Out of reasons (Boy × Boy) ✔

Chapter Thirty-one

The first guests showed up somewhere around 7 pm. Copa marched in like he owned the place and Paju and Ilari followed in his footsteps.

"How's my boy?" Copa asked and squeezed me in a thight embrace.

"Don't mind him, he's already started with the beverages", Paju laughed and rushed to hug me too.

There was the typical hustle and bustle when everyone found themselves something to drink and somewhere to sit. Our flat was small and there weren't enough seats for all of us, so we sat either on Kuisma's bed or on the floor. I had barely made it to the room, when Copa squinted at me suspiciously.

"So, you two are finally together?" he asked. I turned to look at Kuisma and he was staring right back at me.

"Well.. yeah.. but how did you know?" I answered slowly. Copa was about to answer, but I had to get up and open the door for our next guest.

"Dan-Dan, it's been million years since I've seen your dazzling face!" Fareed exclaimed and hugged me with an arm that wasn't holding a plastic bag.

"I's been so long I already forgot what a joker you are", I noted wryly.

"So, what were you guys talking about?" Fareed asked as soon as he found his place on the floor.

I had hoped for Copa to forget the topic already. You might ask why, since I had nothing to hide from my friends. It was just that I found it quite embarrassing when they made it such a big deal, and judging by the color of Kuisma's face I wasn't the only one.

"Well, it's been so obvious we made a bet about it", Copa smirked.

"Are you serious? Since when?"

"I was certain you two would end up together since your birthday", Copa admitted. I looked at Kuisma and his expression was as shocked as the one I arguably had on my face.

"Uhm, how about you praising Kuisma's looks?" Copa lifted an eyebrow, smirking.

"Well, that doesn't necessarily mean anything.." I mumbled.

"And then you slept in a room that has just one bed", Copa continued.

"You should have seen how they've been behaving after that! Especially before Christmas, that was almost painful to see.." Fareed laughed.

"Okay, that's enough." Kuisma exclaimed and covered his face with his hands.

"So you're together?" Paju asked.

"Yeah, we are", I told them. "But were we really so obvious? Did you all know?"

"Yup, definitely", Ilari said and the others nodded vigorously.

I brushed Kuisma's back with my free hand as if to say ''sorry, don't mind these idiots''. Kuisma raised his head and smiled at me, his cheeks still reddened. When the others moved to the next topic, I let my hand linger on his back.

We were all drinking a lot, and soon everyone had something to say.  Fareed was telling us about his Christmas holiday and, because it was told by him, it was quite a story. He could make even the tiny ordinary things sound wondrous, so everyone enjoyed listening him talking. Maybe it wasn't just because of his speech skills, but the drinks in our hands. Either way no one told him to shut up.

I enjoyed the atmosphere and having all my friends there. Although, I must admit, I would rather just have changed to pajamas and snuggled on the bed with Kuisma watching a movie. But it was New Year's Eve and my friends had came to see us, so the movie and the pajamas would have to wait.

"I want everyone tell one thing they hope will happen next year", Paju proposed and, after taking another gulp from her cider, let us know her wish: "Mine is to get elected in the municipal election."