Heart, Body & Soul (MxM)

Chapter Seven

The next day, in the morning, as he gets into Ivan's car, he expects a greeting - a hello, good morning, - or an apology for not replying to his texts - but all he gets is a little wave of the hand, and a straight face hiding behind sunglasses. Riyaan doesn't know how to react or if he should say anything - bring up their conversation but some part of him pleads don't do it.

After some more awkward battle inside his head, Riyaan takes out his phone and pretends to be hooked on something on his screen. In the next few minutes, he is taking in the news - PM Modi has addressed the nation, unemployed engineers growing in the country, celebrities giving perfect responses to getting trolled for plastic surgery, and then a man finds cockroaches in McDonald's. The last one almost makes him gag.

'Anything interesting there?' Ivan asks, nodding towards the phone on Riyaan's hand.

'Not really.'

'You seem engrossed,' Ivan says again.

'Not anymore,' he says as he pockets his phone. At least they aren't in an awkward zone anymore.

'How's the renovation at work coming along?' Riyaan asks, hoping for a conversation.

'It will take time.'

As distracted as Ivan might seem, he didn't have to ask him to stop at his work, as Ivan does it so well as if he has been driving him to work for years.

'See you in the evening?' Riyaan says, reminding himself of the words Ivan spoke the day before.

'Sure.'

And he drives off like a fire brigade. 'Bye-eee,' Riyaan listens to himself as he says.

*  *  *

In the evening, when he gets to Kris', he finds Ivan even more in a sore mood, barely acknowledging his presence. It stresses him out more but also some sort of relief thinking Ivan's mood doesn't arise from what he has sent the day before. He cannot be that mad about some text.

But it's eating him away. They were talking yesterday, everything was alright. Is it about his work? Must be work because he seems so busy today mostly on his laptop and talking with Preet.

'Here, I downloaded it for you,' Kris says, placing Riyaan's phone on the table. He sees the Tinder icon on the screen.

'Downloaded what?' Preet asks, eyes distracted from work files.

They sit in the same room, Riyaan has joined them after he comes from work.

'Why?' Riyaan asks.

'Tinder, Riyaan is looking for love,' Kris replies to Preet.

'And because Tinder is the best place to go, right?'

'No, but he can be lucky.'

'I know, but Riyaan I would encourage you to be a little careful though.'

'Oh, I am not really gonna use it,' Riyaan says, feeling small and shy and peeking a glance at Ivan who is listening to the conversation intently. He wished Kris didn't do that while they were with Ivan.

'You will, of course.' Kris says. 'Ivan, what do you think?'

He glares at Kris, hoping he gets the hint to shut up about it.

'About love? Or Tinder?' Ivan gets his eyes back busy on his tablet now.

Kris considers him for a moment, and Riyaan wonders if he too is thinking why Ivan suddenly makes himself busy with his work.

'About Riyaan.'

Beneath the table, Riyaan finds Kris' thigh and pinches him hard, intending to hurt. Kris swats his hand away quickly.