feeling cian's hand had sam glancing down. their hands are joined before he even realizes it. what's happened?

sam's been hit by, sam's been struck by, a smooth criminal.

unsure of what to do, he just lets it happen. lets cian hold his hand and tries to focus on the words that were said while looking back forward.

thankfully it's become twilight and the pink in his cheeks can just, erm, blend into the sky or something.

"the next time, huh?"

CIAN MAHER

"well so far you're not boring and i don't hate the way you sound, feel, or smell."

important factors, he's a sensitive guy. as in, he has sensitivity issues. it's partially why he's so socially disturbed. had nothing to do with growing up in a mass graveyard, no way.

"keep that going and you might get a second date."

CIAN MAHER

no argument was given. instead, he just takes a seat with cian in the sand. it doesn't bother him, the sand. sand rinses off just fine in the shower or the ocean.

his drink's gone and he sets the empty glass away. there's a hint of burn in his cheeks but nothing over the top. tipsy? probably.

he glances to cian and arches an eyebrow.

"let's ask the questions that makes us really uncomfortable, like is this date thing going to happen until you get to fuck me and then you move on, or do you genuinely care who i am as a human being?"

he figured the latter. because everybody figures the latter. better to assume the worst and be surprised if the best decides to make a cameo.

CIAN MAHER

it seemed to sam that cian was much like him. the sort of person that went with the flow enough that he was accepted socially and therefore, for the most part, under the radar. don't kick up a fuss and you don't get noticed, sort of mindset.

but because of that, how much of what cian said was truth? heart, soul, truth?

the philosopher and crypt keeper wondered, but kept the question to himself.

"i'm not sure what i want. i barely have friends, let alone physically appealing individuals wanting to know who i am as a person."

CIAN MAHER

unsure, a bit confused, and flattered, sam found himself blushing as the young man leaned into his shoulder.

his heart was thrumming away in his chest like he'd taken a straight shot of adrenaline.

stuff like this made his palms sweaty, he hoped cian wouldn't fault him for it.

"i've a physically appealing friend?"

there was a smirk on his lips, a hint at him attempting to try and relax, find comfort in the moments with cian. on the beach, with a sunset, being romantic af.

hoenn really was a wild ride.

CIAN MAHER

"for now? is your physical attraction fleeting?"

he was reminded of all those fairy tales where the beautiful young women would turn into ugly old witches by midnight and all that if certain spell criteria, like souls of children, weren't met within a time limit.

CIAN MAHER

sam's expression sobers. his eyes graze the orange horizon, then the waves. his eyes remain there, mind on the boy beside him.

"i could use a few good friends, honestly..."

he wasn't the sort of guy who needed a boyfriend, or a one time fling. commitment meant everything to sam, and he wasn't very trusting right away.

the only reason he'd walked on the beach with cian to begin with was because he enjoyed talking to cian. thus far, nothing ill from the boy. decent bit of humor. sam restrained his own dark humor in fear it wouldn't be accepted.

CIAN MAHER