Part 16: Something New

It had been another week since AJ and Laila had come over. Kion and AJ had been hanging out more often, but tonight, it was just the two of them. They were sitting on the floor in Kion's living room again, a random movie playing in the background that neither of them was paying attention to.

AJ had his back against the couch, one arm draped lazily over a cushion, while Kion sat cross-legged across from him, picking at the hem of his shirt. The air between them felt different tonight-not bad, just... different.

"Why you keep fidgetin' like that?" AJ asked, watching him.

Kion glanced up, his expression blank. "I ain't fidgetin'."

"You are," AJ said with a small grin. "What's up with you?"

Kion shrugged, looking away. "Nothin'. Watch the movie."

AJ tilted his head, studying him for a moment. He could tell something was on Kion's mind, but he didn't press. Instead, he leaned forward and grabbed the blunt sitting in the ashtray between them, sparking it up.

He took a hit, then held it out to Kion. "Here. Maybe you need to relax or somethin'."

Kion gave him a side-eye but took it anyway, letting the smoke roll out slowly as he passed it back. The silence between them stretched out, the tension thick but not uncomfortable.

AJ broke it first. "You ever think about how shit be happenin' outta nowhere? Like, one day you just doin' your thing, and then boom-your whole life different?"

Kion looked at him, narrowing his eyes slightly. "What you mean by that?"

AJ smirked, taking another hit. "I mean, like, how people come into your life. You don't even see it comin', but they end up matterin' more than you thought they would."

Kion stared at him for a second before looking away again. "You sound corny as hell."

AJ laughed, low and easy. "Whatever, Pa. You know I'm right."

Kion didn't respond, but the way his shoulders tensed gave him away. AJ noticed but didn't push. Instead, he leaned back against the couch, resting his head against the cushion as he let the high settle in.

A little while later, the blunt was gone, and AJ had moved to sit next to Kion on the floor. They weren't touching, but they were close-closer than they'd been before. The movie on the screen was forgotten, both of them caught up in the quiet of the room.

AJ turned his head, looking at Kion again. "Yo."

Kion glanced at him, his brow furrowing slightly. "What?"

AJ didn't answer right away. He just kept looking at him, his usual smirk replaced with something softer. Then, without really thinking about it, he leaned in.

Kion didn't move at first, too caught off guard to react. But when AJ's lips brushed against his, soft and tentative, something in him shifted. He didn't pull away.

The kiss was brief-barely a second-but it left the air between them charged. When AJ pulled back, he searched Kion's face for any sign of how he was feeling.

Kion blinked, his expression unreadable. "What the fuck was that?"

AJ shrugged, trying to play it cool, but his voice was quieter than usual. "It was what it was."

Kion stared at him for another moment before standing up abruptly. "Man, I'ma go get some air."

AJ frowned, watching him walk out the door without another word.

For the next couple of days, Kion was distant. He didn't answer AJ's texts right away, and when they were around each other for gang business, he barely spoke. AJ didn't say anything about it, but he noticed.

It wasn't until the third day that AJ finally decided to confront him.

Kion was leaning against his car outside one of their usual spots, scrolling through his phone. AJ walked up, hands stuffed in his pockets, and stopped a few feet away.

"You been actin' weird," AJ said bluntly.

Kion didn't look up. "Ain't nothin' wrong."

AJ shot back. "You been dodgin' me since the other night. What's up?"

Kion sighed, finally putting his phone away to look at AJ. "I don't know, man. Shit's just... different now."

AJ raised an eyebrow. "Different how?"

"You know how," Kion said, his voice low.

AJ stepped closer, his tone softening. "Look, I ain't tryin' to make shit weird between us. But I ain't sorry for what I did, neither."

Kion's jaw tightened, but he didn't say anything.

AJ took another step closer, closing the distance between them. "If it's too much for you, just say that. But don't act like you ain't feelin' it, too."

Kion met his eyes, the conflict clear on his face. He didn't know what to say-what he could say. But then AJ reached out, resting a hand on his shoulder, and Kion didn't pull away.

After a long moment, Kion let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "I don't know what the fuck I'm doin', man."

AJ gave him a small smile. "Me neither. But we'll figure it out."

And just like that, the tension broke. It wasn't a solution, but it was a start.