But still. It had been a nice surprise, this friend date with David. Chatting and admiring the paintings. Or sometimes just walking quietly next to each other. It wasn’t weird; it was comfortable.
“What’re you smiling at?” David asked as they joined the tide of people headed for the parking garage.
“Hm?” Farzan schooled his face. He hadn’t realized he’d been smiling. But it was hard not to when he had that filled-up, floaty sort of feeling that he’d only ever got with Arya and Ramin before, whether they were crammed onto a couch watching a movie or shouting at a video game or laughing over mozzarella sticks. “I was just thinking. This is the kind of thing real friends do.”
“I guess it is, huh?” David dropped a warm, relaxed smile his way. “I can’t remember the last time I went and did something with my friends.”
“Really?” David didn’t seem like the kind of guy that had trouble making friends. Honestly, with a smile like that, Farzan couldn’t imagine anyonenotwanting to be David’s friend. Clamoring for it, even.
“Yeah. I had a couple close friends back in Chicago, but most of the folks I knew were, as the French say,toxique.”
Farzan raised an eyebrow. David’s accent was atrocious. “They say that, do they?”
“Of course.” He waved his hand. “It was mostly finance bros. They’re the worst.”
Farzan could believe that.
“And what about here? Any friendssansbenefits?”
“Not really.” David shrugged. “I’ve been busy.”
He said it lightly, like it didn’t bother him. But there was something in his jaw, like he was trying too hard to keep his face neutral.
It made Farzan’s heart ache, just a little, and he let his hand brush against David’s for a bit of warm comfort. He’d be lost without his friends. Maybe David needed tonight more than he let on.
“Hm. Me and Ramin and Arya have dinner once a week. That’s like… our BFF time. And I see Arya at the kickball games. Ramin comes sometimes, too, just to watch. His boyfriend is on our team, too.”
“Oh yeah? Do you have uniforms and everything? With cute little shorts?” He waggled his eyebrows.
Farzan shook his head, fighting off a smile. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“I might have to come to one of these games, then.”
That… actually sounded kind of fun. “You should.”
David waved him off, his voice light. “Nah, I don’t want to cramp your style.”
“You won’t. It would be fun.” Farzan held the door for David.
The parking garage was directly beneath a glass-bottomed fountain; rippling light danced across David’s features.
“Seriously,” Farzan continued. “You should come to one. We can add that to the benefits package.”
“Kickball games?” David teased.
“No. Hanging out. As friends.”
David’s lips pressed into a flat line. Farzan wondered if he’d pressed too far. They’d only really agreed to help each other professionally. And sexually.
Nothing about just… hanging out.
The thing was, Farzanlikedhanging out with David. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had this much fun. But David didn’t want that. Of course he didn’t. He’d made his goals clear: Study for his test. Have sex to relax.
Get the hell out of Kansas City and chase his dreams.
Farzan’s armpits felt damp. He’d fucked everything up. Again. He’d asked for more than David was willing to give, and now everything was going to go up in flames.
But before Farzan could apologize and say never mind, David’s lips relaxed into a smile.
