Page 15 of To Cuddle A Gremlin

“No. Definitely not now. But maybe this weekend? It’s Thursday, so I can ask about your plans for the next couple of days. Can we talk about the town festival?” Isadore threw everything into his eyes, praying Sebastian would say yes.

“Maybe we should wait. I mean, this is a little—we’ve had a few rough starts, and it’s?—”

“A walk around town. Show me your Granite. Nothing big or fancy. Just a few hours together,” Isadore begged.

“Sounds good. I can do that.” Sebastian seemed so unsure. Isadore ached to take everyone who dared to hurt this sweet man and beat some sense into them. Sebastian blinked, and his expression cleared. It was like a light shone down on him, washing away the negativity.

“Can I text you Saturday morning for more details?” If he told Sebastian when he would text, Isadore would have a good chance of a yes.

“Oh sure. I just don’t look at my phone when I’m at work. It’s frowned upon.” Sebastian inhaled deeply. “You can contact me anytime.”

“What a dangerous statement, friend. So very dangerous,” Isadore teased. Walking the fine line of fierce joy and the desire to bring Sebastian deeper into his life challenged Isadore. He was keen to attempt the chance.

“It’s okay. You can send stuff, I don’t mind,” Sebastian muttered shyly. Glancing around, he stepped close and stared deep into Isadore’s eyes before smashing his lips against Isadore’s mouth. Blushing, Sebastian smiled and dashed away.

Stunned, Isadore brushed his lips. The kiss was a delightful surprise. He hadn’t expected any sort of affection from someone as shy or reticent as Sebastian. And Sebastian had taken that first step, despite the fears that swamped him. Sebastian had touched him, in public, fleeting as it was.

Now he had to plan a good and proper date with Sebastian. The location had to be safe and have plenty of exit strategies in case something happened. Isadore had a feeling lots of things “happened” to Sebastian. Nothing was going to occur on their date, not if he had anything to say about it.

CHAPTER 7

Crash: What do I do?

Kazmier: Where did this come from?

Crash: This is a terrible idea

Kazmier: You know you’re not giving me any information or context, right?

Crash: I’m pretty sure I have a date.

Kazmier: Another one? And so soon? Interesting. How can you not realize if you have a date?

Crash: Because these things never happen to me, and I suck at them.

Kazmier: Everyone sucks at dates. It’s in the rule book.

Crash: THERE’S A RULE BOOK? Why hadn’t anyone told me?

Kazmier: I don’t know. Anyway, you’ll be fine. I believe in you and all that fun stuff.

Sebastian stared at Isadore’s contact information. Still, the name and number were enough to leave Sebastian in awe. He had the phone number of a person he liked. And there hadn’t been arm-twisting or begging involved.

The problem remained though, of going out with someone who wouldn’t tease him or having the afternoon go off the rails in a spectacular fashion. Which was asking a lot of Sebastian. He shuddered at some of the first dates or friend outings he had in the past, and they remained locked in his memory banks, though blips of repeated mishaps peeked out, causing Sebastian to shudder.

God, Sebastian hoped this date with Isadore went well. He hoped it’d be perfect, therefore leading into something more involved. Isadore opened up a part of Sebastian that longed for a deep connection with another person.

Though Isadore asked if he could text Sebastian, his messages remained empty. With anyone else, Sebastian would have placed the blame on himself. With the cursor blinking, Sebastian sent a geeky and tame meme involving air brakes and gremlins. Isadore would be unfamiliar with the cartoon, but the Looney Tunes gremlin had always tickled Sebastian.

The reply was a raised eyebrow and a response asking if Sebastian made a joke. Sebastian blushed even though no one was around. The point was that Isadore understood and responded.

Sebastian’s opening text broke the ice surrounding them, and Isadore sent him messages and memes with regularity. Most of the messages were innocent, asking about the festival theywere going to attend and queries about Sebastian’s hobbies. Isadore was always respectful of Sebastian’s boundaries, and because of his reticence, Sebastian opened up and began flourishing under Isadore’s attention. Sebastian didn’t understand why he shared details about his life with Isadore, but Isadore made every revelation okay. Isadore didn’t seem like the guy who would hold past mistakes to the light, which Sebastian appreciated.

A lot.

Today was the day of their second attempt at a first date. Isadore was going to meet him at the park entrance with hot drinks, and they’d explore the riverside area behind the old historic businesses. Sure, the downtown was where Sebastian worked, but seeing the area through fresh eyes seemed like a good idea. Sebastian shifted his feet, feeling the chill of the season creeping into his winter boots. It was gonna be one of those days where the sun shone bright and beautiful, but the air was crispy and cold. Basically, Sebastian’s favourite part of winter.

“Sebastian, hey!” Isadore called out his name, and the smile formed on his face as Isadore strode toward him. He was carrying a tray with their drinks, and a paper bag was stuffed between the two cups. His hair was loose and tangled, framing his face. Reaching Sebastian, he pulled him into a quick hug and released him. “I brought treats. Is that okay? There’s a new baker on the weekends who’s feeling a bit nervous under Tony’s exacting tutelage.”

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