It started as a Game

The Game.

The whole week Declan felt the tension between him and Rebecca, but he somehow liked it. Not only because he knew that Rebecca was just too proud to mention anything, but also because Declan enjoyed the feeling of having something up his sleeve, he somehow felt like he had power over her. And although he didn't know if she also felt like that, he enjoyed this feeling somehow.

Declan had always been the rather quiet character at work, he had always stood back rather than shooting ahead. And he did exactly that over the week, he stayed back and just enjoyed this feeling. But he always told Rebecca Winterbottom to greet her husband from him and it always induced the same reaction of her. She just nodded and turned to leave. It was like that all week.

Declan had of course texted Anthony back and they had agreed on meeting in a pub to watch the game. Declan had thought of inviting Anthony over to his flat, but he had decided against it because he thought it was maybe too private for the other man and he had feared that he would back down when confronted with so much intimacy. So they had agreed on meeting in the pub.

Declan made sure to look smart, but not too smart, after all the reason they met was a football game and you don't really dress up to watch that. But he styled his hair neatly, put on his best aftershave and he was surprised that he was fairly nervous when he was on his way to meet the slightly taller man.

He immediately saw him when he entered the pub. He was sitting at a table in the corner but the view to the screen was good. Declan approached him slowly, he wanted Anthony to notice him first before sitting down. He saw how the dark-haired man tapped nervously on the beer glass in front of him and he quite liked what he saw. Soon enough, Anthony raised his head and Declan knew he had spotted him.

"Thought you wouldn't come" Anthony grinned when Declan sat down.

"Why wouldn't I?" Declan smiled and got rid of his coat.

"Don't know" Anthony mumbled.

"Listen, Anthony" Declan started but was interrupted by the other man.

"Please, call me Ant" Anthony smiled warmly. "Anthony makes me feel old."

"Okay, Ant" Declan smiled. "So you can call me Dec."

The two men smiled at each other and shook hands.

"So Ant" Declan started again. "I will be honest with you. I was slightly taken aback by your message. I mean, are you always like that?"

Anthony chuckled at that lightly. "No, quite the opposite actually. But well, I thought you were nice and the fact that you are also from Newcastle and that."

"It's alright, I am just asking" Declan explained and smiled internally because he could sense how nervous Anthony was about this. "I am not complaining" he smiled and reached over to stroke Ant's shoulder in a quick move.

"Err... Good" Anthony stuttered and blushed a bit by Declan's hand brushing his upper arm. "So what are your predictions for the game like?"

"Oh, clear win of course" Declan grinned and finally he got his lager delivered and he clinked his glass with Anthony's and they took a sip each.

The next two hours were concentrated on the game and they cheered and laughed a lot. In the break they talked a bit about their origin and Declan was astonished how much he liked this guy more and more with every new aspect he got to know about him.

But this of course also was a game and he knew that Rebecca knew they were spending the evening together so Declan wanted to make sure that Anthony would come home late so that she knew that they had enjoyed the evening. So Declan made sure that he had a plan for after the game.