[Twice Featured Noteworthy Novel & Staff Pick on Tapas.io] ✔
[Previously featured on Tapas.io's LGBTQ+ Community collection] ✔
One night. That was all it took for Senn Reyes' life to change drastically--and permanently.
Senn Reyes is a seventeen-y...
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Friday
Of course, things weren't the same. It was awkward, it was weird, it was like there was a barrier between him and Julian, that Senn didn't like one single bit. Maybe it was the fact Julian hadn't drunk any alcohol yet. Maybe it was because things evidently did change, massively, and Julian didn't know if Senn wanted to talk about it or not.
Which was why Senn asked Julian about his life, but that didn't get him much elaborate answers either. Julian dropped out of college, but he didn't want to talk about the why's or how's or when's. And since Senn didn't feel like spilling details about his new life either, they sat in silence for a while, Julian sipping from a beer Senn and Elio had left there no too long ago.
Initially, Julian had been staring towards the river just like Senn, probably overthinking life and the ways everything got screwed over. But after a short while, Julian resolved in staring at Senn from pretty up close. His breath fanned Senn's cheek gently, and it made Senn's stomach twist when he found Julian staring at him with some sort of affection he had missed so much.
When Senn turned to look at Julian as well, the latter slowly started to lean in, and part of Senn wanted to lean in as well and kiss Julian. But a small part caused him to think back of the kiss he shared with Elio, and all the things it did to him. But that automatically lead to him remembering how Elio and Joyce had kissed in front of him, and pushed him over the line to lean in and capture Julian's lips with his own.
It took about three seconds before he was able to let go of all the nagging thoughts, grab Julian's sweater, and pull the boy on top of him while Julian deepened their kiss. His hands slid under Senn's hoodie, touching his skin.
Senn had somewhat expected Julian to be calmer, like he used to be months ago when they first started sneaking away to hook up. Well, for as far as he could remember, Julian had always been calm and... sweet.
He was a bit more lustful now, and Senn didn't exactly mind. It made it easier to look at it as something that didn't mean a lot but was still somewhat important. And having Julian touch his skin, made him realize how much exactly he missed being touched by anyone.
The last touches beside a short hug from his aunt, or a pat on the shoulder from Killian or his friends, had been nurses, helping him wash himself in his hospital bed.
Not exactly the intimacy he longed for.
He wiggled underneath Julian, when the boy pushed his hoodie up to trail kisses down his upper body. Senn took in a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to enjoy every touch, every kiss, as much as he possibly could. This was what life was like before everything went to hell. Just getting drunk with his best friends, sneaking out with Julian to smoke a spliff, drink more beer, and have sex. Explore his sexuality, explore feelings, enjoying the undivided attention from a hot guy like Julian.
Julian was doing more to him than just turning him on with his kisses. Julian was taking him back in time, and for the first time in a long while, Senn actually felt like he was enjoying himself.
