a loud burst. “Cartel? Oh, boy, you meant À la carte? Like the French thing people say when they get a single thing?” Charlie scrunched his nose, “your pronunciation is like, so you. I really like it. It makes my day.”

Allan felt a bit embarrassed. “It wasn’t that funny.”

Charlie pulled over a second. “Oh, man. Allan, I didn’t mean anything bad. Like, seriously, the way you say things … it’s…”

Allan looked over giving him a look that asked for clarification.

“It’s really cute,” Charlie said with a crack in his voice.

Allan laughed finally, “So are you.”

Charlie started driving again, heading to Salty’s.

“So the deal is Salty’s for lunch and then some fancy restaurant for dinner?” Charlie clarified.

“I mean I know you said we could do Netflix and chill, but Charlie, honestly…” Allan started to say, as Charlie gave him an interested look. “You will have to try way harder than that. Classy men like me need more wining and dining.”

Charlie blushed, laughing softly. “Oh, that’s… not… I wasn’t trying to… I know you are better than that.”

Allan nodded. “I know you’re better than that too.”

They parked and Charlie looked anxious, like he wanted to say something.

“Ready?” Allan asked softly.

Charlie frowned, scratching his head and picking his nose. “Uh, Allan, I wanted to apologize. For earlier. You know when I was trying to make that announcement about our relationship?”

Allan shook his head. “Speaking of that, during that whole… messy sort of conversation, I realized something.”

Charlie gulped, feeling nervous. “I fucked up. Damn. I did it again. And I told myself, just text him right away, you know when you left to go do more gardening…” Charlie cursed under his breath. “I didn’t.. I always second guess everything I say before I say it.”

“Well, it was something I was shocked by, Charlie…” Allan started, suddenly taking Charlie’s hand in his.

Charlie blinked, squeezing Allan’s hand. Allan squeezed it back.

“I realized that you really trusted me. You listen to me. Remember at my apartment with the landlord? You left when I told you to leave. And you stopped the announcement when I just barely looked at you. I mean, that’s crazy to me. Charlie, you must be a mind reader.”

Charlie blushed deeper, red piercing his whole face.

“You really know how to make someone feel special. No wonder the boss hired you. You’re the most powerful kind of smiling friend, man, you’re like the ultra mega star of smiling,” Charlie admitted with a nervous smile.

Allan agreed with a wink. “I kinda want to kiss you for saying that.”

“Okay,” Charlie agreed, closing his eyes.

Charlie leaned in, ready for a kiss on the mouth.

Suddenly, Allan brought out a tube of lip gloss that had red tint in it, slathered it on his lips, and planted four kisses on Charlie’s cheek, his neck, his forehead and one near his mouth.

Charlie felt a tingling sensation of gushy sweetness burst inside of at the slightly sticky, cool feeling that felt like lip gloss or lip stick and being swarmed by Allan’s kisses. They felt like a spider wrapping up its prey to Charlie in the most intense way.

“No way. What?” Charlie muttered. He opened his eyes, looking at himself in the dashboard mirror.

“Now everyone will know I claimed you,” Allan exclaimed. Charlie didn’t wipe it off as they went inside.