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It turns out Isak really likes holding Even’s hand. His hand is warm and safe and so calming Isak doesn’t know how he’s lasted nineteen years without the feeling of it slipping into his. Hell, he doesn’t know how he lasted an entire month not speaking to him after seeing him for the first time, after realizing that someone this beautiful could actually exist. That someone this beautiful could want Isak back, that he’d been looking at Isak all the times he had thought the pining was one-sided. It’s pretty fucking awesome, but it’s a whole lot of pressure. But Even’s hand in his, the casual way he leans against Isak’s shoulder, and the leftover tingling in Isak’s lips from a truly phenomenal first kiss, makes it easier to bear.
He still remembers when he’d first come across the multiverse theory at age eight. It had seemed so bizarre then, so absolutely implausible. But it’d been a nice thought to hold on to—the idea that there was an Isak out there, someone whose parents got along, who didn’t already feel the dredges of exhaustion more suited to someone with far more decades under his belt.
As the years went past, and he’s read more on quantum theory, of how particles can exist in multiple possible states, how some scientists are arguing that a supervoid can’t explain the Cold Spot in the cosmic microwave background, which means it could’ve been caused by a collision between universes, the multiverse had seemed more real, more tangible.
Being with Even is a little like that. An impossibility at first, but now he literally has it within his grasp.
He doesn’t realize that he’s said this out loud until he looks to his left, only to be confronted by the full force of Even’s grin.
“Sorry,” he says, blushing. “I’m probably boring you.”
“Isak, I took you on a date to a science museum. It’s pretty fair to say that I don’t find this boring at all.”
“It’s all jargon.”
“I just like hearing you talk. If it’s interesting to you, it’s interesting to me, okay?”
Isak stares contemplatively at the model of the universe before them. Models have always fascinated him. The ones he’d had as a kid always came with disclaimers like these planets are not to scale, and even the ones that have the budget to get it right can’t fully get at the reality of the universe. They don’t know the facts to even scratch the surface. It’s never scared Isak, though. There’s always something new to explore, something new to learn.
He’s beginning to feel that way about Even. He’s known the guy for all of a week, but the thoughts that he’s having about him, the thoughts that hint at forever, don’t make him as nervous as they should. If they spend the indefinite future together—like Even seems to think they’re capable of—Isak hopes he never gets over this initial giddiness, this rush of learning Even for the first time.
Isak smiles softly. “I feel like I somehow nerded my way into this date. Like, I just walked over to you and whoomp, vomited all this science onto you.”
“I wasn’t complaining. I thought it was sexy.”
Isak makes a face. “Has anyone ever told you that you have weird kinks?”
Even clutches his heart in protest. “Honestly, I pity people who don’t get boners for space. Like, what else are you gonna jerk off to, if not the prospect of traveling through space-time?”
Isak laughs. He likes Even so much, it’s crazy. “That’s what I’ve always said.”
He’s approached every other relationship in his life with so much caution that he’s already anticipating the anxiety building up, the fear of being left by Even, the logical part of him warning him to take things slow. But he wonders if there’s any other way to approach this thing with Even but head-on, whether he’s capable of holding back with this boy now that he’s got him.
Even slips a hand into the pocket of Isak’s jeans, which immediately brings a blush to Isak’s cheeks. There are children here, for God’s sake. But when Isak glances around the exhibit, he finds that they’re the only two people remaining, and it’s no wonder. It’s only ten minutes to closing, and only the sheer force of Isak’s nerdiness could make him stick it out in the space exhibit for this long.
“Good,” Even says. “We can be joined by our boners for space, then. Or maybe just my boner for you.”
Isak rolls his eyes, but he can’t hold back a smile. “Are you always this good at wooing unsuspecting boys?”
“Only the ones I think are gonna stick around for a while.”
“What makes you think that?”
“I don’t know if anyone’s told you this already, but I’m kind of catch.”
“Is that because of your bad taste in movies or the fact that you quite literally thought that people would blow up in space before I corrected you?”
Even kisses Isak then, fleetingly, and it only leaves Isak wanting more. Fuck, maybe space really does make him horny, if the things he wants to do to Even on the black hole display are any indication. Even takes pity on Isak when he tilts his head up, and the second kiss lasts even longer than the first one. Isak is seriously debating the structural integrity of that display now, and, well, the museum doesn’t have a great budget, but he thinks he can make do. It’s not like they need that much time anyway.
“Hey, I got you, didn’t I?” Even whispers, smiling against his lips.
“Trust me, dude, that has nothing to do with how smooth you are.”
Even loops an arm around Isak’s waist, so he can pull them closer, so they’re standing with their chests pressed together.
Even tells him, “You should count yourself lucky. At least I didn’t try to win you over with jokes about the Big Bang, which, you know, is kind of the perfect setup.”
“Missed opportunity, honestly.”
Even presses a kiss to his nose. “I’m glad this wasn’t, though.”
“I don’t think the universe would’ve let us miss it.”