Work Text:
No crying over public transport
Calle groaned as he turned to his side and patted the bed to find his phone that had been ringing for the past several minutes. It was lost under the pillow, but thankfully it didn’t shut up even a couple of minutes later, when he had finally found it and tried to check the caller ID on the screen that was way too bright for his eyes that had just enjoyed the well needed rest.
It must have been serious if someone called him around 3 in the morning. Figuring he’d better answer and try to understand who was calling then, he pressed the green button and held the device to his ear.
„Hello? You better have an explanation,“ he said, voice harsh from the sleep and some annoyance also accompanying it.
„Calle?“ The reply was shaky and made the older man rise up a bit on his bed. He affirmed that it was indeed him. „Can you... can you come and pick me up?“
He had to check who the caller was once more. „Bård? What’s wrong?“ he asked, voice grown serious in an instant as every possible scenario ran through his head. „Are you okay? Where are you so late? Weren’t you supposed to fly to Macedonia with Vegard tonight?“
„Yeah...“ Calle couldn’t help but to notice something in Bård’s voice that wasn’t there even in difficult situations. He still wasn’t sure, but... was he crying?
„What happened? No, wait. Okay, where are you? Are you okay?“ The younger guy seemed to be a mess so he thought it was better to just pick him up first and then try to figure out what was going on with him and the whole situation.
After Bård had said he is in a bus station, Calle got out of bed and sighed, stretching. He still wasn’t sure, but it had sounded as if the other had been or was crying during the call. It was rare for either of the brothers cry if it wasn’t something super emotional and they handled stress pretty well. He was sure he hadn’t seen them like this in years. Grabbing a sweatshirt from the floor, he pulled it over his head and looked for car keys, trying to shoo his cat out of the way who certainly thought it was time for him to give her some food already since he was awake.
Groaning, Calle exited his flat and hurried to the car, cold night air hitting his face. At least it did a good job with waking him up. He turned on the engine and drove off, trying to call back but not getting an answer.
„The fuck,“ he wondered to himself and circled his shoulders, feeling the last bit of sleep leaving him. Well, whatever it was, Bård had to be responsible and pay for his lost sleeping hours. God, he hoped it wasn’t something too bad.
Arriving to the location Bård had given him, Calle hurried out and even forgot to lock his car in the rush, trying to get in as fast as possible. He saw the younger Ylvisåker sitting on a blue plastic chair, elbows on his knees and head bowed as he looked into something on his phone, tapping on the screen furiously.
„Hey, what’s up?“
Bård looked up at hearing his friend, but there was no reaction, it almost felt as if it didn’t register in his mind. „You okay?“ Calle tried again and finally the younger man nodded. He stood up at the command and followed the other back to the car in a bit.
Bård’s lips were pressed together and it seemed he won’t be saying anything any time soon. He was a bir pale, but that might have been because of the time and light that made everything look strange, not to mention it was pretty cold. His eyes had seemed a bit red when Calle got a glimpse at them, but other than that he seemed to be alright. Or at least well.
„Is everything okay with Vegard?“ Calle tried, probing for an answer carefully. The other didn’t say anything, but at least he nodded, so the other could let out at relieved breath he hadn’t noticed he was holding.
When he stopped the car in front of his apartment block, Bård didn’t move, so he turned to look at him properly. „So what happened? I can’t help you if you won’t tell me how,“ he said, reaching out to take one of Bård’s hands into his. The other had been holding them in fists, but relaxed as soon as got into physical contact.
„I missed the flight.“ Bård’s voice was very quiet and small, Calle had to actually lean forward to understand what he was saying. „I know. I took my car, but it broke down and instead of calling a cab, I...“ Bård swallowed and took a shaky breath, „decided to just get on a bus. What the fuck. Who does that when in a hurry? It managed to break down in the middle of fucking nowhere and then I didn’t get a cab anymore.“ Rest of the things he said were now too quiet to be heard at all.
Calle sighed, squeezing his fingers for a moment before getting out of the car, walking around it to open the other door. „Come on,“ he said and lead the way to his flat. „When’s the next flight?“ he asked on the way.
„In two days.“
„In two days-?“ Calle stopped on the stairs and turned around.
„It’s Macedonia. There really aren’t any other options, if you don’t happen to have a private jet.“ Bård’s voice sounded a bit annoyed now.
Calle sighed, licking his lips and brushing a hand through his hair. „Well, you can’t do anything now,“ he said and opened the door. „It’ll be fine,“ he assured the other once more and Bård took a deep breath.
„Thanks,“ he said then and Calle shook his head.
„It’s late, we should go to sleep,“ he said instead and stepped into his bedroom to find something for Bård to wear. As he understood, Vegard had had their stuff at the airport since Bård had some work to do back at the office before driving there as well. That explained the lack of any bags.
Before he could even reach for the wardrobe doors, however, the other wrapped his arms around him and rested a side of his face on his back. Chuckling lightly, he took a hold of Bård’s arms and moved them away from him, turning around after that and nodding lightly at the other, who took it as an invitation to hug him properly now.
„Christ, Bård, everything is okay,“ he said, feeling the other almost shiver. „Things like this happen. Bad luck it was when you really needed to go, but no one is really mad at you, I’m sure,“ he added, rubbing his palms gently against the other’s back.
Bård shrugged and took some raspy breaths, not moving an inch and pressing himself against Calle, feeling the warmth from his body finally help him to relax somewhat. „I felt so helpless. And mad at myself. I just couldn’t do anything,“ Bård said, trying to get this awful feeling leave him.
Everything grew quiet and only some cars passing on the street ruined the silence. Calle felt warm air from Bård’s mouth on his neck, and moving away a little was pretty sure the other was close to tears. Sighing, he changed the position of his own arms and moved towards the bed with Bård.
„Oh come on, you can’t cry over public transport,“ he said after they had collapsed onto the mattress and managed to make themselves almost comfortable. „Fuck public transport.“
Bård laughed lightly, even though the voice sounded a bit wet. He turned a bit to look at the blond guy’s face. „Thanks for coming after me. I really didn’t want to bother you,“ he said, apologetic look on his face.
Calle just nodded, knowing that dismissing everything would make the other feel even worse. He tried to move away, but his left hand was trapped under Bård, so he could only turn himself enough to lie on his back. To which Bård answered with freezing on the spot.
„Calle...?“ Bård started.
„I’m going to get you clothes to sleep in,“ the older man said, finally getting his hand out from between Bård and the duvet on top of which they had laid down. „It’s late and you look exhausted, I certainly am. And people say I’m the one who constantly looks sleep deprived.“
Bård moved into sitting position and looked as Calle went through his closet, gathering a gray T-shirt and black sweatpants and handing them over. Bård didn’t move.
„Don’t be difficult now, let’s at least try to sleep. Nothing we can do,“ Calle said, understanding the hesitation in other’s body language. Bård nodded slowly and took some steps towards the bathroom.
„Can I sleep with you?“
Biting his lip for a moment, Calle nodded and sighed deeply. In all honesty, he had absolutely no idea what was going on between him and Bård. At some point a few months ago it had felt that they might have a thing for each other, but nothing really came of it, and so far everything had been going on as usual. It was frustrating, since he really had no idea at which part comforting the other was stepping over the friendship line.
He would have crossed it a long time ago, but was simply too scared of the outcome.
Bård was back soon enough, bringing Calle out of his thoughts. He got up and managed to straighten the bedsheet and make some order with pillows. He only had one duvet so this had to do, though. The younger man looked worried again, definitely thinking he was being annoying and intrusive, with what Calle would have argued with, given the chance.
„Come on, get into bed, it’s already like 5 in the morning,“ he said and that got Bård moving. Neither of them really had nothing to do the next day, Bård had mentioned he got into contact with Vegard while he had been waiting for him and he agreed he can come with the next plane from Oslo. There had been other options, but with several changes in other countries and it wasn’t worth the trouble in the end. And since he and Vegard were supposed to be in Macedonia for two weeks, Calle got some free time from the office and preparations of IKMY as well.
„I’m sorry,“ Bård said once again as they were lying down, facing each other in the darkness, only centimeters between their faces. „For calling you and making you drive all the way there. I should have managed on my own, I should have... made so many things differently, it’s my fault that everything happened, really,“ he muttered and Calle let it happen, trying to make out of his face.
„I just figured that if anyone, you’d come to pick me up. I’ll make it up for you somehow.“ Calle smiled a little, but couldn’t help a frown appearing on his face at the same time, as the younger man kept accusing himself. Finally he just had enough.
Moving forward this short distance that separated them, he pressed his lips on Bård’s, who was certainly taken by surprise, considering the yelp he managed to let out. Though at the next moment he didn’t pull away, which had surely been one option, but simply relaxed. Instead every other possibility, one of his hands moved to Calle’s cheek and brushed the blond strands away from there while continuing the kiss.
Calle smiled again, feeling a lot better and sincere this time, as he wondered how was it possible that Bård felt so soft and nice against his mouth. It was a lazy kiss, almost sloppy, but somehow still able to convert each other’s feelings about the whole thing.
Bård sighed into the kiss and moved a bit, now also making rest of their bodies come into contact and Calle wrapped his arms around him without thinking. Finally breaking apart, he felt the other breathe a bit more heavily as he pressed his face against his neck, trying to catch his breath and savour the moment.
„Feeling better?“ Calle asked and felt Bård nod, as he felt his hand move to rest on his waist.
„A lot,“ Bård answered out loud as well, „public transport should suck more often.“