Second Chances [BxB]

two

The smoking area was loud, full of drag queens and young men, surrounded by a mist of cigarette smoke, all chatting loudly, listening to the dull hum of the music throbbing through the thick brick wall.

"I've got a confession to make." Declan announced, leaning up against the wall, and crossing his arms over his chest.

Sebastian rose his brows, "What is it?"

"I don't smoke." Declan grinned, "I haven't since I was a teenager."

Sebastian stared at him blankly, "So, why are we out here?"

"I just wanted to talk to you - away from the noise."

"Oh." Sebastian stared down at the ground, unsure where else to look, "Okay."

So..." Declan started, "You here alone?"

"I'm with my friend." Sebastian leant against the wall beside him, his eyes tracing the crowd, mesmerised by their faces, all etched with different pasts. "He's straight."

"Shit." Declan laughed, "He enjoying it?"

"Yeah, he enjoys attention, so, naturally..." He shrugged helplessly, hating himself for being so inept, so incapable of talking to people who weren't Harvey, "How about you? You here alone?"

"Yeah." Declan nodded, "I mean, I wasn't." He explained, "My friend - Evan - he ditched me; fucked off with some guy."

"Well, good for him, I guess."

"Shit for me though." Declan leant a little closer, his shoulder brushing Sebastian's, "You'll keep me company though, won't you?" He glanced up through thick lashes, something sparkling in his bright eyes.

Sebastian gulped, "Sure."

"You're a quiet one." Declan teased.

"Sorry."

"Don't be sorry." Declan nudged him playfully, "You're gorgeous so I don't mind."

Sebastian felt his cheeks flush again. He was terrible at flirting; he never knew what to say. Usually, boys took that a sign of disinterest and left. He didn't blame them. "Thanks, you're...uh..." He couldn't say it back. Not because he didn't believe it, but because that word - gorgeous - felt foreign on his lips.

"Okay, Sebastian." Declan chuckled, "You don't think I'm gorgeous, too? That's fine. I'll try not to cry myself to sleep later-"

"You are." Sebastian said thickly, "Really, you are." He hoped Declan could hear the sincerity in his voice. "I'm sorry, I'm not...I'm not good at..."

"Compliments?"

"Yeah." Sebastian sighed, "Those."

"Is this your first time in a gay club?" Declan frowned, "You seem a little skittish."

"No." Sebastian shook his head, "I'm not new to this, I'm just...bad at it." He sighed, trying to compose himself, "I get nervous around pretty boys, alright?"

Declan's grin widened, exposing his teeth, making him look boyish and mischievous. It melted the ice around Sebastian's heart a little. "Tell me about yourself." Declan said, swaying closer, their thighs knocking together.

"Oh, there's not much to..." Sebastian's sentence died in his mouth. He couldn't tell Declan about himself, because Declan would run if he knew the truth. Sebastian was a former addict, who had watched his boyfriend die, who had attended a school for troubled boys, who had been to rehab three times. "I work on a construction site."

Declan's eyes fell to Sebastian's thick biceps, "That's hot."

"Oh, really? Uh...thanks." He fumbled over his words again, internally cringing. "Tell me about you." He desperately needed to change the subject.