"Can I steal you for a minute now?" I asked him as he leaned back, the last of the cake on his plate having been recently swallowed. He nodded, pushing the chair back and attempting to stand. I grinned as he struggled around the other people crammed in the small gazebo like tent. As I slipped under the bottom hem of the tent I heard the zipper jerkily open and close. As I matched his steps he pouted at me.
"Cheater."
"Pft. So untrue." The dark wrapped around us as we walked towards the corner of the house. I watched as he ran ahead, bouncing as he did. Laughing, I crushed down the small flash of fear as I found myself standing alone in the dark, and jogged to catch up. I caught up as we rounded the corner, and grabbed his shoulders, steadying him.
"This way babe," I laughed, pointing him towards my car. I pulled the key out of my pocked, unlocking the door and quickly slidding into the passenger seat. The door clicked shut as I pulled it in towards me.
"Hey!" I heard the muted yell as he glared at me through the glass. He quickly climbed into the back seat, glaring.
"Mosquitos!" I defended myself, winking. He rolled his eyes.
"Kay, so what am I doing?" he asked, as I reached for the book beside me. I held it out to him, passing a green sharpie as well.
"You're signing Tom's goodbye present," I replied as he grapped it, following it into the back seat. I sat beside him as he flipped through the photo album. My gaze slid to the window as he began to write in the inside cover, giving him the privacy I had given everyone else when I had brought them away from Tom's dinner party, to sign my gift.
My brain slid thoughtlessly into autopilot, answering questions without really thinking. My thoughts drifted around in my head, unfocased, and unclear until his lips met mine.
"I'm glad that you're around," he muttered as my lips brushed his neck. I could hear the fondness in his voice, erasing my slight reaction of feeling used. He never was very good at expressing things... I nodded, kissing him gently again.
"I'm going to miss you," I whispered as I buried my head in his neck. He laughed, with a touch of awkwardness that only I would ever catch.
"Well, try not to miss me too much," he replied jokingly. I smiled at him, as my heart twisted. If that wasn't a dismissal, I didnt know what was. I laughed in responce.
"Oh, don't worry, I'll try not to." I climbed over the backseat from where we had been lying and slid the door open.
As I untangled myself from the pile of bodies on the trampline I felt my hand slip into his. Soft lips brushed my fingers, once, twice. As Kevin tumbled out from the pile of blankets, I watched, yearning filling my chest; The darkness thankfully hiding my eyes. Why? Why is he so affectionate, but only under the cover of darkness and blankets? Why does he not stay in the place he chose for himself as my friend? Even as a 'friend with benefits' that isn't nessisary. I don't expect it, and he knows it.
Why tease me with what I can't really have?