Starting with this penultimate chapter?
What you missed in the 12 prior chapters:
Adrian gave up smoking when his friend Laura said that if he did, he could fuck her arse three months later. But since then, he's got together with Dan, an online date Laura found him to help distract from his cravings. Eventually Dan found out about Ade's agreement with Laura.
In the previous chapter, Adrian didn't believe it when Dan told him to go ahead.
Will they, won't they?
Yes, I'm aware that this is a woman narrator in the Gay Male category. If there were a Filthy Bisexual category, most of my stories would be in it, but in the meantime, chapters with GM content are in the GM section (mild spoiler).
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Three months since my friend Adrian gave up smoking.
I'm nervous and still don't know what to expect.
A sincere hug from two guys is a good start.
"Come on in!" Ade greets me.
"We're having dinner in civilised fashion," Dan explains, tea-towel over one shoulder of his tight-fitting T-shirt.
Adrian's looking a bit pale and nervous, but otherwise back to his normal self, smiling widely at me.
"Bet you thought this day would never happen! Me, three months off the fags!"
"Well, until three months ago, that's what I thought! Once you'd really decided to give it a go, then, well... You're a stubborn git. I had faith in you."
"Isn't he just!" Dan chimes in, after the word 'stubborn'.
"Oi!"
"Last time I let you be a workaholic, I tell you. No more working weekends, nor after 10 pm, you hear?"
Ade looks chastened, amusingly.
"Dan, thanks so much for looking after him."
He shrugs. "If it hadn't been for me, he wouldn't have got into that state."
I'm not convinced by Dan's attempts to put the blame onto himself.
"Or me. On the other hand, if it hadn't been for me, he'd never have met you, so I'm trying not to feel too guilty." I still feel bad, though.
"You're right. No, it's all because our man here is soft in the head. Yes you are, don't argue."
Adrian turns his palms up on the table and shrugs, happily.
"It's nice seeing you on a more relaxed occasion," Dan continues, turning over something in a pan.
I catch Adrian's eye. "Oh, I don't know. You seemed pretty relaxed the first time we met!"
Bingo. Adrian's laughing and Dan has to drop his spatula, he's corpsing so much.
Once he's recovered enough to take the pan off the hob, Dan turns and faces me, still a bit red, but grinning. He comes over and shakes my hand. "Ta, for the introduction." And then he collapses laughing again.
"I think we're going to get on."
Adrian agrees. "Aye. Now the important question - are you going straight for the whisky this night?"
"D'you have any wine?"
"That'd be a no."
"Whisky it is, then. Pass us a glass. What are you having?"
"I found this nice wee bourbon a while back. Thought it would go with the ribs and greens, all American, like. Glass for me, glass for you."
I glance at Dan. "You not having any?"
"Not really my thing, just once in a while. I prefer the beer."
"Going for American beer to go with the food?"
"God, no! You know what they say about Yank beer, like sex in a canoe..."
"Fucking close to water, I know. There's some good microbreweries nowadays, though," I tell him.
"True, but they don't export much, yet. So might as well stick to the European lagers using the same recipes. Or what's in the fridge; same difference!" He tracks down an Amstel from the salad drawer, which is clearly a beer drawer in this household. Lots of veg on the shelves, though - they're both eating pretty healthily. I suspect they're a good influence on each other.
They've rustled up ribs and jacket potatoes, plus salads and olives and cheese. Dan is moving confidently around both the kitchen island and Adrian, laying a hand on his shoulder to steer him out of the way, left then right. More surprising is that Adrian is letting him.
Diane wouldn't do that. They'd both decide who was working in which bit of the kitchen, and no-one ever unexpectedly touched him from behind.
I wonder how much is Adrian getting more relaxed about life in general, or whether it's just easier because Dan's taller than him?
Adrian dishes up for me and him, and we get stuck into the food, stickiness from the ribs getting all over.
"These are good! You make them?"
"Hell no! I know my limitations - Borough Market's finest."
"He's got the idea. Let the chefs do the tricky bits, then we just put their work in the oven and do the side dishes. Job's a good 'un," Dan chips in.
"And why not. Leave the complex cookery to the experts or those who enjoy it, like Will."
"Will's into cooking, isn't he?"
"Big time. How d'you know?"
"He invited us round, last week. It was him ringing up that got you round," he pauses, "last time we met."
"He's a good guy. If a
tad
obsessed with showing off his chef skills... And his wife Linz is another mate of ours from college, and she's just lovely. She said she loved you, and had a great time."
"Yes. We did. But, you know... It's practically meeting the family..."
Adrian pipes up, "Fuck that. It is meeting my family! Ma and I were never close, and Michelle and me just have nothing in common. The people who've been there for me these twenty years, thick and thin - that's me being thick, you don't need to mention it Laures - is Laura here, Will and Lindsey. And Gareth, but he's up in Manchester."
I nod. "You could have done worse."
Adrian slings his arm round me. "Cheers, 'Mum'."
"'Mum', seriously! Can I call you a motherfucking bastard, then?"
"Hey, if I end up actually doing the nasty with you, you can call me anything you like. 'God' will do..."