Chapter Text
Chapter 2: Asking Him Out
Two days.
It had been two days since the stupid tweet was made and none of them had bothered to talk about it. Saps, for all his worth, did not attempt to do so. He had been expecting Flux to make snarky comments, saying the whole tweet was bullshit and that they were just really close friends.
Except there weren't any.
The complaints he was assuming that would come from Flux never came at all, but all he did was point his finger at Saps and had started to jab at his chest, harshly, as Saps would put it. Talking about making him run an errand as simple as a spanish latte but he had come back empty-handed and looking like he had ran a marathon.
To make matters worse, it had also been two days of Sidefall being impossible to reach. Saps had messaged Sidefall on every social media platform known to mankind. And he is still yet to receive a reply from the brunette, yet all of his messages, were all left on delievered. Saps could only be so baffled in one sitting. He had almost resorted to messaging Sidefall’s other close friends like Ymi, but he thinks it would make matters worse. Who knows how word gets out, everyone is such a blabbermouth these days.
He had also thought about waiting for Sidefall after his classes, but there doesn’t seem to be a time he could spare. He could also ask Flux for Sidefall’s whereabouts, hoping the cousin card could be pulled but he really just couldn’t risk Flux getting close to the— whatever is happening. So he had opted on thinking of another plan in the meanwhile. This time, revolving the plan with the situation with Flux in mind.
Saps had not dared to utter a word about the tweet to Flux, in hopes that Flux really had not seen it. He might be clinging onto nothing, but a man could only hope. That said, Saps had been thinking, if Flux had actually seen the tweet and is just giving Saps a major mercy, he needs to give Flux a reason why that tweet was a sham. And if he really wants Flux to believe that heʼs just clingy to him instead of whatever feelings in the mix there actually is— he’s gonna have to prove it.
And by that, it means taking Flux on definitely not dates, but rather super close bonding friendly hangout, preferably with them alone. Saps knows he needs to sell it, he needs to cling to Flux so hard and bat his lashes so hard and and and— just literally anything to prove Flux would never think he has feelings for him. Because how else will Flux not detect his feelings, if not to act as normal as possible after the disaster that stormed Twitter?
Alright, it’s settled. Saps will take Flux on a friendly hangout.
Which is easier said than done.
Flux, for the lack of better words, is currently hunched on his desk— well heʼs crouching on the chair, trying to get a better angle with the ruler on his sketch. His eyebrows are knitted so close, Saps wants to tilt his head to face him and start stroking in between his brows and cooing at him to stop, lest he gets wrinkles on his forehead at the ripe age of 20. But he doesnʼt, unfortunately.
He has been trying to butter up to Flux for the past 3 hours to get him to hangout with him. Saps had first attempted to slice some fruit, namely oranges. But it had only sat on the far corner of the desk with Flux promising to eat it later on, sparing it one glance and thanking Saps, firmly holding his hand for a good second and getting back to work.
He seized his second attempt when he saw Fluxʼs delicate hand making a beeline for the sliced oranges. And he grabbed it, both the chance and the hand with a callous on its middle finger from sketching so much.
“I can eat with my own hands, you know this.” Flux had uttered in his breath, he wasn’t looking at Saps but rather at their hands, in which Saps had held on to with a firm grip, intending to not let go any sooner.
“Yes you could, but so can I.” His eyes only go soft, he stares and relishes at Flux looking away, not daring to meet his gaze. Yet he tries anyway. “Flux it’s almost 12AM, it’s not everyday I get to sit beside you while you work and I feed you oranges. Besides, you’re tired. You know you could use me.”
“You fed me apples just a couple nights ago.”
“That was apples, c’mon Flux. Please?”
Saps knows he wouldn’t be able to get Flux to look at him, so he settles on nudging Fluxʼs shoulder with his own head, resting it on the crook of his neck and looking up to meet Fluxʼs eyes.
“After this I’ll give you a massage, how about that?” And he could feel the gentle rumble of laughter bubbling out of Flux. He moves his hand and grabs the small plate with oranges.
“I’m expecting a full service, do not half-ass this, Saparata.”
“Not what I’m called.”
“I want oranges in my mouth now, Saps.”
And Saps makes light work of hand-feeding Flux. He doesn’t wait for Flux to ask but knows that when he finishes swallowing, he needs a small down time before he fishes for another piece and brings it up to his mouth. He also doesnʼt need to be told that Flux wants to drink water, he knows that he would get thirsty after eating 6 slices. So he gets up from where he was sitting previously, heads to their small refrigerator and retreats with a cup of water. Which he instructs Flux to lean his head back as he helps him drink.
Saps could only hope to savor every second of this moment. He wasn’t lying when he said it’s not everyday he gets to sit next to Flux on his desk and feed him oranges. Flux also wasn’t lying when he fed him apples like three nights ago. And If they were dating he could do this everyday and he would probably be mad if Flux didn’t let him do this for him. If they were dating that is.
Hand feeding Flux comes to an end and he switches his position to be standing behind Flux. Flexing his hands and getting ready to knead the skin at his temples and if the universe lets him, he could play with his soft dark locks while he’s on it.
And that, it did.
Saps curls his fingers on Fluxʼs black waves, softly pulling and playing with the short strands of hair in comparison to his own white long-grown hair, they really are polar opposites. Yet here they are, living in the most harmonious way possible. He lightly digs his nails on the ravenette’s scalp and scratches at the skin, past his hair. Flux pulls his head back and stares intently at Saps. “Am I gonna grow white hairs before you actually get on with it?”
“Be grateful I’m doing this in our dorm and not the retirement home.”
Flux keeps his head pulled back so he’s looking at Saps and he closes his eyes as he lets Saps creep his hands to Fluxʼs temples. Softly rubbing on the skin, keeping a circular motion, fingers going back and forth on the small area of his head. Saps is thankful that Flux had his eyes closed, for he simply can’t hide the grin that plastered on his face when Flux didn’t say anything about the connotations of what he just said.
And also because he gets to do his favorite hobby of all time, stare at Fluxʼs sleeping face. Which to be honest, Flux doesn’t need to be sleeping for Saps to enjoy this hobby.
It had only been a couple minutes of mindless humming from Saps when Fluxʼs phone had started vibrating and playing a well known tune, his ringtone. And Saps, the sweetheart he is, had reached for the distraction that prevented him from doing his five star massage therapy.
Flux had opened his eyes to find himself disgruntled, he kept his eyes on Saps that was still standing behind him, looking over, and said, “Who’s calling me at this outrageous hour?” Saps brought his hand to Flux, which held the phone.
“Zero.”
“Of course it is.” Flux only answers the phone with a sigh. And Saps wanted to say more but clearly, it wasn’t the right time. So he opted to just keep doing what he was doing beforehand. He snakes back his fingers to the black strands that seem to knot itself on his fingers, never wanting to let go.
The conversation is a blur, Saps doesn’t care enough about the antics of the student body council of their university. But he does care about listening to Fluixon talk. It had probably been about 20 minutes of Fluixon and Zero discussing some botched plan they had for their university’s founding anniversary, when Fluixon hangs up the call the same way he answered. Nonetheless, he continues typing on his phone.
“It’s only 12 in the morning and you already sighed twice, Flux.”
“Two times too many.”
Saps doesn’t say anything and just continues to wrestle with Flux’s head, his thumb occasionally rubbing against the flat area behind his eyes.
“Can you believe that some idiots had ‘mistaken’,” he pulls up both of his arms and makes air quotes, “the box with the props as trash and threw it out!?”
“Which they would know the shit inside was important if they actually helped in the council! For fucks sake, sometimes I feel like it’s just me, Zero, and the rest of the guys that actually do shit in the council.”
“Even Sera, who is— mind you, she isn’t even in the council but she helps! Everyone is so stupid! This is absurd!”
Now, Saps still doesn’t give Flux any words, he doesn’t think Flux needs input right now, anyway. Instead he just hums along, completely agreeing. Flux continues typing on his phone— presumably talking with the others to try and salvage whatever props they have left. And for the third time, he sighs. As he glances over the time, reading,
“It’s almost 1AM. You should head to bed, Saps.”
“Are you sure you don’t need extra company?”
“I have your snoring for extra company.”
“Wha— I do not snore!”
“Sure you don’t, chud.”
He rolls his eyes and retracts his hands from Flux’s head, and he already misses the tangling feeling of hair in his hands.
“Wake me up if you need anything.”
He turns his back on Flux who only nods in agreement. And Saps realizes— he hasn’t asked Flux out yet! He wants to retreat back to Fluxʼs personal space and ask but he seems rather tired and Saps would hate to intrude on his affairs considering there was a problem…
He settles on stuffing himself on the covers of their bed and pretends to sleep. He’s gonna ask later instead, but he needs to do one more thing to get on Fluxʼs good graces so he would say yes.
Cue his current predicament. With Flux seemingly trying out every yoga position known on the dictionary of the internet in order to line up the ruler properly on his paper. He had been pretending to sleep for a while now, thinking of another way to inveigle Flux and finally ask.
And then he hears him grunt and stand up, presumably stretching. And Saps gets an idea.
He pretends to stir awake and he peeps at Flux’s working figure to find him already staring at him.
“Can’t sleep?”
“Still working?”
They speak at the same time and amusement makes its way on their stomachs which leaves their lips, laughing. Saps gets up from bed and heads to Flux, peering over his work.
“Did the thing with Zero work out?”
“Don’t remind me.” He pokes at Fluxʼs sides and says, “You’re really stiff. Your back is like,” he curls his arm and does his best to make a C-shape with it. “Y’know? Like a shrimp.” To which he gets a solid smack at his hip. It doesn’t even hurt but he’s gotta entertain the little dare devil on the chair.
“Owwy.”
“Grown ass man, saying owwy. What are you? A baby?”
“I’m your baby.”
“A very whiny baby.”
“You’re such a brat.”
“Head back to bed, this brat’s back is already sore. I don’t need my neck hurting from looking up at you from down here.”
“Do you want a massage? I’ll do your shoulders this time, it could release tension. You have been working night after night. I could do it while you work”
To which Flux raises his eyebrow this time. “You’re odd today.” Still, he nods, agreeing albeit reluctantly.
“Odd how?”
Flux narrows his eyes and looks at Saps up and down. Saps only moves to the space behind the man and pushes at the muscles at his shoulders. “You’re not usually awake at this hour and you’re deliberately doing a lot of things for me right now.”
“But I’m always doing things for you..?” ‘Confusion’ is heavy on Saps’ face and he tilts his head, like an idiot, in Flux’s dictionary. Yet he finds it endearing nonetheless. “True.” Saps lets out a sigh of relief, inwardly.
“But you’re tense. I know it’s different this time, Saps.”
“There is nothing stopping me from carrying you and locking you out of our dorm.”
“You know I’m clocking your ass, I know you wouldn’t. I’ll say please once and you’ll open the door, so c’mon, what is it?”
“See hypothetically, if Sunday was a day—”
“Spit. it. out.”
“I was just thinking if we can go to the cine—” It briefly flashes in his mind and warning signs blared in his head. “To the aquarium? I reaaaalllyyy want to see fishes.”
“Actually anywhere is fine, we could go on a picnic too if you’re up for it.” Good save, probably. Though his voice becomes quieter with every word, he doesn’t stop pressing onto Fluxʼs lean shoulders. He hears a low snicker and wow, Flux is really giggly today.
From in front of him, Flux lifts his left— dominant arm up and brings it towards Saps’ head, pulling him down closer to Flux. He looks him in the eye and says, “Y’know, you didn’t have to do all this just so you could ask me to hang out with you.”
“And y’know, I would have done this, regardless if I wanted something from you.”
“I’m very flattered, Saps, but all you had to do was ask. No need for theatrics.”
Saps closes his eyes and actually relishes to sigh in relief. Flux only smiles as he stares at Saps’ stress-free face, and he closes the gap between them, almost. Saps feels the light bump of their noses and immediately feels every blood in his body rush back into his heart, as if exploding. He wonders if Flux could hear the fast and loud beating of his heart.
“Alright, next time I’ll just ask and you’re obligated to say yes no matter what.”
“Sure but tomorrow you’re helping me bring some stuff from my building all the way back to the council room.”
“You also don’t have to ask, I would’ve helped no matter what.”
“I know.”
Saps pulls away from Flux’s work desk and moves to his bed. Before he could reach it, he hears Flux talk again.
“And Saps?”
“Mhm?”
“Just so you understand, I would have said yes. Regardless if you were asking me to go to a dentist appointment with you or if you suddenly wanted to pick up leaf litter in the ground first thing in the morning.”
And Saparata desperately wants to go past the line that draws their friendship right at that moment. But instead, he bottles up the giddy feeling he has and he heads to bed, tucked by yours truly.
TheSideFall @official_sidefall
#fluxarata is real, allegedly
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They always go grocery shopping together
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Exclusive Barbie Land Sorority President Madzvie states that in their auction for charity event, fluxarata were spoon feeding one another
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Two new updates on the thread! Keep watch on Sidefall for future updates on our campus couple of the year!