The car rolled to a gentle stop near the quiet rooftop café, tucked away from the buzz of the city.
Kavi unbuckled his seatbelt slowly, feeling oddly aware of Kiaan sitting just a few inches away.
Kiaan hopped out first, circling the car to Kavi's side.
Before Kavi could react, Kiaan opened the door for him, like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Kavi blinked up at him, caught off guard.
"Thanks," he muttered, stepping out. Their hands brushed briefly, barely even a touch but it was enough to send a jolt of awareness sparking up Kavi's arm.
Neither of them commented on it.
Kiaan just gave him a lopsided grin, shoving his hands into his pockets.
"Come on," Kiaan said, nodding toward the stairs leading up to the café's rooftop.
The breeze picked up as they climbed, playful and cool against their skin.
As they reached the top, the view stretched out in every direction , endless rooftops bathed in soft afternoon light, the sky so clear it looked like you could fall into it.
Small round tables were scattered around, fairy lights dangling above, swaying gently with the wind.
It was almost empty, just a few people hunched over coffee mugs and sketchbooks, lost in their own worlds.
Kiaan turned to Kavi, his voice easy. "Pick a spot. Anywhere you want."
They found a table tucked into a corner, half-shaded by a swaying umbrella.
Kavi dropped into the chair, pretending to scan the menu, but his mind was anything but calm.
His heart thudded in his chest in a way he couldn't explain, stupid, anxious, ridiculous.
I hope he's not… interested in me, Kavi thought nervously, sneaking a glance at Kiaan from over the edge of the menu.
"God, no. No way."
"I'm not gay. I've never been gay. And I'm definitely not about to start now."
He cleared his throat and buried his face deeper into the menu like it could somehow shield him from the weird swirl of thoughts in his head.
Kiaan sat across from him, flipping through the drink list, completely unaware of the mini meltdown happening across the table.
"Please just see me as a friend, Kavi pleaded silently. Please. That's all I want. Friends. Buddy-buddy. Bench bros".
Kavi took a deep breath, forcing a smile onto his face when Kiaan looked up and caught his eye.
"So," Kiaan said, leaning back lazily in his chair. "What's good here?"
Kavi exhaled slowly, willing himself to calm down.
"Anything with caffeine," he joked, grateful that at least his voice didn't betray the chaos inside him.
Kiaan chuckled, his smile easy and bright.
Kavi fidgeted with the corner of the menu, finally settling on a vanilla latte and a blueberry muffin, because, well, sweet things made stressful situations better.
Kiaan, without even blinking, ordered an iced americano black, no sugar and a grilled panini stuffed with chicken and pesto.
"Sweet tooth, huh?" Kiaan teased lightly when he saw Kavi's order.
"Shut up," Kavi mumbled, fighting a smile. "I need sugar to survive you."
Their food arrived shortly after and Kavi busied himself tearing small pieces of his muffin into his mouth, while Kiaan sipped his iced americano.
He was the first to broke the silence, his voice calm but a little hesitant.
"I know you must have been shocked, hearing what I said in the car," he said, staring at his coffee like it held all the answers. "Honestly you are the first person I've ever come out to."
Kavi looked up, taken aback by how raw and open Kiaan sounded. He set his muffin down and leaned forward slightly, giving him his full attention.
"I appreciate you trusting me enough to share that," Kavi said sincerely. "I'm glad you see me as a friend you can open up to."
Kiaan gave a small, almost shy smile before Kavi added, his voice curious but gentle,
"So… what about your boyfriend?"
Kiaan chuckled softly, the sound tinged
with a bit of sadness. "Oh, Abhishek?" he said, stirring his coffee absentmindedly. "He left the country… Societal pressure, fear of judgment. It got too much for him."
He paused, glancing briefly at Kavi. "I don't blame him, though."
Kavi tapped his fingers lightly against his cup, feeling the weight of the conversation lingering between them. As much as he wanted to sit with Kiaan in his emotions, he could sense Kiaan didn't want pity, just understanding.
Kavi cleared his throat and smiled gently.
"Well," he said, trying to lift the mood a little, "if you ever need someone to trash-talk your ex with, I'm your guy. I'm very good at creative insults."
Kiaan laughed a real, genuine laugh and Kavi felt the tension ease between them.
"Seriously, though," Kavi continued, picking up his muffin again, "you're cool, man. Whoever couldn't see that, it's their loss."
Kiaan shook his head, smiling. "Thanks, Kavi. You're not too bad yourself. For a troublemaker."
After they finished eating, they lingered a bit, before Kiaan paid their bills and offered to drop him home .
The drive was very comfortable unlike earlier, it was filled with occasional laugh.
when they pulled up in front of Kavi's apartment, Kiaan's eyes widened in surprise.
"Wait… no way," Kiaan said, glancing down the street. "I live just six houses away from here. Crazy, right?"
Kavi's mouth dropped open. "You're joking?"
"Nope. Swear," Kiaan laughed.
Kavi shook his head, still in shock. "Okay, next time you're definitely coming over. I'll make food or something. Just… you know, fun."
Kiaan smiled warmly. "I can't say no to that. Thanks."
Kavi grinned back and added, "Anything for you, my friend."
As he reached for the door handle to get out, Kiaan's voice stopped him.
"You know…" Kiaan said, almost too nonchalant. "You're more than a friend to me."
Kavi froze for a second, caught completely off guard. He managed a tight, awkward smile, waved quickly, and bolted out of the car like his life depended on it.
Once inside, Kavi tossed his LV bag onto the couch and began pacing the living room, running his hands through his hair.
"Oh God, oh God," he muttered under his breath. "Please tell me this guy isn't falling for me. I don't like him. I'm straight. So straight I'd rather die than— no, wait—" he stopped mid-rant, throwing his hands in the air, "I lied! If I had to pick between dying or… whatever— I'd pick the guy, but still! That's not the point!"
He collapsed dramatically onto the couch, covering his face with a groan.