Meant To Be (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Surprise!

 

“Happy Birthday to us!”

“That’s not until tomorrow, nitwit.”

Simon pouted and hooked a strong arm around Nate’s shoulders, pulling him closer to his face as he spoke,

“But I’m at work tomorrow! Tonight we dine in... Your house!”

Nate sighed and ducked out of his twin’s embrace. Kyle and Alex were sitting at a table in the large café and the Lairds were ordering their food. It all felt very right somehow but there was a strong knot in Nate’s stomach that refused to loosen. Simon had organised a joint party to celebrate their twenty-fifth birthday and, being the thoughtful brother that he was, had invited everyone round to Nate’s house. It was bad enough that he would have to endure any party but the fact that it was being held in his own house meant he couldn’t even escape early if he wanted to.

They grabbed the four drinks and joined the others at the table. Alex was wearing one of his new pale blue shirts and skinny jeans and he looked much more at ease in Simon’s presence than he had only a few weeks ago. Nate handed him his Coke and stared down into his own fizzing drink, poking at the ice cubes with his straw as Simon and Kyle talked about what they were going to wear later that night.

“So, what do you want for your birthday?”

Alex’s voice jostled Nate from his reverie and the redhead looked into his blue eyes,

“Nothing.” Nate answered without hesitation, knocking Alex from his stride a little, but Alex smiled nonetheless,

“Oh, I was hoping you’d give me an idea. I want to get you something nice.”

“Oh!” Nate ran his hand through his tousled locks and gave Alex an apologetic look, “Sorry, I didn’t know you meant what I wanted from you. Not that I actually do want anything from you! Not that something from you would be bad!” he inhaled deeply and exhaled loudly, “I’m babbling, sorry. I just meant that you don’t have to get me anything, its fine.”

Alex still hadn’t managed to find a job, he was paying his way in the house by doing the housework and cooking now and then, which was fine by Nate.

“No, I want to get you something,” Alex took a sip of his coke, “I’m just not really sure what you like.”

“Boobs,” Simon injected himself into the conversation and then left just as swiftly as Nate glared at him.

Alex didn’t continue after that. The food came and they ate quickly and quietly, Nate still worrying about the oncoming party. When they’d all finished, Kyle paid for everyone (his idea of a cheap birthday present for Nate) and they piled into Nate’s car. Simon had decided he wanted to decorate the house before the guests arrived and his brother had no complaints; he wanted as little to do with the party as possible.

It wasn’t that Nate was particularly against having a party, it was just that he wasn’t one for drinking or socialising much. He couldn’t hold his liquor like his brother and whenever they drank together, Simon would try and make Nate keep pace. The nights always ended with the younger twin hunched over a toilet.