To Save Our Families, Let's 'Marry' (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 27

Henry, who had been equally out of touch with is surroundings at first, had found his body moving before he had even grasped the situation. There was only one thing that had registered in his subconscious mind, Joshua Lore was falling onto glass shards. With a lightning speed, he immediately went to catch the beautiful man, getting his arm behind him, his hand protecting the back of the man's head. With his other hand, he grabbed the edge of the table next to him.

It would have all been fine if the water bottle that had smashed was not half full of water. At that crucial moment, Henry slipped due to the water, losing his footing, the placement of his hand not allowing him to hold the weight of two grown men. This meant now they were both falling towards the shards of broken glass.

On reflex, the blond man turned his own body towards the floor, his upper arm taking most of the impact. Joshua fell on top of Henry.

Determined not to let his hard work go to waste, with a grimace on his face, Henry got both of themselves sat up away from the glass shard.

The whole restaurant sat there in silent shock, more than a few amazed by how ridiculous the train of events had been. It was safe to say that no one could have predicted such a turn of events. Even their families were shell shocked by the fall.

However, since they had fallen between two tables, one of which was vacant, only a handful of people could see just how dangerous the situation had been, to everyone else it was just a horrid stumble.

By the time Joshua had gained his bearings, Henry was already standing up, using the table as a support. The man looked up, not sure what to think or do anymore, that is until the younger man stretched his hand out for him. It was only then he really registered he was on the floor, mostly unharmed. It was just his ankle that was throbbing from the impact of the chair leg – he was sure it was not too bad.

Grabbing Henry's hand, he pulled himself up, missing the slightly strained look on Henry's face. The two men eventually managed to stand up, looking at each other, neither's face readable, mostly due to the fact that neither were really thinking.

Not until Joshua's ankle gave away again, this time due to the pain the man had stubbornly dismissed, his foot slipping on the water and sending the man falling again, this time forwards. This time, unlike the last, Joshua was hyperattentive, quickly grabbing onto Henry's cardigan and guiding his fall onto the other man's chest, stopping another injury.

Henry just managed to support Joshua's body with his wrist, causing enough inertia that they would not fall to the ground again.

Joshua didn't move immediately. All he could feel was the other man's rapidly beating heart and heavy breathing. Then he came to realise it was not just Reyes, he himself was out of breath, heart hammering from lingering panic.

What on earth had just happened? Did that class as a fall, it seemed more like an entire incident.

Henry tried to catch his breath as the other man looked up at him. Joshua's translucent skin was flushed, dark hair everywhere. As he subconsciously helped Joshua up, Henry could not help but feel the man seem small all of a sudden. Of course, he was aware there was not much of a difference in size between the two of them, but it was like he was suddenly hit with a need of keep the older man out of harm's way. Henry didn't quite understand it but that was all he would be able to describe it as had anyone asked; in reality, if anyone asked, he would have most definitely denied there being any such emotion.

The two men eventually made eye contact, seemingly losing each other in their joint gaze, breathing heavy, faces flushed, bodies supporting one another. At least, that is how it looked to everyone else in the café. Even if they had not publicly announced their engagement on Monday, there would be no denying from any spectator that there was something between the two men. No two people would stare at each other so deeply for so long after something like this, not unless they were in some kind of relationship, especially not with their faces so close.