Foolish Games

30. Remember to behave

Joni had accepted the dinner invitation from Markus one weekend that they were both on leave. He wanted Chris to get to know his friend and see that there was nothing for him to worry about. It was at least what he hoped would happen.

But it was clear how little Chris wanted to go there, he had been whining the whole day about it and it was beginning to get tiresome to listen.

They got to the door, Chris already looking grumpy and Joni rolled his eyes at his boyfriend's behavior.

"Please remember to behave, otherwise you'll be sleeping on the couch," Joni sighed before ringing the doorbell. Chris glared at him but didn't say anything.

Markus opened the door with a huge grin on his face.

"Come in come in," he invited. "Welcome to our humble home, really humble," he smiled. Joni handed him a bottle of wine, before undressing his jacket.

"Thanks for having us and don't worry, it's not like we live in a mansion," Joni grinned and watched as Lauri cautiously approached them.

"Hi," the boy chirped and though Lauri was older than Joni and Markus, twenty-two, he looked younger, being a short and kind of skinny brunet with big innocent-looking blue eyes.

"You must be Lauri, nice to meet you," Joni shook his hand smiling politely. The boy, a young man, Joni reminded, glared at him and muttered his greeting, almost seeming intimidated. "And this is Chris, my boyfriend," he introduced, and kind of lazily Chris reached to shake Lauri's hand.

"Charmed..." He muttered, earning another glare from Joni.

"So are you hungry?" Lauri asked, his tone polite but his eyes revealing a similar lack of interest like Chis'. "The table is set," he added smiling.

*

"Yeah come on guys, let's eat, I'm starved!" Markus grinned, then glanced at Chris. "So you're a computer gay, I mean guy, weren't you?" he asked and then laughed at his word mix-up.

Chris counted to ten silently following Joni; keeping an eye on his every move, every smile, and every word.

"Yes, computer guy and gay," he answered as calmly as possible.

"So games and all that shit?" Markus asked, stopping in front of the table and gesturing for them to sit down.

"Yep." Chris nodded, feeling bored already. He sat down rearranging his fork and knife, and napkin. Joni sat down next to him and gave him another one of those looks with the message; behave.

"So, Lauri, what was it that you studied?" Joni asked, hoping to get a more relaxed atmosphere in the room.

"I study to become a nurse... but currently I'm doing civil service," he explained, glancing at his boyfriend, who for some reason was snickering to himself while serving the food to them.

"Oh yes, Markus did mention something like that," Joni smiled, exchanging a discreet look with his friend that vexed Chris.

"Did I?" Markus grinned. Clearly they had some private joke between them that bothered both Chris and Lauri, by the looks of him.

Chris cleared his throat, glaring at Markus.

"And what do you do?"

"Oh just army for now, then probably go back to my work at the warehouse," Markus answered, setting the portions of chicken and rice on each plate. "Wine or beer? You look like a beer man, Chris," he teased.

"Wine with the food, thank you," Chris answered, not wanting to give Markus any satisfaction of being right.

"Sure, Joni?"