‹᭙ꪖƙꫀ ꪊᩏ›

Chapter 2

The coffee shop was buzzing with quiet chatter, the hum of an espresso (Im WoRkInG lAtE cAuSe I'm A sInGeR) machine, and the soft clinks of mugs being set on tables. Scar and Grian stood in line, still hand in hand, though neither seemed to notice the occasional glances they were getting. Scar couldn’t stop smiling, and every time he caught Grian’s eye, the butterflies in his stomach swirled.

“So,” Grian said, leaning in a little closer, his voice low. “Do we tell the others?”

Scar’s brow furrowed. “The others?”

“Yeah, like Mumbo, Pearl, Ren—pretty much everyone in the friend group,” Grian said with a shrug. “We can keep it on the down-low for a while if you want. Just... thought I’d ask.”

Scar hesitated, glancing down at their hands. The warmth of Grian’s fingers intertwined with his was still so new, so fragile. He didn’t want to hide, but he wasn’t sure how ready he was for the inevitable teasing from their friends.

“Maybe let’s keep it between us for a bit,” Scar finally said, his tone light but thoughtful. “I just want to... enjoy this, without worrying about everyone else, you know?”

Grian smiled softly. “Yeah, I get that.”

They reached the front of the line, ordering their drinks, and found a small table near the window. The sunlight filtered through, casting a golden hue over the wooden table, and for a moment, everything felt perfect.

They sat in companionable silence, sipping their drinks, until Grian spoke up again.

“So, now that we’re... you know,” he started, a hint of awkwardness creeping into his voice. “Do we go on, like, dates? Is that what’s next?”

Scar chuckled, nearly spilling his coffee. “I mean, yeah, I think that’s how it works. Although, we’ve been hanging out for so long it already feels like we’ve been on a hundred dates.”

Grian smirked, leaning back in his chair. “True. Guess we’re ahead of the game.”

Scar shook his head, still amazed at how easy this felt—how natural. The tension that had been gnawing at him for months was gone, replaced by something far sweeter. He didn’t feel like he had to hold back anymore, didn’t feel like he was walking on eggshells. With Grian, it had always been comfortable, but now it felt... right.

But even with that comfort, there was still the nervous excitement of the unknown—the possibility of where this would lead.

“So,” Grian said, breaking the silence again. “I was thinking about maybe heading to the city this weekend? There’s a new exhibit at the art museum, and I know you’re into that kind of thing.”

Scar’s eyes lit up. “Yeah? That sounds awesome! You sure you’re up for a whole day of me geeking out over paintings and sculptures?”

Grian chuckled. “I’ve survived worse. Besides, I like seeing you excited about stuff.”

Scar’s heart skipped a beat at that. He leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand, grinning. “You’re kinda perfect, you know that?”

Grian blushed, his usual confidence faltering for just a moment. “Yeah, well, don’t let it go to your head, Scar.”

They spent the rest of the afternoon talking about anything and everything, the hours slipping by unnoticed. It wasn’t until the sun began to set, casting long shadows over the streets, that they realized how late it was.

Scar stretched, feeling the contentment settle in his bones. “I guess we should head back, huh?”

Grian nodded, though he didn’t seem in any rush to leave. “Yeah. Don’t wanna be late for class tomorrow again.”

Scar laughed. “Yeah, let’s not make that a habit.”

As they walked back toward their dorm, Grian’s hand brushed against Scar’s, and without hesitation, Scar took it, lacing their fingers together. It was such a small thing, but it felt like a declaration—a quiet promise that this was real.

They didn’t talk much on the way back, but the silence between them was comfortable, filled with the unspoken understanding that things had changed, and in the best way possible.

When they reached their dorm, they stood outside for a moment, neither wanting to say goodbye just yet.

“Well,” Grian said, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “I guess this is goodnight.”

Scar tilted his head, raising an eyebrow. “Is it?”

Grian rolled his eyes but smiled. “Okay, fine. I’ll see you in, like, five minutes when we’re both in our room.”

“Exactly.” Scar grinned, giving Grian’s hand a gentle squeeze before finally letting go. “Night, Grian.”

“Night, Scar.”

They went inside their shared dorm, heading to their room's, and as Scar lay in bed later that night, staring up at the ceiling, he couldn’t stop smiling.

For the first time in a long time, everything felt right.

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Words : 793
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