Incendiary Hearts

Chapter Five

Hi there! Here's the next chapter of Kevin's and Michael's story – hope you enjoy! Also want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! Hope you're having a wonderful time spent with family and friends <3

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Work. Workout. Sleep.

Work.

Workout.

Sleep.

Over the past year, those had been the only thoughts occupying Michael's mind. His copying mechanism. Self-defense, if you may. He couldn't afford to think about anything else. Wouldn't allow himself to. Not if he didn't want to go under by guilt that had already infested his flesh and bones, digging its way to his very soul.

And yet, now, here they were. Now he found himself interrupted from his monotone schedule by thoughts of a lean figure with defined muscles, crowned by a mop of blond hair and eyes as vividly green as freshly cut grass. In the midst of his otherwise predictable days, he found himself slowly filled with wishes and hopes that the blond haired boy would... would what? Michael wasn't sure. But on the fifth passing day since he'd been on a jog with Kevin, on a Monday to be more exact, he felt like he'd go crazy if he didn't do something. Why hadn't Kevin asked to join him for another jog? Borrowed a cup of sugar? Anything really. Maybe Michael had been too cold during their jog. Too distant. But it's not like he could've helped it. He'd been so surprised to see Kevin outside his door. Asking to join him for a jog. But now that he'd barged into Michael's life so forcibly and persistently, it was way harder to get him out of his head. His face kept intruding Michael's mind at the worsts of times. Like when he was at work. Or when he worked out. In the privacy of the shower. Even in his dreams...

He kept catching himself wishing the blond-haired boy would reappear outside his apartment every time he opened the door, and he hated himself for it. Particularly on this fifth day as he opened his door and found no such luck. "Screw this," he muttered and took a right instead of left and jogged up the stairs before he had time to change his mind. Three swift raps on the door and then some nervous bouncing on his feet.

The door opened and a surprised-looking Kevin finally fulfilled his stupid wishes. Maybe surprised wasn't the right word. Kevin looked more stunned than anything while holding a phone to his ear. "Mom, I've gotta go." He hung up the phone and let his hand fall to his side. "Hi."

"Hi." Michael cleared his throat. "I was just... just wondering if you... if you'd be up for a jog?"

Kevin blinked. Opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again. It meant missing a class if he said yes, but this was freaking Michael, standing outside his effing apartment, asking if he wanted to join him for a jog. "S-sure. Yeah, yeah!" Kevin eagerly nodded his head as soon as the surprise had sunk in, "I'd love to." So what if he'd miss one class? He could just ask Savannah to borrow her notebook. "I-I just have to change. I'll be quick." He motioned for Michael to come inside, which he did.

Kevin moved over to the bedroom alcove while Michael came to an awkward stop in the living room. Kevin sure had an eye for interior decorations. There was a sleek kitchen with the stainless-steel kitchenware, along with grey barstools around the island. The big, comfy, grey couch with a coffee table matched the marble on the kitchen island. The plants and pictures on the wall. It all looked very contemporary, but still warm and inviting. Nothing like Michael's sterile apartment that only held necessities and nothing personal.

His eyes turned to the bedroom alcove just as Kevin pulled off his shirt. He was standing in nothing but a pair of grey sweatpants. He was more muscular than Michael remembered him. Nothing like himself, mind you, but muscles enough. His tan upper body moved swiftly, the curves of his abs drawing a particular appeal to Michael's groin. The hint of a V-shape on his lower abdomen. The happy trail...