Kareem was sitting on the couch, the TV barely holding his attention as he scrolled through his phone. He could feel Santi's eyes on him, the kind of gaze that made his skin warm even without being touched. He tried to ignore it, but it wasn't easy. Santi was close by, sitting on the armrest of the couch, his arm stretched out across the back of it as if claiming that little bit of space. Kareem tried to focus on the screen in front of him, but every time he glanced up, Santi's gaze would meet his, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
"You look good today, papi," Santi's voice broke the silence, low and playful.
Kareem rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You're always saying that."
Santi leaned in, his lips brushing against Kareem's cheek, and he pressed a soft kiss there. "That's 'cause it's true," he said, his breath warm against Kareem's skin. Before Kareem could respond, Santi's lips moved to the corner of his mouth, trailing a soft kiss there before making his way to his jaw.
Kareem closed his eyes, a low sigh escaping his lips. He wasn't fighting it anymore. He wasn't even pretending like he didn't enjoy it. He leaned into Santi's touch, his body naturally falling into the rhythm of Santi's affection. A small part of him still felt a little like it was all too much, but the rest of him-hell, the majority of him-was already gone. He couldn't lie to himself anymore.
Santi's lips found his neck, and Kareem couldn't help but let out a soft groan. His hands gripped the edge of the couch, but not to push him away. No, it was to hold himself steady as Santi's lips and hands moved over him like he couldn't get enough. His heart raced, and he felt that familiar warmth spread through his chest, all over again.
Kareem shifted on the couch, glancing down at Santi. "You're acting like you own me now," he muttered, though his voice was quieter than usual, soft in the way that showed he didn't mind it at all.
Santi looked up at him, his expression serious for a moment before he let out a short laugh. "I don't 'act' like I own you, papi." His hands moved to Kareem's waist, pulling him gently into his lap. "I do."
Kareem raised an eyebrow but didn't protest. He just slid onto Santi's lap, his legs on either side of Santi's hips. His heart was still beating fast, but now it felt different. It felt... right. Like maybe he was okay with it. More than okay, actually.
"You're handsome," Kareem said suddenly, the words slipping out before he could think twice about it.
Santi froze for a second, his expression softening as he met Kareem's eyes. There was something in his gaze now-something deeper, more genuine. "You think so?" he asked, his voice quieter than usual.
Kareem nodded, feeling a little heat rise to his face. "Yeah," he muttered, glancing away before meeting Santi's eyes again. "You're... really handsome."
Santi's lips twitched into a smile, his hand cupping Kareem's face gently as he leaned in to kiss him. Soft at first, but it quickly deepened, and Kareem found himself responding without hesitation, kissing him back with equal intensity. Santi's other hand slid down to Kareem's waist, pulling him closer, the warmth of his body making Kareem melt into him even more.
When they broke apart, Santi's lips lingered on Kareem's, brushing against his in a teasing way before he pulled back just enough to look at him.
"You really can't get enough of me now, huh?" Santi whispered, his voice smooth and full of satisfaction. His fingers traced the edge of Kareem's jaw. "I'm not complainin', though."
Kareem gave him a half-hearted glare, though the smile tugging at his lips betrayed him. "Shut up," he muttered, but his tone was affectionate now. "You're too much."
Santi chuckled and kissed him again, this time slow, drawing it out just to see how long it took before Kareem would pull away. But Kareem didn't. He just stayed there, letting Santi kiss him, his hands resting on Santi's shoulders, fingers lightly gripping the skin there. He didn't pull back, not this time.
Santi's lips trailed down his neck again, and Kareem's eyes fluttered closed at the sensation. "You're mine, papi," Santi said, his voice low, lips brushing against the sensitive skin of his neck.
Kareem let out a small exhale, leaning into Santi's touch, his hand sliding into Santi's hair as he pulled him back for another kiss. This time, it was deeper, more urgent. And when they broke apart, Kareem could feel the weight of the moment-the shift that had happened between them.
"I know," Kareem whispered, his voice barely audible.
Santi smiled against his lips, his hands moving to wrap around Kareem's waist, holding him close, as if he never wanted to let go. "Good," he murmured, pressing a kiss to Kareem's temple. "You don't ever gotta pretend like you don't want this, papi. You know I got you."
Kareem leaned against Santi, his head resting on his shoulder, a content sigh escaping him as he let himself fully relax. They were tangled up in each other now, and there wasn't any pretension, no fighting it anymore. He was exactly where he wanted to be, no walls left to hide behind.
And maybe, just maybe, Santi was right: this was exactly how it was meant to be.