Again

Chapter 14

As Ben stood in the entrance of the café, the warmth and soft hum of conversations around him felt like a strange contrast to the turmoil churning inside. He hadn't expected to see Wayne here, tucked into a corner booth, his head down and his hands wrapped tightly around a coffee cup, like he was holding onto it for strength. For a moment, Ben hesitated. A flicker of hope pulsed in his chest, matched by the fear that this confrontation might end with even more distance between them.

With a steadying breath, Ben started across the room. Wayne hadn't noticed him yet, lost in some thought that made his eyes look distant, his shoulders heavy. But as Ben drew closer, Wayne's gaze flicked up. Their eyes met for a split second—a moment where surprise, discomfort, and something else Ben couldn't place flashed in Wayne's face—before he quickly looked away, his jaw setting hard.

"Wayne," Ben said quietly, his voice tinged with the hurt he'd been holding since their kiss. "I didn't expect to see you here." He tried for casual, but his voice betrayed the weight of everything unsaid between them.

Wayne's eyes stayed on the table, and he shifted, his fingers tightening around the cup. "Ben... I didn't expect to see you here either." His tone was calm, but there was a distance to it that made Ben's chest ache. He didn't invite Ben to sit, but Ben pulled out the chair across from him anyway, determined to face him and all the tension that had built between them.

"So... are we going to talk about it?" Ben's voice was low as he studied Wayne's face. "Because I don't know what's going on with you. You're ignoring me, and it's driving me crazy."

Wayne's jaw tightened as he looked toward the window, watching the people passing outside. "There's nothing to talk about, Ben. I just... needed some space."

"Space?" Ben echoed, frustration slipping into his voice. "We were fine, and then suddenly you're gone, no explanation. Is this because of the kiss?"

Wayne flinched, the word hanging between them like an uninvited guest. He still wouldn't look at Ben, and the silence stretched long and uncomfortable, pressing on Ben's chest.

"Wayne," Ben said, his voice softer, almost pleading. "If that kiss didn't mean anything to you, just tell me. But don't just disappear."

Wayne's fingers clenched, his knuckles white as he gripped his cup, tension visible in every line of his posture. He kept his eyes down, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know what it meant, okay?" His tone held an edge of frustration, but beneath it, Ben could hear the confusion. "I thought we were just... goofing around. That's all it was supposed to be."

Ben's expression softened as he leaned in, his eyes searching Wayne's face. "But it wasn't just that, was it?" His voice was a murmur, his hand resting on the table, inches from Wayne's. "Because I haven't stopped thinking about it. About you."

Wayne's breath hitched, his gaze finally lifting to meet Ben's. For a moment, the guarded look slipped from his face, revealing something raw and conflicted. "I don't know what I'm feeling, Ben," he admitted, voice shaky. "It's... confusing. I thought keeping my distance would help, that if I ignored it, maybe it'd just go away." He looked down, fingers tightening as though the cup could ground him. "But it hasn't. Being around you... it only makes it harder."

A spark of hope lit in Ben's chest, and he slowly reached across the table, his hand stopping just short of Wayne's. "Then maybe... you don't have to ignore it," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Maybe we can figure it out together. Just... don't shut me out, Wayne. Not like this."

Wayne's gaze fell to Ben's hand, and Ben could see the hesitation, the fear. He was holding back, maybe protecting himself from something he couldn't yet face. Slowly, Wayne lifted his hand and let it brush against Ben's, a tentative touch that felt like an admission, a question. He glanced up, his eyes a mix of vulnerability and hope. "I don't know if I can handle this," he admitted, voice unsteady. "But... maybe I don't want to keep running from it either."

Ben smiled, a soft, encouraging smile, and gently squeezed Wayne's hand. "Then let's take it slow. No pressure. Just... be here with me, okay?"

Wayne's lips curved into a faint smile, the tension easing as they held onto each other's hands a little longer. They sat in a quiet understanding, a sense of shared uncertainty, but also an unspoken promise that they didn't have to figure it all out today.

After a moment, Ben's voice was soft. "Do you want to get out of here?"

Wayne's gaze met his, and for the first time, he nodded, his smile tinged with a hesitant excitement. "Sure. Where to?"

"My place?"

Wayne's smile grew, a shy warmth in his eyes. "Yeah. Let's go."

As they stood and made their way out of the café, Ben felt a mix of exhilaration and calm settle over him, knowing that whatever happened next, they were finally on this path together. They walked side by side into the night, both nervous and eager to see where it would lead.