The room was quiet except for the soft hum of Kareem's air purifier in the corner. Santi was still close, standing right in front of him, and Kareem could feel the weight of his gaze. It wasn't something he was used toâsomeone looking at him like that, like they were seeing every part of him he tried to keep hidden.
Kareem's heart thumped in his chest, but he played it cool, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his joggers. "You just gon' stand there staring at me like that?" he muttered, his voice low, almost teasing, but there was a tension underneath that he couldn't hide.
Santi didn't step back, didn't laugh like Kareem expected him to. Instead, he smirked, that confident little curve of his lips making Kareem's stomach flip. "You don't like it?" Santi asked, his voice soft but steady.
Kareem shrugged, but his body betrayed him, the slightest hitch in his breath giving him away. "I ain't say all that."
That was all the permission Santi needed. He stepped closer, closing the small gap between them until their chests were nearly touching. His hand came up, resting lightly on Kareem's shoulder, and Kareem didn't pull away.
"You good?" Santi asked, his voice dropping, softer now, like he wanted to be sure.
Kareem swallowed hard, his jaw clenching. He wasn't used to thisâsomeone asking, someone waiting for him to decide. He nodded once, quick and sharp, and Santi didn't hesitate.
The kiss started slow, careful, as if Santi was testing the waters again. Kareem felt the warmth of Santi's lips against his own, and for a moment, he froze. But then something shifted. He leaned into it, his hands lifting to grip the front of Santi's hoodie, pulling him closer without thinking.
Santi smiled into the kiss, his lips curving against Kareem's, and Kareem felt the heat rush to his face. He didn't know what the hell he was doing, but somehow, it felt right. His fingers tightened in the fabric of Santi's hoodie, anchoring himself as the kiss deepened.
Santi's hands slid down to Kareem's waist, gripping him gently but firmly, and Kareem let out a quiet, involuntary sigh against Santi's mouth. It was like the tension he'd been carrying around all day, hell, maybe all week, started to melt away.
Santi pulled back just enough to whisper, "You okay?"
Kareem opened his eyes, meeting Santi's, and nodded. "Yeah. Just... keep goin'," he mumbled, his voice low and almost shy. He hated how vulnerable he sounded, but Santi didn't seem to care.
Santi didn't say anything, just leaned in again, his lips brushing against Kareem's in a way that made Kareem's knees feel weak. He tilted his head, deepening the kiss, and Kareem let him take the lead, his own hands sliding up to rest on Santi's shoulders.
The kisses grew slower, less urgent, but somehow more intense. Santi's hand moved to Kareem's back, pulling him even closer, and Kareem couldn't help the way his body reacted. He felt himself relaxing into Santi's touch, letting the moment happen without overthinking it for once.
When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathing heavily, their foreheads resting against each other. Kareem's lips tingled, and he had to stop himself from licking them, from trying to hold onto the taste of Santi just a little longer.
"You good?" Santi asked again, his voice a little breathless now.
Kareem nodded, his fingers still gripping Santi's hoodie. "Yeah. You don't gotta keep askin' me that."
Santi chuckled, his hands still on Kareem's waist. "Just makin' sure. You ain't exactly the easiest person to read."
Kareem rolled his eyes, but there was no real annoyance behind it. "Whatever, nigga."
Santi laughed, leaning back but not letting go of Kareem entirely. "You always so mean, huh?"
"Maybe," Kareem said, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips. He stepped back, putting a little space between them, but not too much. His hands lingered on the edges of Santi's hoodie before he finally let go.
Santi didn't push, didn't try to close the distance again. He just stood there, watching Kareem like he was trying to figure him out, and Kareem hated how much he liked it.
"You wanna stay here for a bit?" Kareem asked suddenly, his voice quieter now. "Ain't like I got much goin' on."
Santi's grin widened, and he nodded. "Yeah. I'll stay."
Kareem turned away, heading for the couch and flopping down, grabbing the remote. "Don't make it weird, though," he muttered, already flipping through channels.
Santi sat down beside him, closer than he needed to, but Kareem didn't complain. He just handed Santi the other end of the blanket and tried not to think too hard about the fact that his heart was still racing.