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Two months. Two whole months have passed since they all sat down and agreed on… whatever this was that they were calling it, and Rhett still hasn’t kissed him. At first, he thought it was just because he was nervous or just felt too guilty which he fully understood. The agreement was unfamiliar to them, after all, but if that was the case then why was he okay with everything else? They hold hands under the desk, snuggle on the office couch, share food and drink, and even take naps together up in the loft. So, why was kissing off the market?
He’s tried more than enough times to get Rhett to kiss him, but he’s had no luck. He was even blunt about it that one time on camera and really went for it when they were tasting pasta sauces, but Rhett pulled away last second before their lips could touch because of course he did. He couldn’t put into words how much he wanted to kiss Rhett. The feel of their lips together, his hand running through those blonde curls, their breathing hitched, their bodies pressed as close as possible, he wanted it all. He loved his wife, but now that they had been given the okay to test the waters of their romance, he’s wanted nothing more than to kiss the man he’s loved for more than 30 years.
“You alright, Bo?” Rhett asked, snapping Link out of his own head. He had been staring off into space for an indiscernible amount of time while sitting on the sofa in their office. It was their lunch break and Link had barely touched his food while Rhett already had his plate cleaned with his arm wrapped around Link’s shoulders as he finished his tea.
“Y-yeah. I’m fine.” Rhett looked towards Link’s plate, concern written all over his brow.
“You’ve barely touched your food. Somethin’ on your mind?” Link bit his lip, tempted to talk about his frustrations with Rhett, but they were about to shoot 3 episodes of the show and he didn’t want the air to be sour between them.
“No, I’m alright. Promise.” Rhett didn’t seem to buy it but shrugged his shoulders anyway and pressed a quick kiss to Link’s hairline.
“Alright.” Later, they had just finished shooting the second episode of the day which had them testing out lip glosses- like they had done with lipstick before-and Link’s blood was boiling. They were in their dressing room alone taking off the lip gloss when Rhett had stopped Link from wiping his red shade away from his lips. He ran his hand through Link’s hair and smiled down at him with that warm voice that always gives Link chills.
“That red shade looks good on you.” Link smiled and let out a puff of air. The mood was perfect as Link began to lean it. Rhett did too, their lips getting so close that Link could feel Rhett’s labored breath on his lips. His heart was racing out of his chest with excitement, but it screeched to a halt when Rhett didn’t go through with it. He cleared his throat and pulled back as he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly leaving Link hanging there with his eyes closed and lips lightly puckered. He felt as if steam was going to come out of his ears he was so peeved.
He wiped off the lip gloss from his lips and threw the towelette into the garbage, slamming the door behind him as he left their dressing room. He heard something fall off the wall and tumble to the floor, but he didn’t care. He found himself up in the nap loft, squeezing the stress ball he kept up there for moments just like these. He had to stop himself from almost ripping it in half. He couldn’t believe Rhett. There Link had been, open and venerable, ready to finally kiss him and what did he do? Shrug him off. Just like he always does.
He had been up there for about 10 minutes when he heard the familiar footsteps climbing the staircase to the loft. Link had started to calm down, but when he saw Rhett’s face come up from the railing, his blood went from a simmer to a boil yet again. He was the last person Link wanted to see.
“Hey, buddy roll. What’s wrong?” Link scoffed.
“Why don’t you tell me.” Rhett furrowed his eyebrows at Link’s directed anger.
“What’re you talkin’ about?” Link shook his head, taking his eyes away from Rhett. He couldn’t stand to look at him anymore.
“Figures.” He muttered, squeezing the stress ball even harder in between his fingers. Rhett walked over to him and sat next to him without saying a single word. “I’d like to be left alone, thank you.” He snapped.
“Hey now, don’t be an ass to me. I just came to check on ya after you broke one of our framed fanart.”
“Well, here I am completely fine. Bye.” Rhett stood up and jerked the stress ball out of Link’s hands, his own blood warming up from Link’s tone.
“What’s your problem?”
“My problem?” Link snarled, standing up and poking his finger into Rhett’s chest. “My problem is you and how fucking blind you are!”
“Blind? What the hell are you talkin’ about!?”
“I’m talkin’ about how arrogant you are; how you think everything is so fine and dandy in Rhett’s world, but yet you refuse to look around and see how everyone else feels!”
“I don-”
“OF COURSE, you don’t understand! You’re too busy ignoring me all the time!” Rhett stepped forward, his own tone seething with rage.
“Hey. I’ve treated you the best I know how.”
“Really? Then why am I pissed? Go on, Rhett. Tell me.” Rhett looked Link up and down, trying to come up with an answer earning another scoff from Link’s lips. “Fuck you.” Link pushed past Rhett, shouldering him as he walked by. He wasn’t sure where to go now, but he’d find somewhere to sit, seethe, and inevitably cry.
“Don’t leave mad!” Rhett called.
“Too late!”
“You know I don’t like it when you leave mad!”
“And I don’t like it when you keep pushing away my offers for a kiss!” They both froze. Link hadn’t meant to say that out loud, but he did, and now all his anger seemed to freeze over with just that one confession. Tears began to well up in his eyes, his anger skipping the seething phase.
“… Link.” Rhett tried, but Link took off down the stairs, wiping the tears away with his sleeve. Rhett was right behind him, catching him in the middle of their office and pulling him into the biggest hug he could have ever given him. Link gave up trying run and cried into Rhett’s chest, heavy sobs wracking his body.
“Shhh.” Rhett cooed, running his hands through his hair.
“Why?” Link asked, voice broken. “Do you not want this anymore?”
“No, darlin’, no. Of course I still want this.”
“Then why? Why do you keep pushing me away?” Rhett laid his head atop of Link’s and lightly swayed them.
“Because I wanted our first kiss to be special. Jessie and I kissed for the first time at a gas station and I didn’t want that for us, Link. You’re so important to me and I wanted it to be something that neither of us would forget. I wanted to take you to dinner at that super nice Italian place you like and give you the best night of your life, but they were booked for two months. I had to wait until next week to give you the night you deserve. Never in a million years would I push you away, baby.” Link sniffled again from his chest.
“So, you weren’t avoiding me on purpose?”
“Never. I wanted to kiss you so bad in the dressing room. Your gorgeous lips in that lip gloss and your little pucker? God, Link, I almost gave in.”
“I wish you would have.” Rhett shook his head.
“I wanted it to be more special than that.” Link lifted his head from Rhett’s now tear-soaked shirt and looked up at him.
“Rhett… two months ago, you couldn’t hold me. You couldn’t cuddle with me on the couch or nap with me up in the loft. We went over 30 years wanting this.” Link gestured between the two of them. “And now we have it all thanks to our wonderful and understanding wives. Isn’t that special enough for you that we can have this?” Rhett smiled down at Link, bringing his right hand up to his cheek and wiping away a stray tear.
“You’re right, Link. I guess I just caught up in wanting the traditional special things that I almost forgot how special we already are.” Rhett’s voice was now a whisper, both men looking deeply into each other’s eyes as Link laughed quietly.
“C’mon, Rhett. When have we ever been traditional?” Rhett returned the laugh before they both went silent, his hand still on Link’s face as they continued to stare at one another. The air was thick with tension, their breathing slightly labored as Links hands began to shake with anticipation. Rhett was the first to lean in, his cheeks flushing a deep red as he pulled Link closer to him with his free hand. Link let out a light gasp at the sudden gesture but eased into his arms when Rhett had caressed his cheek again. Link gently bit down on his lower lip, his eyes still red from crying as Rhett gently rubbed their noses together.
“I’m sorry, baby.” He whispered. “I should have talked to you about how you were feelin’.” Link brought his shaky hands up to Rhett’s face and laced his fingers into his beard.
“Just kiss me already, you dork.” Rhett closed his eyes and started leaning in again, licking his lips and turning his head to the side to find Link’s already pursed lips. Finally.
Link’s knees felt weak as they mended together, Rhett’s smooth lips getting caught on Link’s chapped ones. Their lips pulled apart with a light smack but were back together in split second. Rhett let out a light grunt and Link threw his hand up to his curls, gently running his hands through them like he had always wanted to. When they finally pulled apart Rhett’s cheeks were a brighter red than before and Link’s lips were desperate need of some lip balm, but they didn’t care. They just stood there in each other’s arms paying no attention to the outside world as they lost themselves in one another.