Table For Two

36 - Harvey

 It really didn't take me long to get packed up and ready to go to Ali's. In all honesty, I kind of kept a bag pre-packed with some of my meds, a towel, some spare clothes and other things I would need for say, a weekend. Shut up, I know how it sounds. I pack up my laptop and my Switch so we can play Mario Kart. I will kick his ass at this game one day, I swear. Once I have everything, I slip on my black vans and grab my jacket. When I head back to the kitchen, I think I probably interrupt something because Nia, Anwar and Ali are all exchanging very stern looks. But the moment Ali sees me, it's like he's just woken up on Christmas morning. The light catches his eyes and his smile is ten thousand watts and he just looks so goddamn happy.

He doesn't waste any time. We say goodbye to Nia and Anwar before heading to the elevator. I look at Ali while we are waiting and he seems... a little agitated. Like his smile was painted on a little too thin, like it is when he's at work sometimes. I reach out and take his nearest hand, squeezing gently. He turns to me slowly.

"You okay?" I ask, my eyes searching his face for the answer.

"Yeah. Just... if I ever find out who did that..."

"My gay guardian angel" I say with a smile. He chuckles and squeezes my hand, resting his head on my shoulder as the elevator door opens and we step in

"In a white feather and gold ensemble."

I kiss the top of his head as the doors close behind us.

We move relatively quietly through the streets of Bath, hand in hand. Just enjoying the cool evening air and being close to each other. When we make it back to Ali's, Athena meets us at the door. We've been getting along better recently. She even slept with her head in my lap at one point. Which was fine right up until she sneezed and I got a face full of dog snot. But she noses both me and Ali and then lumbers back to the front room while we go upstairs.

I drop my bag in Ali's desk chair (which is miraculously free of clothes... yeah I have definitely teased him about that more than once). He pulls me to him and we hug. We make out. We fall into bed and keep doing the same. At some point we just... stop before we get too overeager and just lie there cuddling. Athena eventually noses her way into the room and clambers up onto the bed, nestling in between our legs.

Honestly, these moments are the most perfect thing to me. I love being with Ali and us making out or going on dates or doing whatever but this? Just me, him and Athena camped out with us on his bed? Yeah, this is perfect. Ali starts humming something - a song I don't immediately recognise until he starts singing the words quietly, almost a whisper.

Take these arms and let them hold you tight

Love you more than love could ever know

I may fuck things up from time to time

don't let me let you go

don't let me let you go

I smile a little and nuzzle into him a little more, kissing his neck. I knew this song because I'd shown it to Ali a couple weeks ago when we were hanging out in my room at the flat and he'd been going through my Spotify (and deeply criticising my lack of "good" music since most of the songs I listen to are acoustic covers, folk music or random things I found on tiktok). But this was one of the few songs he really liked and he clearly had spent time learning the words. I'd added it to a playlist of songs that remind me of him... of us. Something in that chorus really rang true. I think I know what that meant too. Because every time I listen to that song, I think about me and Ali. I don't just like him.

Or like like him.

I think I love him.

In fact... I have to. Because I've never felt like this before. But I know I want to hang on to this feeling and never let it go.