High Tide (boyxboy)

Chapter 6: Close proximity

"Yep...he has that effect on people."

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Today Stan is catching up with Jojo in his small studio in town. He gets his belongings together that he needs and puts them in his rucksack. He is calling for Jojo on the way. He lives at number 9, opposite Kai's number 7.

Stan rings the bell, but can't help looking over his shoulder at Kai's door. Stan decides he likes Kai, regardless of the unusual initial meeting. Kai seems like a good guy and he wanted to get to know him more.

His attention is drawn back to the front when Jojo's door opens. "Hey, come in for a minute, I'm not quite ready yet." Stan steps into the small hallway and waits whilst Jojo grabs his last bits and pieces.

Stan stares down the long corridor to see someone he doesn't know sitting on a stool at the breakfast bar. He has dark hair and is quite well built. He's trying to eat a piece of toast whilst another set of arms are wrapped around his waist. "Don't mind them." Jojo says as he re enters the corridor, putting on his shoes. "That's just Ronnie's boyfriend Mitch."

Stan nods and looks to Jojo to see if he's finally ready, which he is now. "Ok lets go." They both head out of the door of the apartment.

As Jojo closes the door, Kai exits his home at the same time. Stan naturally smiles. "Morning Kai." Jojo says.

"Morning." Kai's smiles, then he sees Stan next to him. "Oh...morning Stan."

"Morning Kai." Stan replies.

Then all three of them make their way to the lift and enter it, the doors closing behind them. A weird atmosphere suddenly surrounds them and even Jojo picks up on it, trying to create a topic of conversation for distraction.

"I see you two have sorted out your differences since the party."

"Yeah, I thought Kai was someone else, but I was mistaken," Stan says, feeling a little embarrassed by the way he had behaved.

"It's all ok now though." Kai can see the discomfort on Stan's face. He didn't need to feel bad.

"Well at least it's sorted out." Jojo concludes before the quietness and awkwardness return. This is thankfully saved by the lift door opening. Stan can feel himself overheating slightly with the tension and hurriedly steps forward to vacate the small space. It seems Kai has the same idea and they suddenly become wedged in the slender doorway of the lift. Never in his life has Stan been pressed so close to another individual and if he thought he was hot before, his temperature has just gone through the roof.

'S...sorry." Stan utters and moves back into the small space, allowing Kai to get out.

Kai clears his throat and steps out into the building's lobby. "Uh, not a problem." He says and hurries forward to the doors leading out to the street, his briefcase getting caught in the glass door on the way. He can't look back. He can't show Stan his blushing cheeks.

"Um...shall we get out?" Jojo prompts, still behind Stan,

Stan is knocked out of his trance and takes a step forward. He still has eyes on Kai as he watches him hurriedly cross the busy street outside to get to where he needs to be.

Jojo stands next to Stan, watching him, then looks back at Kai outside as he disappears around a corner. "Yep. He has that effect on people." He sighs.

Stan looks at Jojo, "I don't know what you mean?" He lets out a laugh. Whatever Jojo was implying, he was wrong. Definitely wrong....absolutely.

"Oh come on." That lift ride was intense." Jojo puts a hand on Stan's shoulder, leaning into his ear and speaking just so only Stan can hear. "It's ok to like him you know."

Stan shrugs off the hand. "Enough. Let's just get to your studio."

Jojo smiles. This was like Ronnie and Mitch all over again. Why these guys waste time and don't just admit their feelings, he'd never know.