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They keep making eye contact across the bar. They’ve already greeted each other, along with the others, in their usual boisterous way. Now, though, their eyes keep sliding back from opposite ends of the bar as they chat with different friends, ostensibly meant to be networking around drinks.
It started when they kept rolling their eyes at each other, each exceptionally fed up with the whole thing. Then once, when Kevin looked up, Sean was just looking at him, then shot him a sweet, shy smile, like he has been caught, turning back to his conversation partners. Kevin felt his cheeks warm, turning back to his own conversation and drink.
The next time it’s Kevin watching Sean, trying to gauge what would happen. He’s half paying attention to the two people around him, and is watching Sean over the rim of his glass as he takes a purposefully slow drink. Sean is laughing at something, then glances over, right at him, catches his eye, and Kevin swears, his grin gets wider. His gaze definitely lingers. Kevin grins around the glass and nearly dribbles his drink down his chin. Feels himself go red, but Sean has already turned back to his conversation.
It happens a few more times this way, with lingering looks and smiles that Kevin isn’t sure what to make of. Watching him, Sean seems in his element, working the room, and his smile getting larger with each glance over to him.
Kevin excuses him from his current conversation and heads to the crowded bar, people all up and down it chatting, ordering himself another Jack and Coke, leaning against it to wait. Suddenly he feels someone lean in next to him, closer than he was expecting.
“What’re you having?” He turns to see Sean, bright and wide grin, looking at him. Kevin tells him and Sean orders the same.
“Not having fun, Kevin?” Sean is grinning at him and leans in, their arms brushing lightly. Kevin’s heartbeat seems to triple. Did Sean do that on purpose? He tries laugh his nerves off, “Not that. Just not really my thing. You seem to be killing it though.”
Sean shrugs under the praise, “Get used to it I guess.” The bartender puts their drinks in front of them. “The drinks help.” He gently taps his glass to Kevin’s before taking a gulp.
Kevin puts the glass to his mouth and watches Sean from the corner of his eye.
“So, what’s the plan?” Sean has turned back to him and his arm is back gently brushing his and Kevin can’t stop analyzing whether it’s there intentionally. Kevin quickly looks up at him, and Sean is smiling softly.
“Not sure. Don’t you need to get back?”
Sean shrugs again. “No, it’s meant to be networking isn’t it? I’m networking.” He gestures between them. Kevin laughs and holds up his glass in cheers and tries to ignore the heat he feels in his cheeks. Sean salutes him with his glass and they drink in companionable silence a moment.
Kevin can’t seem to get his heart rate or blush under control. Sean sets his drink down and now his hand is very close to Kevin’s resting on the bar top. Kevin swallows loudly around a gulp of his drink.
“Part of me does want to just blow the rest of the night off though,” Sean is saying, leaning in almost conspiratorially.
Kevin nods, is amazed to hear he sounds so calm. “Has been a long day. What would you do instead?”
Sean watches him a moment, then laughs a bit loudly, shakes his head. “Oh, I dunno. Get some ice cream on the way back to the hotel? Go to bed?”
Kevin can’t help it, “That sound great right about now.” It’s warm and sticky outside and the bar is just managing to stay cool with all these people inside.
Sean is grinning at him, “Maybe a pizza, even. Dinner earlier didn’t quite do it for me.” Kevin half laughs, half moans at the thought. The provided dinner had been long and not particularly satisfying. “Oh, could do with a pizza. Eating in general sounds a top-notch idea,” he tells Sean.
He takes a sip of his drink and drops his hand back down where it brushes Sean’s again. He tries to ignore it and drops his voice to a staged whisper. “When you gonna make the break for it?”
Sean laughs and opens his mouth to reply, but just then someone comes up on his other side and claps him on the shoulder. Sean swivels and greets him warmly. Kevin recognizes the newcomer but can feel his cheeks flush, feeling like he’s the one intruding.
He shakes his head, takes a long gulp of his drink and slides out of the seat, away from Sean. He’ll get some air. Thoughts are racing around his head as he excuses himself past people into the small open courtyard behind the bar. It’s not very crowded here and he sinks onto a table bench and swirls his drink.
He’s not sure what he’s thinking. This is how Sean is. It’s how he always is with everyone. He’s just a friendly person. Kevin stares at his drink. He really wants a pizza now. Thinks it would help him think a bit more clearly. Stares glumly at his glass instead.
Sean smiles broadly at his friend, telling him they’ll meet up while he’s in town, and turns back to Kevin. Except there is no Kevin. Frowning he looks around the room, but it’s crowded and too dark.
“If you’re looking for your friend you were talking to,” Sean looks around as his friend gestures, “He went out back.”
Sean thanks him as his friend heads into the crowd with a small wave. Sean quickly drains his glass and orders two more on impulse. He’s not sure why, but thinks he needs a peace offering to bring.
He grabs the drinks and navigates the same path Kevin took, careful not to spill. He sighs in relief as he steps outside, the creaky wooden door not fully closing behind him, and sound still bleeding out.
He scans around; there aren’t many people outside and off to the side he spies Kevin seated alone, facing outward from a table. He has a faraway look on his face and for a moment Sean considers letting him be.
Kevin starts as someone plops themselves next to him. He looks up just as Sean offers him a new drink. Nonplussed he drains the rest of his and takes it with a quiet, “thanks.”
Sean grins at him softly, takes a sip of his own drink, and they fall quiet a moment. Kevin knows he should say something, but his brain is working on overdrive and he can’t seem to settle on anything. He sees Sean turn to look at him from the corner of his eye.
“You look like you’re ready to make that break for it, yourself.” Kevin laughs through a groan.
“Yeah, may need that pizza more than I realised.” He can feel Sean looking at him, curiously. He’s still looking down into his drink, half tempted to throw it back and see how things unfold and otherwise sure he should put it down and quit for the night.
Sean leans back into the table. “Yeah?”
Kevin takes a drink and can’t help it. “Why’re you out here? Where’s your friend?” He’s trying his best for nonchalant. He can practically feel Sean frown.
“What?” Sean is cocking his head to try to get a better read on Kevin, but he is still staring resolutely into his drink. “I dunno. Mingling somewhere, I imagine.”
Kevin can feel the burn in his cheeks from confusion and embarrassment. He takes a long drink and he knows Sean is still watching him. Tries for sarcastic humor to cover.
“Ah, wasn’t into the pizza idea?” He sketches a hard across his jaw and glances sideways at Sean, who is grinning at him softly. He drops his eyes as Kevin looks up, grinning almost shyly. “Yeah, think you’re stuck with just me for that one.”
Kevin’s still leaning forward, elbows on his knees but angles to face him, says without hesitation, “Nah, that’s the perfect company.” He feels himself go red, but tries to play it off, inclining his glass toward Sean.
Sean smirks, watching from under dark eyelashes. Kevin takes a drink and Sean sighs, “Yeah, I agree.” Kevin’s heart rate thuds in his ears as he swallows around the drink and Sean takes a sip of his. Then Sean continues, “I agree, I am great company.”
Kevin hums in mock irritation, flicking the smallest bit of his drink toward Sean who just laughs. This is good now. Kevin is feeling warm and light. He still isn’t sure what is going on but he wants to chase the feeling.
Kevin sips and falls back into good-natured ribbing. “Sure it’s you, you’re thinking of?”
Sean pretends to balk at him. “Who else would I be thinking of?”
“Definitely me,” Kevin says, completely straight-faced, still sipping casually.
Sean laughs loudly, “No.” He takes a large drink and he’s grinning at Kevin over his glass.
Kevin says very seriously, “No, no pretty sure it’s me. You’re the one out here with me after all.”
Sean heaves a long-suffering sigh. “Kevin, you are the one out here with me.”
Kevin shakes his head. “How you figure that?”
“I’m here and you’re with me.”
“Ah, can’t argue that logic.” Kevin nods sagely, taking a long drink. He notices the drink is nearly gone.
Sean’s laughing outright but his smile is warm at Kevin. Kevin feels lifted by it; feels buoyed by the thought that he put it there.
Sean eyes Kevin’s drink then looks down into his own, “You know, I’m thinking Kev,” and he drains the rest of his drink. “Let’s make that break. I’m pretty invested in this pizza idea.”
Kevin grins widely and throw back the rest of his drink, the bubbles hitting his throat oddly.
“You have a plan?”
Sean shrugs. “Saw a pizza place on the way over.” He is scratching the back of his head. Kevin stands placing his empty glass on the table and his face is warm and he can’t stop giggling at Sean who now looks almost embarrassed that he knows where a nearby pizza place is.
Sean smirks at him, “Oh, shut it. Let’s go.” He leads them out the side gate and down the alley between the buildings. Kevin is hurrying slightly to keep up, his legs for some reason, not wanting to cooperate.
Sean pauses on the main road and glances left and right. It’s late enough that it’s no longer crowded. Sean seems to decide on a direction and gently tugs at Kevin’s wrist. He can hear his heartbeat in his ears for a moment and he lengthens his steps to walk beside Sean.
They chat as they walk, pointing out storefronts and coffeeshops of interest. Both exclaiming interest at going back to the Irish pub they pass that seems to have live music, a fiddle and a flute definitely audible through the door. They are debating the merits of stopping in as they turn a corner.
“Well, we can go tomorrow then,” Kevin says without thinking, grinning.
Sean is laughing, but he looks at Kevin, “No plans for tomorrow?”
Kevin blinks and realises Sean’s time is not his to solely occupy. “Oh, not as such. Nothing concrete. If you’re free and all, might be a laugh.” He says it all in a breath and shrugs, going for nonchalant.
Sean is still chuckling at him. “You can go to an Irish pub any time, Kevin.” He shakes his head slightly. “But no, yeah it’ll be a grand ol’ time.” Kevin hears the confirmation and goes to ask further, but then Sean pulls up short and says, “Oh, damn.”
They’re in front of the pizza place, which is very much closed. Lights off and signed flipped to say they will return at 10am. The sign on the door further reads that weren’t open at all that day of the week.
Sean is still reading the door and looking a bit forlornly into the shop, hands in his pockets. He starts to turn to Kevin. “That’s a bust.”
Kevin isn’t looking at him. “Well, how about the next best thing?” He’s nodding across the road at a small fish and chip shop, neon sign still blazing. Sean spins to look and Kevin continues, “They have soft whip too.” There’s a small sign in the window.
They head over and in the open door, the tile of the shop glaring in the yellow lighting. A young boy comes from out back, explaining there’s no more fish with an apology. They quickly each order a cone and the largest order of chips they can.
The chips come out hot and Sean shakes a little more salt on than Kevin would probably have liked but he’s trying to make sure his cone doesn’t melt down his hand and Sean’s just laughing at him.
They wander back out onto the pavement and lean against the cool brick wall. The soft serve is cold and they keep making eye contact and breaking into giggles as they try to eat it fast enough in the humidity. Kevin is lapping at his and looks up, finds Sean watching him, a faraway look on his face. Kevin feels his cheeks warm.
“Sean, it’s dripping.”
Sean blinks and looks down to swipe his tongue across his own cone and Kevin has to look away. Glances down where Sean has the chips in hand and snags several, stuffing them in his mouth. It’s good, he thinks, the way the salt mixes with the sweet of the ice cream.
In short order the cones are gone and they’ve started to wander further down the road, in the general direction on the hotel, passing chips between them.
Sean takes a few then hands the container to Kevin, popping one in his mouth at a time. “Not pizza, but not too bad.”
Kevin hums in agreement, shoving several in his mouth again. “Better with less salt but still good.”
Sean gasps and stops, snatching the container back, chuckling at him. “Sorry, you don’t like my seasoning.” Sean leans back on the brick behind him, popping another chip in his mouth.
Kevin laughs and leans next to him, grabbing a chip as well. “Didn’t say that. Just a bit spicy for me.”
Sean turns to look at him. “Kevin, it’s salt.”
Kevin raises his eyebrows. “It’s a spice,” he says simply, licking said spice from his lips.
And he sees it. Sean’s eyes flicker down to his mouth, a faint blush appearing on his cheeks. His eyes dart back up to Kevin’s and he licks his own lips, and Kevin thinks it’s subconscious. Kevin feels his own cheeks warm and they’re leaning so close together. Maybe he’s reading too much into this.
There’s a pause; a moment where Kevin’s breathing speeds up slightly and he watches Sean’s eyes dilate. Then Sean drops his eyes back to Kevin’s lips and he’s leaning in.
Sean’s kissing him and Kevin’s first thought is that it tastes like salted ice cream. The kiss is soft and quick. Kevin barely has time to react before Sean is pulling away, eyes wide, blush blooming.
Kevin is blinking and Sean opens his mouth to say something, but Kevin decides he doesn’t really need to hear it. Not now. He caresses a hand up Sean’s jaw and pulls him back in more firmly, hears the chips hit the ground.
Sean sighs into his mouth and Kevin can’t help sweeping his tongue out across his lower lip, lapping at the salt taste there. Sean sighs again and then has Kevin’s back pressed fully into the wall behind them.
They pant lightly against each other as they continue to kiss, Sean pressing his tongue into Kevin’s mouth. Kevin moans lightly as the taste of sweet and salty swirls and he feels a little drunk from the kiss. Or perhaps that’s the actual drink catching up. He can’t be certain.
Sean moves one hand to splay on his collarbone and the other on his hip. Kevin is nipping at his lower lip half convinced he’s daydreaming and going to come around still sitting on that bench back at the bar.
Sean curls his hand around the back of Kevin’s neck and scratches there and Kevin moans low and open-mouthed against Sean’s lips. Sean is just pulling his head back, when a roar of noise and laughter erupts from down the road. They both start, looking at each other before looking over. A group has poured out from a pub, a crowd seems to be following. Must be closing time.
Sean glances back to Kevin and then steps back. They’re both flushed. Sean stoops, picks up the fallen chips and chucks them in a nearby bin. He turns back and Kevin is still stood there, watching him.
He steps close again, though not as close as before, considers him, then says in a hushed tone, “Been wanting to do that all night.”
Kevin breathes deeply, decides he can offer the truth if Sean can. Exhales. “Yeah, me too.”
Sean smiley widely, “Yeah?” and Kevin can’t help but laugh lightly and smile back at him.
The gaze at each other another few moments, then Sean grabs him lightly by the wrist. “We should probably actually head back.”
Kevin is happily tugged along a moment, before he decides he can be bold too, and slides his hand into Sean’s instead, matching his pace. Sean smiles widely at him.
“So, Irish pub tomorrow?”