Forbidden II Arthur TV and Italian Bach

Chapter 4

Arthur:

As I stood outside Isaac's apartment door, I took a deep breath, trying to calm the nerves that had been fluttering in my stomach ever since he invited me over for dinner. It was just a friendly dinner, I reminded myself. Like all the other times we've hung out over the years. But tonight felt different somehow.

Isaac greeted me with his usual warm smile, his eyes lighting up as he ushered me inside. The familiar scent of his apartment—a mix of books, coffee, and a hint of something sweet—wrapped around me comfortingly. We exchanged pleasantries as Isaac led me to the small dining area, where dinner was already laid out on the table.

Throughout the meal, conversation flowed effortlessly between us. We talked about work, our mutual friends, and the latest movies we'd seen. Isaac was an excellent cook, and I found myself enjoying every bite, though my mind kept wandering to him—his easy laughter, the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled, the gentle curve of his lips.

Somewhere between the main course and dessert, I noticed a shift in the air. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but undeniable. The way Isaac's gaze lingered a fraction longer than usual, the slight flush on his cheeks whenever our hands brushed as we reached for the breadbasket—it all added up to a tension that crackled between us.

I tried to ignore it, to chalk it up to my overactive imagination or maybe just the wine we were sharing. But deep down, I knew it was more than that. There was something unspoken hanging in the air, something we both felt but were too afraid to acknowledge.

Isaac cleared his throat, breaking the silence that had settled between us. "How was the dinner?" he asked, his voice carefully neutral.

I swallowed, grateful for the distraction. "It was great, anything made by you is great." I complimented teasingly. I was always teasing Isaac, and he was always taking it platonically, which it was of course.

Isaac looked down with a small smile, shaking his head at my praise. "You compliment me too much, if you keep doing it i'll have  ginormous ego." He joked back a light subtle blush spreading across his cheek, it was adorable, endearing.

The conversation moved on, but underneath it all, I could sense a current of something deeper—a longing, a desire that hovered just beneath the surface. It was as if we were both tiptoeing around a truth we were too scared to confront.

As we finished dessert and Isaac poured us another glass of wine, I felt a sudden urge to say something, to break the tension that had been building between us all evening. But every time I opened my mouth, the words caught in my throat, swallowed by the fear of what might happen if I admitted the truth.

Isaac glanced at me, his eyes softening in the dim light of the dining room. "Arthur," he began, his voice barely above a whisper, "thank you for coming over tonight. It means a lot to me."

I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest. "Of course, Isaac. Anytime."

There it was again—the unspoken truth hanging between us like a fragile thread, waiting to be acknowledged. But instead of reaching out and grasping it, we both retreated into the safety of denial.

After a lingering pause, Isaac cleared his throat again, this time more decisively. "Well, I should probably start clearing up."

I nodded again, forcing a smile. "Let me help you with that."

We cleaned up in silence, the air heavy with unspoken words. As I gathered my things to leave, Isaac walked me to the door, our shoulders brushing as we stood there awkwardly.

"Take care, Arthur," Isaac said softly, his hand lingering on the door handle.

"You too, Isaac," I replied, my voice barely a whisper.

With one last hesitant smile, Isaac closed the door behind me, leaving me standing alone in the hallway with a tumult of emotions swirling inside me.

As I walked home, I replayed the evening in my mind—the laughter, the shared moments, the undeniable tension that had simmered beneath the surface. And despite our mutual denial, a tiny seed of realization took root in my heart. I quickly dismissed it, we were friends, we are friends, that would never change.

Authors Note: I'm so annoyed, I have to start looking for dresses for hoco and they're all too expensive, too long, or too basic. I've been procrastinating buying anything and instead made a longer chapter.