Ody's green eyes locked onto Mano's honey ones the moment he heard what had just come out of his mouth.
Did he just say he... doesn't want to stop seeing me?...
A strange knot formed in Ody's stomach—something he couldn't quite explain himself.
Mano blinked shyly, pulling his hand away and turning his gaze to the wall.
"Give me the soup..." he mumbled, while Ody still couldn't take his eyes away from him, too stunned to fully process what had been said.
He'd expected Mano to tell him, "Yeah, I want you to stop bothering me". But instead, he...
"The soup" Mano repeated, looking at him again, interrupting Ody's train of thought.
He reached for the tray of food he'd left behind earlier and handed it to Mano, who set it on his lap and started eating the soup.
He winced in pain due to his injured gums, while Ody's gaze stayed fixed on him.
"Stop staring at me like that"
"S-sorry" Ody stammered, quickly looking forward and grabbing the remote to turn on the TV.
The screen lit up, showing men in suits chasing someone with guns.
"Change it!" Mano said in an upset voice, and Ody switched the channel immediately, his eyes darting back to him.
Mano looked shaken, and the TV had only played for about five seconds.
Ody's worried gaze lingered on him until Mano blinked and returned to his soup.
"What is it..." Ody started hesitantly, afraid to ask, "...that you can't watch?"
Mano lifted his honey eyes to meet Ody's before fluttering his lashes awkwardly and looking back down at his bowl.
When he finished eating, Ody took the tray to the kitchen and returned with a small tube from the bathroom.
"Put this on your gums" he said, handing it over.
Mano took it and inspected the label. "Is it safe to put cream in my mouth?"
"It's not cream. It's a soothing gel for irritated gums. It'll help" Ody explained, his tone certain.
Mano unscrewed the cap, but Ody snatched it back. "Wash your hands first"
"Oh, come on" he huffed.
"Go, Mano" Ody said firmly, gesturing toward the bathroom. Mano met his eyes for a moment, sighed, and got up.
When he returned, he grabbed the tube from Ody's hands and headed back to the bathroom.
"All good?" Ody asked when Mano returned to the couch.
"It tastes awful" Mano complained.
"Stop acting like a baby" Ody teased with a faint smile, earning a glare from Mano.
"There's leftover soup. I'll pack it in a container for you to take home. You won't be able to chew for a few hours" Ody said.
"A container?"
"Do you want me to drive you home, or will you grab a taxi? Your bike's still at campus" Ody reminded him, watching Mano's almost surprised expression.
"Uh... no... I'll... I'll grab a taxi" Mano replied hesitantly, starting to rise from the couch.
"Unless you want to stay here tonight" Ody offered, making Mano pause and look at him.
Their eyes stayed locked for a moment, neither of them saying a word.
YOU ARE READING
Once in a Lifetime {BxB English}
RomansaTwo straight guys. The first, twenty-one years old, committed and loyal to his girlfriend for two years. Sociable, kind, and good-hearted. The second, twenty-three years old. He has dated so many girls he can't even remember their names. He has no r...
