Mathi was conflicted.

That had perhaps been the best date of his life… without perhaps. And he was extremely happy about it.

Denny was a wonderful guy, funny, kind and very intelligent and perceptive… except when it came to noticing his friends stalking him.

The stalking had been fun, as had the tournament, which they'd won hands down.

Mathi had also thought of cheating by using some magic tricks to put his opponents in trouble, but there was no need, since the opponents themselves seemed to throw a spanner in the works themselves.

In short, it had been a really fun afternoon, so Mathi should have been happy and carefree.

Well… he wasn't.

At least not entirely.

One side of him was really happy, but another side kept telling him that it would be over soon, and that it would never happen again.

As night began to fall outside the window, the second voice became more and more insistent, planting negative thoughts in his head.

“I can't believe we won! I am so happy! The New Malfair Comics and Games is the largest comic-con in the area. I heard that they will also organize some special events this year as it is the 30th edition!” Denny was turning over the won ticket in his hands since they won the tournament, and although Mathi was trying to prolong the date, it was clear that his not-date was very distracted and didn't seem to want to play any more games.

He was adorable.

“You know, you should take both tickets” Mathi tried to suggest, turning his own in his hands.

Denny whirled to look at him, incredulous.

“No! You deserve yours! If it hadn't been for you we would have lost in table hockey” he tried to dissuade him, pushing the ticket between his hands.

“It's at the end of April, I'll be very busy and I wouldn't even know who to go with” Mathi insisted, handing him the ticket with a big smile.

Actually, he wanted to go with Denny, but it seemed obvious that the boy had no intention of going out with Mathi again, and who could blame him. Mathi wouldn't have gone out with Mathi either, if he had the choice. Unfortunately, he could not escape from himself.

But he could try to protect Dan.

“It does not seem right. And I wouldn't know who to go with either.. I mean, I could ask Max, but these things don't drive him crazy, and even if he wants to come we can buy a ticket for him” Denny didn't seem willing to give in, but he was already starting to hesitate. Mathi on the contrary had an iron decision.

“Is that Diego waving at you?” he observed uncertainly, looking at a point behind Denny.

“Oh? Really?” the boy turned around, but didn't notice anyone.

When he turned back to Mathi, the ticket was gone, and the boy had a satisfied smile.

It took Denny a while to put two and two together, and he felt his pockets, to find the hidden ticket.

“You and your magic tricks” he complained, shaking his head and making Mathi giggle.

“Thank you. Yet I'm the one who had to repay you for coming with me to the fake date” he added then, securing both tickets and pouting.

“And you repaid me, it was the best ‘fake date’ of my life!” he assured him, with a wink.

It was actually the best date overall, but since Denny was keen to point out that it was fake and they were just friends, Mathi had better go along with it. Also to remind himself of that, since often, as he looked at the boy next to him, the fact that he was straight and not at all interested slipped his mind.

“Bet you didn't have many fake dates to compare, but thanks” Denny smiled at him, and the matter of friends again slipped from Mathi's mind.

Heck, that was too adorable!

“You know, your friend seems willing to break in between us, but the other is holding her back, maybe it's the case to separate before they can arrange another date?” he suggested, noticing the confusion that was starting to build up in a corner of the room, and trying to curb the instinct that suggested him to take the boy in front of him and kiss him without thinking about the consequences.

“Oh… yes, I guess it's getting late, and I don't want Amabelle to insist. Shall I take you back to the dormitory?” Denny suggested, getting up from in front of the arcade game he had lost for a long time and motioning to Mathi to follow him.

“You are really a gentleman. Your future wife is a lucky one” Mathi commented, emphasizing the feminine in his mind, and feeling stupid at his comment.

Denny blushed profusely as they left the store.

“Please, as if…” he muttered to himself, then shivering from the cold that had just welcomed them.

The evening wind was still carrying the air of snow, despite the forecasts being positive for the next few days.

“Maybe it's better to say goodbye at the bus station” Mathi tried to suggest, warming his hands.

“No, no, I insist! It's the least I can do for…” Denny tried to say, his voice trembling from the cold. Mathi interrupted him.

“Dan, you don't have to repay me for anything. I spent a wonderful evening, you're wonderful company, and I don't want to force you to spend any more time with me” he reassured him.

Oops… he let slip a self-deprecating comment. Aggie would be disappointed. But Denny probably wouldn't notice. He was the first to get paranoid about himself and throw himself down. Mathi didn't understand why and tried to make him feel at ease, but at least he was unlikely to notice that Mathi was also unsure of himself.

Unfortunately, Denny was much more perceptive than he seemed.

He stopped short and looked at Mathi in disbelief.

“I don't... I don't force myself” he tried to assure him, still standing in his tracks.

Mathi did the same, and turned to look at him, trying not to lose his smile.

Positive thoughts, positive thoughts. He had to think about Aggie. He'd Skype her after dinner, help her with her homework, everything would be fine.

“Yes, I know, but… it came out badly. I meant that the date is over, you have no other duties towards me” he tried to collect himself.

He got a worse reaction.

Denny looked down, hurt.

“Sorry. I didn't want you to force yourself to be with me. I must be very boring. Don't worry, I'll let you go. Maybe you're even in a hurry. Thanks again for helping me. Sorry if I pushed you too much” hugging himself to warm up, Denny turned and started heading the other way, even though his destination was in the opposite direction.

Mathi hurried to stop him.

“No, you misunderstood. I…” Mathi took his wrist and began to explain, but he didn't know exactly what to say.

Nice work, mind! He had to decide to have negative thoughts right now?!

He took a deep mental breath, and continued.

“I would be delighted if you accompanied me. But I don't want you to catch a cold. That's all. I like you, Dan. I'm serious” he admitted, smiling. It wasn't quite the whole truth, but it wasn't really the case to admit that.

“No, it's just that before we left it seemed like you were tired. Maybe I talked too much about the comic-con. Sometimes I start talking and never stop. You can really find better company” Denny said the last thing almost to himself, putting his face in his hands.

“I’d hear you talking for hours,” Mathi wanted to say, but it didn't seem appropriate.

“I was just trying to keep from jumping on you because I like you a lot”…no, maybe it was better not.

“I was thinking that I would like to go out with you again, maybe even for real even though I know it's impossible, but I don't think you would ever want to be friends with someone like me” well he could work on that.

Maybe it was time to be honest, at least up to a certain point.

“Actually…” he had to keep it platonic “…I was a bit down in the dumps…” he began, trying to find the right words.

“I’m so sorry!” Denny started to regret, but Mathi was going to finish.

“…because I thought that now that the date is over you won't want to see me anymore. I mean, you don't have to do it. But I had a very nice time, and I'd like it if we stayed friends and went out again, sometimes” he said in one breath, hoping he was clear enough.

Denny stared at him for a few seconds with wide eyes, then started laughing. A hysterical laugh and not too loud.

Mathi didn't know whether to take it as a good thing or a bad thing. He just stared at him confused until he stopped.

“I would really, really like it. Actually I was hoping for it, but I was afraid that, you know, you weren't interested because you can find better, that's it” admitted Denny, red in the face.

“Actually, it's you who has a stable group of friends, not me” Mathi pointed out to him, thinking of the friends who had followed him.

“Right! I'll let you in if you want. I mean… you can sit with us at the Corona and then decide if you like them. You would get along with Felix. Everyone gets along with Felix. And then Amabelle would surely approve” Denny began to think, excited by the idea he had just had.

Mathi felt his chest warm up, and a really sincere smile on his lips, until it reached his eyes.

It wasn't over. Maybe it was the beginning of a good friendship.

He couldn't wait to tell Aggie.

“I would be honored. Shall we proceed?” he proposed then, indicating the station, since Denny was still shaking.

“Sure, of course! But first... look there!” Denny pointed to a point behind Mathi, who, surprised by the boy's sudden sharp tone, slowly turned to check.

He clearly felt a hand reach into his pocket, but he took the time to survey his surroundings, a smile playing on his lips.

When he turned around, Denny wore a victorious, dumb-faced expression.

“Do I take this as an invitation to go together?” he asked, without even taking the ticket out of his pocket, but knowing with absolute certainty that Denny had slipped it inside.

“I don't know what you mean, but I suggest you check your pocket” Denny pointed to it, and Mathi gave in and took the ticket.

“Oh, look! How did this one get here?” he asked, feigning surprise.

“Magic!” Denny imitated him, and then chuckled to himself.

“Do you want to go there together?” he asked, pointing to the ticket.

“With great pleasure, friend!” Denny looked really happy, and he couldn't stop smiling “Oh, better hurry up! Your bus is leaving soon and we risk losing it!” he then took him by the wrist, like Mathi had done a couple of times, and started dragging him towards the station.

He wasn't just incredibly adorable, he was possibly the most innocent, pure and beautiful inside person Mathi had ever met… his sister excluded.

And he wanted to kiss him.

Heck if he wanted to kiss him!

He forced himself to erase those thoughts from his head.

It was just the beginning of a good friendship.

And maybe it was better that Denny wasn't gay. Because for Mathi it would have been much more difficult to deal with a mutual attraction. He couldn't afford it, after all, and he knew it perfectly well.

But as long as Will knew nothing, he was free to do as he pleased, right? Especially if it was just a friendship.