After the two successfully exchanged their numbers despite the argument,
Kian stopped in his tracks, seeing Arden had stopped.
"Hm?" Kian looks over to the right to see what place Arsen had decided on and he blinked slowly in confusion and doubt. He looks at Arsen who was already aware of his confusion.
Arsen only smiled calmly as he entered the place, stopping in front of a machine. "Win me one"
Blinking slowly Kian went silent for a while. The place he stopped at was an arcade.
He wanted Kian to win him a stuffed animal from a claw machine?!
"You.. you want me to get you one of these?"
"Yes. Why? Is there something wrong?" Arsen raises an eyebrow obliviously.
"N-no.. it's just.. I didn't expect this. Are you sure? You won't ask for anything else?"
"Yes I'm sure. Go ahead" Arsen nods towards the machine. Hesitantly, Kian looks over at the machine. "I'll need to exchange for some arcade coins first. Hold on" he goes over to pay for the coins, getting 10 since he was not good at the claw machine ever since.
Coming back, he takes a deep breath and puts it in.
First attempt: fail
He frowns a little and tries again. Fail again. "Third times a charm"
"You can do it" Arsen watches him fondly from behind.
When the stuffed toy fell again, Kian grumbles frustratedly. 3rd time he failed and he was already close to breaking this machine.
4th time: fail
Kian takes a deep breath to calm down his nearly exploding anger. Arsen chuckles and goes over behind him, taking his hand, leading it to the controls "let me help you"
Kian felt his face heat up at their closeness. He bites his lower lip.
"Hey, concentrate" Arsen's deep voice sounded in his ear.
"How am I supposed to concentrate with you so close to me like this" he spoke in a hushed tone.
"Are you flustered?" Arsen smirks and matches his volume. "I'm helping you win"
With Arsen's guidance, he managed to grab a stuffed toy but it fell just when it almost reached the drop box.
Kian sighs "see, even with your help it doesn't work"
"But it was close, let's try again"
"No! Let me do it. I can do it." Kian inserts another coin. He couldn't remember what try it was. Fail again.
Another
Fail
Another
Fail
Looking at his palm, there were two coins left. Arsen had also grew silent as he let Kian concentrate
Kian gently guides it, presses the button, it goes down, grabs a stuffed toy, carries it up, goes to the drop box and fell.
"Yes!" Kian cheers and smiles widely. He quickly bends down to grab it and shoves it in Arsen's face. "Here! ahaha I can't believe I actually did it!"
Chuckling, Arsen holds the stuffed toy, looking at it. It's cute.. it was a black fox
"It looks like you"
Kian turns to Arsen "what? Do you not like it?"
Kian tries to snatch it from him but Arsen protects it with his arms and turning away.
"No, I like it. You worked so hard for it, thank you Kian~" Arsen smiles and Kian also did.
"Want to get some drinks?" Arsen spoke again.
"Ah-.. I just came from a coffee shop but I guess I can treat you to some drinks"
Yes, a little more than what he owes is always good.
They went to a small dessert restaurant and Kian just ordered watermelon juice while Arsen ordered black coffee.
They chatted for a while when Arsen's phone rang.
Kian looks over at Arsen. He didn't mean to be nosy but he was curious. As soon as Arsen picked it out, Kian looked away awkwardly. He could hear the yelling from across the phone from where he was. He felt bad for the male. Kian wanted to ask about it later shrugged it off, he didn't want to be too nosy on other people's business.
Arsen settled the call and hung up, placing it down. Kian coughed awkwardly and sipped on his drink. Arsen looks at him "it was about work.. you know the recent scandal"
"Figured" Kian briefly checked his phone messages.
"What's your relationship with Damian?" Arsen leans back, looking over at the younger.
Kian knew this was gonna come. He didn't want to say that he was his brother. He didn't want to be associated with the Elrod family at all. "It's complicated"
Little did he know that saying this would lead to a different problem.
Arsen sips on his coffee and hums "I see.. classified information? Must be quite intimate for you two to spend your time together in a bar" he puts his coffee down on the plate.
"I guess you can say that. Though it gets a little too much sometimes." At his innocent words, Arsen furrowed his eyebrows.
Kian got a notification from his brother. He didn't bother to pick his phone up and only glanced at it on the table and shrugging it off. He didn't want to deal with this right now, he'd give back the money one way or another.
"You want to be a doctor right? I must say I was surprised to learn that" Arsen chuckles. "I mean.. you don't look like someone who likes to study and you don't look like the type to be healthy"
Looking up from his phone, Kian looked at the older male and chuckles as well "that's true, but I'm not taking it for my own health. I don't care what happens to me. I just want to help people" he sips on his drink before realizing. "Ah.. that sounds a little cliche doesn't it? I really mean it though" at the corner of his eyes, he saw a man dressed in all black by the window outside the restaurant. Eyeing it suspiciously but not thinking much of it and turned back to the male who took another sip from his coffee. He did however feel someone watching him.
Kian decided to act casual and oblivious. Smiling brightly at the male in front of him. "So, we're like in the getting to know phase now?" He asked jokingly.
"I can say we've been there for a while" Arsen calmly smiles back at him.
Kian continued to stay cautious as he glanced around using the side of his eyes. He took another sip, finishing his drink and noticed Arsen breath out and unbutton two buttons, he blushed slightly and looked down.
"I'll have to go in a few minutes, I still have some things to do, and I think you also do.." he raised his hand to ask for the bill and starting fixing his things. He got his wallet to get some money.
"I can pay for it don't worry" Arsen took out his card.
"No no I'll pay, it's fine" the bill arrived and Kian checks it. As he was too busy paying, he failed to notice Arsen looking at the suspicious figure in annoyance.
Kian gives the payment over to the server and as soon as he did, Arsen went over to his side, wrapping an arm around his waist and pulling him close.
Kian looks at him weirdly "h-hey what are you doing?"
Arsen bends down to whisper on his ear "sshh, someone is watching us. Stay by my side till we get out and lose him, okay? Let's go" With that, Arsen starts leading him out.
"But.. my change" he whispers back with a frown.
"I'll give you the amount you paid, just follow me" he whispers.
Kian shivered as the male's breath hit his ear. He only nodded and blushed deeper as the taller male held his wrist led him out. They walked towards the entrance of the mall, Kian made sure to still be cautious of the person watching them. As they came to a halt, Kian looked at Arsen "Are they following us?" he was answered with Arsen tightening his hold on him. He didn't dare look back and continued to stay close to Arsen.
He tried to keep up with the Arsen though eventually they reached a dead end. Kian managed to see the person that was following them. He didn't know that face, it was a man around his late 20's. Someone probably sent him to stalk and find dirt on Arsen.
Arsen quickly pulls Kian towards a door and he was dragged into a cubicle. Arsen locks the door and release a breath. It was a really tight space and they probably looked weird, being in there together.
"Let's stay here for a while alright? I don't know what he's after but we have to make it seem like we aren't together. I don't want to involve-"
The door to the bathroom suddenly opened and Kian hesitantly stepped close to Arsen and Arsen immediately held him close. Kian places one of his feet on top of the male's. The two stuck their bodies together and their position was very awkward. Kian had to hold onto the male in order to maintain his balance, he looked down, avoiding eye contact as they waited for the Spy to disappear. Why did they even send a spy, and to watch over who? Kian had assumed it was the Fell's doing but seeing the person eyeing him and not Arsen, it might be something else. But then why would the Elrod's suddenly care about him?
Kian's breathing was probably already touching Arsen's skin with how close they are. He turned his head towards the door when he heard the spy's phone ring.
Arsen looks down at Kian's head. "I have a plan" he whispers while the spy was distracted with the phone and Kian looked up. "I go out and distract him so you can leave"
Kian furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head, it was a bad idea. The spy might just report it to whoever sent him and make the situation worse. He looked back down and thought of a plan. There were spaces underneath the stalls connecting to another stall, but then again it'd be hard to escape using that, it'd look suspicious, Kian bit on his lower lip frustratedly.
"We can use the spaces underneath and crawl out using the other stalls and flush toilets to distract him, someone can go first then someone stay behind and flush the toilet to divert his attention and leave. He'll then hear the door and probably go out to chase whoever went first so the one left can leave"
"No" Arsen whispers as quietly as possible.
Sighing, Kian looked down, feeling the male tighten his hold on his waist.
"Let's make out"
Kian was caught off guard by this suggestion and a blush crept up onto his face once again as he looked up, clearly against it.
"He probably wants dirt on me and the current scandal. Rumors about me and woman aren't rare so this won't be anything big" Arsen whispers.
Kian bit his lower lip, uncertain. Was this really the only way? Kian closes his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath and then looked up at Arsen, nodding. It was only for the sake of getting out, so it wouldn't mean anything, right? He thought to himself, or maybe he was just overthinking.
With his approval, Arsen slowly leaned in and kissed him. Kian swore he almost stopped breathing and he blushed brighter every second that passed with their lips touching. For some reason it felt comfortable, he didn't feel bad, all he felt was his heart beating fast at the moment. Slowly relaxing, he leaned in to make it seem more real. He didn't need to close his eyes.
Kian, having recovered from being flustered figured they needed to make sounds to make the spy go away. As their lips parted for the first time, Kian let out a breath and panted. He wasn't done catching his breath yet when the male kissed him again "Mph!" He made a small noise.
Arsen grabbed Kian's wrist, pushing him and pinning him to the wall, making rustling noises and eventually a thud as Kian's back hit the cubicle walls. He leaned in and pressed more into the kiss. He was distracted and too much into it that he failed to realize Kian struggling to get out of his hold. Once he did, he immediately let go and backed away. "I-I apologize. It was too much"
Kian gasped for air as the male finally stopped. "it's okay" he panted. He then turned his gaze to the cubicle door and then at Arsen, as if asking if the spy was still there.
Arsen smiles "he left as soon as you made that noise earlier"
Motherfucker!
"I think you were too into it to notice"
Kian was beyond shocked and quickly opened the stall, stepping out.
"You!" He turns to Arsen. "I think YOU were too into it! I was-…" he bit his lower lip in rage.
"Hm? What? Flustered?"
Kian clenched his fist. He wanted to rid that smirk on Arsen's face. However he remained calm and only frowned to himself before walked out of the bathroom, wiping his lips with his arm. Then slapping his cheeks as if to wake himself up.
Was he just really tricked into making out with him?! He couldn't believe this.