Stuart awoke to the enticing aroma that tickled his senses. At first, he was surprised but that was until he remembered that he brought home a chef last night. He came down from his bed, the memory of last night slowly making its way back to his head.
He remembered rejecting Berry and he also remembered that he had plans for the day with Berry. He checked the time and was relieved when he saw that it was still early into the day. The sun had just risen, sending warm rays pouring into the room from the window because he forgot to draw the thick curtains last night.
He stood up and went to his bathroom, ready to prepare for the long day ahead that he had to spend with Berry. In an hour, he was done with preparing. He wore a casual outfit and his hair was also styled simply because he wasn't working today.
He walked out of the room, his first aim was to find Berry but when he reached the kitchen, he saw nothing of Berry. He proceeded back to his room before checking Kevin's room but there was no Berry there. He could have easily called out Berry's name and waited for him to reply but the tranquil atmosphere around him felt so good that he wouldn't want to disrupt it for anything.
Thus, he checked the whole house, opening and closing door after door until he went outside to the garden and stumbled upon a beautiful picture.
In the picture, there is a fair skinned man standing under the huge tree with dark hair cascading over his dark eyes. He is dressed in a red turtle neck that conceals his entire upper body and the long sleeves extend down to his knuckles. Around his neck, a dangling silver chain adds a touch of intrigue while a matching silver ring adorns the index finger of his right hand. His demeanour suggests an air of nonchalance as if he is simply biding his time, waiting for the uninteresting scene before him to pass.
Surrounded by the flowers, Berry looked too beautiful to be on this planet. He looked like an angel that accidentally fell from the heavens, though away from home, he still managed to look this beautiful. The huge tree in the garden cast shadows over him, shadows that seemed to have life in them as they danced with grace over his body as if caressing him while the air carried around the fragrance of the flowers.
In simple words, Berry looked breathtaking and the beautiful flowers around him blurred in comparison. Crazy as it might seem, Stuart felt like he was a fool. What was he thinking when he rejected someone as handsome as Berry? Was he drunk when he told this man that they would never share any relationship that wasn't friendship?
The pull was strong. So strong that Stuart was scared that he was going to fall for Berry. Every time he tells himself that he cannot see himself with a man like Berry, something crazy happens and he finds himself thinking of just giving Berry a chance.
What's the worst that could happen?
As the conflicting emotions swirled within him, Stuart could already tell that he was moving to the other end of the rope. The end that told him to just accept Berry. He could feel his resolve to only love Kevin crack and he could tell that it would not take long for it to start crumbling down.
With a voice that was as gentle as the morning breeze, Stuart called, "Berry,". His heart beat quickened as Berry slowly turned his head to face him. Those dark eyes expanded slightly, showing his surprise at Stuart's sudden presence. Those inviting pink lips parted slightly like he was going to say something but he kept quiet in the end.
The anticipation in his eyes was evident, he stood still as Berry approached him, gentle and steady footsteps sounding louder and louder as Berry took careful steps towards him.
Unexpectedly, when Berry reached him, he was enveloped in a hug with Berry's arms moving behind him to pat his back. The warmth of the hug and Berry's presence made Stuart feel immune to the slightly chilly morning breeze.
On their own accord, Stuart's arms moved and without even realising it, he was hugging Berry back, his head nestling in the crook of Berry's neck, feeling the soft fabric on his forehead and the side of his face.
"Friends can hug each other like this, right?" Berry whispered in his ear, his voice slightly nasal. Stuart responded with a slight hum. That was all he could do due to the distraction caused by the gentle yet alluring scent he perceived from Berry.
They were in that position for a long time just hugging each other and listening to the soft hum of nature and infrequent tweets of the early birds that tickled their ears while the slightly cold wind ruffled their hair.
Stuart knew that this was nothing close to the hugs shared between friends. He could have related it to the hugs he shared with Kevin in the past but this was different. He couldn't put a finger on what the difference was but he knew that there was a difference.
Berry withdrew from the hug and Stuart instantly missed the warmth that he was starting to get familiar with while dreading the harsh cold that suddenly enveloped him. He reluctantly pulled away from Berry but his hands subconsciously stayed over his lower back.
"We should probably go back inside. It's pretty cold out here", Berry suggested while his fingers pushed away the stray strands of hair that had fallen over Stuart's face. Another low hum reverberated from Stuart before both of them went back into the house.