The morning after the kiss, Kareem found himself staring at the ceiling of his apartment, wide awake but still trying to process everything that had happened. He hadn't even told himself what he wanted to think about it yet. His mind was all over the place, the image of Santi's face hovering close to his flashing back every time he blinked.
He knew he shouldn't have let it happen. Shouldn't have let Santi get so close. But damn, there was something about the way Santi looked at him, like he was seeing more than just the exterior, like he was seeing through the tough guy act Kareem had put up for so long.
Kareem ran a hand through his hair, still braided from the last time Santi had done it. The familiar tugging sensation from the tight braids was comforting in a way, grounding him as he tried to shake off the rush of emotions. It was like a silent reminder of how much had shifted, even in such a short amount of time. He wasn't sure he could trust itâcould trust himselfâbut it didn't change how his body reacted when Santi was near. When Santi touched him.
The soft knock on his door broke him from his thoughts. His heart skipped, but he pushed it down, standing up and walking to the door. He didn't need to look through the peephole to know who it was.
Santi.
He opened the door with a sigh, trying to keep his face neutral, but something flickered in his eyes. "You came early," he muttered, stepping back to let Santi inside.
Santi grinned, as laid-back as ever, but there was something different about him today. His usual confidence was mixed with a hint of nervousness, something Kareem had never seen from him before. Maybe it was the kiss from last night, maybe it was just Santi being Santi, but whatever it was, it made Kareem pause for a second.
"Yeah, I figured I'd check in," Santi said, moving past Kareem into the living room. "You good? I didn't, like, mess you up or anything last night?"
Kareem's brows furrowed at the question, but he shrugged, trying to play it off. "Mess me up?" he repeated, letting out a small chuckle to hide the tension still lingering in his chest. "Naw. You didn't mess me up."
Santi turned to face him, leaning against the armrest of Kareem's couch. His eyes softened, and the look was so sincere, so unlike the usual cocky charm Kareem had seen from him. "Okay," Santi said quietly. "Just makin' sure. I know you're not into all that... touchy-feely stuff."
Kareem was taken aback by the honesty, the way Santi was so blunt about what he knew. It made Kareem's chest tighten a little. "I'm not, but I didn't say I was mad about it," he shot back, trying to keep his voice steady, even though it felt like his heart was beating a little faster than usual.
Santi smiled, his lips pulling into that easy, reassuring grin. "Good to know."
The silence between them stretched for a moment before Santi pushed off the couch, walking toward Kareem. He moved close, and Kareem couldn't help the way his body reacted. He didn't take a step back, didn't flinch like he usually would. He stood there, unsure of what to do with the sudden closeness, but oddly enough, not uncomfortable.
Santi raised his hand, fingers lightly brushing against Kareem's cheek, and Kareem tensed for a second, feeling the electric current of Santi's touch. He wanted to pull away, wanted to go back to the way things were before the kiss, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Not when Santi's hand felt like the only thing grounding him right now.
"Can I stay?" Santi asked, his voice quiet and soft, but the sincerity was clear. "Just... hang out? No pressure."
Kareem hesitated, staring at Santi's face, trying to read him. Was this what he really wanted? Or was it just the aftermath of last night's kiss? But even as the questions swirled in his head, he didn't want to push Santi away. He didn't want to push anyone away, but damn, this was new territory.
Finally, Kareem nodded, his lips tugging up in a half-smile. "Yeah. You can stay."
Santi didn't need to hear anything else. He just reached out, pulling Kareem closer by the collar of his shirt, and kissed him againâthis time, slower, softer, as if he was testing the waters, just as unsure as Kareem.
Kareem's hand found Santi's waist instinctively, his fingers curling into the fabric of Santi's hoodie, pulling him closer. The kiss deepened, but it wasn't frantic or urgent like it had been before. This was different. They both seemed to realize they were wading into something that neither of them quite understood, but neither was willing to walk away from it either.
When they broke apart, their foreheads rested against each other, and Kareem's breath was heavy. He didn't want to admit it, but he liked this. He liked how Santi made him feel like it was okay to be vulnerable, even if only for a second.
"You're stayin' for real?" Kareem asked, voice a little husky from the kiss. He wasn't used to letting someone stick around, but with Santi, it didn't feel like he was imposing. It felt... natural.
Santi smiled, his hands still on Kareem's waist. "Yeah, I'm stayin'. Just hangin' out, like we said."
And for once, Kareem didn't argue. He didn't pull away. He just let himself be in the moment, letting Santi in a little bit more. Something inside him shifted, and maybe this wasn't as scary as he had made it out to be.
Maybe, just maybe, he was ready to see where this went.