Chapter Text
2x's face fluctuated between just about every emotion possible, while 3y just stood there, jaw slack in shock. 2x finally decided on something in between amusement and concern.
"Man, you look rough. What happened???" he said it with complete innocence, and it should have made 3y angry, but he was much too focused on how confused he was, and how damn good 2x looked in eyeliner.
3y blinked, still in shock, his annoying neighbor, who always blasted obnoxious techno-art rock, was 2x? 2x as in his friend from work?The friend that he probably thought about far too much? 3y shook away the thought.
2x tilted his head, studying him for a moment longer.
"Okay… yeah, you're definitely not fine," he said, pulling the door wider. "Get in here before you pass out or something."
3y hesitated for a second too long.
"Or" 2x added, raising an eyebrow, "you can just stand there and keep on staring at me like I've grown a second head. Your call."
That snapped him out of it.
"I-no, I'll come in." 3y muttered, shuffling into the apartment.
2x's apartment was… not what he expected, yet everything he expected at the same time.
Inside was a controlled chaos, blankets sprawled out on the couch, hoodies scattered on the floor, and posters of bands and movies on the walls. 2x rushed past him and swiped everything off the couch.
"Sit," said 2x as he turned off the booming music and made his way into the kitchen. "You look like you've had the worst day of your life. Or you tried to fight a toaster and lost."
3y dropped onto the couch automatically, too exhausted to put up any kind of protest. "I was trying to make pasta."
There was a pause.
Then from the kitchen, "You what?"
"I put on the pasta then…. I fell asleep, ep" 3y said, ashamed. He was usually a good cook, but today was just too much for him, and he fucked it up.
He heard 2x try to stifle his laugh from the kitchen
"Sorry… I just- that's really funny."
3y continued, "Then I woke up to the fire alarm and music and panicked, and I kinda, uhhh…" 3y held up his wrist, turning the ugly red welt to the kitchen to show 2x.
2x's smile faded
"Shit, sorry for laughing. Are you okay?" His brows were knitted together in complete concern, and 3y's heart jumped, fuck.
"Yeah, it just kinda stings." 3y tried to move it to show how much it didn't hurt, but he overestimated his pain tolerance and winced and sucked in a sharp breath. He must have looked like such a wuss.
"Hey, don't move, I'll fix it right up." 3y's heart picked up speed as he watched 2x race around the kitchen, grabbing bandages and ice. He couldn't believe what was happening. 2x was taking care of him.
This is something that only happened in his dreams. As 3y's mind wandered, he just started grinning at 2x. As 2x approached the couch with his hands full of medical supplies, he tilted his head at 3y.
"What?" he asked with a small smirk
"Nothing, this is just really surreal." 3y watched 2x closely as he knelt beside the couch and placed the stuff down. He looked up and put his hand out. 3y just kept staring, slightly confused and too absorbed in his own thoughts to respond.
"Um, can you give me your hand?" 2x asked, with a quizzical and slightly worried look on his face.
"Oh yeah,h sorry, I'm kind of tired." 2x gave him a slight smile and started putting some burn cream on his wrist, but then started laughing uncontrollably. 3y chuckled along awkwardly, very confused as to what was happening.
"Oh my god man, I am SO sorry" 2x managed to get out between laughs, not sounding very sincere.
"I just realized that every time you have complained about not sleeping well, it was my fault." 3y couldn't help but join in now, the situation was too absurd not to find funny.
2x's face dropped suddenly, and he stopped laughing.
"Oh, my god. You must be so hungry right now."
3y nodded in agreement, "I could do with some food."
"Right, food, I can do food," 2x replied, as he finished wrapping up 3y's wrist. 2x's fingers grazed over his own as he got up to leave for the kitchen, and 3y forgot how to breathe.
3y watched him go, a little dazed, a little amused, and a whole lot more aware of everything that was happening.
"Okay," 2x called out, rummaging through his cabinets, "What would you like?"
"Uhh, anything really," 3y said.
3y could hear him muttering and pacing around the kitchen, then he heard him turn on the kettle. After a couple of minutes of 3y's staring at the kitchen, and trying really, really hard not to think about anything.
2x walked up to 3y, holding out a steaming cup of instant noodles, grinning widely, obviously very proud of himself.
"Thank you so much," 3y said, grabbing the cup from his hand and taking a huge forkful, too hungry to care about how messy he was being. He smiled up at 2x, realizing this is probably the happiest he's been in a long time. Then an awful feeling hit, and his smile dropped at lightning speed.
"FUCK, THIS IS SO SPICY"
3y leaped off the couch and raced to the kitchen sink. He turned it on full blast and put his mouth under the strong stream of water. He could hear 2x cackling behind him, but he was in far too much pain to care.
2x sauntered up behind him and opened the fridge, moments later 3y saw a glass of milk appear on the bench beside him, and a very happy 2x holding the glass. 3y quickly reached to grab for it, but 2x pulled it away at the last second.
"Nuh uh uh, you have to ask, nicely," 2x said it with a glint in his eye.
"Wha- you can't be serious," 3y scoffed. He was in pure agony, and 2x wanted him to ask nicely? What the hell?
"Deadly serious, I'm afraid." 2x replied smugly, clearly enjoying tormenting his friend.
" Ugh, fine. 3y, can I please have that glass of milk, please?"
"I suppose you can, since you asked with such good manners." 2x smiled, satisfied, and handed over the glass.
3y scowled at him and huffed, then took the glass and relieved his burning taste buds. He sighed and slumped on the ground, his back pressed against the cabinet under the sink.
2x mirrored him and leaned up against the oven door. They were both sitting in a way where their legs overlapped each other's, and it made 3y very conscious about what he was doing.
They sat there in silence with each other for a few minutes, with 3y trying not to meet 2x's eyes.
His mind was reeling, trying to figure out what the actual fuck was happening and what it all meant.
3y remembered the real reason he was here, and it was not to get nursed by his very pretty co-worker.
"Can I ask, uh, what's with the music?" 3y finally looked into 2x's eyes, and he was met back with the most gorgeous, warm, chocolate brown eyes, and an almost sad expression.
He wished he hadn't asked now, he hated seeing 2x like this.
2x sighs and laughs sadly, "I know it's stupid, but… when I have my music on like that, it's one of the only times where I actually feel, um, alive. God, I probably sound insane, I'm so sorry."
2x looked down, ashamed. 3y had never seen this side of him; he was used to him being overly confident. He wasn't used to seeing him this… empty. 3y inched his hand ever so slightly closer to 2x's.
"2x, I completely understand-"
"Y'know, I would have stopped, but that fractionest fucking landlord never told me about any of the complaints because it was all denominators that were complaining. And I should-"
3y grabbed his wrist and looked into his eyes, to get him out of his spiraling thoughts.
"2x, I understand, I feel the same way about music, but for me, I play piano."
2x's eyes widened. "That was you?"
His expression was one of pure amazement, and it made 3y's face flush with embarrassment.
"Um, yeah, I'm not that good though-"
2x cut him off "Yes, yes, you are." He said it firmly, making it clear that there was no room for negotiation.
"You played that song exactly like my mother used to, and she was the best player I have ever heard." He looked more sad than serious now, and all he wanted to do was to wrap 2x up in a never-ending embrace.
3y looked down at his hand, and saw that both their hands were much closer together than they were a couple of minutes ago, and it wasn't just because he had moved his own. He stayed staring at the hands for a while, and then dragged his eyes up to 2x again.
He found that 2x was also staring at the small space that separated their hands, and he swallowed hard. His heart began to race.
He always thought 2x was attractive, but right now he was noticing just how much 2x's hair glowed golden in the warm light of the kitchen, and how good wrinkled clothes suited him. Now, he was noticing how close they truly were, and how much their legs were touching.
2x's eyes met his, and he felt warmth wrap around his hand. This was all far too much for 3y, and his breaths started getting uneven and quick.
2x shifted away from leaning against the oven, and moved himself so he was kneeling over top of 3y's legs. 2x's eyes were wide as he looked over 3y's eyes, then mouth, and stayed there. 3y couldn't breathe; he couldn't think.
He reached out his hand and put it over 2x's heart.
It was racing.
3y huffed. At least 2x was as scared as he was. He moved his hand up to the blonde's neck and slowly pushed his fingers through his hair.
They were still holding hands, and 2x's free hand lifted to 3y's collarbones, and his fingers started lightly brushing across them, and slowly up the front of his neck, over his Adam's apple, onto his jaw.
2x ever so gently held the side of his face, as if he thought he grabbed too hard, he would break. 3y squeezed 2x's hand and pulled his face closer to his own. 2x made a small sound and pushed in even closer.
Their foreheads and noses were touching now, and 3y took a moment to take in the divine man in front of him, before closing the gap between their lips before he could overthink it.
The kiss was light at first, just a brush of lips, ever so slightly, almost like a question asked in the quietest voice.
3y's heart stuttered in his chest. For a second, he thought 2x would pull away.
He didn't; instead, he melted into it.
His grip tightened, just ever so slightly, fingers curling like he needed something to hold onto, as if he might slip away.
The kiss warmed, softening, shifting, into something steadier- still careful, but less unsure.
3y felt it everywhere.
In the way his chest rose too fast, the way his thoughts seemed to blur at the edges, in the quiet rush of the overwhelming and unfamiliar setting beneath his skin.
2x tilted his head just a fraction, deepening the kiss, letting out a quiet breath he didn't realise he was holding.
Their noses brushed again, their movements slightly uncoordinated, but neither of them cared. If anything, it made it feel more real, more honest.
2x smiled against 3y's mouth and pulled back. He let out a small laugh and took both hands to the sides of 3y's face.
He pressed his forehead to the brunette's and took a large breath, as if it was the first time in his life that he could actually relax. 3y loved seeing the energy and life returned to 2x.
2x started to pull away slowly and moved himself away from 3y's legs. 3y made a small sound of disapproval but started to get up as well. He reached out and grabbed the hand that 2x offered to help him get up.
They both stood up, and 2x pulled him in for a hug, burying his face into his scruffy blonde hair.
"Hey," 2x said while pushing 3y out from his body, to meet his eyes. "You need to sleep, okay?"
In that moment, 3y became very aware of how heavy his body felt. He really wanted to spend more time with 2x, but he let him drag him to the couch by the hand. 3y flopped down onto the couch and immediately closed his eyes.
The blanket that was on the floor got laid on top of him, then he heard 2x whisper,r "Good night, see you tomorrow."
"Yes," he thought, "See you tomorrow." Then he fell into the best sleep he had had in a long, long time. dreaming of many more nights, just like this one