#thisdepressionneedsadistraction

“Oh, well,” Lawrence unhooks his head from over Adam’s shoulder, relaxes his grip on Adam’s hands. He thinks the date is going well, but, y’know. Misunderstandings. It’s their first hole of mini-golf and he’s already doing the stupid lean-over-and-teach-your-date-how-to-putt move. The first hole. “I don’t know in what other way I could’ve taken that sentence.”

Adam grins a little, looks over his shoulder at where Lawrence has pulled back but not stepped away. “I was thinking more like, scores and points.”

He shrugs, “In that case… beats the hell out of me.”

Now, Adam turns to him properly, lifting an eyebrow as he leans on his putter. “I thought you said you knew how to play this game.”

“I do!” Lawrence lifts his putter in his hand. “You hit the ball with the club into the hole. And then you go to the next hole.”

Adam scoffs lightly, “Yeah, it’s mini-golf. A three-year-old can do it.”

“That’s why I suggested it, Adam.”

“This is an important question, Lawrence. Am I three years old to you?”

Lawrence rolls his eyes. “No, but you are stalling. I’m not fully convinced you can play mini-golf by yourself.”

Narrowing his eyes, Adam says, “Huh.” Seems to contemplate for a second before he continues, dryly, “I believe you are what some would call a master baiter. You are a master at baiting.”

“Oh, I’m master of something, alright.” He winks and now it’s Adam’s turn to roll his eyes. “Putt the ball already, Adam.”

“Okay. Okay,” He turns back to the ball, readies himself for the shot. “But this is not because you told me to.  This is to prove a point.”

“Of course.”

Adam gives him another look over his shoulder before he hits the ball, sending it directly into the opposite wall and rolling roundly into the hole. When he turns back to Lawrence, he’s wearing a smarmy smile that Lawrence wants to kiss off.

He doesn’t say anything, but Lawrence does. He smiles, soft, and leans in, lays a kiss on Adam’s cheek. Says, “Good job.”

Seemingly taken aback, Adam’s mouth opens, as if to say something. But all the smarminess is gone, then. All he manages is a soft “Thank you” back.