"Come with me to paint and wine night?" Mike asks.
"Why?" Zion asks; noticing that Eli and Dante are not paying attention to them.
"I want to spend some time with you."
Zion nods.
"A second date." Mike states.
Zion's eyes widen. "Hmm, can we invite Eli and Dante?" He sees Mike's face fall a bit before he responds yes. "If you don't want to, it can just be us." Zion says looking at his food.
"We can invite them." Mike says. "It would still be a date."
Zion meets his gaze. What should I say?
"Whatever you're comfortable with I'm okay with." Mike states.
Zion turns to look toward his friends. He can imagine Eli telling him to say yes.
"I'll go with you."
Mike smiles. "I'll pick you up."
"Okay."
"Great. I'll pick you up at seven."
"You're good at painting!" Mike exclaims.
"I should think so, since I took art classes throughout school." Zion replies.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Mike whines.
Zion chuckles. "You didn't ask."
"I thought this would be something we could both try. You are more artistic than I am."
"It does have to do with my job. Yours is good too."
"No, it's not."
"Do you want mine?" Zion asks.
"Only if you want to give it to me." Mike replies.
Zion nods before he is trading it with Mike's. "I keep yours and you keep mine."
"Thank you." Mike says before he pecks Zion's lips.
Zion blushes, surprised. He kissed me.
"Let's go." Mike says turning to him and grabbing his hand. He leads them out to his car and places the paintings inside before they themselves get in the car.
"Do you want dessert?" Mike asks.
Zion nods, still thinking about the short kiss, nonetheless a kiss.
"Do you like frozen yogurt?"
"Yes."
"Great, that's where we are going." Mike says opening the door for Zion.
They sit at the booth in the corner of the small yogurt place. Mike smiles and Zion avoids eye contact.
Is it because of the kiss? Mike wonders. He follows Zion's gaze. They sit in comfortable silence. He remembers what Dante told him. Be careful with him. He is a good person, but I don't think he will trust someone so quickly. He is comfortable with you, but be careful how you handle him. He has been through a lot. What kind of things has he gone through?
"Why are you staring at me?" Zion asks meeting Mike's gaze briefly; his cheeks reddening.
"You're handsome."
Zion shakes his head, "I'm not."
"You are." Mike smiles. "And you have something." He says running his thumb over the edge of Zion's lips.
Zion wonders how his face can heat up anymore as he sees Mike lick his finger. He swallows and tries to tear his gaze from Mike's, but he finds it impossible.
"Good." Mike says. He runs his tongue over his lips before he is eating a spoonful of yogurt.
Zion nods tearing his gaze from Mike's. What was that? He asks himself.
Mike walks him to the door of the house. "I'll call you when I get home."
"Okay." Zion replies in a whisper. He keeps curling his hand against the painting's frame. "Thank you for tonight."
"Thank you for the painting. You don't have to keep my painting."
"It's an exchange."
"Okay. Thank you again." Mike says leaning forward. Zion holds his breath. Mike kisses his lips before he is rushing back to his car.
Zion's eyes are wide. He hears the car's door close. It snaps him out of it and he rushes to open the door. He closes it behind him without turning around. He leans against the door. He kissed me again. It wasn't an impulse.
"Did someone get kissed?" Zane asks.
"N-no."
"If you say so, but your face is red."
"Shut up."
Zane chuckles. "It must have been a good kiss. Is that your painting? Because it doesn't look like the others you have painted."
"It's Mike."
"Aww, did you exchange paintings?" Zane teases.
"Shut up."
"Is that all you can say tonight?"
"I'm going to sleep." Zion says walking passed Zane.
"But you have to tell me how it went."
"Sofia, your husband needs your attention." Zion yells.
"He can entertain himself." She yells back.
"I'm right here." Zane says following Zion.
"Leave me alone." Zion replies.
"I want to know how it's going. I have a right to know if my little brother is getting kissed."
"No, you don't." Zion replies. "Sofia, come get your husband."
"Zane leave him be." Sofia replies.
"But I want to know about my brother's love life."
"You don't need to know everything." Zion says opening the door to his bedroom.
"Yes, we do. Besides, it is time for some brother bonding time."
"It doesn't have to be over my relationship."
"Aww, so it is a relationship."
"Zane!"
"Come on, little brother tell me everything."
"You're not going to leave me alone."
"Nope, until you tell me." Zane says taking a seat on the bed.
"Ugh."
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