The next few days passed in a blur of unexpected moments. Kareem couldn't shake the feeling that things were shifting, slowly but surely. Santi was all over him, not in the annoying way-he wasn't all up in his space or trying to make him talk. But there was something about the way Santi showed up when Kareem least expected it.
They'd be in the same room, and somehow, Santi would find a way to be next to him. A hand on his shoulder when the mood was right, a nudge with his elbow when they were watching a show, even something as simple as their legs brushing under the table when they ate. Kareem tried to brush it off like it didn't mean anything, but the way his chest tightened every time Santi got close? Yeah, that wasn't nothing.
One evening, after a long day of working on his car, Kareem was slumped on the couch, a blunt between his lips. His eyes were half-closed, his mind drifting, not really thinking about much. Santi was in the kitchen, making something to eat-Kareem didn't really care what, he was too tired to think about it.
Then Santi popped his head into the living room, his smile a little wider than usual. "You good, Papi?" he asked, leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed.
Kareem took a drag of the blunt, blowing the smoke out slowly. "Yeah. Just tired."
Santi's eyes softened as he walked over, sitting next to Kareem without a second thought. His presence felt... easy. Too easy, Kareem realized. "You know, I can always make you something if you're hungry. You been workin' all day."
"I'm good," Kareem muttered, his voice a little rough from the smoke. "Not hungry."
Santi didn't respond right away, just let his eyes linger on Kareem for a moment, like he was studying him. There was something in the way Santi watched him-something that made Kareem uncomfortable in the best way possible.
"You sure?" Santi's voice was low, like he was testing him.
"Yeah," Kareem said again, but his voice came out quieter this time, almost like he didn't mean it.
Santi leaned back, resting his elbow on the armrest, his fingers brushing against Kareem's. Kareem tried to ignore it, but it felt like a damn electric shock, jolting through his skin. It was that same feeling-the one he couldn't explain. It wasn't bad, but it was something he didn't know how to deal with.
Santi didn't pull away, though. Instead, his hand slid a little closer, until their fingers were barely touching. Kareem's pulse quickened at the contact, but he didn't pull away. Hell, he didn't want to. It felt... too good.
"You know, you've been real quiet lately," Santi said, breaking the silence. His voice was casual, but there was a hint of concern behind it. "What's going on in that head of yours, Kareem?"
Kareem exhaled slowly, glancing at Santi out of the corner of his eye. "Nothing," he muttered. "I just... I don't like talkin' about shit. That's all."
Santi didn't press him, but he didn't let go of the chance to get closer either. "I get it," he said softly. "But you know you can talk to me if you want to."
Kareem just nodded, his grip on the blunt tightening. He wanted to say something, wanted to tell Santi that he was starting to get used to him being around. But the words stuck in his throat, like they always did when it came to feelings.
Instead, he leaned back, taking another drag, his eyes closing for a moment as the smoke filled the air. He didn't know what it was about Santi. Maybe it was the way he didn't push him, or how he just understood when Kareem didn't want to talk. Whatever it was, it made him feel... something.
And that scared the hell out of him.
When he opened his eyes again, Santi was still there, his head resting against the back of the couch, eyes closed like he was content just being in the same space.
"You're not gonna try to talk to me about stuff again?" Kareem asked, his voice still rough from the smoke. He wasn't sure why it bothered him so much that Santi always gave him the space he needed.
Santi opened one eye, a lazy grin spreading across his face. "Nah. Not unless you want to. I'm just here, Papi."
That simple sentence hit Kareem harder than it should've. He hadn't realized how much he'd grown used to Santi being around, used to his steady presence. The way Santi didn't pressure him, didn't ask him to change-he just was.
Kareem exhaled slowly, a little more relaxed than he'd been in days. The silence between them didn't feel heavy anymore. In fact, it felt nice. He had no idea when he started liking having Santi around, but now it was hard to imagine not having him there.
For the first time in what felt like forever, Kareem let out a soft breath, allowing himself to be present, to not think about the past or the walls he'd built around himself. With Santi, those walls seemed to crumble little by little.
"You still lookin' out for me?" Kareem asked quietly, his voice softer than usual. The question was stupid, but it felt like the right one to ask.
Santi's lips curled into that same lazy smile. "Always, Papi."
It was in that moment that Kareem realized: Santi wasn't just some guy. He wasn't just a flirt or a distraction. There was something deeper between them, something neither of them had asked for but somehow found anyway.