Work Text:
Cesc curses when the razor falls from his fingers and clutters noisily to the sink.
He frowns at his reflection in the mirror. He looks like he’s lived in the woods for the past week. Determined, he brings up the razor back to the side of his neck but his grip is weak and his palm is tender, skin irritated and swollen, throbbing painfully where the slice runs through the side of his palm, cutting deep into the middle. At least the bandage isn’t soaking through.
“You okay in there? You’re taking forever,” Geri says, pausing in the doorway.
The bathroom grows a little darker as he blocks the light from the hallway.
Cesc finds Geri’s gaze in the mirror, not bothering to turn around. “I need a shave and it’s not getting anywhere,” he growls.
Geri holds gaze as he comes into the bathroom and takes the razor away from him. “Here, let me.”
Cesc scoffs. “That’s a horrible idea. You’ll slit my throat.”
“Pffft. As if. I won’t even nick you.”
Geri is already turning the razor in his hands, inspecting the blade and testing it with the pad of his thumb.
“Geri,” Cesc tries but his hand isn’t going to miraculously get any better in the next few minutes and he can already tell Geri has made up his mind.
“Turn around and hold still.”
Cesc does so, biting his lip and squeezing his eyes shut when the cold metal presses to his skin.
Geri’s fingers are warm when he takes Cecs’ chin into his hands and tilts his head this way and that.
The razor slides against his skin swiftly and smoothly. Eventually, Cecs relaxes.
He blinks his eyes open and realizes he doesn’t know where to look. Geri is unintentionally crowding him in, their faces close together. Geri’s eyes are focused on the task at hand so he luckily doesn’t realize Cesc is staring at him.
Cecs’ heartbeat quickens. He wonders if Geri can feel his pulse do the same, if he can tell how he’s affecting Cecs.
Geri inspects his handiwork, then nods. “There, all done,” he says, smiling down at him, his thumb stroking Cecs’ cheek. He reaches behind Cesc, taps the razor against the side of the sink and turns on the tap, cleaning the blade under the stream of hot water.
Ces looks up through his eyelashes and he can’t help it, it’s impulsive and stupid but he leans closer so there is no gap between them. He’s just about to press a kiss to Geri’s lips when he catches himself and aims for his cheek instead. Then he pulls back a little, mouthing a thank you because his voice fails him completely and the words won’t make it past his throat.
As Cesc starts to pull away, Geri’s strong arms wrap around Cecs’ back and hold him still. Geri’s eyes are incredibly bright and Cecs knows he has to look away, has to get a hold of himself before it’s too late.
He tears his eyes away, focuses on Geri’s neck, lowers his gaze to the hollow of his throat. A flash of silver catches his eye.
“What’s that?” Cesc asks, reaching to Geri and tugging at the silver chain around Geri’s neck. It slips free and when Cesc pulls it up from beneath the v-neck of Geri’s shirt, it reveals a small smooth pendant.
Geri tilts his head away, baring his neck as Cesc takes the little pendant into his uninjured palm and studies it. “Is that a lucky charm?”
Geri grins, throwing a glance at Cesc. “Not exactly.”
Curious, Cesc strokes his thumb against the smooth surface and watches in amazement as it slowly turns from metallic grey to soft yellow colour.
“Huh. Weird,” Geri says slowly.
“What?” Cesc squeezes his hand into a fist and then he opens it again, staring at the pendant. It’s completely yellow now.
“Well, I thought it was just some random bullshit but apparently it works. But if it works, that means you…” Geri arches an eyebrow and looks mildly curious. His eyes bore into Cecs and Cesc squirms under the scrutiny.
“What the heck is it supposed to do?”
“I didn’t believe it of course,” Geri says.
Cecs shoots him a glare. “But what does it do?”
“Well, apparently it changes colour when someone who is in love with you holds it.”
Cecs flinches, dropping the pendant as if burnt. It swings back around Geri’s neck and the yellow starts fading out right away, the dark metallic colour seeping back in.
“H-ha, ha,” Cesc forces out but it’s a lost case, his cheeks are burning and he feels exposed like he never had before. It’s easy hiding his feelings, anything could pass as a friendly gesture.
Geri is watching him, amusement sparking in his eyes. At least there is no anger or shock. Which probably means Geri has known already and has been just humouring Cesc. That’s even worse.
Geri sticks his thumb around the silver chain, tugging from left to right. The pendant turns slightly blue where his fingers touch it. Not a single trace of yellow in sight.
Geri is teasing him about this and Cesc is not ready for it, he is so not ready. He would have preferred if Geri shot him down or if they never brought this up in the first place. He’s in love but he’s been dealing with the feelings for so long he’d be okay to keep ignoring them forever. But Geri must have known if he’s okay with making fun of it. Fair point, they make fun of everything, but Cesc can’t deal with this. He’s not comfortable with Geri calling him out on it like this.
He regrets ever touching the darned thing.
“Look, I can explain,” Cecs says, a little desperate. His voice is high and funny. He briefly closes his eyes and tries to get himself in check. “It’s not like it’s ever been a problem before, okay? Let’s not make a big deal of it now.” He chances looking at Geri. “Actually, let’s go back to never talking about it.”
Geri is frowning, a puzzled expression on his face. “Cecs-”
Ces never wants to hear it. “No, it’s okay, I know where we stand and some fucking piece of jewellery isn’t going to fuck this up. That’s just not happening.” He steps away from Geri and leans back against the sink. He’s fidgeting, playing nervously with his fingers, tugging at the bandage of his sliced palm. He can’t stay still. “We’ve been friends forever, Geri. Don’t… don’t push me away.” Way too pleading. Cecs closes his eyes again.
Geri isn’t saying anything but as long as there is no angry shouting, Cecs reserves the right to hope they’re going to be okay.
Suddenly there is a hand on his shoulder, trying to hold him in place, and Cecs startles at the touch.
Geri’s lips are parted open but it takes him a moment to say anything. He looks shell shocked. “I… I was kidding. About the pendant. Look, it just reacts to heat.” He brings the damned things to his lips and breaths on it. Little sports of yellow start appearing right away.
Cesc feels like turning on his heel and running away. He shakes off Geri’s hand and–
“Wait, Cecs, wait!”
Cecs shakes his head and tries to get out of the bathroom but Geri follows after him, catching him.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you mad.”
Cecs is not mad, he’s feeling foolish. He’s cursing ever hurting his hand on that shard of the broken wine glass because then he could have shaved without any problems, Geri wouldn’t have offered to help, Cecs wouldn’t have agreed and none of this would have happened.
“Would you let go of me?” he asks, aiming for commanding but his voice sounds like it might crack any second.
Geri seems to be frozen and he glances down to where his hand is wrapped around Cecs’ hand. He doesn’t let go, instead he adjusts his grip, bringing Cecs’ injured hand up to his chest and cradling it with both of his hands.
Cecs can feel the quick staccato of Geri’s heart.
“I’m not letting you go, Cecs. Christ, why didn’t you say anything? I gave you so many chances but you never said anything… I thought you didn’t…”
Cecs never thought they were actual chances.
Cecs’ breath catches in his throat when Geri gives up on words and drops a soft kiss to the back of his hand. Geri shoots him a glance and then pulls him closer. Cesc follows with the movement and Geri leans down slowly, holding Cecs’ gaze.
Cesc tilts his head up, lips brushing against Geri’s in a quick peck. Geri rests his forehead against Cecs’, letting out a low chuckle.
“You were driving me mad,” Geri says quietly, “always teasing and never doing anything about it. I wanted to see how-”
Cecs wasn’t teasing, he was trying to keep his feelings under the lid. Thank god it didn’t work. He doesn’t want to be reminded of any of it, so he brings his lips up to Geri and kisses him deeply, until Geri stops trying to recall all the stupid ways he’s tried to make Cecs come clean.