One Plus Two Equals… - 31

"Hell, no!" Duane looked at the text message and then at Julyan.

"I take it you're leaving." They'd just arrived at Duane's condo, set on having a nice late evening together. Now it seemed that wasn't to be.

"No choice, I'm afraid. Look, if you want to stay…"

Julyan nodded, stepping into Duane's space to wrap his arms around his waist. "Promise not to come back in pieces?"

"Believe me, I'll do my best to keep it from happening, or rather Auden will."

"I guess that's all I can ask of…of both of you." He kissed Duane, "For luck," then watched as the front door closed behind him. "This sucks," he grumbled, plopping down on the sofa. Glancing around he saw the TV remote, snagged it, and began surfing the channels to see if there was anything even vaguely interesting. He found an old movie and settled down to watch it.

Somewhere along the line Julyan must have fallen asleep because he woke with a start when someone shook his shoulder. "Duane," he said sleepily, "what time is it?"

Auden chuckled. "Well after three in the morning."

Julyan sat up so suddenly he was dizzy for a second. "Where's Duane?"

"I think you know the answer to that."

Finally coming fully awake, Julyan scowled at him. "All right, to rephrase the question, why are you here and not him?"

"I wanted some time with you?" Auden sat down on the sofa, nudging Julyan's legs out of the way.

Julyan scooted as far from him as possible, huddling into the corner of the sofa. "Why?"

"I find you…interesting."

"Yeah, right. Well, I don't find you particularly interesting."

"Really now?"

Wrapping his arms around his knees now, Julyan shook his head. "Not the way you mean the word."

Auden moved closer to rest on hand on Julyan's knee. "Why don't I believe that?"

"You should, because it's true."

"Then why are you trembling?"

"I'm not," Julyan said in denial before he realized Auden was right, he was. "Leave me alone."

Auden smiled. "For a kiss."

"No way."

"Afraid?"

"No," Julyan spat out.

"Good." Auden closed the distance between them to cup Julyan's face in his hands. "Then kiss me."