13 Dates With Me

Chapter Five

Author's note: this chapter is extremely long, 7k+(close to 8k) words, wow. The longest I've written😭😭😭😭 so please treat the chapter with love🥹

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No one's pov

The night air was crisp, vibrant with the sounds of laughter and soft music echoing from the nearby street café. Danny sat on the edge of his bed, a soft glow from the bedside lamp illuminating scattered notes and sketches; remnants of his work, he had a few clients whose work were to be completed before the month ends, so he could pitch the work and idea to them. But tonight, his thoughts were far from the work that usually consumed him. They were firmly fixated on one person, the one person who had managed to consume his thoughts and as of a few weeks ago, his life.

That single, unexpected kiss with Xavier replayed in his mind like a highlight reel, each frame infused with electric anticipation and warmth.

Everything was going well when they started the date, But somehow, in the weave of conversation, laughter, and lingering eye contact, various moments led to an incredible leap from laughter to something deeper, Because Danny didn't know where that confidence, that thought had came from.

"What was I thinking?" Danny murmured, his heart racing at the thought of Xavier's surprised expression when their lips had met. He had felt an undeniable urge, spontaneous and foreign, compelling him to lean in.

It wasn't just the tension that had built between them over the past few weeks-who was he kidding, the past few years they've known each other- it was something more primal, more real. That one instant, when their lips brushed, ignited something deep within him, a flicker that had been quietly smoldering for days, and now flared into bright life.

The memory played out in vivid colors, like the images you often capture with your camera lenses. He remembered the way Xavier's eyes widened in shock, the surprise morphing into soft wonder as he hesitated before kissing Danny back. There was gentleness, an exploration, and then a blooming understanding that something significant had shifted between them.

Danny's mind spun with feelings he had never fully allowed himself to explore: a mix of excitement, vulnerability, and apprehension that clashed in a deliciously chaotic dance within him. Fear and thrill battled for dominance as he recalled how Xavier's hand had found the small of his back, drawing him closer, as if creating a safe space amid the storm of emotions swirling around them. His face felt hot as he thought about how Xavier's lips moved so perfectly with his.

He wrapped his arms around his knees, resting his chin on them, staring absently at the delicate patterns on his carpet.

"What if I misread him?" The thought crept in, anxiety gnawing at him like an unwelcome intruder. What if the kiss had been too forward, too soon? Would Xavier think of him as 'easy' or would Xavier think he was just toying with him?.

Danny wanted to push those thoughts away—the vulnerability of new feelings always came with risks, but the possibility of something beautiful emerging from that moment was too tempting to ignore.

As he sat on the edge of his bed, Danny found himself recalling the details from that evening, his pulse quickening at the memory of Xavier's laugh, the way it made his heart flutter, he had tried so hard not to let himself catch feelings for the taller light skin man, but it seems the man was starting to break through his walls.

The subtle way Xavier would brush the fallen curls away from his forehead, the way his eyes sparkled with mischief and warmth—a blend that felt both intoxicating and grounding. It was in those fleeting glances, he realized, that he had gradually let someone in, building trust fostered through unguarded conversations.