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"God that luggage was heavy, my shoulders are killing me! We aren't delivery men for fuck's sake!"
"At least the pay was good. And you still owe Dante, don't you?"
"He ripped me off, I swear, that fucking baldy..."
Vanitas sat on his bed, rubbing his neck trying to stretch out the knots, while Noe was still removing his outer layers.
"Shall I give you a massage?"
Vanitas looked at him doubtfully. Noe seemed sincere.
"You know how to give massages?"
"My teacher taught me. I would often give him massages."
Noe seemed like he was talking about a fond memory. "He was just using you." Vanitas thought. He sighed and stood up, making his way to the desk chair.
"Fine. I'll take you up on that offer."
He hooked a finger onto the bow around his neck, and slowly pulled it off. Noe stood watching him for a moment. Vanitas shot him a questioning glance.
"Ah! There should be some salve somewhere..."
Noe rummaged through the bathroom, before emerging with a small metal container with a pattern of a dragon on the lid.
"Found it, this-"
Vanitas sat in the chair, leaning his chest onto the backrest. His hair was up in a messy bun and his shirt was draped off his shoulders. He lazily peeked at Noe, which made the vampire's heart skip a beat.
"What? Put off by my scars? I don't show this just to anyone, you know."
"No, that's not...I've never seen you with your hair up like that."
"Well I had to get it out of the way. It's not that shocking."
"I like it. It suits you."
"...Weirdo."
Noe chuckled at Vanitas' embarrassment. He took off his gloves and rubbed some of the ointment onto his hands.
"I'll start the massage now."
He only received a hum in reply. The human twitched ever so slightly when Noe's fingers made contact with his exposed skin. Noe was surprisingly gentle, strong hands slowly kneading the sore muscles.
"Is this okay?"
"'s great..."
The salve was spreading a warm and tingly sensation across the boy's shoulders. Despite his efforts to keep enjoying the act, his eyelids were starting to get heavy. Vanitas was not the person to fall asleep defenseless, especially not near others, but the wave of relaxation took over him.
"How does that- Vanitas?"
Noe peeked over to see Vanitas dead asleep. He stopped in his tracks and stared at him in amazement. This was truly a once in a lifetime experience. He thought he might regret not waking the human up, but he figured he would regret not taking in this scene more. He observed him for a moment, before as slowly and as gently he could, pulled him off the chair and into his arms. He thought Vanitas was a light sleeper, but surprisingly he stayed asleep through out the motion. Noe swore he meant to put him down in his own bed, but seeing him so vulnerable, nuzzled against his chest, made him not want to.
"He's definitely going to be mad at me..."
Noe carefully lowered Vanitas into his bed, climbing next to him. He brushed a lock of hair off his face. Vanitas answered to the notion with a nudge towards his hand. Noe's heart melted. Why he felt this way about Vanitas he wasn't sure, but he felt he didn't need to know. He just wanted to hold him close. That was enough for him.
----
"Hmph...?"
Vanitas woke up with his face to Noe's chest, arms grasping him in a tight hold.
"Ah, good morning Vanitas."
"Good morning my ass! Why am I in- this- Get off me!"
Vanitas struggled out of Noe's arms and sat up, covering his naked chest.
"Why am I shirtless? What did you do to me you perverted vampire!"
"You fell asleep during the massage..."
"Give me my shirt, now!"
"Don't yell, it's early. Here."
Vanitas snatched the shirt out of Noe's hand and hopped out of the bed. He turned away from Noe, but he could see the blush on his face reached his ears.
"You should've woke me!"
Noe had got up before Vanitas could notice, and he ran his fingers through the dark hair, combing out any tangles.
"I didn't dare. You looked so peaceful."
"Idiot..."
Vanitas let the man play with his hair for a moment while he buttoned up his shirt.
"Well? Are you satisfied now?"
"Sorry?"
"My sleeping face. You wanted to see it, right?"
"Oh. Yes. I'm satisfied, but I'd like to see it more."
"Don't get ahead of yourself. It will never happen again."
"Ehh!? Why not! I've seen it already, it should be fine!"
"You have a weird obsession with my face, you know that?"
"Anyone would. You're very beautiful."
"Don't kid me."
"I'm not lying. I find you to be one of the most attractive people I know."
"I suggest you get your eyes checked."
Noe suddenly spun Vanitas around and pinned him to the table.
"What are y-"
Noe stared deep into his eyes.
"Vanitas, you truly are gorgeous. You captivate me to the point I can barely take my eyes off of you. I wish you could see yourself through my eyes so-"
Vanitas covered his mouth with his hand, his other hand hiding his own reddened face.
"I- I get it, so just...shut up."
Noe clasped his hand and kissed it.
"I just wanted you to know. It saddens me to see you think so lowly of yourself."
"You're officially the strangest man I've ever met. That's not something you say to a friend."
"We're friends?"
While Noe was surprised by the fact that Vanitas considered him a friend, having assumed they were still in a we're-together-for-convenience situationship, Vanitas thought Noe's surprise either meant, he hated him enough to not want to be friends, or, he was insinuating that they were more than that, and due to recent events the latter seemed more likely. Embarrassment flooded over them.
"A-are we not?"
"I figured you wouldn't want to call me your friend..."
"What would I call you then...?"
"Uhm...partner?"
Noe of course meant something adjacent to a colleague. Vanitas however thought Noe was telling him to call him his partner, in the romantic sense.
"That's...If that's what you'd like, I don't have an issue with it..."
"What?"
"What?"
"I'm sorry, there seems to be some sort of a misunderstanding. I meant that I didn't know you considered us friends, rather than colleagues."
"Oh-"
"What did you think I meant?"
Vanitas scrambled off the table.
"Never mind that! Don't say misleading things!"
"Vani-"
"Breakfast! Let's go!"
"Wait, Vanitas! What did you think-"
"I can't hear youuu!"