Unraveling and Entangling

chapter 10

Pat surprised him once again with what came out of his mouth next.
“So that was your type?”
“Huh?” Pran didn’t understand what Pat meant.
“He wouldn’t know how to be a boyfriend if it hit him in the face.” Pat said with a sour look on his face.
Oh, so he was judging Pran even after he made it clear that it wasn’t a date. “And what would you know about being a boyfriend?”
“I’ve had 3 girlfriends” Pat looked proud.
“All 3 of them dumped you within weeks”
“At least I've dated before.”
“You know it’s not the kind of flex you think it is, right?”
“You’ve never dated before. You don’t even know what to look for in a boyfriend.”
“And you would know what I should look for in a boyfriend?”
“Yes.”

Pran scoffed because if he knew what Pran really wanted in a boyfriend, he wouldn’t be sitting in front of him right now. Pat might not even look at him ever again if he found out about his feelings.
Pat’s brows furrowed as if he had taken an offence at Pran’s reaction. “I know you so I know what you would want.”
“And what is that?” Pran asked with a challenge in his voice.
“Someone who would understand that you are not comfortable with physical touch until you get to know them enough. Someone who would know what kind of toppings you like on your pancakes. Someone who would look at your face and know when you’re uncomfortable with the current conversation topic. Someone who would care about you enough to not retreat into their shell and run away mid-date, leaving you alone. Someone who would make you their priority. Someone who would like you more than they’ve ever liked anything else in this world. Someone whose whole existence revolved around you. Someone like me.”
The last line was barely a whisper but Pran heard it like it was announced through a megaphone.

Someone like me.

Did Pat know what he was saying or was it just like the other times that he had unknowingly played with Pran’s heart. Pran was shell shocked and didn’t know how much time passed when he finally recovered and looked at Pat with pleading eyes. Pleading Pat to say it again. Pleading for it to be true and not some cruel joke. Pleading for it to be a joke because if it meant what Pran thought it meant then how was Pran supposed to survive after that?

He needed to slow down. For all he knew Pat might be just showing off that he was a good candidate for being a boyfriend. Not his boyfriend.
Pat looked like he was holding his breath too, like he had suddenly realized something. Did he not mean to say what he said? Use your words Pran.
“What do you mean?” he asked, voice barely reaching his own ears.
“I mean I know almost everything about you and I've got a better physique than that guy, if that’s your type and I… maybe I’d make a good boyfriend for you.” Pat sounded breathless.
“Pat.”
“Pran.”
“Are you saying that you want to be my boyfriend?”
“Is it such a bad thing if I am?”

Pran still couldn’t believe his ears. Maybe he was dreaming and it was still Friday night. And if he was dreaming, then he could do whatever he wanted, right?
He took Pat’s fork from his forgotten plate of pancakes and fed him a bite along with a slice of banana. Pat looked a little confused but he opened his mouth without a question. Pran couldn’t stop the smile spreading on his face even if he tried. This was all he had ever wanted. All he thought he could never have. Pat grinned back at him, took the fork from his hand and offered him a bite. How could Pran refuse when his favourite person was feeding him his favourite pancakes. They fed each other the rest of the pancakes without a word, Pat leaving the last bite for him. Pran’s heart doubled in size inside his chest.

His attention suddenly turned towards the front window of the shop where Ink and Pa were standing side by side with matching smiles on their faces. They gave him a thumbs up before Ink grabbed Pa’s hand and led her out of there. Pran looked back at Pat and realized that he still hadn't answered Pat’s question.
“No.”
Pat’s head tilted in question for a second before his face fell and the bright smile adorning his face slowly slipped away. Pran didn’t like that. He needed to explain before Pat assumed the worst.
“No, it’s not a bad thing at all. You can have the honour of being my boyfriend.” he said with a smirk.
It was the sunshine grin that spread across Pat’s heart shaped face and the way his eyes lit up that reminded Pran why he loved this idiot so much.
Pat’s phone buzzed with a message, lying on the table and Pran had an inkling what the text might be and who it might be from.