TOUCH OF HOPE (MxM) (Completed)

50. At last... (part 2)

Blake's smile straight-lined to his chest, but Dean kept his composure even as Blake neared him, slipping the glass jar from his hand. The way just a small thing had his heart beating against his ribcage was unfair.

Blake kept his gaze on him and a smile on his lips, stepping backwards at a slow pace. - What if it's your best friend?

Dean was aware he was smiling like a fool, but he still did his best to pretend he had to think about it for a beat before speaking. - I guess that could be an exception. - he tried to suppress his ridiculous grin, squinting while pointing at Blake. - But if you try to steal food before we're done, you're out.

- I can't promise it won't happen. - Blake put down the jar and turned to the stove with his hands on his hips. - Now teach me, oh honourable master.

- I already regret my decision.

- Tough luck, bunny.

Cooking with Blake proved even more fun than what Dean had expect which was already a lot. It also proved a lot more messy and a lot harder to clean powdered cheese from the floor while bent over in laughter. Regardless of some small hiccups like those, the Fettuccine Alfredo didn't take long to be ready. After eating their dinner and cleaning the kitchen, they had moved to the living room's sofa where Blake was now browsing the TV for something for them to watch while Dean walked in with a plate in his hands, laying it on the coffee table in front of the sofa.

- What kind of stuff do you want to watch?

- I don't have a preference.

Blake's eyes left the TV, clocking the contents of the plate. - That looks amazing. - he reached forward, picking one of the small pastries. - What is it?

- Raspberry cheesecake bites.

Dean sat beside Blake, watching him bite into. A gradual smile formed in his lips as he watched Blake's expression change as he chewed the dessert.

- This is great. - he said, his lips already grazing the dessert to take a second bite. - How the hell do you come up with this things?

- There's this thing called the internet.

His provocation had Blake pretending to glare at him. - Funny. - he said, grabbing the remote from the couch to keep scrolling the movie's on the TV.

Dean picked a mini cheese-cake for himself and leaned back on the sofa, watching the options on screen. It didn't take long for Blake to stop on a dark thumbnail.

His eyes locked onto the image and his stomach rolled. The image had multiple polaroid pictures of smiling children scattered on a table with one of them being held by a hand covered in a black glove. The black wool of the thumb slightly covered the photo of the young boy in the picture, who smiled at the camera, eyes glimmering in complete unawareness.

- Cool, true crime.

The interest in Blake's voice stung his skin, snapping him out of his clouded daze. He darted his gaze away from the TV and took one hand to the sofa, kneading his fingers in the soft material. He tried to focus on the feeling on the material under his hand and keep his voice as relaxed as possible when he spoke.

- I'm not really a fan. - he said and, immediately, the image on the screen change to the next on the list.

Dean glanced at Blake to see if he had caught on onto the tension in him, but if that had been the case, Blake didn't give anything away, slouching as he stuffed another cheese-cake bite in his mouth. Feeling the tension slowly leave his body, a corner of his lips perked.

- You like it? - he asked. - True crime, I mean.

- Yeah, I do. I think it's fascinating. - he looked at the confusion in Dean's face and smiled. - Not the people suffering part, calm down. It's the criminal that amazes me. Sometimes you can almost understand their circumstances but most times it's just a peek at a twisted mind.