Out of Order | ONC 2022

15

Logan set the wine glass down a little too roughly on the glass coffee table in front of him. They were nearly finished with the bottle he picked out, and Callum had stumbled to the kitchen to grab another. Callum was still working on his second glass, while Logan was nearly done with his third. He wondered if he should've grabbed the second bottle instead when he heard Callum stumble into the kitchen island chairs.

Callum really was a lightweight, and Logan couldn't help but feel bad about suggesting drinking together, but it was amusing to see this side of Callum.

He returned with a bottle of champagne, trying to pry the foil and cork off with his bare hands. He pouted at it after a couple of attempts before cradling the bottle to his chest.

"Here," Logan offered, extending his hand with the opener. Callum plopped back onto the couch before reluctantly handing the bottle to him.

Callum smiled lazily before curling his legs up to his chest on the couch. Logan poured Callum another glass of the newer bottle, mixing it in with the other champagne haphazardly. A bit of its contents spilled over onto the coffee table, but Callum barely noticed.

Callum took the glass greedily, taking a large gulp before grimacing. He set it back down on the table before staring at it with a frown. Logan laughed at the gesture before slowly sipping on his glass. Callum leaned against the back of the couch after a few moments of sending a glare at the champagne glass. His gaze settled on Logan's hands, occasionally glancing up at his face before falling whenever Logan noticed.

"What are you so sad about?" Logan found himself saying. He had noticed the frown appear on the CEO's face a couple of times, baffling Logan more than once. Logan was the one who had the crazy ex trying to stalk him, not Callum.

Callum shook his head. "It's nothing."

"Nothing? You seem pretty upset for someone indulging in alcohol." Logan poked him in the arm. "Tell me."

"No."

"Tell me," Logan whined. "Please?"

Callum's frown dropped at Logan's pleading tone. He looked away almost embarrassingly before frowning again. He couldn't look Logan in the face.

"You don't know how badly I want to kiss you." Callum frowned. "But why would you kiss someone with a reputation like mine."

Logan froze, his mouth falling open for a second as he watched Callum's eyes settle on Logan's lips. His gaze lingered for minutes until he scrunched his face and let out a yawn. With his eyes shut, Callum rested his head against the back of the couch, still in his awkward hunched position. Logan remembered to breathe then, letting the drunken words wash over him again in his head.

Kiss.

Logan found himself staring at Callum's pouted lips, slightly pressed up against the fabric of the couch. The thought of kissing Callum or anyone had been such a foreign concept after his falling out with Chris. Not that he thought it wrong to kiss anyone besides Chris, but moving on from a long-term relationship wasn't something Logan could see easily let go and seek other people, especially not this soon.

But Callum was different. At first, Logan imagined him stoic and standoffish like his peers said, maybe even cocky or too flirty based on his dating habits. But seeing the kind and often vulnerable person Callum proved to be, Logan couldn't help but wonder what it might be like to kiss or date someone like him.

Logan wanted to laugh at the realization but couldn't find it in him to disturb the snoozing man.

He dragged his lips across his dry lips, letting his brain paint fantasies of what it'd be like to kiss Callum, hold his hand, or embrace him. He blamed the alcohol for letting his thoughts run rampant and cursed the man before him for being the subject of those thoughts. Callum hadn't stirred even when Logan gulped the remaining champagne from his glass and set the glass down with a clang.