Talk To Me

8. We slept together

It was already Sunday evening when Kind stirred from his slumber. Upon realising he was stark naked, he immediately pulled the duvet up to his chin, sitting up in a flurry of confusion. "Did I dream it, or did that really happen?" he muttered to himself, scanning the room. His heart sank further when he noticed this wasn't his old room—it was Wale's.

Slumping back into the bed, he stared at the ceiling. Or rather, he tried to, but his thoughts were focused on one thing—was there any pain? Particularly in his back? Finding none, he exhaled with relief. Well, at least I wasn't ravished by my best friend, he mused.

"So, it was all in my imagination... how utterly tragic." He murmured to himself, remembering the vivid dream that had pulled him from sleep. He and Wale had spent the night together—in every sense. Dream Wale had been tender and ardent, all hands and heat, and the two had lost themselves in a cycle of passion, moaning and gasping until neither could take any more.

I do wonder how it truly feels to experience that with the one you love...

This dream had been Kind's nightly torment ever since he began fancying Wale. It was as though his subconscious was bent on reminding him of what he could never have. His days weren't much better, as he often found himself daydreaming, only to face the awkward aftermath of a rather inconvenient erection—like the one he was now dealing with.

Lifting the duvet, he glanced at his predicament with a wry smile. "When will you give up, you hopeless thing? He's a straight man—taken, no less!"

With a groan, he dragged himself out of bed, stretching until his joints popped. It felt oddly refreshing, and for a brief moment, he was in good spirits. The room was silent, not a peep from the other side of the door. Wale's probably in the other room—the one he used to sleep in before Cherry moved in, Kind thought.

He headed to the bathroom, opting for a cold shower to quell the heat that lingered from his not-so-wholesome dreams. Everything in the room—Wale's bed, his scent—was far too tempting. The last thing Kind needed was to spend the day wandering around with the aroma of the man who unknowingly drove him mad.

When he stepped out, refreshed and marginally more composed, Kind noticed something troubling: his clothes were missing. "What in heaven's name happened last night?" He groaned, rubbing his temples as the headache—an all-too-familiar sign of last night's indulgence—throbbed relentlessly.

Opening Wale's wardrobe, Kind was struck by the realisation that it was mostly filled with Cherry's clothes. "When did I become this brazen?" he muttered. Glancing around the room, a horrid thought crossed his mind. "What on earth did I do to end up sleeping in this room—the room Wale and Cherry share?" He shook his head violently, banishing the unspeakable images forming in his mind. "No! Absolutely not!" he shouted. I need to leave this place—immediately.

The last thing Kind remembered was trying to convince Wale to marry Cherry. They'd been chatting in the living room, and though it pained him, Kind had pushed Wale to be with her, out of some twisted sense of loyalty. Now, here he was... naked. In this bed.

Just then, Wale burst through the door, looking concerned. Kind nearly jumped out of his skin, clutching the duvet like a lifeline. "I need clothes. Now!"

Wale, however, found the scene thoroughly amusing and burst into fits of laughter, pointing at Kind as though this was the best entertainment he'd had all weekend. "Your clothes are in the dryer. Give it two hours!"

Seeing his friend's state of mortification, Wale wasn't finished with the teasing. He strolled over to the wardrobe, pulling out a T-shirt and some khaki shorts, handing them over. "We're the same height, but you've got a bit more... muscle. I hope it fits. And no need to be shy—we're both blokes."

"Turn around," Kind grumbled. "I can't have you comparing sizes, idiot." He was still desperately trying to maintain composure.

Wale obediently turned around, snickering to himself. "We used to see each other naked all the time! Does it really matter who's bigger? Come to think of it, I never paid attention before—but no worries, I'll compare when you're not looking."

Kind ignored him until he was dressed. He felt self-conscious, as though Wale's eyes might dart downwards at any moment. "Right," he said gruffly, "let's eat. I'm starving."

As always, Wale had been thoughtful enough to prepare a hangover remedy. They ate, chatted for hours, and for a while, it felt like old times—before Cherry came into the picture. Something was different though. Wale seemed... relaxed. Too relaxed, really.

"What happened last night?" Kind asked. "I came here grumpy, but I remember feeling... strangely happy afterward."

"Alcohol does that to people. You downed seven bottles, to be precise."

"Seven?" Kind's eyes widened in disbelief. "Why didn't you stop me?"

Wale stood, fetching him a glass of water from the kitchen. "You need to drink this. I fear for your liver."

Strange, Kind thought. His mood changed so suddenly... Suspicion gnawed at him. Had he done something ridiculous last night? "Did I do anything... embarrassing?"

Wale smirked. "K, you should only drink like that with me, or else I'll start calling you Bunny again."

Kind groaned. "I'm going to assume I got drunk, and then went to sleep. Right?"

"We did more than just drink, you know." Wale's voice was laden with sarcasm, though his face remained serious. "I'm deeply hurt that you don't remember. You let your guard down completely, but don't worry—I handled you with the utmost care and discretion."

Kind had had enough. "Do you ever get tired of teasing me? If you don't have anything meaningful to say, I'm leaving." He stood, placing his glass in the dishwasher, clearly exasperated.

"You kissed me!" Wale blurted out, watching with satisfaction as Kind froze in his tracks.

"You also touched my chest, caressed my face, dragged me to the bedroom. And then—" Wale's words were promptly muffled by Kind rushing over to cover his mouth.

"Stop! Enough!" Kind's face flushed a deep crimson. "I was drunk! Don't misinterpret it."

They stared at each other—Kind, flustered and panting, and Wale, calm and clearly enjoying himself. Wale's chuckling only made Kind more irate, though he wasn't surprised. His suffering always seemed to amuse his friend.

Taking a step back, Kind studied Wale's face. Was Wale laughing because he knew the truth? Or was he secretly disgusted?

Cherry! The thought struck Kind like a thunderbolt.

"You must've been seriously pent-up, K," Wale said, reading his thoughts. "You really ought to find someone to date."

"Shut up!" Kind yelled, grabbing a nearby cushion and smacking Wale repeatedly with it. Wale, laughing uncontrollably, tried to shield himself. "Think of your girlfriend before you say such things, you idiot!"

When they finally collapsed on the couch, breathless, Wale was the first to break the silence. "Do you have any idea how strong your punches are? Remind me never to get on your bad side."

"Remind yourself," Kind shot back. "And for your information, I'm not pent-up. I've got a pretty active sex life."

Wale sat bolt upright. "You're dating someone? Since when?"

"None of your business," Kind grumbled. "Now, let's clean up before Cherry arrives and tells us off."

"Cherry won't be here until tomorrow," Wale said nonchalantly. "She's coming straight from work. You can stay the night again if you like."

Kind raised an eyebrow. Was Wale hoping he'd stay? He had enjoyed the weekend, despite everything. And truth be told, he was still knackered from all that drinking. Plus, tomorrow was Monday—they could go to work together like they used to. He had missed that.

"Fine," Kind conceded, "but I'm taking my old room. I can't sleep in your bed, knowing you and Cherry... do things in it."

"You didn't mind last night," Wale quipped, grinning. "Why complain now?"