Work Text:
“You should kiss me.”
The words are slurred as they slip from Tay’s sticky-sweet lips. There’s drops of the drink he’d been sipping on at the corner of his mouth. Off watches as his friend darts the tip of his tongue out to catch it. Off blinks slowly, his eyes unfocused.
“Huh?” Off asks, several moments later.
“Kiss P’Tay,” Gun mumbles underneath Off’s ear. Gun’s the most gone within their group, having given up watching the movie in favor of leaving little kitten licks along Off’s neck. A sober Off would have pushed the boy from his lap—instead, Off’s pleasantly buzzed and really doesn’t feel like moving.
“Why though?” Off frowns. “We’re friends.”
“Are we not friends, Papii?” Gun giggles.
“Th-that’s different!” Off sputters, feeling his face heat. “I…uhhh..I work with you!”
“We work together too,” Tay points out. “We’ve worked together longer than you and Gun became a thing.”
“What?” Off squeaks. “Why are you wanting this so much?”
“Peng,” Tay leans in, wrapping an arm around Off’s shoulder. It’s a familiar enough position that Off doesn’t panic—he wishes he could say the same for the weird conversation they’re having. “You know who my first kiss was, right?”
Off furrows his brows, considering. He honestly hadn’t a clue. As far as Off knew, Tay had never had a faen in all the years they’ve known each other. His best friend lived a very privileged, yet sheltered childhood. So opportunities like that just never happened.
“Newwie,” Gun murmurs.
“What?” Off gapes. “Seriously?”
Tay nods, the sparkle to his eyes dull now. Things with New are on again, off again. They aren’t in the best place now. Off wants to give Tay a comforting hug, but he doesn’t want to squish Gun in the process. So he awkwardly just pats Tay’s head. If his hand lingers, fingers brushing over his hair, it’s only because Tay’s hair is really soft. Off is tipsy enough to like the feeling.
“Yeah,” hums Tay. His lips slowly quirk into a small smile the longer Off touches him.
There’s only two things that Off will succumb to in this world. The first being Gun with his pouty lips–the second, this. Tay’s smile. “Uhhh ok. I think I get it. You want a kiss that’s not on camera, right? One where you aren’t forced to do it because of work? Is that why you want to kiss me?”
“Kinda,” Tay chuckles, Gun giggles again. “But also…I want a real first kiss. With someone I care about.”
“Oh,” Off’s eyes widen. There’s a lump in his throat and he reaches for his drink to swallow it down. He can feel Tay’s eyes focused on him the entire time, which only makes him more nervous. They don’t do this kind of thing—feelings. Off has no idea how to react.
“Papii…if you don’t kiss P’Tay right now, I will,” Gun whines.
“No!” Off protests. That idea only makes him jealous, and the worst thing is he doesn’t know who he’d be more jealous of.
“You should kiss me, then,” Tay laughs. He leans forward, their noses bumping and Off is going cross eyed as he stares.
Gun sits up in Off’s lap to whisper in his ear, “Do it, Papii. He wants it.”
“Fine,” Off says, without thinking. He leans forward and captures Tay’s lips with his own. The kiss is tender and sweet. When Off pulls away, he sees Tay’s beaming face.
It’s at that moment Off realizes why people call Tay ‘sunshine.’