Work Text:
Thomas glanced at Aaron with a bewildered expression.
"How can you stand this imbecile?" he questioned, gesturing towards Alexander's general direction. Aaron shrugged with a simple fond smile towards Alexander before before grabbing the coffee Alexander had put on his desk for him and taking a good gulp from it. Perfect blend, strength, amount of sugar and milk. Alexander brought him the perfect coffee, as always.
"I've known him for such a long time, Thomas," he said but Thomas interrupted.
"Exactly! You've known him longer than any of us! Heck, even his weird friends don't know him for as long as you! How are you not sick of him yet?!" Thomas exclaimed loudly and Aaron just shrugged.
"He's not actually that bad once-"
"'Not that bad'?! He's the worst person I know!" Thomas exclaimed and Aaron frowned.
"He's not actually that bad once you establish boundaries. I wasn't too fond of him either, in the beginning, then we established some boundaries, some basic rules, added more as we went along and now... well..." he gestured towards his coffee.
Thomas frowned at him. Suddenly, Alexander came through the door to Aaron and Thomas' shared office with a box of doughnuts in his hands and Alexander placed it on Aaron's desk with a big grin.
"Forgot to bring 'em earlier. All chocolate, no sprinkles, right?" Alexander asked and Aaron nodded with a fond and thankful smile, "What? Did you think I forgot? Oh, we gotta go out tonight! Herc recommended this cool, cozy restaurant to me and he said their spaghetti is to die for! My treat!"
Aaron's smile grew and he nodded, "That sounds lovely!"
"Alright! Awesome! I'll pick you up at the end of your shift! See ya!" Alexander beamed and ignored Thomas' odd stare and left. Thomas' odd look turned into a suspicious frown as he looked back at Aaron who was nibbling on a doughnut while reviewing some paperwork.
"Are you two dating?" Thomas suddenly blurted out and ripped Aaron out of his focused stare. Aaron looked at him in confusion and slowly gulped down the piece of doughnut he had in his mouth.
"What? What gave you the impression that we're dating?" he asked with furrowed brows and a confused frown. Thomas pointed at the doughnuts and the coffee.
"He brings you coffee every day which you have never thrown away, even though you've thrown away every cup of coffee that anyone else has ever brought you, he just brought you a box of apparently your favourite doughnuts for no reason and he literally just asked you out on a date with him. Also, he knows your exact work schedule and you're constantly texting him throughout the day! Don't think I don't notice these things! You're totally an item!" Thomas said, sounding oddly angry. Aaron just raised a brow in amusement.
"We're not dating, Thomas," Aaron replied with an amused smirk.
"Then do explain all this couple-y stuff, hm?" Thomas insisted and Aaron sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Alexander and I are not dating. We've known each other for over ten years now. He's the only one who can make my coffee not taste like absolute shit, and of course he knows what doughnuts I like. Also, I'm texting him so much throughout the day because we're arguing over housework and such. He knows my schedule, and I his, because he's the one who owns the car-" he explained and Thomas interrupted at the end.
"So, what, you're such good friends that he drives you to work? And why are you arguing over housework?" Thomas asked angrily, seemingly very frustrated and Aaron sighed.
"Thomas, Alexander and I live together," Aaron explained and Thomas was startled and surprised by this, "We argue over who has to clean and who has to cook and so on. And before you ask why: I've had this job longer than Alexander. He only had a part-time job at some bar and he couldn't afford an apartment, so we lived together. It wasn't really different, we had been roommates in college before in a similar situation so we just fell back into our routine. We were only apart for three months after all. He did most of the cleaning and cooking, not all, though. He refused to clean my laundry together with his after an incident in college," Aaron laughed, "And I paid three-quarters of the rent. Now that he works here too we split the rent 50/50 and argue over housework. He could afford his own place, but we decided our current situation doesn't need to be changed. We actually save up for nice vacations together. It works better since we have more money left."
Thomas eyes widened in disbelief, "You LIVE together?! You go on VACATIONS together?!" complete shock was all over his face and Aaron just shrugged and nodded, not understanding Thomas' exaggerated reactions.
"We've lived together before and we've been on vacations together before. It's not like this is a big deal, Thomas," Aaron frowned, suddenly somewhat self-conscious.
"It kinda is?! You just gave me more reasons to believe you two are dating. You go on vacations together! How is that not a couple-thing to do?! And what about him literally just having asked you out on a date!" Thomas exclaimed, bewildered. Aaron held back an annoyed groan.
"It's my birthday. I don't really celebrate it and neither does he. We just... kinda have this tradition going on that we do little things for each other on our birthdays... like the doughnuts," he explained.
"Oh? It's your birthday? Why didn't you tell me?" Thomas asked and Aaron shrugged and grabbed another doughnut.
"Why should I? I don't really celebrate my birthday either way," Aaron shrugged and bit into the doughnut in his hand. Thomas eyed him oddly and Aaron tried to ignore his odd stare but found he couldn't quite focus on the paperwork in front of him which he should be focusing on. He groaned, annoyed.
"What?" he asked irritated. Thomas was quiet for a second before he replied.
"I'm still not entirely convinced that you two aren't dating," Thomas said plainly and Aaron groaned loudly.
"We're. Not. Dating!" he yelled, suddenly angry.
Thomas scoffed, "Yeah, right." he didn't believe Aaron for a second, "If you weren't dating you wouldn't get so defensive over it!"
Aaron looked at him incredulously, "I thought my tone conveyed my anger and annoyance. Let it go, Thomas. Alexander and I are not dating. End of discussion."
Thomas frowned, "You can't tell me you haven't even thought about him like that?" he insisted and Aaron glared at him in disbelief.
"Seriously? Why do you even care?" Aaron asked and Thomas suddenly avoided his gaze and didn't respond. Aaron just sighed and shook his head, rolled his eyes and went back to his work and doughnuts. The hours passed quietly and quickly and Aaron had soon finished half of his doughnuts and put the rest away to eat for another time. The end of the workday came soon after and Alexander came into their office playing with his car keys and whistling some song completely, and most likely intentionally, off-key.
"Eeeeyyyy! Ready, Aaron?" he beamed with a goofy grin on his face.
"One second, I need to save this. Aaand, done. Alright, let's go. See you tomorrow, Thomas," Aaron said, smiling brightly at Alexander.
Thomas frowned at Alexander who just ignored him. Thomas hummed in discontent. He and Alexander hated each other with a passion and always argued whenever they were found together in the same room. Well, almost always. Not when Aaron was in the room with them. Surprisingly, all Alexander did then was to simply ignore Thomas completely, no matter what Thomas did or said. It was as though Aaron was Alexander's anger and impulse control. Thomas was completely convinced they were dating and somehow it made him angry. Alexander didn't exactly deserve someone like Aaron, Thomas thought. He groaned and packed up for the day.
The next day he was ten minutes early in his office and somehow earlier than Aaron. Before he sat down he heard Aaron and Alexander's voices from the hallway.
"I don't know why he thinks we're dating! Or why he even cares for that matter," Aaron responded to something Alexander said and Thomas heard Alexander giggle.
"Maybe he's into you! Wait, ew, no, please don't ever date that guy. I mean, sure, he's rich but that does not make up for his shit personality!" Alexander shook his head.
"Yeah, otherwise you'd be all over him," Aaron snickered and Alexander hit his arm.
"One time, Aaron! One time! You were worse than me and you know it!" Alexander pouted.
"True, but I didn't do it for money," Aaron grinned.
"Doesn't matter! Besides, it saved our asses with the rent, didn't it?" he asked and Aaron nodded, "Anyway, what do you even see in that guy, to begin with?" Aaron shrugged and grinned.
"Probably the same you see in-" he tried but Alexander slapped a hand over his mouth to shut him up.
"Shh! The walls have ears!" Alexander shushed him and Aaron removed his hand from his mouth.
"Ow. That hurt. But Alexander, seriously! I've seen the way he looked at you when no one's looking," Aaron replied and put a comforting hand on Alexander's shoulder. Alexander whined in defeat.
"How does he look at me?" he asked after a few seconds in a way that says he's repressing every bit of hope that dared to bubble up inside of him and show its head to him. Aaron smiled fondly at him.
"He looks at you in a way that says that he wants you, wants you to be his, but that he can't ever possibly have you," Aaron answered truthfully. Alexander was quiet again for a minute and Thomas thought that maybe he left before Alexander finally responded but with a newfound determination coating his voice.
"Alright! I'll do it! I'll do it! Wait... when should I do it? I mean he's always with him..." Alexander's voice dripped with venom at the end. Thomas quirked his brow intrigued. What or who was Alexander talking about? And do what? What does Alexander want to do?
"Well, I can either distract him or you get J- oh, sorry- you know who to speak with you in private. Then you can do your thing. He will likely not believe you at first but he'll eventually get over the... 'shock' of it, so don't worry about that," Aaron encouraged and Alexander nodded fiercely.
"Okay! I'll do it! I'll do it today! You're the best, Aaron, the absolute best! I could kiss you!" Alexander beamed with excited enthusiasm and Thomas growled. Aaron just snickered.
"I think a spine-crushing hug would suffice instead?" he shook his head with a smile. Alexander grinned mischievously at him and suddenly pulled him into a spine-crushing hug and Aaron yelped in the light pain. Alexander, despite being a bit shorter than Aaron, was somehow much stronger than him.
"Alexander... Alexander, please let go of me..." Aaron groaned out but Alexander shook his head.
"A bit more, kay? I'm both touch and affection-starved, Aaron!" Alexander whined but loosened his grip a bit so it wouldn't be painful for Aaron anymore.
"I thought you told me I shower you with affection just sufficiently?" Aaron raised a brow, smirking.
Alexander pouted adorably, "Not anymore!" Aaron shook his head with a smile and hugged him back.
"Don't worry, soon you'll get your share of affection from someone else," Aaron winked and wiggled his eyebrows after Alexander had let go of him. Alexander groaned at him and slapped his arm and Aaron laughed heartily. Thomas' cheeks grew warmer at the sound and he frowned. He realised that he had never before heard Aaron laugh. Ever. This was the first time he had ever heard Aaron genuinely laugh and it sounded so... carefree. He sighed dreamily, and suddenly snapped himself out of it. He... hadn't realised he felt something akin to romantic for Aaron. Was that why he had been so angry at the thought of Aaron and Alexander dating? Was he jealous? He blinked and stupidly stared at the half-open door to his office.
"Well, tell me about it later, Alex!" Aaron smiled and Alexander left.
Aaron walked into the office and almost yelped when he saw Thomas already sitting there.
"I... You startled me. I didn't think you'd be here this early?" Aaron awkwardly smiled and sat down at his desk, silently wondering if he hadn't turned off the computer when he had left the previous evening, but his computer was turned off. He wondered if Thomas had turned it off for him but shrugged. He probably had. The work-day was quiet until Thomas' clock alerted them that it was break time. Aaron slowly got up from his desk after saving the document he was working on and left the office for the break room with James soon following him. Thomas was confused when he entered the break room and couldn't see James anywhere. Alexander was in the room preparing some coffee and then gave it to Aaron after he was done. Then, and with a big and nervous grin, he left the room. Thomas raised a brow at Aaron and pointed out the door through which Alexander had just left.
"What's up with him?" he asked and Aaron smirked and shrugged with his shoulders and took a sip from his coffee, his smirk turning into a blissful smile as he let the perfect liquid run through his mouth down his throat with a satisfied him. A warmth came to Thomas' cheeks again and he decided to make himself a coffee, too.
"If you managed to befriend Alexander, I'm sure he could make you the perfect coffee, too," Aaron said and Thomas just scoffed.
"Yeah, right. He'd poison my coffee first," Thomas muttered, putting two spoons of sugar into his otherwise black coffee.
"No, he'd never poison anyone's coffee," Aaron shook his head with a reminiscing grin.
"Oh yeah? How come?" Thomas raised a brow at him.
"He was a barista when we were in college. He got it beaten into him verbally to never mess with anyone's coffee, and that stuck with him to this day," Aaron explained and Thomas let out a laugh.
"Ha, but I still doubt he could make me a decent coffee," Thomas scoffed.
"Tell him that exactly like that and he'll make you the best coffee you'll ever have, purely out of spite. Believe me, every time one of his friends comes over the first thing they ask for is a personalized coffee. He was a very popular barista back in college. And I mean popular as in people outright refused any coffee not made by him," Aaron explained with a happy sigh.
"I think I'll be the judge of that," Thomas scoffed with a raised brow. After a few minutes in comfortable silence, Thomas opened his mouth again, "You two are really comfortable with each other," he started and Aaron suppressed a groan.
"This again?" he asked, annoyed.
"I'm just saying! This makes it even more unbelievable that you're supposedly not dating," Thomas insisted and Aaron glared at him.
"Alexander and I have been best friends for over. Ten. Years. Thomas. Of course, we're comfortable with each other! Why should we not be?" Aaron practically growled. Thomas was pushing him and he knew it.
"I'm just saying, you two seem to be a bit too comfortable with each other, especially with touching each other, for it to be platonic," Thomas stated matter-of-factly and Aaron frowned.
"Alexander is very affectionate. We've established boundaries regarding that very early. We're friends, Thomas. Nothing more, nothing less," Aaron explained irritated, emptying his coffee in one big gulp and putting the cup away. Thomas looked at him in thought, before an idea crossed his mind.
"Have you two dated in the past before?" he asked with a smug smile pulling at the corners of his mouth and an anger bubbled inside him. Aaron glared at him and wordlessly made for the door, as his phone suddenly vibrated. A text from Alexander.
Aham: I MIGHT HAVE ROYALLY FUCKED UP DX !!!!!??!!?!!?!!!
Aburr: What happened?
Aham: ok so i basically confessed my undying love to him and you were RIGHT LIKE YOUSOMEHOW ALWAYS ARE AND HE WAS KINDA SHOCKED INTO SILENCE
ansd he suddenly turnd super red
and its was super adorable
like his eyes even sparkled brighter??? than they normally do???
hes so beautiful wtf not fair
Aburr: Focus
Aham: Right yeah
so he turned adorably super red and flustered and it was ADORABLE and i...
Aburr: Alex
Aham: Might have...
Aburr: Alexander
Aham: I KINDA MIGHT HAVE POSSIBLY ACCIDENTALLY LEANT IN AND KISSED HIM!??!?!?!!?!!!?!?!?!?
Aburr: Oh, wow...
Aham: I FUCKED UP!!!!
I ROYALLY FUCKED UP!!!!!
HE'LL HATE ME NOW!!!!!!!!!!!
Aburr: What was his reaction?
Aham: he ran away T.T
Suddenly, the door to the break room flew open with a slam and James ran in with a flustered and red face, wide eyes and his hand slapped tightly over his mouth.
"What happened?!" Thomas asked concerned, but James immediately turned to Aaron.
"I need to talk to you," he urged, grabbed Aaron by his arm and basically dragged him to his office and shut the door behind them.
"What's wrong?" Aaron asked politely and James' look was absolutely terrified.
"Alexander just... kissed me a-and I... h-he said he's in love with me? Y-you know him best, right? Is he... is he just pretending? He's just playing with me, i-isn't he?" James stuttered and Aaron smiled softly and reassuringly at him.
"He's not just pretending; I don't think he could pretend to be in love with someone," Aaron assured softly, but James still seemed unsure.
"I just... I always thought he hated me! He always glares at me!" James exclaimed, looking like he was close to tears. Aaron shook his head.
"He glares at Thomas, not you, you're just always right next to him. He looks at you completely differently," Aaron smiled. James looked at the ground.
"Like what?" he asked and Aaron chuckled.
"He looks at you like you're the most brilliant jewel in a sea of ordinary rocks. He looks at you with such awe with which one would regard the sublime beauty of nature. He looks at you as though you were a beautiful painting, a masterpiece, so close, yet untouchable," he said softly, "That's how he looks at you."
James looked up at him, completely in awe.
"H-he does?" James asked as the red on his cheeks intensified in colour. Aaron nodded and pulled out his phone and opened an email Alexander had sent him once and he handed his phone to James who gave him a questioning look.
"I told him to complain to be in email rather than in texts once. This one begins with two paragraphs of him complaining about Thomas and once he mentions you... well... You should look for yourself," Aaron smiled and James looked curiously at him and then at his phone He started reading the email and snorted at the first two paragraphs. Then the email mentioned him and he raised a brow intrigued.
"... I hate him! And he's always, constantly around James! Do you know how much I hate that? Stupid, piece of shit Jefferson always being with sweet, amazing, never-done-anything-wrong-in-his-life-ever James. What the hell?! Well, at least it's a good contrast. I mean, what does James even WANT with that guy?? James is too much of a sweetheart and a literal angel, what the hell, from heart and soul to body and mind. He's absolutely beautiful! First time I saw him, I literally thought I had died and he was the angel that would bring me to heaven, Aaron! I mean, have you LOOKED at his eyes?! A forest I want to explore during a starry summer night, clear sky and shining moon. A forest I want to get lost in and never find my way out, ever. Die within it and wander as a lost spirit would, forevermore and forevermore. How is he so absolutely perfect?! From his eyes to his lips that are somehow perfectly shaped! And like the voice that comes out of them is like a siren's song. He draws you in with that hypnotizing voice, draws you closer, ever closer, until he finally has a grip on you and kills you. It kills you and you just let it happen. You WANT it to happen, you NEED it to happen. You want and need and crave his voice for it to drag you to your doom and drown you in it..." James stopped reading, the biggest grin and tears pricking at his eyes, threatening to roll down his absolutely flushed cheeks. He put a hand over his grinning, beaming mouth as he trembled.
"He sends me an email like this every day. It never ceases to impress me how many words he finds to describe how much he is in love with you," (or how much he hates Thomas, Aaron thought) Aaron smiled softly at him and took back his phone, "If you want, I could send them to you."
James looked at him with big eyes and meekly nodded with a shy smile.
"I'm warning you, there are over 450 emails," Aaron snorted and James' eyes widened and he laughed nervously.
Suddenly, his eyes widened in realisation and he muttered, "Oh shit!"
Aaron looked at him, brow raised and asked, "What's wrong?"
"I just ran away from his confession! What if he thinks I hate him now?!" James yelped. Aaron shrugged with his shoulders.
"He did jump to that conclusion, but it's no big deal. Here's what we'll do: I'll text him and tell him to go to the break room as soon as the break is over. There are no cameras there and I know how to lock the door. He hates this kind of confrontation and he'll try to flee the scene. What you'll do is tell him exactly how you feel," Aaron explained with a calm smirk. James looked at him dumbfounded. "I've known him for over ten years, nothing he does surprises me anymore," Aaron said in explanation and James looked oddly at him.
"H-how did you know how I feel about Alexander?" he asked, shifting from one foot to another as Aaron merely shrugged.
"People in love are just about the most obvious things to me. Alexander often calls me a witch because of that," he snorted and James smiled.
"A-and... you'd do this for... us?" James asked and Aaron nodded.
"Of course! I've been trying to get Alexander to confess his love for you since forever. It's been an aggravating year and a half, James. I mean, I know he won't stop swooning over you no matter what happens, but give me at least the satisfaction of knowing it wasn't for nothing," Aaron said and James snorted and nodded.
"Alright, let's do this, shall we?" James said.
Aaron nodded and replied, "Let's do this." He pulled out his phone and texted Alexander.
Aburr: Hey.
Aham: I'm wallowing in my own msiery wdyw?
Aburr. First of all, get your face out of that ice cream container. Second of all, get your ass into the break room once break is over, kay?
Aham: You damn witch, how tf did you know?
Again!
Aburr: 10+ years of living with you has taught me a few things...
Aham: What r you planning?
Aburr: Like how you were taught a thing or two about me
Aham: Aaron >:(
What are you planning?
Aburr: Don't you trust me?
Aham: Not since the laundry incident in college I don't >:(
Aburr: You got me, you got me... But it's a surprise. Just get your ass into the break room once break is over
Aham: It better be good, for me to ignore my better judgement
Aburr: I'm literally the only thing about which you listen to your 'better judgement', Alexander
Aham: THAT'S CUZ I KNOW YOU >:(
Anyway, yeah, I'll be there
And it better be good!
"Alright, done and done. All you need to do now is to go to the break room and wait," Aaron announced and James nodded.
Break would be over in about ten minutes, so James decided to head there now. At this point, no one else would be in the break room so James placed himself in it so that he wouldn't be immediately seen by Alexander when he would come through the door, giving Aaron more time to lock them inside. The plan admittedly sounded a bit odd to James, but he figured Alexander sometimes required for odd measures to be taken. Aaron hid close to the break room's door and put on a calculating poker face, the one which Alexander always told him to lose because it creeped him out. But his poker face game was on point at all times. He glanced at his watch. Break was over and he soon heard Alexander's angry muttering. He knew that Alexander must've cried and it hurt him that he hadn't been there to help but now wasn't the time. Alexander would thank him in the long run. Alexander went into the break room and called out for Aaron. Aaron snuck up to the door and pushed it shut, then slammed down the door handle and he heard the lock click locked.
Thomas heard the commotion and looked out of the office to see what all the noise was about and walked over to Aaron who smugly looked into the break room from the window on the door.
"What's going on?" Thomas asked and Aaron shushed him and pointed and pointed to the window. Thomas looked inside and raised a brow. Both Alexander and James stood awkwardly in front of each other, blushing madly and gazing longingly into each other's eyes. Alexander said something, looking absolutely awestruck and immediately slapping a hand over his own mouth and seemed to be apologizing profusely. James violently shook his head and said something in return that made Alexander shut up and look at him with even more love than he already was. Aaron snickered. Alexander slowly and hesitantly reached his hand up to James' face and gently cupped his cheek, gently as though he were holding a fragile porcelain doll. Even more slowly, he leaned forward and gently connected their lips. They closed their eyes in blissful love, perfectly captured in that one moment. Their gentle kiss became more heated and passionate, both finally, finally holding in their arms what they had wanted for so long, but never before dared to get. James buried his fingers deep into Alexander's locks and gripped tightly, while Alexander held onto James' waist like his life depended on it.
Aaron smiled, a good deed done.
"That's how you make magic happen," he smiled at Thomas who stared dumbfounded at the kissing pair. Aaron pulled out a paper that read 'occupied' and stuck it with duct tape to the window. "C'mon, Thomas, let'em have their fun. We have work to do," Aaron said with a triumphant smirk and beckoned for Thomas to follow him.
Now James understood why it had been important to Aaron that the break room had no cameras. And he was surprised to find out how well Alexander could play him like an instrument.
Thomas followed Aaron into their shared office, not sure how he felt about this and opting for anger above all.
" What in the hell was that?!" he asked angrily and pointed in the general direction of the break room.
"Magic," Aaron replied and took out his doughnuts and licked his lips. Victory doughnuts. Thomas wasn't too happy with that answer, though.
"I'm serious Aaron! Why the fuck are our best friends, who hate each other, passionately making out in the break room?!" he yelled and Aaron sighed.
"I made some magic happen. Besides, they don't hate each other, to begin with. It was painfully obvious how in love with each other they are. Don't fight this, Thomas, there's nothing wrong with it. Just two idiots in love. Doughnut?" he said, offering for him to take one. Thomas ignored the offer and went straight back to yelling.
"How can I be okay with this?! How can you be okay with this?!" he yelled and Aaron just shrugged.
"I don't care who Alexander ends up with as long as they make each other happy. I've been trying to make this magic happen for one and a half years now, Thomas. Let me have this victory," Aaron shook his head and went straight back to work. He ignored Thomas' yells and complaints for the rest of the day until his phone vibrated with a text from Alexander, asking him to let them out of the break room. Aaron told Alexander to give James a heads up about Thomas and stood up to release the two lovebirds. They were both equally dishevelled and Aaron grinned at them.
"I expect you two to treat each other right. I've no quarrels kicking either of your asses if you don't. I'm looking at you, Alex, don't mess this one up," he winked and Alexander snorted and James demanded an explanation. Aaron threw a bottle of air freshener at Alexander who swiftly caught it with a sheepish grin and sprayed it into the break room.
"Knew I could count on you," Alexander grinned at him and threw the now empty air freshener can into a nearby trash can while James raised a brow in amusement.
"How are you so oddly well prepared?" he asked as he let Alexander put an arm around him.
"You're looking at the best wingman to have ever lived! I bet you I'd still be a virgin if it weren't for this witch!" Alexander beamed and Aaron chuckled softly.
"That's actually true," Aaron nodded and suddenly Alexander had an idea.
"Hey, James, how about you sleep at our place today? We could talk more about this and do stuff," Alexander beamed at James, who understood the innuendo and looked worried and unsure at Aaron who snorted and shook his head as he interjected.
"We live together. And don't worry. I made sure the walls are soundproof."