Road To Happiness ✔

TWENTY-FOUR

"Hey. Are you ready to go?" Stefan asked, placing a hand on Hugo's arm. The touch was light, almost nervous, as if Stefan wasn't sure if it was alright.

Hugo wanted to reach up and kiss him like he had the night before, but he didn't want to do while Robert was watching. He wasn't even sure if he was allowed to. He didn't know what he was meant to do on a date. "Yeah," he signed, smiling at him. "Let's go. I'm hungry."

Stefan led him out of the shop and towards his car. With every step, the nervousness in Hugo's stomach worsened. He didn't know what was going to happen during dinner. For all he knew, he could mess it up completely. Robert had said to just be himself, but what if that wasn't what he was supposed to do?

Stefan got in the car after him and before he could stop himself, he was signing a sentence of dreaded words. "I've never been on a date before." He could feel his face heating up in embarrassment and he looked away from the other man.

"That's alright, I kind of figured," Stefan replied, starting the car and pulling away from the shop. "We're going to a little restaurant not too far from the apartment. It won't be busy, it's only a little place and no one really knows about it. I figured somewhere quieter would be better for you."

Hugo smiled at the floor. Stefan knew him better than he thought. "Thank you."

They didn't speak again until they pulled up outside the restaurant. Hugo's nerves weren't as bad as before. There was a little bit of awkwardness between them. He could feel it and he hated it, but it was to be expected. This was new for them, of course, it would be a little awkward.

"I made a reservation," Stefan said as he opened the door for him. "The table should be at the back of the room, where it's a little more-" His voice didn't so much as cut off as it was drowned out by the many voices that came from within the restaurant.

It was far busier than he'd expected it to be. Stefan had said it was quiet, but it was filled to the brim with people. He didn't see a single empty table no matter how hard he looked. The cooks yelled to each other from the sectioned-off kitchen, trying hard to be heard over the rabble of the customers. Hugo's stomach dropped at the sight.

A waiter moved to greet them. "Hello, how can I help you?" she asked.

Stefan hesitated for a moment, then tugged on Hugo's arm. "Can you give us two minutes?" he asked and pulled Hugo back out of the restaurant. The night air chilled him and he wrapped his arms around himself. "I- I didn't think it would be that busy. I swear it's never that busy. I wouldn't take you somewhere if I didn't think it would be good for you. We can go somewhere else if you wa-"

Hugo cut him off with a hand over his mouth, frowning at him in annoyance. "You're rambling," he signed when he pulled his hand away. He stopped for a second, mulling it all over. "You made a reservation for this place. We can eat here." So much for listening to Robert when he told him to make sure he was comfortable.

"Are you sure?"

Hugo looked back into the restaurant, which was still as full as before, and nodded. "I'm sure."

Stefan sighed and leaned down to press a kiss to his forehead. "Well, I think you're a dumbass and that we should eat somewhere else, because you look terrified," he said. He was, that much was true, but if Stefan had made a reservation, they should eat there. "Don't put yourself in a situation like that if you don't think you can handle it, especially for no reason. Come on, we'll find somewhere quieter to eat."

Hugo couldn't protest when Stefan grabbed his hand and pulled him down the street. He smiled at the other man's back, grateful that he wouldn't have to sit in such a busy place for a couple of hours. Stefan was too good for him, that much was obvious. Hugo couldn't even do anything in return for him most of the time, but maybe that was alright. He had no idea.

The found another restaurant a couple of streets away, still busy but not as busy as the others they'd passed. "I have no idea if this place is any good, but let's find out," Stefan said and opened the door for him again.

The waiter had them seated with menus in their hands in no time and left them to talk with a polite smile. "Thank you." Hugo smiled at Stefan when he signed, grateful for the quiet table and the relaxing music.

"Well, it wouldn't be a very good first date if you were anxious and uncomfortable, would it? I want you to have a good time," Stefan replied. Hugo smiled again, looking down at the table with a faint blush. He could feel the other man's eyes on him but didn't dare look up. "Wait. Does that mean last night was your first kiss?"

Hugo didn't reply, just drummed his fingers against the edge of the table. He couldn't tell if Stefan was being judgmental or not and it made a sick feeling well in the bottom of his stomach. Was it really so bad that he hadn't kissed someone before? Why did people have to put so much emphasis on their sexual experience?

Stefan reached across the table but didn't grab his hand. "It's not a big deal, I just wasn't sure," he said, and winced at his own words. "This isn't coming out right. I don't know what I'm trying to say. It's nothing to be embarrassed about Hugo. I don't care how many people you've kissed. Just know that if you're not comfortable doing anything, let me know, alright?"

Hugo clenched and released his hands a couple of times. "Alright," he replied. "But I liked the kissing though, so I probably won't tell you to stop doing that." Stefan burst out laughing, shocking the waiter had come to take their meals. Hugo got Stefan to translate and as quickly as they appeared, the waiter was gone again.

He watched as Stefan licked his lips and looked everywhere but at him, watching the waiters bring food and drinks to other tables. He didn't say much of anything except a thank you when the waiter brought their drinks over.

Hugo tapped on the table to get his attention. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yeah," Stefan replied, running a hand through his neatly brushed hair. "I'm just nervous. I never thought we'd be here so I'm not really sure what to do."

"You should have just asked me out. I would have said yes."

"How was I supposed to know that?"

Hugo frowned at him, thinking back to the many times he'd attempted to ask him out. "I would have thought I was obvious. I was blushing every time you talked to me."

It was Stefan's turn to blush. It was strange to see, but Hugo kind of liked it. "I thought you were just anxious," he said, finally meeting his eyes. "You were always so nervous just making friends, I didn't want to freak you out with my feelings or make you feel like I was pressuring you into something you didn't want. I don't want to pressure you. I want this to be your own decision-"

"You're not pressuring me."

"I know that now. I just- I shouldn't have assumed, but I didn't think you were ready for a relationship. I didn't want to give you that added stress when you were still learning how to be independent. Obviously, I was wrong. Like I said, I shouldn't have assumed. I just wanted to make sure you were comfortable."

Hugo laughed, short quiet huffs that could barely be heard even over the almost silent chatter around them. "You're dumb, but it's okay. I understand why you didn't," he replied. "But you're not pressuring me, and I am comfortable. If I didn't want to be here, I wouldn't have come. I was the one who asked if I could kiss you, remember? I don't know if I'm ready for a relationship, but I want to try. We'll figure it out as we go."

"Yeah," Stefan said, smiling at him. The waiter came by with their food then, wordlessly dropping their plates in front of them and walking away. "I guess we will."

The rest of the dinner went better than Hugo ever expected it to. The conversation flowed easily, but they ate too fast and sooner than he wanted, the meal was over and he was full. But he couldn't stop the conversation, Stefan never stopped talking once he got going, much to Hugo's delight. But he knew eventually the other man would realise and it would be time to go home.

And soon enough he did. Stefan paid for their meals, despite Hugo's arguing and led him back to the car. "I don't want this to be over yet," Hugo signed as he sat in the yellow light of the car.

"Neither do I," Stefan replied with a sigh, leaning over to kiss him lightly on the lips. "It doesn't have to be. You could stay at mine again if you wanted. We could share the bed this time too. Nothing has to happen. We can just watch movies and sleep. What do you say?"

Hugo didn't even have to think about it. "I'd like that."