Alfie was staring down at the menu when Koda leaned close enough for their arms to touch. They sat in a booth and naturally, they sat right next to each other instead of at opposite ends. "What are you getting to drink?" he asked, staring at Alfie's menu even though he had his own.

"Iced coffee. You're getting some too. You look like you need it."

"Thanks?" Koda sank down until his head was almost level with Alfie.

"Trust me, that was a compliment."

"If that was a compliment, your insults must be savage."

Alfie turned to look at him, surprised by how close their faces were. Koda, for a second, glanced at Alfie's mouth when he chuckled. "Just hope that you're never on my bad side to hear them."

Now it was Koda's turn to smile. It felt unnatural because his body was so full of exhaustion and the skin on his face seemed tight. "I can picture you mad. It's quite terrifying."

Alfie tried to stifle a laugh by biting his bottom lip and Koda stared at his mouth again. "I only really shout at ghosts."

Koda's head no longer felt like it was spinning when Alfie said things like that. "I bet some are quite annoying."

"Annoying is an understatement." Alfie flipped over the menu to look at food. Koda leaned even closer despite another menu still in his grip. Alfie dared to turn his head, getting a good look at his hazel eyes. Some specs were grey; some seemed green. When Koda turned to look at him too, some specs were beautiful honey.

"What do you want to eat?" Koda asked.

His voice was soft, and Alfie melted against him, also daring to feel his warmth. "Do you want to share something?"

"Sure."

After more staring and searching the menu like they couldn't read, they settled on sharing nachos and getting their caffeine filled drinks.

"I'm starting to feel better." Koda hadn't shuffled away and he didn't look uncomfortable, he looked more content than half an hour ago. "You're very good at distracting people."

"That's basically my job."

Koda tilted his head, and Alfie mentally slapped himself to stop his eyes from tracing down his body. He couldn't quite believe that he had gone out to lunch with his crush. The past few weeks had been like a crazy dream, so vivid that it felt real. He expected to wake up with the ache in his heart because it was all just a fantasy.

But it was genuine. Koda was sitting close enough for Alfie to easily hug him, sweep the brown hair from his eyes, or even kiss him. Just the thought made his lips tingle and his heart pulse with affection. The fact that Koda was sitting so close was giving the medium mixed emotions. They had resolved the fact that they were both gay and it was apparent to Koda that Alfie liked him, but it was also clear that Alfie couldn't detect attraction.

He wondered if Koda had really registered that, or if he was just naturally a passionate guy.

"So," Koda sat up and rested his arm on the booth behind him. Alfie's head was right next to his armpit, but he smelt nice, like spice and rosewood. "Are you feeling strong enough to summon my mum today?"

Alfie rolled his eyes. "You're worse than my dad," he sighed. "And yes, I'll be fine."

"I'm just checking," Koda chuckled when their drinks were placed on the table. The waiter eyed them like it was the first time he had seen two guys sit right next to each other, before speed walking away as if the booth was on fire.

Koda stared after him, not looking the least bit phased and it was refreshing for Alfie to be with someone who wasn't always looking around, acting embarrassed to be in his presence. Then he tensed, and Alfie was about to take back what he thought until he spotted what was suddenly worrying him.

Koda's friends walked in, confident and cocky as usual. Of course, Alfie thought. Going out to lunch with his crush was far too good to be true.

When they spotted them, he thought he heard Koda curse under his breath, but he didn't attempt to scoot away or remove his arm from the back of the booth.

It was Katherine who stomped up to the table, her perfect blonde ponytail bouncing behind her. Alfie, one day, would like to sneak up behind her and cut it off.

"Koda, we invited you to hang out with us today, and you said you were busy." Her eyes were like needles stabbing into Alfie's soul when she made eye contact.

"I am busy," Koda said more bluntly than what Alfie expected, and he thought he could see steam pouring from Katherine's ears when her nose twitched, as well as her eyebrows.

"Can we talk?" she asked through gritted teeth.

"I'm on a date. We can talk later."

Alfie felt Koda relax against him and his ears were ringing, his heart was pounding, his entire body tingled with surprise. The guys behind Katherine also looked shocked. Some more than others, but nobody dared to say anything. They only stared at Alfie with mild curiosity.

"So our kiss meant nothing?" she said, glancing at Alfie and smirking when he frowned.

"What?" Koda tensed again. He sounded both astonished and horrified. "You want to lie and say I kissed you? I have standards you know."

Alfie couldn't hold it back. He laughed, short and entertained. The guys behind Katherine either frowned or looked away to keep their sneers quiet. Alfie couldn't believe how tightly they were wrapped around the blonde bimbo's little finger.

"You want to talk about standards? Look who you're on a date with," she growled, and Koda glanced at Alfie to make sure her comment hadn't hurt him. He seemed a little fed up but entertained nonetheless.

"Are you joking? Alfie's way out of my league." Koda saw Alfie's head snap up towards him. He could feel startled eyes burning into him and found the perfect opportunity to move his arm from the back of the booth and place it around Alfie's shoulders. "Now leave. Go and hit on other gay guys if you're that desperate."

Alfie's upper half pulsed. Koda's arm around him was warm, strong, comforting. It made him feel like he had a protective barrier all around him as their bodies leaned against each other. He could barely concentrate on anything else, even Katherine when she turned and pushed through her group of friends and out of the exit. The rest of them left after glaring between Koda and Alfie with unreadable faces.

"I didn't kiss her," Koda said after a moment of silence. The restaurant wasn't that busy.

"It's not my business if you did-"

"I like you."

Alfie was willing to bet money on his heart stopping completely. Everything around them faded, even the noise. Koda was looking down at him, and if he connected their gaze, Alfie was worried he would turn into an actual puddle.

"I never thought I'd say that about anyone, but I do," Koda continued. "You're kind and funny. You listen to me when I speak, and you care about how I feel. It's been a long time since someone wanted to help with my problems. I don't feel like I'm burdening you and I've never felt that from anyone, not even my parents."

Alfie then looked up. Koda's eyes had glazed over with something he could only detect as admiration. He watched him like he was the only person in the restaurant. Alfie wanted to laugh it off and pretend like he wasn't completely blown away and bursting at the seams with happiness, but he also wanted Koda to know how much he meant to him too.

"Honestly, I never thought you'd say any of this stuff to me." Alfie fiddled with the ends of his sleeves, wondering how embarrassed he'd feel after telling the truth, but Koda deserved to know. "I've had a crush on you since we were in primary school." He could feel himself heating up. Blushing was something he never did until Koda started paying attention to him.

Seconds passed that felt like minutes until Koda smiled. It wasn't a tired one or forced, it was big and brightened his eyes, creasing them at the sides and revealing his one dimple. "I've been so oblivious to your feelings, but I notice it now. You're pretty cute."

Alfie felt a breath catch in his throat. "I'm not cute."

"No?" Koda leaned closer, and his arm tightened around Alfie's shoulders. Thoughts of his mother had completely slipped his mind.

"No. I'm-"

"Adorable."

Alfie shook his head with a chuckle, barely believing that he was having such a conversation. Thankfully, he was saved by the nacho's being placed in front of them and the waiter, once again, running off.

As they dug into their food, the atmosphere around them was gentle, like they were placed in a bubble full of good thoughts and fuzzy feelings. Alfie's head was thrown into the clouds, and nobody could drag down his high spirits, not even Koda thinking that he was cute. If anything, it was a massive step forwards to calling their date exceptionally successful. And he didn't mind. From Koda's point of view, he probably was cute, more physically than anything. Alfie could embrace that.

"You think I'm out of your league?" Alfie asked, eyeing Koda from the corner of his gaze.

Koda bit his lip and eyed him back. "Obviously. I don't know what you see in me," he chuckled.

"You sound like me." Alfie reached for the same chip Koda did, and he yanked his hand back. "My god. Could that have gotten any more cliche?"

"Yes," Koda said, taking a sip of his strong coffee. "We could have ordered spaghetti to share. We could have accidentally started eating the same strand that happened to be like a foot long. Our faces could've gotten closer and closer." Koda leaned down, his voice going low. "Until our lips accidentally touched and we blush because we had no idea that would happen."

Alfie could feel his breath against the side of his face, and he turned his head. The tips of their noses brushed together as he looked up and Koda looked down. "That's more cliche than this moment?"

They watched each other for longer and Koda stared at Alfie's mouth as their hearts sparked with the same electricity. Alfie thought the moment was about to happen. The one move he had fantasised for years was seconds away from becoming his reality. Then his phone buzzed against the table. Alfie turned his head just as Koda leaned closer and his lips pressed hard against his cheek instead of his mouth.

They both froze, Alfie with his eyes wide and still, Koda with his lips against his skin that was getting warmer by the second. Then Koda pulled back, and Alfie wanted to scream. "You just tried to kiss me," he said, feeling a little breathless, "and I, moved, my, head." Koda's cheeks were red and brighter than any tomato Alfie had ever seen. Even his nose was crimson as he smiled with great satisfaction.

Koda, to Alfie's disappointment, sat up. His smile had turned into a cheeky smirk. "Well, you just missed your chance."