Second Chances [BxB]

twenty eight

Declan cursed under his breath when he heard a knock on the door. He was half dressed, his hair still damp from the shower, wearing only one sock - apparently the only clean one he had left.

When he pulled the door open, his breath hitched in his throat. Sebastian was wearing a new jumper - it had to be new because Sebastian only wore the same three jumpers on rotation, and Declan had never seen this one before - and it looked a little too good on him. His curls were also tidier, and he was wearing different cologne. He looked nervous. Declan had never found him more endearing.

"You smell different." Declan blurted out.

Sebastian's lips twitched into a smile, and instantly, the anxiety visibly left his body. His eyes fell down to Declan's bare chest, his gaze lingering for a little too long before it returned to Declan's face, "You're not dressed."

"Sorry." Declan sighed, stepping back from the door so Sebastian could step into his flat, "Winnie needed me to stay a little later, so I've only just got back. I'll just be a minute."

"I thought you were working nights."

"I am."

Sebastian frowned as he perched on the end of Declan's bed, "You've been doing both?"

Declan shrugged, rummaging through his wardrobe for a nice shirt - which was difficult, considering none of them were nice. "Yeah." He replied, "I've been doing both."

"You must be exhausted."

Declan smiled when he found what he was looking for - a loose long sleeve top with tiny hearts embroidered into the hemlines, which Mickey had gifted to him for his birthday last week. "A little." Truthfully, he was barely awake right now, but he refused to let his exhaustion interfere with his date. The prospect of seeing Sebastian was the only thing that had gotten him through the week. He missed him, and now that he was here, Declan didn't feel so restless anymore.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" Sebastian asked uneasily, "If you'd rather just sleep-"

"Seb." Declan grinned at him, "There is absolutely nothing in this world that's gonna stop me from going on this date with you."

Sebastian smiled brightly at him, and he looked so pleased, and so excited, Declan just wanted to kiss him all over. Realising that he hadn't touched Sebastian in a week, he marched over to his bed, tilted Sebastian's face up, and planted a kiss on his lips.

"I missed you." Declan murmured into his lips, and he was so happy that he was finally allowed to be honest - to tell Sebastian how he really felt.

Sebastian's hands fell to Declan's hips, his fingertips tracing shapes onto his bare skin, "I missed you, too." He replied, "So much."

Declan pulled away reluctantly so he could finish getting dressed. He eventually found another sock - one he thought he had lost months ago - and after arranging his hair into something presentable, he and Sebastian left.

The restaurant wasn't far. It was a small place around the corner, always spilling light and warmth out onto the street whenever Declan passed it. It had candles on every table, and the low hum of music playing amongst the buzz of chatter. Declan and Sebastian sat in the corner, menus laid out between them, and elbows propped up on the table.

"I don't go on a lot of dates." Declan admitted, "How do they work?"

Sebastian smiled in amusement, "I think we're meant to ask each other questions."

"We already know everything about each other." Declan reminded him.

Sebastian shrugged, "We can pretend that we don't." He suggested.