Unrequited || H2OVanoss

||10||

They reach the restaurant with three minutes to spare and Brock is right. It's cute. Evan holds the door for J, who offers him a small smile before they walk in.

They are taken to their seats and presented with menus that they pour over. Evan shifts his stare from the menu to J. "What are you getting?"

"I don't know. Some of this is too fancy for me."

Evan chuckles. "Same here. I think I'm going to stick with what I know and get a burger."

J shoots him a grin. "Well, I'm the opposite. I think I'll get something I've never heard of."

"Ooh, risky."

"That's me," J shrugs.

They wait for the waiter to return and order a beef burger for Evan and an oddly named, foreign-sounding dish for J, who has no idea what will come.

While they wait for the food, they are brought a bottle of red wine, at which J perks up. They make small talk while they sip at the alcohol, which slips down Evan's throat soothingly and creates a faint buzz in his head.

"So, where do you work?" Evan tilts his head and admires his date, who smiles back and looks down while he answers.

"My job's kind of on and off. I'm not working right this second. What about you?" He lifts his eyes to Evan.

"Don't get scared off, but I'm like Brock. I have a YouTube channel where I game with friends."

"Oh nice, I've always thought being a YouTuber would be an interesting job. More freedom but more stress too. Especially with fans."

Evan leans back. "It could be worse. Maybe one day you can try it - you're funny and I think you'd have great presence in a video."

J chuckles, a smile on his face. "Maybe."

Their food finally arrives and Evan's mouth waters at the sight of his juicy burger. He tears his gaze from it to see J's food and can't contain his laughter when he sees J, eyes wide, staring at the whole fish in front of him. He hears Evan laugh and looks up.

"I was not expecting this." He prods the fish with his fork and Evan snorts. "Shut up! Just because you've got a nice burger." He mutters, rolling his eyes.

They both tuck into their food and it takes all of Evan's energy to not moan in bliss. "Oh my God, this is delicious. It's like an orgasm in my mouth."

His date visibly chokes before patting his chest with a fist, composing himself. "What the fuck, Evan. You can't do that to me," he giggles.

Evan flashes him a smile and the two continue eating and talking. The more Evan finds out about J, the more the butterflies in his stomach root themselves and his head buzzes. Although that might be the alcohol he's drinking.

J is kind, funny and charming, just like Delirious, but Evan finds his mind barely focuses on Delirious and is instead full of the man in front of him, all pretty smiles and quiet giggles.

After they finish eating and can barely move, Evan calls for the bill. He reaches towards his back pocket to pull his wallet out but before he can even get it out, J pushes some bills toward the waiter, who walks away. Evan looks from J to the waiter and back, the alcohol slightly slowing his reactions.

"I was going to pay, J!"

His date smirks and stands up. "I just got to pay for a meal with a hella attractive man. So it's my pleasure, babe." His smirk falls for an instant as he slowly offers his hand to Evan, uncertain.

Evan's heart lurches at the term of endearment and the pain of Delirious returns for an instant before he registers J's outstretched hand. He takes it without a second thought and the ghosts of that contagious laugh disappear from his mind. He looks up at J and smiles. This is nice.

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I imagine there are around three parts left after this one, so we're getting close to the end.

Thank you for reading :)

~LC