Big mouth

Nuts and Bolts

Glancing at the watch, Ivan remarked, "It's almost one, we should leave."

"Yeah, even I have work tomorrow," Athan agreed.

As the two of them were about to leave, someone suddenly sat on the empty chair in between them.

"Are you both leaving without meeting me?" Tapping his fingers on the table, Jason added, "You guys were the one who invited me."

"You are five hours late," Ivan snapped.

Shrugging his shoulders, Jason defended himself. "Unlike you, some people need to work hard to earn a decent living. Not everyone is swimming in a pool of money like you. Am I right, Athan?"

"I couldn't agree more." Giving Jason a hug, Athan greeted him. "It's good to see you again man." He then took his seat again, completely eradicating the plan of going home.

Looking at Ivan who was still standing, Jason asked, "You want to go home?" Without waiting for his reply, he added, "It's okay if you want to leave, I'll just hang out with Athan for a while."

Left with no other choice, Ivan also took his seat. There was no way he would leave Athan alone with him. Not because he was worried Jason would harm him. He was more worried about Jason's big mouth than his sharp hidden fangs.

"I am seeing you after almost four months, where have you been?" Athan inquired. He had met Jason a year after he had met Ivan. They immediately got along because they had a similar personality.

"Well, I was busy with work and someone—" Looking at Ivan, he added, "Had warned me not to see his friend in his absence."

"Why would you say that?"

"Maybe because he is jealous that if you and I start hanging out without him, we might end up being more friends than you are with him," Jason remarked.

"Damn, I have a very possessive best friend," Athan sighed.

Ignoring the two of them who were trying to tease him, Ivan kept sipping his drink with a straight face.

"Ivan has always been possessive since he was a kid. Did I tell you about Morris—"

Scrunching his brows, Ivan snapped, "Don't cross the line Jason."

"Morris? Who is Morris?" Athan enthusiastically asked. "He never tells me anything about his childhood. In fact, I have never seen a single baby Ivan photograph."

"You haven't? Remind me to get a few of them for you to see next time we meet."

"Okay, now tell me about Morris—"

Glaring at Jason, Ivan warned him. "Jason, one more word and you are dead."

"I am already dead, I mean—" Clutching his chest, he sighed in dejection. "Dead from inside."

Patting his shoulder, Athan consoled him. "Don't worry mate, we all are dead from inside."

"Anyway, coming back to Morris. I can't tell you anything about it after that death state.'' Pausing for a while, Jason added, "But Morris was definitely not a doll which Ivan found in the street and he did not pick it up, brought it home, cleaned it and always played with it. And he definitely never cried and almost turned the house upside down when he couldn't find it."

Ivan sighed and helplessly shook his head. It's not like he was ashamed of Morris but he did not want Athan to find out about it because he knew him very well. Athan would not leave a single chance to tease him and that is what happend.

"Dude, Morris? Seriously?" Athan chuckled. "So what else did you do with Morris apart from carrying her around? Did you build her a house too?"

"How did you know that?" Jason gasped in shock.

"There you go—" Ivan muttered. It was definitely gonna be a long night of embarrassments and teasing.

…...