ROWON's fall

The club pulsed with energy, the bass from the music pounding through the floor and into the ribcage of Chris. Neon lights blazed in beat to the song, lighting up the room with a rainbow of color. Chris lingered beside the bar with a drink clutched in his hand, watching as Leo effortlessly worked magic on a dance floor group of people. Ryan stood next to him against the bar, smiling with a tilt to his lip.

"You know," Ryan said, raising his voice over the music, "you could at least pretend to be having fun."

Chris took a sip of his drink, his expression unreadable. "I'm trying. It's just… hard to shut everything off."

Ryan nodded, his gaze shifting to the crowd. "I get it. But you're here now. Might as well make the most of it."

Leo whirled a woman around before noticing them and pushing through the throng, his face flushed and a wide grin covering his face. "What are you two doing here? It's a club, not a board of directors' meeting. Let's dance, Chris!"

Chris did not respond, a small smile on his lips. "I'm okay, Leo. Go ahead."

Leo rolled his eyes and grabbed Chris's arm. "Nope, not taking no for an answer. You've been working nonstop. Time to let loose!"

Grudgingly, Chris allowed himself to be dragged onto the dance floor. The music was deafening, the people were energetic, and for a fleeting instant, he felt the weight on his shoulders lift. He shut his eyes, letting the rhythm take over, and for the first time in weeks, he felt free.

The night dissolved into a haze of music, laughter, and alcohol. With every gulp, Chris's reserve relaxed further, his movements smoother, his grins more frequent. Leo was in his zone, drawing Chris and Ryan along with him into his infectious energy as they danced carefree. Bodies pressed against bodies, arms slung over shoulders—everything carefree, on the verge of euphoria.

Leo had at some point walked out to the bathroom, and Chris and Ryan were left to themselves within the crowd. The song slowed, and much to their surprise, the space between them grew nearer. The strobe lights dimmed, illuminating them with a hazy softness. Ryan took a step forward, his usually subdued demeanor eased by the alcohol and the ambiance.

You're not half bad at this," Ryan breathed, his voice crisp with something new, something that left Chris shivering.

Chris laughed, the tone light and unrestrained. "Don't let Leo hear you say that. He'll never let me live it down."

Ryan grinned, his gaze drifting to Chris's lips. "Your secret's safe with me.".

For a moment, both of them didn't move. Everywhere else, the world disappeared leaving only the charged electricity between them. And then, quite suddenly, Ryan reached forward and kissed him.

Chris's breath still clung in the air. The kiss out of nowhere, a shock of heat and something alcoholically sweet. His heart pounded in his chest as Ryan's lips held for one more second than necessary before receding. Something long buried inside Chris, however, stirred—a sense both strange and all-consuming. He should have stepped back, should have kept things as they were, but instead, some unrelenting pull drew him in, brought him closer once again.

This time, he kissed Ryan back.

The hesitation was gone in an instant. Chris let himself go in the kiss, his body responding to Ryan's hands on his waist, pulling him in. A shiver down his spine came as Ryan's fingers brushed over the skin at the back of his neck. The heat, the feeling, the warmth between them—it was blinding.

Ryan deepened the kiss, his tongue tracing Chris's lips before moving past them. Chris breathed softly, his hands gripping at Ryan's shirt as his body responded in ways he had never expected. His heart thudded in his ears, every nerve ending blazing with something beyond description. He had never felt anything like this. The world was spinning, lost in the scent of Ryan's cologne, the heat of his breath, the weight of their bodies against one another.

Chris didn't know how long it had been since the real world came crashing down around him like a tidal wave. His first kiss—his first-ever kiss—had just happened, and it was with Ryan. A colleague. A buddy. Panic took hold. He pushed away, gasping, his face aflame with embarrassment and confusion.

"Ryan, I—" Chris started, but the words lodged in his throat.

"I… I have to leave."

Not waiting for a response, Chris pushed through the crowd, his head spinning. His heart still racing, his lips still tingling from the aftereffect of Ryan. He had kissed Ryan back. He had wanted to.

He stumbled towards the bathroom, his head spinning. When he opened the door, he saw Leo standing at the sinks, washing his hands under the water. Leo turned to Chris, who came in, a look of concern on his face.

"Hey, are you okay?" Leo asked, paper towel to dry his hands.

Chris swallowed hard, not meeting his eye. "Yes, I'm fine. I just. needed a minute."

Leo searched him, his teasing self replaced with genuine concern. He stepped closer, his fingers stroking Chris's forehead. "You're hot. You sure you're okay?"

Chris gasped for breath. The touch was so gentle, so unlike anything he'd ever felt. He didn't move as Leo's fingers drifted from his forehead to his cheek, lingering there for a fraction of a second more than he needed to.

"You're not fine," Leo murmured, his voice softer now, more intimate. "What's going on?"

Chris looked at him, his mind a whirlwind of emotions. He couldn't handle this—the closeness, the concern, the way Leo's touch sent shivers down his spine. The way his body reacted so instinctively, so desperately, to Leo's warmth.

Before he could stop himself, he bridged the space between them and kissed Leo with intensity, much more intensely than he ever imagined.

For a moment, Leo froze, shocked. Then, as if a switch had been thrown, he kissed back with equal fervor, his arms wrapping around Chris and pulling him close. Their bodies tightened together, passion pouring between them. The world outside them melted away, leaving only the heady taste of each other, their pounding hearts.

Leo's hands were on Chris's waist, gripping hard, as though he was afraid to let go of him. Chris, however, had his hands in Leo's hair, savoring the moment, losing himself in it.

The kiss deepened, grew more desperate, more ravenous. Time was of no consequence—only the inevitable heaviness that brought them closer to one another, the unspoken, raw emotions being felt between them in a way words never could.

Chris finally drew back, gasping, his forehead against Leo's. They locked eyes, both of them full of yearning, of confusion, something both were too afraid to name yet.

They did not say a word.

They did not need to.

Their moment was sufficient.

End of Chapter 11.