Substance Assumptions

Oli didn't return John's calls for five days. When he finally did, he didn't sound happy, not that he expected him to.
"Hi John."

"Oli, hey, how are you?"

"Fine. You?"

"Not bad, I feel terrible though, I really want to make it up to you. Will you let me try?" Oli was quiet on the other end of the line for several minutes before he finally replied:

"Fine. What'd you have in mind?"

"I thought I'd surprise you. Can I pick you up at around seven?"

"Ok, sounds good. Do I need to dress casual or smart?"

"Halfway between the two. I'll see you later, bye." John hung up and couldn't stop himself from grinning when he caught his reflection in the mirror. He'd finally got the date he'd been after, the only challenge now was making it spectacular enough to make Oli happy again.

It was half pretending when Oli was cold to John over the phone. He was secretly over the moon that an amazing guy like him had gone to such trouble just to secure a first date.

Oli was in disbelief at how slowly the afternoon passed, but by the time he'd switched his outfit around god knows how many times, it was ten to seven, and he was buzzing John in, slightly ashamed of his - quite frankly - grotty flat when he knew what an amazing house he lived in.

"Hi." The shy smile on his face as he greeted Oli, completely oblivious to their inferior surroundings made his insecurities vanish and he smiled.

"Hey."

"I, uh, got this for you..." He mumbled awkwardly and presented a long-stemmed red rose. Oli chewed his lip to fight back a chuckle and took it happily.

"Well thank you. I've just gotta put this in some water. So are you gonna give me a hint about where we're going?"

"Nope. I am, however, going to tell you that you look amazing tonight." He felt warmth spread throughout his body and smiled.

"Thanks. You don't look too bad yourself." He sent Oli one of those crooked grins and the smaller man couldn't have pulled away if he'd wanted to when he leant in and kissed his cheek chastely.

"Well let's go then."

The two talked and laughed in his car on the way there, Oli couldn't keep up the façade of still being angry with him, his sweetness and gentle mannerisms wore away at it until it had dissipated entirely.

"The beach?"

John couldn't help but grin at the expression on Oli's face.

"You bet." He jumped out of the car and opened the other man's door for him, making him laugh. As they walked alongside one another up the bank to the beach, John ran ahead to look for his friend Garret. He was waiting and waved, sending a thumbs up in their direction before running away. He turned back and grinned.

"I really hope you like it."

"It's the beach, I'm sure it'll be great." He smiled and John couldn't help reachingout for his hand, grinning inside when he squeezed it back lightly.

"Oh wow, this is nice." John nodded, bursting with excitement at Oli's obliviousness to what the actual date was, and pulled him down towards the black ocean.

"Not yet it isn't. Up you go." John directed him towards the jetty, Oli glanced backwards.

"What?"

"You didn't think I brought you here to sit and look at a boat tied to a jetty did you?"

"Well...it's not a bad setting." John laughed and helped him up onto the raised wooden plank.

"Please tell me this isn't yours."

"No, it's my friend Garret's, I want it though. I asked if we could borrow it for tonight." Oli grinned and climbed onto it.

"This is amazing!" John felt as though he might burst with excitement and happiness as he untied the moorings, choosing to use the engine rather than the sails to get them further out to sea.

"You're not scared of the ocean or anything like that are you? I didn't think to ask-"

"Are you kidding this is great!" John poured the champagne once they had settled and moved to turn on the radio, but Oli stopped him with a gentle touch to the wrist.

"The sea's a much better soundtrack." He smiled in agreement and they began chatting, later moving below deck for dinner, and then resurfacing for more conversation. Oli's face was so bright and energised he kept John's heart thrumming erratically the entire time.

When it was finally time to leave, a quick text to Garrett and the drive home was all John could bear before finally kissing Oli properly - outside his flat. He'd been planning to hold out, wanting to seem like the perfect gentleman, but when Oli pulled back, the lust in his eyes, his swollen lips and seeping out of every pore pushed that ideology out the window. They kissed for a further ten minutes before Oli gently pulled at his hands, asking silently if he was ready to take the step. A million thoughts flew through John's mind in that second, but he followed Oli up to his small apartment without hesitation.