THANKFULLY, ISABEL JUST HAPPENED to be out with Seo-yun the night Nathaniel made plans, so Gabriel's anxiety was soon replaced with excitement. It had been a week, and Nathaniel wanted to keep the date a complete surprise. 

Nathaniel told him to wear nice but casual clothes, so Gabriel dressed in his smartest going-out outfit; a black sweater with a collared polo underneath, accompanied with fitting black jeans and a pair of hazel chelsea boots. He combed his hair back and spritzed on his best cologne. 

His hands were shaking. On one hand, he was convinced Isabel would come back home and everything would be ruined; on another hand, he wanted nothing more than to spend time with Nathaniel. The costs definitely outweighed the benefits of this, but in the moment, he didn't care. 

He just wanted to kiss Nathaniel again.

After finishing getting ready, the man waited outside for his paramour to come, and when he did, he nearly crashed into Gabriel's garage, forgetting to stop the car. All Gabriel could see was Nathaniel's slack jaw as the passenger window wound down. Gabriel laughed. Nathaniel was utterly mesmerised with Gabriel's appearance, his eyes trailing over Gabriel as he stepped into the car.

"You're... you're looking really good," Nathaniel said with a smile. Gabriel could tell from his voice that he was a little nervous. He admired Nathaniel's clothes; he looked good in a button up T-shirt, with dark jeans and designer sneakers. It was strange seeing him out of work clothes; it was a rarity, and both men took a moment to enjoy the sight of each other. Gabriel lapped up Nathaniel's scent of musk, wood and lavender before returning the compliment. 

Nathaniel did a quick scan of the street. It was empty. He turned back to Gabriel, bringing him in for a quick kiss. When they pulled away, Gabriel couldn't help but grin as Nathaniel began the drive. 

Pulling out of the driveway, the two were off. At some point after they left the outskirts of the city, Nathaniel put a hand on Gabriel's thigh, sending a shiver up his spine. His warm hand was comforting, caring, calming, sending sensations all over Gabriel's body as Nathaniel thumbed the outer hem of his jeans. God, Gabriel could have sworn his heart skipped a beat.

Soon, the pair were cruising along the coast, nothing but the sound of the radio playing Fleetwood Mac and the distant lapping of ocean water filling their ears.

Nathaniel took Gabriel to the Ruby Sea Star, a modern building built right on the top of a cliff, overlooking the ocean far out of town. It used to be an old lighthouse a few decades ago, but when boats stopped coming to this section of the coast, it was sold and converted into a surf and turf restaurant. The drive lasted over half an hour; Nathaniel wanted to make sure that nobody they knew would see them, so he chose the nicest remote restaurant he knew. The salty scent of the ocean, the sounds of the crashing waves, and the call of the hungry seabirds filled the air around the two as they got out of the car and walked towards the eatery.

The restaurant was packed. Gabriel's nerves set in. A family of five sat in a corner, the three children spilling drinks and chatting noisily as their parents struggled to contain them. A group of young women in their twenties sat on barstools at the bar, giggling and chatting, much to the annoyance of an elderly woman, dining alone, onlooking with a fiery expression. Businessmen sat in large groups, laughing with vigour as they swigged down glass after glass of beer. Chinese tourists sat at the edge, trying to decipher the menu, muttering words in a language Gabriel couldn't decipher.

The noise level was deafening. The smell of alcohol and seafood permeated the air like lingering bug spray. Gabriel wanted to leave. Nathaniel saw the worry on his face. 

"I didn't know it was going to be this busy. Are you okay?"

Gabriel shook his head no. But, then he realised; nobody's reacted to him entering. Whenever he went to a public place, there was at least one or two people that saw him and gave him a wave or a greeting. Everyone was too wrapped up in what they were doing to care about Gabriel. He was completely anonymous here. He was free.

"I'm good now."

Nathaniel gently smiled, before returning his attention to the hostess.

After announcing his reservation, Nathaniel and Gabriel were led to a secluded nook in the corner of the restaurant, illuminated by a soft amber glow from a lone ceiling light and two humble candles on the table. Adjacent to the table was an enormous arch window, overlooking the moonlit waves dozens of metres below them.

Gabriel had never seen a prettier sight in his life.

After settling in and ordering their food, they laughed and talked deep into the night, swapping stories of their childhood with each other while devouring an array of fancy oyster servings and buttered lobster tails. Gabriel shared tales of Little Gabe and his pet dog Sparky and their adventures cruising the universe, a grand tale summarising the love he had for his pooch when he was a kid, while Nathaniel told stories of his family building cubby houses together and how he used to ride his bike everywhere. Gabriel had never felt so happy. Seeing Nathaniel before him, laughing at something Gabriel said or holding his hand made Gabriel's chest explode with ecstasy.

Gabriel never wanted this night to end.

After finishing their meal, Nathaniel brought the waiter over and ordered a bottle of their finest wine with it's paired cheese, just for Gabriel. After all, one of them had to stay sober to drive home, and Nathaniel wanted to make Gabriel's night was even better than it already was. Gabriel had never felt more loved or wanted in his life, and he was drinking it all in.

Gabriel was soon intoxicated. A few drinks of the best wine he has ever had, with cheese that did nothing but enhance the flavour of it, Gabriel was well inebriated. All of his anxiety had melted away. Nothing else mattered in the world to him at this moment, except for Nathaniel. He wanted this to be his everyday. 

"Do you drink a lot of wine?" He asked Nathaniel, who was looking at the bottle's label. He shook his head. 

"Not a lot anymore, but I used to when I was younger. This particular one was first given to me when I began to learn how to paint. One of my first customers was a friend of mine and he was a real connoiseur; had racks and racks of wine bottles that he didn't know what to do with. Every time I painted him a piece, he would give me a wine bottle."

"You must have been drunk a lot," Gabriel spluttered. He was certain that his cheeks were bright red now from the alcohol; his stomach was warm and fuzzy. 

"Yep. I painted a few, but I learned he was selling my art without telling me, making a profit. Felt a little ripped off, so I stopped."

He shook his head. "Doesn't matter. I learned my lesson, and got a few decent wine bottles out of it. Guess it wasn't all in vain though; you're clearly enjoying it."

Gabriel smiled wide. He raised his wine glass, before taking another swig. "Yes, very much."

Nathaniel laughed. "Maybe I could do an art piece for you."

"What, like on Titanic?" Gabriel smirked. Nathaniel shrugged. 

"Well, if that's an excuse to see you nude, then... why not?"

Gabriel's cheeks blushed even more. He chuckled to himself, rubbing the back of his head. "Maybe."

Nathaniel winked as he ate a piece of cheese. He spies Gabriel's resting hand on the table. Taking a quick look around, he moves his hand onto his, slightly alarming Gabriel. 

"You're not worried?"

Nathaniel gently turned Gabriel's hand over, moving his fingers on his palm. "There's a reason why I booked the most private room in this place. Only the waitstaff can see us. I wanted this to be a special date. One to remember. Plus, I kinda wanted to ask you something."

Gabriel swallowed. He looked at Nathaniel, who was gently smiling at him across the table. His eyes seemed to dazzle against the candlelight, the orange flames gently illuminating his face. Gabriel interlocked his fingers with Nathaniel's, making the latter smile even more warmly. 

"Do you want to be my boyfriend? Or, my partner? I don't know, fuck, I feel like a highschool kid. What do adults say? Boyfriend feels so pre-teen."

Gabriel can't help but laugh. Despite everything in his head saying no, despite looking at the spot where his wedding ring should be, he says yes to being his boy-partner-friend. Nathaniel whoops and hollers, inflating Gabriel's chest.

"This has been the best date. I'm never going to forget this," Gabriel said.

And, to this day, he never did.

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Much love,
J.S x