Out on the Town

“Good, Sorata,” Node praised in a soft rumble as Sorata snuggled into his side and placed a hand on his thigh. Node kept his arm firm around Sorata’s broad shoulders. 

“N- Nooode,” Sorata fussed in a slurred voice. “People will look.”

“We want them to.” 

Sorata’s head was feeling a little fuzzy, but he felt comfortable curled up into Node like this. He took another sip from his sugary drink that masked the taste of the alcohol. He had had one too many of those and hadn’t realized how plastered he got, but he was having a nice time, finally letting loose a little with Node out in public. His hand rubbed up and down Node’s thigh as he looked up to admire Node and then their surroundings. Were anyone’s eyes on them anyway? In a crowded place like this, everyone had something else to pay attention to. No one would likely notice them in the first place. He was worrying for no reason again, and of course, Node was exaggerating about the attention that Sorata drew in. He always just wanted to fluster him. Well, it wasn’t going to work this time.

Just as he was about to look back to Node, he caught eyes with a pretty, young man some years younger than himself. Sorata’s cheeks darkened as the young man made a little wave at him. He stayed quiet, biting his lip for a little while. Was he really looking at him? He took another sip of his fruity cocktail.  

“Did you see that?” Sorata finally spoke up as another wave of warm, alcohol seeped through his body. “That cute guy was checking us out.”

Sorata was trying to be discreet, but his judgement wasn’t up to his usual standards as he pointed directly at the young man, who coyly looked away. 

A smirk was playing on the corner of the young man as he turned away. Node frowned as he recognized that familiar face, that familiar expression. Roman? That brat. What was he up to?

“Excuse me a second,” Node stood up, and Sorata instinctively let him go as he did.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to teach that brat a lesson and make sure he keeps his eyes off you.”

“But…” 

“Stay,” he told Sorata before going up to the man at the bar. Sorata just stayed as he was told and watched. It was too loud  in the bar to catch a word of what they were saying from this distance.

“Roman,” Node said, reaching out to touch the boy on his arm. “Take your eyes off my-...date.”

Roman turned around to face Node with a grin. “Oh? Your date, huh?”

Node’s frown sunk further. His hand still on Roman’s arm. His touch was far more gentle than his voice. “Roman. Behave yourself. I’m not in the mood for this.”

“Node, Node, I’m not doing anything. I can’t help it if your date likes to look at me. I remember when you used to look at me like that. Now look at that scowl on your face.”

Roman stood up from his seat, and Node pulled him aside. They were standing close and Node’s hand seemed to drift from Roman’s arm to his waist instinctively. 

“Don’t start anything,” he bit. It was hard trying to tell Roman off like this when he was looking so good in front of him. If only Roman had been looking at him like that then none of this would’ve happened. He liked being under the allusion that Sorata only had eyes for him. But Roman, anyone would look at Roman with hungry eyes. He knew that well himself. But they were done. He had Sorata now. Right? Shit, this was stupid. 

“Buy me a drink first and maybe I’ll consider it.” Roman winked. 

Node took out his money clip and shoved a couple of dollars at him. “Now leave us alone.”

Roman just smiled. “Ease up, old man. Your sweet date over there has desires of his own too. Maybe he wants me more than you now that he’s seen how nasty you can be.”

“Shut up,” Node grumbled. He pet Roman’s hair briefly before giving him a slight shove and walked back off to his table with Sorata.

Sorata had been watching the scene take place, but his eyes were still locked on the mysterious young man. He was the opposite of Node, and it intrigued him. When Node came back to sit beside him, Sorata spoke up, feeling a little dreamy. 

“Y- you know, Node,” Sorata said obliviously in a hushed tone. “I wouldn’t mind having a guy like that between my thighs.” Sorata chuckled to himself. 

“Sorata,” Node said in a warning tone. He grabbed Sorata by his jaw to pull him up and have him look him in the eye. “I don’t like hearing you talk about other guys like that. I can give you everything you need down there.” Node’s free hand landed high on Sorata’s thigh and squeezed it, causing Sorata to jump a bit and his cheeks to go even brighter red. “So look at me instead.”

Sorata just chuckled, then pecked a kiss on Node’s lips, and Node released his grip. “It’s just a bit of guy talk.” 

“It makes you sound like a slut.”

“What? You hypocrite, I saw the way you were ‘teaching him a lesson.’ Touching him all over like that as if you knew him. Wait. D- do you know that guy?”

“Stop asking stupid questions.” 

“Then I’ll go ask him myself.”

“You will do no such thing,” Node said, grabbing Sorata’s wrist to pull him back in his seat.

Sorata shrugged him off with one quick, easy movement, and Node knew he was outmatched when Sorata looked back to him with a harsh glare. A rare sight that grazed that soft face. Node grumbled to himself and let him go. Sorata would be back. The boy didn’t know what he was doing.

“Shit,” Node grumbled to himself as Sorata walked off.

Sorata went up to the young man and tapped him on the shoulder. “Hey, can I sit here?”

“Of course,” the young man smiled, gesturing to the seat. He caught Node’s glaring eyes for a moment before looking at Sorata. “I’m Roman. And you are?”

“Sorata.” Sorata took his seat next to him. “Um, I may have been mistaken, but I saw you looking at me before. Or was it the man I was with?”

“No, it was you I was looking at,” Roman said with a genuine smile. He touched Sorata’s hand gently. “You’re way out of that old man’s league.”

“No, no, I don’t think so.” He shook his head in disbelief. It was all those silly things Node used to tell him. But he wasn’t convinced, especially not after seeing Node and Roman interact. ”Can I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“Node. He seemed to know you. Do you and he...have a past?” Sorata asked hesitantly. If he hadn’t felt so warm inside, he would’ve been too anxious to ask, but somehow the alcohol was settling his stomach. 

“We went out a couple times. But I really wasn’t looking at him. You’re the one who caught my attention.” Roman leaned in a little closer to Sorata. “I mean, look at you! Node’s a scrawny little stick, but you, wow...” Roman’s hand moved along to caress Sorata’s bicep. 

Shit. That little brat. That slut. What the hell are they doing? Node thought to himself as he watched. He was stupid to let Sorata go off with a beautiful thing like Roman. Two beautiful things together, it was quite a sight seeing Sorata blush at someone else’s touch besides his own. It pissed him off. But even if he wanted to get Sorata back, he wouldn’t be able to force him. Sorata was too strong for him when he was serious.

Sorata didn’t know what to say after hearing all of that. They had gone out? Despite his suspicions, he wished he was wrong. This was the kind of man that Node went out with before him? So small, pretty, confident. It made Sorata wonder. Was their relationship any different in the end? Roman seemed like he was Node’s ideal type. They seemed like they’d get a long better than he and Node. Would their relationship not last long just like his and Roman’s? He didn’t like the thought. 

“Hey,” Roman spoke up again after Sorata withdrew a little. “Did you just come over here to talk abou that old man?” 

“Oh! No. I - thought it’d be nice to get to know you.” 

“Well then! Get to know me!” Roman bit his lip as he admired Sorata. Sorata couldn’t look away from those lips. His head was cloudy and coherent thought wavered in and out of his mind. 

“Do you work for a living?” Sorata thought he must’ve been an actor or some sort of model with those looks, but he seemed so young.

“Sort of. But well, I’ve just got some pretty well off friends that help me out.” 

“Oh! That’s very kind of them.” Sorata was slowly getting the idea that Roman was very hard to say no to. 

“Isn’t it? What about you?” 

“I’m a police officer. I’d have too much time on my hands without work. I like to keep busy.”

“Really?” Roman questioned. “But you’re so- hm. I never would’ve guessed. But I see now why you’re so built.”

Sorata laughed and ran his hand through his hair. “Um, can I get you a drink?”

While Roman did actually want a drink, he thought it best not to ask for one from a police officer. “No, I’m alright. I’m actually only 19.”

“Oh- oh. I’m sorry. A soda?”

“No, I’m fine. I rather have a taste of you.”

“What? Haha.”

Roman leaned in and kissed Sorata square on the lips. Sorata froze for a moment, unsure if he should kiss back or not, but his drunken impulses and quickly beating heart gave in to open his mouth slightly and invite Roman’s kiss in.

When Roman pulled back from the kiss, he smiled coyly and glanced away. “That was pretty cheesy, huh? But you really do taste good.”

Sorata wiped at his mouth and blushed. “Thanks, um, I’m not sure if I can do this. I am really here with Node...just so you know.”

“I know. But we both know what kind of guy he is. And you came over to me, right? There must be a reason why.”

“I- I...let’s not talk about Node anymore. You’re right. We can just have fun. I’m done with him for the night.”

“Just for the night? Node, you know, he isn’t really the boyfriend type.”

“I didn’t say anything…”

“You’re pretty easy to read even without saying anything, Sorata.”

“No, I’m not!”

“You’ve been avoiding looking behind you this whole time because you don’t want to know if he’s looking this way or not. Right?” 

“What? No.” Sorata’s whole body wanted to turn and check. His jaw clenched as he kept himself from giving in. How did Roman read him that well when he didn’t even know if he wanted Node to be looking this way or not? 

“Well, then I guess it wouldn’t bother if we move over here, right?” Roman took Sorata by the hand and led him away from the bar. If Node wasn’t watching them, he would’ve lost track of them in the crowd as Roman let Sorata to a corner where they could stand and have a little privacy, but unknown to Sorata, still right in Node’s line of vision.

“It’s alright, I don’t mind if you want to use me to make him jealous. Sometimes that’s the only thing that can get his attention back. Don’t you think? He’s very fickle, but then again, so am I. Maybe he and I had too much in common.”

“Don’t. Stop talking about him.” 

“Why? Isn’t it nice to have someone to talk to who might even know him better than you?”

“Stop.” Sorata warned again, pinning him against the wall between his arms. He just wanted Roman to shut up. He was a nice guy, but it felt like he was pestering him on purpose, like he was trying to get a reaction out of him. He leaned in and kissed Roman again to shut him up because he couldn’t think of any other way. But it made his whole body relax again like washing the idea of Node from his mind. 

When he pulled back from Roman’s lips, Roman was smiling up at him with a great big smirk. “You’re going to get me drunk if you keep kissing me like that,” he said cockily. “You know, he’s looking this way right now.” 

Sorata’s eyes widened and cheeks flushed as he briefly glanced back to see Node’s  dark eyes on them with his arms crossed over his chest, looking like he was about ready to explode and come this way. Sorata couldn’t help but burst into a laugh and rest his head on Roman’s shoulder, burying away his face. 

“I can’t believe him. What’s he doing?” 

“You know, Node likes to talk tough, but you look ten times stronger than him,” Roman pointed out. His hands snaked back around Sorata’s thick arms. “I bet you can really keep him in line with those muscles.”

“You’re really good at that.” 

“At what?” 

“At talking.” 

Roman laughed. “Of course. I like to make people feel good. You should feel good to. I can make you feel good.” 

“I can’t…” 

“I know. You really do care about that old man, don’t you? Well, you know, you can call me anytime if you want to complain about him. You know I’ll understand,” Roman said, reaching into Sorata’s back pocket to take out his phone for him. Sorata startled a little until he saw what Roman was doing and let him punch in his phone number. “Or you can call me if you change your mind.”

“Thank you,” Sorata said with a bit of a laugh. “I will.” 

“I think he’s coming to collect you now.” 

“What?” Sorata asked just before he felt Node’s hand land on his shoulder and heard his rough voice speak up.

“Let’s go, Sorata.”