Chapter 25: The Last Night Out
The evening air had that perfect bite to it, cool enough to make the walk feel like an event. Kyle bounced on his heels outside the apartment building, already antsy, already grinning. Roha stood beside him, hands in his pockets, watching Kyle like he was trying to solve a puzzle.
"So," Kyle said, grabbing Roha's wrist and tugging him into motion. "Tonight's agenda. Nell's working at Siren. We go, we say hi, we get free drinks, we dance. Easy."
"And then?"
Kyle shrugged, still pulling him along. "And then we go home. That's it. Low-key night."
Roha raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. He let himself be dragged down the sidewalk, his long strides easy against Kyle's quick, bouncy pace. The streetlights were just starting to flicker on, painting everything in that warm, hazy gold that made the city feel like a movie set.
"Low-key," Roha repeated, like he was testing the word.
"Yeah. You know. Chill. No chaos."
"You're in a good mood."
"Of course I'm in a good mood." Kyle glanced back at him, beaming. "I'm with you. The city's nice. We're gonna see Nell. What's not to be in a good mood about?"
Roha's expression softened, just barely. Kyle caught it and filed it away, a little thrill running through him. He'd been doing that a lot lately. Noticing the small ways Roha's walls came down. Tiny cracks that let the light through.
Siren was tucked between a tattoo parlor and a vintage clothing store, its entrance marked by a single glowing sign shaped like a cocktail glass. The windows were dark from the outside, but the door opened into a warm, amber-lit space that smelled like citrus and cedar. Neil was behind the bar, wiping down a glass with practiced precision, and her face split into a grin the second she saw them.
"Look who finally showed up," she called out, tossing the towel over her shoulder. "I was starting to think you two never left the apartment."
"We did leave," Kyle said, sliding onto a stool. "We went outside and everything."
"Baby steps." Nell's eyes flicked to Roha, and she gave him a small, knowing nod. "You're looking good. That color works on you."
Roha inclined his head. "Thank you."
Neil poured two glasses of something pink and fizzy and slid them across the bar. "On the house. Happy Thursday or whatever."
Kyle took a sip, his eyes lighting up. "Oh, this is dangerous."
"That's the point." Nell leaned on the counter, arms crossed. "So what's the occasion?"
Kyle's grin faltered for half a second. He recovered quickly, but not quickly enough. Nell saw it. He knew she saw it.
"Just felt like seeing you," Kyle said, a little too bright. "That's allowed, right?"
Nell's expression told him she wasn't buying it, but she let it slide. She chatted with them for a bit, teasing Roha about his coffee-making skills and making him promise to bring her a cup the next time they hung out. Roha nodded along, taking the teasing in stride, and for a moment Kyle almost forgot why they were here.
Then Nell caught his eye from across the bar. A jerk of her chin. A look that said, come here.
"Kyle, help me grab something from the back," she said, already walking toward the door behind the counter.
Kyle slid off his stool, shooting Roha a look that he hoped said be right back, don't worry. The back room was small and cluttered, boxes of liquor and napkins stacked against the walls. Nell shut the door behind them and crossed her arms, waiting.
"You want to tell me what's actually going on?"
Kyle's joke died in his throat. He looked at the floor, then back at her, and let out a shaky breath.
"He might have to go away," he said quietly. "Not forever. Maybe not for long. But. There's a chance he'll have to leave, and I don't know when he'll come back, or if he even can."
Nell's face shifted, her sharp eyes softening. "Kyle."
"I know. I know it's a lot." He ran a hand through his pink hair, a nervous habit. "And I can't really explain it. I wish I could. I know we haven't known each other long, but he's amazing, Nell. He's so good, and he doesn't even see it. And I'm scared that when he goes, he won't come back for me."
Nell was quiet for a long moment. Then she stepped forward and pulled him into a hug, firm and quick.
"Listen," she said, pulling back to look at him. "I don't know the full story. And I didn't ask, because I can tell it's not mine to know. But I've seen the way he looks at you. That guy is gone for you, Kyle. I've seen a lot of people come through that bar, and I've never seen anyone look at someone the way he looks at you."
Kyle blinked, his throat tight. "Yeah?"
"Yeah." Nell gave his shoulder a squeeze. "I've got a good feeling about this. Whatever happens, he'll come back. That kind of thing doesn't just walk away."
Kyle let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "You really think so?"
"I really do." She smirked, already turning back toward the door. "Now come on, I've got customers, and your boyfriend's been standing there brooding at my bar for too long. Go dance with him or something."
Kyle laughed, the sound catching in his chest. He followed her out, and sure enough, Roha was still in the same spot, watching the door like he was counting the seconds. The second Kyle reappeared, his shoulders relaxed.
"Everything okay?" Roha asked.
"Yeah," Kyle said, sliding back onto the stool. "Everything's fine. Better than fine, actually."
The music in Siren was low and sultry, not the pounding bass of a club, but still enough to make the body want to move. Kyle held out his hand.
"Dance with me?"
Roha looked at his open palm like it was something precious. Then he took it.
The floor was small, a pocket of space between tables where the lighting went a little dimmer. Kyle stepped in close, one hand finding Roha's shoulder, the other sliding into his palm. Roha's grip was warm, steady. He followed Kyle's lead without hesitation, swaying to a rhythm that felt more like breathing than music.
"You're good at this," Kyle said, voice low.
"I'm following you."
"That's basically the same thing."
Roha's mouth twitched. That was a smile. Kyle had been collecting those all evening, filing them away like receipts. He pulled Roha in a little tighter, close enough that their chests brushed, close enough that he could feel the steady beat of Roha's heart against his own.
"You know," Kyle murmured, "I used to think nights like this were just. Stuff that happened. Fun, but nothing to hold onto."
"And now?"
Kyle tilted his head up. The gold flecks in Roha's eyes caught the amber light, and for a second Kyle forgot how to breathe.
"Now I want to remember every second," he said. "That's new for me."
Roha's hand pressed against the small of his back, a gentle pull. "I don't think I've ever had a moment worth remembering before you."
The song shifted, something slower and heavier. Kyle rested his forehead against Roha's collarbone and let himself just exist in it. The smell of him, cedar and something warm. The solid weight of his arms. The thrum of the bar around them like a distant heartbeat.
"I wish we could stay like this," Kyle said, so quiet he wasn't sure Roha even heard him.
Roha's fingers threaded through his hair. "We can go home. Stay like this there."
Kyle pulled back, a laugh breaking through the ache in his chest. "That's the best idea you've ever had."
They said goodbye to Nell at the door. She gave Kyle a long look, then a quick nod, and he knew she meant what she said. Whatever happens, he'll come back. Kyle wanted to believe her. For the first time all night, he almost did.
The walk home was slower than the walk there. Kyle's hand found Roha's, and Roha let it happen, swinging their joined hands between them like they were teenagers. The city hummed around them, buses and distant sirens and someone laughing on a balcony somewhere. Kyle pointed out his favorite mural, the one with the fox wearing a crown. He told Roha the story about the time he got locked out of his building in pajamas and had to climb the fire escape. Roha listened the whole way, not bored, not checking his phone, just. There.
They made it to the apartment and Kyle kicked the door shut behind them, pressing Roha against it before the lock even clicked. The kiss was hungry and slow all at once, two things at the same time, like they'd been holding their breath for hours and only now remembered how to exhale.
"Joaquin's at his sister's," Kyle gasped between kisses.
"Good."
They didn't make it to the bedroom. It was the couch, tangled limbs and shedding clothes, the kind of mess that would be embarrassing in daylight. Kyle didn't care. He wanted to be close. He wanted to be closer. And Roha, for all his ancient composure, held on like Kyle was the only solid thing in the room.
Afterward, they lay sprawled together, Kyle's head on Roha's chest, tracing lazy patterns over his skin. The quiet settled around them, soft and heavy, not uncomfortable. Just. Full.
"Roha?" Kyle's voice came out small.
"Mm?"
"You'll give it a chance, right?" Kyle pushed himself up on an elbow, looking down at him. "Once you're free. Once you have a life. A real one. You'll give us a chance?"
Roha reached up, cupping Kyle's jaw with a kind of tenderness that made Kyle's throat ache. "There is no 'us' I wouldn't choose for. No life I'd want that doesn't begin with you in it."
"Yeah, but promise me."
"I promise."
Kyle leaned down and kissed him, soft and unhurried, and for the first time all night, the fear in his chest loosened its grip.