( I pronounced Kadri like kay-dree )
≔ ≕
It's Sage's birthday, and he is not having a good time; he's out to dinner with his brother and some of their mutual friends. And to be honest, all Sage wants to do is go home.
He got in a fight the previous day with his best friend, who keeps texting him. Not to apologize, but to try to make the situation worse.
Sage sighs as when his phone lights up yet again, but he pushes it away.
"You alright?" Jordan asks his brother, noticing Sage's frustration.
Sage nods. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... Ben... He keeps texting me, trying to fight with me."
Jordan nods, but before he can say anything, Sage pushes away from the table. "I'll be right back," Sage says.
Kadri looks up as Sage pushes away from the table and toward Jordan, raising an eyebrow.
"His best friend picked a fight with him," Jordan says, lowering his voice. "I'm pretty sure he doesn't even know it's Sage's birthday."
Before Kadri can respond, Sage is back.
"I'm going to go home," Sage says. "I'm just not having a good time."
Jordan nods and Kadri stands up.
"I'll go with you." Kadri says.
"You don't have to—" Sage begins.
"I want to."
Sage tells Jordan and the rest of their friends goodbye, then he and Kadri walk out of the restaurant to Kadri's car.
≔ ≕
"You didn't have to leave," Sage says. "I ruined my own birthday party."
Kadri laughs. "You didn't ruin it. Your 'best friend' did. Why are you still friends with him?"
Sage shrugs. "I... I don't know. I guess it's just hard to let go of the past."
"I get it. But maybe it's time to let this part of your past go,"
Sage looks up from where he's standing at the kitchen counter with a sigh, but a knock sounds at the door.
Opening it, Sage finds exactly who he hoped he wouldn't. Ben. Kadri comes up behind him, looking over Sage's shoulder.
"Why are you here?" Kadri asks, speaking over Sage.
"I'm not here to talk to you. I'm here to talk to Sage." Ben snaps.
"Oh really? Because you seem to just want to fight. Did you know today's his birthday? Did you tell him happy birthday? Do you know that his favorite color is blue? To be specific, sapphire blue? Do you know what his favorite food is? It's pasta, by the way. And his favorite wild animal? A wolf. His favorite subject in school is history. When he was seven, he fell off of the monkey bars at school and broke his wrist. He's sprained his ankle twice and broken it once. He's a night owl, and he hates early mornings. He hates tomatoes, but loves ketchup. His favorite season is autumn, and his favorite month is November. He likes to play baseball and watch football. His favorite number is eighteen. He always chooses truth. His favorite Harry Potter movie is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part Two. Do you know any of that? Do you care enough to know any of that?" Kadri stops, knowing he could go on for hours and hours, but instead he looks at Ben. "I think you should go."
"It's not your house." Ben snaps.
"Leave." Sage says after being silent for a minute. "Go."
Ben scoffs, turning around and walking down the driveway. "I'll talk to you later." He shouts as he gets in his car.
Sage shuts the door, leaning against it, breathing heavily as he turns to look at Kadri. "I didn't know you knew all of that." Sage says softly.
"I pay attention." Kadri tells him softly. "I listen."
"Truth or dare, Kadri?" Sage says out of the blue, knowing that Kadri always chooses dare.
Kadri raises an eyebrow, confused. "Dare?"
"I dare you to kiss me." Sage says, looking directly into Kadri's eyes.
Kadri walks forward, putting his hands on Sage's waist, kissing him lightly, pulling away quickly and looking at Sage.
"Kiss me like you mean it, Kadri. Kiss me like I know you want to." Sage whispers, his lips ghosting Kadri's.
Kadri grabs Sage's waist, pulling him away from the door, kissing him hard, walking backwards until he hits a wall. Sage's body curves into Kadri's, fingertips pressing into his back.
Gasping for breath, Kadri pulls back, his eyes sparkling, staring at Sage's swollen lips.
Sage grabs Kadri's wrist (pulling him out of the view of the doorway if someone were to come home) and up the stairs, to his bedroom, where he's promptly pushed down onto the bed by Kadri.
≔ ≕
Sage stands in the kitchen, waiting for Jordan to walk in the door.
"Where's Kadri? Did he go home?" Jordan asks.
"He's in the bathroom," Sage says.
"You look happy. What happened?"
Sage smiles. "I think I'm in love."
Jordan laughs softly, smiling. "You've been in love with him for a while now, Sage. I've seen the way you look at him."
Kadri comes out of the bathroom, pulling Sage into his arms from behind, resting his chin on top of his head.
Jordan smiles at both of them. "You be good to him, K."
Sage looks up at Kadri, smiling.
The three decide to watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 after Jordan showers. Sage falls asleep on the couch in Kadri's arms, unable to stay awake no matter how hard he tries to.
"Sage?" Kadri shakes him awake lightly. "Let's go up to bed,"
Sage yawns, looking at him. "What time is it?"
"Eleven-fifty. Come on,"
"You're gonna stay, right?" Sage asks as Kadri leans over him, pulling the blanket over him.
"Do you want me to?" Kadri asks.
Sage nods sleepily, pulling on Kadri's wrist. "Come lay down,"
Crawling into the bed beside Sage, Kadri runs his fingers through Sage's hair, pressing a kiss to his forehead.
Sage rolls over to face Kadri, raising his chin sleepily.
Kadri laughs quietly. "What?"
Sage shakes his head. "Nothing, I just wanted to see you."
Kadri smiles. "Happy birthday, baby," he says softly, pressing a kiss to Sage's forehead.
10/12/2022
