Heart, Body & Soul (MxM)

Chapter Four

The best part of Riyaan's life right now is having a place to take a shower. Thanks to Dev for that. But Riyaan is hopeful that by the end of April, he will find a place, except he is not sure if he will get it for as cheap as his last place.

The worst part is that it now takes longer for him to reach work.

A car is honking behind him on the street. The window glass lowers as the car stops by him.

'What are you doing here?' Ivan asks.

'Wow, how did you know it was me?'

He wears a blue shirt today, without the suit jacket, and a pair of sunglasses, looking like an Italian model in advertisements. Riyaan tries to imagine his eyes and expression behind the sunglasses.

'Hidden talent.'

'Right.' He nods in slow-motion. 'I'm going to work.'

'Can I give you a ride?'

Riyaan considers for a short moment.

'Sure.'

Riyaan goes around to the other side, but this time he is confident that he knows how to buckle the seat belt. When he does fix the belt, Ivan is turned in his direction, raising his brows over the rims of his sunglasses. Yeah, he will never let him leave it down.

'What were you doing there though, your place is ahead, if I remember right.'

'Ah... I'm kind of in-between places, and crashing with a friend right now.'

'Did you leave the previous one before finding another one?'

'Yeah, but I didn't do it by choice,'

'Troubles?'

'Troubles,' Riyaan agrees.

'Your friend sounds generous.'

'Yeah but not for too long. He has a girlfriend and they live together.'

'Why don't you ask your girlfriend to take you in for a couple of days?'

'What girlfriend?'

'I don't know, don't guys of your age date nowadays?'

'This one doesn't ..'

'Fair enough. How old are you anyway?'

'23, what about you?'

'You are younger than I thought.'

'Why, what number did you assume?'

Riyaan feels a little aware for a vague reason. Is Ivan disappointed? If he is, how does it matter to him? But focusing on the part where Ivan thought of his age or thought of him, in general, is enough to make him feel light-hearted.

'At least 25.'

'Just two years younger. Will be 24 in a few months. But then again, what about you?' Riyaan asks.

'I am 31.'

'That's great.'

'No girlfriends, or wife, kids?'

'No. No partners, no kids, or pets,'

Really, what was Kris on about then?

'You look like someone that is intensely taken though.' He drops the bait because he cannot not.

'You have a lot of assumptions about me.' Ivan looks at him, his voice filled with amusement. It's also a little unfair for Riyaan because Ivan can see him, but Riyaan cannot see him behind his sunglasses. 'I have had partners before, and there's still someone, I'd say, but it's complicated.'