If I Could Move Again (MxM)

Drinking With a Friend (1)

Chapter 3: Drinking With a Friend (1)

***

As Ethan walked home he decided to call Tomas again. After several rings of the phone the man on the other end of the line picked up.

“Hello buddy! What happened at the new job? Did you get it?” Tomas asked in a cheerful tone, he was certain his friend go the job already.

“I did…” Ethan said while walking towards his apartment building.

“So when are we going to celebrate? Tonight at your place?” Tomas quickly made plans for the two.

“You know my landlord won’t like that idea…” Ethan said as he thought back to multiple occasions where they had disturbed his landlord that lived in the same complex as he did.

“Don’t worry! We’ll be quiet this time and won’t interrupt the man’s beauty sleep!” Tomas said excitedly and then continued. “Drinks are on me, alright?”

“Sure, let’s do that.” Ethan answered as they hadn’t drunk together in a while. Being as busy with work as the man was, he was barely left with enough time to study, not to mention time to drink with a friend.

*

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*

At evening time they both met at Ethan’s apartment. His apartment as well put together and nice enough for a student. Even though it was quite small, but for a single person it was more than enough. And the price on it wasn’t that bad either, only 190$ for a spacious room plus kitchen and bathroom.

“Guess what I brought? Your favorite drinks man!” Tomas happily said as he showed the store bags to the man in front of him.

“Thanks, it means a lot!” Ethan said excitedly as he took the bags to bring inside and allow the man to take off his shoes.

“Each time I come here it’s so well organized and tidy. It makes me wonder if we’re really the same age… My room’s a total mess all the time!” Tomas whined as if he was already drunk, yet he hadn’t touched any of the drinks.

“Haha~ it wouldn’t hurt to clean up your place from time to time.” Ethan simply laughed off the man’s whining.

“Seriously, you manage to work, go to school and also clean up. I bet that caretaker’s job is easy for you as well.” Tomas genuinely admired the man’s efforts and thought that his new job wasn’t doing to affect him much.

“About that… something weird happened on my very first day…” Ethan hesitated a bit as he spoke. He didn’t want to shock his friend too much.

“Really? What happened?” Tomas asked his friend while opening up a can of beer.

“My new employer, well…” Ethan continued to hesitate, it wasn’t easy to say something like that.

“What did he do? Did he yell at you or something?” Tomas asked with wonder as he’d never seen his friend hesitate like this before.

“Nothing like that. He’s actually a very calm individual, he didn’t raise his voice even once while I was there. Even thanked me for everything I did for him, simple tasks at that, like making tea and breakfast…” Ethan said in defense of his new employer.

“So what did he do that you are so troubled to tell me?” Tomas asked while putting down the beer can.

“He kissed me…” Ethan finally said what he meant to all along. It was the single thing that stood out to him as odd.

“Seriously?! Is he gay? How could he kiss you?” Tomas was so surprised he nearly choked on his beer. He couldn’t believe something like that happened to his friend on his very first day of work. “Isn’t that s****l harassment?!”

“Tone it down! The landlord is upstairs, remember?” Ethan tried to get his friend to calm down but it was already too late. The landlord was already at the door. The doorbell rang and Ethan went to open it. “Oh God, not again…” he silently murmured.

“What is all this racket?!” The landlord looked to be about 40 years of age and very cranky. It seemed like any small sound would bother him beyond belief.

“I’m so sorry Mr. Jones, I’ll make sure to be quiet from now on…” Ethan apologized to his landlord, who simply continued to cause trouble.

“You always say that and in the end still make so much noise! I am getting sick and tired of this already.” Jones yelled as he peeked inside the man’s apartment. “You even brought someone here?! How many times do I have to tell you not to bring anybody here?!”

“Again, I’m sorry sir.” Ethan continued to apologize without being left with much other choice.

“If this happens again, I am ending your contract!” Jones said then stormed off as angry as a man possibly could be.

*

Closing the door Ethan slumped to the ground and sighed.

“Seriously, that guy’s just waiting for us to make any kind of sound so he can come down and complain.” Tomas said with an angry expression then continued. “I don’t get it, why do you continue bowing your head to this guy?”

“I don’t have anywhere else I can rent for so cheap. And the dormitories won’t take me in either. It’s not like I have much choice…” Ethan said as he scratched the back of his head.

“What a pain in the ass that man is…” Tomas said as he picked up his things to leave. “Come on, let’s go.”

“Where to?” Ethan asked the man standing in front of him.

“My place, since yours is no good. We’re not going to ruin our only drinking night because of that bastard right?” Tomas asked with a smile on his face.

“That’s right!” Ethan said as he stood up and picked up the beverages.

*

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*

They soon went to Tomas’s apartment and settled down to do their drinking there.

“Now tell me more about that perverted boss of yours!” Tomas said in a moderately angered tone.

“He’s not a p*****t… After he kissed me told me it wouldn’t happen again. Maybe he was just confused?” Ethan said as he took a big gulp from his beer.

“Are you sure it won’t happen again? I mean he did it on the first day…” Tomas was clearly worried for his friend’s well being.

“I’ll be fine! Don’t worry so much! The pay is so good that it makes it seem so insignificant whether he kisses me or not.” Ethan answered as he continued drinking.

“If you say so, but if he tries anything again tell me okay? You have the odd habit of keeping a lot to yourself.” Tomas said once more in a worried tone.

“I’ll tell you, don’t worry.” Ethan reassured his friend and they continued drinking in peace.

Changing the subjects from one thing to another as they laughed and enjoyed the time they spend together.

Ethan’s mind however was still filled with thoughts about his handsome boss. Somehow he couldn’t forget the touch of his soft lips, nor the man’s strong cologne that almost made him weak in the knees… What exactly is happening with him?