01-06-2024, 10:53 PM
Jensen found himself lingering on the edge of the party, a crystal glass of whiskey clutched in his hand. The ice cubes clinked gently against the sides as he took small sips, remembering how he had first learned to temper the harshness of straight liquor with ice that day with Tony. The warmth of the whiskey spread through his chest, a temporary relief, but it did little to alleviate the heavier weight of emotions he carried within.
He couldn't shake off the feeling of guilt for resorting to alcohol as a means to calm his turmoil. Leaving the penthouse felt like an impossibility, yet staying amidst the buzz of conversations and laughter felt increasingly suffocating.
The whiskey, though touted for its smoothness, still sent a slight shudder through him with each sip. His gaze drifted across the room, involuntarily drawn to Ezvin and Aiden. They seemed engaged in a casual conversation, but Jensen couldn't help but feel a pang of something – concern, perhaps, or a trace of envy. He watched them from a distance.
As he watched, Jensen noticed Ezvin's occasional glances in his direction. Each look was brief, but it carried a mixture of concern and something unspoken. Jensen took another sip, the whiskey now tasting more bitter than soothing but filling his head with welcomed easiness. He wondered what was going through Ezvin's mind, whether the night had changed how Ezvin saw him.
Setting the empty glass down on a nearby table, Jensen decided it was time to break the cycle of his own thoughts. He needed to talk to Ezvin and clear the air, to understand where they stood after everything. Taking a deep breath, he made his way through the crowd towards Ezvin. Sage had rejoined Aiden by then, displaying a great deal of affection between him and his lover in a way that Jensen would normally have looked elsewhere, but with the warmth of whiskey and determination, emboldened him a little more than usual. He didn’t realize how much he missed the intimacy of touch and trust until this very moment.
Yet as the three pairs of eyes turned toward him, the pressure of the moment was too much. He was able to read between the lines. “Ezvin,” he spoke as if to draw him aside for some semblance of privacy, “I think I’m going to go. Thank you for inviting me.” His smile was constrained but sincere. He shared his goodbyes with Aiden and Sage and made his way toward the door before he changed his mind.
He couldn't shake off the feeling of guilt for resorting to alcohol as a means to calm his turmoil. Leaving the penthouse felt like an impossibility, yet staying amidst the buzz of conversations and laughter felt increasingly suffocating.
The whiskey, though touted for its smoothness, still sent a slight shudder through him with each sip. His gaze drifted across the room, involuntarily drawn to Ezvin and Aiden. They seemed engaged in a casual conversation, but Jensen couldn't help but feel a pang of something – concern, perhaps, or a trace of envy. He watched them from a distance.
As he watched, Jensen noticed Ezvin's occasional glances in his direction. Each look was brief, but it carried a mixture of concern and something unspoken. Jensen took another sip, the whiskey now tasting more bitter than soothing but filling his head with welcomed easiness. He wondered what was going through Ezvin's mind, whether the night had changed how Ezvin saw him.
Setting the empty glass down on a nearby table, Jensen decided it was time to break the cycle of his own thoughts. He needed to talk to Ezvin and clear the air, to understand where they stood after everything. Taking a deep breath, he made his way through the crowd towards Ezvin. Sage had rejoined Aiden by then, displaying a great deal of affection between him and his lover in a way that Jensen would normally have looked elsewhere, but with the warmth of whiskey and determination, emboldened him a little more than usual. He didn’t realize how much he missed the intimacy of touch and trust until this very moment.
Yet as the three pairs of eyes turned toward him, the pressure of the moment was too much. He was able to read between the lines. “Ezvin,” he spoke as if to draw him aside for some semblance of privacy, “I think I’m going to go. Thank you for inviting me.” His smile was constrained but sincere. He shared his goodbyes with Aiden and Sage and made his way toward the door before he changed his mind.