Jonah Clarke Is Not Gay

Jonah Clarke Is Content

It's the feel of Jonah's hand held loosely in his that makes Daniel's heart flutter. They way his other hand is tracing patterns into the skin of Daniel's palm, the way that he can see every emotion flicker across Jonah's face as the film plays out onscreen.

Daniel is more than aware that he should be focused, should be following the story along with Jonah but he can't help but be distracted.

Jonah and Daniel cannot end well, and Daniel knows that. Daniel likes a boy who doesn't know what he wants, who wants no commitment, no labels, no promise of a future. But Daniel is so far gone that he's willing to take whatever he can get, however little or large that may be.

Daniel feels like he's the moth attracted to the light, desperate to get closer but destined to get burnt. This can't end well, but that doesn't stop Daniel from grasping on tightly to the few moments he's allowed before that.

"You okay?" Jonah's voice is just above a whisper.

"Fine."

"Really?" Jonah says, and his voice is taking on the tone of teasing now. "Because I'm willing to bet you have no idea what is going on right now."

"Sure I do," Daniel replies, "that guy just punched that other guy."

"Yeah but why?"

Daniel doesn't want to admit that he's wrong and so he does the only thing that he knows will make Jonah shut up about it all.

Lazily, Daniel leans over and places a soft kiss on Jonah's lips, pushing the other boy back into the cushions. Daniel lets his lips linger for a few seconds before pulling back, an idiotic smile on his face as he stares down at Jonah.

"You're not going to distract me that easily," Jonah says.

Instead of replying, Daniel gently presses his lips against Jonah's once again, his fingers trailing up Jonah's arm before resting by the side of his head.

"Still not distracted."

The pair continue back and forth like this for a few minutes, until Daniel is entirely sure that Jonah cannot claim that he is focused on anything other than kissing. The film plays on, nothing but background noise as Daniel continues to drink Jonah in. The other boy is so immersed in the kiss that he fails to notice as Daniel subtly reaches for the remote and switches the TV off before pulling back.

Daniel watches as Jonah blinks rapidly, adjusting back to the real world where his lips are no longer against Daniel's.

"Hey," Jonah says eventually, his voice slow, "I was watching that."

"I don't think you were," Daniel replies simply, teasing to his tone.

"Well it was keeping me entertained."

"I'm sure I'm capable of that."

Jonah looks up at Daniel with half raised eyebrows, a self satisfied smirk painted across his face.

"You sure?"

Daniel smirks right back at him, no longer a novice at playing Jonah's games.

"Well I suppose you can test me if you want."

Jonah simply nods and Daniel leans down to press their lips together once again. Daniel can't help but think that with each kiss, his time left with Jonah shortens, as if with each kiss Jonah is growing more tired of him. And so Daniel savours the kiss, draws it out, until the pair are both pulling back with matching smiles on their faces.

Daniel notices how Jonah neutralises his expression when he sees Daniel watching him.

It seems to Daniel that the two of them are playing a game. Both of them desperate to win, both of them not wanting to show which move they'll make next, and both of them so caught up in it that the rest of the world seems to blur into nothingness. Right now there's just them, just a Thursday evening doing nothing, and Daniel isn't sure he'd have it any other way, no matter how uncertain everything but this moment may be.