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Stan exhales smoke, watching the grey wisps float into the chilly afternoon sky. The fumes from the cigarette in between his fingers help keep his hand and face warm.
A cold day in Houston would never compare to a cold day in Boston but it was surprisingly cold enough today for him to have to dig for the thick jacket that's been buried in his closet for months. A cold front is what they had called it on the news, Stan chuckling at 46°F somehow being cold enough for him to get a winter weather alert on his phone this morning.
As someone who grew up shoveling snow from his parents driveway every other day in the winter, experiencing cold weather here in Houston was a walk in the park. Stan not understanding why so many people around here freaked out when the temperature went below 50 degrees.
Even Xeno, who grew up in Boston as a kid, made a comment about the weather being too cold today while they were seated at the restaurant they ate lunch at together earlier. Stan had chuckled at his words, not passing up the opportunity to tease Xeno and enjoying the way his cheeks flushed as he tried to explain how because he's been living in Houston for 12 years now he's accumulated to the climate and weather.
“Does anyone want a free TV?”
Stan flicks his gaze towards the voice, seeing a group of young men near a bench holding a sign. Numerous people pass by, curiously glancing at the group of guys but not stopping to engage with him. As Stan approaches closer to them, he can finally read what's on their sign.
Kiss your homie and win a free TV. Stan mentally reads off the sign in his head, raising a brow.
One of the guys sees Stan eyes on their sign, waving a hand to grab his attention. “Hey you sir! Do you want to win a TV?”
Stan takes a drag of his cigarette, noticing that all the young men had mics clipped to the top of their shirts and one of them had a camera strapped to his chest.
“Are you doing this to make one of those videos for online?” Stan asks.
“Yes sir. We are content creators so we are here today trying to make content for our channel and give out free TVs to people.”
Stan had no idea what apps the younger generations were on these days nor did he care but what he did care about was that 85” inch screen TV on the ground next to this guy. That supposedly he was giving out for free to anyone who Stan was guessing did what was on the sign.
“All I have to do is do what's on that sign, right? No other catches?” Stan questions, giving him a skeptical stare.
“That's right! If you do what's on that sign that TV is all yours.”
Stan glances down at the TV trying to picture it in his apartment. The TV he had now was small, one he had picked up on sale from the store when he moved into the place a few months ago. This TV on the ground in front of him was twice the size of the one he had at home. Stan just knew the new season of the show he was watching would look really fucking great on it. Plus it was free which was also reallly fucking great.
Stan takes one last drag of his cigarette before dropping it on the ground and stepping on it with his boot to exhaust the flame. He pulls his phone out of his back pocket and opens it up. He clicks on his recent calls, seeing Xeno's name and clicking it to dial his number.
Stan brings the phone to his ear, waiting for Xeno to pick up. The phone rings three times before Xeno answers, his voice echoing in Stan's ear.
“Hello? Stan?”
“Hey Xeno. I need you to do me a favor.”
“Depends what am I doing?”
Stan flicks his gaze around, his eyes landing on a familiar pastry shop a few doors down.
“You know that place you like to get those nasty apple pies from, meet me there.”
"It's a chaussons aux pommes not an apple pie. Why am I meeting you there?”
“I'll explain when you get here.”
There's a pause on Xeno's end of the line before Stan hears him sigh.
“Okay. But I expect you to return the favor when I need it.”
“You know I will.”
Stan tells him goodbye before he hangs up, stuffing his phone back into his pocket.
“Got my friend coming,” Stan says, letting them know.
The guys acknowledge his words before they start to converse with each other, ignoring Stan's presence. Stan blocks out their conversation, casually leaning against a light pole as he keeps his attention in the direction of the pastry shop on the look out for Xeno.
Thankfully they had just left the restaurant they ate lunch at together, parting afterwards because Xeno had a report he needed to finish for his job by tomorrow. Stan guessed he had walked maybe five minutes since they parted, so he shouldn't have to wait too long for Xeno to show up.
A few minutes tick by, Stan thinking about what stand he should get to put the new TV on since the stand he had for his current TV would probably be too small. He was sure he could find something cheap online secondhand, wondering what type of stand would look best in the living room when he saw a familiar tuft of grey hair in the distance.
Stan takes a hand out of his pocket, waving at Xeno to show him where he was at. Xeno walks over, an amused smile twitching on the corners of Stan's mouth as he takes in the appearance of Xeno as he approaches him.
Xeno had his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jacket, Stan only able to see half his face because Xeno had a thick navy scarf wrapped around his shoulders. The scarf covered his mouth, Xeno's big dark eyes only visible glancing up at Stan.
Stan thought the scarf was a little too much since it wasn't that cold out but he wouldn't tell Xeno that because Stan thought the scarf looked cute on him.
“Hey,” Stan greets.
“Why did you want me to meet you here?” Xeno asks.
“I need you to help me win that TV,” Stan says, pointing at the TV on the ground.
Xeno looks in the direction he was pointing, curiously gazing at the TV and the group of young men standing near it.
“How do you win it?”
“They'll explain how,” Stan explains, motioning to the guys.
Stan walks with Xeno beside him back over to the group.
When they approach one of the guys turns, noticing and asking “Is this your homie?”.
Xeno makes a face, mouthing homie as Stan nods saying “Yeah he's my friend.”.
“Cool. All you guys have to do is do what's on the sign and you get a free TV.”
Stan watches Xeno turn towards the sign, his dark eyes reading what it says before raising a brow as he flicks his gaze to Stan.
“It's only one small kiss Xeno,” Stan tries to explain.
“But you have to hold the kiss for five seconds for it to count,” One of the guys says, holding up his phone to show a timer set to five seconds.
Stan mentally curses, knowing there was bound to be a catch even if they told him there wasn't. Thankfully the catch wasn't bad enough for him to argue with them over it.
“We don't have to do it if you don't want to,” Stan tells him.
Stan didn't want to pressure Xeno into doing something he wasn't comfortable with. Even if it meant he wouldn't get a new 85” inch screen TV.
Xeno glances back at the sign before locking eyes with Stan. “Okay.”
“Okay?” Stan questions.
Xeno nods. “I'll do it so you can win the TV and as you stated it's only one small kiss.”
“Perfect, can you guys stand over here,” One of the guys says, overhearing Xeno agree to the kiss.
They do as they are told, turning to stand in front of the other right in front of the camera that was strapped on one of the guy's chest.
Stan stares down at Xeno, Xeno's dark eyes starting back at him. Xeno brings a hand up to push down the scarf around his face and lets out a breath of air that Stan could feel this close. The color navy really looked good on Xeno, Stan noticing how it paired nicely with his silver locks of hair and brought out the specks of grey in Xeno's dark eyes.
“Okay you can kiss now.”
A hint of pink paints Xeno's cheeks, his gaze shyly looking away from Stan. Xeno closes his eyes letting out a shaky breath before puckering his lips.
Stan blinks, mentally saying Shit because Xeno looked too cute waiting with his lips pucker for Stan to kiss him. It made Stan slightly regret that this would be their first kiss. Now wishing he would have stopped being a coward and just asked Xeno on a date instead when he called him earlier and shared a kiss with Xeno with more meaning behind it that wasn't just him trying to win a stupid TV.
Stan lets out a deep breath, deciding right then and now that if this was going to be their first kiss then he was going to make it count. Stan reaches a hand out, gently grabbing Xeno by the waist and bringing him forward for a kiss. Their lips touch, Stan feeling the warmth from Xeno's lips against his wanting desperately to pull him closer and kiss him more passionately.
The five second countdown was fast, Stan pulling back when they got to zero. Xeno slowly flicks his eyes open, the flush on his cheeks brighter locking eyes with Stan. Stan softly squeezes Xeno's waist before dropping his hand and moving back.
“Congrats my man. The TV is yours.”
Stan turns to the group of guys, one of them handing him a business card and telling him that was their channel and to look out for the video on there if he wanted to see it.
“Don't forget to like and subscribe, man!” The guy says, before him and his buddies leave. Stan watching them go and hearing them mention they had one more TV to give away in their car.
Stan flicks his gaze to his new TV on the ground before turning back to Xeno.
“Thanks for helping me out. I really owe you one,” Stan says.
Stan notices traces of his purple lipstick on the corner of Xeno's month. The sight makes his own cheeks flush, never expecting to see Xeno this way.
“You got some of my lipstick on your mouth,” Stan says, bringing a hand forward.
Stan rubs his thumb where the purple lipstick mark was on Xeno's face, wiping it away. He hears Xeno's breath hitch and sees his dark eyes widen from the gesture. Stan is about to apologize for invading Xeno's space, but stops when Xeno brings a hand up and wraps his fingers around his wrist.
“Stan. I want to cash in my favor right now.”
“Yeah sure. What do you want?”
Xeno's cheeks flush bright pink, his fingers around Stan's wrist tightening.
“I want you to kiss me again.”
Stan blinks, taken aback by Xeno's request wondering if he heard him correctly.
“You want me to kiss you again?”
Xeno nods, confirming what he asked Stan to do. Stan stares dumbfounded at Xeno, his thoughts struggling to process what Xeno said. He never expected Xeno to ask or even want another kiss from him. His heart beating rapidly in his chest, Stan's eyes dropping to Xeno's mouth.
Stan moves his thumb, stroking Xeno's cheek as he wraps his arm around Xeno's waist again, deciding to shut off his thoughts and just let his instincts take control. He pulls Xeno close, moving his gaze away from his mouth and locking eyes with him.
Stan leans in, brushing his lips against Xeno before kissing him gently. Xeno kisses him back, his lips soft against Stan's.
It was nice, exactly how Stan had pictured their first kiss to be. Even though it was technically their second kiss, Stan found it perfect and craved more.
Stan pulls back slightly, seeing Xeno eyes had fluttered closed. He squeezes Xeno's waist before kissing him again, this time more desperate. A faint sigh comes from Xeno, his mouth parting open for Stan. Stan takes the opportunity to deepen the kiss, tasting hints of coffee Xeno had with his meal earlier.
He could have spent all day kissing Xeno here, but a faint sound of giggles brings Stan back to reality and reminds him they were standing on the sidewalk in broad daylight with others walking by. Stan pulls back from the kiss, seeing two teenage girls sitting on a nearby bench staring at them as they whisper to one another.
“Xeno,” Stan says.
Xeno eyes blink open, staring at Stan with an adoring gaze until he also hears the giggles coming from the teenage girls.
Xeno drops his hold on Stan's wrist, his cheeks burning red as he reaches to push the scarf back up to cover his face and hide his embarrassment.
Stan moves his hand from Xeno's face but doesn't drop his arm on his waist.
“Xeno. Will you go out on a date with me?” Stan asks, deciding it was now the perfect time to ask Xeno what he's been wanting to ask him for months.
Xeno blinks, his eyes starting to twinkle as he gazes up at Stan. “Yes. I'll go out on a date with you.”
A wide smile spreads across Stan's face, a burst of happiness hitting him. He was so thrilled to hear Xeno say yes, mentally punching the air so pumped to know he would be taking Xeno on a date soon.
Xeno smiles back just as bright, experiencing his own joy of having been asked out on a date by Stan. They catch each other's gaze, staring tenderly at the other until Xeno looks away first.
“How do you plan to get the TV to your apartment?” Xeno asks, glancing at the TV.
“I'm going to carry it there,” Stan answers.
He drops his hand from Xeno's waist, moving back and towards the TV. Xeno follows, both staring down at it together.
“It looks heavy,” Xeno comments.
Stan squints his eyes, playfully telling Xeno “Do you doubt my strength?”
Xeno chuckles, shaking his head. “No. I'm just worried you might accidently bump into something and drop it on your trek back to your place.”
Stan bends down, grabbing one of the ends and the side of the TV box and lifting. The box was heavy, but he's spent years lugging around body armor, weapons, and other gear in the military that was heavier than this TV.
“Shit,” Stan mumbles, when he stands up and figures out what Xeno meant.
Yeah he could lift the damn thing but he couldn't see over the box which meant it was near impossible for him to walk with it back to his apartment.
“Hey Xe. I'll carry all the weight but do you think you could grab the end of the box and guide me back to my place?” Stan asks.
Xeno raises a finger to his lips, acting like he was thinking about Stan's request.
“Only if you promise to walk me back to my place afterwards and buy me a chaussons aux pommes from the pastry shop along the way.”
Stan laughs. “Deal. I'll walk you back home and buy you your nasty apple pie.”