Love Next Door

Chapter 4- Magic Spell

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It isn't until the next afternoon that Jay sees Ash. He had actually managed to get himself out of the house early to buy groceries from the local market. As well as groceries, he bought a new print to hang on his wall; A photo of the city at night. Admittedly, after seeing Ash's amazingly furnished apartment he was jealous and a little ashamed. It wasn't like he had any personal photos to put up to fill his bare walls. Perhaps when his daughter grew up a bit more?

As he walked down the hallway back to his apartment he noticed with a start that Ash was standing outside his door, arms folded, looking at the ground as if deep in thought. Strangely, he noticed that Ash's hair was noticeably more lacklustre than it usually was, sitting more flat on his head.

Jay stopped a few metres from him and the door.

"Hey." He said.

Ash looked up and he saw that the man had dark circles under his eyes. Had he stayed up late too, thinking over what happened?

"Hi."

Jay approached the door and for an awkward second didn't know what to say. Ash didn't help as he also stayed silent, half blocking the door.

"Did you want to come in...?"

Ash nodded, with still no smile appearing.

The two men walked into the room and Jay deposited the shopping bags near the kitchen. Deciding to act casual, he pulled the new print from the bag.

"I bought this new print today, I thought it might liven up the room a little." He walked back into view. "What do you think?"

Ash was standing next to the couch, his hands in his trouser pockets, his dark purple shirt creasing as he slouched. He was not himself, Jay decided.

"Yeah, it's nice." He replied, with no emotion in his voice.

Jay couldn't take it. If he had said the same thing yesterday, Ash would have blabbered on for ages about it. This man who he was seemingly infatuated with because he was always smiling and joking, was now like Jay, gloomy and lacklustre. It was decidedly worse than Ash just rejecting him outright.

"Are-are you-"

"I'm sorry, okay?" Ash blurted out. He turned to look at Jay with a fiery expression. "I couldn't control myself, I shouldn't have attacked you like that it wasn't...right. I didn't even ask. I couldn't stand looking at you afterwards because of how aggressive I was. I'm sorry I just... I want you so much."

Jay was speechless. He stood, agape, Ash's words running through his mind over and over even as he had heard them. It was unprecedented, unexpected. But no it wasn't. Ash had kissed him yesterday. Ash had pulled away because he thought he had done the wrong thing. Ash had told Jay to leave because he thought that was the right thing to do. For once I didn't screw up.

Jay walked towards the man, who was hiding his face with his hand. He gently pulled the hand away and leaned in to kiss him. At first startled, Ash froze, but soon he relaxed and put his arms around Jay. He couldn't breathe again, but he loved it. The feeling of their noses, just touching, and their knees...It was the most amazing feeling he had ever felt.

After some time Ash pulled him along to the couch. Ash fell on to it and Jay followed suit. There Ash half sat up and somewhat cradled him, their eyes closed and lips searching automatically for each other. Between kisses and with a rasping breath Jay said: "Pinch me." Ash stopped halfway to his lips and opened his eyes.

"Wha-huh?" he breathed in confusion,

"I think I'm dreaming."

Once again he wasn't sure if it was reality. He was waiting to open his eyes and be back in his bed. Ash let out a stifled laugh and placed his lips once more resolutely on his.