Chapter 17

Messiah was in bed that night, cat curled up next to him while he kept touching his lips, thinking about the kiss. His phone lit up with a FaceTime call from Javier.

"You still up?" Javier was in his room too, laid back against his pillows.

"Yeah, I can't sleep." Messiah adjusted his phone, getting comfortable on his side. His bonnet was on and he had on a tank, looking cozy.

"You thinking bout earlier?" Javier asked with a small grin.

"Don't get cocky." But Messiah was fighting a smile. "But yeah maybe I am."

"I been thinking bout it too." Javier was sketching something, but his eyes kept coming back to Messiah. "You looking cute in your bonnet chiquito."

"I'm hanging up."

"No you not." Javier laughed, and something about the sound made Messiah's chest feel warm. "You like me too much."

"I take it back, I don't like you at all."

But they both knew he was lying. Messiah had shifted closer to his phone, watching Javier draw like he always did.

"What you working on?"

"Just some ideas. I got this client tomorrow wanting a full sleeve."

They fell into comfortable silence, just being in each other's space through the phone. After a while Javier looked up to see Messiah's eyes getting heavy.

"Go to sleep Siah."

"I'm good." But Messiah was clearly fighting to stay awake. "Keep drawing."

"I'll stay on till you fall asleep."

"You got work early though."

"I don't care." Javier's voice got soft. "I like watching you get all sleepy."

"You saying some real soft shit right now Javi."

"Only for you."

Messiah just shook his head but he was smiling that real smile Javier loved. His cat had moved up to lay against his chest, purring loud enough to hear through the phone.

"Your cat know you soft too," Javier said.

"Both of y'all need to mind your business." But Messiah was still smiling, his eyes starting to close.

"Go to sleep baby."

This time Messiah didn't even argue about the name, just hummed softly. Javier kept drawing, glancing up every few minutes to see Messiah fighting sleep less and less.

Finally Messiah was out, breathing deep and even. Javier just watched him for a minute, taking in how peaceful he looked without all his walls up.

"Night chiquito," he said softly before hanging up.

The next morning Messiah woke up to his cat in his face like usual. His phone was dead but he was smiling remembering last night. While it charged he got ready for his workout, actually feeling good for once.

When his phone came back on he had a text from Javier:

"Morning chiquito. You cute when you sleep"

"Stop being extra"

"Can't help it. I miss you"

"You just saw me"

"And? Come by the shop later?"

Messiah tried to fight his smile but couldn't. "Maybe"

At the gym he caught himself touching his lips again, remembering how Javier kissed him. Usually catching feelings like this would have him running the other way. But something about Javier made him want to stay, made him feel safe enough to let his guard down.

His phone buzzed with another text while he was on the treadmill:

"Can't stop thinking bout kissing you"

Simple but it made his heart jump. He ain't used to feeling like this, to wanting somebody to be soft with him. But with Javier it felt right.

"Focus on work"

"Make me"

"Bet. See you later"

In the shop, Javier was grinning at his phone like a fool. He loved how Messiah was still his same self but softer now, how he let Javier see past his walls more and more.

"See you later" meant Messiah was definitely coming by. And this time when he did, Javier could actually kiss him again instead of just wanting to. That thought had him smiling all morning.