Cheshire - 1. Step 1: Learning to trust

“Cheshire get off of there!!” exclaimed Ethan.

His beloved cat looked at him with a mischievous look, and he mentally remarked that he had chosen his cat’s name perfectly… Thankfully, the Norwegian forest cat jumped off the dining table Ethan had set up with his best plates, finest glasses and two candles, and came to him, purring as he rubbed himself on Ethan’s legs.

“I love you too buddy, but Chris is coming tonight.”

Ethan and Chris had been seeing each other for a while now. After a first coffee date they had agreed to meet again. The last time they had gone to a restaurant they both liked a lot, and, before parting, had kissed. A kiss that had left them both breathless and wanting more, but their shyness made them stutter before a last goodbye and a promise to see each other again soon, which they were doing now, only two days later. It had taken Ethan all his courage to ask Chris to come over to his place. Even though he was himself quite shy, he knew Chris would never make the first move himself. He hadn’t gotten the whole story from him, but he from what he understood, Chris had been betrayed by his last boyfriend. This had been easy to see from the start. Chris was jumpy around him on their first five dates, and the mention of the word boyfriend sent his eyes on a search for his ex. However, Ethan had been very patient, and given him all the support he could. After a few weeks, he had earned his trust (which had made him so unbelievably happy). He loved the new light that danced in Chris’ hazel eyes. Before they were a pool of clouded water, but now, now they were as clear as the sea and as blue as the ocean. Then Chris had started smiling much more often, and laughing too. The white glow of his teeth sent shivers down his back, and the pure sound of his laughter made his knees go weak. Never before had he felt something so strong for someone. Ethan had had his fair share of boyfriends, but none he cared for as deeply as Ethan.

He looked around his small apartment, making sure everything was ready. His eyes feel on Cheshire who was perched on a window sill. Cheshire was looking outside, watching the street below, with its passersby and the many cars that sped past. He was quite fond of his cat, as he had been his only companion, only friend, on many lonely nights and days too. Ethan worked from home all day, rarely going out, so he spent most of his time with his cat. Cheshire was not the sort of cat that enjoyed going out much, and he was perfectly content indoors with his litter-box, bowl, and his master. Taking his time Ethan went over to pet his cat, who purred contently.

Little did he know Chris was behind his door, full of last minute doubts, and fighting with his shirt and his dark brown hair. Chris had always been shy. In high school he was the quiet kid, he was neither popular nor unpopular, he wasn’t a geek or a jock, and he had a few friends with which he hung out. All in all, high school had been uneventful, until that day of course. College, however, was where he bloomed. He opened up, and fully embraced who he was. He made more friends, and he even found a really cute guy to be his boyfriend. He thought it would last forever and ever, which made it even worse when, after four years, he opened his apartment door to find his boyfriend having sex with a girl from one of their classes.

The higher the climb, the harder the fall.

For the final weeks of his last semester, he retreated inwards. He left the day of his last exam, and he didn’t ever look back. It was Fate that decided that, after two years of crying at least once a week, eating the bare minimum, and never going out at all, enough was enough!

On a shockingly cold winter night, Fate literally threw him in Ethan’s arms. He had been walking down the street, when a patch of ice had made him loose his balance. Thankfully, a man, Ethan, had been there to catch him. In a magical instant, Chris’ hazel eyes had crossed Ethan’s gray ones, and his breath had been swept away by the bitter wind. As if the cold had frozen time, they had remained like that for an eternity before regaining their composure, and he had surprised himself when he accepted the stranger’s invitation for coffee.

“You ok there?” Ethan had asked.

“Yeah, I euh… Thanks, for catching me I guess.”

“Any time, say you look pale, why don’t we get you inside with a cup of coffee, you look like you could use it.”

A few weeks had gone by, and they had kept seeing each other more and more frequently. Coffees turned into movies, then dinner dates, and finally dinner at Ethan’s place. It had been hard for Chris, trusting again, but what had sealed the deal was the passionate kiss they shared on their last date. The warmth of Ethan’s lips, his taste, his strong arms that had embraced Chris, all of it had blown away Chris’ final his last doubts. He had given in, and they had shared a moment that no one in the world could take away from them. That night, and for the first time in forever, he slept like a baby. He woke up with a smile on his face, and it seems that it lasted all day too! His coworkers had looked surprised with something when he had come in, and they had invited him to have lunch with them (which he had always declined). Over the last few days since the kiss, he had come to get to know them, something he had not done in the two years he had worked there.

Chris took a deep breath, shacking away the last uncertainties, and knocked on Ethan’s door.

Ethan turned at the sound, and quickly went to open the door, his heart beating at a gazillion miles an hour.

“Hey Chris,” he said softly.

“H-Hey Ethan.”

Ethan motioned for Chris to come in, and closed the door behind them. The latter stood awkwardly in the hallway, unsure on what to do next.

“Here, let me take your coat,” Ethan whispered in his ear.

Chris melted in Ethan’s arms, and let his coat fall off his slender shoulders. He then turned and their eyes crossed. Ever so slowly, their heads got closer and closer, until their lips met. They shared a tender kiss if Cheshire had not meowed at them, reminding them that dinner was served and he wanted a few bites. They laughed and Ethan did the introductions.

“Chris, this is my cat Cheshire. Cheshire, this is Chris,” his cat grinned at him, as if telling him:

“I’ve heard all about him already you know, Chris this, Chris that…”

Cheshire came over to where they were standing, and rubbed himself against Chris, purring all the while. Once he was done with his little show, he went back in the living room, and, looking back, meowed at them as if urging them on.

Chris let himself be led over to the dinner table set for two, and he sat down while his boyfriend went in the kitchen.

“His boyfriend?” he thought.

Well, it seemed that Ethan was just that, his boyfriend, but it was the first time Chris had called him that… He thought about it for a second then smiled.

Yes, Ethan was his boyfriend.

Ethan came back with two clinking glasses and a bottle of champagne, which he promptly opened. After having poured the bubbly liquid equally, he gave one of the now full glasses to Chris.

“To us,” he said, holding his drink up for a toast.

“To us.”

Cheshire, meowed his approval and grinned at his owner.

Just a little story I came up with in my free time. If you all want me to keep going with this story I will, but for now this is I have
Feel free to tell me what you think of it in the reviews
 
Have a wonderful day!